A Caffeine Conundrum

by Angela Ruth Strong

  A Christmas light bulb lit up over Tandy’s head. She’d earlier suspected Connor of killing Virginia to get Marissa back. Could she have had the motive correct but not the couple? Murder was extreme, but maybe Griffin hadn’t been trying to kill Virginia—just wanted to send her into cardiac arrest so he could comfort Jenn at the hospital. That part fit. Though why in the world would he steal the diary, unless he was trying to frame someone else? Someone like Tandy?

  She had to get out of there. “I gotta go. Thanks.”

  Kristin’s eyebrows drew together. “Wait. What did you get out of your vehicle?”

  Tandy’s heart hammered. “Nothing. Nothing. I must have been wrong about leaving something in the glove box.” Was this going to make her look bad? Make her look like she’d taken something in secret? That could have been Griffin’s goal for taking the diary.

  Kristin held up a hand with fingernails that matched her hat. “Well, Griffin said he wanted to discuss something with you before you left, so if you wouldn’t mind…”

  She did mind. She minded that Griffin accused her of murder the moment he met her. She minded that even if he wasn’t guilty of that murder, he probably wouldn’t believe her claims against Joseph Cross without proof to back it up. And she especially minded that he was the only one she could think of with access to the journal and a possible motive for stealing it.

  Did he want her to wait so he could either arrest her for a murder she didn’t commit or kill her to cover up the murder he did commit? Marissa would run, but Tandy wanted to face him. Challenge him. Watch his reaction.

  The front door squeaked open. Deputy Griffin entered, mouth a grim line, gaze focused on her.

  A growl rumbled in Cocoa’s belly. Did he know something she didn’t? She rubbed his head to calm him.

  Griffin planted himself in her way and crossed his arms. “I walked Ms. Pierce’s daughter, Jenn, out to her vehicle.”

  Of course he did. Tandy narrowed her eyes. “That’s nice she has you to comfort her.”

  “I’m trying. Going to take her on the Christmas Cruise tonight to try to get her mind off of it.”

  Reeeeally?

  He focused his gaze. “She’s shocked from the forensics report that says her mother’s death was, indeed, homicide.”

  Tandy’s belly flipped. She’d known this was coming, but to hear her suspicions solidified didn’t sit well. Especially if the deputy was involved and going to make accusations against her. “Indeed,” she repeated his word. Her heart clenched at the thought of Jenn’s pain.

  Though Tandy wasn’t close with her own mother, should the woman die, she’d lose all hope that they could someday be reunited. Along the lines of heritage, should she tell Griffin about Marissa’s grandmother’s missing diary to watch his response? Or should she wait for him to reveal that he knew too much? She’d try waiting first. Ask another question. “How is my case coming? Did you catch the culprits who caused the rockslide?”

  He hooked his thumbs in his belt. Buying time to formulate an answer? Or offended by her lack of concern for the deceased? “With Virginia’s death, I haven’t had time to track down those kids yet. I let Officer Woodward know about the homicide, and he’s returning from the museum to launch a full investigation, so I might be able to get to the rockslide next week. But that’s hardly our biggest concern.”

  Tandy tilted her head at his disdain. Griffin looked so smug. Like she was already holding mugshot numbers. She’d have to get him to trip up somehow.

  “I pray the killer won’t get away with it,” she said—words that should scare him, were he responsible.

  He looked her up and down. Did he honestly suspect her, or could he tell she suspected him? If he knew she was onto him, would that put her in more danger? “Until the killer is caught, you need to stay in town, Miss Brandt. You aren’t planning to go anywhere are you?”

  Did he want to know her whereabouts so he could set another trap like the rockslide? “I’m not leaving town,” she said. Though she would see him that night on the cruise.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Marissa kicked back in a dainty toile lounge chair, waiting for Tandy’s return to Grandma’s Attic. Maybe she should have let Tandy drive her Jeep. Then at least she’d know by now how Lukey had taken the news that the Alexander legacy included fraud.

