A Caffeine Conundrum

by Angela Ruth Strong

  “He’s new to town.”

  That got Tandy’s attention. Though not in a good way. She scowled. “Oh yeah. He should definitely be locked up. A real menace to society.”

  Marissa dropped her head back. Why did Tandy have to take every statement the wrong way? “That’s not what I meant.” She huffed and reached for Tandy’s arm. “I mean, I don’t think he cares about our residents. He only wanted a house in the woods to go with his hipster image. He also collects art since he considers himself an artist.”

  Tandy lifted her chin in acknowledgement. “Interesting.”

  “Even more interesting is the fact that he’s been writing letters to the editor of the Grace Springs Gazette, complaining how locals don’t appreciate all the culture and money he’s brought to our community.” Marissa’s mind rewound through the different letters she’d read. The memories of his words sent chills down her arms. “I think there was even one where he mentioned Virginia by name.”

  Tandy chewed her lip. “If anybody was going to murder someone with an overdose of coffee, it would be a hipster.”

  “Exactly.” Now they were on the same page. Well, kind of. Tandy rose, and Marissa could have simply let her walk away, but the coffee comment bugged her. “You realize that if you started a coffee shop, you’d be catering primarily to people like Randon, right?”

  Tandy tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and sailed past to retrieve Cocoa. “While your teahouse would cater to Virginias.”

  Marissa glared at the other woman’s back, not that her opinion even mattered anymore. “I guess we don’t have to worry about that now unless Jenn decides to go back overseas to continue teaching English after Christmas, but my guess is she’ll stay here to keep her mother’s heritage alive. That’s what I would do.”

  “I know.” Tandy said it like following in your parent’s footsteps was a bad thing.

  Simply because Grandmother hadn’t truly earned the Miss Ohio crown, it didn’t mean she wasn’t an honorable person. She’d been honest enough to want to confess she was a fraud. More evidence that she was a better person than Marissa. Because Marissa was glad the secret hadn’t been revealed.

  With the heat of shame burning in her chest, Marissa removed the “Nice” hat from her head. Being nice was more about making people like you than actually caring about their well-being, wasn’t it? She needed to work on being kind rather than nice. And she would. Once she reclaimed her place in society by opening a teahouse in Grandmother’s honor.

  Tandy hooked Cocoa’s leash around her wrist and paraded him out of the cafeteria, checking once to make sure Marissa was following. “If this Randon fellow lives in the woods like you said, then I’m not sure we should go out to his place alone.”

  Marissa shook away her depressing thoughts to focus on the reason she was dealing with them in the first place. Had Randon not killed Virginia, then Marissa would most likely already be the proprietor of a new teahouse. And she wouldn’t know a thing about the diary or the black mark it left on the history of her family. She needed to make sure the millennial was arrested so she could go back to enjoying her small-town Christmas.

  She trotted after Tandy, the heels of her boots clicking on tile as they entered the foyer. How would she lure Randon to town? He’d only leave his home to make himself look good. Like when he had a debate with her father at the college over whether God existed or not. He preferred to be his own God. Which must take a lot of the joy out of his holidays…

  Holidays! That was it. “He’s coming to town tonight.”

  Tandy waved boldly at the man they’d snuck past earlier. He glared, and Marissa sped up to match the other woman’s stride in an effort to hide from his view. The front doors slid open with a whoosh of icy air, cooling her burning blush.

  Were it up to Marissa, she would have gotten out of there as quickly as possible. But Tandy stopped and handed Marissa her dog’s leash so she could return the Santa hats to Frosty and his wife. What an odd mix of indifference and ethics. Tandy didn’t seem to care what others thought, but she lived up to her own standards. Such as not stealing from snowmen. Marissa could respect that. Even if they weren’t friends.

  Tandy picked up Cocoa and continued on toward her car. “How do you know he’s coming to town?”

  Marissa tugged on her gloves and extended her arms wide to balance and prevent a fall like she had that morning. Landing in the parking lot would hurt more without Connor around to catch her. Not that she wanted him around. She took small, even steps as she considered options for “accidentally” running into Randon that night. “After all his whining in the newspaper, the city council finally decided to shut him up by giving him the honor of putting the star on the Christmas tree at the tree lighting.”

