Kari Lee Townsend - Sunny Meadows 04 - Perish in the Palm

by Kari Lee Townsend

  “Is Mrs. Theodore home? We would like to have a word with her.” I smiled.

  Ms. Clark did not smile back.

  “You already did just the other day.” She started to close the door in my face, but Jo stuck her foot in the way.

  “Well, I didn’t.” Jo stood to her full Amazon height, and the maid’s eyes widened a fraction.

  “We’ll be happy to wait here while you go ask her,” Zoe said. “And please let her know I have a business proposition for her.”

  Ms. Clark nodded once, then closed the door in our faces with success this time, but only because Jo allowed it.

  “You have a business proposition?” I asked.

  “Well, we do, but I thought she might take us more seriously if the idea came from me. No offense, but she doesn’t seem to like you or your business.” Zoe shrugged.

  “None taken,” I said easily. I was used to people not taking my profession seriously. “I’m all for anything that will get us inside.”

  Five minutes later the door opened. “Follow me,” Ms. Clark said.

  We followed her into the dining room where Pierre Desjardins the chef was trying to get Linda Theodore to eat something. She looked like she’d been crying. He backed away, appearing defeated. When he spotted us, he blinked in surprise and then a little wariness, but other than that his features were a mask of charming civility. He bowed a bit at the waist, looking dashing and debonair with his black slicked back hair, and then he left the room with the tray of food still in his hands. Jo nearly swooned over the delish aromas of beef and burgundy wine and spices wafting by. I had to grab her arm to keep her from running after him.

  Frank Lalone the maintenance man stopped by and whispered something in Linda’s ear. She frowned and then shook her head yes. He nodded, gave her shoulder a quick pat, and left the room.

  “Have a seat, ladies.” Mrs. Theodore held a full glass of wine in her hand. It didn’t look like the first one she’d had. “Ms. Clark mentioned something about a business proposition? I’m open to anything at this point.”

  “I heard about what happened with Mr. Theodore’s accountant. I’m so sorry,” I said as we all sat.

  “I should have known something like this would happen. Peirce was always way too trusting of Brice. I knew we were having financial problems, but nothing to this extent. I had no idea our money was all gone. I don’t even get to keep the life insurance policy. It’s not fair. It will take a miracle for me not to lose my home. I hate Peirce. I’m glad he’s dead.” Her voice hitched.

  Jo raised an auburn brow at me.

  “I’m sure you don’t mean that, Mrs. Theodore,” Zoe chimed in.

  “Hell yes I do,” she said with venom. “I’d gladly sell this place and move on. I never wanted it in the first place, but I need something to live off of. Since the murder, I will be lucky to get enough to break even. How am I supposed to live after that? I don’t have any skills, and I’m too young to retire. For now I need to keep this place running.”

  “That’s where we come in,” I said.

  “Ah, yes, the business proposition.” Mrs. Theodore looked at Zoe. “Perhaps you want to book another party?”

  “Actually, we had something else in mind.” I smiled encouragingly.

  Mrs. Theodore frowned. “I’m listening.”

  “Well, the way I see it, we only have one choice. We have to find out what my reading for your husband meant. If we can do that, then I am certain we can find the money he was to come into.”

  “Are you kidding me?” The widow gaped. “You came all the way here to chase some hocus pocus pipe dream?”

  “I understand it’s hard to believe in what I do, but if you could just give me a chance, I would—”

  “It’s a bunch of nonsense, is what it is,” she spat. “We’ll never find the money, if there’s even money to be found. Especially if the key is in the past.”

  “Listen, toots,” Jo snapped back and slapped the table with her palm. “My back hurts, my feet hurt, and that wine smell is making me nauseous. You don’t want to mess with a hormonal pregnant woman, trust me. You need us and we need you. End of story. If it will help, let Sunny read you and then you’ll see. If you believe after that, then you let us worry about finding the money. What do you say?”

  There was a long pause.

  “You’re on,” Mrs. Theodore finally agreed with a smirk.

  “Gee, no pressure, Jo.” I glared at Jo, and she shrugged while wearing a whoops expression.

