The conversation with Alex the night before thunked back into Amy's mind. Carla was coping with the unplanned pregnancy, barely planned marriage, and completely unexpected sentence of forced immobility to prevent premature labor. The woman whose life compass had pointed at single with no kids for the rest of her life only a year earlier would soon have a family of three to manage. A tornado of change. Amy had been married, ninety-nine percent happily, for over seven years. Plenty of time to settle into marriage and get ready to have a baby. Yet just talking about the subject left her wanting to run to a remote cabin in the Upper Peninsula and hide for the rest of her life. What was wrong with her?
Amy tried to push aside the distracting thoughts so she could concentrate on driving across town on roads that could become a skating rink in less time than it took to make microwave popcorn. Since Geri wanted to check out some of the other murder suspects, a motherly attempt to get her son-in-law's newest case solved before his child arrived, the next stop was halfway across town at Clement Street Market. During the drive, they chatted about Geri's pottery business. She made the beautiful mug that Carla had been sipping the hot horchata from the day before. In fact, she had made an entire dining set with plates, bowls, and matching mugs for the couple as a wedding present. The Earthship colony had a shop in a nearby town where members could sell any art they produced, but Geri also had a website with an online shop.
"One of my coffee mugs went to Japan." She grinned. "Such an honor since the Japanese have a long tradition of producing fine pottery."
What would've been a white-knuckle ride if Amy had done it solo, passed by quickly and pleasantly with no incidents as they also discussed preliminary plans for the surprise baby shower. Since Carla wouldn't agree to the tradition of having her mother and best friend throw a shower, they were going with another tradition—a surprise shower. Because sometimes pregnancy hormones brought on bad judgment. Refusing to have a shower definitely ranked in the non-optimal thoughts category. So Amy and Geri decided to risk a whopper temper tantrum from Carla and do the right thing…even though she said it was wrong.
Right…wrong…left…right…chocolate…vanilla. Everybody was free to make her own decisions. She and Geri figured the shower was exactly what the bored mom-to-be and underequipped baby needed.
Amy pulled into the market's parking lot and scored a prime space close to the building. Since she was playing customer for the day, parking in the employee area at the far end of the arctic tundra of asphalt wasn't necessary. Inside the busy market, they stepped aside to shake the ice particles off of their coats. "Why don't we head to the far end," Amy suggested. "The booth for the bakery where I work is there. You can check out some of the baked goods and help decide on what to order for the shower. We can get lattes to warm us up while we walk around the rest of the market."
"Sounds like a wonderful idea. I've forgotten how cold it gets here in the winter."
"And it isn't even officially winter yet! We have another few weeks to go before that happens."
The unmistakable aroma of bacon drifted from the Southern Gals' steam tables as they approached. Geri's eyes narrowed as she studied the menu hung on the wall behind a very sad looking LeighAnne. Even though banana pudding was the only vegetarian option on the menu for the day, Geri stayed beside Amy.
"Are you okay?" Amy asked LeighAnne.
She shook her head. "Just a bit sad. It's the tenth anniversary of my husband's death. I swear, I miss him more after all of these years than Buck misses Esther Mae right now."
"Um…I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure the pain never goes away." Amy watched the booth's newest employee, the woman LeighAnne hired a few days earlier, as she lifted the lid off the electric soup kettle and used a ladle to stir the stuffed green pepper soup of the day. "Men are different, though. They don't grieve in the same way."
"Especially for people they don't care much about."
That was a new revelation Amy hadn't caught wind of before. Amy wished she could see auras, too, to better judge what was going on. "I don't understand."
LeighAnne leaned forward. "I didn't see any sense in hanging out Esther Mae's dirty secret laundry; that's not something you do when someone dies. But I've heard from a gal with a booth near Buck's that he's flirting with every woman who enters his booth…the horny old vulture. He and Esther Mae weren't as happy as the show they put on. She was vindictive, mean as a rattlesnake, and he has a jealous streak. The booths here aren't near each other on purpose—they wanted it that way because they couldn't stand to be so close."
