by Lyndsey Cole
Brian grinned his dazzling I-can-do-no-wrong grin. “Perfect timing, if you ask me. And time for a drink to celebrate this reunion.” He pulled a small box from his prom jacket pocket and held it toward Kitty.
“What’s this?” She smiled and accepted the box. It was wrapped with shiny black paper and tied with an orange ribbon. She lifted the top off. “Oh, Brian. These are adorable!” She held skeleton earrings to her ears and jiggled them, which made the arms and legs swing madly. She wrapped her arms around Brian. “Thank you! It’s so good to see your devilish smile again after all these years.” She put the earrings on and shook her head.
Kitty filled four glasses with Merlot and handed the glasses around to her guests. She raised her glass. “To the start of something wonderful.”
Brian added, “I don’t know what the something will be, but it will be wonderful.”
Annie and Jason clinked their glasses with Brian and Kitty. “Did you call Greta?” Kitty asked with obvious disdain lacing her words.
“I did.” He sipped his wine.
“You’re asking for nothing but trouble, you know. She hates me and probably despises you, my dear Brian. Forget about her.” Kitty turned the burners off and untied her apron, revealing her ivory gown with blue beads embroidered on the bodice. She pulled on long white gloves and placed a tiara on her auburn curls. She posed with one hand on her hip and the other entwined through Brian’s. “What do you all think? Will we be the prom king and queen, just like Brian and Greta were at our senior prom?”
“That’s a bit rigged so you’ll definitely be king and queen, but,” Jason pulled Annie close to his side, “Mrs. and Mr. Bones will be voted best of show.”
Annie forced a smile on her face for Jason’s sake, just as voices called from the front door. “Anyone home? We heard there’s a party happening here.”
Annie was shocked to see the Catfish Cove detective, Christy Crank, enter with Brian’s brother, Cody, on her arm. The two were dressed as motorcycle gang members—lots of leather, chains, and bandanas tied around their heads.
Christy laughed when she saw Annie and Jason. “Well, I didn’t expect to see you here, Annie. I hope that skeleton costume isn’t a foreshadowing of something you’ve got planned for the evening.” She jabbed Cody in the side. “Is that prom king over there your long-lost brother who dropped into town to sweep someone off her feet?”
Cody nodded. Annie knew him slightly from when he did some work for Leona at the Black Cat Café. He was a reliable, hardworking carpenter, and a man of few words. “That would be Brian. Brian, this is Christy.”
Brian took Christy’s hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it. “Cody, you’d better watch out with this one. She has a scandalous look to her petite beauty.”
Cody frowned and added, “By the way, it’s Detective Christy Crank.”
“Even more intriguing. Well, Detective Christy Crank, I hope you’re keeping my little brother in line. He can be quite the troublemaker.” Brian winked at Christy.
“Interesting comment. From all I’ve heard, I think you’re labeling the wrong brother as the troublemaker.” Christy kept her eyes on Brian.
Brian laughed and pointed at Christy. “A woman who speaks her mind. I like that.”
More voices from guests arriving ended this verbal dual as Kitty pulled her prom date out of the kitchen to greet the newcomers.
Jason slapped Cody on the shoulder, as guys tend to do. “So, Brian’s home for a visit.” Annie suspected there was more left unsaid in that comment than was verbalized.
Cody helped himself to a beer from the cooler on Kitty’s counter. “Yup. I don’t know why now, but I’m sure he has an agenda.”
Annie watched the exchange and then looked at Christy. Jason and Cody wandered out of the kitchen, leaving Annie and Christy alone. “Any idea what’s going on?” Annie asked Christy.
“Too much testosterone? Cody is feeling like his big brother is back in town looking for a return to all the attention he enjoyed when he was a teenager. Cody thinks that Brian is going through some big decision with Rachel, his girlfriend, maybe even a serious problem, and he came home for a bit of soul searching; maybe an ego boost, too.”
“I take it Brian is used to being the one in charge in his relationships?”
