by Ellery Adams
“Do you see those rosebuds at our place settings?” Trish said, her lips trembling. “Tony Mancuso did that. He’s a fine man, with three kids and twelve grandchildren. He loves this inn. He would never harm anyone here.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
“There, there, Trish. I’m sure you’re right.” Bryant put an arm around her and looked at the group. “We visited Tony today, and he was quite apologetic once again for putting the roses in the car.”
“Is there anything I can help with?” Helen stood at their table, alarm on her face. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I couldn’t help but notice Mrs. Tyler’s distress.”
“Oh, Helen, you are so sweet to ask. Poor Trish has a sick aunt. Perhaps a cup of herbal tea?” Savannah asked.
“Yes, of course. I’ll notify the kitchen.
Cooper blinked. “Good save, Savannah.”
Savannah offered a serene smile and a nod of her head. “Shall we enjoy our meal and not discuss these matters where we might be overheard?”
Cooper was grateful that the rest of their dinner was unremarkable, except for Chef Eason’s dessert. He’d pulled off a masterpiece, serving what Quinton deemed the perfect flan.
After coffee and conversation, the group moved to the great room. Quinton filled several bowls with popcorn, and the scent of freshly popped kettle corn filled the air as they prepared for Scrabble.
Before she stepped through the French doors to the balcony, Cooper glanced at the empty wall where the Deveraux once hung. The naked space reminded her of all the losses suffered by Mindy Atwood.
Outside, the overcast sky reflected her mood as the sun began a slow descent behind a thick wall of clouds. The weather had been unfriendly of late, reminding her that it couldn’t hurt to start praying for sunshine for Angela’s wedding.
“My aunt says you haven’t been by with the birdhouses. She’s concerned you’ve changed your mind.”
Cooper swung around to face Jon. “I’m so sorry. They’re loaded in my Jeep. I have to find the time.”
“I take it you haven’t picked up your dress and shoes either.” A smile touched his lips.
“No. Please, don’t tell my sister.”
“I was serious. I’ll pick up the wedding stuff and drop off your birdhouses.”
She hesitated. Relying on Jon to do favors for her was crossing a line that she wasn’t certain she was prepared to cross. “Tell you what. If I don’t get it done by Monday, I’ll call you.”
“Fair enough.”
“Are you staying this evening?” Cooper asked.
“I’ll be outside, keeping an eye on things. I’m supposed to leave in a few minutes. I’ll make noise so everyone is aware that I have departed.”
“Be careful out there,” she said.
“You be careful, yourself,” he said. “I’m not in favor of this plan. They’re only paintings. In the scheme of things, they really don’t matter.”
“Don’t you want to save Atwood Inn, and get Mindy off Detective Olson’s suspect list?”
“My brother says Olson is only following protocol, as urged by his superiors. It’s an election year and the powers that be like cases closed quickly. That’s not always wise.”
“That does make me feel a little better. I mean, I’m hearing you say that your brother doesn’t think Mindy is guilty.”
“Between you and me, no one thinks Mindy is guilty.” Jon shrugged. Then he put a hand on her arm. “I mean it, Cooper Lee. Be careful this evening. I’d like to see you again.”
She nodded wordlessly.
At eight thirty the sun retired, and long shadows filled the great room. Cooper got up from her chair and yawned. “I must be getting old. I’m ready for bed.”
“Don’t go alone, Coop. Five more minutes and I’ll have won this game,” Quinton said.
Jake laughed. “You’re not going to win, my friend. You may know banking and French cuisine, but my gal Savannah knows words. You’re looking at the next winners.”
Savannah laughed. “No pressure, right, Jake?”
When the clock chimed nine, Cooper stood again. “Seriously, you haven’t finished?”
“Bryant is still taking his turn. The man is slower than a herd of turtles stomping through molasses,” Quinton said. “This is the last round. I’m down to one letter.”
Finally, a whoop went up. Jake stood. “We won!”
“Thank goodness,” Cooper said. She went to the French doors to lock them, but Quinton stopped her.
“No,” he whispered. “Leave them.”
