Peach Cobbler Poison

by Diana DuMont

  Scott himself didn’t look happy. He was scowling in Todd’s direction, and looked like he was about to rush at the man and connect a fist with his face.

  “What are you doing here?” Scott demanded of Todd.

  I opened my mouth to tell Scott to calm down, but Todd beat me to it. He raised his arms in a gesture of surrender as he spoke.

  “Hey, man, don’t worry. I’m not going to cause any trouble, and I don’t have a gun on me like Josie.” He gave a small laugh, but his attempt at a joke fell flat. “I was just here to try to get my evidence back, but I guess it’s already down at the police station.”

  “Todd came to get the papers, not knowing that Josie had already been here last night,” I told Scott. “I’ve just explained to him about Josie, and about Theo. He’s quite shaken up. I don’t think we need to really shake him up any more.”

  Scott still looked at Todd warily, but he nodded at me.

  “Well, maybe it’s good that he’s here, then. I have some information he might be interested to hear. I can tell you both at the same time. The test reports came back from the medication we found in Josie’s purse.”

  I stood up straighter, and beside me, Sprinkles’ ears perked up as though he understood what was going on.

  “And?” I asked. Across the room, Todd was sitting up straighter as well, eager to hear the report.

  Scott was shaking his head. “It wasn’t poisonous. The pills were simple ibuprofen pills that she was carrying in an unmarked bottle. Mitch has still been working on getting a search warrant for her hotel room, especially since Violet swears she saw Josie put something in Caitlin’s glass down at the winery. But I don’t think at this point that Mitch is expecting to find much. Apparently, after reviewing the documents Mitch took last night, everyone down at the police station has agreed that the case against Theo is pretty strong.”

  “Ha! I knew it!” Todd said. “He’s the only one whose motive made sense.”

  I didn’t share in Todd’s jubilee over the fact that Theo was likely guilty. Instead, I felt sick to my stomach. Theo had really had me convinced earlier today that he was a good guy. Honestly, he seemed exactly as Violet had described him: a hard-working man who was just doing his best to live up to his father’s legacy.

  Scott’s face looked a little sick too. Scott and Theo weren’t best friends or anything, but Scott had known Theo for a long time. It must have been quite a shock to see the man accused.

  “Did you find out what evidence Mitch found?” I asked, even though I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to know the answer anymore.

  “Yeah, I overheard some gossip down at the Morning Brew Café. Some officers were in there for lunch at the same time that the historical romance monthly book club was meeting. The ladies in the book club overheard them talking, and now the news is spreading through town like wildfire. It sounds like, after analyzing all of the emails, the evidence strongly points to Theo being the one receiving money from a corrupt City Councilmember.”

  “But I thought the winery’s account records didn’t show anything suspicious,” I said. I was clinging to any last hope that Theo might be innocent. Funny how things changed. A few days ago, I would have been ecstatic to have even the slightest shred of proof against him.

  Scott shrugged. “Well, just because the records we have looked correct doesn’t mean those records are accurate. Theo was probably extra careful to hide the money away from the winery’s ledgers. In any case, I heard that several of the emails discussed what needed to be done to get rid of Caitlin. The one that we found last night was just the beginning. There were more, and they all talked about how the City Councilmember would be willing to pay extra money to have Caitlin poisoned. For several emails, these two mystery correspondents went on about how to give Caitlin poisoned wine. I guess they knew that she was planning to come to the tasting room soon, and they figured that’d be a good time to take her out. The correspondent whom we’re assuming was Theo said that he thought he could get one of the employees in the tasting room to make sure Caitlin only got drinks from a certain bottle of wine—a bottle of wine that was poisoned.”

  My heart tightened in my chest, and I sank into a chair at the same moment that Todd triumphantly stood up from his.

  “I knew it! I knew he was guilty!” Todd fist pumped the air like his team had just won the Super Bowl.

  I still didn’t want to believe it. Not when I’d been so ready to fall head over heels for Theo. Had I really been that blind?

