by Tessa Kelly
He’d proven there was more to him than met the eye. The question was, how much more? What else was there lurking underneath that unassuming exterior?
Outside, a gust of autumn wind whipped my hair and cooled my hot cheeks. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Then my phone pinged with a text from Felisha.
‘I’m at Stones and Beads. Are you around? Can you get here ASAP? I need you!’
Stones and Beads was our neighborhood jewelry shop. Its owner held jewelry making classes three times a week so, naturally, Felisha was a regular fixture there.
My heart beat faster again. Had something bad happened to her?
A cab turned the corner and rattled past me on the cobblestones. I ran after it, waving my hand in the air to get the driver's attention. Thankfully, he stopped.
Catching up to it, I scrambled inside and gave him the address.
“Please, hurry. It’s an emergency.”
My fingers flew over the small keys on my phone, firing off a reply to Felisha.
‘Hold on. I’m on my way!’
Chapter 9
Ten minutes later, the cab pulled up to the curb in front of Stones and Beads. I saw Felisha through the display window, hunched over the long work table that took up half the store and was littered with piles of crystals, beads, lace, pliers, and other bric-a-brac that went with making handmade jewelry.
The wooden shelves along the walls held transparent containers heaped with jewelry supplies, while ready-made pieces in a variety of styles and colors crowded the window display and the counter in the back. The amateur jewelry maker's paradise.
I paid the driver and rushed inside. The two older women at the other end of the work table raised their eyes at me from their projects with mixed curiosity and displeasure. I ignored them and pulled out a chair opposite Felisha.
“Okay, I’m here. What’s wrong? Is it your parents, the apartment? Talk to me. What happened?”
Fiddling with a large crystal and some twisted wire, she raised her red, swollen eyes to me. Her face crumpled.
“He still hasn’t called,” she wailed. “Since last night, not even a stupid text. Nothing! Why isn’t he calling me back?”
A wave of relief washed over me, quickly succeeded by a prickle of annoyance.
“So this is all about Tyrone? That’s your big emergency? You made me rush all the way here in a cab because he hasn’t returned your calls. You had me thinking something terrible happened!”
Her lips trembled more violently and she looked down again, making me regret my words.
I clasped my hands on the table and leaned forward. “I’m sorry. You don’t think he’s ignoring you, right? He wouldn’t do that. Isn’t it possible he’s just out of town and didn’t get your message?”
“They have phone reception in other towns too,” she pointed out mulishly.
“He could be in an out-of-service area.”
She strung the red crystal onto the wire, took it off, and put it back on again.
“But we’re in a relationship. Why wouldn’t he tell me if he was going out of town? He probably found another girl, that’s why he’s not calling.”
She jerked the crystal off the wire and let it drop to the table. It made a dull clank as it hit the wooden surface. I reached over and trapped it under my palm to stop her from picking it up again.
“I told you, Tyrone wouldn’t do that to you.”
“How do you know?” Felisha took a tissue from an ornate handcrafted tissue box standing next to her and blew her nose. “You always said Tyrone is a huge player.”
She had me there. Still, I took a deep breath and soldiered on.
“It’s different with the two of you. You’re more than just some girl he picked up at a bar or a club. You’re friends.”
She looked hopeful at that. “You think that’ll stop him from cheating?”
I nodded, praying I was right. “Besides, you’re making yourself upset over nothing. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation why he hasn’t called yet.”
The two women at the other end of the table gave me appreciative smiles.
Felisha wiped her eyes and sighed, looking more like herself again. “Thanks, Sandie. You’re probably right. I mean, he’s always telling me he really likes me, and not just for my looks but as a person, too. Maybe he’s just busy with his kids or something. And it’s only been a day anyway. I shouldn’t get so upset.”
“No.” I touched her hand to comfort her. “It’s understandable after what you’ve seen last night. Of course you’re on edge. I am too.”
And Tyrone should’ve been there for her.
