“You don’t have to tell me about things coming out in the open,” Terry said with a scoff. “I experienced that firsthand during the semifinals.”
“That’s what caused you to quit pageants and leave Kaitlin?”
“Why do you need to know all this?” Terry asked.
“You were the one who asked me to look into her death, remember? You said she was murdered and I should track down Jack. Now it’s clear that she was killed, and I think the police are looking at the wrong woman. I want to help. But if you don’t want me to, I won’t.”
Willow tugged on Tele and Rover’s leashes indicating they should stop. Terry took a few more steps and then turned.
“No. I do want your help. And I appreciate everything you’ve done. I just don’t like talking about this.”
“I’m sorry, but I need to know everything.”
Terry took a deep breath and held onto the dog leash tighter than was necessary and started talking. “The full story is that Kaitlin and I were apparently offered money to throw the Miss World competition. But I didn’t know about it at the time. Maybe Kaitlin knew I wouldn’t have wanted to. I’d worked so hard to get there. But she made sure that I lost anyway.”
“In a drastic way.”
Terry continued to avoid eye contact. “Did you watch the clip of it?”
“No.”
“You’re probably the only one who hasn’t,” she said, finally looking at her. “I changed my hair color and started going by Terry to try and avoid being recognized. Everyone had already seen so much of me.”
“I heard it was a wardrobe malfunction?”
“Brought on by Kaitlin.” Terry nodded. “It happened during my question-and-answer portion of the competition. The snip she made on the spaghetti strap on my evening dress put me all over Google images. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life.”
“And it looks like a motive for murder,” Willow said.
“I was furious about it for a long time,” Terry agreed. “Especially when I learned about the money she got for that stunt. I didn’t get a penny of it. She ruined my life, and she kept all the cash.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone about her sabotage before?”
“I figured no one would believe me if I said I didn’t know about her plan. They would all wonder how I couldn’t have known.”
Willow nodded supportively.
“I decided just to get away from it all and find a new place in the world.”
The pair continued on their walk with the animals keeping easy pace together despite their different sizes. Willow briefly registered that Lady Valkyrie wasn’t distracted by a cat in their midst and hoped this would be a good indication of her focus in the ring. Then, she turned back to Terry’s story.
“And you found it with your dogs, but they ended up bringing you into contact with her again.”
“That’s right. And my surprise at seeing her led to our argument outside the bed-and-breakfast and that businessman asking me to help sabotage her,” Terry said. “But we made peace before she died. I understood where she was coming from, and I was starting to forgive her for what she did during the pageant.”
“Wait. Where was she coming from at that time? It still sounds malicious to me.”
“I don’t condone the choice she made. I definitely think she should have told me about the bribe. And she could have let me decide a less embarrassing way to throw the competition if I was going to,” Terry said. “But she had just found out she was pregnant. And she wasn’t sure how helpful Jack would be. She needed the money to take care of her child.”
“By betraying her friend,” Willow said. She wasn’t quite ready to forgive Kaitlin’s behavior. She couldn’t imagine how mortifying it would feel if she’d been in the same circumstance – especially since the event was televised.
“I know,” Terry said quietly. “But she lost the baby. I felt like she already paid a penance, and she was trying to be a better person.”
They were silent for a few minutes. Then Willow added, “And regardless of what she did, she shouldn’t have been murdered.”
“I didn’t tell the police about this because I was afraid it would make me look guilty and they already think I did it,” Terry said. “I didn’t tell them what I told you about Benny Gene either.”
“About him asking you to sabotage her B&B?”
“I thought that put me in a poor light too. But I’ve been thinking about it lately, and I should tell them. What if his actions played a role in her death?”
“He did want the property,” Willow said. “And if she wasn’t agreeing to sell, and he had lost his assistant in sabotage, maybe he upped the ante. Maybe he progressed to murder.”
Terry was thoughtful. “I didn’t consider him a suspect at first because I thought that having someone die at the B&B would decrease its value. Who would want the ghost of a murder hanging over a property?”
“I hadn’t considered that,” Willow said. “And you do have a point. But maybe he wasn’t worried about that. Maybe he thought that the bed-and-breakfast’s stellar reputation and his business flare could outweigh the stigma and erase the superstitions.”
“Maybe,” Terry said, biting her lip. “But, no. He couldn’t have done it.”
“Why not?”
“He doesn’t live here. When he offered me the opportunity to sabotage her, he told me he would be leaving town right away. He wasn’t here when she was murdered.”
“I’m afraid that’s not correct,” Willow said.
“What do you mean?”
“Benny is in town, and I’ve got a date with him tonight.”
11
That night, outside of the restaurant, Willow had butterflies in her stomach. She couldn’t tell whether this was because she finally realized that she had agreed to dinner with a potential poisoner or if it was because this was her first date since her divorce. Even if there was an ulterior motive for the meeting, it didn’t invalidate that she was at a fancy establishment about to enjoy a meal with a man she had “been matched with.”
