“You’ll help us more by stepping aside.” He pointed at Ryan sleeping on the couch. “Your boyfriend has the right idea. Wake him up and have him drive you home.”
After Holt walked away, I did wake Ryan. Only I didn’t ask him to take me home. Instead, I asked him to drive me to The Berry Basket.
* * *
“Is this our last stop of the night?” Ryan asked with a yawn. “If not, we have to find a twenty-four-hour Dunkin’ Donuts because I need some strong black coffee.”
“This won’t take long. I want to grab a folder from my office.” I sat beside him in the pickup, searching for the store keys in my purse. The rear parking lot was empty, save for the three cars that belonged to the tenants who lived above the stores.
“What’s so urgent about getting it now? You’ll be back here in a few hours for work.”
“I’m taking the morning off. But there may be something in my office to answer some questions that are bugging me. I’d like to check it out before I forget.”
Ryan yawned once again as I got out of the pickup and hurried to unlock the back door of the shop. When I made my way into the kitchen, the delicious aroma of cobbler and muffins greeted me. I noticed a plastic-wrapped tray filled with the remaining blackberry lime muffins Theo baked earlier in the day. I made a mental note to grab a few for Ryan before leaving.
After I switched on the light in my small office, I didn’t waste any time. The bottom file cabinet drawer held information about all the orchards, vineyards, and farms in Oriole County. I often contracted with these local businesses for products. Thanks to Piper, several folders were devoted to those farms or orchards no longer in operation. Eight months ago, Piper cleaned out the visitor bureau’s collection of brochures, newsletters, and local ads relating to defunct businesses and long-ago events. I’d snapped them up before she tossed them in the trash. A lot of the old tourist and commercial brochures had interesting images I wanted to keep on file. I thought I might incorporate some of them in future Berry Basket ads and posters.
Brochures about Sanderling Vineyards were in there, as were ads and newsletters devoted to my family’s former orchards. Beside the desk sat a pile of blue Berry Basket tote bags sold in my store. I grabbed one and stuffed the file folders in there. I got to my feet, eager to return to the truck and my sleepy fiancé.
The sound of the door banging open told me he was fully awake. “Marlee?”
“I’m in my office, Ryan.”
A few moments later, Ryan appeared at the office door. He looked disheveled and upset. Had he finally realized how late I was keeping him up?
“We can go home now,” I said quickly. “I found what I needed.”
“Great. Now all we have to do is find my shotgun.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember how you didn’t like me having a shotgun in the backseat of the pickup?” Ryan took several deep breaths as if trying to keep calm. “Well, don’t worry. It’s gone. Someone stole it.”
Chapter 21
A disturbing night turned more stressful after the theft of Ryan’s shotgun. Although we didn’t know who took the gun from his truck, it had been in his backseat when we’d arrived at the hospital. Since we’d been in the ER waiting room for more than three hours, someone had to have snatched it during that time.
The police needed to be informed. Ryan insisted on taking me home before he filed the report, a decision prompted by remarks from me about how foolish it was to bring a loaded gun to the farm market. Although Ryan clearly regretted doing it, he wasn’t in the mood for any cranky reminders. My only excuse is that I was exhausted and drained by the previous few hours. I’m sure both of us couldn’t wait until he dropped me off at my house.
Despite this recent unsettling event, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I couldn’t even wait up for Ryan. I did stay awake long enough to make certain Theo was fast asleep in the third-floor bedroom. Because the other bedrooms were on the second floor, Theo had the third floor to himself. He was lucky. His room boasted a turret window, one of my favorite spots in the house. And there was a soothing energy to the light-filled space, with its pale mint green walls and bleached wood floors. Seagull figurines also decorated the white chest of drawers and dresser. I hoped Theo appreciated the avian accents in the room. I also hoped he’d still be here when I woke up, especially since he had finished his Berry Basket baking last night while I was gone. When I’d gotten home, I’d found the kitchen counter covered with the tarts, cupcakes, and muffins Theo had whipped up for the store.
