by Cindy Bell
“I’m sorry to disturb you. Do you know a man named Austin? Maybe he was one of your employees?”
“Not one of mine. I’m the only one that works here. For a time my son did, but he’s moved on to greener pastures now.” He chuckled. “Sorry. Did you need anything else?”
“No, that was it. Thank you for your time.” She offered him her hand. and he shook it. As she walked away from the shop she couldn’t deny her disappointment. She had hoped that the keys would lead to information about Austin, but instead she was faced with a dead end. The other two keys on the key ring had no identifying marks, so she wouldn’t be able to figure out what they went to. With the final key resembling a vehicle key, she doubted it would lead her anywhere either. Shawna had told her that he had taken a taxi to the farm, so if he had a car in the area then there would be no reason for him to be paying for taxis.
When she was at the shop, the familiar scent of chocolate managed to cheer her up. By the time she had some fresh chocolates made and put out on display, she felt calmer and was ready to greet customers. She unlocked the doors, then adjusted a few of the wooden toys that lined the shelves around the shop. Maybe getting back into routine would help ease some of the tension, but she doubted it. She knew the only thing that would release that, was Austin’s killer being caught.
Chapter 6
After a restless night, Charlotte opened her eyes with thoughts of Austin already on her mind.
She spent a little time going over the information she’d already gathered about Harris’ flight services. He didn’t just offer skydiving, he also did crop-dusting, and short shuttle rides from farm to farm. Although, she knew from rumors she had overheard quite recently that he had a little financial trouble here and there, she hadn’t heard anything that indicated that he was in desperate straits. She believed, in most cases, that in order to commit murder, a person had to be desperate. Besides, how would killing Austin alleviate Harris’ financial pressures, if he had any.
As Charlotte recalled the conversation with the young girls at the diner the day before, it struck her that the bar could have some kind of information about Austin. A receipt might have credit card information on it. Since he was quite young, they might have made a copy of his ID. She knew exactly the bar the girls referred to, and also knew the owner. Although it was nowhere near opening time, she knew that he would be there as he lived in the apartment above it. She gathered her things and left her apartment to pay him a visit. She walked towards the van she had borrowed from the shop. She didn’t have a car because she usually walked most places. When she needed to drive somewhere she borrowed the van or Ally’s car. After she opened the door to the van she received a text. She checked, and saw that it was from Jeff.
Good morning. I hope your day is going well. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
For a moment, she considered asking him to join her, but she knew that she could handle this on her own. She sent him back a quick text to thank him and let him know that she would be in touch. As she drove to the bar, her thoughts played back over the last time she’d seen the owner, Gary. It was over a year ago, and they hadn’t parted on the best of terms. At one point, a long time ago, when Charlotte’s daughter was still alive, they had a tradition of going to his bar every Tuesday night for a glass of wine. Tuesday was the least busy night and they would catch up on the week’s events. It meant that they never went too long without spending time together. She stopped when her daughter had Ally. They always promised that they would start the tradition again when Ally got older, but then her daughter got sick and passed away, and Charlotte started taking care of Ally. But a few years ago when Ally was away at college she started the tradition again by herself. It brought back fond memories. Plus, it was an attempt at being social. Since there were so few people for Gary to tend to, he often sat and shared a glass with her and they would talk about the past, what Blue River had once been like, and how it had improved. However, on that last evening that she’d seen him, he’d lost his temper with a belligerent customer. The sight of violence had turned her off. He argued that he had every right to protect his business. She pointed out that he could have just as easily called the police. In the end she left, and he was still arguing with her even as the door closed. Her muscles tensed some as she parked outside the front door. The parking lot was empty, but for Gary’s car.
She noticed a light on inside the bar, so she tried the door. When she found it was locked, she gave a light knock.
“Gary? Are you in there?”
The door swung open and Gary stood before her with a dishtowel slung over one shoulder and a broom in his left hand.
“Charlotte. I haven’t seen you for a while.” He rubbed the back of his hand along the silver bristle on his cheek. “I bet you need a glass of wine after what happened.”
“I was thinking coffee.” She smiled some. “It’s a bit early for wine.”
