Look Into My Ice (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 12)

by Hope Callaghan

  “Well, lookie what the cat dragged in. What are you two up to today?” Dot filled a cup of coffee and set it in front of Gloria.

  “Oh, this and that,” she said vaguely.

  “Did you hear about the knockdown, drag out brawl over at the Quik Stop last night?” Dot tsk-tsked. “Sally better watch it or one day someone is going to clean her clock.”

  Dot set the pot on the edge of the table and pushed a stray strand of hair back. Gloria looked up at her friend…really looked at her. She looked tired. “Are you okay Dot?”

  Dot smiled briefly. “Yeah. I didn’t sleep well last night. My bones ached this morning, probably from the cold. I’m just tired...tired of winter, I reckon.”

  Andrea lifted her coffee cup to her lips and sipped. “Maybe you should think about slowing down, taking more time off.”

  “I’ve been thinking about it.” Dot nodded her head toward Ray, who was behind the cash register. “We have some friends from years back we’ve been talking to. They’re both a few years younger than Ray and I and they’re considering moving to Michigan. They claim they are sick of the heat in the south. It’s Rose and Johnnie Morris.”

  “They’ll be moving to the right place,” Gloria joked.

  Dot went on. “We were thinking about partnering up, selling half the business and splitting the workload.”

  Dot had mentioned her dear friend, Rose, many times. They had met years ago when Dot and Ray had moved to South Georgia years ago to help care for Ray’s uncle during an extended illness. After Ray’s uncle died, Dot and Ray had moved back to Belhaven, but Rose and Dot had stayed in touch.

  “They should come for a visit first,” Gloria suggested.

  Dot nodded. “They’re coming up next week to have a look around. Now that all of their children are grown and have moved away, they’re feeling a little restless and looking for something to keep them busy.”

  “This place will sure do that!” Andrea said.

  “If they decide it’s something they want to take on, I’m hoping they get settled before our cruise in early March.”

  Gloria had wondered how Ray would hold down the fort while Dot was on their cruise vacation. She hoped it would work out and that Ray and Dot could start taking more time off and enjoying a semi-retirement. “I’ll pray about it,” she simply said.

  The customers at the table next to Gloria and Andrea departed, leaving a tower of dirty dishes. “I best get back to work.”

  Gloria watched as Dot returned the coffee carafe to the burner and made her way over to the dirty table with a bussing bin. She quickly loaded the dirty plates, silverware, cups and glasses.

  Dot had finished her cancer treatments not long ago and the girls had celebrated with an afternoon movie matinee and late lunch. They were all thankful that so far, Dot’s prognosis was good.

  It was time for them…all of them…to slow down and enjoy the golden years. Gloria thought back to the last few years that her first husband, James, had been alive.

  They had done a little traveling with a road trip down the East Coast, starting in Maine and ending in the Carolinas. Their last big adventure had been when they circled the Great Lakes in an RV, which reminded Gloria of her recent honeymoon.

  Life was too precious to take for granted. A Bible verse popped into Gloria’s head:

  “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” Proverbs 27:1 NIV

  Ray stopped by a short time later to take their breakfast order. Gloria didn’t bother looking at the menu since she knew everything listed by heart. “I’ll take an English muffin, scrambled eggs, an order of bacon and it would be great if you could throw a slice of cheddar cheese on the side.”

  Andrea promptly closed her menu and slid it back in the holder. “Make that two, plus a glass of orange juice.”

  Ray jotted their order on a pad and then slid it in his front pocket. “Got it.”

  “Dot tells me your friends, Rose and Johnnie, will be here next week and they’re thinking of partnering up and sharing the workload around here.”

  Ray smiled. “Yeah.” He glanced over his shoulder at Dot, who was clearing another table. “It’s time to slow down and enjoy life.”

  He sucked in a breath and shook his head. “I’m worried about Dot. She’s trying to do too much and it’s wearing her down. It’s almost as if the cancer knocked the wind out of her and she hasn’t completely recovered yet.”

