by Diane Weiner
*****
Henry left for the hospital shortly after Emily went to the campus. He treated a sprained ankle and prescribed antibiotics for a toddler’s ear infection, then found himself with a little down time. He took the elevator to the morgue, where he found Pat typing up notes.
“Hey, buddy. If you’re looking for new patients I’m afraid you’re too late.”
“Speaking of too late, didn’t you have time to change your clothes this morning? Looks like you slept in that wrinkled shirt,” said Henry.
“Maybe I had a better way to spend my time.”
“So things are ramping up between you and Megan? I’m happy for you.”
Pat responded, “It’s the best I’ve felt in all the years since my wife died.”
“Treat her right. Don’t go doing anything to screw it up.”
“Yeah, yeah. By the way, I thought you’d like to know that Megan says the victim’s boyfriend is flying into town later today. Her parents are still away.”
“From what one of the cat ladies said, their relationship was volatile,” said Henry. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he snapped and killed her.”
“Carbon monoxide poisoning isn’t the kind of thing you snap and do, like stabbing or strangling someone,” said Pat. “It takes careful planning, and prior access to where she lived. The fireplace was blocked, and the plastic foam you found was used to seal the door and windows to make sure the gas would be lethal. It doesn’t ring of a lover’s spat to me.”
“True, but we haven’t met the guy yet. Nor do we know how long they were having problems. Got anything better to go on?”
Pat’s phone rang. “Yeah, send him down.”
“More business?”
“Yeah. We’ll catch up later.”
Henry checked in at the ER, which was surprisingly quiet. He read a few images that were sitting on his desk and wrote out his findings. By the time he finished, another patient was waiting to see him. He recognized her from brunch.
The woman was scratching her arms. “You’re the man I met at the inn yesterday. I didn’t know you were a doctor.”
“That’s me, Dr. Fox. You’re Winnie Cole from Oklahoma, right? The nurse says you’re having an allergic reaction.” He could see red welts on Winnie’s arms and face.
“I must have come in contact with a synthetic fabric. I think it was the bedspread. I can only wear cotton; my skin is hyper sensitive.”
“Are you having any respiratory symptoms?”
“My throat feels tight and I’m itching like crazy. Doc back home gives me an antihistamine and prednisone. Sometimes a cream too.”
“How do you manage to have a cat? If people are allergic to anything it’s usually cats…or peanuts.”
“Never had a problem with animals. Just gotta watch what I touch. If I so much as wipe my face with a colored paper napkin my skin goes crazy.”
Henry wrote out a prescription. “Have you lived out in Oklahoma all your life? Seasonal allergies aren’t so bad out there.”
“I moved there a few years back. Used to live right outside of our capital. Got a better paying job offer so I packed up my cat and off we went. I like it. Less hectic than the city.”
Henry ripped the script from the pad and handed it to her. “This should help. Call me if it isn’t better in a few hours.”
The rest of the day was quiet and by late afternoon he was home. Emily stormed in the front door right after him.
“I can’t believe this woman! She nixed the course I’ve been working on all summer and she’s a tyrant. We have a time clock. A time clock! Like factory workers or the people who man the toll booths. Since when is department chair a power position anyway? Shera never treated us like underlings. She was there to help us and always wanted our input.”
“Where this lady come from?”
“I don’t know. I think she said Camden College.”
Henry grabbed his laptop. “How do you spell her name?” He googled Camden College while waiting for Emily’s response. “She isn’t on their roster from last year.”
Maddy ran into the living room, chasing Max who’d escaped from her room. Chester was waiting at the entrance to the kitchen and swatted at Max.
“Maddy, I don’t think this is going to work out,” said Emily.
“I don’t want Chester to be miserable, but we can’t drop Max off at the shelter,” moaned Maddy.
“I have an idea,” said Henry. “Coralee has space at the inn. Maybe she’ll take him. Her cat died last winter and she was heartbroken.”
