Dirty Little Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery (The Plain Jane Mysteries Book 2)

by Traci Tyne Hilton

  Jane opened the cupboard doors with a paper towel so she wouldn’t leave her prints on the brushed nickel hardware.

  The garbage can had recently used paper plates in it, but none of the cupboards were hiding the missing hamper.

  Jane opened the first door with the same paper towel and found the closet. A duffel bag was squished inside. Jane dug through it. Pajamas. Underclothes. A toothbrush.

  Was someone sleeping here? The sofa was loveseat sized, so if they were sleeping in the pool house, they weren’t very comfortable.

  Jane checked the bathroom next. Sink, mirror, toilet, shower. Nothing unexpected in a pool house. Except the sink was grimy, like someone had been spitting toothpaste into it.

  If the neighbors had a guest in their pool house, it wasn’t very likely that the murderer had run there to hide the dirty laundry.

  Jane left the door ajar behind her, as it was when she went in. If the killer hadn’t hidden the evidence in the pool house, where had she hid it? Jane flipped her phone over and over in her hand while she tried to think up options.

  “Excuse me?”

  Jane dropped her phone. “I’m sorry!” Standing right behind Jane was a petite, blonde woman in a sarong and swimming suit.

  “What are you doing back here?” Her face was red from a fading sunburn, and her eyes were hidden behind huge, round sunglasses.

  “I’m so sorry!” Jane stepped away from the pool house. She chose not to answer the question, to see what kind of question the lady would ask next.

  “Why are you back here?” she repeated.

  The woman stood between Jane and the woods. Had she come from the Swansons’ house or this one?

  “I was peeking in the house.” Jane tried a little, innocent smile. “It’s so cute.”

  The woman in the swimsuit’s back stiffened. “You went inside?” Her words were sharp.

  “Yes.” The truth slipped out before Jane could decide if it was the safest choice.

  The woman’s jaw tensed. “Have you done this before?”

  “No.” Jane shook her head. “I spotted the house one other time, and peeked in the windows. But I’ve never been inside before.”

  “Why on EARTH would you go into my house?” The woman’s voice was icy. She stepped forward, one long finger pointing at Jane.

  “I am so sorry. It was such a jerky thing to do.” Jane stepped backwards, too. Waves of shame rolled over her, making her face hot like a lamp.

  “Yes, it was.” The woman said. “I am sick and tired of everyone on earth thinking my backyard is theirs. Do you know how many people keep sneaking around back here?”

  Jane stopped backing away. “The police, you mean? Because of Douglas?”

  “I wish it were just the police. But every rubbernecker in town had been through these woods, and half of them stop at my pool house.”

  “Have you caught people inside before?”

  “Not inside, but it was only a matter of time.”

  “Have you seen anyone really suspicious?” Jane tapped her foot, excited.

  “Why do you want to know?” The woman narrowed her eyes.

  “I-uh.” Jane picked up her phone. “I guess I’m just a rubbernecker. I’ll go.”

  “Do that, and don’t come back.”

  Jane took a few slow steps toward the woods. “Have you called the police about the trespassing?”

  The woman glared at Jane. “Yes. And I’ll do it again, if you don’t get off of my property.”

  Jane waved. “Again, I’m so sorry!” She ran through the woods trying to stick to the trail she had taken the first time. She had nabbed one more picture before she left. There was always a chance the woman in the swimming suit was the same woman who had peeked her head out of the Swansons’ front door.

  Jane headed home so she could try and make something out of her pictures, but on the way, she remembered her urgent meeting at the coffee shop. She was already twenty minutes late.

  She switched gears and headed to the coffee shop. But she questioned her choice. Paula wasn’t going to give her any money, which didn’t matter anyway, since she didn’t have anywhere to go. So why interrupt her current mission to listen in on Kaitlyn and Valerie’s meeting? The only reason she could think of was commitment. She had made a commitment, so she went to the meeting.

  She parked next to Kaitlyn’s car and joined her team.

