by Jessica Beck
“I suppose if I were to think about it rationally, I wouldn’t be all that surprised that something like this could happen here,” I said as I drove on. “After all, I see it on the news all of the time. People literally die every day in tragic ways.”
“True, but this is personal. We knew Timothy, and now he’s gone,” Pat answered after a moment of silence. “It really brings it home.”
“We both know that he was more than just a passing acquaintance to me,” I reminded my brother, as though I even had to.
“As callous as it might sound, I’m just glad that you two weren’t still dating,” Pat said. “This would have been ten times harder on you.”
“I’m not even sure about that. It’s pretty tough to take as it is. I realize that Timothy wasn’t the love of my life, though there was a time I suspected that he might be, but it still crushes me to know that now there won’t ever be a chance for the two of us to get back together again.”
Pat looked at me with surprise. “Was there ever any real possibility of that happening before he died?”
I thought about it for a few moments before I spoke. “No, probably not. Being dumped on the front porch of the Iron in front of my brother was pretty final for me. It’s always been tough for me to go back once I’ve been tossed away.”
“Me, too,” Pat said.
It was my turn to look surprised at him. “Even with Molly?” The two of them had a seesaw past, but they’d always ended up back together, and a part of me thought that they still might.
“No, never with Molly. She’s the exception,” Pat said. With a hint of hesitation in his voice, he admitted, “The truth of the matter is that I’ve been fighting the impulse to call her again.” My twin said it as though he’d just confessed to a much worse crime than missing his ex-girlfriend.
“Mmm.”
“That’s it?” Pat asked as he glanced at me. “That’s the only reaction I’m going to get from you? Why aren’t you trying to talk me out of it?”
“Patrick, I know better than to do that. You’re going to do what you want to do, and no amount of advice from me is going to change that. In many ways, you’re more stubborn than I am.”
“You don’t honestly believe that, do you?” he asked me with a grin.
“I refuse to answer that,” I said. “Besides, there’s no time; we’re here.” I looked at the dark house and knew that we were about to ruin someone else’s night. I was definitely having second thoughts about waking Timothy’s assistant up. “Are you sure we shouldn’t give her a few hours of sleep before we wake her up and ruin what’s left of her night?”
“Annie, I understand why you’re asking, but we need to do this before our big sister gets around to it. If she gets to Robin first, what are the odds that she’s going to talk to us at all?”
“That’s a good point,” I said as I parked the car and shut off the engine.
As we approached Robin Jenkins’s front door, the porch light sprang into life. “Is it possible that she’s already up?” Pat asked.
“I bet that light has a motion detector,” I said as I rang the bell.
Robin answered the door after the second ring, and from the state of her hair and the puffiness around her eyes, it appeared that we had indeed awoken her. “Pat? Annie? What are you two doing here? Do you know what time it is?”
Unfortunately, I was well aware of it. “I’m sorry. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t important. May we come in?”
“I suppose so,” she said as she cinched her robe tighter around her waist and stepped aside so we could come in. To me, Robin was pleasingly plump, though I knew some men preferred their women bony and thin. These weren’t men I cared to associate with myself, since I too carried a few more pounds than I technically should have. Robin had been pretty in high school, but that had begun to fade, and I wondered if she ever regretted the boys she’d cast aside back then. I knew there were a few I wished I could get another shot with now that I’d grown up. As a whole, they’d all been just a little too nice for me at the time, and now it constantly amazed me how I ever could have considered that a flaw in someone.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“It’s Timothy,” I said without delay. “I’m afraid he’s dead.”
“No. That can’t be,” she said numbly, and then Pat caught her just before she hit the floor.
Robin had fainted from the news, and I had to wonder if there had been more between her and her former employer than just a job.
“Put her on the couch,” I ordered Pat.
“I can do that,” he said, his voice straining under the exertion. Once he had her there, I went into the kitchen and drew a glass of water. There was a variety of knickknacks around, and I noticed with some amusement that they were all horses. It appeared that Robin had an affinity for equines, from the potholders to the salt and pepper shakers to the cast iron horses scattered everywhere. Even the glass I used to draw water featured a rather content pony winking at me.
“You’re not going to throw that on her, are you?” Pat asked me when I returned with the full glass.
“Of course not. I thought a few sips might help her when she comes to.”
“A little booze might be better,” he said.
“Do you happen to have any on you, because I didn’t see any in the kitchen,” I replied.
He was saved from answering when I heard Robin shift a little. “What happened?” she asked, and then a cloud came back across her face. “It’s true, isn’t it? Timothy really is dead.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said as I offered her the water. She sat up, took a few sips, and then she handed the glass back to me.
“Thank you. What happened? Did Jenna kill him?”
Pat looked shocked by the question. “Not that we know of. Why would your mind go straight to something like that?”