  “But are they absolutely sure the correspondent was Theo?” I asked. “Were they able to figure out which email addresses had been blacked out?”

  Scott shook his head. “Yes, but that didn’t help them much. In fact, it wouldn’t have mattered if the copies Caitlin had received hadn’t been blacked out, because the addresses themselves don’t give anything away. They’re some sort of nonsense email addresses, no doubt made up to be used just for the purpose of carrying out this scheme. But from what I heard, the emails leave little doubt that Theo is the one behind all of this. The messages all discuss the winery and its wines in detail, and they even talked about getting the tasting room employees on board with the scheme. If Theo wasn’t responsible for that, it would at least had to have been someone higher up at the winery—someone who had a great deal of knowledge about the place. And there honestly aren’t too many people like that. Theo doesn’t really have any other top level employees. The winery is his baby, and he prefers to do everything that he possibly can himself.”

  I leaned onto the table in front of me, putting my head in my hands. Sprinkles sidled up beside me and laid a comforting paw on my leg. I reached down to pet him, but I still felt forlorn. I should be ecstatic about this. My name was all but cleared of murder, and with Josie and Todd likely to be cleared as well, I probably wouldn’t have to worry about any more angry visits from them either. So why did I still feel so upset?

  Scott seemed to sense my despair. “I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said. “Why don’t you sit there and rest for a little bit. I’ll make you some coffee.”

  As he walked around the counter to get the coffee machine going, the phone line for the Drunken Pie Café rang. Scott glanced at it.

  “Do you want to get that?” he asked. “I’m sure whoever it is would understand if you weren’t answering your phone today.”

  “No,” I said wearily. “I should get it. It might be the repairman for the door. He has my cell number, but I think I forgot my cell phone in my car. Maybe he’s trying to reach me this way.”

  I stood and walked toward the counter. Scott handed the cordless handset to me, and I hit the answer button.

  “Drunken Pie Café.” I tried to keep my voice as chipper as possible under the circumstances.

  “Oh, thank goodness. I’ve been trying to call your cell phone, but you’re not answering it.”

  “Who is this?” The male voice sounded slightly familiar, but he didn’t sound like the repair man.

  “Oh, sorry. It’s Mitch. Listen, I know it’s been a crazy couple of days, but could I bother you to come down the street to the station as soon as possible?”

  “I suppose so,” I said slowly. “But why? I already gave my statement this morning. Did you need something else from me?”

  There was a long, loud sigh on the other end of the line. “Yes, I need something. Well, actually, Theo needs something.”

  “Okay…” I said slowly.

  “Theo is asking to speak to his lawyer, and he’s saying that you’re his lawyer.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous. I am a lawyer, but I’m a contracts lawyer. Not a criminal lawyer. He needs a criminal lawyer. And besides, I’m trying to get out of the lawyer business. That’s why I moved here and opened my café.”

  “I know,” Mitch said. “Trust me. I tried to explain all of that to him, but he won’t listen. He’s saying that he has a right to speak to his lawyer, and that his lawyer is you. To be honest, he’s driving me a little bit
bananas. Would you mind just coming down to talk to him for a minute? As a favor to me, even? Maybe if he hears it straight from you that you’re not a criminal lawyer, then he’ll stop being so ridiculous.”

  It was my turn to sigh. As much as I wanted to help Theo, there was no way I was taking on a criminal case. But I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to talk to him. Besides, I was interested in learning more about this sudden turn of events in Caitlin’s murder case. Maybe being down at the station and talking to Theo would shed new light on the situation.

  “Okay,” I said. “If Theo wants to talk to me, then I’ll come talk to him. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  When I hung up the phone, Scott gave me a curious look. “What was that all about?”

  “It was about Theo. He wants to talk to me, so I’m going to go down to the station.”

  “Talk to you about what?” Scott asked.

