“No, I wanted to talk to someone else.” At least this part was true; it is easier to wheedle the truth out of employees than it is to get it from the man himself if he’s trying to hide something. “Luckily, he wasn’t around, so I was able to get the answers I was looking for. I wouldn’t have been able to ask if he’d been standing beside me.”
Shawn turned away muttering something under his breath that sounded a bit like the Spanish the guys at the hotel restaurant had used when they were angry. Probably not a good sign.
I glanced at Lenny, who gave me a hard look. “He has a point. Running around like that is pretty stupid.”
Kat’s disapproval was also clear, though it looked kind of like she was trying not to smile. She glanced at Shawn, back at me and wiggled her brows. Apparently now she was happy with Lenny she’d slipped into matchmaking mode—the responsibility of all happily-engaged or married women (or at least most seemed to think so). Just what I needed.
After a long moment, Shawn turned back around to me, his hands on his hips. “So did you actually learn anything?”
“Of course. Jessica was right, Marty was in Phoenix picking up the jewelry on Tuesday. There was a bracelet and an emerald and diamond necklace on the invoice.”
“Was it expensive?” Kat asked, perking up.
“Very. She’s going to go into seizures if it’s a beautiful as its price tag.”
“So we’re back to Michael,” Shawn said. “Everyone else is covered.”
“Don’t forget that Gary doesn’t have an alibi either, as far as I can tell. I can’t figure him out.” I sat on a stool at the counter and picked at the bits of fondant that clung to the space where I had been working earlier. I needed to pull on some gloves and give it a thorough cleaning, but when the inspiration to leave struck, I hadn’t taken the time to scrub up right.
Now I’d cleared another suspect, I was more confused than ever.
Detective Tingey popped by that afternoon to talk after I let Lenny run off with Kat to pick out more furniture for their place. Really, he had just come to talk, not even to get a full confession or to ask me to fill out pages of paperwork.
“Come for a break, or just hungry for conversation?” I asked when he walked through the door.
“Both, if I can have them.” He rubbed a hand over his balding head, looking exhausted.
“Sure thing. What’s your pleasure?”
When I’d served up his latte and cupcake, I sat across from him and Shawn. “So, did you check on Michael’s alibi for the days that I was attacked?” I asked.
“Yes, and you were right. Of course. He couldn’t have done it.” He took a big bite of his cupcake, and spoke with his mouth full. “That doesn’t mean he didn’t kill Eric, though.”
I felt smug, though I tried not to show it too much. “No, but it sure does narrow down the likelihood, doesn’t it?”
He nodded in concession.
I quietly rejoiced. Shawn looked at me like he knew exactly what I was thinking and wasn’t amused.
“But you still need to stay away from things,” Detective Tingey said. “I don’t know who’s responsible yet, and you’ve already had two attempts on your life.”
Since my back—and backside—were still sore from everything I’d been through, I definitely didn’t want things to get worse. On the other hand, if the right information just happened to slip into my possession . . . “So as far as I can tell your only suspect left is Gary Roper.”
Tingey’s brows lifted in surprise. “And why are you so certain it’s Gary?”
“Why are you so certain it’s not?” I asked. “He doesn’t have an alibi for the day in question, and the prison is going to cost him a whole lot of money on property values.”
Tingey took a sip of his latte and smirked. “Actually, we found a guy who works for the Forest Service who said he saw Gary riding his horse up there, round about three o’clock.”
My mouth fell open in surprise. “But maybe he had time—”
“Nope, he was heading away from town, and,” he paused to take another sip. “He was far enough up the mountain that if he had turned the horse around two minutes later and returned at a gallop, he still would have been unlikely to get back in time.”
I slumped in my chair, full of consternation and totally lost about where to go next. “So there are no good suspects left?”
“Except the step-son.”
“Who you’ve already proved didn’t try to hurt me, so if he killed Eric, who do you think has been going after me? Not his mom, after she asked me to check into things. Who else would want me dead?”