In the morning, the first thing I heard was Theo’s voice from downstairs, followed by Minnie demanding, “Give me a kiss.” With a relieved smile, I headed for the shower. If he was talking with Minnie, the conversation could last for hours. I had slept too soundly to notice when Ryan had gotten into bed, but I knew he’d spent the night. And not just because his side of the bed was a tangle of sheets. His dirty underwear lay tossed in a corner of the bathroom.
After showering and getting dressed, I hurried downstairs. The smell of fresh brewed coffee made me quite happy. As did the sight of Ryan, Emma, and Alison sitting on stools around the kitchen island. Theo stood near Minnie’s perch by the window, his attention focused on whatever she was currently chattering about. They all looked so welcoming in my sunny yellow kitchen, I wished I could forget about buried bodies and the secrets buried with them.
“She’s up,” Alison announced. “It’s about time.”
I laughed. “This from someone who spent yesterday in bed sleeping it off.”
“I made up for it by cooking breakfast. Sausage, waffles, poached eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice. I even threw together a fruit bowl: cantaloupe, blackberries, lime, mint, and ginger.”
“Don’t be too impressed. She Googled the fruit bowl recipe from Martha Stewart an hour ago.” Emma got up to put bread in the toaster. Being Emma, she also stopped to rearrange the sunflowers in a tall vase on the counter. “And your baker is responsible for the muffins.”
“Paleo blackberry,” Alison said. “Thank you for making them, Theo.”
“You’re welcome,” Theo said in a solemn voice. “But no one can have more than two. The rest are for the store.”
“I called Andrew. He should be here in five minutes to pick up your pastries,” I told Theo. “His boyfriend let him borrow the van from Beguiling Blooms.” Although Gillian and Andrew were scheduled to open The Berry Basket, Theo’s pastries needed to be taken to the shop. And my car wasn’t the best vehicle for delivering long trays of muffins and tarts. It might be time to trade in the Malibu for an SUV.
Theo was so engrossed with Minnie I don’t think he heard me. Every morning I took Minnie from her cage in the living room and let her preen and prattle from a tall wooden perch by the kitchen window. Ryan must have brought her to the kitchen while I was upstairs. I wasn’t surprised to see Theo beside her. Since Theo’s plate of half-eaten breakfast sat on the adjacent counter, I assumed this was where he felt most comfortable having his own meal.
“Did you sleep well?” I asked Theo as I filled a plate with sausages and a waffle.
He nodded. “You have a wonderful house. And I like Minnie. She’s very friendly.”
“Talkative, too.”
“Is Christian okay?” Theo asked.
“I told Theo what happened last night,” Ryan said. “Since he knew the guy years ago, it seemed only right he should be told.”
“Of course.” I smiled at Theo to reassure him. “Before I took a shower, I called the hospital. Christian is still in a coma, but his condition has stabilized.”
“Then he won’t die?”
“I don’t know, Theo. No one does. But things look better than they did last night. I think Christian has a good chance of surviving.”
“I hope he lives. Christian is a nice person.” Theo sighed. “But he was always sad. Maybe he knew this would happen to him one day.”
After scratching Minnie on the head
, I went to join the others at the island. I sat next to Ryan, who stopped eating long enough to give me a kiss.
“What happened at the police station last night?” I asked.
“I filled out a report. And got charged with a misdemeanor.”
I expected this. Although I knew little about firearms, I didn’t think it was legal to drive around with a gun in the backseat.
“You must have a gun license,” Emma said.
“Doesn’t matter.” Ryan drained his coffee mug. “A firearm has to be kept in a case and placed in the trunk. And I shouldn’t have had it loaded. I knew better, but I wanted extra protection when we went to meet this Zack fellow.”
“Will you have to go to court?” My guilt meter began to rise. Ryan wouldn’t have been riding around with his shotgun if not for me.
“Nah. I just had to pay a penalty. One hundred dollars.”
“Let me reimburse you,” I said.
“Don’t be silly. I’m the gun owner, not you. I know the law. And I don’t care about the hundred dollars. But I do care about losing my gun. I’ve had it for nine years.”
