by Lynn Cahoon
“Don’t age profile us. Just because our hair’s gray doesn’t mean we are all the same. Adele wasn’t the sentimental type. About her family or her age.” Grans swatted Mia’s arm.
“Yes, ma’am. You need some help?” Mia eased the car down the snow-covered street.
Grans put the paper that she’d been studying on her lap. She turned to Mia and cocked her head. “Now you think I’m too old to do research?”
Mia twisted to check for oncoming traffic as she made a right on to Grans’s street. She didn’t answer until she’d pulled the car into the driveway and turned off the engine. “I was just going to offer to hold out the paper farther so you could read the words.”
“Smart aleck.” Grans sniffed and tucked the paper into her purse. “Thank you for the ride. I’ll let you know when I find something.”
Mia leaned over the seat. “I’m here for you.”
“You’re here to tease me.” Grans slammed the door, then wiggled her fingers at Mia. Their secret symbol. Grans had taught Mia the sign when she’d first said goodbye and left the Boise house to return to Magic Springs. Be good, be loved, be everything. Grans had explained the symbolism behind the action. Mia had never forgotten.
She waved back and considered following her grans into the house. Instead she waited for her to find her keys and unlock the door before Mia put the car into reverse. As soon as she touched the gearshift, her phone rang.
“Mia Malone.” She smiled as Grans curtsied in the doorway, then shut the large wooden door. The woman could still surprise her.
“Where are you?” a male voice asked.
“Where am I supposed to be?” Dropping her hand, she decided to finish the call before leaving the driveway. She still hadn’t invested in a Bluetooth, and Officer Baldwin could be just around the corner. The man was just looking for an excuse to write her a ticket or, at worst, throw her in jail. The voice registered finally and she asked, “Trent?”
“You should be here talking to your contractors. They are ready for the building inspector.” Trent’s voice held a touch of humor. “And I brought you a present.”
“I’m dropping off Grans, I’ll be there in a sec.” She glanced behind her, trying to gauge the chances the town’s police cruiser was even out in the more residential areas. Baldwin tended to man the town’s speed trap out on the main highway toward Sun Valley. Reaching up to put the car in gear, she watched out the window for any sign of the cruiser. “What’s my present?”
“If I told you, you wouldn’t be surprised.” Trent added, “Just drive safe and get over here.”
“Who said I like surprises?” Mia realized she was talking to dead air. She tossed the phone into the passenger seat. “Seriously, that man is . . .”
She paused. What had she been going to say? Infuriating? Bothersome? Hot and sexy as hell? Her hormones must be flying for her to be in lust at ten in the morning. Seeing Isaac had brought back a lot of emotions, a lot of pain.
Now, less than six months later, she was considering a relationship with a new guy? Okay, to be honest she really was only considering having sex with the guy. Maybe several sessions, just to make sure she truly was over Isaac. Mia smiled at her reflection in the rearview mirror as she pulled out of the driveway. Finally arriving home, she slid her van into the principal’s old parking spot and sprinted into the building. When she entered the front door she ducked involuntarily. She hoped she’d be able to stop doing that someday.
Voices sounded from back in the kitchen area. When Mia stepped into the room she gasped. All the work she and the general contractor had planned was done. Well, the floor still needed to be replaced and the window treatment had totally disappeared, but the appliances were in, and, heaven help her, the subzero freezer looked cuter than it had in the store. The kitchen reminded her of a mini version of the Lodge’s kitchen. But totally big enough for Mia’s Morsels. Now she just had to find the missing inspector.
Trent gestured her over when he saw she’d arrived. “Hey, what do you think?” He waved his arms around the room.
“I didn’t think we’d be done until late next week at the earliest.” Mia glanced around, looking for the general contractor. He tipped his hat when their eyes met. “What happened?”
The man stepped closer. “Mr. Majors can be very persuasive. Especially when he’s explaining how much opening this place means to you.”
