A Flair for Chardonnay

by Deborah Garner

  Stefano scanned the room, as if distracted. “She confides in other people before me.”

  Did she note a hint of jealousy?

  “Anyone in particular?”

  “It’s an old story.” He gave no further explanation. Instead, he stood up and said, “Thank you for listening, Sadie. I appreciate your kindness to my wife.” He walked to the restaurant exit, glanced up and down the sidewalk, and left the café.

  “Coco,” Sadie said, leaning over the chair next to her and speaking into her tote bag, “this whole family is a little unusual. And their behavior in public is certainly strange.” She looked up and smiled at two diners at another table who were staring at her. “Favorite tote bag!”

  Sadie finished her salad, paid the check and went back to the inn. She found Tina on the front porch, watering the azalea in the hanging baskets. She hummed a light-hearted tune that Sadie couldn't quite put her finger on, but the word buttercups came to mind. The innkeeper’s behavior continued to strike Sadie as odd for a person who had discovered a dead body a mere twenty-four hours before.

  “Have you been out sightseeing? We have such a lovely town.” Tina climbed down a multi-tiered step stool and moved on to a redwood container of primrose at the top of the porch steps.

  “I had lunch at The Grapevine,” Sadie said. “Charming little café. I ate a scrumptious salad with cranberries and grapes. Delicious dressing, too!”

  “Oh, I love The Grapevine. They make a great roasted tomato-basil soup. I haven’t been there for ages, but Stefano…” Her voice trailed off. “Well, we used to meet there for lunch a lot, once guests were checked out and Celia got started on the rooms.” Tina gestured toward the inn, undoubtedly indicating that her assistant was there.

  “You’ll have to try that salad sometime.”

  Sadie thought about how to proceed with her investigation. She considered the phone call from Matteo to be confidential. If he wanted Tina to know what was going on, he could call her. Or perhaps he had? If not, it would be best to leave Tina with the assumption he’d gone fishing. The fact that he’d indicated to Sadie that he was going fishing now lessened the feeling that she was hiding something from Tina.

  For now, Sadie decided to stick to small talk until she knew enough to ask the right questions. Back in her room, she settled Coco into her palace before making a quick call to Flair.

  “Amber, just checking in. Anything going on?”

  “Mrs. Hilbert picked up the scarf she ordered and UPS delivered two cartons.”

  “Probably those new linen tunics from market. One of my favorite finds at that last trade show. Once we mark them as received, we should display one with those long strands of exotic beads from Peru.”

  “You do have a sense of style, Sadie.”

  Sadie laughed. “It’s not mere ‘style,’ my dear. It’s called flair. Hence…”

  “…the name of the store. Yes, I know.”

  It was a routine they had, working any fashion discussions around the word, “flair.”

  “Anyone hiding on the floor behind the counter?”

  “Not at the moment,” Amber said. “I think he was going fishing.”

  “Yes, that’s what he told me. Any customers of his stopping by?”

  “A few. Most just look at the closed sign on his door and leave. Hopefully he’ll be back tomorrow. Matteo sure is behaving strangely lately, don’t you think? He never closes shop, and I don’t think he’s ever let a customer intimidate him.”

  “Maybe he’s just tired and needs a break from his work and all those ravenous chocolate lovers, as we all do,” Sadie said. “Look at me.”

  “Yes, and it’s about time you took a few days for yourself. Don’t worry, everything here will be fine. I’ll put the new linen out and redo the front window display to include it.”

  “Sounds good. Thanks, Amber. Let me know if you hear from Matteo again.”

  Sadie ended the call and set her cell phone down on a side table. She pulled a book out of her suitcase and headed out to the back garden. Amber was right. She was due for some time for herself. Maybe she’d even find a local day spa and have a facial before heading back to the city the next day.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The sound of a car door brought Sadie out of a light doze. She’d barely gotten one chapter into her mystery before her eyelids closed and the book settled on her chest. She lifted her head from the chaise lounge and cupped one hand across her forehead like a visor. Except for her car, the guest parking lot beside the inn was empty. But the tip of a black and white vehicle stuck out from the main street.

