Hospitality and Homicide

by Lynn Cahoon

  “I’m sure that’s not true.” Although I was glad that the local funeral director hadn’t opened a shop in my town.

  “Death is a part of life. But no, I’m not dealing with a bereaved family tonight. I have an appointment with a local couple to complete their pre-planning. It’s so much easier to talk about your final wishes when no one has died yet.” He nodded to the checkout line. “I’m holding you up. I just wanted to say hi and explain why I won’t be attending tonight. I really love Mr. Pike’s series.”

  “I’ll be sure to mention it to him.” I pushed the cart forward a few steps. There were still several people in front of me. “Hey, I’m sure he’d love to talk to you in your county coroner role. He’s interviewing all kinds of people in the law enforcement area for his new book.”

  Doc Ames pulled out a card and held it toward me. “I’d love to talk to him. Maybe he’d sign my collection of his books in return. Make sure you give him this.”

  A reader’s pride and joy is having an author personally sign their copies of well-loved stories. That’s the reason bookstores will never be replaced by the e-reader. People need their keeper shelves. I took the card and slipped it in my purse. “I might just come along and learn some stuff myself.”

  “I’d enjoy the company. My schedule is open this weekend. Let me know when to expect the two of you. I’ll have cookies.” The funeral director/county coroner waved and disappeared with his cart into one of the store aisles as I finally reached the conveyor belt to unload my groceries.

  Glancing at the time, I realized I wouldn’t make it back to South Cove until after three. My aunt was going to be burning up my phone in a few minutes. Which meant my stop at the local drive thru for a late lunch was probably off the table. I grabbed a bag of peanuts and a bottle of water. That would have to keep me until I got back to the shop and could figure out what treat from Sadie’s Pies on the Fly creations would be the healthiest. Okay, so maybe just keep my stomach from growling during the event. With cheesecake and then the little cupcakes that Aunt Jackie had ordered, I should be on a sugar high for most of the night.

  *

  I slowed as I went around the last corner of Highway 1 before the South Cove exit. No Esmeralda. I let out a breath. Maybe she’d given up her search? I checked my watch and I’d made up time from the trip. I had a half hour before Aunt Jackie was expecting me. I turned into my driveway and grabbed my purse. Time for a quick snack.

  I let Emma out and had just finished making a tuna fish sandwich when I heard the knock on the door. I sat the plate down on the table and went to the living room. Probably a salesman or maybe one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They came by to save my soul two to three times a month. I think they liked the beach view.

  I swung open the door and a man held out a flyer. “Look, I’m not interested.” I kept the screen shut. It was locked, but as Greg had pointed out to me several times, that lock wouldn’t keep me safe if someone really wanted in.

  “We’re just letting folks know that we’ll be gathering to do a search tomorrow morning out on the beach.” He waved the paper again. “We really need all the bodies we can get on this. The situation is dire.”

  “What are you doing? Trash pick-up?” I peered at the flyer, but he had it turned away from me.

  “No.” The man looked horrified. “We are not picking up trash. We’re looking for Thad Coltrane. He’s been missing for days and this is a last-ditch effort to save his life, since no one in law enforcement is interested in helping.”

  I opened the door and took the flyer. The kid grinned out from a picture that must have been taken on an earlier day on the beach. He sat in front of an impressive sand castle, shovel in hand. I let the screen door shut between us. “I work tomorrow morning so I won’t be able to join you.”

  “Just keep an eye out for the little guy, okay?” The man turned to go.

  “Hold on,” I called after him. “So who’s putting this together? The police department?”

  The man shook his head. “They’ve given up. This is sponsored by the family. They have it on good authority that the kid is still alive.”

  “I don’t understand. They think he’s been kidnapped? Or has there been sightings?”

  The man shrugged, obviously uncomfortable with my questions. “No, he hasn’t been seen. Look, I don’t typically go into this kind of thing, but if the kid is alive, what harm can it do?”

  “What kind of things?” I asked, certain I already knew.