Christy helped herself to a beer. “That’s my guess. So, Annie, how did Jason trick you into coming to this party? In a costume?” A twitch at the edge of her lips threatened to erupt into a full-blown laugh.
“I couldn’t bear to have him endure this alone. Nice of me, right?” She laid her walking stick across the kitchen table.
Christy smacked Annie’s shoulder. “And you’ll be sneaking out as soon as possible?”
Annie sighed. “That was my plan, but now I’m getting curious about what Brian is up to.”
Christy leaned on the counter. Laughter filtered into the kitchen from the front of the house. “Up to?”
“I was too young to remember this, and you didn’t live in Catfish Cove then, but Kitty dared Brian to ask Greta Grayley to the senior prom twenty years ago. It didn’t go well.”
“Greta who lives next door? And complains about Kitty disturbing the peace?”
“That’s the one. Brian told Jason that he plans to go next door and say hello to Greta and apologize for his behavior from twenty years ago, but Jason and Kitty both advised him to leave her alone.” Annie paused to sip on her wine. “And, when he called Greta, she hung up on him.”
“Huh. This party could be more interesting than I expected.”
One of Kitty’s Main Coon cats strolled into the kitchen like he owned the place, or at least he wanted to give that impression. He rubbed against Annie’s legs and she couldn’t resist stroking the soft fur. From her crouched position, she looked up at Christy and grinned. “So, you and Cody Springer?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “How long have you two been an item?”
“I’m not ready to use the term item yet, but we’ve been hanging out for about a month, I guess. Nothing too serious; he’s a nice guy. We have fun together.”
Leona, carrying a whisk, burst into the kitchen wearing one of the aprons from the Black Cat Café. “Did you hear what Greta did?”
That did it for the cat and he fled from Leona’s commotion.
“Are you planning to do some baking here in Kitty’s kitchen, Leona? Or is that your costume?” Annie asked.
Leona looked down at herself. “Oh, I was so mad, I never took my apron off. I guess this is my costume. So, you didn’t answer me about what Greta did.”
“No. I don’t know. What did she do?”
“She left a message on my cell phone that the birthday cake she bought is inedible and she’s planning to call the paper tomorrow with photos and a horrible review of the café.” Leona looked from Annie to Christy. “Why would she do that?”
Annie’s stomach flipped, then flopped. “Did you mix up the ingredients again, Leona?” she gently asked.
“Of course I didn’t. She’s just trying to make trouble for me for some reason. I think Greta is going off the deep end. Should I go over and try to talk some sense into her?”
Annie grabbed Leona’s arm. “No!” She handed Leona her wineglass and filled it. “Try to relax. I’ll talk to Greta and smooth all this over, but—”
“Don’t tell me to get reading glasses, Annie. There’s nothing wrong with my eyes.” She didn’t sip the wine, she tilted her head back and finished the whole glass, burped, and banged it on the counter. “Fill ‘er up.”
Christy looked at Annie with raised eyebrows. “Um. Want me to go with you, Annie?”
Annie refilled Leona’s glass. She ignored Christy’s question. “Did Greta say what was wrong with the cake?”
“Salt. She said it tasted like a mouthful of salt. Is someone at the café trying to mess with me by rearranging stuff?”
“No one would do that, Leona. You need to read the labels; double check before you add anything.”
�
�Yeah, yeah.” She picked up Annie’s glittery walking stick off the table and tapped it on the floor. “This is a great accessory. I’m going to see who else is here.” Leona tapped her way out of the kitchen.
“Leona needs glasses?” Christy asked.
“Just reading glasses, but she won’t admit it. I never knew she was so vain, and if she doesn’t come to her senses she’s going to lose a lot of business. Or worse.”
“Worse? Poison someone?” Christy’s mouth puckered thoughtfully.
“Poison? No! There’s no poison at the café. But, I suppose a mix-up could make someone sick. Geesh. What am I supposed to do?” Annie poured herself a glass of Merlot and took more than a sip this time. She took a healthy gulp, and then another.
