Kiki Lowenstein Books 1-3 & Cara Mia Delgatto Books 1-3: The Perfect Series for Crafters, Pet Lovers, and Readers Who Like Upbeat Books!

by Joanna Campbell Slan

  She reached into the purse and withdrew an ivory envelope, which I presumed was the wedding invitation she’d mentioned.

  "Thanks. I'll try to make it."

  "I hope you will."

  "It's nice of you to invite me." I didn't mean a word of it, but I didn't know what else to say.

  "Yes, well, I have to be candid. That's not the only reason for my visit. You see, I came to warn you."

  "Warn me? About what?" After tripping over a dead guy and being interrogated by the police, I figured there weren't any more minefields left for me to cross.

  "Look," she said and her eyes narrowed, "you and I know that Hal Humberger made a simple mistake. His wife Philomena is furious. She's been working on this franchise deal for a year and a half. You've gone and spoiled it for her. Philomena is in partnership with Cooper. Because you took this building out from under them, they'll lose the Fill Up and Go franchise, and all the money they've already invested in the project."

  I took my time answering. "I've spoken to Cooper. He never said a word about a partnership with Mrs. Humberger."

  "Of course he didn't. The building was going to be in Cooper’s name because he's the one who secured the financing. Even so, he was shocked by the turn of events. Since you're an old family friend, he didn't want to pressure you. The money doesn't mean that much to him. Cooper has so many irons in the fire, but Philomena is furious. Not only is Hal dead, but she's unable to consummate a business deal that she's worked very hard to secure at great cost."

  I nodded, but I wasn't sure I believed Jodi.

  "So you see," she said, reaching into her purse, "you would be smart to relinquish your claim on this property. I have a check in the amount of the earnest money."

  49

  Although she offered the check, I did not take it. Instead, I chewed my lower lip. I'm not a cheat or a crook. I could understand why having a deal fall through after working on it for a year and a half would be disappointing. But if that was how Philomena felt, why didn't she call me herself? Why didn't Cooper tell me what was involved? He could have shared this the other day when we bumped into each other at Poppy's gas station.

  "Isn't there another property somewhere in Stuart that would be available and acceptable to the franchise?"

  "No," Jodi answered quickly. Too quickly. She waved the check at me. I ignored it.

  "How about in Tequesta? Port Salerno? Jensen Beach? Palm City?" I stopped because I realized that I sounded desperate. One of Dad's rules was never let the other guy see you sweat. Especially if you are in a negotiation.

  "No," said Jodi with a sigh. "Philomena did her homework. She's a real estate agent after all. This deal means the world to her. That's why she partnered with Cooper. Now that Hal's gone, she'll really need the income from the franchise."

  "Why did she send you rather than come herself?" Jodi’s story didn't make sense to me. If Philomena was in on the deal, why was Hal so excited about getting the commission? Of course, it was possible that the Humbergers kept their finances separate from each other. A lot of married people did. I had reason to think that might be a good idea, actually.

  "For goodness sakes, Cara. Have a heart! Think of the fix that Philomena is in. That poor woman has a funeral to plan. I don't know if you've ever had to make those kind of arrangements, but it can be terribly draining."

  I held my tongue rather than explain that I knew exactly how draining the task was.

  "Poor dear. Philomena is beside herself. I took over a casserole, and she cried on my shoulder. That's why I'm here. Cooper has always spoken of you in such glowing terms. I wanted to meet you, and he insisted about the invitation, so I thought," and here she gave a tiniest shrug of her shoulders, "that I might be able to do Philomena a good turn as well."

  The silence that followed was truly awkward. Now I knew why Kiki was such a big believer in soft drinks. Holding the cold aluminum can gave me something to do with my hands. Lifting it to my mouth helped me hide the onslaught of emotions. Gulping the sweet liquid bought me time to think.

  "Of course, I feel awful for Mrs. Humberger, but what about my grandfather? If I turn this building over to you—and I'm not saying I will, because I need to think this through—my grandfather will be run out of business. There's no way he could compete with a modern convenience store and gas station."

