The Deeds of the Deceitful

by Ellery Adams

  A pleasant silence stretched between them as they drank coffee.

  “Tell me, Cooper, what do you do for fun?” Jon asked after a few moments.

  “Birdhouses.”

  “Pardon me?”

  “I build birdhouses. The greenhouse becomes a woodworking shop in the winter. Right now, I’m storing those I made last year there.”

  “So you have your own greenhouse, and you build birdhouses. Now I am intrigued. And jealous.” He smiled. “May I—”

  Cooper held up a hand. “You have exceeded your twenty questions limit, Chef Eason. Now it’s my turn.”

  “I’m an open book. Go for it.”

  “I’ll need more coffee first.” Cooper stood.

  The thud of something hitting the ground had both Jon and Cooper turning around and looking toward the hall.

  “I’m going to find out what it is you’re up to, Dax. Whatever it is, don’t think for a minute that you’re going to get away with it.” Loretta Atwood’s shrill voice rang out. A door slammed, and then there was silence.

  “Her voice certainly carries, doesn’t it?” Cooper said.

  “Oh, yeah.”

  She put her mug beneath the urn and flipped the lever. “That won’t be good for business.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  A moment later, a tall, lanky man with dark curls, wearing a gray maintenance uniform, stood in the doorway. He couldn’t have been older than his mid-thirties and wore an arrogant confidence as he looked around the room.

  “That must be Dax,” Cooper murmured. She stirred in cream while keeping an eye on the man.

  “It is.” Jon offered a nod of acknowledgment to Dax as he strode past.

  Cooper sneezed. “Excuse me.” She wriggled her nose in protest at the strong waft of cheap cologne that assaulted her. “What’s Mrs. Atwood’s issue with him? I mean, besides his horrible taste in cologne?”

  “I don’t know which of Dax’s attributes Mrs. Atwood takes issue with. I’ll be the first to admit the guy is a bit of a sketchy character, and yes, he likes to douse himself in aftershave to dazzle the ladies. He’s also been caught smoking inside the building, which is strictly forbidden.”

  “With all those sterling qualities, I can’t help but wonder how he got the job.”

  “Alice insisted.”

  “That’s odd.”

  “Yeah, it is. He’s a real character. A prankster too.”

  A moment later, Trish stepped into the room, yawning. She raised her brows as she took in both Cooper and Jon. “Good morning.”

  “Join us, Trish.” Cooper pulled out a chair.

  “Oh, no. I’m not social until I’ve had two cups of coffee. Carry on.”

  “You had questions,” Jon said as Cooper settled back in her seat.

  “Who is Alice Mayberry in the scheme of things?” she asked.

  “Mindy’s stepsister.” He met her gaze. “I thought you knew Mindy. Didn’t you attend Hollins?”

  “No. My sister, Ashley, was Mindy’s roommate at Hollins.” She paused. “I’m more the public university type.”

  “Me too.” He grinned.

  “Really?”

  “Uh-huh. University of Georgia.”

  Cooper stared, surprised. She would have pegged him as a rich kid like Lincoln Love, her sister’s husband.

  “So, you’re Ashley Love’s sister.” It was his turn to give her an assessment. “I met her at Mindy and Steve’s wedding. She was the maid of honor.”

  “Are you going to say I’m nothing like my sister, like everyone else?” She waited patiently for his response. Everyone eventually had something to say about how very different the two Lee sisters were. Cooper was used to it, although she suspected that this time it might hurt a bit more, which surprised her.

  “My momma didn’t raise no fool. One never compares a ruby and an emerald.”

  “Good save.” Cooper laughed. “Okay, so how is it that you know Mindy?”

  He ran a finger over the rim of his mug. “I’m, I was . . . her brother-in-law.”

  “Oh, I had no idea.”

  “It’s been a tough year for Mindy. Name change or not, she’ll always be like a sister to me.”

  “Is that why you’re working at the inn?”

  “Because of Mindy? Sort of. I needed a break from the stress of my last position and she needed a chef. Plus, I owed her one after my brother’s defection.”

