by Lyndsey Cole
“My mouth is watering.” Annie held her hands over her eyes but stole a peek through her fingers. The table was set with Jason’s hand painted china and his grandmother’s sterling silver. She realized he went all out for this lunch.
She could hear him walking back and forth between the table and the kitchen. “Okay. Open your eyes.”
Annie was dazzled. A luscious spinach lasagna, garlic bread, and tossed salad met her gaze. “Wow. When did you have time to do all this?” She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt even though she was pretty sure she knew where the food came from.
“Leona left the spinach lasagna and garlic bread in my fridge on her way to the Inn last night. Sort of a trade off since she was getting to eat at the Inn. I made the salad.”
Annie filled two glasses with sparkling water. “I’m still mad at the two of you for scheming behind my back,” she said, barely able to look angry.
“You won’t be when I tell you what I’ve discovered.” Jason cut the lasagna and gave Annie a generous slice. “But let’s eat first.”
“I have news too.” She stared at Jason with a half grin before taking a bite. “But let’s eat first.” She took a big bite, enjoying the flavor and the look on Jason’s face.
“You win,” Jason said. “Do you remember that Thelma told us Alice was engaged at one time?”
“Uh huh.”
“Guess who the lucky guy was?”
Annie pursed her lips and stared off to the side. “Give me a hint.”
“Someone she lives near.”
“Edwin Fleming? Alice was engaged to Edwin?”
“Younger.”
“His son?”
“Yup. Marty. Apparently Alice and Marty were engaged but Marty up and left before the wedding.”
“Weird that she stayed living next to his dad. Don’t you think that’s weird?”
“Maybe Edwin liked Alice and wanted to stay part of her life. Keep an eye on her house for her, that sort of thing.”
Annie sipped her water. “Not according to Phyllis. She said Alice complained about Edwin snooping around and harassing her visitors. That doesn’t sound like someone you’d give your house key to.”
“No. I suppose not. It sounds more like someone who was overstepping his boundaries. Unless Phyllis is trying to send you off in the wrong direction.”
“I did consider that.” Annie pushed her chair back. “Delicious lasagna. Leona is making desserts to bring to the book club party. She calls it a bribe to make sure everyone votes to keep me as president.”
“I thought you didn’t want to be involved.”
“The idea is growing on me.”
Jason laughed. “That sounds like code so you can snoop around for information about Alice.”
“You never know.” Annie carried her plate to the sink. “The other bit of news is that we won’t be getting married at the Heron Inn.”
“Oh? I thought you liked it there. Or are you calling the wedding off since I had those hot girls here last night?” Jason teased.
“I did,” she paused before adding, “like the Inn, but not after Mrs. Delaney told me it would look bad if they booked our wedding. You know,” she continued, “because of my mom and Alice’s murder. The nerve! She’s already got Mom convicted. And it’s all because of Phyllis Morris butting her vindictive nose in my private business.”
Jason pushed Annie away from the sink and started to rinse the plates himself. “Don’t mince any words. Apparently, being president of the book club is a coveted position. But what influence does Phyllis have with the Inn?”
“She gives them a lot of business. At least that’s what I was told by Mrs. Delaney.”
“Interesting. I did discover that Phyllis is very wealthy. We can add to her charm that she likes to throw her wealth around.”
Annie shut the dishwasher door and dried her hands. “I’m going to swing by the Black Cat Café and see what Leona is cooking up. Do you have more work to do?”
Jason nodded. “I’ll meet you later at the Inn. Is your mother helping Leona?”
Annie slapped the side of her head with her hand. “I forgot. Mom wasn’t feeling well and she was asleep when we left. She’ll call if she needs anything.”
Leona had her favorite oldies station on with the volume turned way up when Annie walked into the Black Cat Café. Leona’s voice mingled with the Christmas songs. Too loud and out of tune. Annie turned the radio down. Leona’s voice cracked but she just kept on singing until she couldn’t remember the lyrics and let her voice trail off with lalalalala.
