by Lynn Cahoon
I stood and opened the door, kissing him on the cheek. Emma stood at the door, sniffing the food odors wafting out. I put my foot out to keep her from jumping into the middle of the table. “Stay.”
Greg slipped in the door and glanced at the two women sitting at my table, both focused on the food. “I didn’t realize you were throwing a party this morning.”
I took the bag of bagels and placed them on a plate. I nodded to the cabinet. “Better grab a plate and some food before it gets cold.” Although at the rate Amy and Jackie were going, having leftovers might not be in my future.
“Amy, Jackie.” Greg nodded at the women, who both grunted rather than spoke. He looked at me, wide-eyed.
“You’re the wrong sex.” I smiled as I set down his coffee. “Toby said you guys were working on the case yesterday?”
“I would have him chasing down leads this morning but apparently he’s taking your shift today?” When I shrugged, he took the coffee and kept his eyes on the women eating next to him. “Lab tests confirmed there was cocaine in the crate. Apparently the ATF had been watching Craig for a while but couldn’t get anything on him. They even interviewed Brenda last year. She was clueless.”
“Did they tell her why she was being questioned?” I thought about Brenda’s calmness when she heard about Craig’s death.
“Everything they could. They tried to get her to go undercover, but she was too afraid. They kept an eye on her for the last year, too.” Greg finished off the scrambled eggs and handed me the platter since I was standing. Jackie glared at him. He held up his plate. “I’m sorry, did you want some of those?”
She shook her head. “I do want another slice of bacon.” She pushed the rest of the bacon on her plate and handed the second empty platter to me. If I didn’t fill my plate soon, there wouldn’t even be crumbs left. My stomach growled as I sat and grabbed the leftovers.
I spread jam on a piece of toast. “Brenda didn’t even mention this and we’ve talked twice since she’s been back.”
“Would you tell a friend the feds were investigating you?” Amy asked, slowing her grazing.
“Probably not.” I poured syrup over the French toast and thought about Craig. Obviously he had ticked off more people than me. “So you think he was killed for the drugs?”
Greg shrugged. “We don’t know yet. Good news is the district attorney’s crossed your name off the suspect board.” He bit into the coffee cake. “This is good.”
“My name’s on a suspect board?”
Jackie waved away my question. “Of course it is, dear. You were the last one seen fighting with the dead man. Don’t you watch any of the murder shows? It’s always the cute, quiet ones whom you have to watch out for.”
Greg laughed. “You got that right.” He spread cream cheese on a bagel.
“Just for that, you’re taking Fifi next week when Brenda goes out of town. I was going to let you have Emma, but now you can deal with the crazy dog.” Fifi had been known to take her frustrations out by chewing. On anything. Greg’s furniture would be prime targets.
“Now, wait.” Greg put his hands up. “Who volunteered me for puppy duty? That dog is worse than Craig ever was. I can’t believe Brenda wants to keep her.”
“She needs someone to watch her, and you know Emma doesn’t get along with Fifi.” I polished off the French toast and gazed longingly at the empty blueberry coffee cake plate. Instead of trying one of the others, I stood to get the coffeepot. Filling my cup, I went around the table and warmed up the rest. Funny little ragtag group, and I loved each and every one of them. They were my family.
Amy’s phone buzzed, and she quickly grabbed the cell, checking the display. She leaned back in the chair and answered, “Hey, Justin.” She stood and walked into the living room to continue her conversation.
Greg caught my eye and smiled.
“What’s wrong with her?” Aunt Jackie asked. “I’ve never seen her without a smile and she’s totally Debbie Downer today.”
I peered around the corner, judging Amy might be outside of earshot. “Hank dumped her,” I whispered.
Greg shook his head. “The guy’s not only a jerk, he’s stupid, as well.”
“That’s not charitable. Some people are born dumb.” Jackie tapped the table with her finger. “Like the man the two of you let drive me home Friday night.”
“Here we go,” I mumbled. I knew Jackie wouldn’t let that one go.