“Let’s give it another day, okay? If they still hate each other we can ask Coralee,” begged Maddy.
Emily agreed, proud of Maddy for being willing to let Max go to a better suited home.
Chapter 7
Emily punched the time clock at exactly 9:01 the next morning, her protest within acceptable limits. What she didn’t find acceptable was having to rewrite, no, trash the course she’d worked so hard putting together.
She looked through the new syllabus and thought elementary students would have difficulty finding it challenging, let alone undergrads. True, it was going to be an elective, but the students who registered for it were expecting a course in crime writing. Now she was working on a dry, intro course which touched upon half a dozen types of writing, never getting deeply into any one of them. Her mind kept drifting and her eyes checked the clock at regular intervals.
“Knock, knock,” said Nancy. “Surviving?” She carried two coffees from the newly opened Starbuck’s near the campus.
“My heart just isn’t into teaching this course. I have other things on my mind.”
“How’s Maddy doing with school starting next week? Brooke says she’s tried to text her but Maddy doesn’t answer.”
“Maddy’s preoccupied with Max the cat at the moment. Looks like we will have to find him a new home since Chester doesn’t want any part of sharing. Do you think Brooke…”
“No way. She and I are both allergic. Max. That’s the cat that belonged to the murder victim, right? Have you heard anything more about the investigation?”
“Nada. The boyfriend was supposed to have flown in yesterday but I haven’t heard anything. Only…”
“Only what?”
“It’s far-fetched, but one of the other cat owners here for the commercial audition lived in the same town as Danielle and her boyfriend. Henry was talking to her. She’s out in Oklahoma now, but she acted strange when we were at the inn the other day. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“You could google her. See if you find any common threads.”
“There must be a million Winnie Coles.”
“She belongs to some cat club no doubt. Start there.”
Emily had barely starting typing when Mair Rose appeared at the door. Her black hair fell over her bare shoulders. Even if it was the style, having shoulder holes cut into your blouse looked unprofessional.
“Good. You’re both here.” She pulled two lists off of her clipboard. “These are the committees I put you on, as well as your advising hours and office hours. Committees meet every Wednesday at 8 a.m. Remember, professional collaboration is part of your formal evaluations.”
Emily listened to Mair’s heels clicking like daggers into the linoleum all the way down the hallway. She closed her office door with a slam.
“Since when do we have formal evaluations?” said Emily.
“Emily, why are you staying? I’d miss you terribly, but if I didn’t need the money, no way would I put up with this hostile work environment.”
“I’ve been entertaining the idea. I don’t want Maddy to see me as a quitter, or as someone who spends her days in her pajamas. Also, I’m going to sock every paycheck into a college fund for her. Fiona was a single Mom and didn’t leave much of anything for Maddy’s future.”
“Noble, but I’d keep my options open. Better get back to work.”
Emily half worked, half daydreamed until she could officially leave campus
. On her way home, Henry texted her. He had Maddy with him and they were heading to the inn for dinner with Pat and Megan. He asked her to meet them there.
When she arrived, she spotted Pat, his detective girlfriend, and her family at a round table near the French doors. Megan looked cute in a jumpsuit that complimented her strawberry-colored hair. Pat looked happier than she’d ever seen him. His eyes twinkled whenever he looked at Megan.
Henry stood up and held Emily’s chair. “Hey, glad you made it. Didn’t think you’d feel like cooking after a day at the prison.”
“You got that right! Megan, how are you? Pat told us you were renovating your cabin.”
“It’s more work than I’d anticipated. I’m having to hire help. In fact, Noah is changing the carpet and putting in recessed lighting for me. Coralee trained him well. Franklin will be taking over once Noah starts back at school.”
Emily whispered to Maddy, “Franklin is Coralee’s handyman.”
Pat said, “Megan got to interview the victim’s boyfriend yesterday. He’s an engineer. Works in D.C.”
“How did he seem?” said Emily.