Trent stepped between the two, blocking Mia’s attempt at more conversation. “I didn’t bring you here to chitchat. Meet George Kennedy.”
Mia gasped. “Mr. Kennedy? I’m so glad you made time for us out of your busy schedule.” A little butt kissing may work better than vinegar on the elusive Mr. Kennedy.
“Trent told me about your little predicament. I’m glad to help out.” The inspector glanced around the room. “I’m sure with a few upgrades you’ll be code ready in about a week. How does that sound?”
“Like heaven.” Mia signed in relief. She’d be able to cook and prep for the ritzier party next week, once the kitchen was complete. She’d be a real caterer then. And between her and Christina, they’d make a kick-ass menu for the first drop-off dinner clients and the word-of-mouth advertisements happy customers brought. She’d be doing a brisk business in less than a month. The thought excited her. Her own business.
“Mia? What do you think?” The men were looking at her like she’d missed a button on her blouse.
“What?” Mia smoothed the front of her T-shirt.
“George wants to know what you are doing about the gas lines. Are you going to return to the original kitchen configuration?”
“I don’t understand.” Mia glanced around the room. “Isn’t this the original setup?”
George barked a chuckle. “Heavens no. The school did some unapproved remodeling to allow them to bring in a larger refrigerator, one with a lock.” He walked over near the window. “The stove and hood were over here, which lowers the stress on the gas lines and assures a better distribution. Over there, you’re looking at running all new lines and wires. And probably adding a week or two to your initial proposal.”
“No delays. I can’t afford them. Let’s just move the stove back.” She tried to imagine the updated kitchen. The room flowed better with the change George suggested. She’d expected a long list of corrections before she opened, but this guy was nice, sweet even. She just must have been used to the Boise inspectors, who took glee in writing up even the tiniest infraction.
George handed her a clipboard. “Just sign here and I’ll give a copy to your contractor, giving him the go ahead to continue working with the caveat that these items will be corrected.”
Mia glanced at the list. Twenty-two items. “I don’t understand. All these things have to be fixed? Or are these just suggestions?” She gave the inspector what she hoped was a somewhat friendly smile.
“Either fix them or don’t open. We take building safety seriously in Magic Springs.” He nodded to the clipboard. “Now, if you’ll just sign that you got the list, I’ll be out of your hair.”
Mia glanced at the list. “You want us to install earthquake straps to the large appliances. Earthquakes?”
“The Stanley Basin is a hotbed of tremors. I’m surprised no one told you.” George pointed out the window to the distant Magic range. “A fault runs directly through this valley. Those tectonic plates are shifty little devils.”
“When was the last earthquake that did any damage, 1910?”
“It was 1983—the Borah Peak quake basically destroyed the town of Challis, just down the road.” He pulled on his coat. “I’m not here to argue with you. Either do the work or don’t open. Pretty simple.”
Mia watched as he walked out of the kitchen and toward the front door.
“I’ll calm him down.” Trent squeezed her arm then turned to follow the inspector. “Doesn’t do any good to have George mad.”
“Calm him down?” Mia glanced at the clipboard still in her hand. Sighing, she signed the paper, rip
ped off her copy, and shoved the rest at Trent. “Take this with you. I don’t have an option here.”
Dollar signs danced around in her head as she tried to estimate the additional costs. Thank the Goddess she’d taken Grans up on her offer of a loan. The kitchen remodel budget had just doubled. She glanced around the room again, watching the dust dance in the sunlight beams forcing their way through the dirty panes of glass. It didn’t matter the cost. In a week she would be putting on her first real event since she left Boise. A chance to start over. All wrapped up in a cocktail party for the Magic Springs elite.
CHAPTER 12
The music flowed out of the speakers in the Joneses’ kitchen. Bach, if Mia’s classical music training at the one private high school in the Boise area held true. Mia had wanted to attend the local high school where all her friends from elementary and junior high had gone, but her parents had insisted on the Catholic school run by Bishop Kelly. Four years of excruciating hell from being the misfit. Those kids had been born into their cliques. Mia hadn’t had a chance even before she opened her mouth.
