by J A Whiting
Finch asked about Professor Tyler and Angie filled him in on the new guest and his research into the Salem Witch Trials. She glanced at the hallway to be sure Ellie wasn’t in earshot. “I think Ellie needs to pay more attention to her feelings.”
Finch nodded.
Courtney moved around the table so she could take the water glasses out of the China cabinet. “The cats seem to be agitated so I’m inclined to ignore Ellie and lean towards thinking that something is up.”
Finch gave a little tap on the rug with his cane. “Time will tell.”
“We should be careful though.” Courtney carried two crystal goblets to the table. “We need to be on guard just in case.”
Anxiety swirled through Angie’s body. Lately, everything had been going so smoothly. There had been no murders or deaths in Sweet Cove since the summer so it hadn’t been necessary for the police to call in the sisters and their abilities to consult for any cases. The bake shop was doing well. The October days had been warm and pleasant. Angie wished things could stay as they were, but she knew deep down that something was brewing. “I want to find out more about that older couple who visited the shop this morning.”
Finch agreed. “Miss Betty will probably be able to tell you a bit about them since I believe she worked closely with the couple to find a house. She complained about their unpleasant personalities to me. It must be the same couple who visited your bake shop this morning.”
As if on cue, the doorbell rang and Betty opened the front door and rushed into the foyer carrying a casserole dish. “I was afraid I was late.” She pushed the dish into Angie’s hands and nearly crushed Mr. Finch in a bear hug. She kissed the top of the man’s head. “You look so handsome in a bow tie, Victor.” She batted her eyes at him. “Maybe you should wear one more often.” Finch blushed when Betty gave a girlish giggle.
Courtney stared at the woman and shook her head. Finch, a gentle and kind man, was slight and unsteady due to an injury of long ago while Betty, who carried some extra pounds, was like a force-five hurricane hitting the room. The sisters were still amazed that Betty and Finch were a couple, but the two were practically giddy in each other’s company and the girls loved that the older man and the successful Realtor were in love.
“I need a sip of wine.” Betty hurried to the sideboard and poured some merlot into a glass. She looked sweetly at Finch. “Would you like a glass, Victor?”
“I’ll wait until dinner, thank you.” Finch beamed at the woman.
Angie stood to help Courtney finish setting the table. She addressed Betty. “What do you know about the couple you rented the Greenhill Road house to?”
Betty scowled. “They were royal pains. They complained about everything. I never thought I’d find them a house they wanted.” She took a gulp from her glass and topped it off.
Courtney eyed Betty. The woman seemed distressed discussing the older couple. “Were they just the usual pains or was there something else about them that bothered you?”
Betty stared at the youngest Roseland sister. “What do you mean?”
“You seem nervous talking about them.”
Euclid stood up on the China cabinet and listened intently to the discussion.
Betty’s cheeks went red. “I’m not nervous.” She blinked. “Why would I be?”
“What specifically did they complain about?” Angie asked calmly.
Betty bustled over to Mr. Finch and sat next to him. “The house was ugly … the garden was wrong … the house was too close to town … the house was too far from town. I couldn’t get a handle on what they wanted.”
“Where did they come from?” Angie’s eyes were like lasers.
Betty pondered. “Hmm. I don’t recall.”
“What are their names?”
Betty opened her mouth to speak. She screwed up her face. “Um.…” Betty gave a nervous laugh. “My.” She looked at Finch. “Did I mention their names to you?”
Finch shook his head.
“Well, how funny. It’s slipped my mind.” Betty put her hand to the side of her face. “Oh well, it will come to me.” She tried to brush off her forgetfulness.
Courtney sidled up next to Angie and raised an eyebrow. “This is odd. Betty recently worked with that couple. How could she just forget their names?”
“I have no idea.” Angie’s heart sank.