  She blew her cheeks out. Though she couldn’t prepare herself for what else the diary might say, she could mentally prepare for the cruise that night. Did she have time to go shopping? If so, she’d get a red dress like the one she would have worn for the crowning ceremony of the Miss Ohio pageant, had she not been in an ambulance on the way to the hospital for x-rays of her wrist.

  She clicked on the phone icon for her internet app to get a better idea of what she’d like to wear for the evening. The bell over the door rang, waking Marissa from her dream like reindeer hoofs on the roof.

  A pink-cheeked Tandy stood in the entrance, her skin pale against dark clothing. She should wear a green dress that night. It would be a big improvement over black and gray.

  Marissa slid her feet to the floor and stood. “Did you read more of the diary? Is there anything else about Mr. Cross in it?”

  Tandy didn’t answer. She set Cocoa down, leaving her hands empty. Had she put the diary in her backpack? “It’s gone.”

  Marissa’s eyes flew to the black straps camouflaged against Tandy’s black jacket. The backpack was still there. Was she talking about the diary? Did she think she put it in her backpack but actually set it down somewhere instead? “You lost it?”

  Tandy shook her head. “No. Someone took it.”

  Marissa’s mouth fell open. “You got mugged?” She’d been right about protecting Billie. And now she knew for certain that Billie wasn’t the culprit, because the store owner had been there the whole time, meaning she couldn’t have mugged anyone. Though where had she gone? The back room?

  Tandy stilled. “No. Someone took it out of my glove compartment.”

  Marissa clutched her hands to her heart, to the burning ache at losing a piece of her history. Maybe even a piece of her future, if it was used against her. She didn’t want to believe it. At least this meant Billie was safe because nobody needed to come after her for the diary anymore. “I thought you locked the glovebox.”

  Tandy swallowed. “I did.”

  If she locked it… “Did someone steal your keys?”

  Tandy’s chest rose and fell. “The police had them.”

  “Then how? Who?” Marissa’s arms spread wide, unable to catch all the thoughts floating by like snowflakes. “Could someone have made a copy of the keys? I think Randon actually designed an app where you can take a picture of keys and then have a key designed from the photo.”

  “Of course he did.” If only their mystery were as simple as a 1950s Nancy Drew novel and didn’t involve technology. A recent video from a social media warning played in her memory. Marissa hadn’t thought it was something she’d ever have to worry about in Grace Springs because if someone stole someone else’s car, everybody would see them driving it, but… “There’s also technology out now with a two-part device where the first thief holds one part by the building where the keys are while the other thief holds the second part by the car. It somehow accesses the transmitter that starts the vehicle.”

  Tandy twisted her lips at the idea. “Well, they weren’t starting the car—they were breaking into my glove compartment. And also, there was only one set of footprints.”

  Marissa’s eyes widened. “There were footprints? We can examine them and get shoe size and brand name.”

  Tandy scrunched her nose. “There were footprints. I stepped in them to get to my car, so now they would only show my shoe size and brand.”

  Marissa huffed in frustration, though she probably would have done the same thing to keep from getting her pants wet. She needed a little help here. “So what do you think?”

  Tandy’s chin puckered before she opened her mouth. “You’re not g
oing to like it.”

  “Well, that’s to be expected.”

  Tandy narrowed her eyes before answering. “I can’t help thinking Deputy Griffin has to be involved.”

  Tandy was right. She didn’t like it. “Lukey? Is he trying to get back at me for setting his family’s curtains on fire?”

  Tandy’s eyes bulged. “You did what?”

  Nah. Marissa waved her hand. “Never mind. That can’t be it. Though why else would he want to hurt me?”

  Tandy glanced toward heaven before looking down to stomp the snow off her boots. “I don’t think he wanted to hurt anyone, not even Virginia. He’s just trying to get his ex-girlfriend back. Did you know he dated Jenn Pierce?”

  Marissa jolted. She had no idea, but the discovery almost fit. Though he could simply be milking the situation and not be the real murderer. Lavella still might have killed Jenn’s mom. “If he dated Jenn, that could be why he went through your car looking for a clue as to who is after us and who killed the woman who could have been his mother-in-law. Did you ask him if he has the diary?”