  Tandy clicked her remote to unlock the car with a beep. “It’s kind of late in the year for a tree lighting, isn’t it?”

  Marissa’s foot slid wide, and she grabbed onto the door handle just in time. Her heart lurched then eased back into its normal rhythm. She was okay, and she had to make sure she stayed that way. “They do the tree lighting every Friday night for tourists, but on the last Friday before Christmas, it’s tradition for someone special to put the star on the tree. Lucky for us, this year it’s Randon.”

  Tandy bent to settle Cocoa into his spot in the backseat. “Yes, we’re lucky he’s going to be surrounded by people because it’s good for our safety. But how are we going to get to him to question him?”

  Marissa’s stomach rumbled. Empty calories or not, she should have eaten her crème brûlée when she’d had the chance. Maybe she could see if Randon wanted to go to dinner with her before the tree lighting. No. She didn’t want to spend that much time with him. “I’ll be his date for the tree lighting.”

  Tandy gave her a quizzical look over the roof of her car before dropping into her seat. “Just like that? It’s that easy for you to get asked out?”

  “I haven’t dated anyone besides Connor for a couple of years, but it can’t be hard.” Marissa joined her on the chilly car seats, mulling over her strategy. “I’ll be smooth. I’ll text him and tell him how impressed I was when I saw him at the college and act thrilled that he’s being honored by the city.” She shrugged. “You know.”

  “No, I don’t know.”

  Marissa pursed her lips. She and Tandy really didn’t have much in common, did they? “You don’t ever massage a man’s ego to get him to like you?”

  “Uh…no.” Tandy turned the ignition. “Though if it’s that easy, why haven’t you dated anyone since Connor?”

  Marissa snapped her seatbelt tight. She could wave off Tandy’s comment, or she could…what were her other options? She’d never been very good at letting go. “If you’re so worried about Connor, why don’t you date him?”

  Tandy grinned before she shifted into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. “We could make tonight a double date.”

  Marissa’s palms itched at the idea, but why wouldn’t Tandy want to go out with Connor? He was cute. And strong. And pleasant. And…he’d probably love to put his arm around someone else with Marissa watching. “Never.”

  Tandy pulled forward toward the street. “You’d be safer that way.”

  She’d be safer if she never saw Connor again. “I’ll be fine.” The itch in her palms spread to her chest. Her heart. If Tandy was going to date Connor, she didn’t want them around her at all. “In fact, I really don’t need your help tonight. I can do this without you. I’m the one who had the idea to talk to Mr. Cross. I’m the one who figured out Randon is the killer.”

  Tandy snorted. “Without me, you’d still be Christmas caroling at the manor.”

  No, she wouldn’t. Well, maybe… She did like to sing. Marissa relented, sinking deeper into her seat. “Fine. You can come tonight. But no Connor.”

  Tandy slowed at the parking lot exit. “Which way do I go?”

  A nice change in subject. Marissa should appreciate the change. She pointed to the curve ahe
ad. “You’ll turn right once you get past the bend.”

  The river ran along the left side of the road and a hill on their right. It was beautiful, but also dangerous. She was glad not to be driving, though they should have taken her Jeep.

  Tandy slowed for the curve. They’d barely made it around the bend when a rockslide appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

  Marissa’s heart leaped into her throat. She braced her hands on the dashboard and screamed.

  Tandy slammed on the breaks and gripped the wheel at the sight of the rocks in the middle of the road. Adrenaline surged through her veins in an effort to speed up her reactions and slow down the coming impact. The snow-coated pavement wasn’t nearly as helpful. It carried her forward with the momentum of an avalanche.

  She could try to avoid the rocks, but that would either send the car into the side of a hill or down an embankment into the river below. If she headed toward the river, they wouldn’t only crash but also possibly drown or die of hypothermia. She’d err on the side of running into the hill.