3
The doorbell rang, and on her way to answer it, Courtney smiled. “Maybe all of this means we’re going to have a new mystery to solve. We haven’t had one for weeks.” She beamed with excitement. Courtney was the sister who loved being involved in mysteries and using her newly-discovered and developing paranormal powers which the sisters had inherited from their grandmother.
Angie hoped her youngest sister was wrong, but a mystery might be just the thing to keep Courtney from focusing so closely on Rufus’s departure back to England.
One by one, the men arrived and the group sat down to their dinner of pot roast, spinach and cheese empanadas, roasted green beans, a rice and nut medley, and Betty’s potato casserole.
Jack Ford admired Mr. Finch’s bow tie which immediately started a round of teasing for his choice to always wear the more formal-looking neckwear.
“I prefer the look,” Jack sniffed. “I think it finishes an outfit and gives me a professional appearance.”
Rufus passed the platter of green beans to Jack. “Don’t you mean it gives you the appearance of an old nerd?”
Narrowing his eyes at the young legal intern, Jack accepted the platter. “Remind me. When are you finally leaving my office and returning to Oxford?”
The others chuckled at the friendly banter between the two men, but a shadow passed over Courtney’s face at the mention of Rufus’s leaving.
Conversation turned to the beautiful October weather, the upcoming Sweet Cove fall festival, and how business was still strong in town despite the end of summer.
“Miss Angie’s bake shop is booming,” Mr. Finch said. “The candy store is as busy as ever and the bed and breakfast rooms are all full.”
Jenna smiled. “Tom’s busy with construction projects and the coming holiday season is always my best time of year for jewelry orders and sales.”
“We should all be busy until Christmas.” Ellie reached over and straightened Jack’s tie. He took her hand for a moment and held it tight which caused his cheeks to blush. Ellie continued, “Then we should take a vacation. We all need it.”
A man’s voice called from the stairs. “Miss Roseland.”
Ellie cringed and rolled her eyes at the sound, but turned towards the staircase with a pleasant smile on her face. “I thought you’d gone out, Mr. Withers.”
“I changed my plans. I’ve been out all afternoon so I decided to stay in this evening.” Mr. Withers, the B and B guest who had been driving Ellie crazy, seemed to be in his early seventies. He had a sharp, bird-like nose, dark blue eyes, and a skinny face. His limbs were gangly and thin and he had long bony fingers. Ellie described him to her sisters as a mutant elf, but who was lacking in the pleasant personality one might expect in such a creature. The man strode to the dining table with a spring in his step and greeted the people sitting around it. Introductions went around the table.
Ellie took a breath. “Would you care to join us for dinner?” She hoped he would answer in the negative.
“I would love to.” Withers glanced about for a place to sit.
Courtney stood and went to the China cabinet for another place setting while Tom picked up a chair and carried it to the table for the man. Ellie nodded to the far end where Mr. Finch was sitting. Tom placed the extra chair and Mr. Withers joined the group.
“Always room for one more,” Mr. Finch declared with a smile.
Withers’s bushy gray brows seemed to dance over his eyes. “It’s most appreciated.” He reached for the platter of sliced pot roast and addressed Mr. Finch. “How long are you staying here at the inn?”
Mr. Finch explained that he was
a permanent fixture at the Victorian despite living in his own home directly behind the B and B.
Withers bent over his dinner plate. “How can I make such an arrangement for myself?”
Ellie’s face paled thinking about having Withers around for more than a few weeks.
Jenna nodded towards Mr. Finch with a smile. “I’m afraid this man is a once-in-a-lifetime exception.”
“Pity.” Withers sipped the wine that Courtney had placed in front of him. “Delicious meal. My compliments to the chef.”
“Where are you from, Mr. Withers?” Jenna asked.
“All over.” He didn’t look up, just kept working on his dinner. “I don’t stay anywhere for very long.”
“Why not?” Courtney stared at the man.
Withers straightened and looked across the table at Courtney. He had piercing dark blue-gray eyes. “It is the nature of my work.”
