by Ritter Ames
* * *
A couple of hours later, Kate saw Suzanne alone in the twins' room, while Sam was downstairs watching television. She'd been concerned Suze might feel left out now that Sam had a new activity of her own, especially since the activity involved one-on-one time with her dad. Despite Keith's assurances that Suze took the news fine, even seemed to like the idea of her sister having a separate pursuit of her own, Kate remained a little concerned.
From the doorway, she silently watched her daughter mix and match pattern squares, as if Suze was creating a collage project for art class. Finally, she asked, "How's it going, kiddo? Pretty good fish you caught today."
Suze raised her curly head. "Oh, hi, Mommy. Yeah, fishing was okay, but I'm designing now."
"Designing what exactly?"
The child touched the quilt on her bed. Jane McKenzie had made her granddaughters coordinating quilts for their room, both pieced together with the same starburst pattern, but the colors in each quilt better mirroring the individual twin's personal favorites. "I'm going to ask Grandma if she'll teach me how to make quilts.
Kate smiled. Her daughter was already a lifelong devotee to reality shows like Project Runway and Say Yes to the Dress whenever she could get a television to herself. It was nice now that Suze was letting her obviously inherent designer gene move out of dormancy and attempt a hands-on activity. Kate already recognized her daughter's head for business. She could be a budding designer like Sydney.
Best of all, Suze seemed to be internally dealing with what Kate had already been worried about, and doing so in a very positive way.
"Sounds like a great idea, Suze," she said. "And I know your grandmother would be pleased to show you quilting techniques. Would you like me to sign us up for a sewing class first? I know the rec center offers a lot of different mother-daughter classes."
"No, that's okay," Suze said, smiling innocently. But that didn't take the pain out of Kate's heart when she added, "You can help me organize my sewing box. You're good at that and good at being a mom, too. But Grandma's the best at sewing, so I'd rather learn from her than in a class."
She knew her daughter didn't mean the words the way they sounded, but Kate was overwhelmed with feelings of wanting to both laugh and cry at the same time. Instead, she offered Suze a tight smile and said, "Good plan, sweetie. Call your grandmother if you'd like, and ask her if she has the time."
"I'll do that right now." Suze scrambled to her feet and raced past Kate, her paper quilt pieces flying in every direction from the back draft the exuberant girl created as she left the room.
* * *
Next day, the packing job continued without interruption. Keith left early for an out-of-town on-air assignment, so Jane offered to pick up her granddaughters from school and left Kate free to use the opportunity to handle a little end-of-the-day-reconnaissance on the rest of the project. The Stacked in Your Favor pair felt pretty good about the progress they'd made so far. Kate fielded several calls from the moving company, and even with all the changes and delays, it looked like things remained on track. As long as Sydney could leave the state, of course.
"But that isn't our concern," she said, when Meg voiced that roadblock. "Our job is to make sure the stuff can move when the moving van is ready to stuff it."
They worked in tandem to pack the remains of Collier's office, now that he'd already removed all sensitive documents and valuables. Kate stacked the corporate material she had mentioned on Saturday to Timothy, hoping she could take it by the corporate headquarters in the next day or so. Family pictures, awards, and some pricey-looking artwork hung on the walls, so the supply of bubble wrap took a decent hit before items went into labeled boxes.
The audio and visual equipment in the media room was set to sell with the house, so they only needed to box up the DVDs. Everything was inventoried into the master binder by box number, so the family would have little difficulty finding everything when they reached the other side of the country.
"Katie, how do you know to do all of this? Do you just collect rules on how to move?" Meg asked, as one final note was jotted in the binder before they left the media room.
"Keith was traded three times in the eight years we were married. Add those to our most recent move to Vermont, and I've had quite a lot of personal experience in this realm." Kate rubbed her hand over the top of the binder she hugged to her chest with one arm. "Master lists like this one are what kept me sane when I absolutely had to have something and couldn't take the time to unpack everything else first. Add a couple of babies to the moving mix, and I think you can see why I started figuring out a system to cover all eventualities."
