Death on the Page

by Essie Lang

  “Something else we have to be smart about is hiring another part-time staffer.”

  Edie sighed. “I know, I know. What I don’t know is why I’m dragging my feet. We’ve had some good résumés dropped off since summer. I’ll ask Trudy to bring them all over after work today, and I’ll go through them again. Then we can confer to choose who we want to interview. Hopefully, they’re still available. Sound like a plan?”

  “Perfect. I know that Taylor was hoping to continue with the odd shift, but I don’t think we can rely on that.”

  “Uh-huh, I hear you. Now, I don’t want to keep you too long and make you late. I will call you, I promise.”

  Shelby couldn’t shake the feeling of being on edge, even after talking with Edie. She spent extra time brushing J.T.’s coat before filling his dish. She knew he would wolf down his food and then head off on his own, although he did choose to stay indoors again that day. What would she do with him over the winter? She realized she hadn’t given that any thought. Surely Edie wouldn’t mind having him in the house, but if she did, Shelby had to have a plan. She also realized she couldn’t imagine finding him a new home. He’d really become a part of her life, even after such a short time. She just hoped he would be okay with the change of location and not decide to relocate on his own. She was at his mercy.

  After they’d both eaten, she quickly washed the dishes, then headed for Chocomania. She’d missed not treating herself the day before. Besides, she wanted to see what was happening in Erica’s life.

  She waited in a short line until Erica took her order.

  “A nice start to the morning for you,” Shelby said, looking around the busy shop.

  “Seeing you? Yes, it is.” Erica looked over at the customers who were enjoying their orders in the store and then pulled off her scarf, shaking her head. Her short haircut seemed ideal for so many reasons. Not only did it frame her face perfectly; it also shook out and back into place so easily. Shelby tried not to be envious. Erica retied the scarf without need for a mirror, then folded her arms and smiled.

  Shelby shook her head, laughing. “That is nice for me, too, but I meant the busyness.”

  “It’s been steady, which is great. I missed seeing you yesterday. What’s happening?”

  “Well, Taylor went into the hospital briefly yesterday. She was working at the main store when she had some pains. She’s home now, and I haven’t heard an update except that she seems fine. For now.”

  “That is worrying. I’m glad to hear she’s okay, though. Have a truffle on the house to calm your unease.”

  “You have the solution to everything.” Shelby chose a salted caramel truffle and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm, so wonderful. Thank you, and a medium latte as a chaser, please. By the way, have you seen anything of Bryce?” she asked as Erica made her order

  Erica glanced over and smiled. “Since you ask, we did go out to dinner on Wednesday evening.”

  The look on her face told Shelby all she needed to know. “Wow. It looks like it was a great evening. You didn’t have any reservations, you know, with the chief talking to him and all?

  “Sort of, but I figured she’d have locked him up if it had been anything serious, right? And I was curious about why she’d been questioning him again, but I didn’t get up the nerve to ask him.”

  Shelby nodded but decided not to fill in any details. That was up to Bryce. “So, he hasn’t left town?”

  “Why?” Erica looked wary. “Are you still thinking of him as a suspect?’

  Shelby realized she’d have to be careful how she answered. “That’s not my first thought, but if he’s having to stick around, it could be because the chief hasn’t cleared him yet. Or it’s totally because of you,” she added, which brought a smile to Erica’s face.

  “He said he’s able to do a lot of his work from here,” Erica volunteered.

  “Aha. That’s handy.”

  “Isn’t it? And what’s happening in Coast Guard land?”

  “It so happens that we’re going to the Wine Festival tonight, following a light supper at my place. Just something easy, nothing special,” she added quickly when she saw the glint in Erica’s eyes.

  “Right. Wine, a moonlit night, dancing. It sounds pretty romantic to me.” Her smile was mischievous and contagious.

  “I am ever hopeful. But, as much fun as this has been, I have to run yet again if I want to catch the shuttle. Thanks for the latte,” she said as she slid a five-dollar bill across the counter. “Hope your day keeps busy.”

