by Lynn Cahoon
Angie pushed the box closer. “Because I made too many this morning and I don’t want to eat all of them.”
“I saw you at your man’s office. Where’d he take off to so fast this morning? I watched him shove a duffel bag into that truck of his and peel out of here like the devil was chasing him.” She took the box and perched it on the iron railing that went around the top of her steps. “I suppose these were supposed to go to him?”
“I didn’t have anyone in mind when I made them.” She glanced over to the parking space where Ian’s truck was gone. The little wagon he used for business sat alone in one of the two spaces. “What time did you see him?”
“It was early. I don’t sleep much, so I head down here to have my coffee and read the paper. Sometimes I get lucky and see some action, even that early.” She smiled, but Angie didn’t feel like the emotion behind it was positive or friendly. “You two have a fight?”
“No. And don’t be spreading that around. I hate the way gossip travels in this town.” Angie tried to think of why Ian would take off, but the only thing she could think of was his meeting Daniel last night. He’d been weird since that guy had walked into the kitchen.
And now Daniel was dead. The two things couldn’t be related. Could they?
Chapter 4
She left messages on both Ian’s and Felicia’s voice mail, then started the car. But instead of turning toward home, she decided to take a detour. When she arrived at the parking lot, she saw Dom’s wiggle and smile in the rearview mirror.
Getting out at the base of the hiking trails that lined Snake River Canyon, she glanced up as a hawk cried as he flew over her car. She and Dom were the only visitors to the park based on the empty parking lot. She grabbed her backpack that had bottled water, a bowl for Dom, and a few protein bars. She tucked her cell phone into the front pocket and put the leash on Dom. Sometimes she let him off, letting him explore the area, but today she wanted him close.
Probably because she felt uneasy about not being able to find either her boyfriend or her best friend. She shook the negative thoughts away. They would call. Just because something happened to someone she barely knew didn’t mean her friends were in trouble. Except maybe Hope. She hoped Estebe’s cousin was a good lawyer. She didn’t want to think the worst, but it never hurt to make sure you were protected.
Again, nothing she could worry about now. Right now she was going to walk up the trail and focus on getting some of this extra energy burned off. And if she saw some amazing scenery, all the better.
She locked the car and then tucked her keys into her backpack, making sure she zipped up the pocket. Being out here alone wasn’t a problem. Losing her keys on her walk and not having anyone close by to rescue her, that might be more of an issue.
Dom and Angie wandered up the trail that did switchbacks to keep you climbing. By the time she got to the top of the canyon, both she and Dom were panting. She sat on a bench that provided an outstanding viewpoint for the entire canyon and river. If you could get here. Opening her backpack, she poured half a bottle of water into Dom’s bowl and drank the other half. She absently picked up her phone and noticed she’d missed a text.
Clicking on it, she read Ian’s message aloud to Dom. “I’ve got to go home for a few days. I’ll call you when I’m back in the States.”
Ian had grown up in England, where his mother had moved them when he was a baby. He had dual citizenship, but he didn’t talk about England as home. Had something happened to his mother? He didn’t talk about her or his childhood. She decided she’d call Sheriff Brown as soon as she got home and see if Ian had mentioned this trip when they’d talked that morning.
Wait. If he had, why hadn’t the sheriff mentioned Ian’s leaving when he came for donuts and information? Sometimes the guys kept things from her that didn’t need to be a secret. It was like they had this family code that didn’t include her. Well, that was going to be a conversation she had with Ian as soon as he got back. She needed to know these things.
Angie steamed all the way down the trail. But when she called the station, Sheriff Brown was out in the field. The only satisfaction she got was leaving a terse voice mail. She drove home and took care of her chores. Precious ignored the food and cried until Angie stopped working and paid attention to the goat. The animal seemed to know her moods. Angie sat on the stool and stroked her neck, telling her about all the weirdness that had happened that day. When she closed up the barn after feeding Mabel, she felt better. Dom sat on the step to the house watching her.
“You still don’t like having Precious as one of us, do you?” She sat next to him and scratched behind his ear.
The only answer she got was a baleful look toward the barn. She guessed that was all he needed to say.
“Let’s go inside and make dinner. Then we’ll put on a movie and eat popcorn.”
Dom stood and waited at the door. Apparently, he thought that was the perfect ending to this day. Angie glanced around the darkening farm and threw out good wishes to her loved ones.
She’d finished the dinner dishes and was about to put the popcorn in the microwave when her phone rang.
“Hey, just got your message. Thanks for the donuts. I spent the day with Taylor at the donation center going through stuff. You wouldn’t believe what people think is worth donating. I swear we threw away more than we kept.” Felicia sounded happy but tired. “What’s going on with you?”
Angie wondered where to start. “I guess you haven’t heard. Daniel Monet is dead. And Ian’s taken off across the pond.”
“Wait, what? Who? What’s going on with Ian? Do I need to come over?”
“You don’t have to come over, but I’d love to chat for a few minutes if you have time.” Angie curled up into the recliner in her living room. Then she proceeded to tell Felicia everything she knew. “And Ian’s taken off for England for some reason. You don’t think it has something to do with Daniel’s death, do you?”