  A spark of emotion flickered in Jodi’s cool hazel eyes. However, it came and went so quickly that I couldn't guess what it signified.

  "Your grandfather," she repeated. "That's another story, isn't it? Honestly, Cara, wouldn't it be doing him a favor? Everyone knows that Dick Potter needs to move on. It's past time for him to retire. He's got diabetes, and he needs to get it under control."

  The jungle telegraph system in Stuart was definitely a 3G network.

  "That shop is Poppy's reason for getting up in the morning. Without it, he'd roll over and die. It's especially important to him right now, because the station gives him a reason for him to get better."

  "How ironic that you are so concerned about his health," she said, pursing her lips and finally putting the check back into her purse. "Especially considering the damage to our environment caused by his leaking gas tanks."

  "What?"

  "The leaking gas tanks. Those old gas tanks at the station have been leaking for some time now. Your grandfather is polluting our ecosystem—and he knows it!"

  "Oh, come on. If that's true, then why hasn't the EPA shut him down?"

  "Because your grandfather used his connections to stay open. The first EPA inspector was a friend from his days in the service. That fellow never followed up on the problem. The second inspector came, and your grandfather denied him access. As you may or may not know, the downturn in the economy has hit the state of Florida particularly hard. The state government has been forced to cut back the number of inspectors in the field. We haven't seen another inspector yet. Sadly, because no one has put a stop to the leaking, the damage continues."

  I couldn't believe this. My grandfather was polluting the environment? This pristine Paradise? And he knew what was happening and refused to fix it?

  To cope with the pain of my emotions, I relied on a trick I’d learned in Lamaze class. I squeezed the rounded arms of the office chair as hard as I could. When I had control over myself, I said, "This is all news to me. I appreciate your dropping by."

  Not.

  "What are you planning to do?"

  "I'm not sure. I need to think things through."

  "The longer you wait to relinquish your claim," she said, with a sad look on her face, "the more problems you'll cause for yourself, for your grandfather, and for Philomena."

  Somehow I didn't buy the fact that Jodi felt bad about this. In fact, I would have pegged her as jubilant. There was a light in her eyes that seemed almost triumphant.

  "I'll consider what you've told me and decide what to do." I got to my feet. As far as I was concerned, this visit was over.

  Jodi did not move. "I'd really like an answer before I go. Believe me, Philomena is not a woman you want on your bad side. She claims your grandfather quarreled with Hal the night that he was killed."

  "Pardon?"

  "Philomena told me that she and Hal were leaving the Riverwalk just as your grandfather was locking up his shop. Your grandfather crossed the street to pick a fight with Hal. According to her, your grandfather threatened her husband."

  I thought back to Lou’s black eye. Not only had I heard that blood sugar problems could make a person aggressive, I’d actually seen proof. "Poppy hasn't been himself lately."

  Jodi sighed. "Philomena is convinced that your grandfather might be Hal's murderer."

  "So this woman is threatening to tell the police? Is that what you are suggesting? That she'll make a statement against my grandfather if I don't hand over the building?"

  "I'm not sure what she'll do." Jodi shook her head sorrowfully.

  "Did she send you here? To deliver her threat?"

  "Ab
solutely not, but she was rambling on and on about how you would be sorry. When I saw her, she talked about going to the police. I thought you should know. I came here to warn you as a favor. If Philomena has her way, this will all blow up in your face. You've always been like a little sister to Cooper. I don't want to see him pay the price for the bad mistakes you're making."

  50

  Cooper thought of me as a little sister? I was steaming mad as I escorted Jodi to the front door and locked it behind her. As she walked away, I stood there a minute to rein in my emotions. Finally, with a deep sigh, I turned back to the work at hand.

  "No more interruptions," I told my crew in a falsely chipper voice. Skye and MJ nodded in agreement and went back to what they were doing.

  I desperately needed to keep moving so I continued taping off the woodwork. While my hands were busy, my mind raced along a million miles a minute.

  Was my grandfather responsible for Hal Humberger's murder? Could that even be possible?

