Proposals and Poison

by Rachelle J. Christensen

  “What day?” Cold chills ran down my spine. The evening sun was beating down on my back, and I felt a trickle of sweat run between my shoulder blades.

  Javier backed up a couple more steps. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’ll just go now.” He turned and jumped into his pickup.

  “Wait! When did you see Tim?” I yelled, but he started up his pickup and peeled away from Luke’s house. I watched him drive away, the sun glinting off the chrome.

  With a shiver, I got into my car and locked the doors. I dialed Luke’s number, but there was no answer. My body was on high alert, and my hands were shaking as I gripped the steering wheel and began easing out into the street.

  When a horn honked, I screamed and looked in my rearview mirror. I turned to my left and saw Tony in his cruiser, almost even with my car. He smiled and waved, but his face lengthened with a worried look when he met my gaze. He parked his car right in the middle of the street and jumped out. A mixture of relief and nervousness sped through me as he approached. I put my car in park and rolled down the window.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he leaned against my door. “You look kind of pale.”

  “I’m always pale,” I said. Before answering his question, I ran through about ten scenarios in my mind. All of them ended with Tony lecturing me about staying out of police business. If I told him what Javier had just said, it would look bad for Tim. I hadn’t noticed Tim anywhere outside of the animal clinic. And why was Javier acting so strangely? I thought about the custody case he’d just lost. Javier hadn’t mentioned anything about that, but surely that’s why he wanted to talk to Luke. My heart climbed up my throat with a new worry. What if Javier was angry with Luke? If he blamed him, would he be willing to harm Luke?

  I sighed, knowing I would have to confide in Tony. As I turned off my car and opened the door, Tony stepped aside with a questioning look on his face. He might have looked contrite, too. Maybe he felt bad for threatening me earlier when I saw him with a ring box outside of Mayfield Jeweler’s.

  “It’s a long story,” I warned him. “Do you have a minute?”

  “Sure. This is Luke’s house, isn’t it?”

  I nodded. “Yes, and I wondered if you could check on some things for me?”

  “About Luke?”

  “No, about Javier Benavidez, who just stopped by here looking for him and sort of threatened me.”

  “What do you mean, sort of?” Tony stood up straighter. “What did he say?”

  I repeated the conversation, reluctantly adding the part where Javier said he’d seen Tim watching me.

  Tony scuffed his boot on the asphalt. “That’s kind of strange. And you didn’t see Tim?”

  “No, and I’m worried that Javier is too upset about losing the case. He seemed intent on talking to Luke, but what if he didn’t want to talk?”

  “I’ll drive by Luke’s office and see if I can talk to him. At the same time, I’ll keep a lookout for Javier,” Tony said. “Will you be okay?”

  “Yeah, the whole thing was just weird. I think I’m a little tired, and the stress of everything is getting to me.”

  “Be sure to look around before you go into your house, and call me if you see anything suspicious.” Tony turned toward his car.

  “Gee, now I’ll be able to sleep just fine,” I said.

  Tony chuckled. “I’ll keep an eye out for you.” He tapped his badge.

  “Thanks, Tony.” Part of me wanted to let Tony leave without addressing the issues I’d discovered today while interviewing Tim, but if I wanted Tim to have a fighting chance, I needed to step deeper into the mud. “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier with Vickie from the animal clinic,” I ventured.

  Tony made a clicking noise with his tongue. “I’m not even going to say it.”

  “I know: can’t stay out of trouble.” I held up my hands.

  “Was there anything you wanted to tell me about that visit?” Tony asked.

  “Actually, there was. I’m more certain than ever that Tim isn’t your guy.”

  “And what proof did you find that led you to that conclusion?”

  Dang. Tony had called me out before I could even speculate. I ventured further into the metaphorical pool of mystery anyway. “Tim told me about the second life insurance policy, but that it wasn’t in effect until he and Lily were married. He didn’t know who the other beneficiaries were. I think that could be key to your investigation.”