With her hands on her hips, she glared at Annie. “You always do that. It’s my café and my radio. Turn the music back up.”
“What?” Annie cupped her hand around her ear, pretending to be deaf from the loud music.
The timer rang and a knocking sounded at the door.
“Geez, Annie. Everything was going great until you walked in. See who’s at the door and be sure to tell them I’m closed until Monday.” Leona turned the timer off and pulled a tray of Christmas cookies from the oven.
Sheila Sherwood had her fist up, ready to knock some more when Annie pulled the door open.
“The café is closed,” Annie said rather abruptly.
“I know. I need to talk to you. Can I come in for a minute? To talk?” Sheila asked. She glanced over her shoulder as if to see if anyone had followed her.
Annie moved to one side and locked the door after Sheila entered.
“We’re closed,” Leona shouted from behind the counter.
Annie waved her hand at Leona and pointed to a booth for Sheila to sit. “Coffee?” She couldn’t help but be polite even as she searched Sheila’s face for any clues about Alice’s murder.
Sheila nodded.
Annie poured two cups and put several Christmas cookies that Martha was decorating, on a plate. She whispered, “Sheila has something to tell me.”
Leona rolled her eyes. “Don’t believe everything you hear.” She swapped the cookies Annie took for broken ones. “No sense giving away the good ones.”
Annie slid into the booth across from Sheila. The tray was between them with coffee, sugar, cream, and cookies. Sheila took a cookie and nibbled the antlers off the reindeer head, the body already a casualty to breakage. Annie decided eating let Sheila avoid talking about whatever it was she came for.
Annie sipped her coffee. She waited, trying to be patient.
Finally, Sheila swallowed, took a deep breath, and a rush of words came out. “Phyllis is up to something.”
“Like what?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know, but I’m worried. She was after the Book Worm and now Alice is dead. She wants more than the bookstore. She wants the whole building—my building. I’m afraid I’ll be the next dead body that turns up with my head bashed in, or worse. Maybe my body will never even be found.” Sheila’s voice went higher and higher. “Phyllis always gets what she wants.”
Annie was shocked at the concern and fear laced through Sheila’s voice. “Did Phyllis kill Alice?”
“I don’t know. Phyllis wanted to talk to Alice after the funeral but she left before we could catch up to her.”
“Talk about what?”
Sheila sighed. “Phyllis was angry and fed up with Alice’s hemming and hawing about whether she would sell the bookstore or not. Phyllis wanted to give her an ultimatum. And she wanted me to be the witness—team up against Alice. I feel terrible about the whole thing, in light of what happened to her.”
It was on the tip of Annie’s tongue to say, yeah, murder can weigh on your conscious, but she kept that comment to herself. “You went to her house?”
Sheila’s mouth turned into a scowl. “I thought you already knew that from her busybody neighbor.”
Annie smiled. “He is an interesting person, isn’t he? Did you talk to him?”
Sheila shuddered. “Not yesterday. I don’t know where he was but I saw a younger man watching us through the window. I’ve bumped into
him in the past and he gave me the creeps. Alice didn’t seem to have a problem with him, though.”
“Really? Did you know Alice was engaged to Edwin’s son many years ago?”
“You’re kidding. Maybe that’s who was watching us.”
“Why did you really come here, Sheila?” Annie leaned across the table and stared directly into Sheila’s eyes. “You and Phyllis act more like a tag team than two people with opposing needs.”
Sheila stood up, knocking into the corner of the booth. “I came here to warn you. Watch out, Annie Fisher. Phyllis wants to be president of the book club and, like I said before, she always gets what she wants. One way or another.”
Chapter 10
“What was that all about?” Leona asked after Sheila stomped out of the café.
Annie finished her coffee. “I’m not exactly sure but my gut is telling me Sheila and Phyllis are up to something. I’m going back to the Inn to check on Mom.” Annie put a few cookies in a bag.
Leona nodded. “Good idea. Get her to eat something when you get there. Not those cookies. Does that place make chicken soup?”