  Sadie closed the book and stood, brushing several leaves off her clothing. Slipping in through the rear entrance, she closed the door softly. Muffled words came from the direction of the kitchen. Entering through the back ensured she wouldn’t disturb anyone. And made eavesdropping easier. She tiptoed down the hall until the voices became clear.

  “We just have a few more questions to ask you, Mrs. Tremiato. Just to remind you, I’m Detective Hudson and this is Detective Schafer.” The man’s voice was deep and melodic. Sadie suspected it might have been soothing under different circumstances.

  “No problem, detectives. Would you like to sit down? We can talk here in the breakfast area. My only guest is outside, reading.”

  Sadie pressed against the hallway wall, feeling only slightly guilty for hiding her presence. After all, her intentions were good. She was only trying to help Matteo.

  “Thank you,” a slightly different voice replied. Softer? Female? Sadie fought the urge to peek around the corner. She listened as several chairs scraped the floor, envisioning the trio as they sat. This was good. She’d have enough warning to dash back down the hall if anyone stood up.

  “We just want to go over a few statements you made at the station yesterday.” Sadie heard the sound of papers being shuffled.

  “I told you everything I know,” Tina said. The innkeeper’s voice seemed calm, yet guarded.

  “I’m sure you did.” The voice matched Detective Hudson, the officer who had spoken first. Sadie pegged him as the primary.

  “You told us you found the victim’s body on the floor, is that correct?”

  “Yes,” Tina said.

  More papers shuffled. “Is there a chance you tried to move the body at all?”

  “What?” Tina’s response sounded like a cross between a laugh and a snort. “Are you kidding me? Do I look like I could move a body twice my size?”

  “Honestly, ma’am, no. But we think someone tried to move him. There were smudge marks on his arms.”

  “Well, if so, someone else must have done that. I told you already he was right where I found him. Already dead, as I’ve pointed out many times.” Tina’s voice quavered.

  “I know this must be hard for you,” Detective Schafer said. “But think back to when you found the body and then went to the farmhouse to call the police. When the officers on duty yesterday arrived, you took them back into the…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Fermentation building,” Tina filled in. “Yes. They asked me to. I didn't want to go back in there, not with...”

  “Of course not,” Detective Schafer said. “That’s understandable.”

  “But they probably wanted to see my reaction, thinking I might be guilty.”

  Detective Hudson cleared his throat.

  “That’s not really how it works,” Detective Schafer added quickly. “It was just important to document exactly what you saw, to hear it from you while it was fresh in your mind.”

  “Something else.” Detective Hudson again.

  A light tap followed the statement, as if someone had dropped something small on the table.

  “Have you seen this before?”

  A pause, then Tina’s voice. “No, I haven’t. What is it?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out. We think it’s a lapel pin, the kind you might get as a travel souvenir.”

  Or at a culinary trade show. Sadie
closed her eyes and shook her head. Oh, Matteo! she thought.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Tina clearly sounded frustrated now.

  “It was found in the…fermentation building, about ten feet from Mr. Flanagan’s body.”

  “Well, I don’t remember seeing it. I would have told you if I had.”

  “I’m not saying you saw it, ma’am. I just thought you might recognize it.”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

  Interesting choice of words, Sadie noted. Tina might have said she didn't recognize it, but not saying so implied that she did. Then again, maybe not. The relationship between Tina and Matteo was still hazy to Sadie. On one hand, it was possible they were simply a brother and sister-in-law who got along well with each other. Or Tina could be covering for him for some reason, which would explain her drastic change in behavior after the day of the murder – or murder discovery, if that happened to be the case, since the police hadn’t disclosed the time of death. The connection between Tina and Matteo could be deeper and more complicated than it appeared. Since Matteo never mentioned Tina, Sadie found this last thought hard to believe. But she couldn’t rule out anything. She needed to keep her mind open when she put on her crime-solving hat.