After recovering from the ground shaking revelation of the unhappy marriage, Amy chatted with LeighAnne for a few more minutes. She was so full of negative emotions. What did her aura look like—a black halo fringed with flames? Amy had no idea if an aura could look like that, but she imagined LeighAnne's black mood would be portrayed in that manner.
"Woo…weee!" Geri said once they had walked around the corner and drifted out of hearing range. "There was nothing but sadness and anger taking over her today. I feel so bad for that poor woman."
"Me too. I feel heavier after being around her for only a few minutes." Riverbend Bake Shop was a few feet ahead. Amy pointed it out. "Maybe some lattes and sweet treats will help lighten us up a bit."
Sophie was behind the bakery case, visiting her newest business expansion venture. Amy introduced her friend and boss to Geri. After getting a gingerbread latte made with coconut milk, Carla's mother whispered to Amy, "Point me in the direction of the husband's booth. I want to see what he's like on my own. He will probably act differently if he sees you with me." She took a sip of the fragrant, hot beverage. "And could you get me one of those raw key lime bars to go?"
Amy told Geri how to get to the wood carving business then slipped around the cash register table to chat face-to-face without a bakery case barrier. "Raw key lime bars?" she tilted her head to the left as she raised an eyebrow at Sophie. "Since when did you start making raw food?"
"Since I found a recipe that sounded interesting." Sophie laughed. Her espresso-brown ponytail swayed as she shook her head. "Don't worry. It's just an experiment. I'm still all about butter, sugar, and big, hot ovens. I just wanted to see how well the bars sold. Maybe they'll pick up a few new customers."
"New customers are always a good thing," Amy agreed. She slipped on a plastic glove and retrieved two of the uncooked, unprocessed ingredient bars from the case. Free coffee and baked goods were employee benefits that she greatly enjoyed. She slipped one square into a paper bag and took a bite of the other. "Wow. So much better than I expected. They're kind of like those no-bake energy bars you made this summer. I love the lime and coconut in these even more than the peanut butter and chocolate."
"I do, too."
Amy chatted, snacked, and almost finished drinking her dulce de leche latte. Buck's booth wasn't very far away, so what was taking so long? Finally, Geri reappeared on the other side of the bakery case. Her smile looked forced. "I think I'm going to get Carla's mom back to the house before this weather gets worse." Amy waved at Sophie and JoJo as she left the booth. "You guys be careful driving home. It's getting slippery out there."
"Will do. You too," Sophie said. "I think I saw the flashing lights on a salt truck go by outside the dining area. Hopefully the roads won't get too bad."
Geri linked her arm through Amy's crooked elbow as they walked up the aisle. She tilted her head closer to Amy and quietly said, "Icy roads are the least of our worries. I found that Veggie Crew booth when I took a wrong turn on my way to visiting the merry widower. You and Bruce need to be very careful dealing with the people at this market. I didn't have to read any auras to see they are messed up—a bunch of volcanoes getting ready to blow. That Candi from the vegetarian food booth is crazy. She doesn't do a good job of hiding it either, but I suspect she couldn't even if she tried."
The angry sputters of a misfiring engine drew Amy's attention as they walked through the parking lot toward her car. A de
nted and abused black pickup rumbled up the next aisle. The tires were so big on the four-wheel drive vehicle, the cab towered above all of the normal-sized automobiles in the parking lot. She sucked a breath in when she saw the bright dreadlocks of the passenger. Shantelle and her boyfriend were trolling around the parking lot. Why?
As Amy opened her Mini's door, she saw the hulking pickup stop in front of another truck parked at the back of the lot. She retrieved the ice scraper stored under the backseat and set about removing the newest layer of ice on the car's windows. Tiny, cold shards bounced off her face as she frantically tried to complete the task. The truck was pulling away.
When most of the ice was gone, she hopped into the driver's seat, started the engine, and backed out of the parking space while trying to simultaneously latch her seat belt. "What's the hurry?" Geri asked as she twisted in her seat to find the buckle of her unlatched belt.