“Pat, it was getting clearer every day that Jenna and Timothy did not belong together. These last few weeks, all they’ve done is argue. Was he poisoned? Since she’s a veterinarian, I’ll bet she has access to all kinds of deadly things.”
Was Robin actually considering the possibility? I needed to tell her what had happened. “No, he died in a fire. I’m afraid he didn’t have a chance.”
“Oh, no. His beautiful cabin. It’s gone too, isn’t it?” Robin looked as though she were about to break down, but she somehow managed to pull it together again. “Why didn’t the police come and tell me what happened? I wasn’t just his employee; I was his best friend, too.”
“I’m sure they’ll be along soon,” I said, “but we were wondering if Timothy had problems lately with anyone in his life, personal or professional. Besides Jenna, I mean,” I quickly added.
I watched as Robin bit her lower lip, and then she took another long sip of water before she spoke again. “I’m not sure I should talk out of turn.”
“Robin, I cared for Timothy, too. You know that, don’t you?” I asked her, doing my best not to start crying myself.
She looked at me hesitantly before she trusted herself to speak. “I do. I don’t know what he was thinking dumping you for Jenna. You were much better for him than she ever was. As a matter of fact, anyone would have been.”
Including you? I asked silently to myself. I wasn’t at all sure that Timothy had even been aware of his assistant’s feelings for him, but they were crystal clear to me, especially now that she was so vulnerable. Had she been secretly hoping that someday he’d realize that she was right under his nose? If she had, that hope was now gone forever. “We just want to find whoever is responsible for this and make sure they pay for what they’ve done,” I said.
“I understand. I know you two have solved murders before. Timothy was always quite impressed with your track record. In fact, I’m sure that if he were able to communi
cate with us now, he’d approve of your investigation.”
I wasn’t at all sure of that myself, but I wasn’t about to dispute it, and I hoped that my brother would keep his opinions to himself as well. “Thank you. That means a great deal to both of us. Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated. Thoughts?”
“If I were to start digging into our client list, I’d have to start with Gordon Freeman. Timothy was getting ready to drop him as a client, but Gordon wasn’t having it. He threatened Timothy a few days ago, if you can believe it.”
“What does Gordon do?” I asked. I’d seen the man around town some, but I knew that he didn’t live in Maple Crest.
“He has a dry-cleaning shop over in Pepper’s Landing, but Timothy was beginning to suspect that he was laundering more than clothes.”
“Like money, perhaps?” Pat asked her.
“What else? He’s got some rough connections, so it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Gordon would certainly bear looking into. “Anyone else?” I asked.
“Do you mean clients? I’d say that Viv Masters would have to go on your list. She’s been making passes at Timothy for months, but lately she’s gotten nasty about his constant refusals.”
“I know Viv,” I said. “She runs First Cut.” First Cut was a newer hair salon trying to get a foothold in town. Viv was a brassy woman with high hair and tight clothes, and pity the person who sat down in her chair who might be allergic to perfume. Viv believed that if a little was good, a lot was better. “I had no idea. Are there any other folks we should check out?”
“Not clients that come to mind, but I’d talk to his brother, if I were you.”
“Mick? What about him?” I asked. I knew Timothy had an older brother, but they had been estranged for as long as I’d known him. “I didn’t think they spoke.”
“They didn’t, at least until their father died last month. Mick accused Timothy of cheating him out of his rightful share, which Mick considered to be three fourths of everything. His dad made Timothy, the younger son, his executor, because he knew better than to trust Mick with the responsibility, and it was a point of contention between them that kept escalating. Hey, I wonder if Timothy’s death impacts how their father’s money was distributed. Could Mick get it all now that his brother is gone?”
“I don’t know, but it merits investigating,” I said. “Do you know where we can find him?”
“Didn’t you know? He’s been in town for the past week,” Robin said. “I thought you two were aware of everything that went on in Maple Crest.”
“Clearly we aren’t. Do you know where he’s staying?”
“He’s boarding with Louisa Holliday and Cynthia Blakely.”
“So, they’re finally making good on their threat to open a bed and breakfast,” I said. The pair of older widows was constantly coming up with schemes to supplement their meager retirement incomes, but I was surprised that they’d finally committed to something.
“Mick’s their first paying guest, from what I understand. He’s been complaining about the lack of service there, but they’re cheaper than the worst motel on the edge of town, and that’s really all that he cares about. He definitely should go on your list.”
“We’ll talk to him,” I said. “Anyone else?”
“Not off the top of my head, but if I think of anyone, I’ll let you know. Will you two excuse me now? I need some time to process what’s just happened. I still can’t believe that he’s gone.”
“Neither can we,” I said. “Call us if you think of anything else that might be helpful.”
I grabbed Pat’s arm and led him out.
“Wow, can you believe she gave us so many names?” my twin asked me as we walked back to my car.
“Knowing Robin, I’m not all that surprised. You know, we need to put her on our list as well.”
