by Kathi Daley
“Thinking back, can you think of any reason Orson might have stopped writing the commentaries when he seemed so determined to follow his theory through to the end?” I asked.
Mr. Parsons took a sip of his water. “I don’t remember him saying, but it seems to me that if there was a serial killer in the area and Orson was closing in on him, that might have put him in a dangerous situation. Orson had kids at home back then and a wife. People who he would have been motivated to protect. If the killer realized he was getting close and threatened his family, I could see him backing off even if he had, in fact, figured it out.”
I understood that and I supposed if I was in that situation, I’d do the same thing.
After we finished our meal, Mr. Parsons settled into his little first-floor parlor with the two dogs and the cat. Apparently, the group had a movie planned for the evening. That was fine with me since Cody and I planned to go upstairs and begin going through the notebooks Orson had left behind. Just because Orson had never outed the killer in the newspaper, that didn’t mean he hadn’t left behind clues that might help us to identify him now.
“There are a lot of boxes up here,” I said to Cody. “Any idea where to start?”
“Not a clue. As I pointed out to Finn, Orson left a lot of stuff behind. Notebooks full of notes, files. Even sticky notes with memos jotted down on them. There is a lot to go through.”
I picked up a box, carried it to the center of the room, and opened the lid. I began sorting through it while Cody grabbed his own box.
“This box seems to have information relating to Orson’s advertising clients,” I said after a few minutes of looking through files.
“Grab a marker and label the box as advertising.” He looked around the room. “Let’s take the boxes we’ve already looked through into the room across the hallway. I’m afraid if we don’t, we’ll just keep looking through the same boxes over and over again.”
“Good idea. We can bring them back in here and restack them when we’re done.”
Cody and I spent the next couple of hours sorting boxes. We’d decided not to take the time to really explore the boxes in any depth, but to simply set the boxes with notes and journals aside for further investigation and remove the boxes from the room which contained business files or customer contact information. Once we’d gone through all the boxes once, we began restacking those boxes we felt would be unlikely to have anything of use contained within them and taking the boxes with the most potential up to our living area, where we could go through them in comfort. The boxes we weren’t sure what to do with were stacked along the far wall of the storage room. If we felt we needed to go through them again after having gone through those with the most potential, we’d be able to find them easily.
“I say we call it a day,” Cody said. “It’s late. The dogs need to go out. And we have all day tomorrow to look through the files in the boxes with the most potential. Besides, I’m beat.”
“Yeah. Me too. I think we’ve done what we can for today, and I agree, tomorrow is soon enough to really dig into this.” I walked over to the coat rack and grabbed my jacket. “Do you want to come with me? It’s a beautiful night.”
Cody smiled. “I do. Just let me grab my other shoes.”
Once we were bundled up against the evening chill, we headed downstairs. Mr. Parsons was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a cup of hot milk. He informed us he was heading to bed when he was done but that he would leave his bedroom door cracked open for Rambler. Most nights, Rambler slept with Mr. Parsons, and Max slept with us, although they did hang out together for most of the day. I wasn’t certain where Mystique would choose to sleep, although she seemed to have attached herself to Mr. Parsons. If she decided to go to bed with him, I’d just leave all the doors open in our living area so she could move about at will should she choose.
“It’s a beautiful night,” I said, as Cody and I set off down the beach, hand in hand, while the dogs ran on ahead of us.
“It really is. You can almost feel the promise of summer in the air.” He tilted his head up toward the sky. “And those stars are really magnificent. They seem close enough to touch.”
I bobbed my head slightly as I looked out toward the sea. I really missed sitting on the deck of my cabin, looking out at the moonlit sea, and wrapped in a heavy blanket against the chill brought about by the setting sun. “Do you remember that we discussed building a cottage or guesthouse on the beach when we made the decision to move in full-time with Mr. Parsons and give the cabin to Cassie?”
“I do,” Cody said. “Are you still interested in something like that?”
“I am.” I laid my head on his shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about how much I enjoyed sitting on the deck late at night or early in the morning and looking at the sea. I remember the peace I found listening to the waves at night as I laid in my bed under a mountain of blankets. I know a little cottage isn’t practical for the long haul. I imagine we’ll have children one day and need all those extra bedrooms in the big house. But maybe, for now, while it is still just the two of us, we could spend part of our time in a little bungalow of our own.”
“I’ve already spoken to Mr. Parsons about it, and he is more than willing to allow us to build a guesthouse on the beach. He even offered to pay for it.”
My eyes widened. “He did?”
Cody nodded. “Mr. Parsons considers us to be his family. He wants us to be happy, and he wants us to feel at home. He knows the move has been hard on you, and if a little cottage by the sea that we can use long term as a guesthouse will make you happy, he wants that for you. I was going to bring it up on several different occasions, but it’s been so hectic since the move, and you hadn’t mentioned it again, but if having our own space to escape to has been on your mind, I’ll talk to some people and get some quotes.”