“Now, you know I had to work. And I can’t be dragging civilians with me to crime scenes.” Greg tried to appease her.
Jackie pointed at me. “You took her.”
I raised an eyebrow. Technically, I took him. “It was my car.”
“Did you tell him about Ray being at the crate on Thursday?” Jackie asked, an evil glint in her eyes as she ratted us out.
“What?” Greg stopped eating.
I sent my aunt what I hoped was a withering look. I’d get her back somehow. “Okay, so Jackie thought it would be a good idea to check out Craig’s crate.”
“You agreed.” She pointed a slice of bacon at me.
“Anyway, she found out Brenda had a hide-a-key rock at the crate,” I continued.
“Brenda knew about the crate?” Greg sat up straighter.
“Do you want to hear the story or not?” I shushed him. “So anyway, we got there, Jackie talked us past the guard, and we unlocked the crate. We didn’t see anything, so we locked it back up and left.”
“So when does Ray come into this picture?” Greg’s voice sounded tight, and a muscle twitched in his jaw.
“Jackie took the rock,” I said.
“I forgot I had it!”
“Jackie forgot she was carrying a fake rock, so I told her I’d take it back to the crate. When I got there, Ray and this other guy were looking for the rock.”
“Tell me you weren’t seen.” Now Greg had his eyes closed.
“I didn’t even get close.” I stood and went to the cabinet and pulled out the rock from a drawer. “So I still have this.”
Greg took the rock and stood. “I’ll be right back.” He got on his phone and I heard him call Tim to come pick up the rock.
Jackie watched Greg leave the house and shrugged. “If we didn’t live out here in the boonies, we could have taken a taxi.”
“We live in a tourist town, not out in the boonies. Besides, you got home safe and sound,” I challenged. “You didn’t need to tell Greg about our trip.”
“I think you needed to tell him, but apparently you didn’t. So sue me.” Jackie glared at me. I started to respond, but Greg had returned to the kitchen.
“Tim will run the rock for fingerprints. I take it the two of you will show up?” He looked at Jackie, then at me.
“I kind of wiped it off, so maybe.” I thought about the days the rock had stayed in my purse. “Mine will be on the rock.”
“I still don’t understand why you let a possible criminal drive me home,” Jackie jumped into the conversation.
He cleared his throat. “His background check came back clean. If I had thought you’d be in danger, I wouldn’t have let him drive you home.”
Jackie preened. “You ran a background check before the date?”
“Of course. You’re a valued member of the community and part of Jill’s family. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Greg smiled killer smile number fifty-eight and my aunt was lost.
She grabbed her purse and excused herself to powder her nose.
I watched her leave. “Nice touch making up that background check thing.” I started clearing the plates. Obviously our impromptu family breakfast was drawing to a close.
“We’ll talk about the road trip later.” Greg stood and carried dishes to the sink. “I honestly did a background check on Mr. Josh Thomas.”
“Seriously? It was a double date.” I opened the dishwasher and started unloading plates.
Greg brought more items off the table. “I did a background check as part of Craig’s murd
er investigation. She doesn’t need to know that. Right now I’m looking pretty heroic in your aunt’s eyes.”
Bottom rack empty, I started unloading the cups on the top. “So nothing in Josh’s past screamed serial killer, huh?”
“Sorry, no. I would love to have this case over. Now we’ve got more questions than answers.” He glanced at Amy’s plate. “You think she’s done?”
I nodded. “If she’s not, she can get a clean plate. Of course, there’s not much food left anyway.”
He brought the plate over and scraped the few crumbs of toast and scrambled eggs into the garbage disposal. “Would I be a bad guy if I said I’m glad Hank’s out of the picture?”
“Only if I am. I’m happy he’s gone. I can barely talk about it without grinning. Of course, she wouldn’t like it if I broke out into song.” I took the plate from Greg and rinsed it. We loaded the dishwasher with rhythm and speed. By the time Amy and Jackie returned to the kitchen, the table was clean, the leftover food was wrapped up and either in the fridge or sitting on the countertop. And a new pot of coffee was brewing.