“That’s my hang up, but I’m sure something will make sense soon.” Tingey leaned closer, studying me. “Now tell me, why is it that you’re so certain Michael isn’t responsible? You’ve been certain right from the start.”
I ran my finger along a groove in the center filigree on the table. “Call it gut instinct. Notice, however that I didn’t discount him as a possibility. I did check into his whereabouts, and passed the word along.”
“But you always thought he was innocent.”
I smiled. “Yeah. He kind of reminds me of Lenny, actually. Of the somewhat sullen, angry-eyed kid I first met five years ago.”
Tingey’s brow furrowed and he looked like he wasn’t sure he wanted to say it. “Um, you do realize he’s a convicted felon, right? It’s not like he was innocent or wrongly accused. You know he has a record. And it wasn’t shoplifting a necklace for his girl.”
I laughed. “Of course I know. And he’s never lied to me about his background. I know he has some, um, extra-curricular training at boosting cars. He’s been holding those skills in check, though, so I’m not overly concerned about them at the moment.”
“And he seems pretty handy with a computer.” His brows winged up.
I looked at Shawn, wondering if he’d mentioned Lenny’s hacking. He lifted his hands in a defensive gesture and shook his head just enough to let me know it wasn’t him.
“Come on, you don’t honestly think I didn’t check up on him after that fancy finger work he did on the keyboard the other day. And hacking into the Hogan’s router?”
“He didn’t hack the router; he said it was wide open. That’s totally different, and proved his point.” I couldn’t let that pass. “And he’s never been brought up on charges regarding his computer skills, so where did you hear that?”
Tingey finished off his latte and shrugged one shoulder. “Cops track crooks, know what they’re up to, more or less. There were rumors.”
“Rumors. Great. In other words you called up to Chicago and asked around. I’m starting to think that the police department is more interested in gossip than the quilt guild ladies.” I slumped back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. “You should leave him alone and focus on finding your murderer instead.”
“I’m working on that too. Look.” Tingey rubbed his thumb along a short section of the cup top, studying it too closely. “I just don’t want you to make a mistake. This kid’s going to be handling your money, your supplies, your customers. I kinda like having you here. I’d rather you stayed open—even though you are a pain in the you-know-what.”
“That’s so sweet,” I said, making my voice drip with insincerity. “And I trust him. I’ve worked with him a long time, remember? He’s a good guy, with a good heart and something worth living for now. I’m just hoping that before too long I’ll be able to pay him what he’s worth because to be honest, I don’t think I could stand messing with another half-dozen incompetent employees.”
“I’m so touched.” It was Lenny standing behind the counter where he could hear us. “Glad to know I rank above total incompetence.”
I grabbed a napkin, wadded it and tossed it at him. It fell woefully short as the air caught it, opening it up. “What are you doing here? You have things to do at home. And tell your woman she needs to get things straightened out so she can get moved out here full-time soon. It’s hard to plan
a wedding without the bride.”
Kat’s head appeared around the doorway. “We’re talking about early November. Any ideas for the cake?”
Lenny nudged her back into the kitchen. “You and I are going to talk cake,” he told me. “We’re the experts. She’s going to have to deal with whatever I make for her. Be back in an hour.”
I love that idea, of Lenny making their wedding cake, and wondered how many other brides were missing out by not marrying someone who could—and even was excited to—make the wedding cake.
Tingey cleared his throat to get my attention. “In any case, I do have another person or two I’m looking at. Just be patient, be careful and don’t take any chances.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Shawn said, glaring at me.
“Sure thing, boss.” I stood with a salute and headed for the kitchen. When they started ganging up on me, it was time to clear out.
The beeps and whines of the video game Shawn was playing on his phone were getting on my last nerve, echoing in my kitchen. I had tried asking him to move into the other room so I wouldn’t feel like he was breathing down my neck, but he refused, citing my penchant for taking off when it suited me.