Pat looked shocked by the suggestion. “Seriously? Why would she kill Timothy?”
“You know she was in love with him, right?” Had my brother missed that detail? He was usually pretty savvy about that kind of thing, but he had his own set of blind spots, just like the rest of us.
“You’re kidding.”
“Not even a little,” I said. “If she decided to declare her love for him and he rejected her, I could see Robin killing him and burning his place to the ground.”
“I’m having a hard time grasping that,” Pat said.
“That’s because you don’t realize what we women can be capable of, especially when we’re scorned by those we love.”
“Wow, I’m beginning to think that maybe I should have been a little more careful when I broke up with my girlfriends in the past.”
“Don’t worry; I think you’re safe. So, what should we do?”
“There’s not really anything else we can do at this hour. Let’s go back to the Iron,” Pat suggested.
I glanced at the clock on my dash. “I don’t know about you, but there is no way I’m opening the store this early.”
“I wasn’t suggesting it. I thought a nap might be in order.”
“That’s fine for you, but where am I supposed to sleep?” I’d bunked with my brother before, but his couch wasn’t all that comfortable. Still, it would be better than going home and smelling that smoke again. It was an aroma I hoped that I never had to endure again.
“Tell you what. You take the bed, I’ll take the couch,” he said. “We can’t exactly go knocking on any more doors at this time of night, and besides, we still have to open the Iron this morning. If we can nap now, we’ll be in better shape to tackle our list of suspects once we close the place for the day.”
“I can’t believe you’re suggesting we should open for business as though nothing has happened,” I told him.
“Annie, no matter what, we still need to make a living, and shutting the store and grill down won’t bring Timothy back. Besides, you know the Iron is the hottest spot in town for gossip. I say we go about our day, but we keep our eyes and our ears open. We might just get lucky if we do that.”
“Okay, I can see your point,” I reluctantly agreed. “You don’t have to give up your bed, though. I can handle the couch for a few hours.”
“Nonsense. I insist,” Pat said.
“Okay, then. I accept.”
He grinned at me before he spoke. “You didn’t really put up much of a fight.”
“What can I say? I’m just trying to be a good guest,” I answered with a slight smile of my own. Leave it to my brother to be able to bring a little bit of light into the darkness my world had become.
He’d been right after all.
A few hours of rest made all of the difference in the world. By the time we were ready to open the Iron, we were both more than capable of tackling the world, and as soon as we locked our doors for the day, we’d start our investigation.
It turned out that we didn’t even have to wait that long to do it, though.
Chapter 5: Pat
“Jenna, what are you doing here?” I asked my ex-girlfriend as I unlocked the door to the Iron so we could open for business. Annie was already back at the grill making homemade bread for the day, while I’d taken care of the front part of our place, which was a general mercantile. A small post office occupied a little of our space as well. It was tight, but we made it work.
“Seriously, Pat? I thought we’d gotten past all that. You know as well as I do that there’s nowhere else for me to shop. Maple Crest isn’t all that big.”
“I’m fine with you coming in, but given what happened this morning, I didn’t think shopping would be very high on your list of priorities.”
“What are you talking about?” Jenna asked me. She was clearly confused by my comment. Was it possible she didn’t know what had happened to her boyfriend?
“Yo
u don’t know, do you?”
“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, but if it happened around here last night or this morning, I wouldn’t know. I was with my sister in Hickory all night. Timothy and I had another fight. This one was a blowout. It’s over, Pat. I realize now that I never should have left you for him. It was a mistake I’ll regret for the rest of my life.”
“Jenna, something happened to Timothy.” I didn’t know how to tell her that he was gone.
Her face went ashen. “He didn’t try to hurt himself, did he? I knew he’d take the breakup hard, but seriously? Is he in the hospital?”
“I’m afraid he’s dead,” I said.
Jenna looked at me as though I’d suddenly started speaking Latin. “What? That’s impossible. I just spoke with him yesterday. We were supposed to go out to dinner, but I knew I couldn’t sit through a meal with him knowing that I was about to end our relationship. We had it out once and for all at his cabin, and then I drove straight to my sister’s place. You must be mistaken.”
“I’m afraid there’s no doubt about it,” I said, but as I did, I had to wonder, was Kathleen really that certain the body they’d found belonged to Timothy? From what she’d told us, he’d been burned beyond recognition. How long would it take to find his dental records and compare them with the teeth they’d found at the site? “His cabin burned down, and he died in the fire.” There was no sense in making matters worse by telling her that my older sister suspected that it was from foul play.
“I don’t believe it,” she said stonily as Annie approached us. My twin sister must have noticed that I was talking with Jenna, and she’d made her way up front, abandoning her bread for the moment.
“Jenna, did Pat tell you about Timothy?” Annie asked her.
“It’s true, then?” she asked me haltingly.