Music, singing, or just listening to a violin solo along with an unhealthy attachment to the library and a goal to read through all the books in the collection had kept Mia sane for those years when she didn’t have a single friend.
When she graduated and escaped to college, then cooking school, Mia knew she’d never return to the campus. Not for homecoming, or career day, or even to bring her kids to the school. She was done with the place. She’d never been invited to any reunion and she’d never attended. The process worked well for both parties. Mia didn’t have to shoot anyone and the pompous jerks didn’t have to die.
No wonder she’d taken Christina under her wing when she’d arrived at the house Isaac and Mia had shared. Mia saw herself in Christina, even if her upbringing was a lot more privileged and refined than Mia’s own.
Mia glanced at the door, hoping her thoughts would bring her wayward sous chef back home. Christina had been disappearing for days now. Isaac had returned to Boise on Monday, just like he’d promised, but Mia could hear him playing on her sympathies at night, when he called to harass his sister.
Now that she was out of the relationship, she didn’t know what she’d seen in Isaac in the first place. They hadn’t really talked for years, not about what mattered: their relationship, their future. No, their conversations had been all about work and remodeling and Isaac’s family. The problem with denial was that when you really opened your eyes you were standing on the edge of the world, waiting for a push over the brink.
She set out the Green Goddess dressing she’d prepared earlier and emptied the rest of the items from her tote bag. She looked at her list. She had to get going or the food wouldn’t be ready in time. She couldn’t fail.
Mia had finished chopping the onions when Christina finally showed.
“Sorry I was late. We didn’t have a clock.” Christina pulled on an apron and turned to the sink, washing her hands.
“We?” Mia smiled. Maybe there was something to keep Christina hanging around besides the job. She liked having company around the house.
Christina blushed, grabbing a towel from the rack. She pulled out the cutting board and glanced at Mia’s prep list. “Where do you want me to start?”
“You’re lucky we’re running late or you’d never get away with dodging my question like that.” Mia glanced at the list. “We need to get the squab started.”
Christina bit back a smile, but Mia saw it anyway. She’d have to ask Grans about the young men in town. Mia just hoped it wasn’t one of the spoiled rich kids from Sun Valley, slumming it with a Magic Springs girl. Many a heart had been broken when the real girlfriend showed up for the weekend to stake her claim. Even though Mia had been a summer resident for most of her teenage years, she’d never fallen for the prep boys. Give her a bad boy to the core, and if he had a little grease under his fingernails, more the better.
The two women worked side by side for the next hour. The only conversation centered around preparing the salad bar Mia had imagined. Chicken Green Goddess, Ahi Tuna Surprise, How Green Is My Valley, Not Your Mama’s Potato Salad, oven-roasted squab, and a selection of cheeses. Not the most gourmet of meals, but all the salads were spot-on delicious. The hostess needed a spread that wouldn’t offend the more down-to-earth business sponsors her husband’s firm were courting. As Mia put the last bowl on the buffet table, Carrie Jones came by to see her.
“I love it. I can’t believe you pulled this together so quickly.” Carrie used a fork and speared a potato from the salad. She swallowed, then squealed. “The food is amazing. Jacob is so going to love me.”
“I’m glad you like it. Everything’s out and displayed, so my assistant and I will leave now. What time do you want us back to clean up?”
“How about ten? My husband plans on taking the group out to the Lodge for a nightcap.” Carrie pressed a key into Mia’s hand. “Just lock up when you’re done. Leave the invoice in the kitchen, I’ll have a check waiting for you when you come back for your things. Thank you again. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
“Satisfied customers always bring me repeat work.” Mia put on a hostess smile. Especially because the phrase seemed forced, Marketing 101 level. She didn’t have to worry because Carrie had already disappeared back into the living room. Mia heard her call out that dinner would be served in the dining room and took that as her clue to duck back into the kitchen.