  “You, too. Let me know when you hear more about Taylor, okay?”

  Shelby nodded and hurried through the door, wondering why she was always on the run for the shuttle. She could easily leave her home earlier if she didn’t just meander about in the mornings, or she could even get up a bit earlier each day. She did like the mornings, especially those with a stunning sunrise.

  The early morning turned out to be just a promise of what turned into a beautiful, sunny day. The temperatures rose in the afternoon so that Shelby actually removed her jacket while taking a short walk on her afternoon break. It had been a fairly busy morning and she’d skipped lunch, so she decided a treat was in order. A walk it was. As she walked past the Sugar Shack, she wished it were still open. An ice cream cone would really have hit the spot.

  Taylor called just after Shelby reopened the store.

  “How are you feeling? What happened? Wait, you don’t have to answer that part if you don’t want,” Shelby said, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. She knew Taylor didn’t like to be coddled.

  “I’m fine, but the pains were a warning, according to the doctor. I had an early morning yesterday and then did some housework. I know. My mother-in-law was all over me about it, but I needed to be doing something; that’s why I thought the store was the answer.”

  “Well, I hope you’ll take his advice and start taking it easy.”

  “That will only raise my blood pressure, which is another problem in itself. He did relent and say I could go to the store for short stints as long as I didn’t do anything physical. Just sit there and talk. Like Edie.” She chuckled. “Now you have two of us.”

  “Well, I’m relieved to hear that, but unless you’re so desperate you’ll burst—although that might not be the best saying—I want you to stay home. We love having you in the store, but your baby is more important.”

  “I will be smart about this, don’t worry. How’s it going today?”

  “It’s been busy, thanks to the great weather. And that’s even better for the Wine Festival tonight.”

  “Ah, you and Zack are going, I take it?”

  “That’s right. And I’m looking forward to it.”

  “That sounds promising. I wish we were going. We had a great time last year, but Chuck is working tonight, because of the festival. I hope you’ll have a very enjoyable time. And I’d suggest that you don’t talk about the murder tonight.”

  “What makes you think I’d do that? Wait, don’t answer.”

  Another chuckle. “Well, just so you get the point. I’ll let you go now, and thanks for worrying about me. But don’t. I’ll be okay. Bye for now.”

  Shelby hung up, feeling relieved. She quickly called Edie to bring her up to speed. After she’d hung up, she heard what sounded like some children near the indoor fountain. She wandered to the open door, hoping they weren’t tossing things in like the noisy group the week before.

  What she saw instead was Rachel Michaels heading purposefully upstairs. She had her hair pulled back and fastened into a short ponytail that stuck out above the back strap of a dark baseball cap. The collar on her brown windbreaker was turned up, but didn’t cover much of her face. But Shelby had the distinct feeling Rachel didn’t want to be recognized.

  Shelby’s curiosity meter hit the high mark, and she quickly turned the Open sign around to say Back in 5, then followed Rachel, who was clearly trying to be as unobtrusive as possible by mixing in with a small group of tour
ists.

  Shelby reached the top of the stairs just in time to see Rachel slip through a closed door to a room at the front of the castle. Shelby knew that room was off-limits to the public, being the former bedroom of Joe Cabana. She’d been allowed a quick peek in from the doorway when she’d first come to the castle, and as far as she knew, it remained fairly true to how it had been when Cabana was alive. The former owners hadn’t ever gotten around to redecorating that part of the castle, or maybe they knew what an attraction it could turn out to be and so had left it alone.

  What was Rachel doing in there, anyway?

  Shelby walked over to the door and glanced around to make sure a security guard wouldn’t come by and butt in. It seemed to be all clear, so she slowly turned the handle, trying for some stealth, and gradually pushed the door open wide enough to slip through an opening.