Even if the guy had ten good explanations for not calling, it was still no excuse. I’d have to give him an earful the first chance I got. For the moment, the best thing I could do was try and get Felisha’s mind off her absent boyfriend.
I touched the half-completed necklace hanging from the display stand in front of her, an asymmetrical piece with red crystals arranged to look like flowers. I turned it around, admiring the design.
“That’s beautiful. Did you come up with it yourself?”
She showed me the pencil drawing she’d made in her artist’s sketchbook. “I got the idea for it the other day when I was at the bakery, and I drew it during my lunch break so I wouldn’t forget. I’m going to call it “Love Necklace”. Do you think Tyrone will like it?”
And we were back to Tyrone again. Great job, Sandie. Still, I put on a smile for her.
“I think he’ll love it. It’s the prettiest thing you’ve made here so far.”
To my dismay, Felisha’s eyes welled up with renewed tears. How was I ever going to cheer her up when she was in this mood?
Then an idea came to me. I rose from the table and came around. “I know what’ll make you feel better. Get your stuff and let’s go. We’re getting you out of here.”
She blinked up at me through tears. “Where are we going?”
“To the book shop.” I started putting away her pliers and beads. “I think you’re in desperate need of Dad’s specialty tea.”
She didn’t try to argue with me.
We packed away the rest of her things and walked up Smith Street, the most popular street in our neighborhood for cozy little restaurants, boutiques, and pubs. It was twilight, and the orange glow from the streetlamps cast the people on the sidewalks in a sad and mysterious aura.
We walked past several cafes with their crowds of patrons gathering for the before-dinner drinks. A last hoorah to the joys of the weekend before the inevitable Monday morning thrust them back into the rat race.
Five blocks from Stones and Beads, Dad’s used book store was located on the first floor of a two-story house with a yellow façade that hadn’t seen a paint job in years. My childhood home.
The first floor used to be the family room. Growing up, my siblings and I spent many evenings there reading books and playing board games. After our parents retired, they decided it was time to realize their lifelong dream and turn the downstairs into a book store. A fulfilling endeavor that brought them much joy.
Now that Mom was gone, though, it fell to Dad to run the store. He treated it more as a hobby than a business.
We strode over just as Dad was closing up for the day. He grinned at the sight of us.
“Hey, kids! What do I owe the pleasure to?”
“We’re here for some cheering up if you’ve got time.” I helped him pull down the metal grate over the front.
“Hi, Nicolas.” Felisha gave him a warm hug. “It’s so good to see you!”
He hugged her back, then held her away at arm’s length, frowning at her red eyes. “Now, what could a pretty girl like you have to cry about?”
Tears pooled in her eyes again and she shook her head. “It’s... nothing. I’m fine.”
Dad squinted. “Fine, you say? So it’s boy trouble then. Well, I’ve got just the medicine for that. Come on in. Sandie, lock the door. I don’t want any more customers tonig
ht.”
As usual, the front of the store was crammed with stacks of books, propped up against the walls and the front desk and perched precariously on top of it.
Josh walked out of the aisle in the back, Dad’s brown and white Springer Spaniel trailing after him. The dog was a present to my parents after I’d rescued him as a puppy from the sad life of illegal dog fighting. Against Mom’s objections, Dad named him Marlowe, after a favorite character in the Raymond Chandler detective mysteries.
Seeing me, Marlowe trotted over and sniffed my pant leg, whining to be scratched behind the ears. I knelt to oblige him.
Josh, looking as handsome as ever in the dim light of the store, dusted his hands on his jeans and nodded a hello at us. He seemed to be in higher spirits than the night before, though dark circles under his eyes spoke of a sleepless night.
“Looks like you’re not the only one in need of a pep talk,” Dad told him, confirming my suspicions.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Josh leaned against the front desk and peered at him, his eyebrows drawing together in a tight line.
“It’s nothing!” Felisha said suddenly. Her cheeks growing pink, she gave me an emphatic stare. Josh was not to be privy to her romantic troubles.