Before she could escape John Louis blocked the door. His smile looked more like a crocodile opening his mouth. “Well, if it isn’t Mia Malone. Have you considered my offer? Ready to get out of here and start your new life?”
“This is my new life, so no, I’m not ready.” She stepped around the jerk. “Thanks for the offer, though.”
His hand reached out and squeezed her arm hard enough to bring tears to her eyes. If they had been anywhere else, Mia would have used her ten years of martial arts training to put the waste of space on his butt. “Look, sister, I need that property. And if you haven’t figured out yet, I get what I need around here. I would have thought what happened to Adele would have spooked you enough. I don’t like it when I’m ignored.”
Mia set her jaw. “Now you’re trying to tell me that you killed Adele?” She laughed, the sound harsh and tinny. “I don’t think you have the balls to actually kill someone. Sure, beat around a defenseless woman or two, but not kill.”
“You don’t know what I’m capable of.” John leered at her. “Maybe you need to find out?”
She shrugged out of his grip. “In your dreams, buddy. I think, though, that Mark Baldwin will be very interested in this conversation, and the fact that you sound so much like the man who called and threatened me over the phone the other night. Do you like pushing around girls?”
Now his face was beet red. “You don’t know who you’re messing with. You should have left when I told you to. Now you’ll just be collateral damage.”
A polite cough sounded in the doorway of the dining room.
John spun away and almost ran over a portly man who was obviously looking for the food. Mia greeted the man with a quick smile, then pushed on the door to the kitchen. She had to get out of there.
As she stepped away, she felt a hand on her arm. She looked up into a pair of deep-brown eyes in a face she didn’t recognize. “Can I help you?”
The man blushed and pulled away his hand. “I’m sorry to bother you, I just wanted to see that you were okay. You’re Mia Malone, right?”
“Since I was born.” She let out a breath. “Sorry. My conversation with John has me a little on edge. Thanks for showing up; he’s intense.”
“No one deserves to be talked to in that manner. Not even his wife, who has taken his crap for years.” The guy eyed the buffet table as he continued. “I’m Barney Mann.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Mann.” Mia waited for her breathing to slow. The man in front of her stood five-foot-two, maybe thre
e. Mia saw the heels on the shoes under the cheap suit. From what she could tell by the girth of the man, he might have been five-foot wide as well. His eyes now peered at her from a puffy face. “Are you enjoying the party?”
“Normal chitchat crap. You’d think these people would learn how to get a life. It’s always the same thing: who they saw, who they know, what they paid for their new car. I get tired of talking within the first fifteen minutes of one of these things.” Barney grabbed a plate and filled it with potato salad. He took a bite, “This is actually good. Too bad it’s just picnic food.”
“Mrs. Jones wanted a more casual presentation.” No way would he get her to talk bad about the only client she had who was alive to give a reference.
“Carrie. That girl may have married well, but her husband would have been better off sending her to a finishing school rather than the plastic surgeon to enhance her assets. You know she’s from Alabama, right? And not the good part either. If there is such a thing.”
Mia bit her lip to keep herself from smiling. The guy may not like gossip, but he sure had his own to spread around. She nodded and stepped to the left to the kitchen door. “I’d better go. Enjoy your meal.”
“Wait, I need to talk to you.” Barney shoved another spoonful of potato salad in his mouth and chewed with his mouth open. He set down his plate and held up a finger, holding her in the dining room.
Mia waited, more out of curiosity to see if the man would choke before he asked his question.
Finally he swallowed and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his suit. “I’m Adele’s attorney.”
Mia waited. When he didn’t continue she prodded. “And?”
“I understand her nephew has been spreading some gossip of his own. Like telling people you killed Adele.” The man’s eyes went sharp as he watched her for a reaction.
“I can’t control what other people say, but I didn’t kill Adele. Why would I?” Mia refolded a linen napkin that had been lying on the table.