  The sound of a chair scooting cautioned Sadie to scurry down the hallway, which meant the voices would be out of earshot. Frustrated, she entered her room but kept the door ajar enough to follow any major movements. She soon heard more chairs against the floor, then an exchange of polite farewells that she couldn’t quite make out and the sound of the front door closing.

  Sadie decided that she absolutely must have a cup of coffee or tea, but she waited several minutes before sauntering out to the front of the inn so that Tina wouldn’t guess that Sadie had known the police were there. Then she went in search of both beverage and information.

  Prepared to ask Tina for coffee, she arrived upfront to hear a faint conversation and to view the innkeeper through the kitchen door. Pacing back and forth, Tina whispered into a cell phone. Sadie couldn't be certain, but suspected it was Matteo. Had Tina rushed to fill him in on the visit from the police? To warn him? Or was she talking to Matteo at all? Perhaps she’d called Stefano. Sadie strained to hear a name, but couldn't catch anything but murmurs. When the phone call ended, she feigned interest in an empty coffee pot on the buffet table while waiting for Tina to emerge.

  “I see you’ve come in from the garden,” Tina said. “I didn't want to disturb you once you’d fallen asleep. A spontaneous nap is one of the luxuries of a mini-vacation.”

  Sadie tossed out her best innocent laugh. “Oh, yes, reading often makes me sleepy. I had no chance because of the warm sun and that peaceful atmosphere. I thought a cup of coffee might bring me around. Or tea.”

  “I’ll make a pot of coffee,” Tina said, starting for the kitchen.

  “Oh, I don’t want to trouble you,” Sadie said. “I was just going to grab something if it happened to be on the buffet.”

  “It’s no trouble, in fact I could use a cup myself,” Tina called over her shoulder. “I usually do have it on the buffet in case guests want it midday.” Her voice grew distant as she continued to speak from the kitchen. Sadie heard the sound of running water and the whir of a coffee grinder. The words faded in and out as the coffee-making sounds continued. “…lost track of time…as if I would know…” Sadie strained to hear, but couldn't catch it all.

  “You should have heard them,” Tina said as she finally came through the kitchen door. “It was like I was being accused of not admitting something I didn’t even know.” She poured two cups of coffee and set the coffee pot on a warming unit, flipping the switch to an “on” position. “What do you think, Sadie? I feel like they don’t believe anything I say.”

  Sadie took the coffee from Tina and took a sip, buying time to think of the best response. Did she even believe Tina? She had no reason not to, yet there were too many pieces that didn't fall together. Why had Tina been at the winery that morning? What about her hushed phone call? What about her odd response to the detectives’ question about the pin? If only she could ask about it, but that would give away the fact that she’d been listening. Perhaps she could draw it out of her. She reminded herself that Tina didn’t know she’d overheard the detectives’ visit.

  “Tina, do you mean the police? Were they here?” The two women sat down at the table. She took another sip of coffee and watched Tina. The conflicted look on the innkeeper’s face told Sadie Tina wasn't sure how much to divulge. To Sadie’s relief, she chose to confide in her.

  “Yes, the two detectives stopped by a little while ago. I guess you didn't hear me from the kitchen. Sorry about that. I was talking to Matteo on the phone. I do tend to talk without paying attention to whether people are listening or not.”

  “I couldn’t quite hear you over the coffee grinder,” Sadie said quickly. “I wasn't listening carefully.” Pants on fire.

  Tina set her coffee cup on the table. “There were a couple things they brought up. Apparently someone tried to move the…Mr. Flanagan.”

  “Really? How would they know that?”

  “Some sort of smudges on his arms. Does that even make sense?”

  “Well, I suppose if someone grasped his arms, that might have left marks.”

  “Maybe. I don’t know.” Tina sighed. “I’ve never watched any of those police shows on TV.”

  “What else did they have to say?”

  “They found some sort of pin and wondered if I remembered seeing it.”

  “Did you?”