  Gloria cradled her coffee cup and studied Ray’s face. “I think it’s high time you both start taking time off. I can’t wait to meet your friends.”

  Ray grinned. “Whew! They’re a couple of characters.”

  Gloria watched as Ray walked away. Whenever Dot mentioned Rose and Johnnie, she would smile from ear to ear and say they had more personality than anyone she’d ever met.

  After the girls finished breakfast, Andrea carried their dirty dishes to the back to save Dot and Ray from having to clean up after them. Andrea also insisted on buying Gloria’s breakfast.

  She paid for breakfast and returned to the table. “Ready to stop by the hardware store?”

  Gloria, so caught up in worrying about Dot and Ray, had completely forgotten. She couldn’t wait to find out what had happened after Kate Edelson stormed into Brian’s hardware store demanding he fire Sally Keane. She would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall, listening in on that conversation.

  Andrea held the door and Gloria stepped onto the sidewalk. The sidewalk had been freshly salted and Gloria’s crutches crunched under the small pellets of salt.

  Andrea held Mally’s leash while they walked.

  Nails and Knobs was on the same side of the street as Dot’s Restaurant, but at the other end.

  The sun was trying to peek out from under the thinning clouds and it looked as if it was going to be a beautiful winter day.

  When they reached the front entrance to the hardware store, Andrea went first and waited while her friend navigated the three steps.

  Once inside, she shoved a crutch under each arm and hustled to the back of the store. Gloria caught Brian’s eye and he winked as he rang up a snow shovel for a customer.

  After the customer left the store, Gloria turned her attention to the handsome young man behind the counter. “Well?”

  Brian lifted a brow and grinned. “Well what?”

  “You know what,” Andrea squeezed his arm. “How did it go with Kate this morning?”

  Brian rested his arms on the counter. “Has Ruth set up some sort of surveillance equipment in here that I don’t know about?” he joked.

  It was a thought. Honestly, Gloria wouldn’t put it past her friend… “Kate stopped by the post office before she came here.”

  “I calmed her down, explained that Sally was under duress and acting a little irrationally,” he said.

  Gloria wondered what kind of “duress” Sally was suffering from, but kept quiet.

  “Irrationally?” Andrea gasped. “She punched Kate and the two proceeded to brawl on the store floor.”

  “True, but I can’t just up and fire Sally.” Obviously, Brian wasn’t as alarmed by the incident as they were. Still, having the two women work together wasn’t a good idea, at least it wasn’t to Gloria.

  He went on. “Kate and I went down to the store to meet with Sally. The two women called a truce. I don’t think there will be another issue.”

  Gloria hoped not, for his sake. “Is Kate working now?”

  Brian shook his head. “She’s working the afternoon shift.” He lifted his gaze and stared at the ceiling. “From four to close, if I remember correctly.” Brian leveled his gaze on Gloria. “Let me guess. You’re going to stop by the store later today.”

  “Bingo!” Gloria snapped her fingers. That was her exact plan and the sooner the better. She hoped Kate had overheard something that might be useful in moving the murder investigation forward.

  Brian walked them to the door. When they reached the entrance, Andrea spun around and
stepped into Brian’s arms. He pulled her close and gently kissed her lips. “See you later tonight?” he murmured.

  Gloria shifted to the side, pretending to study a bag of ice melt. For some reason, the ice melt reminded her that Paul’s birthday was right around the corner and she hadn’t decided on a gift yet. He didn’t need anything, although his fishing gear was in rough shape. Perhaps she could surprise him with a new set.

  Andrea pulled away from Brian, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed. “We better get going.”

  “Paul’s birthday is right around the corner. Do you have any fishing gear you can recommend?”

  Brian nodded. “You’re in luck. I’ve got a new vendor bringing me some stuff next Tuesday. Stop by late next week and I’ll have a ton of equipment for you to choose from.”

  “As long as you can help me pick it out,” Gloria said. “I haven’t a clue what to look for in fishing gear.”

  Brian gave Gloria a quick hug before the girls and Mally stepped back out onto the sidewalk and slowly walked back to the post office parking lot.