Amy picked up a cup and filled it with the half-done coffee. “Justin asked if you got the envelope he left the other day.”
“I did.” I didn’t say the evidence Justin had found led the investigation directly back to me. I sat down next to her at the table. “So when is he coming back into town?”
“Hank?” Amy frowned.
I groaned inwardly. On the outside, I put on a Barbie doll smile and shook my head. “Not Hank, Justin.”
“Oh, he’s coming in for Jackie’s murder thing this week.” Amy smiled. “He says I need to get out of the house and not fret so much.”
“Sounds like a smart man.” Jackie joined in the conversation but remained standing.
Amy grinned. “Oh hey, I found the building plans for City Hall.”
“You did? Where?” Jackie frowned. “I swear I went through every file in that room.”
Amy looked at me. “The mayor had the file in his desk.”
“That snot. When I asked him, he said he didn’t handle building plans and that I should talk to you.” Jackie pointed at Amy. “And he knew where it was all the time.”
Amy pulled a folder out of her purse. “I made a copy for you before I returned it to his desk.”
Jackie leaned over my shoulder as I read the description. “It doesn’t mention a wall, or the mission being on site. But just not saying something, doesn’t mean it’s not true.” I pushed the pages toward Greg. “Another false alarm.”
“You’ll figure this out.” Greg tapped the pages. “And this is the kind of mystery you should be solving instead of my murder investigations.”
Jackie laughed and then kissed me on the cheek. “I’m out of here. I’ve got some errands to run in the city, so don’t freak if I’m not at the apartment.”
“I didn’t freak. I was worried about you.” I wondered if Toby had ratted me out to my aunt.
Jackie rubbed off a spot her lipstick had left on my cheek. “I’m a big girl, hon. I’ll be fine, no matter what.”
She waved at Greg, who stood by the door, watching out the window. And then she disappeared. My aunt had a lot in common with Houdini and his vanishing act.
“What’s that about?” Amy leaned toward me.
“Greg believes I should keep my doors locked at all times. So he’s following her to lock up after she leaves.” I felt silly and expected Amy to laugh, but she didn’t.
“Reasonable.” She closed her eyes for a second, then they flew back open. “I almost forgot. Esmeralda wants to know if you’re still on the road.”
“You mean the path,” I corrected her.
Amy’s eyes widened. “Yeah, that’s what she said. Are you on a path?”
“My personal fortune-teller seems to think so. I feel like I’m stumbling through the day.” Trying not to be killed, I added silently.
CHAPTER 19
The impromptu breakfast meeting broke up soon after Aunt Jackie left. Amy hung around for a few minutes, talking about Hank, and then she got a text.
“Justin wants me to meet him down the coast. I guess the waves are amazing.” Amy glanced at me like she needed permission.
“Why are you looking at me?” I waved my hands. “Fly little bird, go ride the ocean’s waves.”
Amy grinned. “We said we were shopping today. Remember?”
Crap, I’d totally forgotten about our monthly trip to Bakerstown’s shopping mecca. And I needed new capris. But the more time Amy spent with the friendly Mr. Justin, the further away she was from Hank and his manipulations. I would sacrifice my fashion needs for the good of my friend. And future encounters with her dates. “Sorry, Greg and I made plans, but I guess if you want to …”
Amy almost jumped out of her chair. At first I felt a tad offended, but remembering Justin’s big blue eyes, I forgave her.
“We’ll go next weekend.” Amy grabbed her purse and headed to the front door, with Greg on her heels to lock it after her.
When he came back into the kitchen, Emma whined at the door. “Hold on, I can only play doorman one door at a time.”
“But you do it so well.” I opened my notebook and crossed off breakfast with Amy. Although I should have added Jackie and Greg’s names to the item before I crossed it off.
“What else do you have to do?” Greg glanced at my list. “Want to add one more thing?”
