by Ellery Adams
“I’ll drive straight to the station from here.” Nora held up a finger. “On one condition.”
Marie looked at her with lifeless eyes. “Yes?”
“After you rest, I want you to take a shower and go to the grocery store. My friends and I are going to check in on you. We’re going to be regular pains in the asses. We’re going to make you eat. We’re going to clean your house. We’re going to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
The word was a puff of air. It was all Marie could manage. She was being engulfed by her pain. Soon, she’d give herself over to it.
Nora produced a business card. “I’m just a phone call away. I’ll leave this in the kitchen. Next to the raisin bread.”
When Marie didn’t respond, Nora showed herself out.
In the driveway, she glanced around, half expecting to see a cardinal perched on a nearby branch. But the woods were still eerily quiet.
The hawk was gone, leaving the sky empty. It was as if Marie was the only living creature for miles. A lone heartbeat surrounded by trees and grief.
Two heartbeats, Nora thought, and made a silent promise to Danny that she would not abandon his wife.
Even if he had.
Chapter 9
Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.
—M. F. K. Fisher
Sheriff McCabe was thrilled to see Nora.
“Have you had lunch yet?” he asked as soon as she stepped into his office.
Nora glanced at the wall clock. It was eleven thirty. “I usually eat around one.”
McCabe scooped up a set of keys. “I didn’t have breakfast, so I’m ready now. Do your local lawman a solid and come to Pearl’s with me.”
Nora couldn’t refuse a pimento grilled cheese sandwich. “Sure, but no hush puppies for me this time. The owners of the Inn of Mist and Roses are having me over for dinner and I have a feeling that they’re going to have a lot of food.”
McCabe was interested in the inn’s renovations. He asked questions about the building and the owners as he drove through downtown Miracle Springs.
Pearl’s was three stops down the tracks, as the locals liked to say, and it was well worth the trip. Nora and the sheriff ate there at least once a month. The food was amazing, and the proprietors were delightful.
The hostess greeted them with a big smile that quickly morphed into a frown. “Pearl and Sam will be bummed that they missed you. They’re still at church. The rest of us were at the early service, so you might catch us yawning.”
The woman’s necklace caught Nora’s attention. The pendant nestled in the V of her throat held two charms. A small silver cross and a white dove.
Another bird, Nora thought.
As the hostess showed them to a table, Nora thought of how both cardinals and doves were spiritual symbols. One was a messenger from the spirit world while the other represented the Holy Spirit.
“You haven’t opened your menu,” the sheriff said after they were seated. “Do you know what you’re having?”
“Pimento grilled cheese and a side salad.”
McCabe looked disappointed. “No sweet potato chips?”
With a laugh, Nora told him to order a basket.
“I’d better not. I’d eat the whole thing and, at my age, it’s hard to keep the weight from piling on. If you’d share one with me . . .”
Nora grinned and shook her head. “It’s not like I can keep the weight off any easier than you. I didn’t hike this morning and I’m eating out twice today.”
“It doesn’t feel like overindulging if someone else overindulges with you,” McCabe said.
“I think that’s called enabling.”
They were both laughing when their waiter appeared. He took their orders and moved off to check on a couple seated in the bar. When he was out of earshot, the sheriff tented his fingers and said, “I’m guessing that you didn’t drop by my office because you wanted a lunch partner.”
“I want to talk about Danny.” Nora was grateful that she never had to mince words with McCabe. He appreciated directness as much as she did. “I stumbled across something. I felt Marie should hear about it first, so I went to see her this morning. I honestly don’t know if it’s important, but it feels important. Let me explain.”
McCabe listened without interrupting while Nora described the bird symbol on Danny’s pottery. She then showed him the photo from Cherokee Rock. “It’s the same bird.”
“A cardinal,” McCabe said.