  “It’s probably Phil, since he’s the one that helped set them up.”

  “No, Tim said his brother helped set this one up.”

  Tony rubbed his chin with his hand. “Why didn’t Tim tell us that when we questioned him earlier?”

  “It seemed like he just remembered it when he was talking to me. I can understand that, with the stress the poor man has been under.”

  “Well, you do have a point there,” Tony said. “I’ll definitely look into it. We’d have to get a court order and that could take another day, but I’ll put things in motion.”

  “Thanks, Tony. So maybe I did something right for once?”

  “Maybe.” Tony grinned. “Now go home.”

  “I’m heading there now.”

  I jumped in my Mountaineer and headed to my condo, knowing that Tony would probably put my area on someone’s detail tonight. It was nice having someone in law enforcement to look after me, since even when I was trying to do a good deed I stumbled into trouble. I shivered when I thought of Javier. When Luke had talked about Javier previously, I’d had the sense that he thought Javier was a good guy, but the man I’d just met didn’t seem like a suitable father for a little girl.

  I tried calling Luke again, with no answer. I wondered if he was really busy or if he was burying himself in his work to hide from the frustration of reality. Losing the case had to be hard on him. It would be interesting to see how he reacted to the situation. He was a successful attorney, but I was certain he’d lost cases before.

  My cell phone sat next to my bed, hopefully waiting for a text or call from Luke, but I fell asleep without hearing anything from him.

  PINCUSHION ROUNDUP

  For a great selection of tutorials on how to make your own pincushions, visit our website or pinterest page at MashedCrafts.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  The battery on my phone went dead during the night, so I plugged it in first thing Thursday morning. My phone buzzed with several incoming texts and missed calls as soon as it powered up. The first was a text from Luke early that morning:

  Luke: Hey, thanks for the card! And I think something happened to my front walkway. :)

  He’d either stayed up all night or was up early again despite his late hours. I was grateful he’d noticed his flowerbeds. I texted back while I ate breakfast.

  Me: Glad you noticed. I’ve been thinking of you!

  Luke: I missed you.

  Me: Me too. Today will be a better day!

  Luke: It can only go up from here. Let’s try to get together tonight.

  Me: Okay. Talk to you later?

  Luke: Sure.

  The sun was already working overtime with temperatures reaching eighty degrees by the time I drove to work at nine that morning. Thinking about the simple text from Luke brought a smile to my face. It also made tingles go up and down my arms. I cared about him, and I felt okay to admit that. It looked like he was okay with it too.

  Work today would be all about prepping for the Ketchum Arts Festival, which began at ten tomorrow morning. Lorea and I would set up the booth at seven o’clock, and my entire family was arriving shortly after. My parents planned to be there by eight, and Wes and Jenna would bring their kids after Wes finished with work. Normally I looked forward to family get-togethers, but today I felt unprepared because of all the mental energy I’d exerted on Lily’s murder investigation. I resolved to give that a rest so I could focus on the festival. All I’d done was apparently stir up more trouble, questions, and antagonism from the local citize
ns of Sun Valley.

  “Hi, Lorea,” I said as I entered the shop. “You beat me here again. I thought I was early today.”

  Lorea waved a pincushion at me. “I’m addicted to this gown. Isn’t it going to be incredible?” She turned the bodice she was working on.

  I nodded. “I love your style. The way your gowns are simple, yet elegant.” I walked forward and admired the shirring that Lorea had painstakingly created along the sides of the bodice. The fitted look was a great contrast to the flowing train decorated with the silk beading. “You’ve come a long way on this already.”

  “I might be able to finish it next week and start getting pictures ready for my portfolio.” Lorea bent her head over the dress and continued pinning.

  “Are we all ready for the festival tomorrow?”

  “Yep. I got my work done early, unlike some people I know,” she teased.

  “Hey, I made some cards and gave my mom advice on what else to make.” I sighed. “Okay, I fully admit that I’m lame and should not have agreed to do a booth.”