She caught her reflection in the restaurant’s glass window and decided she looked all right. She was wearing a gray dress that was suitable for any occasion. It was fitting because she didn’t know this restaurant at all. She had let Benny chose the location, and he chose a place in the next town over.
She had spiced up the dress with a few colorful jewelry pieces that Wednesday had suggested, and she thought that her hair looked nice down instead of pulled back in her usual ponytail.
She took a deep breath and entered through the glass door. She was impressed. The lobby was fancy without being overdone, and the smells wafting into the room were intoxicating.
The hostess asked if she would like a table and Willow froze. What were you supposed to say on a first date? She had met her ex-husband in college, and most of their first meals together had been in the dining hall. Should she get a table and have Benny meet her there? Should she look around and see if he had done the same thing? Should she sit at the bar? Maybe she should just go home.
In the end, she told the hostess that she was waiting for someone and stood awkwardly to the side. It felt like she had been waiting forever and started to consider whether she had been stood up, but then she rationalized that probably only five minutes had actually passed.
It gave her enough time to collect her thoughts about Benny. While his profile made him seem likable by including his love of yoga and that he liked to travel, she had other information that she could use to draw an opinion of him. If he was willing to resort to sabotage or blackmail to gain a property, he was probably a shark of a businessman. There was also the likelihood that he could be a cold-blooded killer.
However, the man who greeted her after walking through the door didn’t act like a killer.
“Willow,” he said, moving closer to her. “You look even lovelier in person.”
“Thank you. You look lovely – I mean, good, too.”
>
She kicked herself internally, but he smiled and placed a hand on the small of her back to lead her to a table. They sat at a booth that had a clear view of the bar and the rest of the restaurant. There were candles on their table and Willow thought it was romantic.
“This is supposed to be an up-and-coming restaurant. I’ve heard good things about it.”
“Everything on the menu looks good,” Willow said, as she opened it and perused the courses.
“I like to sample different restaurants and see if they could be a worthwhile investment to add to one of our hotels. Or if there are any chefs worth stealing away.”
“I see,” Willow said. “This is a work date as well. You’re mixing business and pleasure.”
“It’s hard for me to turn off,” he admitted. “But the main reason I chose this place was because I heard the menu was varied. It can be difficult to choose a place for a first date, but I was sure there was something you would like here.”
“There is something here I like,” Willow said, proud of herself for sounding so flirty.
He smiled at her. “I’m glad we were matched.”
“Me too,” Willow said. “But I was a little surprised that we were?”
“Because of the differences in our businesses?” he asked.
“Because I live in Pineview,” she said, trying to work the questions she had for him into their conversation naturally. “I was surprised that they matched me with someone the next town over.”
“I used to stay in Pineview, but I moved here because it was closer to my current business project.”
“Oh? Where did you stay in Pineview?” Willow asked. “I know most of the places in the area. Sometimes people are traveling with a dog to come and train with me, and they ask where the best place to stay is.”
“Do people travel far to train with you?” he asked.
In case he was changing the conversation to show interest in her and wasn’t trying to avoid answering her question, she decided to answer.
“Sometimes,” she said. “At my last location, I had people coming from two states away to train with me. I’m just starting to gain a reputation again here, but I do have one woman from out of town traveling to work with me and prepare for a championship. And, of course, I work with locals too. I like the variety of working with show dogs and pets.”
“Fascinating,” he said, and she thought he really meant it.
“Are you a dog person?”
“If I say no will you get up and walk away right now?” he joked.
“Definitely,” she said, pretending to rise from her seat already.
“I do love dogs. Who doesn’t?” he said. “But I’m not in a situation to have one of my own right now. I travel too much, and I would hate to leave him alone.”
“There are many hotels that cater to people with pets.”
“But my job wouldn’t. I don’t think I could bring him into a meeting with me,” he said with a little sigh. “I bet you have a dog of your own, don’t you?”
“Of course. His name is Telescope, but I call him Tele.”
“Do you have a million stories about him that you want to tell me and you’re refraining because you don’t want to seem like a crazy dog lady on our first date?”
“Maybe.”
He chuckled. “Go right ahead and tell me. I’d love to hear all about him.”
“You’re sure? You’re opening a can of worms here,” Willow said.
“Go on,” he assured her. “Then, I can live vicariously through a dog owner.”
“I’ll give you the highlights. I rescued Tele and that was probably the best thing I’ve ever done. He’s about this big,” she said, indicating his size. “He’s a chihuahua mix of some kind. And he only has three legs, but he doesn’t let that slow him down at all.”
“He sounds like an amazing dog.”
“He really is.”
“I had a remarkable dog growing up,” Benny said. “That is if you don’t mind me gushing about my childhood dog for a moment.”
“Not at all.”