Meg looked at her watch. "I guess I'd better to go if I'm going to get the boys to tae-kwon-do, then over to help my mom. She needs to clean out the winter yard mess and bribed my monsters with cookies."
"Oh, that's nice. Hope you don't have to do any bending and stretching yourself, unless you're feeling less achy than me."
"Yard work will be for the boys alone. I'm figuring on getting my mother aside with a cup of tea and see what kind of information I can dredge from her steel-trap gossip brain."
Kate laughed as they crossed the foyer and to the closet where they'd stashed their purses. "A good deed and a gossip fest. Sounds like a perfect afternoon."
"I'll call you tonight," Meg said, smiling as she slung her purse strap over one shoulder and slipped out the front door.
Kate shot the deadbolt, then took a wide sweep of the perimeter, her hands on hips as she contemplated what they needed to focus on next. She hadn't been kidding about feeling achy and wasn't looking forward to wrapping all the furniture in plastic like she'd explained to Collier the day before, but that was one big job still ahead of them. They also needed to go through the bathrooms, throwing out the smaller remnants of shampoo and such liquids. But for the ones worth saving and sending, they would remove the tops, put plastic over the opening, then replace the tops so none of the liquid could escape. For smaller drawers, or those with less depth, like those holding silverware or small toiletries, they would do the same as the rest of the furniture—wrap the entire filled drawer or drawer divider with plastic, so the contents would stay in place and secure, then wrap the entire chest to leave the wood well protected.
"But first, I need coffee. And not here. I need to get out of here for awhile." She removed her job apron, scooped her own purse out of the closet, and pulled out her keys. She may have an afternoon free from the school run, but that didn't mean she couldn't take a break. "I am the boss, after all. It's time I made an executive decision."
Less than fifteen minutes later she was seated at a table in the Book Nook. Saree was busy with customers, but service in the bistro end of the store was stellar, so Kate already had her mocha latte and snickerdoodle when she heard the door chimes and noticed Lee Ann enter the bookstore. Now what to do? Meg, of course, would call out and ask her to sit down and talk.
She's probably busy running errands. She won't have time to talk to me. That thought gave Kate the courage to at least offer a small smile and wave when Lee Ann looked over. A few minutes later, Lee Ann had her purchases paid for and sacked and stood at the chair opposite Kate.
"Are you meeting someone?" Lee Ann asked.
"No. Please, sit." Kate motioned to the chair.
Lee Ann called for an Americano, then took the proffered seat and sighed. She wore a tailored suit today, a spring floral jacket that complemented the auburn highlights in her hair and coordinated with pale pink slacks. "You don't know how wonderful it feels to just sit in the quiet for a moment."
"I think I do." Kate smiled. "I've met your boss."
"Ah, yes, you have."
"So, I take it she's as bat-crazy a person at work as she is when she goes into a house she's not supposed to enter?"
"If possible, bat-crazier at the office. If she wasn't such a good closer, there's no way anyone would put up with her." Lee Ann shook her head. Her order was brought over then
, and she took a moment to grab the right amount of bills for the tab and tip. "Thank you."
Kate broke her cookie in two and offered half to Lee Ann.
"Thank you."
"How do you work with her?" Kate asked. "And I guess the next question is, why?"
Lee Ann sighed, then nibbled the short end of the cookie. "I had a reason before, maybe not a good reason for putting up with her crap, but a reason anyway. But now everything has changed."
"Sydney's not staying."
"So you know." Lee Ann's gaze dropped to the tabletop.
"She told us yesterday." Kate placed warm fingers over Lee Ann's chilled free hand. "I take it you moved here to try to make a connection."