  “Whatever, your mom loves making crafts. You gave her permission to pursue something that makes her happy. And I bet she’s going to sell a ton of those darling pincushions she loves to make.”

  “Thanks for saying that. I’ll try to feel a little less guilty.” My mom had sewn the pincushion Lorea was using that morning with polka-dot fabric and stuffed it tight with birdseed. I ran my hand along the tight seams, which formed a hexagon. “These are a fun shape.”

  “Yes, that’s what I love about it. It doesn’t roll off the table, and it’s not too big to carry in my apron pocket.” She motioned to the sewing apron she wore, the pockets filled with all kinds of sewing notions. “There’s my box of stuff.” Lorea pointed to the corner, and I crouched down to pull out the portfolio she’d created for the booth.

  The photo book of her gowns was beautifully put together. She’d written some notes about her style, along with price guides for alterations and other items. Bringing a full wedding gown to the festival was too risky according to Lorea, and I had to agree with her. Too many hands would want to reach out and touch the silky fabrics and pearl beadings Lorea loved to use. Instead, she had an assortment of ring pillows she’d made with sample fabrics. Lorea had adopted her own logo, a Z-shaped design.

  I wanted her to be successful, but the selfish part of me worried that she might leave if she became too successful. Catching myself, I reprimanded myself for my weak thoughts. Lorea wouldn’t leave Sun Valley—Tony was here and they were looking at building a life together, maybe.

  I’d seen Walter across the street when I came in that morning, and he looked happy. I doubted very much that Tony was investigating anything when I ran into him.

  I was grinning when I heard Lorea tsk beside me. “What is that dopey smile about? Did Luke finally kiss you?”

  “I wish. We’ve had some close calls, but we’ve both been so busy that our dates have all been in public places with lots of opportunities for interruptions.”

  “Hey, you didn’t deny that you want to kiss him.” Lorea stepped forward and put her hand on my head. “Are you feeling okay?”

  I pushed her hand away. “You stop. This is all your fault. Cupid shot you and then you pointed me out as his next target.”

  Lorea laughed and put her arm around me. “I’m excited for us. It feels good to be in love.”

  “Love? I didn’t say anything about love.”

  “Yes, you did. You’re the one who brought up Cupid. That guy’s all about love.”

  “And who are you and what did you do with my best friend?”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not getting married or anything.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “Quit changing the subject and admit that you’re in love with Luke,” she demanded with mock ferocity.

  I set her portfolio back in the box and then stood. “I meant that I might want to be in love with Luke. Just not sure yet if I’m there.”

  “It’s okay,” Lorea whispered. “I won’t tell anyone, but don’t worry. Luke is totally in love with you.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Tony said so.”

  I groaned. “Man, those guys are thick as thieves lately. What’s the deal?”

  “Tony has had to talk to Luke several times during this case with Lily. I guess they’re kind of friends now.” Lorea shrugged. “At least it means it won’t be awkward to go do something together as couples, right?”

  I wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying because I was still analyzing her earlier statement. “What did he say that made Tony think Luke was in love with me?”

  “Not sure if it was an exact statement,” she admitted. “Maybe more of the vibe that he got from Luke.”

  “I’ll remember to keep Tony on my good side,” I said. “Now, I need to get ready for my appointment with Jessie. She’ll be here any minute.”

  “Sounds good. Let me know if you need any help.”

  The folders and wedding planning book were already prepped for Jessie’s meeting, but I double-checked just in case I’d forgotten something. It was hard to concentrate with Lorea’s words buzzing in my brain. Did Luke really love me? He’d definitely been on his best behavior lately. He’d only made teasing remarks about marriage, and I had noticed how he made an effort to call or see me every day.

  I gazed out the window of my shop to the beautiful tree-lined streets. The sun shimmered on the green leaves and reflected off the cars parked on the side of the road. A couple walked by holding hands, smiling at each other, and I found my own lips turning up in a smile. The world seemed to shift as I recognized the change that others had noticed in Luke. Maybe he really was falling in love with me.