“The Cherokee call it Red Bird.” Nora briefly described the bird’s significance in Native American culture. “According to Cherokee lore, this bird is a messenger from the spirit world. If someone painted a red bird on the rock as a message for Danny, it did the trick. He met this person at the rock, and, in my opinion, the meeting was fatal for Danny. I don’t have a lick of proof to back up that statement either.”
The server arrived with their meals, topped off their water glasses, and returned to the kitchen. During this time, Sheriff McCabe was lost in thought. Even though he’d been anticipating his soul food meal, he made no move to dig into his smothered pork chop or black-eyed peas.
“We’ve been investigating all angles, including foul play,” he told Nora. “There were no clues indicating any kind of altercation at Cherokee Rock. Sadly, Danny’s body was head-to-toe lacerations and bruises, so there’s no way to tell if he was the victim of violence before he drowned.” He held up a warning finger. “That is not to be repeated, especially to his wife.”
“I wouldn’t cause her more pain than she’s already in by filling her head with that image,” Nora said, a little stung. “Give me some credit.”
McCabe held up his hands. “Sorry, I was out of line. I’m frustrated by this case and I’m taking it out on everyone. Without evidence, I have no choice but to confirm the accidental death ruling. But I don’t like where his body was found compared to where he parked his truck. I don’t like the way he left his home so early on the day of his death. Nothing is open at that time. Where was he going? What was he doing? His behavior makes no sense.” He clasped his hands. “Life is messy. I accept that. But when it comes to sudden death, I need a clear picture. Danny’s picture is a goddamn jumbled kaleidoscope.”
“I’m sure you interviewed everyone he knew. No one had an idea why he went to Cherokee Rock?”
The sheriff took a bite of his entrée. As he chewed, he seemed to be wrestling with himself. After a drink of water, he said, “Someone inferred that he was meeting a woman.”
Nora remembered Marie’s reaction to the idea that Danny had snuck out before dawn for a romantic assignation. She considered her own reaction to this suggestion. She’d rejected the idea as firmly as Marie had. Which made no sense. Nora had seen Danny and Marie together exactly once. What did she really know about them as a couple? Why did she want them to be what they appeared to be?
“Your face just clouded over,” McCabe said. “What are you thinking?”
“I should know better than to believe what I see. That kind of blindness can be destructive. That kind of blindness is why I ended up in Miracle Springs. I set fire to my old life. I’ve never looked back, but I guess I can still be naïve. I can still be fooled into believing what I wish was true.”
The sheriff put his fork down. “It’s not a bad thing to believe the best in people. Sure, they might disappoint you. Then again, they might not.”
Nora appreciated that he didn’t focus on her past. Instead, he surprised her by saying, “I’ve been blind too. I’m in the business of dealing with folks who make bad choices, so you’d think I’d know when someone was lying to me. When it mattered most, I didn’t know. I didn’t see it. That’s why Sheila has the house and the dog and I’m here.”
Nora caught the flicker of sadness in the sheriff’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “It’s been almost four years now. It sounds strange, but I’m a better man for goin
g through that ordeal. The good, the bad, and the ugly helped me learn things. I learned who my real friends are. I learned that I was pretty handy in the kitchen. I learned that I like cats more than dogs. Go figure.”
Nora smiled. “Are you a crazy cat lady now?”
“It wasn’t in the master plan, but some jackass pitched a bag of kittens in the river and a deputy I used to work with rescued them. He brought them into the station in a box. At the end of my shift, I found myself driving home with Magnum and Higgins.”
This made Nora laugh. “Oh man, I loved that show. I don’t think there’s a woman alive—in my age group, anyway—who didn’t have a crush on Tom Selleck.”
They fell into an easy conversation about 1980s TV shows. Before long, their food was finished, and the server delivered the check.
Nora tried to pay for her half, but the sheriff refused. He claimed that he’d forced her to accompany him and was therefore duty-bound to pick up the check.
As he took bills out of his wallet, Nora asked, “Before we go, would you tell me who said that Danny might be meeting a woman?”
