"So you resented her not telling you and, in a moment of anger, lashed out. Fearing what would happen, you took off to this Joe's so you'd have an alibi."
This was absurd. Her mom was dead. "Why are you questioning me and not looking for her killer?"
She stood, her chair scraping backward with a screech.
"It's okay." Garza pulled out another handkerchief and pressed it into her hands. "We're not blaming you for her death. Even though it looks like an interrupted burglary, we want to rule out everything and everyone."
She dabbed at her eyes. God, she hadn't even known she'd been crying. It sure seemed like they blamed her. “It wasn’t a burglary.” Couldn’t be. She knew the dollar bill her mom had framed was gone along with the register being pried open and the money was taken, but it just didn’t ring true. Her gut knotted at the thought of it only being a theft. Mom would’ve let the robber have whatever he wanted, wouldn’t she? If she could talk to her mom before all this happened, she’d have told her the money wasn’t worth her life.
"Did Betty have anyone she didn't get along with?" Deputy Wells asked. “Anyone she argued with, or who gave her a hard time?”
Finally, they were asking the right questions. She dotted her eyes with a handkerchief. “Yes, Mr. Griffin, who shares the wall with us, is always trying to get mom to sell. Was trying.” It felt so strange to speak of her mom in the past tense, and it was something she didn’t want to get used to either. “Oh, and Camie was supposed to come by and pick up half a dozen ice cream cakes for a party. When I left, she hadn’t arrived. Did she come in after me? Before Mom…”
“We’ll look into that and let you know.” Garza placed his hand over hers.
Deputy Wells coughed, and Garza removed his hand quickly. “Anyone else? Did she gamble or owe anyone money?”
Lily shook her head. “No. We paid our bills on time and everyone loved my mom.” I loved her.
The pen scratched across the paper as Wells wrote, then he looked up. “You mentioned your aunts to Deputy Garza, right?”
“Yes.” She swallowed.
“Do you want some water or coffee?” Garza asked, his voice smooth and full of concern. His hazel eyes were full of compassion and her heart fluttered.
“No thanks, I’ll be all right.” She turned back to the elder man. “Yes, I’ve two aunts, my mom’s sisters. They are out of town. I’ve sent them messages, but they haven’t responded.” She bit her lip.
“Do you know where they’re staying? We can contact the local authorities or hotel and get a message to them.” Deputy Garza smiled sympathetically.
“The Bahamas. I don’t know where.”
Both deputies exchanged a look.
“It’s true.” She crossed her arms. “Every year about this time, they vanish into the tropics. I don’t know why. I’ve never been allowed to go with them - neither my mother either. They’re gone for months and come back by spring.”
“What are their names? And we’ll need their contact information as well. Maybe we can track them down on our end.” Garza tapped his fingertips in a rhythmic pattern on the table.
“Jessica and Martha Thomas.” She gave the deputy their phone numbers and address.
Wells wrote furiously across the paper. “Thank you, I think we have enough to go on. We’ll interview this Mr. Griffin and Camie…”
“Barnes.” Lily finished for him. She hoped they caught her mom’s killer. What if the person who’d murdered her mom came back? How was she going to continue? Would she even want to be in the same place where her mom had died? With all those memories and what she’d lost constantly bombarding her. She shuddered.
“Thank you, we’ll be in touch.” Garza stood and held out his hand.
She shook it and the warmth of it surprised her. Holding onto her hand a bit longer than expected, he cleared his throat and dropped his hand.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Deputy Garza handed her a card. “Here’s my contact information. If you think of anything at all, give me a call.”
Wells straightened and closed the folder. “We’ll be in touch.”
“Wait. What about my mom’s… body?” How did people deal with this? Not only did she have grief raking its claws down her insides, but she had to deal with the funeral, cops, and some murderer who may or may not return. She hoped they caught whoever killed her mom and threw them in jail forever. No, she wanted them to suffer like her mom had.
“The forensic team should be done with her body in a few days.” Wells stood.
“And we’ll let you know if we find anything and we’ll have your aunts call you as soon as we locate them. Garza gave her a slight smile. “Maybe they’re already on their way here now.”
She followed them out of the conference room. Why hadn’t her aunts responded?
Wells shook her hand and went into a back office, but Garza led her through the lobby. A hooker was complaining loudly about her broken heel. Two men were arguing with the desk clerk about a parking ticket, while a janitor mopped up a stain in the corner that Lily didn’t want to know what it was. The harsh scent of astringent and bleach tickled her nostrils.
“Don’t forget to give me a ring if you need anything. Are you still staying with your friend tonight?”
As far as she knew. “Yes.”
“Let me drive you. Or do you want to pick up your car?” He dug out car keys from his pocket.
It would be nice to be able to drive somewhere if she needed to. And the idea of going back to the ice cream store alone made her stomach cramp. “Ah, I’d like to pick up my car, please.”
“No problem. I’ll drive you.”
She followed him to the back parking lot and he unlocked and opened a Jeep’s passenger door for her. After she climbed in, he shut the door then jogged around to the other side. Starting the engine, he clipped on his seatbelt.
