“You’re not making sense to me, sweetheart,” Nick said. “What do you hope to learn from Connor’s partner?”
“I think it’s likely Jamie and Connor helped each other with the poker game just to impress their partners. Whether former lovers or merely friends, I believe the two had a strong enough bond to trust each other.”
Nick huffed. “You’re taking it as a fact that Jamie cheated. He could’ve won fairly, you know.”
“Do you believe he did?” Katie asked.
“I want to,” he said quietly.
“So do I, but I’m getting cynical as I age. What’s that adage, ‘trust but verify’?” she asked. “Well, I’m hoping to get some verification tomorrow.”
“But is it wise to go poking around as Kelly Ferrell?” he asked.
“It’s better to sleuth around as Kelly rather than Katie. If someone gets angry with my putting my nose in their business, they’ll have a much harder time tracking an alias.”
“Maybe, but you know yourself that a determined person can find you, no matter who you say you are,” he said. “Past experiences have taught us that.”
“I know,” she said. “I’ll be careful.”
“You’d better, girl. You’d just better.”
On Monday morning, Katie lay awake in bed for several minutes savoring the warmth and comfort. Neither of the cats had stirred yet, and it was delightful not to hear the racket of the Tealicious staff preparing for the day. This was the one day of the week when nothing was expected of her, and she had the luxury of relaxing under the covers for a few more minutes.
It wasn’t long, though, before Mason was sitting on her chest butting his head against her chin.
“Aw, come on,” she protested. “Do I have to?”
Mason’s answer was another gentle chin-butt.
She threw back the covers and went to the kitchen to serve up the cats’ breakfast.
While they were eating, she got back into bed to check her email. She, along with the other merchant partners, had received an email from Seth. He’d scheduled a meeting for the next afternoon for the partners to meet at his office and go over the final offer before it was submitted to the warehouse owner. He requested that anyone unable to attend the meeting send him an email authorizing him to serve as their proxy in voting to accept or to reject the offer. The proxy vote would be used only if required to meet a quorum.
The email was professional and concise—Seth at his business best.
She sent back a brief reply confirming that she’d be present at the meeting. If she learned anything at the conservatory today, they could discuss her findings privately either before or after the meeting—but, of course, she didn’t mention anything about her excursion in the email.
Katie tried to contact Margo to see if she’d like to tag along on the trip to the conservatory, but her call went straight to voice mail. She declined to leave a message.
Opening her closet, Katie wondered what kind of outfit Kelly Ferrell would wear to a conservatory. She opted for skinny jeans, ankle boots, a lightweight sweater, and a knee-length coat. She added a chunky scarf because, she decided, Kelly would.
The Lamberton Conservatory resided in the heart of Highland Park, known for its acres and acres of lilacs that bloom in May, their beauty and intoxicating perfume luring thousands of visitors from around the world every spring. The foliage throughout the park and around the conservatory was at full peak with the trees ablaze in spectacular color, making Katie glad she lived in a part of the country that experienced all four seasons.
While the conservatory itself wasn’t as large as Katie had initially thought, she quickly realized she could get so enchanted looking at the orchids, cacti, and other exotic plants, that she might forget the reasons for her visit. She needed to speak with Luther Stapleton, the Director of Public Services, and she thought she’d devised a plausible reason for doing so.
Upon finding his office, she tapped lightly on the door.
“You may enter,” he called.
Upon entering the office, she was surprised that Stapleton was quite a bit older than she’d expected. While Connor appeared to be in his early thirties, this man was in his mid- to late-fifties—a chunky man in an expensive suit, his demeanor stiff and formal.
Stapleton arched an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Hello, Mr. Stapleton. I’m Kelly Ferrell. Would you have a moment to speak to me?”
He gestured for her to enter and sit. “How can I help you?”
“I’d like to get some information about your wedding facilities.”
“I see.” His eyes flew to her left hand where there was no sign of an engagement ring.
“The information isn’t for me,” she said, with a breathy laugh. “It’s for my friend, Rose. She’s met someone and is eager to get married.”
“You don’t approve?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” Katie said. “I don’t know her intended very well, and in fact, Rose hasn’t known him for very long.”
“Ah, she better be careful that he isn’t a gigolo,” Mr. Stapleton said.
“I don’t think Rose has a significant amount of assets, but thoughts of that nature have crossed my mind as well.” Katie attempted to steer the conversation around to Connor. “Are you married, Mr. Stapleton?”
The man shook his head, rather sadly Katie thought. “No.”
“Oh.” Crap. Now what was she supposed to say?
“At the rate I’m going, I doubt I’ll ever be,” Stapleton said, his cold persona beginning to thaw.
“I’m with you there,” Katie said honestly. “I recently got out of a long-term relationship and then sabotaged any chance of a relationship I could have had with another man.”
Stapleton took off his glasses and shook his head. “Where did your friend meet her guy? Maybe we should give her methods a try.”
“She met him when she called nine-one-one. I don’t recommend it.”
Katie and Stapleton shared a laugh.
“Want to hear something terrible?” she asked, leaning across the desk. “I have another friend who had a fabulous guy in his life. This guy wanted to marry him and take him away on a romantic honeymoon.”