Dad laughed. “Oh, you kids! We’re all family here, so let’s have no secrets. Go on upstairs, I’ll be right up with my famous brandy tea.”
“I’ll help you,” Felisha said.
While they went into the kitchen behind the bookstore, Josh and I took the stairs to the second floor to Dad’s office.
As usual, the carpeted floor was littered with papers and more stacks of books, a permanent mess that defied all attempts at tidying up.
We picked our way over to the old couch by the wall. It had stood there since before I was born, and the cushions had long assumed a concave appearance but Dad refused to throw it out as it was the first piece he and Mom bought together as a young couple.
“So?” Josh said after a short pause. “Any news?”
He was talking about the investigation, of course. It must’ve been on his mind all day.
Alexa’s murder, being a suspect... How did he cope with all of that?
Unlike last night, he looked surprisingly composed, and the tired rims under his eyes were the only thing that gave away his state of mind. My eyes drifted to his hand resting on the back of the couch, his long artistic fingers lying perfectly still.
An overpowering urge to touch him came over me. To hold his hand and reassure him everything would be okay.
But what if he withdrew? After seeing Josh with Caroline the night before, I wasn’t at all sure he would welcome my touch.
I folded my hands in my lap to keep them from straying and told Josh about my trip to the AGER, the conversation I’d had with Dan Cobbs, and my growing suspicions about the man.
The corners of his mouth lifted skeptically. “I don’t know, Sandie. That guy is harmless, he couldn’t hurt anyone. Maybe himself, with all that sugar he eats.”
“A slow death by macarons,” I agreed.
He smiled, then shrugged and shook his head. “I mean, you’re talking about killing someone in cold blood here.”
“Doesn’t seem the type,” I agreed. “Stressed out and mild-mannered, sure. But did you know he’s also got a temper?” I explained to him about the incident with the chair being turned into kindling.
A deep frown darkened Josh’s expression. “He threw a chair at you?” He leaned forward, his hand grazing my shoulder. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
My breath caught at his sudden closeness. I had to remind myself not to get lost in those brown eyes.
“I’m fine. It didn’t hit me,” I stammered, wanting to curse myself.
“Good.” As though remembering himself, he leaned away and ran a hand through his thick curls. “Just be careful, Sandie. You shouldn’t have gone there alone in the first place.”
Another admonition. Great. I sniffed and rolled my eyes. “You sound just like my brother.”
That made him frown again. “Look, I don’t want you taking risks on my behalf. I know I asked you to help me, but not like this. How do you think I’d feel if you got hurt?”
I wish I knew.
It took all my effort not to ask him, but my heart suddenly beat faster. Was Josh actually worried about me?
Betraying my feelings, my voice came out softer than I intended. “It’s nice of you to say that. I can take care of myself, though.”
“Sure.” He smirked. “But you know if something happened to you because of me, your dad would never forgive me.”
So that’s all it was. He was thinking about how Dad would react, not worrying about me. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.
Why did I keep doing this to myself?
Josh leaned back against the couch and continued to frown. His eyes stared past me at a spot over my shoulder, considering something.
“Maybe you’re right about Dan's bad temper,” he said. “I haven’t been at the gallery that long, and I’m only there a couple of times a week. I’m probably not the best person to tell you about Dan’s character. But I know someone who is.”
I shifted uncomfortably, suspecting I already knew whom he meant.
“Caroline,” he said, echoing my thoughts.
“Right.” I did my best to keep my face neutral.
Thankfully, Josh took my reticence for skepticism. “I’m serious, Sandie. Caroline’s worked with Dan much longer than I have. She could tell us something we don’t know.” His eyebrows raised in question, a sort of eagerness in the way he suddenly leaned toward me, his shoulders tensing. “Would you be up for meeting with Caroline tonight? I could call her and see if she’s free.”