  “Just do your thing, Sunny. You’ll be great.” Zoe smiled wide, but even she looked nervous.

  “Here goes nothin’,” I said, and for the first time ever, I doubted my own ability.

  ***

  Ten minutes later we had moved into the living room to the exact spot where I had given Peirce his reading. Only this time his widow Linda sat next to me on the couch. I knew she was a non-believer and the odds were stacked against me from the get-go, but I had to give it a try. I owed Peirce that much. I dimmed the lights, lit some candles, and had the staff put on some soft new-age music in the background in hopes of relaxing Linda as well as myself.

  “Are you ready to begin?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “Sure, I guess. I mean what else do I have to lose? Besides it’s going to be fun proving you’re a fraud.” She sneered.

  Great. I might be psychic, but I wasn’t a miracle worker, and if she wasn’t open at least a little bit, I feared this reading was going to be a disaster. I was a professional. I could do this. I just had to remind myself I was in control.

  “Okay, then.” Sucking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, I took her dominant hand in mine and turned it over so her palm faced up. I studied the lines and located the four major ones. Tracing the horizontal line from her pinkie to her index finger, I said, “Here is the Heart Line.” Tracing the horizontal line below the Heart Line, I said, “And here is the Head Line.” Moving on to the vertical line near the thumb that traveled in a downward arc toward the wrist, I continued. “Here is the Life Line.” I searched the rest of her palm. “Let’s see, it looks like you don’t have a Fate Line.”

  She raised a brow and gave me a look that said, How convenient.

  “Don’t worry, not everyone has a Fate Line.” I smiled reassuringly, refusing to let her rattle me. “It won’t affect anything. I can still do the reading.”

  “Trust me, I’m not worried, Miss Meadows,” she said dryly. “Let’s just get this farce over with.”

  Jo looked like she really wanted to say something, but she knew me well enough to know not to speak during one of my readings. It disrupted the mood and the flow of energy. Zoe followed Jo’s lead, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel their anger on my behalf. That alone warmed my heart and gave me strength.

  “As you wish.” I focused on the task at hand, tuning everything else out and studying her palm closely. “Let’s start with the Heart Line which indicates a person’s emotional stability. It doesn’t take a psychic to see your emotions are in complete turmoil with the death of your husband and the financial crisis of your business.”

  “Gee, ya think.” She snorted.

  “It can also indicate depression and the cardiac health of a person as well as a person’s romantic perspectives. A certain degree of depression is to be expected, but I don’t see anything to indicate an unhealthy heart. I’m feeling a strong pull toward your romantic perspectives, though. Maybe your future will be filled with new hope and a new love.” I glanced up at her encouragingly, but her face paled. My brows drew together as I restudied her palm and suddenly my psychic ability kicked in.

  Everything around me narrowed to tunnel vision like it always did when I fell into a trancelike state. “I’m outside in the garden,” I said out loud and smiled. “He’s here. I can feel him behind me. My rock. This is our special place. I knew he would come. He wraps his arms around me and I feel safe, loved, wanted. I can get through anything as long as he’s by my side. He kisses my nec
k and a warm familiarity engulfs me like I’ve known him for a long time. My eyes flutter closed as he turns me around and kisses me deeply. It’s not the first time, and I want him more than ever. When he pulls away, I smile tenderly as I start to open my eyes so I can look into his and see—”

  “Enough!” Mrs. Theodore barked.

  I blinked, startled, and came out of my trance. Our eyes met. No words were necessary in the silent conversation that passed between us. She knew that I knew that this man wasn’t her husband, and she now believed no matter what she might say. I could see it in her eyes even though I was pretty sure she would deny it all.

  “But don’t you want to know who you are going to fall in love with?” Zoe asked. “It’s so romantic.”

  “My husband just died.” The widow’s face grew flushed. “I’m not going to fall in love with anyone anytime soon.”

  “But that doesn’t mean you didn’t already,” Jo said. “That’s a guilty face if ever I’ve seen one, and I’ve seen plenty in my line of work. That reading wasn’t from the future, was it, Sunny? That was from the past, and I’m guessing the man of your dreams wasn’t your husband.”