  It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darker room. No lights were on, but there was some daylight coming through the partially closed blinds. She looked for Rachel and spotted her at a desk, rifling through drawers. She watched for a few seconds, hoping Rachel might find what she was looking for before she surprised her. Finally, it looked like Rachel had given up as she straightened from being hunched over.

  “What are you doing in here?” Shelby asked in a loud voice. She was pleased to see Rachel visibly jump and look totally surprised when she turned around. Shelby wanted her to be off her guard.

  “I, uh, well, why do you want to know?” Rachel’s look turned quickly from one of surprise to a glare. In her right hand was a small flashlight, but what Shelby noticed was the gloves on Rachel’s hands. The thin white synthetic kind. In the movies, that’s what the cops wore when searching for evidence.

  “Because the public isn’t allowed in here, as the sign outside the room so obviously states. So, I’ll ask again, why are you in here?” She crossed her arms to show she meant business. She also stayed close to the door in case the talk didn’t go so well.

  Rachel let out a big sigh and her mouth slid into a lopsided smile. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but I know you won’t be pleased. You know I was hoping to write a true-crime novel, and since you’re no help with Matthew Kessler, and now that Savannah won’t be writing about Joe Cabana’s life and death …”

  Shelby interrupted her. “How did you know that’s what she was working on?”

  “She alluded to it on her website, and then when I heard she was staying overnight here, it added up. Joe Cabana would be the perfect story. And so I thought that maybe I could do it and tie in both deaths for a new twist on an old tale.”

  Shelby felt the distaste in her mouth. That sounded so heartless.

  Rachel must have sensed she’d erred. “I mean, look at it this way. Maybe they are tied to each other, and what I find out could help solve Savannah’s murder. I thought maybe I could find something in Cabana’s desk from around the time when he was murdered, some papers, or maybe even some evidence that his spirit was still around. I see you’re not a believer in those tales.”

  “No, I’m not. And even so, it seems very farfetched that after all this time there would be some personal papers hanging around to be found in this room.”

  “I know that, but you never know what a fresh pair of eyes might find. I had heard that nothing had been changed in his room. It would be a start, anyway.”

  Maybe, but unlikely. “And what did you find?”

  “Well”—she swiped a finger over the desktop—“you notice there’s no dust? So, someone is in here cleaning on a regular basis. And that person could already have taken anything important, or just shoved it in a drawer. Unless, of course, Savannah rummaged through the desk the night she was staying here and she wiped the desk clean to cover her tracks.” Rachel looked so pleased with her theory that she was smiling.

  Shelby refused to be taken in, although it was an interesting suggestion. Had that been part of Savannah’s intention, that while staying overnight she could search the castle thoroughly, without anyone tagging along?

  “How did you know about Joe Cabana, anyway?”

  “Oh, come on now. I’m from the area and know most of the legends. And I’ve been reading up about him and the period lately.”

  That sounded logical, but Shelby wasn’t sure what her next step should be. Something was telling her to be cautious. Was it gut instinct or Joe’s spirit? She gritted her teeth. She would not be sucked in.

  Whatever. Rachel did not belong in here, and there was no way she should have been so sneaky about doing it.

  “That may or may not be the case, but I suggest you leave right now, or I will be forced to call security. Those rules apply to you, also.”

  What would Rachel do? Shelby told herself that Rachel was just an overly curious and willful writer, which could mean she’d be obstinate. Shelby had known many of those in her career. At least, she hoped she’d pegged her correctly.

  Rachel kept smiling and took a quick look around the room before walking toward the door. “All right. I understand you have to stick to the rules. You look like a rule follower. So, I’ll leave. But give some thought to what I’ve said. Maybe you could work it so that I could come back and take a closer look. You could join me, of course.”

  Shelby tried not to shudder, stepping aside and pulling the door open. “By the way, what happened about your idea to write about Matthew Kessler’s wife?”