  “Jane!” Kaitlyn grabbed Jane’s hand and squeezed it. The Pogs were piled on the table in front of her. “Where have you been?”

  Paula folded her hands in front of her on the table, but her face was relaxed. Valerie checked her watch.

  “I was looking for clues to the murder.” Jane pulled out a chair and sat down. “Things got very complicated this morning, and I had to take matters into my own hands.”

  “No matter. I’m glad you are here now. I won’t go back over everything we’ve covered, but there are two important things for you to know,” Paula said.

  Jane held her pen at the ready.

  “The annual Columbia River Community Church budget preview has been released to all departments of the church, and the missions’ budget will not be increased for the coming fiscal year.”

  Jane glanced Kaitlyn’s way. Her eyes were red.

  “However, there has been a one-time, anonymous gift from one of our church families for a mission project.”

  “Like a short-term trip?” Jane scratched hash marks on her page. Had they been called together so they could be dismissed? The idea was a relief to Jane.

  “It’s up to us. My preference would be to help one of you make it overseas.”

  “But… if it’s just a one time gift?” Jane wrote Compare Photos on her paper.

  “If one of you really hustles and gets their funding in place, this one-time gift, spread out monthly, could be what pushes you into your 100% funding.” Paula turned her hands palms up. “It’s not perfect.”

  “No, it’s not.” Kaitlyn sniffed.

  “What would you do the next year?” Jane wrote: Who lives in the house next door to the Swansons?

  “Kaitlyn and Valerie would both be allowed to stay in their positions if they made it to 75% funding. I spoke with their sending organizations. If they could get say, 75-90% funded before they needed to leave, this one time gift would really help them start off strong.”

  “Mm-hmm.” Jane wrote: Who is sleeping in the pool house?

  “So now is the time to put the plans you have been making into action.” Paula smiled, her eyes on the stack of Pogs. “If I want to convince the Missions Committee to release the funds to one of you, you are going to have to really show us what you are made of.”

  Jane tapped her pencil on her page. She was having a hard time organizing her thoughts while Paula talked.

  “It’s time to take a vote. We need to pick our ministry, pick our location, and pick our start date,” Valerie said, in her matter of fact tone. “Are you ready?”

  Jane circled photos on her list. If she could get to her computer and enlarge the photos she might be able to tell who the blonde woman at the Swansons’ house was.

  “Jane? Are you ready?” Paula repeated.

  “What? I’m sorry.” Jane shook her head. She needed to pull herself together and be present for her future as a missionary.

  “I know this won’t have as immediate an impact on you as it will on Valerie or Kaitlyn, but how you serve now will impact your future overseas.”

  Jane slumped. What future overseas? “Yes, of course.” She set her pencil down. “I’ve had a really long day. Do you mind if I buy a cup of coffee first?”

  Paula chuckled. “Not at all. We’ll give you a minute to pull yourself together.”

  Jane caught Kaitlyn’s eye. She tried to apologize with a smile, but didn’t feel like it translated well. She went to the line to order a drink.

  The man behind the counter seemed to have more attention for her team than she did. But wasn’t that the way? He had every sign of
being infatuated with Valerie, who had every intention of moving far, far away.

  Jane ordered a mocha with whip cream on top. Comfort coffee.

  When the barista handed her the coffee she stopped him. “Do you want to meet her?”

  “What?” He smiled, innocently.

  “Valerie, with the curly hair, do you want to meet her? I could introduce you.”

  “Nah.” He glanced over to her table again and blushed.

  “What’s your name?” Jane sipped her coffee. The sweet whip cream laced drink burned her tongue.

  “Anders.”

  “Okay, Anders, grab that plate of chocolate chip cookies—the one with four cookies on it—and come meet Valerie.”

  Jane waited.

  Anders hesitated. Then he picked up the plate and came around the side of the coffee bar.

  “Sorry that took so long.” Jane sat down. “Paula, Kaitlyn, Valerie.” Jane indicated each woman. “This is Anders.”

  “Hello.” Paula shook his hand.