“Let me guess—one of them cheated?” he asked.
“Not the way you might imagine,” Katie said. “He cheated at cards to win enough money for the trip. I really want a man someday who’ll try to sweep me off my feet like that.”
“So. Do. I.” Mr. Stapleton sighed. “So, what happened? I’m guessing from your tone that your friend and his guy didn’t live happily ever after.”
“They didn’t. My friend’s partner died.” She shook her head. “It was all very tragic.”
He groaned. “Keep your Romeos—I’d be happy with a man who’d stay faithful and who’d simply be good to me.”
“Yeah,” Katie said. “Me, too.”
Katie made more small talk asking about price packages, catering, flowers, etc., to keep her cover story intact, and Stapleton gave her a couple of brochures, indicating she really needed to speak to a member of their events staff.
“I’ll give my friend these leaflets and have her call for more information.” Katie rose from her seat. “Thank you for your help.”
Stapleton stood. “I’m always happy to sing the conservatory’s praises. It was nice meeting you.”
“You, too.” Katie gave him a smile and left his office.
It was time to do a little snooping at the conservatory. Jamie had been poisoned by rosary peas—something not native to the area. What better place to find such a poison than a structure filled with exotic plants. She asked one of the conservatory’s worker bees but he didn’t seem to know what she was talking about. Still, she wouldn’t be surprised if the conservatory had such a plant among its collection.
As she walked to the parking lot to retrieve her car, Katie knew one thing for certain—if Connor Davis had helped Jamie cheat at poker, it wasn’t because he wanted to surprise Luth
er Stapleton with some grand romantic gesture, which was too bad. It seemed like he deserved it.
Chapter 27
Based on what she’d learned from Luther Stapleton, he and Connor had broken up because Connor had been unfaithful. Now “Kelly” was on her way to Connor’s flower shop to do more sleuthing.
Katie pulled into a parking space near the front of the quaint stuccoed building with the Spanish tiled roof. The sign over the door proclaimed Geranium, accompanied by a painted rendering of said flower. She reapplied her dark lipstick before going into the shop, where she was greeted by a solid white cat.
“Hello,” she said, bending to pet the graceful creature who was rubbing against her shin. “Aren’t you gorgeous?”
“Hi. May I help you?” Connor asked as he came out from the back of the shop. “Oh, hey. It’s nice to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you, too. What a beautiful shop you have.” She looked down at the cat. “And who is this beauty?”
“That’s my assistant, Snowflake.” He smiled. “She’s great with the customers and works for cat food and treats.”
“Sounds like quite the bargain.”
“She is,” he said. “How may I help you today?”
“I want to get some flowers for my mother-in-law. She’s visiting us from Connecticut.” Katie rolled her eyes with all the drama of a teenaged girl. “I can’t believe I’m still trying to win that woman over. She wouldn’t even accompany me to the Lamberton Conservatory this morning, and I was only going to try to impress her.”
Connor’s smile froze, and he inclined his head but said nothing.
Katie decided another push was in order. “I imagine you adore that place.”
“Yes, it’s lovely,” he said.
What was it going to take to bring the man around to discussing the conservatory and, hopefully, Luther Stapleton? “Do you go every chance you get?”
His smiling disappearing altogether, he admitted, “Not as much as I used to. My ex works there.”
“Oh, no.” Katie raised her hand to her chest. “I’m so sorry. I hope I didn’t bring up painful memories.”
“Of course not. The conservatory is an incredible place that I used to enjoy visiting very much—that is until my boyfriend cheated on me.”
“Wait, what?” The words escaped before Katie could stop them. “I mean, why would anyone cheat on you? You’re handsome, successful, you own your own business—”
Connor’s smile reappeared but was more reserved now. “Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.”
“Believe me, I went through my fair share of failed relationships before I met Nick,” she said. “The right one will come along for you, too.”
“I thought he already had.” He gave his head a slight shake as though to dislodge the sadness. “But enough about the lovelorn, what are you thinking of getting your mother-in-law?”
“A swift kick—oh, you mean, the flowers.” She grinned. “Those white roses are breathtaking. How about a bouquet with those, some pink lilies, and a little greenery?”
“Coming right up,” he said.
As he went in the back to prepare the arrangement, Katie turned her attention to Snowflake again. Caressing the cat’s regal head, she wondered which man was lying about his lover being unfaithful—Connor or Luther Stapleton? She also speculated about Connor’s statement about thinking the right one already had come along—had he be referring to Luther or Jamie?
The entire drive back to McKinlay Mill, Katie wrestled with those questions. Why would either man lie about his lover being unfaithful? Luther had no reason whatsoever. As a stranger, he probably didn’t care a fig what she thought. He could’ve just as easily said, “I cheated on my boyfriend and then realized I’d made a mistake. It was too late, though; he wouldn’t take me back.”
Connor could have said anything from “we had differences about how to manage our finances” to “I caught him in a lie.” He didn’t have to say his boyfriend had been unfaithful.
Was one of the men lying? Were both of them lying? If so, why?
She drove to Sassy Sally’s and took the flowers inside to Margo, who was sitting in the living room.