I stopped walking and turned to hug Cody. “Thank you. We don’t need anything big. A small structure like the cabin on Aunt Maggie’s property would be perfect. Sometimes we can sleep there and at other times, we can sleep in the big house with Mr. Parsons. I do enjoy having coffee with Mr. Parsons in the mornings. He really is such a knowledgeable and interesting person.”
Chapter 8
Friday, April 3
Our appointment at the bank did not go as we’d hoped, so once the loan manager had finished killing our hopes and dreams, Tara and I decided to head to her place for a cup of coffee and heart to heart conversation. When we arrived at her condo, I greeted her cat, Bandit, and then took a seat at the kitchen table while she made the coffee.
“I can’t help but notice Danny’s stuff strewn around the room,” I said as casually as I could muster. “Is he living here now?” I’d wanted to ask that for weeks now, but somehow the timing hadn’t been right. Actually, the timing wasn’t right now either but delaying the more important and potentially emotional conversation we needed to have seemed like a good idea at the time.
“No, not officially,” Tara said. She took the cream out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter. “He hasn’t moved his stuff over, and we haven’t actually had the ‘living together’ talk, but he has been sleeping here pretty much every night. I know the fact that we’re trying again after so many failed attempts probably seems crazy to pretty much everyone in our lives, but we really do love each other, and I really do feel that we are meant to be together.”
“Are you sure? I love you both, and I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
She poured coffee into the mugs and set them on the counter. “I don’t want to get hurt again either, and I don’t want Danny to be hurt again, but the time for playing it safe and protecting our hearts has come and gone. If we can’t make it work this time, there is going to be pain. There is no avoiding that. But I feel that every relationship failure, every time we’ve broken up in the past, has taught us something both about ourselves and each other. I really think we’re going to make it this time. I think Danny feels that way as well. I know you’re worri
ed about us, but what I really need is for you to be happy for us.”
I smiled, placing my hand over Tara’s. “If you’re happy, I’m happy. And I will admit that Danny seems a lot more mature since he bought the bar with Aiden. I think having that level of responsibility has changed him.”
“I think so too.” Tara took a sip of her coffee. “So, what are we going to do about the bookstore?”
I hesitated, mostly because I had no idea what to say. The bank didn’t seem to be willing to lend us the amount of money we’d determined we would need to supplement the payout the insurance company was offering. We really didn’t want to tear down and rebuild the building, but after looking at the report provided by our insurer, simply repairing the place didn’t seem like a viable option.
“Can I ask you something?” Tara asked when I didn’t reply right away.
“Sure. Anything.”
“How do you really feel about reopening the store?”
“What do you mean, how do I feel? It’s what we want. Isn’t it?”
“I didn’t ask you what we wanted. I asked you what you wanted.”
I have to say I wasn’t expecting that question and had no idea how to reply.
“When we came up with the idea for Coffee Cat Books, it was a joint venture,” Tara began. “You were mostly interested in the cat lounge as a way to find homes for your strays and deal with the overcrowding in the cat sanctuary, and I was mostly interested in owning a bookstore and running book clubs. The coffee bar was an afterthought that came about since we realized coffee would bring people into the store to look through our books and play with our cats. I guess at that point, the enterprise represented both our dreams, but things have changed to an extent. For one thing, the situation with the feral cats on the island is totally different than it was when Bradley was mayor. There aren’t as many stays looking for homes, and over time, the cat sanctuary has become well known as the place to go for folks wanting to adopt whether they see them in the lounge or not. Not that the cat lounge wouldn’t provide an option to really showcase those who are ready for forever homes, but since we’ve opened the store, your personal situation has changed.”
“Changed how?”
“For one thing, you’ve reconnected with Cody and gotten married. Cody has purchased the newspaper, and since the store was destroyed and we were forced to close, you’ve been happily helping Cody investigate news articles. Since we first came up with the idea for Coffee Cat Books, you’ve also started helping Tansy with the magical cats that live on the island. In addition to everything else you have going on, that relationship seems to keep you pretty busy solving crimes.”
“I guess that’s true. I am busier than I was when we came up with the idea, and I have been happy working with Cody, but you are my best friend, and I am always happy when we’re together. Owning and operating a bookstore was more your dream than mine, but I was happy working beside you every day. I want this for you. I know how much Coffee Cat Books means to you, and I want you to know that I’m not planning to bail on you.”
Tara smiled. “I appreciate that. But I want you to be happy as well, and I’m not sure that spending forty to fifty hours a week at the bookstore is going to make you happy in the long run.”
“So, what are you saying?” I asked. “Isn’t the whole reason we’re here is to come up with options now that the bank turned us down?”
She nodded. “Yes, that is partially why we are here. I’ve been thinking a lot about our options. The money we receive from the insurance settlement will probably allow us to open a store in another location. There are storefronts for rent in both Pelican Bay and Harthaven with reasonable rents, but I just don’t think it would be the same. Being right there on the wharf with the gorgeous view and proximity to the ferry was our greatest asset. I believe our location was the reason we were successful.”