“Let’s clean up here and head to our rooms,” Trish said, her voice unusually loud.
“See you in the morning, Coop,” Jake said as he assisted Savannah.
Cooper grabbed her novel and returned the recliner to its original position before following Trish out of the great room. They stood in the hallway for a moment, looking around. Wall sconces lit up the area, but no one else was there.
“Keep your phone charged,” Trish said. “And be careful.”
“You too,” Cooper said. She slipped into her own room and turned on a small bedside lamp. She could call her parents, but they’d sense something was going on from her voice. Instead, she changed into sweatpants and a T-shirt and lay down on the bed, waiting, with her phone in her hand.
Dozing off, Cooper’s eyes flew open when her phone began to ring. She scrambled off the bed, knocking the phone off the duvet and across the room. In the distance, she heard sirens, getting closer by the second.
Then, banging started on her door. Without thinking, she pulled the door open.
“Are you okay?” Trish asked. She stood in the doorway in pajamas and no makeup, holding a can of pepper spray. Behind her, the rest of the Bible study group were huddled in the hall.
“Yes. I’m fine. What’s going on?”
“You didn’t answer your phone,” Trish said. “We were ready to knock down the door. Or make Jake do it.”
“I think I fell asleep. Listen, do you hear sirens?”
“Yes,” Quinton said. “Something is going on outside.”
“Let’s go downstairs,” Bryant said.
“Together,” Jake said. He took Savannah’s hand and led the way.
“Coop, are you coming?” Quinton asked.
“I need to grab my shoes and my phone.”
Quinton waited in the hall for her as she scooped up her phone from under the bed and slipped into her flip-flops.
“What time is it anyhow?”
“A little after ten. I’ve been pacing my room for an hour.”
“I feel pretty silly, falling asleep.”
“It’s not like you could do anything in your room. Jon told me he’s staking out the exterior of the house. He’d know if any foul play was going on.”
“Yes,” Cooper said. “He told me too. I’m still embarrassed.” She hurried to keep up with Quinton, who was already on his way to the great room.
“What’s going on,” he whispered loudly to the rest of the group gathered on the balcony, where flashing red and blue lights lit up the yard below.
“We’ve caught a thief,” Mindy said from the balcony, where she too looked down at the scene below. “I’m so relieved.”
“Did you see them on the nanny cam?” Cooper asked.
“No. Someone put a cloth over the camera. I heard the sirens from my room and came running. I went downstairs and Detective Olson yelled at me to stay inside.”
“Olson? How did he get here so fast?” Quinton asked.
“I don’t know,” Mindy said, “But I’m not going to complain. I mean, as long as he doesn’t arrest me again.”
Cooper reached the rail and looked down at the trio of police cars forming a semicircle on the grass. Their high beams were focused on a woman in a hoodie, standing on the ground with a painting.
“Who is that?” Cooper asked. As she said the words, Detective Olson appeared. He handed the painting to another officer and turned the woman around to handcuff her.<
br />
“What do you see?” Savannah said. “I can only see the flashing lights.”
“Helen Everett is being arrested.” Cooper sighed. “Last time I interrupted a heist. This time I slept through one.”
“It’s not Alice,” Bryant said. “I’m gobsmacked. Little Helen is a thief.”
“Why are they taking the painting?” Jake asked.
“Evidence,” Mindy said. “I better go down there and talk to Detective Olson before he leaves.”
Cooper stood at the rail until police radio chatter faded away and the last vehicle left. “Wow, that was anticlimactic,” she said.
“I thought it was pretty exciting,” Jon said.
She turned to see the group greet Jon Eason.
“Jon,” Quinton said with a grin. “Did you catch our thief?”
“Did you call Detective Olson?” Bryant asked.
“Guilty. I gave him a heads-up on what was going on tonight and asked him to stand by.”
“We should have done that,” Cooper said. “Thank you for being so wise.”
He shrugged. “I like the Sunrise Bible Study, and I didn’t want anything to happen to you.”
Trish nudged her and whispered, “He means you.”
“Where did you find Helen?”