Dad and Felisha walked in, carrying the tea tray, a bottle of brandy, and an opened package of Mint Milanos, Dad’s idea of a fancy desert.
Felisha emptied the cookies onto a plate, keeping Marlowe away with her foot. Salivating, he trotted around her in an attempt to get at them from the other side but was blocked again by Dad who ordered him to sit. Marlowe obeyed, but not without whining.
I took a Milano and gave Josh a reluctant nod. “Okay. Let’s meet up with Caroline.”
After all, his idea was the only logical next step, and I couldn’t let personal feelings keep me from possibly finding out something useful. If I was going to get to the bottom of this case, I needed to keep my feelings out of the equation. As much as possible, anyway.
“Great. I’ll call her now.” Josh rose and walked out into the hallway.
I added a generous splash of brandy into my teacup and tried not to listen as he talked to Caroline. His voice carried over, though. Notes of concern and warmth in it which I never heard when he talked to me.
Dad and Felisha had been discussing Tyrone’s recent behavior. They suddenly stopped and turned to look at me. I blinked.
“What?”
“You tell us,” Dad said with a half-smile. “I know Felisha’s troubles. Which boy are you sighing about?”
Had I been sighing aloud? I stared into my cup, cheeks burning. “No boys. Just thinking about what happened last night.”
I took another sip of the tea, then leaned over and placed the cup on the side table, balancing it on a stack of books for lack of free space.
“Josh and I might go out for a while. He wants to meet up with his work colleague from the gallery, see if she has any info that might help clear him of suspicion.”
“Well, if you do, take Marlowe with you,” Dad said. “He needs a walk.”
Hearing his name, Marlowe raised his head and wagged his tail.
Josh came back, pocketing his phone. “Caroline will meet us at Luce della Vita in an hour.”
I forced a smile on my face. Yippee!
We finished the tea and leashed Marlowe. With an hour to spare, we could walk down without having to call a cab.
Dad gave Felisha a tight hug. “Chin up, now. No guy is worth shedding tears
over. I'm one of them, so I know what I'm talking about.”
She nodded, a first genuine smile playing on her lips.
Leaving Dad’s, the three of us headed down Smith again, Josh walking the green bike he bought secondhand about a month ago and rode everywhere. As we neared our building, Felisha said goodnight.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” I asked.
Once alone, she might start thinking about Tyrone again. Besides, if Felisha came, it wouldn’t be just the three of us sitting at Luce della Vita, and I wouldn’t have to feel like the third wheel while Josh flirted with Caroline.
Unfortunately, Felisha shook her head. “I’m really tired, I just want to go up and relax for a bit. Night, guys.”
We watched her go in.
“I hope Tyrone calls her soon,” I said. “Or I’ll have to kick him where no guy likes being kicked.”
Josh laughed. “Come on. It’s only been a day. Does she really think he’s cheating on her?”
“It’s the circumstances,” I reminded him. “I’m sure any book on relationships will tell you a guy needs to show some concern when his girlfriend calls him from a crime scene. Instead of pulling a disappearing act.”
He raised his hands in surrender, his navy parka straining against his chest. “Okay, you got me. I shouldn’t have made fun. I’m sorry.”
Marlowe whined at that moment, reminding us we needed to keep moving if we were going to be on time. We continued walking down at a brisk pace.
Chapter 10
Caroline was waiting for us when we arrived at Luce della Vita. In an off-shoulder top, her long red hair spilling down her back, she sat at the bar with a Cosmo in front of her and chatted loudly with Liam. It surprised me to see him back from Connecticut so soon.
His hair looked a bit longer than I remembered, falling in waves to his broad shoulders. It suited him well. He looked up as Josh and I came in, and a tiny frown darkened his face. But his greeting betrayed no emotion.
“Hey, guys. What can I get you?”
“A Guinness,” Josh said with a nod for a hello.
“Hey, Liam. I’ll have my usual.” I wondered if he would remember which drink I meant. The last time I came in here, he made it for me without having to ask.