Shawn hadn’t left me alone for a second since my visit to the construction site. He’d tried once again to finagle his way into the spare room in my home, but I’d refused, and he didn’t seem surprised to be told no.
I moved to the stereo and turned it up, hoping it would cover the sound of the phone. Lenny glanced up from the birthday cake he was decorating and looked over at Shawn before returning his attention to his work. I thought Shawn’s constant presence must be irritating Lenny as well.
The front bell rang and I smiled when Kat pushed into the store. “Almost closing time. How does Mexican sound?” she asked.
Shawn perked up at that. “With lots of hot sauce?”
Kat’s nose wrinkled. “If you like. But not on mine. I like to actually be able to taste the food.”
The bell rang again and Sheralyn Roper entered, adjusting her purse strap over her shoulder. One hand touched her “grandmother’s” necklace subconsciously. I’d noticed she seemed to do that a lot.
“Hello,” I said, moving to the front counter. “What can we do for you today?” In the background I could hear Kat and Lenny discussing the relative merits of an authentic Mexican restaurant from two chain Tex-Mex locations.
“I wanted a dozen of your snickerdoodles for a meeting I’m attending later this evening.”
“Great choice.” I got down a box and started filling it with cookies. “That really is a stunning necklace.”
“What?” She had been looking around the shop, not paying attention to me, but when I mentioned the jewelry, she released it, making it flash green and white, as if realizing she’d been drawing attention to it. “Right. I love it. I’m so glad my grandmother passed it on to me. It’s not often we get to keep a piece of history.”
The Tiffany’s receipt I’d seen earlier flashed through my mind and I paused after I put the last cookie in the box. “It looks like a master did it. Cartier?”
“No, Tiffany’s. Grandma wouldn’t accept anything less.”
I was careful as I closed the box, working slower than usual as I considered my next words. “You know, Jessica Grizzle just got a new piece of jewelry from Tiffany’s. It’s a pretty little bracelet.”
“It’s hardly comparable,” Sheralyn said, smirking a little.
I looked through the display case and saw the gaudy emerald shoes she’d designed to match the necklace and noticed the way they glittered—like precious stones, only with cheap craft materials. There had been glitter in Marty’s trailer. And receipts for quiet, out-of-the-way restaurants.
“It’s getting late for a meeting, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It’s hard to get together during the day sometimes, though.” Sheralyn started playing with her necklace again. “Didn’t I see your car parked out by that new construction today?”
“Yes. I stopped to deliver some goodies to the guys. Was that your silver Mercedes?” I asked. “The foreman seemed to know you pretty well.” I was starting to get ideas—ones that put Marty and Sheralyn on those cozy “business” dinners. What was it Sandra Hogan had said about Eric? That he had a sense of right and wrong and believed in complete honesty? Had he known about the affair? And had Sheralyn wanted to keep him quiet?
Kat walked over and glanced at the necklace. “It’s beautiful. I love the new techniques they use in jewelry design these days.” She turned to me. “I do a little work myself, but just with silver wires and beads. Nothing as elaborate as this.”
Sheralyn turned a little pale as I rung up her order. “They go retro all the time, don’t they?” Her hand shook slightly as she passed over a twenty. She glanced around again, stopping on Lenny and Shawn.
“This is Kat,” I introduced as I passed back the change. “She’s an amazing painter.” I turned to Kat. “And this is Sheralyn. She designs shoes. What do you think of the ones she’s wearing?”
Kat looked down at the shoes, a pleasant expression plastered to her face. “They’re very unique. The essence of true art.”
Kat seriously deserved a medal for tact.
“That’s so kind of you to say.” Sheralyn took the cookies and said goodnight.
“You have a great evening.” I forced a smile, pretending I hadn’t just put her to the top of my suspect list.
“I’m going to go grab dinner. You guys want something too?” Kat asked.
“Nah, Shawn goes home tomorrow morning. We’re going to stay in tonight. I’ll let Lenny out in a little bit. As soon as he finishes that cake.” I called over my shoulder.