“I had a hunch she’d be rappelling off the balcony, so I hid in the garden. Once I saw the rope go over, I knew I was right. I called Olson, and he nabbed her as she descended with the painting.”
“That’s fantastic. Have you heard anything about the first painting?”
“As a matter of fact, Detective Olson said he had a very reliable lead.”
Cooper frowned. “What about Alice?”
“There’s nothing to indicate that she was part of this burglary, but Olson will have her picked up tonight on conspiracy charges.”
Trish grinned. “Tony Mancuso is no longer a suspect.”
“You were right, Trish,” Cooper said.
“This sure was our strangest case to date,” Savannah said. “This one was about people and relationships more than anything else.”
“Yes,” Cooper said. “This case has given me pause more than once, thinking about how blessed I am.”
Jake nodded. “I’m grateful we’re closing this one out, though there are still lots of questions to answer.”
“I can’t share right now,” Jon said. “But trust me. You’ll have your answers very soon.”
“Thanks again, Jon,” Cooper said.
“It wasn’t me. It was all of us,” he said with a smile.
“This definitely took a village,” Mindy said from the great room. “All of you did this. Mona Lister, too. I am beyond grateful.” She smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go down to police headquarters to press charges. Chef Eason will be handling the inn until I return. Let him know if he can do anything to make your stay memorable.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Oh, Cooper, I’m so nervous.” Angela reached for her bottle of Petite Chérie, a gift from Mr. Farmer, and spritzed herself.
Cooper stepped back from the cloud of perfume and sneezed. “You look like a princess, Angela.” She smiled at Angela’s reflection in the full-length mirror, realizing that her friend did indeed look like royalty in the beaded gown, with a faux rhinestone belt and a full skirt that fell to her feet, allowing only a peek at her crystal heels.
“Does this tiara look right?”
“Perfect, and Betty Boop’s is perfect as well.” They both laughed at the little terrier who raced around the Lee guest room, trying to pull the pink satin ribbon off her tail.
“Angela, may I ask you one thing?”
“Sure, honey. Anything.”
“Why do you call Mr. Farmer, Mr. Farmer?”
The bride laughed. “He’s been my boss for so long, I guess it’s just a habit. Besides, Bernard is sort of stodgy, and Mr. Farmer is anything but stodgy.” She fanned her face with a hand and smiled mischievously. “That man is a tiger in the—”
“Stop.” Cooper held up a palm. “TMI, Angela. He’s my boss, too.”
Angela laughed again. “Oops. Sorry.” She glanced in the mirror and adjusted her décolletage.
“What do you call him at home?” Cooper asked, still intrigued by the topic.
“Mr. Farmer, sweetie pie.” Angela’s eyes, beneath their curtain of long fake lashes, twinkled as they always did when she mentioned the boss’s name.
Cooper laughed.
“Did I tell you about the wedding present he got me?”
“No. I hope it was something good.”
Angela reached for her purse and dug around inside. She pulled out a sterling silver key chain with the letter M dangling from a silver circle.
“He got you a key chain?” Oh, this wasn’t going to end well, and she’d probably get fired.
“No, silly. He got me a car. A vintage 1956 Ford T-bird convertible in red. Marilyn Monroe drove one just like that, except hers was black. Mr. Farmer knows I love red.” She grinned. “I’ll be retiring my Volkswagen bug soon.”
“He actually bought you a car?”
“Uh-huh. Only it’s in Jersey City, so it won’t be here until we get back from our honeymoon.”
“Oh, Angela. He must really love you to have gone to all that trouble.”
Angela sighed. “He’s the best man ever.”
They turned when Mona slipped into the room and twirled around to show off her bridesmaid dress. The dress was the exact replica of Cooper’s but in a darker shade of blue.
“Cooper,” Mona said. “Your sister has excellent taste. We look good.” Then she eyed her best friend and swiftly crossed the room to take Angela’s hands. “You always were the prettiest girl on the playground. I’m so glad I got to see this day.”
Angela hugged Mona. “Oh, sweetie. You’re more sister than friend. I’m so glad you’re in my life.” She sniffed.