I studied him. With his sense of humor, he could be asking me on a real, official date, or to help him clean the grease traps over at Diamond Lille’s. I never knew what to expect. And I liked it. My lips curled upward, my voice husky and low, as I asked, “What did you have in mind, cowboy?”
He chuckled. “Apparently not what you were thinking. Although your idea may be more enjoyable than mine will be.”
“What do you want to do?” I had a feeling it started with a couch, a television, a twelve-pack of beer, and, at least one, if not all of the professional baseball games.
“I think we need to play tourist.” Greg spun his keys around his finger.
I watched the silver chain go around and around his hand, mesmerizing me. “I think our cover would be blown the first time we entered a shop. Not many of the town’s owners don’t know me, even if they hate going to the business-to-business meetings.”
“I don’t want to go into town to play tourist.” He picked up Justin’s letter. “I want to go to The Castle and take the grand tour.”
On Sundays the tours were combined, and for the price of a ticket, you got to wander the house, the grounds, and even partake of a wine and cheese tasting with the manager. I wondered who was hosting now that Craig had left the building. I peered closer at the man standing in my kitchen. “What are you looking for?”
“I’ll know it when I see it.”
When we pulled into the parking lot, the Sunday crowd seemed thinner than usual. Maybe having a murder at The Castle had diverted some of the traffic. I glanced at my watch. Or it could be too early for the big crowds. I’d held an impromptu brunch and now, I was playing undercover investigator with Greg, and it wasn’t even noon.
He came around the truck and opened my door, holding out his hand. The first time we’d gone somewhere together, I’d hopped out of the truck, not waiting for him to come around. When he groused, I thought it was cute. I’d never had a boyfriend who wanted to treat me like a princess. Now I just enjoyed it.
Lisa Brewer wasn’t working the ticket stand when Greg paid for our entry. So far, his plan of being incognito was kind of working. We strolled along the sidewalk, admiring the well-tended flower gardens on either side. The previous owner loved to entertain, so there were several guesthouses alongside the main house. Greg turned me toward the one closest to the house. It was reserved for the caretaker, formerly known as Casa Craig. He glanced behind us, then instead of turning left into the open guesthouse, we turned right and disappeared behind the other cottage.
“For someone who w
ants me to stay out of the investigation business, you’re leading me into temptation, Detective.” Whispering, I took a step closer to Greg. If we were going to get tossed out for trespassing, I wanted to be right next to my police officer boyfriend. Although I think Toby would have a hard time arresting us; he’d be laughing too hard.
“Craig’s body was found in the woods, so we released the house early. We’ve searched it, but nothing was found inside. The Castle’s attorneys told us to back off.” Greg stared at the outside of the building.
“Won’t it ruin the investigation if we break in? Chain of custody and all?” I didn’t tell him about my own visit to The Castle a few days ago. He’d already learned enough about my extracurricular activities for one day.
I saw Greg bite back a smile. “We aren’t going to break in. I told you I just wanted to look.”
I studied the back wall of the cottage. “I don’t see anything.”
Greg didn’t answer. Instead he walked closer and knelt next to the dog door Craig had installed for Fifi. The plastic that kept out the heat and cold but let the dog come into the house had been pulled away from the top panel. He took out his cell and took a picture. He studied the woods behind the house.
Finally he stood and motioned me back around the way we’d come. He blended us in with a group of tourists who were heading down to the steps to the Grecian pool. The same pool where Nick and the town kids swam when they’d broken onto the property this summer.
On Sundays, The Castle staff served drinks poolside, allowing visitors to pretend they’d been invited to a party by the owner to see and be seen with the California elite. The man would roll over in his grave if he knew riffraff like me were drinking frozen alcoholic beverages around his pool.
The sun gleamed off the imported tile as we claimed a table near the back by the columns surrounding a spa-like pool house. A waiter arrived, offering a choice of frozen margaritas, draft beer, or chilled water. I took the margarita and Greg, the beer. When they delivered the drinks, they also dropped off a basket of chips and fresh salsa.
Greg pulled at his beer, then dug a chip into the salsa. “Fifi didn’t go willingly.”