“Why? Do you want to see if you know the person?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
McCabe nodded. “To be honest, I’d like to hear your opinion. I’m sure you know this woman, considering you visit the flea market all the time. Her name’s Beatrice.”
“Bea’s a good egg,” Nora said without hesitation. “She’s not the type of person to spread malicious gossip. She wouldn’t want to hurt anyone either, so I can see her struggling with the decision to tell you about Danny and this mystery woman.”
The waiter returned to collect the check and the money. McCabe told him to keep the change. He then focused his intelligent gaze on Nora. “She was pretty reluctant. She was only willing to repeat what Danny said to her. She didn’t embellish a word. I wish every witness was like that.”
“What did Danny say?”
“Bea bumped into him outside the restrooms. He looked upset, so she asked if everything was okay. He told her that he’d recently met someone and that he couldn’t tell if her appearance in his life was a gift or a curse, but he was about to find out. This was the day before he died.”
Nora sat with the words for a moment. Eventually, she said, “If this woman was his lover, I don’t think he’d talk about her so openly. He obviously didn’t want Marie to know about her. But why? If she wasn’t his lover, then what was she to him?”
“Someone he couldn’t get a read on. A gift or a curse makes me think that she made Danny an offer.”
“Beware of Greeks bringing gifts,” Nora murmured.
McCabe was puzzled. “Do you have something against Greeks?”
“No. The Greeks bearing gifts refers to the men who tricked Troy into opening its gates to allow entry to their giant horse. I’m sure you know the rest of the story.”
“Bloodshed, pillaging, rape.”
Nora felt a stirring in her bones. There was something important about this mysterious woman. But without knowing her identity, how could they hope to find her?
“Who was Danny’s Greek?” she asked, speaking more to herself than to McCabe. “It sounds like this woman offered him a horse, but he ended up floating in the river. The same river that runs past Cherokee Rock.”
McCabe stared off into the middle distance. “Gifts. Red birds. A strange woman.” He shook his head. “If not his attention, then what did she want from Danny Amo-adawehi? Pottery?”
“Maybe. According to Marie, Danny used to make traditional art pieces. Collector’s items. Something you’d put on a shelf and never use. Some of his older pieces could be worth decent money. I don’t know the market, so I have no idea what kind of money we’re talking about, but it’s worth looking into.”
McCabe took out a small notebook with a golf pencil tucked into its spiral and jotted down pottery value and red bird.
“It was good of you to visit Marie,” he said, closing his notebook. “She doesn’t have people to look after her. Her story is not mine to tell, so all I’ll say is that her family didn’t want her to marry Danny. They didn’t like the idea of their Southern belle tying the knot with a redskin. That’s what they called Danny.”
“Jesus.” Nora was mortified. “What about his family?”
“They never warmed to Marie. They stop by out of politeness, but that’s it. She has a few friends. Folks have brought her food. But in my experience, she’ll get fewer visitors as time goes by. Unfortunately, death changes a person’s social circle. It usually makes it smaller.”
“I’m taking the women in my book club to see her,” Nora said. “They don’t know it yet, but they’re going.”
McCabe laughed. He then donned his hat and was instantly transformed from Nora’s lunch companion into Sheriff Grant McCabe. “I’ll drive over to her place later this afternoon. Looks like she and I have more to talk about.”
* * *
Nora didn’t want to show up at the Inn of Mist and Roses empty-handed. After surveying the books in her Home & Design section, she ambled over to the cookbooks and selected a like-new copy of Best Recipes from American Country Inns and Bed & Breakfasts. Flipping through the book, she saw several delectable dishes including London Broil with Mustard Caper Sauce, Grilled Shrimp with Basil and Prosciutto, Baked Apple French Toast, and Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.
As she wrapped the book in brown tissue paper and tied it with a satin ribbon the color of a ripe pomegranate, she thought of Rose Lattimer’s diary and the dried flower that had fallen from its pages. She hoped Lou would share the diary’s highlights with her.