  Valerie first looked at Jane with a small scowl, but then looked at Anders. Her face pinked, but she smiled.

  Anders looked at her with wide-eyed admiration. He pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

  Jane looked at the three women at the table. She knew, without at doubt, that this was her last get-together with them, and her last chance to do anything about Anders’ obvious crush on Valerie. Her pulse had picked up, and she spun ideas of what to say next. “Hey, Anders, we all go to Columbia River Community Church. If you ever pop in say hey, okay?”

  Anders stood up a little straighter. “Yeah, I know.” His eyes were glued on Valerie. “I go there, too, but I don’t think we’ve met.”

  Valerie looked at her napkin, her smile spreading.

  “Hey wait, I know you.” Kaitlyn beamed. “You run the sound booth at concerts.”

  “Yeah.” Anders nodded, and looked down at the tray of cookies. “Well, see you around.”

  “Just a sec.” Valerie sat up. She looked him straight in the eye. “Do you have a second?”

  “Uh…” Anders turned back to the coffee bar. The other barista was poking at her phone. No one was in line. “Sure.”

  “Then sit down. We’re trying to plan a new ministry, and since you’re a part of the CRCC family, maybe you can help us.” Valerie squared her shoulders and smiled at him, her eyes crinkling.

  Anders sat down. “Sure. What are you trying to do?”

  “Pogs.” Kaitlyn pushed her stack of cardboard circles to him. “We want to reach out to kids and Pogs are the perfect medium.”

  Anders picked up a few Pogs and let them fall back to the table like a deck of cards.

  “We’re trying to decide who to reach out to, actually. Single women or troubled kids.”

  “There’s a pretty significant difference between those two groups.” Anders stacked the Pogs by color as Valerie had done.

  Paula drummed her fingers on the table. “While I think there is value in asking for the opinions of other believers, I do think that it is important for you three to make this decision on your own.”

  Jane raised her eyebrow.

  Paula nodded. “Even you, Jane.” She folded her hands again. “If I can continue to meet with you despite my recent loss, I think you can keep working with us despite the complications in your work life.”

  Complications in her work life! Jane’s hand moved up to her stitches again. Complications! A woman had tried to run her over. The police thought she had invented evidence. Someone was planting stolen things in her house. Complications! Jane opened her mouth to speak.

  Anders stood up. “Hey, I really don’t have a break right now, but if I were you guys, I’d work your strengths. Reach out to the folks you relate to the best.” He pushed his chair in with a grating screech. “Sorry.” He patted the back of the chair.

  “Wait!” Valerie stood up. Her face was beet red now.

  Anders stopped, his mouth slightly open.

  Valerie chuckled. “Uh… see you Sunday?”

  Anders smiled and nodded his head, the way men do when they have headphones on. “Yeah. Sounds good.”

  Valerie sat down and covered her face with her hands.

  Kaitlyn giggled.

  “May we get some of these issues sorted out now?” Paula’s voice was stern, but the corners of her mouth twitched and her eyes sparkled.

  Jane’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She did not have time for Jake now, and as he seemed to be the only person who ever called her, she hesitated to check who the call was from.

  But it kept buzzing, so, just in case it was important, she pulled it out.

  Isaac.

  It was Isaac.

  Her heart flipped over.

  Resolve her ministry situation to prove that she was serious about her future or take the call from her boyfriend?

  Paula was still talking, but Jane couldn’t track it. Her phone had stopped buzzing. Isaac had given up.

  Jane’s lips quivered. Had he given up on her entirely? Had she given up on him? What was God doing, making her want to go away forever, but letting her fall in love with Isaac?

  “Earth to Jane, we are taking a vote.” Kaitlyn waved her hands in front of Jane’s face.

  Jane flinched. “Sorry, guys. Important call just came in.” She pushed her chair away from the table; every muscle she moved felt like it was in slow motion.

  She heard Valerie as though through a fog, distant and just as slow as her own fingers as they tried to call Isaac back. She wanted to run from the room to be alone with her phone, but her feet felt like they were made of wet clay, heavy and sticking to the ground.