  The bigger question was, Did I love him?

  The door chimed before I could ponder that thought any more. Jessie walked in, half-dragging Gavin, who was crying about a donut.

  I stood and hurried to help her. “Hi, Gavin. How are you today?” I crouched in front of him, but he turned in toward his mother’s leg.

  “Sorry.” Jessie sighed. “He had a rough morning and didn’t eat his breakfast. I tried offering him other stuff and he refused, but of course, now he’s hungry.”

  “I have a granola bar I can give him, and I don’t mind if he eats at the design table with us.” It was bending my normal policy a bit.

  Jessie’s features softened. “Thank you. That would be perfect.”

  I noticed that Gavin had stopped crying and was now looking at me intently. “Can you be a good boy and I’ll get you that granola bar?”

  He nodded and followed Jessie to sit down. I rummaged through my purse and found a chocolate-chip peanut-butter granola bar. When I handed it to Gavin, he smiled and held it out to his mom; she unwrapped it halfway and handed it back to him. The interchange looked familiar between mother and son. Jessie had done a good job in raising Gavin on her own. It made that little biological clock of mine tick harder when I thought about the possibilities of having my own family someday. A little dark-haired girl with Luke’s blue eyes flitted across my vision.

  I blinked. All Lorea’s talk about love had my daydreams running wild. I tucked my hair behind my ear and focused on Jessie. “What do you want to discuss first?”

  “Drago quit his job,” Jessie announced. “He decided to follow Luke’s advice and distance himself from everything to do with Lost Trails Construction. He’ll be working out of town for the next few months.”

  “I’m sorry about how it all turned out,” I said.

  “We’re trying to keep moving forward and hope for the best.”

  “Are they still talking about pressing charges?”

  Jessie adjusted Gavin’s wrapper one more time. “They haven’t said any more; maybe they’re too busy worrying about their own court cases. Did you hear that Rose might be taking her stepdad to court?”

  “What?” I leaned back. “On what charges?”

  “Something ab
out misappropriation of funds?” Her statement was more like a question.

  “Like Phil was embezzling from his own company, or what?”

  Jessie shrugged. “I don’t really understand how that works, but Drago heard that something weird was going on from one of the other workers there. One of his friends said he’d try to find out anything he could to help Drago.”

  “That is interesting.” I tucked the thought away as something else to add to my list of questions.

  “No, Gavin. Please don’t touch anything. Here’s your Kindle.” Jessie tapped the screen, and a game with bright colors and circus music played. She turned back to me. “Sorry, he’s a little out of sorts today.”

  “I understand. I have a niece close to his age.” I thought of Bryn, my darling little four-year-old niece who lived in Rupert. She’d been so cute over the fourth of July, lugging her baby brother around. Ethan was already seven months old. My arms longed to hold him close again and smell that sweet baby smell. For some reason, Luke popped into my mind again and everything blurred. I shook my head. “I apologize, what was that?”

  Jessie lifted an eyebrow. “Who has your head in the clouds?”

  I smiled. “Hey, I’m supposed to be asking the questions here.” I neatly sidestepped her question and flipped to a page in the binder where we had planned out several of the wedding activities. “My mom and dad said they would make the cornhole boards and paint them to match your colors.” I made a note to send my mom the paint chips for the creamy yellow and dark gray colors Jessie had selected.

  “That’ll be great. What about the fish pond? Do you think that’ll still work?” Jessie tapped the edge of the paper, where I’d put a question mark next to that item. Running a fishing booth, just like those at a carnival, meant we’d need at least three people manning the booth at all times. Maybe I could get some of Lorea’s nieces and nephews to help out.

  “You may get quite a lineup, but I think if we set up each activity so they’re streamlined, the kids should be able to rotate through easily.” I crossed out the question mark. The activities were important to Jessie; she wanted this wedding to be about Gavin too, something to make the day stand out in his mind as a special time. Jessie was a kind and unselfish person, and I planned to do my best to make her wedding celebration memorable.