  “As you well know, he won’t see me. You told me that yourself. So, I decided to go back to my original idea. Maybe if you’d been a bit more helpful with him, I wouldn’t have resorted to this. Oh, and there is one more thing.” Rachel paused in front of Shelby and looked her straight in the eye. “I’ve heard you’re dating Zack Griffin. Did he tell you that we used to date? In fact, I spent a lot of summers around here, and Zack was one of the perks. And guess what? I’m seeing him again on Sunday.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Zack arrived a few minutes early that evening, a small catnip plant in one hand and a bottle of wine tucked under his arm.

  “I hope you don’t mind my being early?”

  Shelby pretended to glance at the clock behind her. “You mean five minutes? No, that should be okay.” She smiled as she relieved him of his offerings. “Thanks so much. This looks interesting.” She held up the plant. “I gather it’s not for me.”

  “Only if you’re into cat edibles. I thought J.T. should have some recognition, too.”

  “You obviously know the way to his heart.”

  “His heart isn’t the one I’m aiming for.”

  His look was suddenly serious and intense. Shelby felt her heart flutter and wondered if she was about to have a heart attack or something. The next instant, he smiled and she relaxed. She still felt a bit shaken but resolved to put it out of her mind until later. Just as she’d forced herself not to think about what Rachel had said about the two of them dating. She was not about to become that jealous woman.

  “I’ve made a Caesar salad, thinking it would be a light start to the evening. Would you like a glass of wine first? Or we could eat right away. I just have to add the dressing and croutons.”

  Zack looked at his watch. “Why don’t I pour and we can start sipping while you dish it up?”

  Shelby found a corkscrew and handed it to Zack. “Sounds like a plan.”

  They decided to take their plates up to the roof, since the sun was still shining. Shelby was glad she’d grabbed her jacket, though. She loved this time of day and this location for enjoying the slowly setting sun. She glanced at Zack and found he seemed as entranced by the view as she was.

  “I’m assuming you’ve been to this Wine Festival before,” she finally asked, taking a sip of her wine. She looked at the glass, held it out to him, and laughed. “Maybe we should have had water with our meal. I hadn’t thought about that.”

  He chuckled. “It’s all good. And yes, I’ve been to this almost every year since I moved here. There’s quite an impressive array of wineries who come to this
. And, of course, the selection of cheese and other accompaniments is impressive.”

  “Hmm. I’ve never gone to one. There weren’t any that I was aware of, in Lenox, anyway.”

  “Really? Well, we’ll have to make this special, then. You do like to dance, I hope?”

  She nodded. “Love it. It sounds like you might, too.” She was hopeful. In her short dating experience, the one thing she had found out was that few men liked to dance.

  “I do.”

  “That’s rare.”

  “I know, men have gotten a bad rap for that, but I’ve always enjoyed dancing. And it will be even more special tonight.”

  Shelby was still smiling after they’d done the dishes together, despite her protests about doing them later on her own. They walked hand in hand toward the Scenic View Park at the end of Fuller, right across the street from where Zack lived. She glanced at this place, her eyes drawn to the distinctive red door and trim. It really made the white of the clapboard house pop.

  The covered pavilion was open on all sides and sat at the crest of a small hill leading down to the river and Casino Island. Tiny white lights had been strung around the edge of the roof, and a small band was tucked into the far corner where there was enough free space for couples to dance. The tables all had white cloths on them and large signs hovering behind them with the names of the different wineries.

  It looked to be a big success, if the size of the crowd meant anything. Shelby felt the enchantment of the event as they wandered along the aisles, and she recognized many of the faces around her. Zack seemed to know most of them, and he’d stop frequently to chat or just share a small wave. Shelby felt proud to be introduced by him and noticed the speculative glances from several women around her age.

  She was glad they’d had a light meal, as she attempted to try a taste of most food items. She went easier on the wine, though.

  As they slow-danced to several romantic songs in a row, she knew this was the highlight of the evening. She felt an emotional closeness to Zack, one that she realized had snuck up on her. It was something she’d been avoiding for years. It made her feel jubilant, but it also scared her.