  The rocks grew larger as the car continued to ice skate. Tandy had to act. She cranked the wheel to the right. Her little car continued forward even as the windshield pivoted to face the hill, so her side of the car slid sideways toward the very rocks she’d been trying to avoid. She braced for impact.

  Metal crunched. Glass shattered. An explosion rang in her ears as the airbag hit the side of her face, sending her head bouncing toward Marissa. The front airbag slammed her forearms into her chest, leaving behind the sting of rug burns. Pain shot diagonally across her torso from the seatbelt.

  Some kind of powder rained around them like snow inside the car, and the Sulphur smell of gunpowder singed her nose hairs. It took a moment to realize both were from the airbags.

  Then all went calm, though not all was quiet. Marissa continued to scream, mouth open and eyes closed.

  Tandy unhooked her seatbelt to relieve the pressure on her ribs and survey her passenger. No blood. No bones sticking out anywhere. Not even any damage to the other side of the car besides the deflated airbag hanging from the console. “You okay?” Tandy asked so Marissa would realize that she was, in fact, okay, and hopefully stop the noise.

  Marissa’s screams died. Either she’d become aware that the car had quit moving, or she’d run out of breath. She peeked one eye open, then followed with the second. Finally, she lifted her hands in front of her face before using them to feel up and down her body as if expecting to find something missing. She twisted toward Tandy. “I’m alive.”

  Tandy shifted to ease the ache in her gut, sending up a cloud of powder. She grunted. “Good, because I need you to call 9-1-1.” She gingerly craned her neck to check on Cocoa. The dog sat upright in his little basket, tongue hanging out as if trying to figure out what new game they were playing. She’d pet him later when she could reach him without having to twist her body into the shape of a candy cane to do so. “Good boy.”

  Marissa leaned forward, searching through the contents of her purse scattered on the floor. “You want me to call Little Lukey?”

  Tandy swept the airbag out of her way like a curtain to look out the window. A few boulders had been lodged into the side of her Bug. She wasn’t likely to be able to open the door, but she could crawl through the space that had once held a sheet of glass.

  “I don’t care if the deputy comes or not. We just need someone who can get these rocks out of the road before another car crashes.” Plus a tow truck to haul them and her poor car back to town. She tugged her legs up to kneel on the seat and lean through the window, but the movement ignited a fire down the side of her torso. Wrapping arms around her waist, she fell back against the upholstery. “And maybe an ambulance.”

  Marissa paused mid dial. “Are you hurt?” She looked up from her phone, peering through the grey daylight. “You look like you’ve been punched in the face.”

  Tandy lifted her fingers to gingerly test for swelling or scratches. The throbbing in her cheekbone at even a gentle touch told her more than she wanted to know. In case being a suspect in a murder investigation wasn’t the worst way to introduce herself to her neighbors, she’d now have a black eye and fat lip to help destroy their first impression. Not to mention the fact that her car had been totaled and she was still unemployed. “Joy to the world.”

  “I’ll get you help.” Marissa finished dialing and held the phone to her ear.

  Tandy glanced past her to watch for any cars coming their way. They should probably get to the side of the road in case more vehicles rounded the curve and couldn’t stop before crashing into her Beetle. Didn’t she have some flares in her emergency kit that she could use to warn other drivers?

  Thankfully, there weren’t many others driving around in the snow. Probably home for the holidays. If only she’d stayed in bed that morning instead of living this nightmare.

  “Hi, Lukey. It’s Marissa.”

  Tandy motioned toward the door for Marissa to climb out. She’d retrieve Cocoa and follow through the passenger side rather than climb through her own window. With the way her ribs throbbed every time she twisted, it would likely be the less painful route.

  Marissa shoved her door open. “Sorry. I mean Deputy Griffin,” she said into the receiver even as she shot Tandy a wide-eyed expression that told how she was still trying not to laugh at the joke of Griffin working for the police.

  Tandy didn’t see the humor. She simply wanted his help. She nodded toward the door. “Keep going.”

