Dead Man's Hand

by Lorraine Bartlett

  Concerned over the amount of alcohol Gina had consumed, Katie offered to drive her home.

  Gina waved away Katie’s worries. “One of Tony’s guys drove me today. I always request a driver when I’m going out to lunch.”

  “Must be nice,” Katie teased. “What does Tony do?”

  “He’s a serial entrepreneur. He’s into all sorts of different ventures.”

  Katie couldn’t help but wonder—in light of Jamie’s murder—if all of Tony’s businesses were legitimate.

  Chapter 21

  After finishing her work at Artisans Alley, Katie crossed the Square to Sassy Sally’s to check in with Margo to make sure everything was ready for that evening’s open house.

  When she entered the bed and breakfast, she found Don and Nick standing at the reception desk.

  “Hi,” she said. “How was Jamie’s funeral?”

  The men shrugged.

  “Sad. But we can talk about that later,” Nick said. “How'd your lunch with Gina go?"

  “Is Margo around? I don't want to have to keep repeating the story.”

  “I’m here.” Margo swept into the room in pink slacks and a white cashmere sweater. “Nick said you had lunch with Gina from the poker game. How did that go?”

  “Why don’t we discuss it in the parlor?” Don said. “All the guests are out at the moment, and I could use a glass of Merlot.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” Margo led the way.

  Katie lowered herself onto a sumptuous brocade wingback chair near the glowing fireplace and gratefully accepted the glass of wine Don offered her. “Thank you.”

  “So, tell us about lunch with Gina,” Nick said, settling onto the couch and putting his feet up on the matching leather ottoman.

  “One thing I can tell you is that Gina enjoys her martinis,” Katie said.

  “Who doesn’t?” Margo grinned as she sat on the identical wingback chair on the other side of the fireplace.

  “I also learned that two of the people who sat at my table are in the legal profession.” Katie sipped the wine.

  Don took his seat beside Nick. “Does that mean you’re thinking Seth could have been the target? That Jamie was killed as some sort of revenge against Seth?”

  “I don’t know, but it’s an angle that might warrant further consideration.” Katie started with Albert Whitlock. “According to Gina, he was once a much sought-after attorney, but now he’s only doing wills and trusts.”

  “How old was Mr. Whitlock?” Margo asked. “Attorneys often reduce their caseload as they age and decide to begin stepping away from the business.”

  “Whitlock appeared to be in his mid-fifties to early sixties,” Katie said.

  “Is it possible he was taken down by some sort of scandal?” Nick asked.

  “Or what if the evidence presented by the medical examiner’s office was responsible for Whitlock losing a high-profile case?” Don suggested. “If something like that destroyed Whitlock’s career, then that could be a motive for murdering Jamie.”

  Nick took a legal pad and pen from a drawer in the table beside him. “I’m going to make a suspect list. Who’s the other person in the legal field, Katie? Didn’t you say there were two?”

  “I did. The other one was an older woman named Hazel. I didn’t catch her last name, but that shouldn’t be difficult to find online since she was a federal court clerk.” Katie took another sip of the delicious wine. She hadn’t realized how desperately she needed to decompress this afternoon.

  “Once again, a court case could cause a murderer to want to strike out at either Jamie or Seth,” Don said.

  “I’m adding this Hazel to the list,” Nick said. “I’m not getting a killer vibe from her, but you never know.”

  “Who else was at the table?” Margo asked.

  “There was Greg, an accountant who seemed rather full of himself,” she said. “And Connor—he’s the one I told you about yesterday. I wonder if he attended Jamie’s funeral like he told me he planned?”

  “Without seeing him, I couldn’t say.” Nick didn’t look up from the pad as he continued scribbling notes about the suspects. “Who else have we got?”

  “Well, other than me and Gina, the only other person I haven’t mentioned is the dealer.” Katie took a breath. “Which brings me to something else Gina told me. Some of the players thought Jamie and the dealer at his table that night were somehow cheating.”