I spooned fresh berries onto my waffle. “It was stolen when we were in the waiting room.”
Alison wiped her fingers on a napkin. “Who do you think stole it?”
“Not a random stranger. I bet it was someone at the hospital with us last night.”
“You’re thinking the thief is one of those irritating friends of the dead girl?” Ryan asked.
“Yes. Except for Gordon, they’re all staying in cabins at the bayou. And we left the campus tonight in your truck. Whoever stole your gun probably sideswiped Christian, too.”
“Peek-a-boo, I see you,” Minnie sang out.
“If you believe one of Sienna’s friends stole it,” Emma said, “you should tell the police.”
I heard Theo make a strangled sound. “Theo, why don’t you take Minnie into the sunroom? She likes to watch the bird feeders in the backyard. And she’ll sit on your shoulder while you carry the perch out there.”
With a grateful look, Theo hurried to do as I suggested. “You’re a doll,” Minnie remarked as she left the room perched atop my baker.
“Let’s keep any mention of the police to a minimum around Theo,” I said.
“Marlee, this situation is scary. You need the police more than ever,” Emma said. “There could be an insane murderer running around. Someone who now has Ryan’s gun.”
“I think she needs to stop being paranoid,” Ryan said. “Christian got run off the road by a reckless driver going too fast in a bad storm. And the shotgun was lying in plain view in my backseat—with the windows left half open. A dishonest creep took advantage of my carelessness. There’s nothing insane or murderous about any of this.”
Rather than reply, I sipped my orange juice. Yet another thing Ryan and I didn’t see eye to eye on. I was certain we were dealing with insanity or murder. Or both.
* * *
As much as I loved Ryan and my friends, I was glad when they finally left the house. Ryan was already an hour late getting to the orchards, while Emma and Amanda planned to attend today’s body-painting contest at BAS. With the dirty plates stacked in the dishwasher and Theo happily keeping Minnie company in the sunroom, I had time to go through the folders I’d taken from my office. After spreading the contents on the cleared-off kitchen island, I rifled through them until I found the brochures for Sanderling Vineyards, one printed for each year they had been open. I noticed the brochures became glossier and more professional looking as the years progressed. The early brochures held only basic information about the business: location, hours, types of wines available. But seven years in, the business had expanded to include wine-tasting dinners, tours of the vineyard, and weekend courses called Winemaking 101.
I read over the course description, which promised to teach registrants how to become their own vintners. My fingers gripped the brochure tighter when I saw students could learn the secrets of homemade wine using local grapes. Or berries.
During my wine tasting yesterday, Christian and Zack had looked upset when I mentioned how easy it was to make wine at home from various fruits. I thought it was their distress at Zack being exposed to the sample bottles of wine. But what if they’d had a bad experience with homemade wine—in particular, wine they might have created themselves during their summer at BAS. Gordon’s family had shut down the winery only a year earlier. Their vintner ingredients and tools would still have been on-site.
I ran into the other room to grab a notepad from my home office. Sitting down once more at the kitchen island, I wrote down the berries that had inspired the nicknames given to Sienna and her Bramble friends: Gordon—beautyberry; Dawn—elderberry; Joel—chokeberry; Zack—wineberry; Leah—gooseberry; Christian—blueberry; Sienna—baneberry.
I froze. Although Minnie’s whistles from the sunroom reminded me I wasn’t alone, I suddenly felt afraid. Staring at the notepad, I knew with absolute certainty how Sienna Katsaros had died.
Wine made from any of these berries would be safe to drink except for one: baneberries. She had died from drinking poisoned wine. With a shaky hand, I wrote POISON in big letters next to Sienna’s name and berry.
My suspicions were correct. Her fellow BAS friends knew the circumstances of her death and had tried to cover it up. About to reach for my cell phone, I heard a noise in the kitchen. Still looking at my list, I said, “Theo, you’ll never guess what I just discovered. I only wish I’d put it together sooner, especially since I know so much about berries.”