“I’ll check.” Annie zipped her fleece but was still caught by surprise when the cold wind hit her as she left the building. First things first, she told herself. She needed to have another chat with Edwin Fleming. If he would talk to her.
She parked across the street from Alice’s house. Everything seemed quiet. She grabbed the bag of cookies and headed up the walk to Edwin’s front door. Before she could knock, the door opened.
“What do you want? I saw you coming up my path.”
“Hello Mr. Fleming. Edwin,” she added hoping it sounded a bit more personable. “I wondered if I could come in and talk to you. About Alice.”
“What’s in that bag?” Edwin stood in the doorway and pointed to Annie’s bag.
“Cookies. Christmas cookies. Fresh from the oven.”
Edwin’s face softened. “I love cookies. There’s no cranberries on them, is there? I hate cranberries.”
“No. Just sugar cookies, decorated with icing.” Annie held the bag out.
Edwin took it and looked inside. “Reindeer?” He turned around and left the door open. Annie decided that was his way of inviting her inside. She followed him.
Edwin backed up to his soft chair and plopped down. His head was just about buried inside the bag before he pulled a cookie out and bit off the nose. “Sweet.” Crumbs sprayed from his mouth onto his lap.
Annie took her time looking around the room. First, she looked at the view through his big picture window. It would be difficult to miss anyone walking to Alice’s front door. Annie’s eyes moved from the window to the rest of the room—past his television, a small table with a lamp, a corner shelf, the doorway into his kitchen. She looked back at the corner shelf; it was filled with figurines of cats. Black cats. In every position she could imagine.
A movement in the corner of Annie’s eye startled her. Snowball, Alice’s BIG white cat leisurely walked to Annie and rubbed on her legs.
“Where’d that cat come from? That’s Alice’s cat. Did you let him in?”
Annie ignored the question about Snowball. Apparently, Mr. Flemming’s memory had a lot of gaps. Instead, she walked to the corner shelf, intrigued with the cat collection.
“What are you looking at? You’re a nosy person. Has anyone ever told you that?” Mr. Fleming shouted at Annie.
“I’m looking at your cat collection on this shelf. All black cats. Is that why you don’t like Alice’s white cat?”
“That’s nonsense. My wife collected those cats. She left them to my son Marty. I told him to get them out of here or I’ll take care of them myself. Brings back bad memories.”
Annie picked up one of the curled up cats. These are quite nice. If you don’t want them, I’m sure someone would be happy to buy them from you.”
“Put that down. Don’t touch those things. Marty is going to pack them away. He gave half the collection to Alice before their engagement broke apart.”
Annie carefully returned the cat to its dusty spot and sat in the chair Snowball vacated. “Marty and Alice were engaged?” This subject was easier to dig into than she expected since Edwin brought it up himself.
“It was years ago. Broke Alice’s heart. I never did find out what happened, not that it was any of my business, of course.”
“Of course,” Annie agreed. “But it would be nice to know, out of curiosity.”
“That’s what I told Marty but his lips are sealed about the break up. I always had high hopes they would work it out and get back together.” Mr. Fleming gazed off into some long ago memory.
“That’s a long time to be holding onto hope for a reconciliation.”
“Huh? Oh, right. Twenty years three months and five days ago. They would have been the perfect couple.”
Shivers ran up Annie’s arms. How creepy was this guy?
Edwin took another cookie from the bag and devoured it in three bites. His green sweater was covered with cookie crumbs.
“Mr. Fleming?”
His head swiveled toward Annie. “You’re still here?”
“Who visited Alice recently?”
He turned his head back toward the window. “Those two women. Alice didn’t like them, but they kept coming. Bothering her. Sometimes they came together, sometimes alone. I don’t know what they wanted. None of my business.”
“Alice never told you anything about her money troubles?” Annie decided to get to the heart of the matter or it would take Edwin a week to get around to the information she was after.
“Money troubles? I don’t know about that. Alice and I had an understanding. We didn’t really talk about things.”