"That pickup truck—the people who I think are the most plausible suspects for the murder are in it. I heard that they've been banned from entering the market because they've caused so much trouble by threatening vendors and intimidating customers…"
"So what are they doing here?" Geri finished Amy's sentence.
"Exactly."
Amy pushed the accelerator pedal. The Mini fishtailed slightly but gained traction and sped up the deserted parking lot aisle. The truck the troublemaking couple had been interested in was parked at the back, in the employee and vendor area. A magnetic sign for Buck's Wooden Wares was on the brown pickup's door.
"Horn dog's truck," Geri said as she frowned. "What would these two want with him?"
"She's his moneygrubbing niece, or I guess niece-in-law. It sounds like Esther Mae had some pretty unsavory relatives. Now that she's dead, they're coming out of the woodwork looking for money from her estate." She turned onto the road, the same direction Shantelle and her boyfriend had gone. "This niece and her boyfriend, who was driving the truck, both have criminal records."
"I'm up for following them if you and your little car can do it." Geri patted the dash. "To see what they may be up to after checking to make sure the uncle is occupied at the market."
"You'd be surprised at what Mimi and I are capable of."
The cab of the truck was visible above the lineup of nondescript sedans on the road between them. A traffic light turned yellow as the rusty vehicle lumbered through an intersection. "Damn it," Amy said as she stomped on the brake pedal. The lightweight car skidded to a stop, leaving a few inches between the Mini and the car that had obediently stopped in front of them. "They could be heading out of town, maybe toward Esther Mae and Buck's house, but we'll never know if I lose them."
Geri leaned her head against the passenger door's window. "They just turned right on a street two blocks ahead."
"Thanks." She slowly accelerated through the icy intersection, looking both ways for out of control vehicles that could end their spying mission in a hurry. "That's a residential neighborhood. Buck's house is way out in the country on a dirt road, so I'm not sure where they might be going."
Amy flicked on the blinker and turned onto the street Geri pointed at. The rear end of the Mini tried to keep going in the curved trajectory, but Amy let off the gas and straightened out of the almost spin.
"Isn't that the truck backing out of the driveway up there?" Geri asked as she pointed to the end of the block-long street.
Sure enough, the truck was backing out of a driveway. It turned in the street until its headlights were pointing at the Mini. The sleet was still falling, making everything look muted and fuzzy. But there was no mistaking the rooster tails of icy slush shooting up from behind the truck as it sped right toward them.
Geri squealed as Amy hit the gas to get the car out of the center of the roadway so they weren't a giant bull's-eye in the middle of the truck's demonic path. She turned the steering wheel to the right and slammed on the brakes. It was Amy's turn to squeal as her precious vehicle skidded diagonally. The tires thumped against the curb, and the car bounced back toward the center of the street in a game of vehicular pinball. Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden deceleration. A bang over her head released the breath in an all-out scream as the truck passed by, inches away from her door.
"What the hell?" Geri swiveled in her seat to watch the truck.
Amy's hands were welded to the steering wheel as brown liquid trickled down the windshield. A large foam to-go cup rode the waterfall down to the hood. Rectangular ice cubes slowly slid down the glass behind the dark cascade.
"They're gone," Geri said as her hand clasped over Amy's. "I think we need to get back to Carla's house and let Bruce know what happened. I doubt he'll be happy that we followed these people, but their reaction has g-u-i-l-t-y written all over it."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The recipe pages fluttered, trying to break free from the rocks that were preventing them from taking flight. While the wind might spell freedom for the papers, it meant frozen body parts for Amy and the small army of volunteers handing out food. A line of cars snaked through the streets of the neighborhood around the Kellerton Library long before the food pantry had all of the distribution stations set up along the sidewalk in front of the building.
Five cars at a time were allowed to pull into the distribution area. The occupants got out and worked their way down the sidewalk lined with food stations to pick out foods like frozen turkeys, canned green beans, and cake mixes. There was no need to bring in a refrigerated truck since the temperature was several degrees below freezing. A volunteer ushered each person or family through the lineup, starting with the table manned by Amy and Sophie, the recipe and food preparation consultants, to see if there were any questions about what to choose or how to prepare the foods. They chatted with harried moms who worried about getting their children to eat vegetables and twentysomethings who didn't know how to cook but couldn't afford to buy fast food for every meal.