Cooper grabbed the tissue box and handed it to Angela. “Five minutes and counting. No tears until after the ceremony, per Ashley’s instructions.”
Mona grabbed a tissue and carefully dabbed at Angela’s eye makeup. “All fixed.”
A knock at the door of the guest room had the women turning. Maggie peeked her head in. “Ladies, Ashley sent me to tell you that it’s time. I have your flowers on the kitchen table.”
Outside, the strains of the gentle harp music could be heard.
Cooper and Mona stepped out of the house toward the satin runner that led from the house to the wedding tent. As she left the house, Cooper raised her face toward the sky, where a bright blue canopy confirmed Bryant’s weather prediction for the day. Clear skies and nothing but sunshine.
After the week she’d had, Cooper was ready for nothing but sunshine.
“Ready?” she asked Ashley, who stood to the side, orchestrating everything.
Ashley nodded to the harpist, who began the notes of the wedding march.
“Mona, you’re first,” Ashley said.
“Cooper, thank you so much,” Ashley whispered as Cooper waited for her turn. “You saved the day for Mindy and Mama, and Angela too. I’m so proud of you.”
“Don’t make me cry, Ash. It took me forever to figure out how to get this mascara on correctly.”
“Your turn, Coop. Remember to smile, because Richmond Bride Magazine might take your picture, big sister.”
“I was fine until you said that.”
Cooper paced herself as she walked down the runner toward the front of the tent, where Mr. Farmer and his best man, Emilio, waited. Once she arrived and stood next to Mona, she allowed herself to peek at the guests.
Of course, her family was here. The event was in their yard. There was her daddy in his suit. The only one he owned. Ashley had bought it for him when she got married. Mama was tucked by his side. Even Grammy was smiling as she met Cooper’s eyes and offered a thumbs-up.
Mr. Farmer’s sister, Beatrice, had decided to show up. Short and pudgy, and unsmiling, she was seated betw
een Emilio’s grandmother and Mr. Farmer’s Aunt Mildred.
Emilio’s date, a Jennifer Lopez look-alike, sat with Brandi and Josh, who came together. Bobby and his wife were next to Ben. Even the new girl, Bentley, came.
Cooper counted heads and realized that all of her Make It Work! family were in attendance. The entire Document Security and Leasing and Maintenance division had come to support two of the nicest people on earth.
Then Cooper’s gaze landed on Jon. Angela had invited him to thank him for all the work he’d done to ensure the yard was magazine beautiful. He looked even better than usual in a suit, with his unruly hair tamed.
When Cooper looked up, Angela appeared at the back of the tent. She held a jewel-encrusted leash and walked down the white runner with Betty Boop leading the way. A beatific smile lit up her face as she moved toward her groom.
Short and chubby, Mr. Farmer, with his receding hairline and his Danny DeVito good looks, seemed to get inches taller as he stood proudly watching his bride approach.
Cooper’s heart swelled at the love that flowed from his eyes to hers. That was exactly what she wanted someday.
Both Angela and Mr. Farmer recited their written vows, and by the time they’d completed them, there wasn’t a dry eye in the tent.
“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Farmer . . . again.”
The moment the words were said, Angela leaned over to give her groom a big kiss, leaving traces of red on Mr. Farmer’s lips.
After the wedding ceremony, guests began to trickle into Atwood Inn. Jon stood leaning against the reception desk when Cooper walked in. She glanced around, glad to turn the page on the story the inn would tell. The historic building would have its happily ever after now, thanks to the Sunshine Bible Study.
“Cooper Lee, just the person I’m waiting for.”
She turned to look at Jon. “Me?”
“Yes. I wanted to tell you that I lied.”
Her eyes rounded, and she dared to step closer. “You did? What about?”
“I said your dress and shoes didn’t matter because all eyes would be on the bride. I lied. My eyes were on you. You look amazing in that dress. It brings out the color in both of your eyes.”
Cooper’s neck and face began the familiar tingling warmth at the compliment, but she dared to step closer, meeting his gaze. “Look at you,” she said. “You’re such a Southern boy, standing there, wooing me so boldly.”