“I agree with that,” I said.
“The bank suggested we might want to look into a private lender, or better yet, an investor who might give us the upfront money we need to rebuild in exchange for a small ownership share and the potential of investment income in the future.”
“That seems like a good plan to me,” I said. “I suppose we could ask around and see if anyone is willing to do that.”
Tara leaned forward slightly. “Actually, I already have someone in mind. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go that route until we had a chance to talk to the bank, but now that we have, I can see that an investor might be a good option. It would mean restructuring things. The investor would want a percentage of the business, and if we took on a partner, they would probably want to have some level of input into our decision making, which could get tricky if we didn’t agree. Still, if an investor is the only option, I think it is one we should consider.”
“I agree. Who are you talking about?” I asked.
“Balthazar Pottage.”
I raised a brow. Balthazar Pottage certainly had more than enough money to buy a hundred businesses if he wanted, but he was an old man who had recently begun to turn things over to his son, Alex, once Tara and I had helped the father and son reconnect. I was surprised he was interested in taking on something new, although Alex did live with our part-time employee, Willow, and was helping her raise her son. I suspected there was more than friendship between the two, but as of this point, I didn’t have any proof of that.
“You asked Balthazar to invest in Coffee Cat Books?” I asked.
“No. I didn’t ask him. Willow called me last night, and we chatted for quite a while. We both know that she doesn’t need the small paycheck she receives to get by since she’s living with Alex, but she does enjoy the work, and it is important for her to have some money of her own. She’s never been interested in working full-time, but the three days a week she does come in are really important to her. I guess she shared the details of our discussion with the insurance company with Alex, and he, in turn, shared our problem with Balthazar. Now that father and son are reunited, Balthazar wants Alex to be happy, and, of course, Alex wants Willow to be happy, and working at the bookstore seems to make Willow happy, so Balthazar called me with an offer. We still need to work out the details, and I realize that it wasn’t all that long ago that I said I would never consider going into business with such a miser, but he is a totally different man now, and I really think it will be okay.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I think it will be okay. Balthazar is a totally different person now that Alex is back in his life. Actually, he’s one of the people I thought about going to for a loan, but an investor we only needed to repay with a percentage of profit would be even better.” I frowned. “I feel we’ve somehow gotten off topic. You asked me if I was happy at the bookstore. Are you thinking of going it alone this time?”
“Not if you still want to be part of things, but since we need to rework the ownership contracts and paperwork, now seemed like a good time to have this discussion with you. If you want to be an equal majority owner, then, of course, half is what you should have. Or at least half of our half once Balthazar takes his portion, whatever that works out to be. But if you are happier working with Cody, this would be a good time to open that door. Willow is still in for three days a week, and I’ve spoken to Cassie, and she’s decided to split her time between the bookstore and the bar once the bookstore reopens. If you want to work full-time at the bookstore, then, of course, you are welcome to do so, but if you’d rather do something else…” She let the sentence dangle.
I took a moment to consider my options. I really did love working at the newspaper, and the bookstore had really only been a means to an end for me. “Are you planning to continue featuring the cats, whether I’m there or not?”
“Of course. The cats are part of who we are. Without the cats, we’d really just be a bookstore.”
I had to admit I was tempted. I hadn’t been a very good partner to Tara since I seemed to have one mystery after another to solve, which left her at the bookstore running things by
herself most of the time. “I do love working with Cody, but I think I would miss everyone if I moved on from the bookstore entirely. Maybe I could do a part-time thing. Between Willow, Cassie, and myself, we’d make a full-time person, and if Cassie and I worked different days, we could still bring the cats in every morning and then take them home at the end of the day.”
Tara smiled a sort of sad smile that had me wondering if she was as okay with this as she said she was. “I think that would work perfectly. You, of course, would still own a share of the store, along with Balthazar and myself, since you were one of the original investors.”
“How about we take my share and divide it between Cassie, Willow, and myself. You would own the majority share, which would give you ultimate control. I’m sure Balthazar would own the next largest piece, and Cassie, Willow, and I would all own a small piece, which would provide us with a sense of belonging.”
“Are you sure?” Tara asked. “The last thing I want to do is to make you feel pushed out in any way.”
“I’m sure. You were right when you said I was happy working with Cody. I think the option we’ve come up with will work out best for everyone. Two days a week at the bookstore and the rest of the time to chase down stories and solve mysteries sounds perfect to me, and, of course, if you ever need me to put in more time in the future, I’ll be there for you. So, what do we need to do next?”
“I guess I should call Balthazar back and let him know that we are interested in looking at his offer. I’m assuming he’ll be fair, but until we read his entire proposal, I guess we really can’t know what he has in mind.”
Chapter 9
Saturday, April 4
“Morning,” I said to Mr. Parsons after filling a mug with coffee and sitting down at the kitchen table where he was working on his daily crossword puzzle.
“So, what are you and Cody up to today?” he asked after pushing the creamer in my direction.