Megan put down her iced tea. “He acted upset, but he’s hiding something. Said he hadn’t seen Danielle since the previous audition, the one where he made a huge scene in the green room.”
“He’s an engineer,” said Henry. “He knows how to rig up carbon monoxide.”
Megan said, “The only clues we have are the handkerchief which smells like smoke, the empty cigarette pack, and the clothing stuffed into the chimney. Can’t tie any of those to him. He’s not a smoker, definitely too young to use a handkerchief, and the clothes in the chimney…a plaid jacket several sizes larger than he wears, and an old beret.”
Maddy, usually shy in social situations, said, “Check the thrift shop. He could have run in and bought those items to stuff the chimney with. If he’s smart enough to be an engineer, he wouldn’t leave behind his own clothing.”
Henry admired how Maddy always seemed to see things through practical eyes. He imagined if he’d had a biological daughter she’d have been a lot like her.
Pat said, “That’s true, but what about the cigarettes?”
“Anyone could have dropped the cigarette pack or the handkerchief. They don’t necessarily belong to the killer,” said Emily.
“And the foam weather stripping? Don’t forget that,” added Pat. “Megan, are you going to check the hardware store?”
“I’ve got it covered. Now, let’s order. I’m starving.”
Chapter 8
The next morning, Emily went for a run before work. Maddy had bonded with Max immediately. How would she handle leaving him behind at the inn? She was preoccupied the entire day, getting little done in her office. When she arrived home, Maddy was brushing Max and speaking softly to him. She rubbed her cheek against his fur.
“He loves being brushed, doesn’t he?” said Emily.
“He’s been purring the whole time. We’re still bringing him to the audition on Friday, right?”
“Of course. Are you doing okay, Maddy?”
“Coralee really misses her cat and I’m sure Max will be happy at the inn. I wish he could stay with us, but Chester is miserable and he was here first.”
“We eat at the inn at least once a week,” said Emily. “And you can ride your bike over any time you want to see him.”
“I know. I’m okay with it. Sometimes you have to do what’s best for someone you love even if it isn’t best for you.”
Henry came in from the garage. “Hey, I painted the bookshelf. Tomorrow I’ll give it a second coat, and you’ll have it in your room before school starts.”
“Thanks, Henry.”
Maddy packed up Max’s things and carried him out to the car. She held him tight the whole ride over to the inn. As soon as Max saw Coralee, he rubbed against her legs. Coralee’s face softened into a wide smile as she bent down to pet him.
“I’ve missed Jacky so much since he died. I couldn’t bring myself to adopt another cat until Max came along. I feel like it was meant to be.”
Henry said, “But remember, if he wins that commercial audition and snags a contract, we get the money. You can have the free cat food.”
Winnie, wearing boots and a jacket, and Sheila, dressed in heavy layers, came in from outside. It had been getting cooler, but Emily thought they must be sweating under all that. After all, she hadn’t even taken out all her fall sweaters yet.
Coralee said, “How was your walk?”
“Great. This is a quaint little town if I ever saw one.” Sheila bent down to pet Max. “Max? What are you doing here, baby?”
“He’s my new pet and official mascot of the Outside Inn.” Coralee beamed like a proud parent.
Winnie bent down beside Sheila to pet Max. “Hey, big guy. I’m so sorry about your mommy.” She rubbed her face against his fur. “Oh my goodness, we’re tangled!”
Emily bent down. “He’s got his paw stuck in your necklace. Here, I’ve got it.”
She and Winnie stood up. “What a beautiful locket. It looks like an antique.”
“It was my Mom’s. It’s all I have left of her.”
“I’m sorry,” said Emily.
“It’s been a few years, but I still haven’t gotten over it. Senseless death. She had another decade in her at least. Someday they’ll pay for what happened. It’s not over yet.”
Emily was puzzled by the comment, but before she could ask questions, a broad shouldered gentleman carrying an overnight bag walked up to the desk.
“Excuse me. I need a room and I was directed here.”