  Tandy moved to sail past, deeper into the warm store. “No way. He’s trying to pin this on me, remember? I waited for him to give himself away.”

  Marissa ran a hand over her face. The jumble of suspects was getting to be too much. She didn’t want Little Lukey to be the accidental murderer, but she was ready to take a confession from any of them. “And did he give himself away?”

  “No.” Tandy sank onto the lounge Marissa had recently abandoned. “But I did learn he’s taking Jenn on the Christmas Cruise tonight.”

  That was even better than a confession. It was the lure needed to get Tandy to attend the Christmas Cruise with Marissa. While Tandy spied on the town’s sweet little deputy, she’d be cracking the case by eavesdropping on Mr. Cross and Lavella. Plus, Lukey would be there to back her up when it was time for their arrest. “I have a dress you can borrow, but you’re not going to like it.”

  “That’s to be expected.”

  Tandy hadn’t been this scared since moving to Grace Springs. She stared fearfully into a closet so spacious that it must have once been a bedroom in Marissa’s delightful little bungalow. The last time she’d worn a dress, Nora Andresen had pretended to trip and dumped a whole cup of punch down her front just because she’d been asked to the Jingle Ball by Nora’s ex-boyfriend. And while Marissa wouldn’t purposely dump punch on Tandy, it could still happen.

  She looked down at the rows of stilettos. “How do you, of all people, walk in those?”

  Marissa glanced over her shoulder from where she filed through hangers covered in fluff and lace. “In the past, I hung onto Connor’s arm.”

  Hence the real reason Marissa needed Tandy to go with her. Stability. “I’m sure Connor wore pants. Why can’t I?”

  Marissa smiled sweetly then spun to lift a gown in front of Tandy’s torso. “You’re prettier than Connor.”

  Tandy rolled her eyes then glanced down to survey the damage. It was nice to be considered pretty, but not if it required twirling about and showing skin. The crushed velvet dress didn’t look like it would show too much skin with long sleeves and a high collar, so it could be worse. “I guess—”

  “You’ll look fabulous.” Marissa pulled the dress away to reveal something not so fabulous.

  “Wait. Where’s the back?”

  Marissa beamed. “That’s the best part. The gown is backless.”

  How could the woman act so happy when they were only going on the cruise to solve a heinous crime? The outfit was also a heinous crime. “I’m not taking off my bra to wear a dress.”

  Marissa shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. I have these pasties that—”

  Tandy held up her hand and breezed past. If she let Marissa dress her, she was going to get turned into Holiday Barbie. So much glitter. “You have to have a little black dress in here somewhere.”

  “I only wear black for funerals, and it’s not like anybody died.”

  Tandy stopped her with a look.

  Marissa lifted her fingers to her lips. “I didn’t mean…”

  “Too late. Hand it over.” Tandy held out her palm.

  Marissa stayed rooted to the spot, her gaze on the carpet, probably so as not to give away the location of the desired dress with a look. “Would you consider jade green? It would highlight your eyes.”

  What did it matter? “As long as I can keep my bra on, fine.”

  Marissa looked up eagerly now. “It’s just that I’m wearing red. Green and red would complement each other.”

  So? Was Marissa planning on having their picture printed in the paper after they captured the killer? If that were the case, Tandy would also wear a ski mask to hide her puffy lip. “I said fine.”

  “Wheee!”

  Marissa spent the rest of the day polishing and primping while Tandy used her computer to look up Griffin’s past in a failed attempt to find dirt on him. She also googled Cross then Lavella but was blinded by all the photos with gleaming white teeth in fake smiles. Why was Marissa jealous of such fakeness?

  In one last ditch effort, Tandy pulled up the Grace Springs Gazette and ran a search for the recent jewel heist.

  December 23—Police continue to investigate the heist of the Rare Ohio Diamonds on their last day to be displayed at the Grace Springs Historical Society. It is believed that a single thief disabled the alarm and snatched the jewels worth an estimated twenty-one grand while the guards changed shifts. Video footage shows a masked figure who appears to be a woman…

  “Let’s go, Tandy.”