  Nick gaped at her. “What?”

  Katie nodded. “They couldn’t prove anything, and the club didn’t refuse to pay out Jamie’s winnings, but the dealer was fired.”

  “That’s outrageous!” Nick threw down his pad and pen. “Jamie would never cheat!”

  “But you said yourself that Jamie was only a mediocre player. How does someone like that win so big? Pure luck?” Katie asked.

  “That’s a good question,” Don said softly.

  “Oh, come on,” Nick cried.

  “Remember last Friday night when Jamie said it would be such a rush to win at a big casino? You don’t think the game he won at was merely a trial run, do you?” Don asked.

  “How can you even joke about such a thing?” Nick said angrily.

  “I’m not joking.” Don raised his hands defensively. “Jamie wanted to do something wonderfully romantic for the love of his life. But with his student loans and other debts, he simply didn’t have the money to make it happen. Unless he made a deal with some card shark.…”

  “Absolutely not! Jamie. Wouldn’t. Cheat,” Nick asserted.

  “Playing devil’s advocate,” Margo interjected gently, “maybe he would if he thought the money he was winning was coming from unscrupulous people who had no intention of doing anything good with it. It doesn’t sound as though the crème de la crème play at this event.”

  “Speaking of unscrupulous people,” Katie said, “I’m wondering if Gina’s husband, Tony Solero, might be one.”

  At the name Tony Solero, Nick lifted his head. He and Don looked at Katie and then shared a glance.

  “Is this the same Tony Solero who’s reputed to be involved in organized crime?” Don asked.

  Katie cut short her visit with her friends and hurried back to her apartment and her laptop. As she read the results of her search on Tony, her gut tightened. He’d been indicted on a number of charges, including wire fraud, racketeering, and tax evasion. He’d evaded some charges, but others were still pending.

  No wonder Gina drank so heavily.

  Katie didn’t have time to ponder the significance of what she’d found. It was time to turn her attention to her own problems.

  Taking time to dress, she carefully did her makeup and hair before heading down to the tearoom.

  Katie had inspected everything in Tealicious’s dining room. Every tablecloth was wrinkle-free, with vases filled with colorful chrysanthemums and baby’s breath. Brad had set up a buffet table across the back wall which was covered with the most delectable cookies, petit fours, plates of sliced cake, platters filled with appetizers, and the promised pumpkin half filled with cider punch.

  Katie straightened her skirt and stood against the counter, her gaze darting between the door and the big window, anxiously waiting.

  Margo wore a royal blue tea-length brocade dress and came to stand beside her. “Penny for your thoughts?”

  “I’d give you a dollar to take them away,” Katie said. “I wonder how much of what I learned from Gina—and my Google search on her husband—to tell Seth.”

  “Everything. First off, he asked you to go, and he deserves to know everything. Plus, he understands more about what might’ve been going on in Jamie’s life, and Seth knows whether any of the other players at your table could have a grudge against him.”

  “I know you’re right—but I dread it. Unless he calls me, I’m waiting until tomorrow to reach out to him.” She sighed. “I don’t want to dump all this mess on him right after Jamie’s funeral.”

  “That’s understandable,” Margo said. “A
nd considerate. I imagine the man needs to be alone with his grief tonight.”

  Brad joined them, looking divinely handsome in a black tux with a pale blue bow tie and cummerbund. “Shouldn’t people be showing up by now?”

  Margo patted his arm. “They’ll be here. Don’t worry.”

  Katie managed a weak smile, but she could feel her optimism waning.

  As with the partnership meeting, Nona Fiske was the first to arrive. Ignoring Katie and Brad, she made a beeline for Margo.

  “Margo, you add a touch of elegance and class everywhere you go,” Nona said sweetly, with a snide sidelong glance at Katie.

  “As do you, Nona.” Margo took the woman by the elbow. “Let’s have some tea.”