When he didn’t answer, I lifted my head. But the person who met my startled gaze wasn’t Theo. It was Zack Burwell. And Ryan’s shotgun was clutched in his hand.
Chapter 22
Seeing Zack in my kitchen was so unexpected I became temporarily speechless. Since he stood in the open doorway that led to the living room, he must have entered via the front door. A front door left open again by Ryan. Like most Oriole County residents, Ryan saw no reason to lock doors or windows. A shame he hadn’t spent ten years living in New York City, as I had; it would have taught him to be less trusting of his fellow man.
“This is a surprise,” I said finally.
He lifted an eyebrow. “You look more shocked than surprised.”
“You have shown up unannounced. And carrying a gun. I also didn’t hear you knock.”
Zack approached the kitchen island. “The front door was open and the screen door unlocked. Seemed like a friendly gesture to whoever stopped by.”
“It would be.” I paused. “To my friends. What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to return this.” Zack raised the shotgun, and I got ready to run out of the room. I was relieved when he placed the weapon on the island. Lying atop the scattered brochures and ads, it suddenly appeared even more deadly. I swallowed hard when I remembered Ryan had told me the gun was loaded.
“So you were the one who stole it out of Ryan’s truck last night.”
“It was a stupid thing to do. I got spooked after I learned Christian had been run off the road. I thought I needed a way to protect myself.” He looked sheepish. “I’m sorry about calling you a liar last night. Only I didn’t want the others to think I was going to rat them out. Anyway, I saw your boyfriend’s truck in the parking lot. When I walked past, I spotted the gun.”
“How did you know it belonged to Ryan?” Although Zellar Orchards was painted on the side of Ryan’s pickup, I had never mentioned to Sienna’s friends that I was engaged to a Zellar.
“I watched you and him leave the BAS fish fry in his truck. I was sitting in Christian’s Jeep in the parking lot there. It was my plan to follow you to the farm market where we were supposed to meet.” He pursed his lips in disapproval. “Until I saw you had no intention of coming alone, even though I asked you not to bring anyone.”
“You told me not to bring the police or any BAS alumni. Ryan is neither.”
Zack pointed to one of the stools on his side of the
island. “I need to sit down.” He fell onto the stool as if he weighed as much as Gordon Sanderling. The morning sunshine showed every premature wrinkle on his face. I also doubted he’d slept. Zack wore the same clothes he had on last night; his jeans and burgundy T-shirt had been wrinkled and stained even then.
“You don’t look well,” I said.
“I’m not well. When I was thirty-one, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver.”
I quickly did the math. “You told me you stopped drinking seven years ago. Did the diagnosis prompt it?”
“Yes. And I was doing better until I came back here. I didn’t think it would be as bad as it was, returning to BAS. Maybe it wouldn’t have been if Sienna’s body hadn’t been found. I couldn’t hold it together after that. And once I begin drinking, it’s hard to stop. You saw what happened at the luau.”
“I smelled alcohol on you at the hospital last night.”
He nodded. “I had a bottle with me while I was waiting in the BAS parking lot. Needed a few sips to give me courage. But when I saw you were bringing someone to our meeting, it freaked me out.” His gaze turned accusing. “I started to take more than a few sips. Christian found me sitting in his Jeep. He was upset to see me drinking again and wanted to know why. I had drunk just enough to confess I’d agreed to meet you. And how I was going to tell you what really happened twenty years ago.” Zack sighed. “That morning, the two of us had discussed telling an outsider the truth, but Christian thought it was too dangerous.”
“What did Christian say when he learned you were going to do exactly that?”
“He offered to come with me. Said I was right. We had lived with lies far too long. Christian is a good man. A decent man. Naturally, he’s the one fighting for his life and I’m still going strong.” He took a shaky breath. “It’s my fault he was in the accident. I was half drunk when he found me; then I refused to go with him to meet you. I got out of his Jeep and ran away like the coward I am. Christian must have decided to meet you himself. And he probably told the others before he did. If he planned to come clean, he would have been up front about it.”
Blackberry Burial Page 24