“Are you in sales?” Betty’s eyes brightened. She loved chattering with other people who worked in sales.
Withers gave Betty a little smile as he picked up his knife and began to cut his pot roast. “Something similar.”
Betty frowned at the cryptic remark. She was about to ask another question when Withers said, “I hear that real estate is doing quite well again.”
That was all Betty needed to start on a long explanation of the state of home sales both nationally and in the state of Massachusetts.
Angie eyed Withers. She knew that the man had cleverly and deliberately turned the conversation away from inquiries about himself to a topic that would get Betty talking. Angie glanced across the table to her twin sister and Jenna gave the slightest of nods indicating that she too had picked up on Withers’ deflection.
When Betty paused for a breath, Jenna turned the attention back on Withers. “Did you grow up in New England, Mr. Withers?” she smiled sweetly.
“I wasn’t that lucky.”
Jenna realized that her question should have been more open-ended in order to get a more detailed answer.
“Do you have family?” Courtney watched the man’s face. She did not care for the man’s evasive replies and was starting not to trust him.
“Again, I was not so lucky.” Withers looked at Jenna and Tom. “I hear the two of you are engaged. Congratulations.”
Jenna blinked in surprise.
Tom smiled and thanked the man for his well wishes. “We’ve recently purchased a house. It needs a lot of work.”
Before Tom could continue, Withers spoke. “Miss Roseland told me that you bought a house a couple of doors down from here, the old Stenmark place.”
“What place?” Tom looked puzzled.
Withers raised his eyes from his plate. His lips were pinched tightly together. He swallowed. “Stenmark. The Stenmark place.”
Tom and Jenna glanced over to Betty since she was the one who sold the house to them.
Betty’s cheeks flushed and she stammered. “There wasn’t any information about the house. Only the past owner’s name and it wasn’t Stenmark. The place had been abandoned for years. The town owned it. I don’t know any history.”
“How do you know that someone named Stenmark was a previous owner?” Jenna asked Withers.
All eyes turned to the man.
Withers cleared his throat. “I love old houses. It’s an avocation of mine. I enjoy reading about early America, especially the towns of New England, the old families, their homes.”
“You’ve read about our house?” Tom questioned.
“Yes.” Withers nodded. “Just a few words.” He pointed to the mashed potato casserole. “May I have a bit more?”
Tom was eager to know more about their recently acquired home. “What can you tell us about our house?” He passed Withers the casserole dish.
“Nothing. I only read the name of the original owner and that the house was one of the first homes built on this street. Perhaps you’d be so kind to show it to me one day?”
“We’d be glad to.” Tom gave a nod. “How long will you be here at the B and B?”
“Until the end of October.” Withers took a long sip of his wine.
“You’ve planned a long visit in town,” Tom observed.
“I’m using the Victorian as a home-base to visit the seacoast towns from Boston to Maine.”
“It’s a very pleasant time of year to do that,” Finch said.
Withers looked at Finch. “Are you still working, Mr. Finch, or have you retired?”
Finch placed his fork on his plate. “Miss Courtney and I own the candy shop in the center of town.”
“So you’ve lived here for some time, I assume.”
“Not quite a year.”
“Where do you hail from then?” Withers lifted his napkin to his lips.
“Chicago.”
Angie noticed that Finch was only answering with direct replies and was not elaborating.
Withers finished off his glass of wine. “You had a candy store in Chicago?”
The two men made eye contact.
Finch could feel Euclid staring down at them from his perch on top of the China cabinet. “I was a fortune-teller when I lived in Chicago.”
Withers gave Finch a wide-eyed look, then supposing the man was joshing with him, he threw his head back and laughed. He clapped Finch on the shoulder. “You had me for a minute.” Withers shook his head as the other male guests around the table chuckled at Finch’s remark. The sisters remained quiet knowing that Finch really had worked as a fortune-teller.
Finch lifted the bottle of red wine and held it out to the man. “Would you care for more wine?”