Nothing on the dashboard revealed this was a cop’s car. “Where’s the siren button?”
He laughed and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “No, this is my personal car. I wanted another bike, but my sister and mom made me promise something with four wheels and a roof… so I got this baby.”
“No sports car?”
“No.” His laugh warmed her. “They make me feel claustrophobic and never have the leg room.” He pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the street to her mom’s ice cream shop. “So, do you love ice cream or hate it after working there for years?”
“It’s a love-hate relationship. At first, I made myself sick eating ice cream all day.”
“How old were you?” He turned onto the freeway and merged with traffic.
“Fifteen. At first, I hated the idea. I wanted a car and a driver’s license.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “But seeing my mom being so proud of owning her own business, I couldn’t shatter her dream. I had to help her try. Joy lit my mom’s face when she realized all her hard work had paid off and our bills were taken care of. Before that, she’d waitressed and cleaned houses and even mowed lawns in the summer to keep us in a home and food on the table.”
“Your mom worked hard for her family. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Her throat tightened. “She did.” And she missed her already.
The deputy nodded but didn’t say anything. He flipped the radio on to a soft jazz station, and Lily relaxed.
Thankful for the silence, Lily stared out the window as the landscape shifted from high-rise buildings to more trees, foliage, and small businesses and homes. The drone of the Jeep’s tires on the road lulled her to sleep.
When they stopped, Lily jerked awake.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He put the car into park and turned to her.
She must have fallen asleep. Wiping her cheek, she realized she’d drooled. Way to go, slobber all over a cute cop’s Jeep. “Thanks. I’m just going to get my things and head over to Amanda’s.”
“Want me to wait? Or come in with you?”
Any other
time she’d be tempted to do more than grab stuff and go. But she didn’t want to be here any longer than she had to. What if whoever hurt her mom was waiting? Like, Mr. Griffin? Did he kill her mom because he wanted their spot and would come after Lily now too? She shuddered. “Sure. I won’t be long.” Climbing out of the Jeep, she stretched her legs. Maybe tonight she’d take Amanda up on calling her doctor for sleeping pills. These nights in a row of not sleeping well were taking their toll and she felt achy all over.
“There you are!” a nasally woman’s voice shouted from across the street.
Lily froze and Deputy Garza, who stood beside her, placed a hand behind his back, under his jacket like he was reaching for something.
“I hope you are happy with yourself.” Camie Barnes jaywalked across the street. “And I want a refund. You ruined my party.”
“Pardon?” Lily frowned. What was the daft woman talking about?
“I’ve waited all day for the police to leave and you to open the shop.” She wagged her finger at Lily. “It was half a dozen ice cream cakes I ordered, and I didn’t get a single one. I want my money back and then some for pain and suffering.”
Pain and suffering? Rage flooded through Lily. “Oh? And did you even ask why the police were here? Or what happened?” She felt her temperature spiking along with her voice, but she didn’t care. “My mom is dead!”
Camie paled and took off running down the street. If Lily hadn’t been so upset she’d find it comical how the lady teetered so fast in six-inch heels.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“No. I’d have felt better if I could’ve punched her.”
Thoughts of what Camie had said ran through her mind. Lily felt as if she needed closure, then again would she be able to move on if they never discovered who killed her mom? No, she wouldn’t. Not until she found out who did this and saw them punished.
Chapter Nine
Lily pushed open the ice cream shop’s glass door and the bell jangled. But it wasn’t the same sound she remembered. Now it was hollow and echoed through the business. The scent of bleach and some other chemical she couldn’t identify assaulted her. Just grab your things and leave.
Rounding the corner, she froze. Even though the blood had been cleaned up, she still pictured her mom laying there, a pool of blood around her head. Her throat tightened painfully. Would she ever be able to think of her mom again without getting emotional? The cops, or whoever had cleaned up the scene had placed the broken, empty picture frame on a shelf. Her mom had been so proud to earn their first money and be their own bosses. A wave of sadness pushed through her. She couldn’t stay here. Couldn’t live here. Not after what happened.
A man with a trimmed dark beard and dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase entered. “Excuse me, I’m—”
“Sorry, we’re closed.” She forced a smile.
“Oh, I’m not here for ice cream. I’ve a business opportunity.”
“Look, now’s not the time. I’m not interested in anything you’re selling.” She gestured toward the door with a hand.
“You are Lily Thompson, right?” His brow furrowed.
“Yes?”
“My condolences about your mother. I’m here to ease your burden, and you won’t have to worry about this place anymore. Here’s my card.” He took out a cream colored business card and laid it on the counter. “I’d like to buy your store. My offer is higher than you’ll get for this place. Just consider it.”
After he left, Lily picked up the card. Colt Davis Enterprises.
Why would he want the ice cream shop? Maybe he figured she’d sell quick and easy in her grief. Was he showing up now a sign that she should drop the place? She just wanted her things and return to Amanda’s.
In her room, she packed her clothes and necessities. She’d just set the bag down when the ice cream shop’s door chimed again.
Damn! Didn’t I lock that?