  “What about Alice?”

  “Alice is another story.” Jon rolled his eyes. “As far as I’ve been able to figure out, she was let go from her previous job, so Loretta Atwood got her the job here. Turns out she’s an okay chef with zero people skills.”

  “Two chefs in one kitchen can’t be easy.” Cooper toyed with the handle of her mug and slowly shook her head, thinking about the situation.

  “Yeah, that’s an understatement. It makes running the kitchen nearly impossible.”

  “Why don’t you leave?”

  “No way. That would feed right into Loretta’s plan.”

  “Loretta’s plan?”

  “Loretta hired Alice despite the fact I was already here. She thinks I’ll give in and quit. That isn’t going to happen. Except for the obvious problems, I like this place, and I’m digging my heels in.”

  As they spoke, Chef Mayberry stepped into the dining room. She glanced around. When her gaze landed on Jon, Cooper shivered.

  “Speak of the devil’s daughter . . .” Jon murmured.

  “Am I keeping you from work?” Cooper asked.

  “Alice has the breakfast service this morning.” He glanced at his watch. “And she’s late. The buffet should have been opened by now. The trouble is, she knows she can count on me to pull things together.”

  “And you’re going to?”

  “For Mindy.” He offered a solemn nod.

  “Dax aside, there seems to be an undercurrent of family drama here with Alice and Loretta. Don’t you think that’s going to affect the guests?”

  “Alice is chronically unhappy, but it’s Loretta who attracts drama wherever she goes.”

  “How can you keep her away from the inn?”

  “Short of eliminating her?” Jon laughed. “Kidding, of course.”

  “Maybe she needs something else on her radar besides the inn. Have you talked to Mindy?”

  “No. I’ve been too busy launching the kitchen. Hiring staff and dealing with Chef Mayberry has been like juggling meatballs with one hand tied behind my back.”

  Cooper couldn’t resist a smile at the visual he painted. “You don’t seem very troubled about having two chefs in one kitchen. My mama would call that a recipe for disaster.”

  “Your mama is right. Most of the time, I wear earbuds to keep the negative voice out.” He cocked his head. “Let’s talk about something pleasant.”

  “Like what?”

  “Didn’t I hear that you’re related to Magnolia of Magnolia’s Marvels?”

  “Yes. Magnolia ‘Maggie’ Lee is my mama.”

  “Will you introduce me? I’m not much of a dessert guy, but I have a weakness for cookies.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yep. Specifically her chocolate spice balls. I’ve been trying for weeks to create the recipe without success. Not that mine aren’t amazing. They are. But Magnolia’s Marvels are better. I’m curious what her secret is.”

  Cinnamon and cloves, Cooper mused. That was why Jon Eason smelled so familiar. He reminded her of her mother’s kitchen. She didn’t know why that thought made her happy, but somehow it did.

  “What?” Jon asked.

  “Nothing.” Cooper waved a hand. “You know, this is the first time a man lured me to coffee so he could meet my mother.”

  Jon laughed. “Not true, Cooper Lee. It was your eyes that lured me in. But now that I know more about you, I not only want to meet your mother, I want to see your greenhouse and your birdhouses.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Of course I am. Your ey
es are amazing.”

  Once again, warmth crept up Cooper’s neck and into her cheeks at Jon’s words, and she couldn’t help but laugh as she worked to hide her embarrassment. “I was talking about meeting my mother.”

  “That too. I’ve tasted everything she bakes. I’m a real fan.”

  “How about next Saturday morning? About nine or so?” The words were out of Cooper’s mouth before she could take them back. Now she could only wonder why she hadn’t had the good sense to keep her mouth shut. She barely knew him, and the last thing she needed was a man in her life. Or in her parents’ home, for goodness sake.

  “I’ll be there. On my best behavior.” Jon downed the rest of his coffee. “May I see your phone?” he asked

  “My phone?” Now, what had she gotten herself into?

  “Please.”

  Cooper pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and hesitantly handed it over.

  “You have to unlock it first.”

  “Why?”

  “So I can add my contact number, and you can text me your mother’s address.”