The bell clanged as the door bumped closed behind Sheralyn.
“Almost there,” Lenny said. “You’re such a slave driver.” He disappeared into the kitchen again.
I studied Shawn for a moment. I knew I needed to tell him what I thought about Sheralyn, but if I did, he wouldn’t leave in the morning. And as much as I liked Shawn, really liked him, I had to get a break from him before I picked up one of my cakes and threw it at him. I was going to call Tingey instead.
It could wait a few minutes, though. I let Lenny finish his work, and had Shawn walk me upstairs to my place. When Shawn tipped up my head for a kiss, I was more than happy to comply, barely even noticing the twinges of pain across my back when he squeezed me tighter.
“How about if I pick up some takeout from that Italian place on the freeway and bring it back to you for dinner?” he suggested when we were in my living room.
“Perfect. I’m going to take a shower and change into something more comfortable.” I meant a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, though, I realized it wasn’t what it sounded like. “I mean—”
He touched a finger to my lips. “I know what you meant. I’m glad you turned down Kat’s offer to pick up food for all of us. I’d like to have you to myself one last night before I go home tomorrow.” His hand slid around my waist and he pulled me close again, leaning down slowly, as if preparing for another kiss.
I pushed his chest. “Go, get the food. I’m starving. And I really need a shower, I probably smell like frosting.”
He buried his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. “Vanilla and sweetness. That’s how I think of you now.”
I nudged him toward the door again, and after he locked it behind him, pulled out my cell phone. Detective Tingey didn’t answer—as was all too frequently the case—so I left him a message while I picked out clean clothes. I wondered if he’d even looked at Sheralyn seriously. I sure hadn’t.
I climbed out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel when I heard the apartment phone ringing. One of these days I was going to disconnect it and only use my cell phone, but I hadn’t gotten around to it yet. My hair fell around me in wet ropes and I pushed it back as I brought the receiver to my ear. “Hello?”
“I have Kat,
” a raspy, indistinguishable voice said to me through the apartment phone. “And if you want her back alive, you’ll meet me at the new school construction site. Come alone. If I see anyone else, she’ll be dead.”
I felt my heart drop. Not Kat. I admit, I didn’t know her that well, but she was everything to Lenny. Just seeing how happy he was since she came, his total depression and despair without her, I couldn’t imagine how he would survive if she died.
I hoped it was a ruse and called Kat’s cell phone, but the same voice answered it a moment later. “Believe me now? Quit wasting my time.” There was an edge to the voice that was definitely Sheralyn’s.
My heart raced and tears popped into my eyes. I tore back to my room and threw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, sliding my feet into a pair of walking shoes. I dug around in my purse for my keys, heading for the back door.
I didn’t want to walk into a trap by myself, no matter what the caller had said, so I tried to call Lenny. It went to voice mail, so I left a message.
I called and left a message on Tingey’s cell phone, telling him to keep it quiet, that Kat could be killed if they came in lights blazing, but wasn’t sure if he would pay attention to what I said. He hadn’t returned my earlier call, either. What, had he decided to take in a movie or something?
I dialed Shawn and he picked up on the second ring. I sighed with relief. “The killer had Kat. She said to meet at the building site for the new school in Galaxa. Do you know where it is?”
“Did you call Tingey?” he asked.
“Of course I did. Did he answer the phone? No, because it’s evening and it’s me and he never seems to answer my calls in the evening.”
“Don’t go out there, Tess.”
“If I don’t, Sheralyn will kill Kat. I can’t let that happen.”
“Sheralyn Roper?” He swore. “I’ll take care of it. You stay home,” he said. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“That’s not soon enough. I’ll meet you there. See if you can rouse Tingey, will you?” I hung up, my heart pounding. At least I would have backup, but I would have to stay alive until he arrived. More importantly, I had to keep Kat alive.
Pistols & Pies (Sweet Bites Book 2) (Sweet Bites Mysteries) Page 18
