Decanting a Murder

by Nadine Nettmann

  “When?”

  “It doesn’t matter, but listen. Do you know why he would want to tell me something about Lisa?”

  Tessa raised her eyebrows. “About Lisa? Katie, what are you getting at? I’m tired, I’m hung over, and I’m not in the mood for games.”

  “He told me that Mark was having an affair with Lisa.”

  “Affair with Lisa? Ha!” Tessa laughed. “Why on earth would Seb tell you that? That’s too funny.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Lisa wasn’t having an affair with Mark. She was sleeping with Seb! They’ve had a little romance over the past few months, but I’m pretty sure it’s done now. I haven’t seen them together the last few weeks.”

  “Wait. Why didn’t you say something? When I asked you about Seb?”

  “I’d forgotten until you mentioned it. Like I said, it’s done now, so it wasn’t exactly at the front of my mind. Besides, they’re both single. Nothing taboo about it. By the way, you look good in my sweater. It suits you.”

  “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

  “Of course. Can I get my car now?”

  I nodded. “Go ahead.”

  Tessa shut the passenger door but then knocked on the glass. I lowered her window.

  “Hey, can you swing by Matteo’s and get my credit card? I had a tab going there last night and I’m going to assume you didn’t close it for me.”

  “You have your car now, you can go pick it up.”

  “Are you kidding, Katie? After you dragged me out of there? No way. I’m not showing my face there.”

  I sighed. “Yes, I’ll get it for you.”

  “Good, I want to go shopping tomorrow.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “Are you sure you should be shopping now?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You might be between jobs. Time to save up.”

  “Nah,” said Tessa as she started walking around the lodge. “I checked my account this morning,” she yelled, waving her phone in the air. “Looks like I just got paid.”

  Less than a minute later, Tessa’s silver Nissan passed by.

  I followed her down the driveway as thoughts of Seb crossed through my mind. I mulled over the details of the case, similar to the initial conclusion in the blind tasting process before announcing the final decision. That was the key with blind tasting. If you try too hard, things get cloudy. You have to sit back and let the pieces fall into place.

  eighteen

  pairing suggestion: pinot noir—willamette valley, or

  Pairs well with most dishes and has a slight peppery note.

  -

  Downtown Napa was buzzing with residents and visitors out for Sunday strolls, brunch, or wine tasting, and there was no available parking in front of Cafe DaMissio. I circled the block and found a space flanked by large pots overflowing with flowers.

  I walked in the direction of the cafe, the neighboring buildings with a historic air to them and the foothills in the distance adding a poetic note. A woman stood next to Cafe DaMissio’s brick patio, but even with a floppy beige hat and large sunglasses hiding her face, there was no mistaking Vanessa’s strong jawline. I stopped about twenty feet away, Vanessa’s attention focused on each passing car.

  Her beige dress seemed to hang off her, as if she had lost weight since the murder, a withered look on her formerly rigid frame. Pain rose in my heart as the sudden temptation to leave formed in my stomach. I tried to remember what I should say to a newly grieving person. All I could remember was to listen and be there for them. Don’t offer advice and don’t ask too many questions.

  I approached Vanessa, whose face brightened when she noticed me.

  “You came, I’m so glad.”

  “Of course. As I said, if you need a friend, I’m here.”

  “Thank you. It really means a lot.” Vanessa motioned to the glass door behind her. “This is the cafe. I used to come here…” her voice fell away.

  “Let me.” I opened the door and Vanessa walked in. I was only a step behind, the aroma of freshly baked bread greeting me as I entered.

  The bakery was spacious, more than three times the size of the one I had been in earlier that morning, with people milling around, sitting at tables, or standing at the counter. Staff in crisp white aprons took orders from all areas of the wooden counter, which was decorated with small towers of stacked scones and chocolate croissants on cake stands.

  Underneath the counter, glass displays contained cookies, fruit tarts, biscotti, and donuts, while the wall behind the attendants had more baskets of freshly baked bread than I had ever seen.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Plueger,” said a girl who stood behind the counter, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail. “What can we get for you today?”

  “A café latte and a croissant.” Vanessa motioned to me. “I’ll pay for her order as well.”

  “Oh, that’s not necessary.”

  “I insist.”

  “Thank you.” I grabbed a paper menu and scanned it. “I’ll have a chai tea latte.”

  “Anything to eat?” asked Vanessa.

  “No, I ate before I came. Just the tea will be great, thank you.”

  “Please have something with me. I don’t want to feel guilty eating a croissant if you’re having nothing.” Vanessa took off her sunglasses and put them in her purse. Her eyes were red and puffy, makeup failing to hide the effects of hours of crying.

  I scanned the contents of the glass display. “I’ll have a madeleine. Maybe two.”

  “That’s more like it.” Strands of hair fell from under Vanessa’s hat as she handed over a credit card. Her eyes met mine and she gave me a weak smile, the scar visible through the foundation.

  “Your order, Mrs. Plueger.” The girl placed a tray filled with coffee, tea, a croissant, and two madeleine cookies on the counter.

  “Here, I’ll get that.” I reached for the tray.