  “This is outrageous. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mrs. Theodore surged to her feet, albeit a bit unsteady. “Do whatever you want with Peirce’s reading, but leave me out of it.”

  “Except if we find money, right?” Jo eyed her knowingly. “I’ll bet you want to be in it then, won’t you, Mrs. Theodore?”

  Regaining her composure, Linda hardened her jaw and said through her teeth, “Everything on this property belongs to me. Of course I want whatever you find. I hope I make myself clear.”

  “Oh, I think it’s pretty clear,” Jo said.

  “Does this mean you’re a believer?” I asked with a quiet voice, seeing if she would admit it out loud.

  “Let’s just say I’m no fool. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s getting late. You can come back tomorrow. I will inform the staff. Good night, ladies. I trust you can find your own way out.” She left the room with a calm outward appearance, but she wasn’t fooling anyone. My reading had rattled her big-time, and I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets she was hiding.

  “Was she really having an affair while Mr. Theodore was alive?” Innocent Zoe looked shocked.

  “She sure was,” I said.

  “Did you see the man’s face?” Jo asked.

  “No, and I was so close.” I met their curious gazes. “But it definitely wasn’t her husband. When I talked to the staff the other day, a few had said there were rumors Mr. Theodore was going to fire someone. Maybe he found out who she was having an affair with, so her lover killed him before he could follow through.”

  “Maybe. Especially if this person knew she had taken out a life insurance policy. Do you think that was the secret that lies within the walls of the inn?” Zoe asked.

  “I don’t know,” I responded. “Somehow the reading gave me the feeling the secret was something bigger than a mere affair, but at least Mrs. Theodore gave us free reign to dig into that mystery.”

  “An unsolved mystery and a new murder suspect, if only we could figure out who it is,” Jo mused. “Not bad, ladies. Not bad at all. This is the exact kind of distraction I need right now to take my mind off murdering a certain man in my life these days.”

  “Amen to that. Count me in.” Zoe grinned with excitement.

  “Whoa, wait just a minute,” I said. “Mitch is going to kill me, not to mention Cole and Sean will have my head if anything happens to either of you. I only needed your help in convincing Mrs. Theodore to let me look around. Now that this might have to do with the murder, Morty and I can take it from here.”

  “Yeah, that’s not happening.” Jo ignored me and she unlocked her truck.

  “But…”

  “Don’t waste your breath, Sunny.” Zoe set her jaw. “You know Jo. Once she’s made up her mind about something, that’s that. Same for me. Let’s just say it runs in the family.” She winked, but her jaw was set as she climbed into the truck.

  I just stood there, numb. First Granny Gert and her fall harvest party and now the Amazon Twins thinking we’re all Morty’s Angels or something. I could feel a massive headache settling in already as I thought, What kind of mess have I gotten us into now?

  Chapter 10

  “How are you doing, Mom?” I asked the next morning at Warm Beginnings and Cozy Endings Café.

  I sat across from my mother at a small, round, cast iron table, sipping hot cocoa and trying not to let the worry gnawing away at my insides show. The café was pretty empty this morning, but it would fill up soon I was sure. The smell of fresh bakes pastries was too hard for most normal people to resist. Then again, my size two mother wasn’t normal. She ate like a bird and never let me forget that I didn’t.

  “As well as can be expected, I suppose.” She sniffed yet still looked dainty and picked up her delicate china coffee cup, taking a tiny sip. She took a moment to set her cup down and dab the corners of her mouth. When she met my gaze, her eyes were as sharp and cunning as ever. “No need to worry about me, Sylvia. I’m tougher than I look. It’s my secret weapon. You of all people should know that.”

  What would normally rub me the wrong way actually made me breathe a sigh of relief today. “That’s good.” I sank my teeth in for a big bite of a chocolate frosted donut and moaned over how good it was.

  My mother’s perfectly plucked, golden blond eyebrow arched high, but she didn’t say a word. Instead she took a small bite of her dry wheat toast followed by a nibble of strawberry and another sip of espresso. “Now, that’s a cup of coffee.” She smiled in appreciation at the café owner Natalie Kirsch’s skills.