“Of course it has to do with Daniel’s death. You said Ian thought he knew the guy. Maybe he’s going home to look at his high school yearbook or something.” Felicia was quiet for a second. “He said he’d be back in a couple of days. Just talk to him then.”
“Reasonable.” Angie yawned and realized they’d been talking for over an hour. “Look, I’m coming in tomorrow. I’ll stay out of the kitchen so I don’t shorten Estebe’s or Matt’s hours by doing prep, but I want to be in the office working. I think it will help take my mind off this whole crazy mess.”
“Sounds good. Do you think I should hire a temporary dishwasher?”
Angie considered the question. “I don’t think so. According to Estebe, his cousin is dealing with the legal issues.”
They said their good nights, but Angie didn’t go up to bed. Instead she made that popcorn she’d promised Dom and put on a movie she’d watched too many times. But she knew how it ended, and she needed something proving that the world rewarded good and punished evil, even if it was only in the movies and novels she loved to immerse herself in.
* * * *
Thursday morning was bright and cool. Mornings like this always made her think of the song about Thanksgiving with the frost on the pumpkin, but she had no idea what fodder being in the shock meant. She could call Ian, but he was being a world traveler and not available for such inane questions.
Angie fed Precious and Mabel, then went inside to feed Dom and make her own breakfast before she headed into town. She tried to fuel up on workdays because she knew she’d be on her feet for hours once service started and, besides the tastings, she wouldn’t eat much until after the restaurant closed. She insisted on a family meal between the prep and the service. It kept her kitchen staff from fainting during service and she got a feel for how her team was feeling.
She cut the last loaf of homemade bread into thick slices and made her French toast. She’d emptied a jar of strawberr
y preserves into a saucepan and let it warm while she made the toast. She fried bacon in another pan. Dom was lying in his bed watching her. She thought she saw him lick his lips.
“No bacon for you, big guy. You’re going to be home alone way too long for me to chance it.” She’d set up a dog door to the backyard and reinforced the fence, but she still worried about him being by himself so many hours. It couldn’t be helped. Long hours were part of being the chef/owner of a restaurant, especially during the first few years when establishing the business.
She sat at the table, reading on her tablet to find any more information on the murder. The local paper had a small article buried on the third page of the local section. The piece hadn’t mentioned Hope, just that all avenues of investigation were being explored. Angie wondered how Sheriff Brown had gotten involved in the investigation. Or maybe he hadn’t been on official business when he came out to interview her.
She was going to make sure she popped into the police station today and had a chat with him. One, she was kind of worried about Ian, and maybe Sheriff Brown knew more about Ian’s little disappearing act. But two, she wanted to know what his stake in this investigation was and why he’d come out to the farm.
Angie cleaned up the kitchen, checked on Dom’s food and water, and gave him a chewy bone. She left the radio on so he’d have some company and leaned down to kiss him on the top of his wide brow. “You be good, boy. Maybe we can squeeze in a hike Saturday morning before I go into work.”
Dom huffed and laid his head on the chewy. He wasn’t happy, she could see that.
She locked the door and headed out to her car. Maybe Dom needed a friend, but she couldn’t imagine having a second dog in the house. Unless it was small. And then she’d worry about Dom sitting on the puppy and smothering it while she was gone. No, for right now, she’d just have to deal with the guilt.
The drive into River Vista was relatively quiet. No dawdling farmers driving tractors in her way. No wandering farm animals to slow down the commute. Just the music on the stereo and the sun shining through the side window. If she didn’t have so many worries on her mind, she would have enjoyed the pretty day.
She parked behind the County Seat and looked over at the building that held Ian’s office and apartment. The windows were dark. Stupid, she thought, as her heart sank. She wasn’t going to moon over a guy who didn’t even see the need to tell her he was leaving. Yes, Ian was going to have a lot to account for when he returned.
Angie unlocked the kitchen door and was surprised to see Estebe already in the kitchen working. “Hey, I didn’t see your car. How long have you been here?”
“I parked out front since I stopped by Pamplona Farms this morning and picked up the delivery. I’ll move it now if that’s a problem.”
“No problem. Just move it before service. I’d rather have those slots available for our customers.” Angie felt stupid correcting him. He’d probably planned to move it anyway, but she felt surly and the words were out of her mouth before she could soften them.
“Yes, ma’am.” He watched her walk into the kitchen. “Hope is coming in after class. She’s holding up well, considering everything.”
How had he pinpointed one of her worries so fast? It felt like the guy could read her mind. Angie grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at the table. “I can’t believe she’s having to go through all this. All she did was give the guy a ride home and they’re dragging her into a police station for questioning? Hope?”
Estebe set down the knife he’d been using to chop vegetables. He refilled his own coffee cup and then sat down at the table with her. He studied her face, not speaking.
“What? Do I have my makeup on wrong? Why are you staring at me?” Fear bubbled up in her stomach. “No, it’s about Hope. You know something you’re not telling me. What? There’s no way she killed that guy. Not Hope.”