  “No idea. But I can’t help hoping that he might know something that would still prove his innocence.” I deliberately avoided looking at Todd as I said this. I’m sure Todd must’ve thought I was crazy. Here I was on the verge of being acquitted of Caitlin’s murder, and I was trying to stir up proof that the alleged murderer was innocent? And yet, something about all of this still didn’t sit right with me.

  “Do you mind watching the shop until the door repairman gets here?” I asked Scott. “If you don’t have more deliveries to do, that is.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I’ll keep Sprinkles with me too. All on the condition that I can have as much coffee as I want, and that you’ll give me the full scoop on what Theo says when you get back.”

  I smiled. “Deal.”

  I continued to ignore Todd as I headed out to the police station to find out just what that scoop might be.

  Chapter Nineteen

  When I arrived, the police station was in a state of chaos. The excitement over Caitlin’s murder case had reached fever pitch here in little old Sunshine Springs. Locals filled the reception area, demanding to know what the case against Theo was. The harried receptionist looked miserable as she tried to explain over and over that she didn’t know what was going on, and that besides she couldn’t comment on an ongoing investigation. She brightened up considerably when she saw me.

  “Miss James,” she said as she stood. She must have been happy to have something to do other than field inquiries from nosy townspeople. “Sheriff Mitchell has been waiting for you. Follow me, please.”

  Turning to the crowd, she waved her hands at them in a shooing motion. “As I’ve said, I have nothing to tell all of you. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get Miss James back to see the sheriff.”

  “Why?” one of the townspeople asked. “Is she being accused of murder, too?”

  I wanted to roll my eyes. I’d already been accused of murder, and he knew that. I could have defended myself in that moment, and told him that I’d been acquitted. But that was exactly what they all wanted, wasn’t it? To know where the case stood, and where I stood in the case. They wanted the latest gossip. I took great pleasure in keeping my mouth shut and smiling sweetly at them as I followed the receptionist down the hallway to the back of the station. I will admit to being a bit of a gossip-lover myself. But I don’t love it when the gossip is about me. What can I say? I’m only human.

  The receptionist led me to Mitch’s office. When he saw me, he jumped up from behind his desk.

  “Oh, thank God. Theo is in a state, let me tell you. A state!” Mitch cracked his knuckles, and for once the gesture came across as nervous instead of aggressive. His face looked pale, and my heart went out to him. This couldn’t be easy for him.

  “Here I am,” I said, a little too brightly. I found myself wanting to say something to make him feel better, but I wasn’t sure what. Sorry your best friend turned out to be a murderer? Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s been a mistake and we’ll get this all figured out?

  I had no idea what the truth really was here, and I had no idea how to comfort a man like Mitch.

  Thankfully for both of us, Mitch seemed to take comfort in the mere act of starting to walk down the hall toward the jail cells. It was probably an easy role for him to fall into: the sheriff in charge. I had a feeling he was grasping onto that role with everything he had right now.

  I wish I had a role to grasp onto. I definitely didn’t feel like a lawyer anymore, but I wasn’t sure I could call myself a pie shop owner, either. In the week or so that I’d been open for business, I’d already been closed several times for a divorce proceeding, an assault against me, and a poisoning. Not exactly a stellar first week of business, if you asked me.

  Mitch motioned to an empty interrogation room on our left.

  “Go ahead and sit in there,” he said. “I’ll get Theo and bring him to you. You can talk to him as long as you want.”

  I nodded, and waited for what seemed like an eternity in the little room. In reality, it was probably less than three minutes until Theo appeared. Mitch nodded to both of us politely, then closed the door to give us privacy. For a few very long moments, Theo and I just stared at each other. He was still wearing the button-down shirt and jeans he’d been wearing earlier in the day, but his face looked older. I wasn’t sure whether it was the harsh lights of the interrogation room, or the strain of being accused of murder, but he looked like he’d aged ten years in the last few hours. The dark circles under his eyes definitely hadn’t been there when he’d been about to kiss me under the orange tree.

  “Hey,” I finally said in a soft voice. “How are you?”