Coralee kissed the top of Max’s head and wiped her hands on her apron. “Certainly. Welcome to the Outside Inn, Mr…”
“Wilkerson. Brody Wilkerson.”
Both Emily and Henry whipped their heads around. Emily mouthed ‘that’s him’ to Henry. Brody waited while Coralee took his credit card and handed him a key. Winnie stood up with a huff and stared at him.
“Do I know you or something?” said Brody.
Winnie shook her head and marched back to her room. Emily was baffled by Winnie’s confusing behavior. If they had ever run into each other, it would only have been at a prior audition. It didn’t surprise her that Brody may not have remembered meeting her.
Sheila said, “That’s Danielle’s boyfriend. He’s the one who made the scene back in D.C. Do you think he came to identify the body?”
“Maybe,” said Emily. “Was Winnie there when he fought with Danielle?”
“I didn’t see her, but we were all scheduled for different times so she may have been. Why?”
“It’s nothing.” She glanced at her watch. “We’d better be getting home,” said Emily. She studied Maddy’s expression, worried there’d be tears.
Maddy gave the cat one more kiss before following Henry and Emily out to the car. She turned to Emily. “Don’t look so worried. I’m really okay with this. It’s not like Max died or anything. I’ll still see him.” She crawled into the back seat.
On the way home, Pat called.
“Hey, just wanted to follow up after last night. Megan and her partner Ron went over to the hardware store this afternoon. They sell the type of weather sealant you found, but the owner says the only person who purchased it in the past few months was Coralee’s handyman, Franklin.”
“I’m assuming he needed it for the inn.”
“That’s what he said. Coralee confirmed he was making some repairs and sealing cracks around the windows for her.”
“Did the detectives check out the thrift shop?”
“Yeah. No one’s bought any clothing from them in a while. Books and bric-a-brac, yes; clothing, no.”
“Thanks for letting us know. You’re still coming by for the cookout on Labor Day, right?”
“I’ll bring the beer. Oops, is Maddy in the car with you? I forget how the phone broadcasts itself through the car on that fancy-schmanzy Jeep of yours.”
Maddy groaned in t
he back seat.
“I’ll bring the drinks. See ya at the hospital, buddy.”
When they got home, Emily pulled chopped vegetables from the fridge. Henry poured oil into the Wok and sliced the tofu. If anyone had told him he’d be eating tofu several nights a week before they took in Maddy, he would have said they were crazy.
“I never asked how your day went,” said Henry.
“I can’t stand Mair Rose,” said Emily. “She’s the most abrasive person I’ve ever had to work with, and that includes the eager-for-a-story reporters at the paper. There’s a difference between being aggressive to get a job done and being just plain nasty.” She threw the vegetables into the Wok and called, “Maddy, can you set the table?”
Minutes later Maddy came in carrying Chester.
“Wash your hands,” said Emily.
“I know. I’m not stupid.” She grumbled as she put out the silverware.
“My friend Nancy says her daughter has been trying to get in touch with you but you never respond.”
“Am I obligated to respond?”
“Of course not, but…”
“Then mind your own business and let me handle my social life.”
Henry said, “You can’t talk to Emily like that. Apologize.”
“Sorry. I hate when she acts like she’s my mother. She’s nothing like my mother.”
Emily held back tears and they ate in silence.
Maddy took a few bites, pushed the food around on her plate, then said, “May I be excused?”
“Go,” said Henry. “And stay in your room until you have a better attitude.” She mimicked him under her breath as she stomped away from the table.
Emily refused to let herself cry. She was the adult and Maddy’s brain wouldn’t be fully formed for another ten years. Besides, this was normal. She’d read it in Parents’ Magazine. Teenagers rebel in order to solidify their independence.
“She didn’t mean it,” said Henry.
“I know. She had a hard day turning Max over and everything.” She wished she felt that casual over Maddy’s words, but the truth was she felt like a deflated balloon. “You know, I was thinking, remember how we talked about adopting Maddy?”