Lee Ann sniffed but still didn't look up. "It was too late. She thought I'd abandoned her. I never got enough time with Sydney to make her understand. I was in an auto accident and couldn't work. I'd already dropped out of college when I was pregnant, so even if I hadn't had the accident my options were limited. I was on pain meds and not really taking good care of either of us. Blaine and Lila didn't think they could have children at the time, and everyone told me letting them take Sydney would be the best thing for my child." She put a hand to her forehead, partially shielding her face. "I didn't realize I was completely giving up my rights. The pain meds didn't always leave me thinking clearly. When I did understand, it was too late, and any move I made to see Sydney while they lived in Florida was taken by Blaine and Lila as a threat."
Kate drew back to give the woman her space. "These things take time, and the teen years have enough turbulence even without the extra history like yours and Sydney's. Don't give up, but give her a chance to figure this out herself as she experiences more of life. Are you staying in Hazelton?"
"Probably not." Lee Ann finally looked up, then used a napkin to wipe her eyes and pinch her nose. "I was just here because…well, you know. That's the only reason I put up with Erin. It was my best job option." She laughed and rolled her eyes. "No one else wanted the job, so I was paid a premium to be her keeper. But now she has a big burly one, anyway."
"She fired you?"
Lee Ann nodded. "She hired a bodyguard. She's convinced she was supposed to die instead of Lila, so she has protection everywhere she goes."
Maybe the point she and Meg made about Lila and Erin looking alike wasn't something just between them. Maybe the resemblance went too far. "Does she have a point? Or is it just more drama?"
"A lot of people would like to slap her, me for starters, and I'm sure the whole office would like Erin to leave town. But actually kill her? I don't know. She's in hiding right now with her bodyguard, and she constantly calls me on the phone for client updates and to tell me how to do my job. But it's not hard to believe. I mean, she gives people reason every day to kill her. Why is now any different?" Lee Ann sipped her coffee, thoughtful for a moment before she added, "I could see her accidentally killing someone else when she flies off the handle. She's more of a malicious property damage sort of person. Likes to take stuff away from people and make sure they know it."
Lee Ann stopped and shook her head. "I take that back. Erin would probably like to kill April Stephens now that both the Collier contract and Morgan Jackson went to her."
"Erin tried to schmooze Morgan Jackson, too?"
"Everyone tried to schmooze Morgan Jackson," Lee Ann said. "He's set to develop a huge project outside of Bennington and another just south of Hazelton once he gets all the permissions. I don't know how he's doing it, but the red tape is getting shredded faster than ever now that Lila's dead and her environmental group is leaderless. It's just been a few days, but the progress has been amazing."
Lee Ann looked at her watch. "I hate to cry and run, but I need to get back to the office. At least until I officially give my notice. I'll move back home, near Montpelier." She stood and picked up her cup before extending a hand to Kate. "But thanks so much for talking to me. I'll take your advice and give it time. Just let Sydney know she can always find me later if she wants me."
"Good luck," Kate said, and she meant it. She could see this woman was hurting yet hopeful.
"Thanks."
Moments later Lee Ann set the chimes ringing again as she exited the store.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Organized People Set Goals
Assign deadlines. That is the best way to get things done. Think through exactly what you want the end result to be and when you want it completed. Then set aside time each day to meet your goal(s). Once you've accomplished a goal, reward yourself for a job well done, but steer clear of backfires. Don't buy new collectibles to reward yourself for clearing out the old ones. Also, don't set time frames you cannot meet. Giving yourself too little time to complete a decluttering project just sets you up for failure before the job even starts. Set a time limit, and work steadily—then reevaluate, but don't give up.
* * *
Interesting. Erin thinks the murderer was after her but mistakenly killed Lila instead. True or false?
Okay, maybe that wasn't exactly true, but Erin's actions implied fear that she should have been the victim. Was that the truth, or was it Erin's way of covering up the crime by trying to grandstand and misdirect the focus? Make herself look like the potential victim so no one would suggest she was actually the murderer?
Lee Ann may have believed her boss more likely to cause destruction than to kill, but Kate had no difficulty believing otherwise. Definitely info she and Meg needed to discuss soon. She looked at her watch.