  “My former mother-in-law missed her calling when she didn’t go into politics,” Katie muttered to Brad.

  “Let’s hope Nona isn’t our only guest,” he said.

  “She’s the first of many,” Katie said and cast a worried glance toward the front window and the lack of cars on the Square. However, within minutes of Nona’s arrival, people did begin to trickle into the tea shop.

  Jordan and Ann Tanner arrived, followed by Sue Sweeney. Other Victoria Square merchants also put in brief appearances, but Ray and Andy were no shows. Katie felt slightly stung by their snubs, but as she’d essentially cut ties with both men, their absence was probably for the best.

  Gabrielle Pearson arrived with her teenage daughter in tow. It was a wonderful testament that the woman who dined with Jamie only moments before he collapsed had returned to Tealicious, so she obviously thought the food at the tea shop was safe to eat.

  Thanks to Margot’s press release, members of the local media showed up and entered the dining room, and one reporter had a camera crew in tow. Thankfully, Margo took over the handling of the press. Katie made sure she was aware that Gabrielle was there, too.

  Other than Liz Meyer, Maddie Lyndel, and Gwen Hardy, none of the other Artisans Alley vendors showed up at the open house. The fact that the majority of Katie’s vendors—including Vance and Rose—would shun the open house did more than sting like the absence of Ray Davenport and Andy Rust did. Their lack of support downright hurt. Despite Margo’s beautiful flyers, the shop wasn’t flooded with Artisans Alley shoppers, either. Which brought on a new worry.

  What was Katie supposed to do with all that leftover food?

  Chapter 22

  After the not-very successful open house at Tealicious, Katie returned to the apartment above the tea shop, got ready for bed, and contemplated the aftermath. She wouldn’t know how the local press would interpret the event until the next day—if they even decided to report it. And the staggering amount of leftovers gave her pause. There was nothing wrong with it, but as the owner, she wanted Tealicious to only serve fresh food, and that was doubly important after the unflattering press of the week before. She decided to sleep on the matter.

  The next morning Katie decided to donate the leftover food to a local food pantry. With that in mind, after showering and dressing, Katie went downstairs to Tealicious to find Brad already in the kitchen and in a cheerful mood.

  “Why are you so happy?” she asked. “Last night was practically a bust.”

  “No, it wasn’t. Didn’t you see the coverage on the local news channel last night?”

  She hadn’t. “I was pooped and went to bed early. They made us look good?” she asked cautiously.

  “The reporter interviewed Margo and Gabrielle,” he said. “Margo was fantastic, but Gabrielle was even better. The vibe the story gave off was that if you weren’t in attendance, then you wish you were. Plus, the coverage was at the beginning of the evening when all the vendors were there, so it looked as though we had more people than we actually did.”

  “That’s a relief. Did the reporter say anything about Jamie?” she asked.

  “The story segued into a reminder that Jamie Seifert had died only a week ago on Victoria Square and that the investigation into his suspicious death is ongoing.”

  Katie groaned. “Great. We get some nice press that might actually begin to turn things around again only to have them throw out the reminder that Jamie died after eating here.”

  “Actually, that wasn’t specified,” Brad said. “The newscast said Jamie collapsed on the Square, not outside of—or after eating at—Tealicious.”

  “That’s something, I guess.” She picked up one of the boxes Brad had already prepared. “I’ll pick up some newspapers after I drop these off at the food pantry.”

  Brad gathered up the other box, and they went outside to Katie’s car. “I’m already seeing an increase in reservations this morning.”

  “That’s a good sign,” Katie said, “but I don’t want to be overly optimistic.”

  Shaking his head, he said, “No, I believe we’ll have more traffic this afternoon than we have since Jamie’s death.”

  Katie felt some relief, but she wasn’t about to let her guard down yet. It seemed every time she did, some other catastrophe occurred.

  Next, she called the local food pantry. She’d dealt with its manager before, as had Jordan Tanner, the only other food merchant on the Square. Both establishments often donated their surplus and Katie made an appointment to drop off the previous evening’s leftovers.