“I do not believe she killed her professor. However, she didn’t just give him a ride home.” He sipped his coffee, now avoiding looking at her. “She told me she went into his house when they got there. He offered her a glass of wine and she went inside.”
“She was going to a soccer game. She didn’t have time for socializing.”
Estebe shook his head. “You saw how nervous she got around Daniel. I believe she thought they might have a real relationship, so when he invited her inside….”
Angie finished the idea for him. “She thought it was so he could ask her out on a date.” She shook her head. “What was she thinking? He’s old enough to be her father.”
“Some women like older men. They make them feel safe and they are more established in their careers.” Estebe chuckled as Angie stared at him. “What? It’s not uncommon for younger women to seek that stability. I’ve even been approached by girls much younger than Hope wanting to marry.”
“But you turned them all away.” Angie smiled and sipped her coffee. Estebe didn’t talk about his personal life very much. She enjoyed seeing this side of him. And he was good at calming her down.
“I am not looking for a child to raise. I am looking for a partner for my life.” Estebe shrugged, and she saw the pink tint his cheeks. “Anyway, Hope went inside, had a glass of wine, and the guy made a pass at her.”
“What happened next?”
The door to the kitchen opened and Matt bounded inside. “Hey, good people I work with and like. Happy Thursday.” He kept talking as he tucked his coat into the closet along with a backpack. “Angie, you don’t know how much my budget appreciates these extra hours. I’ll almost be at full time this month.”
“I think you should talk to Hope,” Estebe said in a low tone. He stood and took his cup. “Glad you could make it. I thought I was going to be chopping all these onions myself.”
“You didn’t look like you were doing much chopping,” Matt teased as he grabbed a cup of coffee. Then he froze as he took in the scene. “Crap, I interrupted something, didn’t I? Should I go into the dining room and let you guys talk?”
“No, we were done.” Estebe looked at Angie, who nodded. “Besides, we don’t have time to be sitting around talking. We have people to feed tonight.”
As Angie left the kitchen, she heard Matt turn on the radio. The world was going back to normal. Hopefully this investigation would just blow over and not settle near her family. She decided to run over to the police station and see if she could talk to Sheriff Brown about Ian and what he knew about Hope and this guy. Maybe the case had moved on from the tiny blonde and she didn’t have anything to worry about.
And maybe a dancing pig would be parading down Main Street when she walked outside.
The officer at the front desk looked up as she walked in and groaned. For some reason, this guy, Phillip, thought she was the bane of his boss’s existence. Probably because Sheriff Brown never wanted to talk to her. He’d even told her that he thought she was bad luck for the town. No murders for over twenty years, and in the less than a year she’d lived there, three people had lost their lives to unnatural causes. Like that was her fault. She pasted on a smile and marched up to the desk. “Good morning. I hope you enjoyed the donuts I sent over yesterday.”
The guy’s eyes flashed but he nodded. “They were adequate.”
Okay then, see if I send over any more. She smiled. “Always a pleasure to hear someone rave about my food. Anyway, is the sheriff in? I’d like ten minutes of his time.”
“He’s in Boise. He got called in as a special investigator for a murder case.” He puffed up in what Angie thought was pride in his boss. “I’m not to bother him unless the town starts burning down or aliens appear.”
“That’s pretty specific.” She shook her head when he just stared at her. “Look, tell him I need to talk to him.”
“I’ll put a note on his desk.” Phillip almost smirked. “Thank you for coming in.”
Angie turned and left the office. The jerk mi
ght not have the best customer service skills, but she knew he’d mention her visit and relay her message. He was a by-the-book type who wouldn’t even consider not giving the sheriff a message. Even from her.
Dissatisfied with the way her day was going, Angie headed back across the street to the restaurant. She went straight into her office, turned on her computer, and opened up the accounting program. Nothing took her mind off her troubles like looking at the projections and monthly budgets she’d developed with their accountant. She’d found this little trick when she was in California. If—no, when—she had a fight with Todd, she’d lock herself in her office and work on the books. Normally, she hated the task. But she had to admit there was something calming about putting the numbers in all the right boxes and the whole thing balancing out.
Today she needed that level of distraction. With Hope in trouble and Ian AWOL, she could work herself up into a frenzy if she didn’t distract herself. And she didn’t want to go help out with prep, which would have been her first choice, because the team needed the work to make hours.
Running a business was harder than it looked. Especially when you had employees you cared about that you had to take care of...and keep out of jail. She shook off the thought and started working with the receipts.
An hour later, Felicia burst into her office. “Oh, good, you’re here. I need you in the kitchen.”
“Why? What happened?” Angie jumped out of her chair and followed Felicia.
Her friend shot her a backward glance over her shoulder. “It’s Hope.”
Chapter 5
Following Felicia into the kitchen, she glanced around. Matt and Estebe were standing at the table. As she got closer, she could see Hope sitting on a chair, bent over holding her head between her hands. Angie pushed Matt aside and knelt next to the sobbing young woman. “Hope, what’s wrong? Have you cut yourself? Did anyone call 911?”
Estebe touched Angie’s shoulder. “She’s not hurt. At least not physically.”