“Thank goodness you’re open.” A woman trailing behind three identical looking girls wiped her brow. “They’ve been pleading for ice cream all day and the store was closed until now.”
“Mommy,” said one of the girls in a purple dress and pigtails, “I want the chocolate ice cream.”
“I want the rainbow.” Another girl, dressed in yellow, bounced on her toes.
“Can I have the kind with caramel in it?” The third girl in a matching dress to the others, hers in pink, pressed her nose to the display glass.
The three girls’ dresses appeared homemade and the mother dug through a battered looking purse. “We have to share, remember. So Amy picked last time, it’s Rachel’s turn.”
“I didn’t get a turn.” The girl dressed in yellow pouted.
“Yes, you did. Before Amy.” The mom smoothed out several dollar bills.
“But that was forever ago.”
Lily’s heart ached for this family. It was clear to her that they didn’t have much money and the ice cream was a treat. The memory of her mom crying cause she didn’t make enough money waitressing to pay for a cake for Lily’s eighth birthday party filled her.
“It’s on the house.”
The mother’s head snapped up. “No, I can’t accept.”
“You have to. You four are our… thousandth customers.” Surly they’d served way more than that by now, but it was the easiest big number she could come up with. She winked at the girls. “That’s why we were late opening today… in preparation.” Lily grabbed two cones from the supply case. “See, we had these cones, dipped with chocolate inside, and specially made for the winners.
“Now, who wants which flavor ice cream?” She set the cones in a carrying case to keep them upright. “And two scoops okay for them, Mom?”
“Yes. Thank you.” The woman blushed. “Thank you very much.”
Lily nodded.
The girls shouted out their flavors at once and Lily quickly made their cones. Soon all three sat at a table, ice cream dripping down their ecstatic faces.
“Now, what’ll you have?” Lily asked, dipping the scoop in water to clean it.
“Nothing for me.” The mom brushed her bangs out of her eyes.
Maybe she was watching her weight or diabetic, but Lily suspected she was the type of woman, like her mom, who gave everything she had for others and took little for herself. “I promise, this is the best ice cream in the city. And if you don’t pick, I’ll choose for you and then you’ll have to get a second scoop if I guess your favorite wrong.” She grinned.
The woman smiled back. “Okay. Pralines and cream, please.”
“Good choice.” Lily prepared the cone and handed it over.
“Thank you.”
“Any time.” Lily nodded and the woman sat at the table with her triplets. The joy of helping them surged through her. Maybe she’d keep this place. Fulfill her mom’s dream of helping people and making them smile. How could she walk away from that?
***
Hours later, Lily wiped her brow and her stomach growled. There was finally a lull in the stream of people entering the shop. Many came to offer words of condolence and kindness. Others seemed oblivious to the fact a murder had taken place and just wanted ice cream.
Lily ordered a pizza.
“You’re busy.” Deputy Garza stood in line and waited until it was his turn to speak with her. “I thought you’d keep the place closed for the week.”
“So did I.” She placed her hand on her hip and smiled. “Guess everyone is craving ice cream today.”
“Need some help?” he asked as the bell over the door rang and the pizza delivery guy entered, along with what must have been a bus load of cub scouts.
Normally she’d say no. But it was just her, and she was starving. The smell of the spicy tomato and sausage was doing her in. “Sure. There’s an extra apron and gloves in the supply closet.” She pointed.
He tied the apron around his waist and quickly started filling orders.
“Thanks for your help,” Lily said, “I can p
ay you if you like.”
“A slice or two of that pizza as payment.” He winked.
A blush heated her cheeks. “Deal.”
An hour later, Garza and Lily sat across from one another behind the ice cream counter, the pizza box between them.
“Thanks. This is delicious,” he said between mouthfuls.
“Anytime, Deputy Garza.” Her pulse sped up at the intense way he stared at her.
“Jarred, please.” His dark hair accented his hazel eyes which crinkled slightly in the corners from his smile.
She nodded. Was the air conditioning on the fritz? Cause it suddenly felt hot. They both reached for another slice, bonking heads.
“Sorry.” He reached out a hand and caressed her cheek. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll survive.”
“You’ve been working a lot recently. Have you taken a leave from school to decide if you want to keep the shop open or not?” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “You could always hire more help and run the business in the background.”
“At first, I wanted to sell, but now I’m not so sure.” She took another bite of pizza. “I’m studying to be a nurse.”
He nodded. “So, a nurse? What made you chose that profession?”
“I've always wanted to help people.” She shrugged. “But after all that’s happened, I’ve put in for a leave of absence at school. Hopefully I should receive approval next week, and my professors have given me leniency on assignments. Now I’m torn between keeping this place open or pursuing my degree full time. I think I’d miss this place, though.”
“You must have great willpower not to gorge all the time?” He glanced at the ice cream cones in the plastic display case. “I’d eat so much I’d gain a hundred pounds and make myself ill.”
She wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “I only splurge a few times a month.”
“So you’ve got great willpower.” He finished his slice, then said. “I wouldn’t have that much discipline. Sweets are my weakness.” His voice deepened and her breath caught.
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