“His name was Roscoe, and he was such a brave guy. He saved my life once. When I was a little boy, I went running into the street after a ball. A car was coming, and I didn’t see it. But Roscoe did. He pushed me to safety, but he got clipped by the car in the process.”
Willow gasped, but then told herself to remain cool. After all, this had happened a long time ago.
“He didn’t die. Don’t worry. But he lost the use of his back legs. We got a wheelchair for him, and he would still do his best to protect me. He lived to be fifteen years old. My Roscoe,” he said. “But look at me getting emotional. I might have to walk to my hotel down the street and get a new shirt if I get too many teardrops on it.”
Willow handed him a napkin. “It’s all right. And you know what? Tele saved my life too.”
“Oh?”
“That’s right. There was a dangerous man in my backyard, and he tripped him so he couldn’t hurt me.”
“He sounds like a very impressive dog too. We’re both lucky to have had pets like that.” He leaned across the table. “So, what are you thinking now?”
“About dinner?” Willow asked. “I was thinking about trying the New York strip steak here. The sides look good for it too. What about you?”
He retreated back to his menu. “Probably the chicken parm. It’s pretty hard to mess that up.”
Willow laughed. The waiter came by their table, and she was disappointed by the interruption. She was actually having a good time. They placed their orders, and Benny selected a bottle of wine for the occasion.
Willow realized that despite how well the first date aspect of this happened to be, she needed to get some answers about his possible involvement in the murder too.
“So, you didn’t answer my question before.”
“Pardon?”
“About where you stayed in Pineview.”
“Oh. It was a B&B on Main Street. Cute little place. You’d like it. They allow dogs there.”
“I know it,” Willow said. “Of course, there’s been a bit of a tragedy there now.”
“What sort of tragedy?”
“The owner died recently. Everyone in town was talking about it.”
“Really? That’s interesting and sad. I actually met the woman.”
“You did?”
He nodded. “I was thinking of buying the property, but she refused to sell.”
“Maybe there might be a silver lining in all this then?” Willow suggested. “Maybe you’ll be able to get the property after all?”
“Maybe,” Benny agreed. “But I’ve moved onto some other projects now. I’ll have to see if it’s worth revisiting. And, of course, a death at a location can decrease the value of it. It stops some guests from wanting to travel there.”
“Maybe you can get an even better price for it now?” Willow said.
“I don’t know.”
The waiter returned with their bottle and poured them both a glass. Though not a connoisseur, Willow thought that she made the appropriate comments about the taste.
“Are you a big fan of wine?” Benny asked.
“I’m a bigger fan of coffee,” she joked. “But I like any good drink.”
“While I was surveying the local area, I found an excellent place if you’re into craft beer.”
“I am.”
“They have over a hundred types on tap, and it’s actually called Tapped.”
Though Willow was interested in the place, there was other information she wanted more.
“That does sound like a great place. Is it close to here?” she asked with a giggle to seem as if she were just teasing him instead of interrogating. “Is that really why you moved out of the B&B? Because it sounded like you were already settled there?”
“Well,” Benny said, “Tapped is a little further away. But the property I’m staying at now has hired me for a consulting job, and I wanted the experience of staying there. It helps
me to understand the client more if I’m in the center of the action. And it really is just down the street from here. It’s a beautiful place.”
“Do you do a lot of work for hotels?” Willow asked.
“I’d say that’s where the bulk of my investments and consulting jobs are located.”
Willow touched the top of her wine glass with her fingers, hoping she was making her questions sound flirty and not inquisitorial.
“If you’re more of a hotel guy, why were you interested in the B&B?”
“Well, I’ve been wanting to expand my portfolio in the area, and I thought it was a nice place. It had won awards and was well-received, but it seems as if the owner wasn’t very organized. I thought she might even appreciate my offer to buy her out. But I was wrong. She turned me down point blank.”
“I bet you’re a guy who is not turned down very often.”
“I’d like to think that’s true,” he said with a smile.
Willow took another sip of wine. “You know, I thought maybe the app was malfunctioning. Because of all the location-based stuff. But it said that you’ve been to Namaste A While studio. Is that right?”
“It is. I’m a big fan of yoga.”
“I haven’t seen you there,” she said, making a pouty face to show her disappointment at the thought.
“Recently I’ve been taking morning runs before work. My current hotel has something novel called a running concierge. He leads a group of runners through different parts of the surrounding area.”
“Do you ever run in Pineview?”
“Sure. And Main Street is absolutely beautiful in the morning, and everyone is friendly and happy to be out in the fresh air.”
“Main Street? So, you’d run right by the B&B?”
“I guess so,” he said. “But there are a lot of lovely sights on that road. Your hometown is very picturesque. And you sure like talking about it a lot.”
“Do I?” Willow asked. She had been, but that was because she was questioning him in relation to a crime.
Bark Up and Smell the Coffee Page 8