  Tandy frowned at the blurry black and white image. Griffin would probably arrest her for just thinking she wished she had a mask like that, and the figure wasn’t much bigger than she was either. On first glance, she assumed the robber to be a woman as well, though were Randon still on their suspect list, his stature would fit. Of course, he might have robbed the place simply because Virginia was going to will her antiques to them.

  Should Tandy look into that idea or let it go? All she really needed to worry about was not getting arrested for Virginia’s murder.

  As far as murder suspects went, Cross was too tall and Griffin too thick to fit the description of the robber. If the person caught on tape was linked at all to Virginia’s murder, the only female suspect it could be was Lavella. Which Tandy wouldn’t admit yet.

  Marissa peered over her shoulder. “It’s Lavella.”

  Tandy slid her chair back. “Stealing your crown doesn’t automatically make her a jewel thief.”

  Marissa dug through a tiny gold purse, heading toward the door. “It should.”

  “Has anybody ever told you that you throw out the baby with the bathwater?”

  Marissa retrieved a cranberry tube of lipstick and shot her a withering glance before pausing to tilt forward for a better view of her reflection in an entryway mirror. “I heard it once from a former fiancé who wanted to make our breakup sound like my fault.”

  Tandy reached for the mouse and scrolled further down the story. “You were the one to break up with him, so that pretty much makes it your fault.”

  Marissa straightened. “Has anybody ever told you that you can’t arrive fashionably late for a cruise, because the ship will leave you behind?”

  As that was the case, Tandy desired for the first time in her life to be fashionable. Besides not wanting to wear a slim sleeveless dress to a social event, there was the problem of finding enough room in the Jeep for Tandy to fit beside Marissa’s full skirt.

  She stood anyway and grabbed her coat and backpack. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Marissa didn’t move. “Um…you’re wearing a backpack?”

  “Um…yeah.” She slid her arms in her coat then hooked on the tiny leather accessory. It wasn’t like it was a JanSport or anything. Though hanging out with a drama-obsessed, cranberry lipstick-wearing, Jeep-driving blonde had a way of making her feel like they were back in high school.

  Marissa
fluttered her eyelashes. “At least your hair looks super good.”

  Tandy snorted at the backhanded compliment, but what did it matter? It wasn’t like she was trying to impress anyone. She never was. Which made her feel especially out of her element once they reached the river and strolled up the gangplank from the dock onto a three-story steamboat outlined in white lights and named The Ohio Queen.

  The sun had set on their drive over, preparing her for her first view of the paddle wheeler the way one might turn off the lights after ornamenting the tree. The analogy certainly fit with the way all the guests had decorated themselves like festive packages tied with ribbon. Why couldn’t her suspects have simply planned to attend a Santa Paws fundraiser where Cocoa could have come with her and the only person dressed up was a big man in a red suit? That would be more her speed.

  “I see Lavella,” Marissa whispered fiercely over her shoulder as she led them up the ramp.

  The beauty queen wasn’t hard to spot. She welcomed guests at the front of the boat, wearing a white lace gown, matching long gloves, and a sparkly tiara nestled in her shiny, golden ringlets. Not to mention a white fur wrap.

  Tandy grimaced at the fur. “She looks like an ice queen.”

  “That’s a good description.” Marissa nodded, twisting around to get in one more jibe before it was their turn to face her royal highness. “I’m pretty sure she has the power to turn things into ice too.” With that, she forced a smile, swiveled back around, and slipped off the end of the gangplank onto the deck.

  Tandy huffed, lunged forward, and caught Marissa around the waist to hold her upright. “Did she turn your shoes to ice?” she muttered before spinning them both in Lavella’s direction.

  Lavella lowered her hands from her mouth in an expression of mock concern. “Marissa, dear. Are you okay? At least you didn’t fall off the platform this time.”

  Tandy tilted her head to add some contempt to her tight smile. “Don’t you usually benefit from her falling, Lavella?” Sure, Tandy had made fun of Marissa’s clumsiness too, but she didn’t do it under the guise of being a friend.