  Isaac answered the call right away.

  Jane had made it as far as an upholstered armchair by the door. She slumped into it and covered her ear with her hand so all she could hear was Isaac’s voice.

  “Hey, I just had to call.”

  “I’m so glad.” Jane’s heart was beating so hard that her chest hurt. She closed her eyes so she couldn’t see if anyone was looking at her.

  “It’s just that, I had the best offer ever, and every time I have good news, you are the only one I want to share it with.” His voice was slow; each word sounded thoughtful.

  Hope flooded through Jane. If he had been offered a job at the seminary in Costa Rica, a full-time job… it wasn’t the Kazak Mountains, but it was the mission field. Could she really have it all? She bit her lip to keep it from quivering.

  “Jane?”

  “What was the offer? I can’t wait to hear.”

  “Full time, tenure track.”

  Jane’s heart fell to her knees. Tenure track? That meant an American school. She pressed her cheek into the velvet chair back, the stitches stinging from the pressure. She didn’t want to say good-bye to Isaac. Not ever again. She swallowed. “Where?”

  Isaac didn’t say anything. “First, can you be happy for me?”

  “Of course.”

  “It’s not a matter of course though, is it? You’ll only be happy for me if it fits into your plan for the world.”

  “No, really. I will.” Jane peeked around the back of her chair. Paula, Kaitlyn, and Valerie had their heads together and were talking fast, by the looks of it. “I just… I might be happy for you and sad for me.”

  “I wish we could have one conversation about the future that didn’t revolve around you making me follow your dream.”

  Jane’s eyes smarted with tears.

  “I wish you would have just dropped me a long time ago. You let me fall in love with you, but you had no intention of ever being mine.”

  “That’s not true.” Her voice was a whisper. It was totally and completely true. She hadn’t intended to love him until he changed to fit into her plans. And yet, somewhere these last few weeks while he had been gone, out of reach, and absent from her life, she had realized it was too late.

  She was completely in love with him. Abs
olutely. “It’s just that you had a plan, and I had a plan, and then we met. I didn’t mean to screw up your life.” Jane scrunched up as small as she could in her chair. She didn’t want the whole coffee shop to hear her crying, but she couldn’t move away. She could scarcely even breathe.

  “If I said the new job was in Afghanistan, would you marry me?”

  Jane pressed her lips together. This was not how he was supposed to propose. Not in the middle of a fight. Not like a challenge. “It’s not in Afghanistan, so it doesn’t matter.”

  “If it was, though, what would you say then?” His voice cracked—from emotion or from the phone reception, she couldn’t tell.

  Jane leaned forward, hoping it wasn’t the phone reception. Fear that the call would drop right now squeezed at her heart. “I would say yes.”

  “You would say yes to Afghanistan, but would you say yes to me? Do you want to spend your life with me?”

  Jane pictured the life she had always dreamed of: the imagined village full of people who had never heard of Jesus, the native clothes she would wear, the culture she would learn, the language. Her heart leapt to her throat. She wanted to learn their language. She could see herself in that life so clearly.

  And she saw that she was lonely.

  Then she pictured Isaac. Tall, dark, smart Isaac, and the lonely feeling in her heart intensified, because he wasn’t sitting with her in the coffee shop.

  She took a deep breath. “What about you? Do you want me, or do you want an accessory who looks and talks like me but always goes along with whatever you want to do?”

  Isaac was silent for a moment. “The job is in Montreal. I start in September. I am as sure of this job as I am of you. I need you both in my life.” Isaac cleared his throat. “But if you aren’t sure of me—”

  “I am.” Jane interrupted him. She didn’t want to hear the alternative. She didn’t want to go to Canada, but she didn’t want to imagine Isaac going without her. “It doesn’t matter where. Not right now, not this minute. I am sure of you.”

  Isaac exhaled. “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “So…” Isaac cleared his throat again. “That wasn’t my proposal. Just so you know. I’d never propose to you like that.”