What the heck did that mean, Annie wondered. They didn’t talk about anything? Or they didn’t talk about personal things, especially connected to the broken engagement?
“Mr. Fleming? Does Marty visit often?”
“Fridays. That’s when I talk to Melinda, and Marty swings by to see if I need help with anything. It’s his day off. Sometimes he stays for the weekend.”
Annie leaned forward so she could see Edwin’s face better. “Did he visit with Alice when he came to visit on Friday? Maybe check to see if she needed any help?”
Edwin brushed all the crumbs to the floor and crumpled the bag. “The cookies are gone. Time for you to go too. You ask too many questions. Here’s your bag back, and be sure to slam the door on your way out.” He leaned his head back and shut his eyes.
Annie hurried to her car as she checked her phone. Three messages from her mother—where are you? Leona said you were on your way.
“What’s the big rush, Annie?” Police Chief Tyler Johnson was leaning against Annie’s car. The driver’s door. She couldn’t make a quick exit and ignore Tyler’s questions.
“My mom’s sick. I need to bring her some soup,” Annie explained, hoping Tyler would feel some sympathy for Mia.
“Sorry to hear that. And how is Edwin Fleming? Is he your new best friend?” Tyler asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Annie put her hands on her hips. “What’s your problem, Tyler? Is there a law against me visiting Mr. Fleming? He happens to have a lot of interesting stories to share. Information you might find valuable in your investigation if you bothered to take the time.” She tried to reach behind Tyler to the door handle, but with no luck.
“Do share. I have plenty of time.”
“Well I don’t. My mother is waiting.”
“Did you bribe Mr. Fleming with cookies?” Tyler indicated the crumpled bag in Annie’s hand.
“Listen, if it’s the only way I can get you to move out of my way, I’ll tell you this— Edwin’s son Marty was here the morning Alice was murdered. His son who used to be engaged to Alice Wolfe, in case you didn’t know. His son who was engaged to Alice twenty years, three months, and five days ago, to be exact. Don’t you find that even a tiny bit suspicious?”
“Suspicious that a s
on visits his father? Come on Annie, quit harassing that old man. We’ve already heard all his stories.
Annie glared. Tyler moved away from her car. “Tell your mom I hope she feels better soon.” His voice was filled with genuine concern.
“Tell her yourself,” Annie said before slamming her door. She hit the accelerator and drove off with a squeal of her tires.
Annie told herself to calm down. Maybe Tyler was there to make sure she was safe. She couldn’t let him get under her skin and become a distraction if she was going to be any help to her mother.
Annie sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she counted to ten. Edwin Fleming was kind of creepy. If he killed Alice, maybe it was revenge for something between Marty and Alice? Or, Marty killed Alice because he was jealous of Roy’s attentions? Or, he wanted the rest of the cat collection back? Annie chuckled over that thought. But sometimes people did crazy things for foolish reasons.
And what about Phyllis and Sheila? They both had a bone to pick with Alice about money.
Somehow, she had to find more evidence or a stronger motive connecting someone else, anyone else, to the murder to clear her mother’s name.
Chapter 11
The drive to the Inn was uneventful except for the Saturday evening traffic and a deepening dread building up inside Annie. She knew her mother had been expecting her back sooner. She knew she told Leona she was on her way to the Inn when she left the café, at least an hour ago. They would be worried. She had gotten herself into jams in the past when her imagination and curiosity got her side tracked trying to help friends. Had she learned anything from those mistakes? Apparently not.
Darkness fell early in December and the Inn was all lit up with Christmas lights. It looked magical as Annie parked and walked to the entrance. And busy. A lot must be happening here on this Saturday night.
She saw Jason standing, or rather pacing, in the lobby. Did Mia take a turn for the worse while Annie was dawdling at Edwin Fleming’s house?
“Where have you been, Annie? Mia has been worried sick,” Jason said as he pulled her, none too gently, off to the side.
“Is she all right?”