“Indeed I would.” The man reached for the bottle that was in Finch’s hand.
Mr. Finch could occasionally discover something about a person if they both held an object simultaneously. For only a second, Withers and Finch held the bottle of Cabernet at the same time, but it was enough.
As Finch placed his hands in his lap, he glanced at Angie. The tiniest of smiles played over his lips.
4
After finishing the meal, singing happy birthday wishes to Jack, and devouring the delicious cake Angie had baked, the guests returned to their homes. Mr. Withers climbed the stairs to his room, and the girls and Mr. Finch retired to the family room at the back of the house. Euclid sat next to Courtney in the easy chair, his orange plume of a tail occasionally flicking against her cheek. Although Circe was curled on top of Finch’s lap, the black cat was alert and listening to the humans’ conversation.
Angie smiled at Finch. “How clever of you to tell Mr. Withers that you had been a fortune-teller when you lived in Chicago.”
“I thought it best to throw the man off and lower his defenses by telling him something outlandish just before we held the bottle together.” Finch actually had been a fortune-teller during the last years he’d lived in the windy city, but the sisters, Police Chief Martin, and Jenna’s fiancé, Tom, were the only ones in Sweet Cove who knew of the man’s skills.
“We only held the bottle together for a moment and I wasn’t able to pick up on much, but I’m hoping that perhaps since he will be staying here for several weeks, I will have the opportunity to discover more.” Finch gently ran his hand over the black cat’s velvet fur and she purred.
Courtney’s eyes were bright. “Tell us what you sensed from Withers.”
“I could not determine if the man’s reason for visiting the area was true or false. However, I picked up that he is clearly hiding something from us.”
“Are we in danger?” Ellie twisted the ends of her long hair.
“Unknown.” Finch’s eyebrows pinched together in a scowl. “Nothing imminent was evident, but….”
“But what?” Jenna slid a couple of inches across the sofa cushion so that her shoulder touched Angie’s.
Finch looked over the top of his glasses. “But the man has a mission and it involves all of us.”
Euclid let out a long, low hiss.
Ellie’s hand flew to her throat. “
Oh, no. What does he want with us?”
Finch took his glasses off and wiped the lenses with a handkerchief. “That is yet to be determined, Miss Ellie.”
“Then we’d better be on guard.” Angie’s lips turned down.
“That must be why he follows me around, asking all kinds of questions.” Ellie stood and started pacing up and down by the windows. “I thought he was just an annoying, inquisitive pest, but he must have ulterior motives for interrogating me.”
“Does this guy have some connection to the older couple who were in the bake shop this morning?” Courtney adjusted her position in the chair to give Euclid more room.
“Good point,” Jenna said. “Three people show up in Sweet Cove around the same time and make us feel uneasy. Maybe they know each other? Maybe they’re up to something together?”
“We need to find out more about the couple.” Angie’s face clouded. “It was very strange that Betty couldn’t even recall their names.”
“In Miss Betty’s defense,” Finch offered, “she has been busier than ever and is juggling many different clients at the moment. It was probably a momentary lapse.”
“Or, that older couple put a spell on her so she wouldn’t remember any particulars about them.” Courtney’s voice was excited.
“Oh, God.” Ellie looked like she might start to cry.
“Betty can always look up the information in her file.” Jenna turned to Angie. “Do you think we should tell Chief Martin our concerns?”
Angie sighed. “I think we’d better. I’ll talk to him tomorrow morning when he comes into the bake shop.”
“Do you think this has something to do with Tom’s and my new house?” Jenna’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “Withers brought it up at dinner.”
“I bet he knows more about your house than he’s saying.” Angie’s face hardened. “I got the sense that the name ‘Stenmark’ slipped out by accident.”
Courtney narrowed her eyes. “I got the same impression. Withers tried to cover his mistake by claiming that he didn’t know much about the house, but I bet he knows plenty.”