Two hours whirled by before Amy had a chance to stop talking for a moment and look around. Sophie was at the other end of the line of stations, chatting with a few of the other volunteers. Most of the pallets and bins that had been stacked full of boxed food and frozen poultry were almost empty. Even the cases of seitan, tofu, and vegan cheese that Rori was offering at her vegetarian station were mostly gone. Amy was a bit surprised that the meat-free meal offerings had been so popular in the middle of a holiday season that most people associated with crown rib roasts, glazed hams, or turkey.
Rori pulled her dark purple crocheted ski hat farther down to cover her ears. "I've been so busy I didn't realize how cold I am."
"I know," Amy said as she rubbed her hands together. She had worn black leather gloves to have the dexterity to pick up recipe sheets, but their insulating properties were far less than the faux-fur-lined mittens she loved to wear in cold weather. "There isn't much food left, and the line of cars has made it through. There's just a trickle of vehicles driving in now. I think we'll wrap this up soon before we all end up sick for the holiday from getting so cold."
"Take some echinacea when you get home. Maybe wash it down with some licorice tea," Rori suggested.
Amy actually had both of those things on hand. She had recently picked up a natural medicine handout at Yoga For You then visited the health food store to stock up the homeopathic remedies on her way home from the studio. Being sick made miserable winters so much more unbearable. Vitamin C tablets, elderberry extract, and slippery elm lozenges were also hanging out in her medicine cabinet, ready to be employed at the first sign of illness.
"I'll do that. Hot tea sounds lovely right now." She tapped her nose. "My nose is so cold it's numb. A little bit of steam would help thaw it out."
Rori smiled briefly, but the expression soured as she looked down the line of stations. "Your body needs quality fuel to fight off illnesses. It is so frustrating to see food pantries handing out items that are full of white flour, sugar, and preservatives. I realize they can only give out what has been
donated to them, but it's so distressing that people with low incomes have to eat so unhealthily. I bet many of them would get back on their feet quicker if they had access to more nutritious meals. Brains and bodies function better with real food for fuel."
"I've used my fair share of white flour and sugar over the years." Amy held her hands up in the surrender position. "Please don't hold it against me."
"It's okay. I won't hold you down and force you to eat raw kale." Rori kicked a stone with her boot. The rock skittered across the frozen pavement. "I realize eating virtuously all the time is hard. I have nothing against treats now and then. I just want to let people know how to eat better and give them the resources to do so, no matter how much money they have."
Amy had worked with the food pantry for several years, but she had never put much thought into what foods were being handed out. "Maybe you can help change that at this pantry. I would be willing to help. It may take some creative brainstorming, but I'm up for the challenge if you are."
Rori clapped her mittens together. "Thank you for offering to help. I've been trying to figure out what to do over the last week. With two of us, I think we could make some changes for the better." She leaned sideways to look around Amy. "Can I help you? I have quite a few vegetables along with some seitan and TVP left if you would like to make a vegetarian or vegan meal."
"Anything would be good."
Amy shuffled to the right to get out of the middle of the conversation. She glanced over her shoulder. Her muscles instinctively tensed. Shantelle flicked a hostile look at Amy then continued her conversation with Rori. "My boyfriend eats at Taco Hut every day, so I don't need much for meals for myself."
"Don't you ever have dinner with Rayshelle?" She couldn't help but ask. While Amy was an only child, she knew many people who regularly shared meals with their siblings.
The eyeball tattoo rippled and distorted as Shantelle frowned. "We hate each other. Always have. A happy, little family get-together isn't possible." She snatched a package of marinated tofu out of Rori's hand and dropped it into the dirty pink backpack she was carrying. "By the way, sorry about Harlan running you off the road. He thought you were a cop. He doesn't like cops."
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