  Marissa stepped into the snow, giving Tandy the space she needed. “I’m with Tandy Brandt… Yes, my competition for the teahouse… Never mind that. We ran into a pile of rocks on Riverside Road. We need a tow truck and an ambulance.”

  With a hand supporting her ribs, Tandy turned on her flashers, hooked her backpack over her shoulders, then flipped around to face backwards. She gingerly leaned through the bucket seats and scooped Cocoa into her arms. “Hey, buddy. We’re going to go for a walk.”

  He nuzzled against her neck, tickling her ear with his fur.

  She shivered, and she wasn’t sure if it was from his tickle, the icy breeze, or a delayed adrenaline rush. But if she was cold, she should keep moving. She crawled across the seats to join Marissa in the middle of the road.

  “Yeah, it looks like a rockslide,” Marissa spoke into the receiver.

  Hopefully the deputy was carrying on this conversation while on his way to rescue them, because Tandy wanted nothing more than to head to the safety of her little apartment and let someone else take over this ridiculous investigation. Hopefully, they’d uncovered enough clues now that she couldn’t be arrested for the crime. She grunted and adjusted Cocoa to her left arm so she could pop the trunk with her free hand.

  Marissa watched her walk behind the car. “I’m okay, but I think Tandy is hurt.”

  Tandy wouldn’t dwell on the pain until later. She had to prevent any more injuries by setting up a road flare as quickly as she could. She braced for the ache then tipped forward to unzip her emergency kit. It took a couple jerks of the zipper to open the pouch with only one hand, but then she realized she’d never be able to light the flare while holding Cocoa.

  “Marissa,” she called.

  “Oh, Tandy needs me. Please hurry.” Marissa shoved the phone in her pocket then wobbled to the back of the car. “What’s wrong?” She may not have been the most level-headed individual, but at least she cared.

  Tandy gritted her teeth against the throbbing from her insides to keep from revealing her discomfort when lifting the stick that looked like dynamite. “I need you to hold Cocoa so I can light this.”

  “Sure. Of course.” Marissa grabbed onto the trunk to steady herself before reaching for the dog.

  Cocoa nipped at the other woman’s hand and turned to burrow against Tandy’s neck once again. He never nipped. “Cocoa,” she admonished. She had enough to worry about without her dog acting up.

  Marissa pulled her hands to her chest. �
��You think he knows you’re hurt?”

  Oh. That could be it. He wanted to protect her. She tilted her head to hug him against her shoulder. His affection touched her, but now what did she do?

  “Here.” Marissa grasped the flare. “I’ll light this.”

  Tandy wanted to retort. Something about how dangerous Marissa already was on ice without holding an open flame in her hands, but she should give the other woman a chance. She was, after all, trying to help.

  “All right. Take off the cap then strike the scratch pad against the igniter button.”

  Marissa nodded, the tip of her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. Blinding fire shot from the end of the stick and sparks flew toward her wool coat. She squealed.

  Tandy would remain calm enough for both of them. “You need to take the flare around the bend and place it down gently.”

  Marissa eyed the road in trepidation.

  Tandy should have told her to walk around the curve before lighting the flare, but it was too late now. She needed to position the stick before it burned her. “You have fifteen seconds before the fire grows.”

  Marissa’s eyes widened. She jerked into action, her baby steps as quick as Tandy had ever seen them. She disappeared around the curve in the road to the crunching rhythm of boots in the snow. The little crunches were followed by a big crunch then silence as if her whole body had landed on the ground. Hopefully she didn’t drop the flare and brake off the tip.

  “Tandy,” Marissa called her name.

  Tandy looked down at Cocoa and shook her head. If only her dog had let Marissa hold him so she could have taken care of the flare.

  “Tandy, come look at this.”

  So much for wanting to be rescued. Tandy was going to have to do the rescuing. Bearing down against the ache in her ribs, she tromped along the road until Marissa appeared. Sure enough, she lay flat on her belly. But that wasn’t what caught Tandy’s attention.

  Where Marissa’s footprints stopped, another set of footprints began. Larger footprints, belonging to snow shoes. And they led up the hill to the pile of rocks from where the rockslide must have originated.