Nope. Meg's in the middle of all the moms at the boys' tai-kwon-do lessons. Not a good place to let her know anything like this.
She would go by the Berman's if she made it home before Jane brought the girls. As juicy as this gossip was, however, Gil had probably already heard by now anyway and likely would tell Meg before she had the chance.
After swinging by the bank Kate made a run into the Fast Stop for bread. Seeing the silver Jeep parked several spaces down helped her recognize Timothy Oakes. He was on his cell phone, and Kate walked over to say hello when he hung up on the call and waved to her.
"Good to see you, Timothy. I've been wondering what's happened since Saturday." Kate drew level with the open driver side window. "Have you had any luck with more interviews?"
Timothy raised his hands and spread his fingers along the steering wheel in kind of an "I don't know" movement. He motioned toward a large cardboard box in the back seat that had a plant sitting lopsided out of the top, as if sitting sideways on a hill. "I'm…I no longer work at Green Mountain Boards."
"I'm sorry."
"Thanks," he said quietly. He gripped the wheel and stared through the windshield.
Obviously, he wasn't feeling good about the situation, so Kate remained silent a few seconds before trying to fill the conversation gap. "Was it too uncomfortable for you? Or did you get a bite from one of the positions you've interviewed for? Left to make sure you could accept right away?"
"I was told my services are no longer needed." Timothy shrugged and let go of the steering wheel, turning to look at Kate as he spoke. "I tried telling the cops about Sydney this weekend, but I don't think the police believed me. I think they thought I was trying to make points with my boss. I said it didn't matter, that I was losing my job when Mr. Collier left anyway. One of the officers called HR and asked. They said they did it just to be clear on everything. When I got back to the office this morning, I was met by a security officer and an empty box."
"Oh, Timothy, I'm so sorry."
"I appreciate that. But I knew it was coming, after all. Once the murder happened and Mr. Collier quit coming into the office regular hours, despite his agreement with management when he gave his notice, I've been twiddling my thumbs on the best days and kept off the computers on the worst. My directories have all been squeezed, and they'd left me with practically nothing more to do than secretarial tasks, like no-brainer letters and memos." His gaze moved back toward the windshield, and he blew out a long breath.
Depression was obviously the man's boon companion at the moment, and Kate wondered what to do. She wasn't sure he needed to be alone right then, but trying to get him to talk more might come off as nosy. Kate chewed her lip, wanting to give him the chance to vent if he needed it. "What kinds of things were they keeping you from doing?"
"Our…no, I mean, the fiscal year for Green Mountain Boards starts on the first of July, so around this time there are normally a slew of R&D reports, budget and inventory spreadsheets, and notes to take at departmental meetings. Just transcribing from Mr. Collier's digital recorder could take half my week at this time of the year. But they won't let me handle any of that work now because of the sensitive nature of the material. Well, I guess I can't anyway, being fired and all, but you know what I mean."
Kate patted his arm through the window. "I do, yes." One thing he kept saying surprised Kate. "You keep calling Blaine Collier 'Mr. Collier.' Do you just do that when you're talking to someone outside the company? Or do you always address him as Mr. Collier?"
"Always. Why?"
"You've worked for him four years. I know it isn't an absolute, but people often relax around each other after several years. It made me wonder if everything was still as formal as when you started working together."
Timothy looked away for a moment then nodded. "Yes. We had a very professional relationship. Why do you ask?"
"I'm not sure." Kate didn't have the time or inclination to try to discuss indirect verbal clues with the former PA., so she added, "No reason really. I just wondered. Do you have plans for tonight?"
"Some friends are taking me out for drinks. They think I'll need cheering up."
I think they're right. Aloud, Kate said, "Oh, that's wonderful. Maybe someone will have an idea or hear of a place you can apply to."
"About that." He offered her a tentative smile. "I've been looking at some online job postings and wondered if I could ask your advice sometime."