  Gloria opened the passenger door of the truck and shoved her crutches inside. She grasped the side handle with one hand and the edge of the leather seat with the other.

  Climbing into Andrea’s pick-up was easier than crawling into Annabelle, at least it seemed that way to Gloria.

  Mally jumped into the truck and wiggled her way to the back seat.

  Andrea pulled the driver’s side door shut and turned to Gloria. “Where to?”

  “Jill’s place. Start heading toward Rapid Creek and I’ll tell you where to turn off.”

  The drive to Jill’s went by quickly as the girls discussed Andrea and Brian’s recent engagement, the murder investigation and At Your Service dog training center. They also discussed Dot’s health, which was weighing heavily on Gloria’s mind.

  “I almost feel guilty eating at Dot’s,” Gloria admitted.

  “Me too,” Andrea agreed. “If we all stayed away because we didn’t want to be a burden to her, then they wouldn’t have a business and would have to close the doors.”

  Gloria tugged on her seatbelt absentmindedly. “The sooner Rose and her husband get here, the better. We need to start praying for a small miracle.”

  They stopped by a local burger joint in Rapid Creek before heading to Jill’s home where Andrea pulled up in front of the house and parked in the street.

  Ryan and Tyler exploded out the front door and reached their beloved Grams at the same time she hit the ground, almost knocking her over. “Easy boys! Don’t mow her down!” Jill stood on the front porch shaking her head.

  Gloria handed each of the boys a bag of food and then Andrea and Gloria followed the boys onto the porch and in through the front door.

  Jill had done a magnificent job of decorating their new home. The living room boasted several pieces of new furniture including two overstuffed chairs that faced the cozy fireplace. “The house looks wonderful Jill.”

  “Thanks Mom. It has been so much fun decorating and adding new furniture. How we ever survived all those years in our tiny bungalow is beyond me.”

  Ryan and Tyler set the bags of food on the dining room table.

  Ryan tugged on Gloria’s arm. “Can we take Mally out into the backyard?”

  “Of course, but before I forget, I want to give you boys those coins so you can clean them up and then do a little research.” She reached inside her pocket and pulled out the coins, dropping a couple into each of their outstretched hands.

  Tyler and Ryan placed them on the edge of the kitchen counter and then raced out the back door with Mally in hot pursuit.

  “Have a seat.” Jill pulled out a chair. “Would you like me to make a pot of coffee?”

  “No thanks, unless Andrea wants something.”

  Andrea shook her head. “I already feel like I’m going to float away. I would love to take a tour of your house though.”

  Gloria waited near the slider while Jill gave Andrea a grand tour of their home. She watched as the boys chased Mally around in the snow.

  The sun was shining brightly and it was almost blinding. Gloria blinked rapidly and then shifted her gaze to the side of the garage where she spotted two plastic sleds propped up against the wall.

  The sight of the sleds caused Gloria to have a sudden thought. She unlocked the slider and stuck her head out. “Hey boys. Why don’t you take Mally for a ride?” She pointed at the sleds.

  Ryan and Tyler raced each other to the sleds and then fought over who would give Mally a ride first. “Why don’t you take turns giving Mally and one of you a ride?” she suggested.

  Ryan and Mally climbed into the sled while Tyler reached for the plastic yellow rope on the front. She stepped out onto the back deck to watch.

  “Riding in the sled looks like fun,” she told them when they passed by.

  Tyler stopped abruptly and eyed his grandmother. “You want to go for a ride Grams?”

  “No. I’ll pass, but thanks for asking.” She continued to watch as the sled zigzagged back and forth across the yard.

  “Time for lunch,” Jill called from the doorway.

  The boys pulled the sled and Mally to the edge of the deck and then darted up the steps.

  Gloria hopped onto the bottom step and leaned forward to stare at the tracks the sled had made. The tracks were eerily similar to the tracks Gloria had noticed in the back of Ed Mueller’s yard!

  Chapter 20

  Gloria hopped to the slider door and stuck her head inside. “Andrea, can you hand me my purse?”