  “I don’t think so. It did look familiar, but I couldn't place it. Maybe just a souvenir pin from another winery? But I didn't recognize the logo and I know almost all the wineries in the area.”

  “I'd love to see it,” Sadie said. “Any chance they left it?” She already knew the answer.

  Tina shook her head. “They said it was evidence and they had to keep it. But they gave me a picture of it.” She slid a color snapshot over to Sadie. The pin looked to be about one half inch by three quarters of an inch. A gold cursive “C” filled a good portion of it. The background was a cobalt blue.

  Sadie handed the photo back to Tina, who put it away. She was sure she’d seen the pin’s logo before, but couldn’t place it. She’d stick with the idea of a culinary show. Matteo usually went to those and always came back with a canvas bag filled with purchase orders and samples. Sadie often hovered nearby when he returned from those events, hoping to catch a taste of some new delectable treat. Maybe he’d picked up a pin at one of the booths.

  The sound of the front door opening and closing broke into the conversation, and Stefano entered the room. He said hello to Tina and displayed one of his attractive smiles upon seeing Sadie. Returning the smile, Sadie knew he most likely interpreted the sight of the two women together as a follow-up to his earlier request at the café.

  Stefano poured himself a cup of coffee from the buffet and set it on the table.

  “Any sugar?”

  “In the cupboard, same place as always,” Tina said.

  Stefano grabbed the sugar and took a seat, dropping a casual kiss on Tina’s cheek as he rounded the table.

  “What are you doing here in the middle of your workday, Stefano?”

  “A customer said he saw a police car parked out front a short while ago. I just came over to see if everything was OK.” He placed a hand on top of Tina’s, but Tina pulled it away and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “Oh, that,” Tina said. “Yes, a couple of detectives stopped by to go over some things from yesterday. Just routine.”

  “No new developments?”

  Sadie wondered why she felt as if something was hidden under the surface of Stefano’s comments and questions. Maybe it was that he always seemed to be playing a part. Plus he seemed pretty darned cheerful compared to his mood earlier in the day. Was this a show for Tina, to keep her from worrying? Was he truly concerned for her, or just usin
g this meeting to do some snooping of his own?

  “Nothing new,” Tina said. Sadie noted she chose not to share the information about the pin and wondered why not.

  Sadie looked back and forth between the two as if they were opponents in a tennis match. Except this particular game felt more dangerous. She also couldn’t help but wonder how much of Stefano’s concerned, affectionate manner was because of her presence. She decided to put that theory to a test.

  “Excuse me. I’m in need of the powder room.”

  Sadie slipped out of the dining area, leaving her coffee cup behind to imply she’d be right back. She walked down the hall, opened and closed the door to her room, but stayed in the hallway, where she could still hear.

  “Is there something you’re not telling me, Tina?” Stefano said.

  “There’s nothing new.” Tina’s voice was weary. “Just don’t worry.”

  “Of course I’ll worry.” Stefano’s tone grew more insistent. “I care about you, Tina. I wish you’d believe that.”

  “You care about your business, your family, yourself and your adoring fans at the store.”

  “Don’t start in on that again, Tina. I do everything I can to reassure you that you’re important to me.” A pause. A clink of a coffee cup against the wooden surface of the table. “Now tell me, did the police come up with any new clues? Maybe some new evidence?”

  “Why would you even ask that, Stefano?”

  Indeed, why?

  “I figured they had something new to say or they wouldn't have stopped by.”

  “They just wanted to double check some statements I made yesterday.”

  Sadie opened and closed the door to her room again and returned to the front. Stefano displayed his usual, charming smile when Sadie walked in. It was an expression she was beginning to distrust.

  She wasn't sure she trusted anyone in the Tremiato family at this point.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Luisa was behind the counter of the tasting room when Sadie walked in. Late afternoon sun flowed through the windows bouncing off wine glasses that hung from a suspended rack. A feeling in the air said the day was almost over. And, with only twenty minutes before the tasting room closed, it almost was.