  “Oh!” Cooper complied. Thirty-five years old and she’d dated two men. She’d never had a guy ask to add his contact number, and she wasn’t sure what the protocol was. Should she thank him or simply act like she did this all the time?

  “Morning, Cooper. Chef Eason.”

  Cooper whirled around at the sound of Quinton’s voice, grateful for the interruption.

  “Morning, Quinton. You’re up early.”

  “F.O.M.B.,” he replied.

  “Huh?” Cooper stared at him, trying to figure out the acronym.

  “Fear of missing breakfast. I come from a family of six kids. Last one up got crumbs.” He rubbed his hands together as he moved toward the buffet. “I see I’m early.”

  “My apologies,” Jon said. “We’re running late. I’ll see that the buffet is right out.” He stood. “Cooper, it was a pleasure.”

  “Thank you for the coffee,” she murmured.

  Quinton’s slack-jawed gaze followed the tall chef as he left the room. Then he slid into the chair Jon had vacated and leaned forward. “Okay, dish. What was that all about?”

  “Coffee. It was all about coffee.”

  “That look said more than coffee, Coop.”

  A moment later, Trish joined them at the table with coffee in one hand and one of Maggie Lee’s scones in the other. She placed them on the table and pulled out a chair. “Tell us everything, Cooper.”

  “I told you that I was meeting him to discuss the inn.”

  “Nice try. That was definitely a cozy coffee date,” the Realtor said.

  “No,” Cooper quickly denied with a shake of her head. It was times like this she hated her fair complexion and the fact that she had a terrible poker face.

  Quinton smiled. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

  “I need another cup of coffee,” Cooper muttered.

  • • •

  “Scrabble, Cooper?” Bryant called out.

  “No, thank you,” Cooper said from her spot in a leather chair in the great room. “Jake lent me one of his detective novels, and it’s really good. I think I figured out who the killer is.”

  “You know what they say. It’s always someone close to the victim,” Bryant quipped.

  “Is that right?” Cooper chuckled and continued to read until the clock on the mantel chimed eight times, followed by the slamming of the front door of the inn.

  “I guess that was Loretta Atwood leaving for the night,” Trish said. “I recognize her signature slam from yesterday.”

  “Sadly, you are no doubt correct,” Savannah said.

  “I’m going to get a cup of herbal tea. Anyone want anything?” When no one took her up on the offer, Cooper stood. She glanced out the tall French doors, closed now, before walking around the table, where a serious game of Scrabble was playing out.

  “Can you see those tiles?” she asked Savannah as she peered over her friend’s shoulder at her tray of letters.

  “Only when I hold them close. But Jake and I have teamed up. That helps.”

  “Yeah, since I can’t spell,” Jake said with a laugh. “Savannah is my secret weapon. Who knew that queue was spelled like that?” He pointed to the word on the board.

  Cooper looked around the table at the group. “This has been a really nice day, hasn’t it?” she asked.

  Bryant looked up from his tiles. “It has. It would have been a perfect Saturday if Jane were here.”

  “My massage was so relaxing, and I caught up on paperwork and even took a nap,” Trish said as she studied her tiles.

  “Chef Eason did it again. Another gastronomic delight,” Quinton said.

  “You know,” Jake said. “Maybe we should plan a trip here once a year. That’s probably all I can afford, but it would be worth it.”

  “Yes. Wonderful idea,” Savannah said.

  “Looks like we’ll be able to tell Mindy we did have a memorable weekend,” Cooper said.

  A moment later, Savannah sneezed, and a chorus of “bless you” echoed around the room.

  “Do you smell that?” The folk artist sniffed the air and grimaced. Her highly sensitive nose was legendary in their group. But Cooper didn’t smell anything.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Bad cologne,” the folk artist said.

  “The maintenance guy, Dax Wilson, bathes in the stuff,” Cooper said. She glanced out into the hall but saw nothing.

  “That’s unfortunate,” Savannah said.

  Turning to Trish, Cooper peeked over her shoulder at her tiles. The redhead looked up and waggled her brows. “That, my friend, is what a winning word looks like.”