  Andrea grabbed Gloria’s purse off the counter and brought it to her.

  Gloria reached inside, pulled out her cell phone, turned it on and opened her messages. When she got to the one Margaret had sent her, she opened the message and tapped the screen to enlarge the picture.

  She squinted at the screen. “I need my reading glasses.” She reached inside her purse, opened her glasses case and slipped the glasses on, peering at the screen. “Those tracks are similar to the tracks the boys’ sled just made.”

  Gloria handed the phone to Andrea who gazed at the picture on the screen. She carried the phone to the edge of the deck and stared down at the pattern in the snow. “You’re right. What possible reason could Ed Mueller have for dragging a child’s plastic sled through the snow?”

  “Unless it wasn’t Ed Mueller at all, but rather the killer who placed his body inside the sled and then dragged it out onto the ice.”

  Andrea quickly snapped several pictures of the tracks in the snow before reaching down and tipping the sled upside down. She snapped a couple more pictures of the bottom of one of the sleds and then wandered up the steps.

  “Thanks Andrea.” Gloria slipped the phone inside her purse. “Finally, the pieces are all starting to fall into place. All we have to do is figure out who killed Ed Mueller!”

  ***

  The boys gobbled their burgers and fries and then ran back outside to play with Mally while the women chatted at the table.

  The conversation turned to the dog-training center.

  “That reminds me.” Andrea glanced at her watch. “We should get going if we want to stop by At Your Service on the way home.”

  Ryan and Tyler were sad to see Gloria and Mally leave, but their grandmother promised they could come spend the night at the farm soon, which seemed to cheer them up.

  The visit to At Your Service was long overdue and Gloria was glad they had carved time into their schedule to stop.

  Alice, who was the first to notice them, met them at the door. She hugged Gloria and then pulled away. “You try my love potion on Mr. Paul?”

  Gloria grinned and rolled her eyes. “He found it in the pantry last night and mixed half the container with a dish of salsa.”

  Alice lifted a hand to her lips. Her eyes grew wide. “Oh no. Wh-what happened?”

  Alice’s face reddened as she realized what she had asked. She waved her hand. “Forget I ask Miss Gloria!”


  Andrea groaned and shook her head. “Oh Alice!”

  They turned their attention to the dogs and watched as the female trainer taught a young Labrador retriever to respond to commands. The trainer explained the dog needed to be able to respond to the clicker and the best way to do that was associate treats with clicks.

  It was fascinating to watch the energetic, adorable and extremely intelligent dog. Gloria would have loved to take him home.

  As the trio toured the facility, she was impressed with the cleanliness and organization of the operation. Alice and Mario Acosta had done a fantastic job of turning the former puppy mill into not only a lucrative business but also a facility that would help others.

  For the second time, Gloria caught a spark between Mario Acosta and Alice. She wondered how long it would be before the two of them realized it. Andrea might not have a roommate forever!

  After the tour ended, Mario promised to bring Alice home later and the women climbed into the truck where Mally patiently waited inside.

  Andrea steered the truck out of the drive and headed back toward Belhaven. “Do you still want to stop by the Quik Stop?”

  Gloria glanced at the dashboard clock. Kate would be working and Sally Keane gone for the day, unless of course, the two of them had had another brawl and were in jail. “Yeah. If you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.”

  When they reached Belhaven, Andrea pulled the truck into an empty spot directly in front of the store and the girls climbed out.

  “You wait here,” Gloria told Mally. “We’ll be right back and I’ll bring you a treat.”

  Gloria wasn’t in the mood to make a big meal and decided on frozen pizza for dinner.

  She let Andrea carry the shopping basket as the women walked the aisles picking up a few items, including Mally’s favorite dog treats.

  Gloria caught a glimpse of auburn hair and a petite figure behind the deli counter. The woman finally looked up and Gloria smiled. “Hello. You must be Kate.”

  She nodded and stepped out from behind the counter. “Yes, and you must be Gloria Kennedy,” she replied.