  “They went to some person who talks to the dead. She’s the one who told them that their son is still alive.” He moved down the stairs. “Thanks for looking at the flyer. And if your plans change, you’ll know where we’ll be.”

  Emma barked at the back door and my stomach growled. I needed to get going if I was going to avoid my aunt’s wrath. And she could get pretty antsy around any event. Thank God for Toby. And Nick, we’d have him back next week, but until then, staffing would be short until I could replace Sasha. She’d been part of our family for so long her absence had made a hole, not only in our work lives, but in my heart. I was going to have to give her a going away party, if she could spare the time from her new life to say good-bye to the old one.

  I put my empty plate into the dishwasher and gave Emma a hug as she sat under the hook where I stored her leash. “No run today, girl.” I rubbed her ears and she groaned softly, seeming to understand my words. “We’ll go out this weekend, I promise.” Although depending on how many searchers showed up, we might have to take another trail for our run.

  I got back into the Jeep and parked in the back lot next to the South Cove Police cruiser. I glanced at my watch. Five after three. I was in hot water.

  I went in the back door, making sure I locked it back up after I came through. We hadn’t had problems with breakins yet, but other businesses had. I believed that having my aunt upstairs in the apartment made the store less of an easy target. Besides, if they had to steal a book to read, at least they’d be expanding their mind, rather than their pocket books.

  And having a police car in my parking lot probably helped things out too. “Hey, Toby, I thought Tim was coming for the car?”

  “Came and went and came back. It’s waiting for me to change into my uniform after the event and take over for Tim.” Toby grinned. “Hey, I parked it in the back. No one will think this is a crime scene. Besides, this is your mystery group. To them, it’s an adventure to help solve the murder.”

  “What murder?” Aunt Jackie had a blue tablecloth in her hands.

  “Toby was just explaining why having a police cruiser in the parking lot was a customer draw, at least for the crowd we’re expecting.” I pointed toward the office. “Toby, go get the boxes out of the back and I’ll watch the front while I talk to Jackie.”

  “Sure, send the man out to do the manual labor. You know I’m more than just muscle, right?” Toby flexed his bicep, showing that he was very up to the job I’d assigned.

  “Just go.” I turned toward Aunt Jackie. “Hey, I’ve been thinking about Sasha.”

  “So have I. I think you need to just clean her hours off the schedule. She doesn’t seem to be interested in fulfilling her two weeks’ notice.” My aunt spread the tablecloth and wiped out the wrinkles with her tiny hand.

  “Actually, I was thinking we should…” My words were interrupted by the bell over the front door. Sasha walked in the store, Olivia in hand. “Sasha, what are you doing here?”

  She looked at me confused. “I’m here to work. I told you I’d be here after the study group broke up. But I don’t have anyone to watch Olivia. Since we’re doing a book event, was it okay for me to bring her?”

  “You’re right. I totally forgot we talked about this.” I threw a quick look over my shoulder to the back room where Toby worked.

  Aunt Jackie went over and took Olivia’s hand. “Of course it’s fine you brought her. Let’s go find you a book to read over in the kid’s area, shall we?”

  The ba
ck door banged behind me. “The boxes are all inside the office and your keys are on your desk. What else can your humble servant do for you today?” Toby paused, then in a tight voice said, “Nice to see you, Sasha.”

  I saw the look of pain cross Sasha’s face. But all she said was, “I’ll go get the refreshments ready.”

  This was going to be a long night.

  CHAPTER 13

  The uncomfortable silence that hung over the shop was broken by a shrill cry. “Toby!” Olivia ran from the children’s nook to grab a hold of Toby’s legs. She squeezed hard. “I have so much to tell you. I went to Grandma’s and Joey, the neighbor boy, pushed me down, but I got up and told him that I knew a police officer and if he did it again, he was going to be in so much trouble.”

  “Olivia, you didn’t?” Sasha tried to pry her daughter’s arms from around Toby’s legs. “Let go of Toby, he’s busy and doesn’t have time for this.”