  Trish had used all of her tiles and spelled the word sleuths.

  Cooper smiled. “Very nice.” Then she noticed Trish’s earring. “Trish, you lost one of your hoops.” One of the pretty silver hoops Cooper had often admired was missing.

  “Oh, goodness. I know they were there a short time ago. I saw them both when I was in the ladies’ room.”

  “I bet it’s right around here on the floor.” Cooper examined the oak floors until she spotted a shiny reflection under Trish’s chair. “Aha! There it is.” She scooped up the hoop and handed it to Trish.

  “Thanks so much,” Trish said. “Sometimes the catch doesn’t quite catch. I’ll have to be more careful.”

  When Cooper stepped into the dining area, she discovered Mindy sitting at a table, shoulders slumped. Her hands were wrapped around a mug as she gazed straight ahead toward the tall windows.

  “Mindy?”

  “Hmm?” She looked up at Cooper. “Oh, hi. I didn’t see you.”

  “I’m pretty sure you were way off somewhere far, far away.”

  “Yes. I was thinking back to when my parents were alive, and we’d come here to visit my grandmother, who ran the inn. Everything was so peaceful back then.”

  “Good memories, I bet.”

  “Yes,” Mindy said with a nod. “Very good.”

  “Mind if I sit down?” Cooper asked.

  “No, of course not.”

  “You look like a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders.” Her heart went out to the gentle innkeeper.

  “Do I? Nothing quite so dramatic.” Mindy offered a weak smile.

  “Anything I can do to help?”

  “No, but thank you. I like to believe that everything will work out eventually.” She sighed. “It’s just that I didn’t expect that there would still be so much resistance so close to the reopening.”

  “From who?”

  “My father’s wife.” Mindy sighed. “The woman drives me to uncharitable thoughts.”

  “I heard about the roses.”

  “That’s not good. You’re a guest. You shouldn’t hear anything that goes on behind the scenes.”

  “She is a little . . . loud.”

  “There is that, on top of everything else.”

  “Everything else?”
Cooper asked.

  “My head of housekeeping quit because of Loretta’s constant sniping.”

  “Oh, no.”

  Mindy sighed yet again. “It gets better. She’s convinced that Dax and Helen are up to no good, and she wants me to fire Jon and let Alice run the kitchen.” She glanced away and then met Cooper’s gaze. “Loretta also wants to eliminate Maggie’s treats.”

  Cooper could only stare at Mindy as her words about Magnolia’s Marvels sank in. Her mother would be so disappointed. After years of hard work, she was so close to launching her business in a big way.

  “Don’t worry,” Mindy said. “That will never happen. I won’t let it. Loretta may be louder than I am, but I am still the majority vote when it comes to the inn.”

  “Oh, I assumed it was fifty-fifty.”

  “No. Thankfully, my father had the good sense to build a codicil into his will. I am the final authority in all business decisions regarding the inn per my father’s will. That doesn’t stop her from scaring off the staff, though. I’ve been through two receptionists and several handymen.”

  “I’m so sorry you have to deal with all of this.”

  “I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep. When I’m tired, I remember that I’ve been fighting her for almost twelve months now.”

  “How can I help?”

  “You already are. You and your friends are so nice. There’s a peace that I can’t explain when your group fills a room. It almost makes me feel like I’m surrounded by family again.”

  “That’s so nice of you to say. I have to admit, I joined the group only a few years ago, and my life has changed since then. They really are like family.” Cooper glanced around the room. “Did your family live in this house?”

  “My father grew up here. It was an inn when he was growing up, but it was also an open door for a constant stream of family who lived nearby in Laurel. Lots of coming and going.” She gave a sad shake of her head. “Those days are over. I’m the last Atwood.”

  “Not necessarily. Biological family isn’t the only family, Mindy. There are lots of options for you out there. Once things settle down, you’ll be able to see that.”

  “I know you’re right, Cooper. At the moment, it’s hard to see past today.”

  “My grandmother always says that the only thing bigger than our problems is the Lord.”