“Buy her some outrageous looking glasses and leave them on her recipe box. Maybe she needs more than a gentle hint.”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt. The worst that could happen is she crushes them under her foot and uses a piece of the jagged glass to stab me. On the bright side, it would put me out of my predicament, although it would be a very bloody and probably painful death. On the bad side, Jason would be devastated with that gory outcome.”
Christy covered her mouth but some of her beer still squirted out around the edges as she choked on her laughter. “You have quite the imagination.”
Annie drained her wine. She told herself she really wasn’t trying to be funny. “I’m going to walk next door to talk to Greta after I find the little girl’s room.” She wandered through the growing crowd of costumed people and bumped into Jason before she found the bathroom. “Where’s Brian?”
“He’s been chatting with everyone. I needed a break. How are you holding up,” Jason put his arm around Annie’s waist and pulled her close, “Mrs. Bones?”
“Well, Leona wants to chew Greta out for complaining about her birthday cake, but I think I diverted her by saying I’d deal with it after I find the bathroom.”
Jason pointed to a door tucked under the stairs. “That’s a powder room but if it’s occupied, there’s another bathroom at the top of the stairs.”
“Thanks.” Annie tried the powder room door but got an angry “occupied” response so she headed toward the stairs. With a long line at the top, she decided she’d just head over to Greta’s house. Maybe she could sweet talk her way into Greta’s bathroom. At least there wouldn’t be a line to contend with while she wiggled out of her skeleton costume that was starting to restrict her in all the wrong places.
Annie left Kitty’s house just as Kitty entered. “That cat,” Kitty mumbled.
“Problems?” Annie asked.
“Oh, I’ve been searching for Moby. He followed me outside and now I can’t find him. He must have gotten scared with all the noise and took off. Greta better not lure him into her house.”
“Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know. Spite maybe.”
Annie rolled her eyes. Those two women should not live next to each other. “I’ll keep my eyes open for him.”
“Whatever. I need to get back to my guests.” With a swish of her gown, Kitty disappeared inside.
Greta’s house was well lit but most of the yard between her house and Kitty’s was in the shadows. Although, Annie did see something move that appeared to be the size of Kitty’s Main Coon cat. If it was Moby, he’d find a safe place under a bush away from the noise and she’d tell Kitty when she returned.
Annie squinted. Beyond where the cat had been, it looked like there was a figure hunched over something on the ground.
Annie heard a gasp.
As she picked up speed, a bright light from Kitty’s house flicked on, revealing a sight that made Annie’s blood run cold.
5
The light flicked off. Annie stopped and waved her arms, hoping it was a motion light.
Luckily, the light turned on again.
She caught a glimpse of light blue before the light turned off.
Annie walked and waved her arms, getting dizzy from the strobe light effect and catching glimpses of the scene she was getting closer and closer to—light blue, glittery red, a black cat, and something orange which looked eerily familiar.
Annie finally made out enough detail to realize that the hunched over figure was Greta Grayley, oblivious of Annie’s approach, leaning over someone on the ground. Annie didn’t want to startle her. “Greta? Is something wrong?”
Greta lifted her head. Tears streamed down her face. Orange goo and red covered her hands. “He’s dead.”
All of Annie’s nerve endings screamed but she surprised herself when her own voice came out quiet and calm. “Who is dead, Greta?”
Annie took the last few steps that put her within inches of Greta and the body. She didn’t need to hear Greta’s reply that came out in the faintest of a whisper.
“Brian.”
Orange frosting and the rest of Greta’s birthday cake covered Brian’s face but the worst part was the glittery red walking stick that protruded from his chest and the crimson red soaking into his light blue tuxedo.
Annie gagged. How did the walking stick end up in Brian’s chest? And more importantly, who shoved it there?
She didn’t have a second more to worry about those details because Detective Christy Crank arrived at her side. “What do we have here, Annie? I hope you’re planning to tell me that this is part of the Halloween party. Maybe a house of horror participant?”