  I didn't know exactly when Mr. Humberger had died, so I didn't know if Poppy had an alibi. Any number of things could have happened while I was sitting in Pumpernickel's, waiting for my meal, my tinfoil, and my check.

  Hal Humberger's death was a matter for the police, but protecting Poppy was my job. I didn't really believe my grandfather was capable of murder, but Mom had hinted of Poppy's dark past from his days in uniform. Had he been trained to kill? He certainly had a bad temper. Was it possible his mind was going? Or that his diabetes had made him unreasonable—even dangerous?

  There was so much I didn't know.

  How had Hal Humberger’s body wound up inside The Treasure Chest? Why would he have come back here? Had he been killed while trying to escape my grandfather?

  Then there was a new question: Was Philomena's threat credible?

  Jodi had suggested that I could keep Poppy safe by giving the building back to Cooper. But I didn't trust Jodi. Was that because I was jealous of her? Or were my instincts guiding me correctly?

  How on earth did Cooper manage to find and fall in love with a woman who looked so much like my mother? Scratch that: A woman who looked a lot like me? Did that reveal his true feelings toward me? Or was it like I'd always heard, that men tended to go for certain "types." I had a friend back in St. Louis who would never date men with red hair. Another friend loved guys who were shorter than she. Was it possible that dark-haired petite women were Cooper's ideal?

  Go figure.

  Could it be that the same attraction that had initially caused Cooper to woo me had repeated itself when he met Jodi Wireka?

  Did I like her?

  No.

  Did it matter?

  No.

  Did I care?

  I shouldn't and I couldn't.

  Cooper Rivers was free to marry whomever he wanted. If I hadn't stopped here in Stuart, or if I'd stopped here one month later, he would have already done the deed and married Jodi. Their relationship wasn't any of my business.

  I repeated those words to myself, over and over, as if they were a mantra. None of my business. None of my business. None of my business.

  Right.

  51

  An hour later, I still hadn't decided what to do about Philomena's potential threat. I took a break from taping around outlets and phoned the hospital. The nurse on Poppy's floor told me his tests were over for the day.

  "If you want to come and visit your grandfather, this is a good time," she said.

  I grabbed my purse and keys. With each passing minute, I was more invested in The Treasure Chest. Emotionally I’d re-established a connection from my childhood. Economically I was spending the small amount of money I had. Psychologically the place had become the center of my universe. Already I’d come to associate the store with my new friends, Skye and MJ. I’d allowed myself the luxury of daydreaming about the place. Giving this building back to Cooper and Philomena would not be easy for me. Telling my new friends that I'd changed my mind would be gut wrenching. My stomach was already tied in knots, and my head had started to ache.

  Grabbing my purse, I told MJ, "I need to run an errand. Be right back," and then I hot-footed it to my car and drove to the hospital.

  When I entered his room, Poppy was sitting in his bed watching TV. The smell of Lysol and rubbing alcohol filled me with anxiety, because these were the last smells I associated with my mother. But I couldn't let myself get all soppy. I was on a mission.

  "Hi," I said. "How are you doing?"

  "I'm in a hospital. Does it look like I'm having a good time?"

  So he wasn't going to be cooperative. Big deal.

  "How's the foot?"

  "Hurts like holy what for, but at least they don't plan to amputate it."

  "That's a relief." I pulled over a chair. I wasn't going away until I had the information I needed. "I need to talk with you, please. I'd appreciate it if you would try not to lose your temper, but I want some information."

  He hit the OFF button on the remote control. The color had returned to his cheeks; he looked better than he had in days.

  "Okay. What?"

  "First of all, what happened after you left Pumpernickel's the night that Hal Humberger died?"

  His eyes drilled hard into mine. "You taking over for the cops? Well, smarty-pants, I didn't kill him. I went back to the shop because I planned to clean it up a bit. Seeing it through your eyes shamed me. I knew I'd let things go, but I kinda overlooked it till you arrived. I was going through papers on my desk when I saw Hal and Philomena come out of the Riverwalk and head for the parking lot. I thought I'd give him a piece of my mind and I did."