“Katie, what a wonderful surprise! How thoughtful.”
Feeling a bit sheepish, Katie explained how she came to get the flowers for Margo. “I pretended I was getting the flowers for Nick’s mean mom, who wouldn’t even accompany me to the Lamberton Conservatory today. I really did try to call and ask you to go, by the way, but I didn’t leave a message when you didn’t answer. I thought you might still be sleeping.”
“No. I was up and at ’em early.” Margo leaned back against the couch cushions and looked up at the ceiling. “Connor thought he’d already met Mr. Right…and you don’t know if he was talking about Luther Stapleton or Jamie Seifert. Hmmm… Is there any chance Connor and Jamie were dating when Jamie met Seth?”
“I don’t know.” Katie placed the vase of flowers on the coffee table and sat beside Margo. “If Jamie had broken Connor’s heart, that would certainly give Connor a motive for his murder; but why would Connor help Jamie cheat at poker so Jamie had enough money to marry Seth?”
“Maybe we have it wrong,” Margo said. “Maybe Connor isn’t the one who helped Jamie cheat. But, as they saw each other on Wednesday evening, Connor could still conceivably be the killer. Did Jamie go to these weekly games regularly?”
“Apparently he was well known at the poker club,” Katie said. “Seth didn’t know. He must’ve been keeping the games secret.”
“Then let’s say he regularly attended the games. Anyone with a grudge against him could have plotted to murder him at the game.” Margo sat up and leaned her elbows on her knees. “Were you served food at this event?”
“No, only drinks.”
“Still, the poison could have been administered through a beverage.”
“That’s true,” Katie said, “but I think in the case of this particular poison, solid food might’ve been a better choice.”
“That could be why it took so long to work,” Margo observed.
Katie had looked the poison up online. The seeds from it had to have been ground into a powder to not be noticed.
“The poison could’ve been mixed into a cocktail, I suppose.” Katie spoke her thoughts aloud. “And while the symptoms were painful, the poison was slow acting.”
“I think we should take another look at the people in the medical examiner’s office,” Margo said. “Who would know poisons better than the people trained to detect it?”
“That’s fair, but if it was someone in the medical examiner’s office, wouldn’t he or she make sure the police never received the toxicology report?”
Margo spread her hands. “That might have been an impossibility. You know very well that when you’re working with other people, you can seldom control what they’re going to do.”
“That’s true,” Katie said.
“And didn’t you say there was a woman at the poker game from the medical examiner’s office?”
“I did. Her name is Phyllis.” Katie sighed. “Unfortunately, she sat at Ray’s table, and I didn’t get the opportunity to speak with her.”
“Then go talk with her. Find out what she knows,” Margo said.
“But how? She might recognize me as Katie Bonner rather than Kelly Ferrell.”
“Then call her, dear. That way you can be whichever persona you choose.” She frowned. “I think I’d go with Kelly Ferrell. Tell her she spoke with your husband at the event, make up an excuse to talk with her, and then—”
“What? Ask her if she and Jamie cheated the week before?”
Margo shrugged. “Not in so many words….”
Giving a little groan of frustration, Katie said, “I don’t know what to do, Margo. It’s looking more and more like Jamie wasn’t the man Seth adored, and I don’t want to ruin Seth’s memories. I merely want to find out who killed the man.”
“I understand. It’s all
right—we’ll figure it out.” Changing the subject, Margo said, “Oh, by the way, I appreciate your almost invitation to the conservatory, but I couldn’t have gone even if I’d answered your call in time.”
“Why not?” Katie asked. “Busy morning?”
“Absolutely.” Margo beamed. “I met with a Realtor and looked at some properties.”
“Properties…you mean, business opportunities?”
“No—residential sites,” Margo said. “I’ve decided to move to McKinlay Mill.”
Blown away by Margo’s news, Katie sat there, dumbfounded.
“Well, aren’t you going to say something?” Margo asked, her gaze penetrating.
Katie’s forced laugh was feeble. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Chapter 28
Margo blathered on and on about the various properties she’d inspected, but none of them were to her liking. She might just have to widen her net.
Yeah, make it really wide, Katie thought. Two or three counties over ought to do the trick.
Heavy-hearted, Katie trudged back to her apartment to change clothes before heading to Artisans Alley, trying to process Margo’s big announcement. With Margo in McKinlay Mill, Chad’s ghost and their shared past would be with Katie all the time—not that it wasn’t already, but the specter would loom even larger with Chad’s mother living nearby. On the other hand, she could use some help running Tealicious, and Margo was a full partner. Why shouldn’t she be sharing the workload, as well as the finances?
But at the moment, Artisans Alley was her top priority and with new determination, Katie made a beeline up the stairs to check on the progress being made on the floor. Since it was a workday for Wood U, she wasn’t surprised that Ray wasn’t giving Vance a helping hand.
“Hi, there.” She knelt beside Vance. “Got an extra brush?”
“Sure do.” He handed her a paintbrush. “I appreciate the assistance. Together we should be able to get this knocked out today, and the floor should be dry enough by Wednesday evening to allow the vendors to put their booths back where they belong.”
Dead Man's Hand Page 17