  At the food pantry, she was greeted by a tall, gaunt man with shoulder-length brown hair. He wasn’t unkempt, but his clothes hung on him as though he was a scarecrow.

  “Good morning,” he said as he strode toward Katie’s car. “I can help you carry those boxes.”

  By the look of him, Katie wasn’t sure he had the strength to help, but she didn’t want to insult him, either. Still, she gave him the lighter of the two boxes. They carried the packages into the shelter.

  Katie’s helper opened one of the boxes and peered inside. “Oh, wow. May I have one of these?”

  “Sure,” she said. “Help yourself.”

  He popped one of the mini quiches into his mouth and closed his eyes, apparently savoring the flavors. “Thank you. I used to eat food like this at my brother’s fancy parties—canapes, quiches, petits fours.”

  “Don’t you attend your brother’s parties anymore?” she asked.

  “No.” He looked longingly back into the box. “We had a parting of the ways.”

  “Have another,” she encouraged him. “I won’t tell.”

  He smiled as he took another quiche from the box. “And now I’ll put the box in the refrigerator, I promise. I’m sure everyone we distribute these to will be as grateful for your generosity as I am.”

  Handing him a business card she’d taken from her wallet, Katie said, “Here. If you’re ever in need of some quiche, give me a call and I’ll see what I can do.”

  The man took the card. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Bonner. My name is Jimmynt Solero.”

  Katie barely hid her shock. Solero. Could there be a connection between this man and Gina’s husband Tony? She didn’t feel comfortable asking.

  After stopping at the local grocery store to pick up a few copies of the Rochester newspaper she’d promised Brad, Katie drove back to Tealicious. Rather than entering the tea shop, however, she went upstairs to her apartment. Consumed with discovering information about Jimmy Solero, she gave the cats an affectionate pat before taking a seat at her desk and opening her laptop.

  An online search yielded confirmation that Tony and Jimmy were brothers. Jimmy was slightly younger and had worked for Tony’s construction company as a project manager. He was convicted of taking a bribe from a subcontractor, was fired from his brother’s company, and served a year in prison. And now he worked for the local food pantry—she hadn’t needed a news article to tell her that part.

  Poor Jimmy. If Tony would destroy his own brother for tainting his company’s reputation, what would the man do to Jamie, believing Jamie had cheated him out of a lot of money?

  Katie shut down the laptop and scanned the newspapers for coverage of the Tealicious open house. S
he was happy to see that, as Brad reported, the article was favorable. She clipped it from one of the copies and took it downstairs to share with Brad.

  To her surprise, Katie found Margo in the dining room.

  “Brad, are you able to take a break and speak with Margo and me for a few minutes?” she asked.

  “Sure. I’ll let my sous chef know where I am.” He went into the kitchen.

  “Is everything all right?” Margo asked.

  Katie waved her hand. “We got some good press about the open house last night—thanks to you.”

  “I can see that reflected in the number of reservations we’ve received this morning,” Margo said. “The evening might not have been as successful as we’d hoped, but it made people wonder—or reminded them—of what they were missing.”

  Brad returned, and the three of them sat at one of the tables.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “This morning when I took the leftover food to the homeless shelter, I met Jimmy Solero,” Katie said. “I looked him up online and confirmed that he’s Tony Solero’s brother. He was fired from Tony’s company and went to jail for a year for bribery. That knowledge made me wonder what Tony might do to someone who he felt cheated him out of a substantial amount of money at a poker table.”

  “Could you ask Gina about Jimmy?” Brad asked. “Maybe there’s something there you don’t know—like maybe Jimmy was a drug addict.”

  “I wish I could speak with Gina about him, but there’s no way. I introduced myself to him as Katie Bonner when I delivered food to the shelter from Tealicious. The only way to ask Gina about Jimmy would be to confess my identity.”