  I gave my mother credit for not outright speaking ill of the dead, but I could tell she wanted to. Natalie waved at us, and I sighed, suspecting my mother would trade me in for either Natalie or Jo if given the chance. I ripped off another big hunk of donut on purpose. A small bit of defiance that made me feel more like a child than vindicated.

  My mother’s lips parted as if she were about to make a comment, so I blurted with donut still in my mouth, “By the way, where’s Dad today?”

  “Fiona and Harry are back in town.”

  “Ahhh,” I replied, understanding perfectly.

  Fiona Atwater was Granny Gert’s arch nemesis and head of the Knitting Nanas who had recently become Granny’s best buddy, and Harry Dingleburg was a former judge and Fiona’s ex-recently-turned-present husband. My parents were fond of them both as they ran in the same circles back in the Big Apple.

  As for Granny, she was more like me and not on my mother’s good side either, ever since she’d permanently moved to Divinity to stay with me. My mother truly believed we conspired against her to purposely leave her out. We didn’t want to leave her out, we simply got along better. Granny Gert and I were kindred spirits. That was something my mother could never seem to get over.

  “Can you believe they came all the way here for your grandmother’s silly cheering up party?” My mother went on. “Like I need a party.” She scoffed. “I keep telling everyone I’m fine, but they insist on fussing over me anyway. They are here for me yet they won’t let me help, even though they clearly need it. The only right thing they did was get my cake lady to agree to bake a theme cake for the party, but they haven’t even asked for my input on the theme. And they actually talked your DJ guy into controlling the music. They really don’t know me at all.” She sighed.

  “Well, they are both stuck here for the time being, so it makes sense. I mean, who else would they have asked?”

  “You mean who else would be willing to come to Divinity during a murder investigation. You’re right, of course, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. The men are smart. They headed straight to the lake to fish, leaving me to fend for myself. I called Joanne and Zoe but they weren’t answering their phones, which is strange because they always answer my calls.” She stared off thoughtfully. “Must be they’
re both busy as well, though what they’re doing this early is beyond me.”

  They’re probably getting ready for our secret mission, I wanted to say, but another thought came to me. “So that’s the reason you asked me to meet you for breakfast. I was the only one left who wasn’t busy.”

  “Nonsense.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “You always think the worst of me, Sylvia. I know you. You’re always trying to solve some sort of mystery. I didn’t want to bother you.”

  “Well, I’m not trying to solve a mystery this time,” I said with firm resolve, mostly to convince myself. “I’m trying to keep my nose out of this investigation.”

  “Why? Because it’s my neck on the line this time?” She sat back and crossed her arms with a shrewd expression on her face, but the hurt in her voice was too obvious to miss. “Must be I’m not worthy of your time or skills.”

  “Now who’s the one thinking the worst?” I pointed out. “It was hard enough to remain objective when Mitch and Granny were suspects, but you’re my mother.” I looked deep into her eyes and tried to express what I never seemed to be able to say. “It would kill me if anything happened to you.”

  “Me too.” She spoke with a quiet voice as her walls came down for a second and I saw a flash of genuine worry, but then she opened her purse and pulled out some cash and set the money on the bill. “Look at the time. I have a million errands to run, and I’m sure you must have something to do?”

  I glanced at my watch and sucked in air through my teeth. “Oh, shoot, I’m late. Jo and Zoe are going to kill me.”

  “Joanne and Zoe?” My mother’s ears perked up, and her face puckered in confusion. “I thought you didn’t know what they were up to?”

  “Oh,” I responded, realizing what I’d just said. “I forgot. We’re just making plans for Jo’s baby shower, that’s all.” I couldn’t very well tell my mother the three of us were going to snoop around the inn and try to uncover the meaning of Peirce’s reading. She would be the first person to tell on us. I hadn’t thought her feelings might be hurt in not being included in planning a baby shower, which honestly, we hadn’t even talked about yet. But I could tell from the expression on her face that she was indeed disappointed.