  “Miserable. I feel badly for ever thinking it was appropriate to tease you about being falsely accused of murder. You were right. There’s nothing funny about this.”

  I felt a spark of hope in my chest. “So this is a false accusation?”

  I desperately wanted to believe that it was. Please, Theo, I pleaded silently. Tell me this is all a mistake. Tell me you have some sort of hard evidence to show that it definitely wasn’t you.

  He let out his breath in a long, exasperated sound. “It’s definitely a false accusation. I suppose I deserve it if you don’t believe me, but I swear to you that I didn’t kill the girl. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but murder isn’t one of them. Neither is stealing money from the City Council. I don’t mean to sound crass, but I’m an incredibly wealthy man. I have more money than I know what to do with. Why would I need to steal money from Sunshine Springs? I love this city, and its people. This is my home. I’m not trying to cheat anyone here out of money that rightfully belongs to them.”

  “I believe you, Theo. Or, at least, I want to believe you. But it sounds like the evidence against you is pretty bad. You know Mitch wouldn’t have arrested you if it wasn’t.”

  “I know what those emails said. Mitch told me. But I swear to you I didn’t write them. I don’t know who did. Maybe one of my employees thought I wasn’t paying them enough and tried to get something on the side from the city. I have a hard time believing that, because I always prided myself on paying the best wages in the business. But maybe it wasn’t enough. In any case, there isn’t really any hard evidence on me. They don’t have my name on those emails, and there’s a reason for that: it’s because those emails didn’t come from me. I might be the first person you think of when you read about poisoning someone in the tasting room. But there are a lot of other people with access to the wines in there.”

  “I understand. But why did you call me here? I can tell you that I believe you all I want, but it’s not my opinion that matters. It’s the opinion of the judge or jury when you stand trial.”

  “I called you here because I need your help. I need you to find a way to prove my innocence. You’re a lawyer. You must know something about how to prove innocence in a murder case.”

  “Theo, I’m a contracts lawyer. I spent my entire legal career arguing over whether this word or that word would get some faceless corporation more or less money out of a deal. Those skills aren’t g
oing to do you any good in a murder case. You need a criminal lawyer.”

  “No!” Theo insisted, slamming his fist on the table for emphasis. “I need you. I need someone smart who truly believes me. You do believe me, don’t you?”

  “Of course I believe you,” I said. And it was true. I really was starting to believe him. I never wanted to believe he was guilty in the first place. Well, not since deciding that I thought he was a good man, after all. There was that brief time at the beginning where I didn’t trust him.

  But now? Now I believed he was innocent. I just didn’t think I was the one to prove his innocence.

  I decided to attempt a little bit of humor. “But I’m not smart. You know that. Remember how I marched up to your house in the middle of the night, thinking I could make you confess? Who does that? Not someone smart, that’s for sure.”

  He wasn’t impressed with my attempt at humor.

  “You are smart. Stop acting like you aren’t. I know that whole middle of the night visit was Molly’s idea, anyway. It’s totally her style, and she just had you along for the ride. She’s a great gal, but a little crazy sometimes. As for you, you have guts. I need you on my side right now. Is it money you want? I won’t ask you to work as my lawyer for free. I’ll pay you whatever you want. Just tell me you’ll help me.”

  I felt my cheeks flush red. “It’s not about money, Theo. You’re my friend, and I’ll help you any way I can. I just think you need a criminal lawyer.”

  “No. I need you. Please, Izzy. If you care about me at all—as a friend or as…something more. Please help me. If you don’t want to call yourself my lawyer, then don’t. Call yourself a detective, or even just a friend who wants to help. But promise me you’ll find evidence to get me out of here.”

  I chewed my lower lip for a moment. What could I say? If I thought he was innocent, and a big part of me did, then what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t at least try to help him?

  Slowly, I nodded. “Okay. I’ll help you. But you have to understand that I can’t be your lawyer. I can only be your friend. And as a friend, I promise you I’ll do everything I can to get you out of this situation.”