  "What did you do after you quarreled?"

  "I went home. Had a couple of beers. Fell asleep in front of the TV."

  "That's not much of an alibi." I waited.

  He blew out a big sigh. "I give you my word, Cara Mia, that I did not kill that man. All I did was yell at him."

  "Okay," I said, feeling better. Marginally. I took a deep breath. This was going to be hard. "Is it true that the gas tanks are leaking?"

  Turning his face from mine, he hesitated. I kept my mouth shut. Finally, he said, "That's what they tell me."

  I struggled not to show how horrifying that was. Instead, I kept my voice level and asked, "What did you plan to do about them?"

  "Keep 'em empty. Can leak something that ain’t there.”

  "I'm not sure that's going to be enough."

  "Probably not.”

  "So?"

  "So?" He raised his hairy eyebrows almost to his hairline. “Because your mom is gone, everything I own will go to you. Now or later, it don't matter much. So you tell me. What do you want to do with it? You’re welcome to sell the place. Let somebody else deal with that mess."

  That wasn't the response I'd anticipated. I asked him, "If the business closes, what would you do with your time?"

  "I dunno."

  "Any guesses?" I noticed the blanket was rumpled beneath his arm, so I reached over and smoothed it. My fingers sought his. The grip he returned was surprisingly strong.

  "Poppy," I said, in a voice that had grown thick with emotion, "I want you to be happy. I don't want you to be miserable. I know you enjoy going to work. I do, too, and I wouldn't want to take that away from you. Please, be honest with me. What would you like to do?"

  "With my remaining time on earth?" He sounded snarky but his eyes were wet with unshed tears.

  "I guess."

  "I'd like to spend some time with my granddaughter and my great-grandson. Maybe play a little checkers down at the senior center. Take a painting class."

  "I don't hear anything about working on cars in there. Or having to get up in the morning to open a shop."

  "Yep, well, I'd probably tinker around. Help my old customers now and again. But sleeping late, that sounds pretty appealing. You know, if Coop opens that there Fill Up and Go Gas Station, he said I could work for him. "

  "Did he now?"

  "Yup. Like I told you,
he's a good man. Maybe he’d like to buy my old place. That way you can keep that old building of Essie’s that you’re so attached to, and he can move ahead with that franchise.”

  “That might be the best solution all around.”

  “Yup.”

  A nurse appeared in the doorway, tapping on her wrist watch. I leaned over and kissed my grandfather. "I love you, Poppy," I said. "We'll find you plenty to do, but you don't have to keep working so hard. Not anymore. I want to spend time with you. I know that Tommy wants that, too."

  "Promise?"

  I could see the silver crescent of tears in his eyes.

  "Promise," and I hugged him as best I could despite the IVs. His shoulders were thin beneath the cotton gown.

  "I'm sort of tired of the rat race, Cara," he said, “but I don't want to be put out to pasture. Not yet."

  "That's all I needed to hear."

  I walked out of the room feeling better about Poppy, but by the time I got to my car, I began thinking about how I had spoken to Cooper. I'd jumped to conclusions. I hadn't given him a chance. I'd accused him of trying to run my grandfather out of business because that's what Hal Humberger had told me. But he hadn't been trying to hurt Poppy. He'd been giving Poppy a graceful way out. In fact, he'd been better attuned to my grandfather's needs than I was.

  A deep sense of shame came over me. As I climbed into my car, I felt about two inches high.

  How was I going to make this right?

  52

  I needed to focus on moving forward. I had to concentrate on taking one step after another. Cranking down the windows on Black Beauty, I sat there in my car in the hospital parking lot and allowed myself to think for a spell. I needed to plan my next move.

  My conversation with Poppy had solved the problem of the leaking gas tanks. Now I had my grandfather's permission to close down the Gas E Bait and sell the property. The EPA would know how best to handle the details. My visit had also cleared the air between Poppy and me. Somehow, our conversation had given him the freedom to ease his foot off life's gas pedal. He'd earned a retirement, but if he wanted to work part-time, that would be fine, too.