  “Is the corner okay with you?” Vanessa asked.

  “Of course.”

  She maneuvered through the tables to an empty one in the corner and sat down with her back to the wall.

  I put the coffee and croissant on the table and sat across from her, my chair only giving me a view of her and the wall.

  Vanessa’s eyes drifted around the cafe and finally to me, her face draining of emotion. “Thank you again for coming. I need someone I can talk to. Someone outside the winery.”

  “Are you doing okay?” I held my cup of tea in both hands, the warmth emanating from its sides.

  Vanessa leaned over her coffee and lowered her head. “No, not really. I feel so alone and I don’t know who I can trust. Mark was my everything. I loved him so much. We were so happy.” She lifted her head and focused on the other side of the cafe. She held her cup to her lips but didn’t drink. “He tended to stray, but he always came back to me.” She sipped her coffee and placed it down on the table, the cup lipstick free.

  “I never worried that he would leave me. He wouldn’t. But he got distracted and I was okay with that because in the end, he was my husband and would be coming home to me.” Vanessa let out a small laugh and waved her polished nails at me. “I bet you think that’s crazy. That I knew he was cheating and didn’t mind.”

  “I’m not judging. In fact, I try to never judge.” Unless it’s wine, I thought.

  “Thank you.” Vanessa took another drink of her coffee. “We had something very special together. He understood me more than anyone else. Have you ever had that? Someone who understood you, perhaps even more than you understood yourself ?”

  Tessa had known me the longest, but even though we had a history, she didn’t always understand everything I did and she constantly questioned my choices. Then again, I questioned Tessa’s choices, too. But Vanessa had asked about the romantic side, which I clearly didn’t hav
e. I didn’t have someone who laughed with me and loved me even with all of my quirks. Instead I had spent all of my dating years explaining myself to people who didn’t care to listen.

  “No, I don’t have that. I don’t think I’ve ever had that.”

  “I was so lucky to have him for eight years.” Her fingers outlined her scar as she spoke. “Mr. Mark Plueger, my husband. But now he’s gone.” She rustled through her purse and took out a handkerchief, holding it to her eyes as she sniffed.

  “I’m so sorry.” I paused. “It sounds like you had something very special.”

  Vanessa put down the handkerchief. “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “Why not? A pretty young vixen like you? I’m surprised.”

  “There’s not much time for me to date. I mean, I’d like to find someone, but it’s difficult with work and studying.”

  Vanessa nodded. “Mark and I had both been married before. It was a breath of fresh air when we found each other. Suddenly you find what you’ve been missing in your life, you know?”

  I nodded. I took a sip of my tea. The hot liquid scalded my tongue but I didn’t react.

  “I can’t believe I’m talking about him without crying. I guess I’m all cried out.” Vanessa put the handkerchief away. “It feels so good to talk about this. To talk about him. I don’t want him to become a lost memory. I want to keep him alive.” She leaned back in her chair and looked around the cafe as she drank her coffee.

  I decided to take advantage of the pause in the conversation. “How are things at the winery? Are you going to be okay?”

  Vanessa smiled—not the plastic smile I had seen on Friday night, but a real one. “I think so. Mark handled most of it, but I have a great team underneath me. Lisa has already stepped up and is taking over a lot of the stuff Mark used to do. I think we’re going to be fine.”

  I hesitated. “You had mentioned that the vipers were already moving in. Was that about the winery?”

  Vanessa put her coffee cup back down and took a deep breath before she spoke. “Offers on the winery. We’ve been getting them for years, but now he’s pushing more since Mark is gone. He wants to buy it and I’m not ready to sell. Not yet. What if I can make it on my own? I need to give myself the chance.”

  “Is he…” I paused and readjusted my statement. “Who is he?”

  “Jim Garrett. From next door. He’s been wanting to buy Frontier for years,” continued Vanessa. “Mark refused to sell. Didn’t want it to leave the family.” She took another sip of her coffee. “Now that he’s gone, I don’t know. Maybe it would be easier. There are reminders of Mark everywhere. He was the life and soul of that place. Maybe I should sell so I keep the memory of him intact.”

  “You don’t want to keep the winery?”

  “I do, but life isn’t always that easy.” Vanessa’s gaze met mine. “We…” Her eyes glistened. “I guess it’s not we anymore.” She removed the handkerchief from her purse and dabbed at her eyes. “Listen to me, I’m ridiculous.” Her mouth formed into a half smile. “I mean, it’s only money. But I love the winery. I don’t want to lose everything.”

  “You won’t, I’m sure. You can get things figured out, it will just take a little time.”

  Vanessa muttered a nervous laugh as she looked down at the table. “It would be so easy to let Garrett buy it all, but then what would I do? He’s eager for sure. I mean, he didn’t even wait an hour after the murder before putting in another offer.”

  “That night. In your office.” The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. I didn’t want Vanessa to know that I had been there.

  Vanessa showed no surprise. “Yes. Can you believe that? That night! Who does that?”

  “From what I hear, he was really drunk. Tessa said that he gets that way.”

  Vanessa’s eyes narrowed. “Oh yes, Tessa.” She shook her head. “They’ve released her, haven’t they?”