  He put a hand on her shoulder and waited for Sasha to look up. “Let me handle it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. I’d like to find out what’s been going in in her life, if that’s okay.”

  Sasha did the stare down for a good minute, then sighed, indicating consent. “Just don’t make her promises you and I can’t keep.” She lightly patted her daughter’s back, then went back into the office.

  Toby lifted Olivia up into his arms and looked at me. “Okay if we take a short break? I’d like to talk to her for a while.”

  “Go ahead.” I headed toward the office door. “I’ll go talk to the other one.”

  “Yes, everyone take a break except me,” Aunt Jackie mumbled. “It’s not like we don’t have a major event happening here in less than three hours.”

  “We’ll be right back.” I shot Aunt Jackie a glare, and for once, she had the decency to blush.

  Nodding, she went back to the mail table. “Its fine, I’m just a little nervous, that’s all.”

  “The event will be amazing. You always put on a terrific party.” I paused at the door. “I need to talk to her.”

  Aunt Jackie waved me away with the flick of a hand. “I know. I just overreacted.”

  It wasn’t in her nature for my aunt to apologize so I put this one on Harrold’s Improve Jackie plan. He was good for her. “I’ll be right back.”

  Sasha stood at the table, looking at the decorations like she’d never seen ribbons and taffeta before. She looked up when I entered, and I saw the tears brimming in her eyes.

  “Hey, are you okay?” I put my arm lightly around her shoulders.

  She wiped her arm across her face, wiping away the tears. “I’m fine. I guess I didn’t expect him to be here. Doesn’t he have a shift to cover or something?”

  “Honestly, I think he arranged his other time so he could be here tonight to fill in for you. He truly cares for you.”

  Sasha shook her head. “He cared for me. Past tense, no looking back. Now, we’re just friends.”

  I shook my head. “Feelings don’t change that fast. No matter what happened between you. Besides, he still adores Olivia.” I started setting up small cups with biscotti cookies for our guests.

  “Olivia’s been asking about him. She really fell hard for having a man in her life. Now, I’m taking her to the city where she’ll have to start all over making friends and learning her way. What kind of a mother does that to her daughter?”

  I turned her to look at me. “A mother who’s building a better life for her daughter. Seriously, Sasha, I’m so proud of you. I always knew you wouldn’t be here forever. This was just a stepping stone to get you on your way to where you really are supposed to be.” I glanced toward the door. “And if Toby’s meant to be in your life, he’ll be here waiting for you when you’re done with school.”

  “I don’t think he wants to wait. You know he has options.” She smiled, but the humor didn’t reach her eyes. “A new option walks in the door every ten minutes.”

  “If he’s the one, he’ll figure that out. Right now, you just take care of you and Olivia. And make sure you come to visit often. I’m going to miss you.” We finished setting up the cookie service.

  “I guess I better go out front and check on Oliva.” She paused at the door. “Thanks for everything, Jill. You believing in me has made me believe in myself. I’m even thinking happiness could be just around the corner.”

  As she disappeared out the door, I thought about just how much the single mom had changed in the last few years. Sasha was amazing and her new employer deserved her. If they treated her badly, I was going to come down and make my feelings known on someone’s nose. I took a tray of the cookies out into the main room and girded myself against the uproar. Instead, it was quiet. Sasha and Toby were sitting in the children’s nook, reading Olivia a book.

  Aunt Jackie came up to my side watching the group. “You would think they were a family, not just coworkers and friends.”

  As she walked back into the office to grab a new lightbulb, I looked over at the trio. They did look like family. When had that happened?

  Then we got busy until four when Aunt Jackie called a stop to the work. “Okay, I’m closing down for an hour. Who can be dressed and back here in thirty minutes?”

  Toby held up a hand. “It’s got to be me. You know how long the rest of group takes to get ready. If we wait on them, this will be a midnight reading, not just a later in the afternoon one.”

  “I don’t take long,” I protested as he moved toward the door.