Annie didn’t laugh. “I don’t think so, Detective Crank.”
“So, that glittery walking stick isn’t just a prop? And all that red isn’t ketchup?” Christy pulled her phone out of her breast pocket. “Please tell me that you didn’t know your skeleton is glow-in-the-dark. I really was hoping that my eyes were deceiving me.” She stepped away from the body as she made her call.
Annie looked down. How did she not notice the line in the center of the bones, that now glowed, making her look like a real skeleton?
She stepped carefully around the body and helped Greta stand. “What happened?” she whispered. She figured she had a few minutes to get something out of Greta before Christy got off the phone and took charge of the scene.
Greta’s enormous eyes finally focused on Annie. “I . . . I don’t know. I heard a noise, like arguing, and by the time I got my shoes on, this is what I found.”
“But, your cake. Why is that smooshed in Brian’s face?”
“I left it on my porch.” Greta turned her head and looked back toward her house and a porch on the side of her house about fifty feet away. “You know how that cupcake this morning was inedible? Well, the cake was, too. I was pretty upset and I called Leona to complain.”
Annie nodded. This fit with what Leona had already told her.
Greta’s hand flew to cover her mouth but stopped before she smeared the orange frosting on her face. “Do you think Leona did it? Killed Brian? She was really mad at me on the phone and said she was going to come over.” She wiped her hands several times on her black skirt.
Annie put her arm around Greta’s waist and led her farther away from the body. And Detective Crank. “No. I talked to Leona and I told her I’d talk to you and smooth over the problem. Leona was at the party enjoying herself when I left Kitty’s house.” At least, Annie hoped Leona was still in the house. She didn’t know exactly where she went but there was no reason for Leona to kill Brian. Unless, she did come over in the dark and with her bad eyesight, she didn’t know who it was?
Stop! Annie told herself. Leona didn’t do it.
“Who would want to murder Brian?” Greta asked without realizing that she had a motive as far as other people were concerned. Revenge. And she was right there over the bloody body. With her birthday cake smashed in his face.
Greta had a lot to explain.
“I’m sure Detective Crank will get to the bottom of this. Did you see anyone out here, Greta?”
She put her finger to her lips and looked toward the road. “I didn’t see anyone but I did notice a b
lack Jeep screech away just as I opened my door.”
Sirens screamed down the street. Barmaids and cowboys and clowns ran out of Kitty’s house, filling the front yard and spilling around the side. Annie scanned over the pink hair, multi-colored wigs, and masks, hoping to spot Jason.
A hand on Annie’s back startled her. “What’s going on?” Leona scowled at Greta.
“Brian.” Annie nodded toward the body, now thirty feet away.
Leona’s mouth fell open. Her eyes grew into circles the size of the full moon that suddenly appeared from behind the clouds for a few seconds. “Your red walking stick?”
“I left it in Kitty’s kitchen.” A flashback suddenly flooded Annie’s brain. “You took it from the table, Leona. Did you give it to someone else?”
Her eyes blinked. Her mouth crunched to one side. “I walked out of the kitchen and started talking to Kitty. I think Jason, Cody, and Brian were both there, too. Yeah, Brian took the walking stick from my hand and started jabbing it at Cody—playfully—saying what a great weapon it would make. Kind of creepy in hindsight. Especially when he took the rubber cap off the bottom and poked him with the sharp point.”
Before Annie could ask any more questions, Christy moved the three women farther away from the body. “You wait on the porch until I have time for you. Except you, Annie.” Christy’s hand held Annie in place while Greta and Leona walked to the porch.
“So? What did you see? First impression,” Christy asked.
“With the lights flickering on and off, all I could make out was a figure hunched over something on the ground.”
Christy scribbled some notes. “You can join the others on the porch but don’t worry, I’ll be talking to you again.”
Annie felt pressure. In her bladder. As she reached Greta’s porch, she asked, “Can I use your bathroom before I completely embarrass myself?”