  “They only held her for questioning and as of this morning, she alibied out.”

  “What?” Vanessa’s mouth dropped open. “How?”

  I hesitated. “I’m not sure. But I know that she’s no longer a suspect.”

  Vanessa put down her cup of coffee and stared at it. “I’m glad to hear that,” she said. “I didn’t like to think that she was the one who did it.” She looked up at me. “Do they know who did?”

  I shook my head. “Not yet, but I’m sure they’ll find out soon.”

  “I agree.” Vanessa sighed. “I think someone close to us was to blame.”

  “Do you think it was an employee?”

  “Maybe. Someone who had motive and opportunity. Someone who had something to hide.”

  I stared at Vanessa and carefully lifted my cup of tea as I waited for her to give a name, but she stayed silent. I put down my tea. “Who had motive and opportunity?”

  “Katie,” Vanessa smiled, “I can’t answer. But at my winery, people know more than they appear. In situations like these, someone always slips up.”

  I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry for all that you’re going through and that it was done by someone you know.”

  Vanessa nodded.

  “And I’m glad that Tessa is no longer a suspect and can regain your trust. May I assume she still has a job?”

  Vanessa stared straight into my eyes for several seconds. She robotically shook her head. “No. Tessa is no longer welcome at Frontier.”

  I stiffened. “What do you mean?”

  “I know you two are friends, but I don’t think she’s all wine and roses, so to speak. I think she was up to much more.”

  “Vanessa, I’ve known Tessa for twenty years. She’s a good person. And up until the night of the murder, you felt the same.” I paused. “At least, I thought you did.”

  Vanessa looked up at the ceiling and then back at me. “Don’t jump to conclusions, Katie. Because she is innocent of one crime, doesn’t mean she is innocent of another. I don’t know if I should be telling you this.”

  I leaned forward. “I want to know.”

  “I’ve heard that she was stealing money from me.” Vanessa drank the rest of her coffee and put the cup on the table. She looked at her watch. “Oh, I didn’t realize we’d been here so long already. I have to go.”

  “Wait. Where did you hear she was stealing?”

  “Katie, dear, I’m not about to reveal my source. But let’s say I’m looking into it. If it turns out to be true, I won’t hesitate to turn her over to the police.”

  nineteen

  pairing suggestion: chianti classico—chianti, italy

  An Italian wine made from the Sangiovese grape, pairs well with game.

  -

  The conversation with Vanessa still played in my head when I parked outside Matteo’s. The glass door of the restaurant was locked, but I put my hands on the window and leaned forward to look inside. Workers milled about in the back, yet they were unresponsive to my knocks. Like everyone else, I would have to wait an hour and a half until the restaurant opened at six.

  “Are you trying to break in?” said a voice from behind.

  I turned around to see Detective Dean standing close to the street. He wore jeans and a loose collared shirt. The air around him was less dramatic without his suit, but a new charm had emerged.

  He smiled. “I didn’t figure you to be one for daylight robbery.”

  “Funny. I’m here to get Tessa’s credit card, but they’re closed.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “She’s doing good. Hoping for a new job, you know, that kind of thing. Hey, thanks for your call about her this morning. I really appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad it worked out.”

  I motioned to Dean’s outfit. “I like this look. New dress code?”

  “I don’t start work for another ho
ur, I was just grabbing a late lunch.”

  I shifted and moved my purse to my other hand, the threatening note from my car barely tucked inside, burning a hole through the leather as well as my conscience.

  “Everything okay?”

  I zipped the purse closed. “Fine. So I’ve been thinking a lot about the case and I might have an idea of who killed Mark.”

  “Really?” Dean wore a bemused look on his face. His hair wasn’t slicked back, and I liked the softer side he displayed.

  “Yes. I think Seb killed Mark.”

  “How so?”

  “Wasn’t he the last one to see Mark alive? That would be the opportunity and I’m pretty sure he had motive. It’s still a little hazy, but there’s something right there on the tip of my tongue, and I can’t quite place it.”

  “Interesting,” said Dean. “Let me know when you think of it.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you. I think I have the station number.” I took my phone out of my purse, glad that I had brought it with me instead of leaving it back in the car. It slipped out of my hand and tumbled to the ground.

  Dean picked it up and dusted it off. He handed it to me. “I think it’s okay.”

  I stared at the phone.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes…” I looked up at Dean. “You said that Mark was killed before the text was sent to Tessa, right?”

  “Right.”

  “So who sent the text?”

  Dean shook his head. “What?”

  “Mark didn’t send the text, since he was dead, so who did?”

  “We don’t know yet.”

  “What about Seb? Where was he during the party? What was his alibi?”

  “He was with Lisa. Why?”

  I stared at the ground. “Seb saw us at the table, which means he could have grabbed Tessa’s wine opener, and he could have sent the text.” I shook my head. “But I’m still missing something if he has an alibi. What points am I leaving on the table?”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. If it’s not Seb, someone was still trying to set up Tessa. She was the most recent hire, she already had a record, she’s the perfect suspect.” I looked up. “I need to start eliminating choices. Like Vanessa. It wasn’t her.”