  He laughed. “Jill, you take the longest of any girl I’ve known.” When Sasha and Aunt Jackie stared at him, he shrugged. “I watch how long it takes from the time she lets out Emma to when she lets her back in. That’s all. Don’t get me in trouble for this.”

  We went out the back and Toby climbed into my Jeep, hitching a ride home. “I’ll walk back as soon as I’m dressed for tonight. It’s not too hot so I’ll be fine. Are you driving back?”

  “Probably not. I’m wearing a cotton sundress, so I should be fine walking.” I glanced over at him. I couldn’t believe I was getting one on one time with both of the star-crossed lovers. “You okay with Sasha showing up?”

  He turned his head away, pretending to look outside at the shops. “I’m going to have to learn to be. Man, I just wanted that to be so perfect. Maybe I was the one that really killed the relationship, trying to lock her up into something she wasn’t ready to commit to yet.”

  I thought about my conversation with Sasha. “Maybe ‘yet’ is the right word. Give her a chance, she might just surprise you.”

  The few minutes left in the drive were spent in silence. Toby stared out the window and I tried to think of a subject that didn’t have women, kids, or a future. I was having my own relationship issues so my advice wouldn’t come from a place of wisdom.

  After we pulled into the driveway, he opened his door and got out. Leaning back inside, he said, “I’ll see you when you get back. Don’t hurry, I’ve got the place covered. All I need is a shower and my dress khakis.”

  I watched him jog back to the shed entrance and then he disappeared inside. I wished I had the magic words that would make him stop hurting, but all I could say was it took time. And Toby already knew that. I opened my own door and immediately faced a slobbering and whining Emma. She put her paws on my arms and licked at my face. On her lips were strands of my latest couch pillows. I pushed her down and looked around at the carnage. She’d only eaten one, probably because I came home too early. I pointed to the pile of stuffing. “That’s a bad girl. Bad, bad, girl.”

  Emma tucked her head, but her tail thumped on the floor. She was waiting for me to forgive and forget. And buy new couch pillows.

  “Time to go outside.” I followed Emma into the kitchen and let her outside. I grabbed a trash bag and went back into the living room. Stuffing the fluff and what was left of the pillow fabric into the black bag, I had cleaned up the place and put the sole surviving pillow in my home office with the door shut. Maybe I just wasn’t meant to be
Martha Stewart. That line of thought brought me back to the whole Greg thing.

  I had just tucked the bag into the corner of my front porch when I heard my name. Esmeralda was waving me down from her own porch. I leaned over my rail and waved back.

  “Hold up.” I heard her call from across the street. I made my way to meet her at the sidewalk. She jogged across the road looking more like a kid than the midthirties I knew her to be.

  “What’s going on?” I pulled a dandelion out of the crack in the sidewalk. Our city maintenance people tended to stop taking care of the common area just outside town. I would probably have to spray for weeds sooner than later.

  “I hear you’re hiring. I know someone who would be great. He’s my godson.” Esmeralda seemed to beam as she was talking about the guy.

  “Well, send him in and I’ll interview him. I want to make a final decision by end of next week. Sasha will be gone by then.” I had to keep reminding myself that Nick would be back on Tuesday. Otherwise, we were totally screwed in the hours thing. I’d have to cut open hours along with working a much longer session than I really wanted.

  “He’s finishing up some classes. I don’t know if he can come in right now. He’s doing those finals.”

  “I really need someone soon.” I looked toward the shed. “Sasha’s leaving to take on a summer internship.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Esmeralda could pick up the emotional nuances of my words, even when I didn’t mean to show my cards. I really hated her for that. “Look, I’ll call him tonight and see if he can get over here. But I know he has finals next week.”

  “I don’t want to mess up his education.” I really meant it. I remembered being young and going to school. It was all about the classes, the grades, and the teachers. Real life had seemed harsh and unforgiving. I still loved the idea of being a perpetual student. It was the homework that was kicking my butt. “Just tell him to come when he can.”

  Maybe being vague would make the guy in question either put it off, like forever, or she’d try to set up an appointment. This time, I was hoping that the out of sight, out of mind theory would work in my favor.