At the inn, Nora ran into Hester taking a bakery box out of the trunk of her car.
“Patty said that you’d be coming,” Hester said. “Can I tell you how relieved I was to hear that? I’m awful at dinner parties. I always say stupid things when I’m nervous.”
“Really? How did your dinner with Jasper’s parents go?”
Color flooded Hester’s neck and cheeks. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay. But if you’re upset—”
“Can we go in? I’m dying to meet Sheldon.”
Because Hester’s hands were full, Nora rang the bell. While they waited for someone to open the door, Nora asked, “How did you meet Lou and Patty?”
“I haven’t met Lou yet. Patty came into the bakery one day to try my cheese biscuits. The day after that, she brought me lunch and we talked food and recipes in between customers. Man, I wish she didn’t already have a job because that woman can really cook! Her guests are going to be so spoiled.”
“I guess we’re about to find out for ourselves,” Nora said.
Patty opened the door wearing a purple apron and a smile. “Now everyone’s here! Good. Come in, come in. We’re all in the dining room, but Lou is mixing drinks in the kitchen. What’s your poison?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Hester said, handing Patty the bakery box. “I’m sure you made an incredible dessert, but I figured you could always use another one.”
“There’s no such thing as too much dessert. Thank you.” Patty gave Hester a one-armed hug. “What about you, Nora? What’ll you have to drink?”
Nora asked for club soda if they had it.
“Club soda it is. Go say hello to the others. I’ll be right back,” Patty said, and bustled down the hall.
Nora and Hester entered the dining room. The mustard-colored walls were now a bright white. Nora assumed that they’d been primed in expectation of their new sage-green color.
Sheldon, who’d been talking with Georgia and Bo, saw Nora and Hester enter. He excused himself from his conversation and made a beeline for Hester.
“You must be the beguiling baker,” he said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Hester held out her hand and Sheldon squeezed it between both of his.
“What has Nora been telling you?” she asked.
Sheldon touched one of Hester’
s corkscrew curls. “That your food is a lovely as you are. And if I succumb to your culinary charms, my arteries will be totally blocked by Christmas.”
Hester laughed.
Sheldon turned to Nora. “You got here just in time. I cannot small-talk with Buffy and Biff for another second. I’ve heard enough about Biff’s law firm and Buffy’s art gallery. They’re friendly enough, but I don’t do well with Barbie and Ken types. I’m worried that I’ll do something rude like yawn in their faces.”
“I’m glad to see that you’re feeling frisky,” said Nora. “I was hoping you could put your mind to work on behalf of a friend of ours. Her name’s Estella and she owns a salon. The business is in trouble. Do you think you could take a look at it?”
Sheldon frowned. “What I know about running a salon could fit in a fairy thimble.”
“That doesn’t matter. You have an innate ability to size up a business in about thirty seconds and figure out how to improve it.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“If you’ll stop by tomorrow, I’ll bake you a special surprise goodie,” Hester said, smiling prettily.
Sheldon’s eyes gleamed. “I love surprises. It’s a deal.” Leaving Hester and Sheldon to become better acquainted, Nora headed to the kitchen to say hello to Lou.
She found Lou filling a wineglass with chardonnay. Patty stood by the sink, tossing a salad with a pair of wooden forks.
After greeting Lou, Nora added, “I know you’re busy, but I brought Rose’s photograph. I thought you might want to look at it without an audience.”
Lou put down the bottle of wine. “I would, thanks.”
“This is for both of you,” Nora said, placing the gift-wrapped book on the table and fishing the tintype out of her purse.
While Patty dried her hands on a dish towel, Lou peeled the layers of tissue paper away from Rose’s portrait.
“Oh!” she softly exclaimed. “She’s beautiful. Look at that skin.” She showed the tintype to Patty. “Were we ever that young?”
“If we were, I don’t remember looking like this. That girl’s face is smooth as glass.” Patty cocked her head. “But she has an older-than-her-years vibe about her.”