“You and your rules.” He rolled his eyes, then gestured for her to enter. As she did she was reminded of just how much she liked the place. It was simple, but the furniture was comfortable, the music was always good, and the bar was made of antique wood that reminded her of times gone by. “I have a pot started, it’s about a half hour old, though. You still want it?”
“Sure, that would be great. Thanks.” She sat down at the bar as he stepped behind it.
“I know I ran you off with our last conversation.”
“Argument.”
“Potato potahto, right?” He shrugged and set a mug of coffee in front of her. “I’m sorry you saw what you did yesterday. I can’t even imagine it.”
“He was in here the night before, wasn’t he? I met some girls that said he was.” She twirled the mug slowly between her fingertips.
“Yeah, he was. A real party animal that one. Had all these girls eager to talk to him. Made my regulars pretty jealous, I can tell you.” He chuckled.
“They said he bought all of their drinks. Did he have a tab?”
“Nah, he paid cash for everything. At one point he just put a hundred dollar bill on the bar and told me to keep pouring.” He frowned as he swept his gaze around the quiet space. “He had everyone dancing, laughing, it was a little wild. Things are usually pretty mellow in here.”
“It sounds like he was having a good time. I guess he had a lot of cash. Did he say anything to you about what he did for a living?”
“No, not a word about that. In fact, he didn’t talk much to me at all. I kept trying to find out things about him, but he’d just order the drinks and be back out on the dance floor. He was definitely the center of attention.”
“Did you notice him spending any time with anyone else in the bar?”
“Uh, come to think of it, I did see one person watching him. It was a little strange.” He leaned against the bar and squinted his eyes. “The guy ordered one drink, didn’t even take a sip, and stared at Austin all night.”
“Interesting. Did the two of them ever speak?” She met his eyes.
“No, not that I saw. I don’t think the guy ever left his bar stool. Not until after Austin left, that is.”
“You didn’t by any chance catch his name, did you?” Her heart fluttered with hope.
“No, I’m sorry. He didn’t say a word to me other than his order. He left a twenty on the bar, and didn’t want change. I didn’t ask any questions.” He tilted his head to the side. “You think he might have had something to do with this?”
“I don’t know what to think. You don’t happen to have cameras, do you?” She glanced around the ceiling of the bar.
“No, no cameras. I used to have one outside, but somebody smashed it. I didn’t see a reason to put a new one up if it was just going to be a target. I guess people like their privacy. Why are you asking so many questions about this anyway?”
“I’m not sure exactly.” She grimaced. “I guess I was just hoping to get a glimpse of what Austin’s life was like.”
“It must have
been a good one. Anyone that can charm that many girls into having a great night with him, is someone that knows how to live life right.” He swiped a rag across the top of the bar. “Are you sure I can’t get you a drink, Charlotte?”
“No thanks, I should be going.” She stood up from the bar stool, then paused when she neared the door. “If you see the guy in here again, the one that was watching Austin, can you let me know?”
“Sure. I’ll do that.”
As she left the bar, she wondered what it was like for Austin to be there. It was a new place for him, filled with strangers, and yet he’d been confident enough to make plenty of friends. He also seemed to have plenty of money on hand if he was able to pay off a large tab and leave a tip. He’d drawn the interest of another man, which might indicate that someone had a connection to him, or had his charisma just extended that far?
As she climbed into the van she decided to head to the shop to check in with Ally and share the information she’d just discovered. It wasn’t much to go on, but at least it was something.
Ally smiled when she caught sight of her grandmother through the front window of the shop. She was eager to talk to her.
“Morning Ally.” Charlotte stepped inside and walked over to her granddaughter to greet her. “Did you get any sleep last night?” She studied her with concern.
“Some.” Ally frowned. “It wasn’t easy, though.”
“Not for me neither.” She sighed. “I did find out some information this morning, but I don’t think it’s going to help us much.” She filled her in on what the owner of the bar had shared with her.
“Interesting. So, either Austin had an admirer, or a stalker.” She patted her pocket as she recalled the keys that were still there. “Can I tell you something, Mee-Maw?” She looked into her grandmother’s eyes.
“Of course, you can, sweetheart, anything.” She frowned as she studied her expression. “What is it?”
“Remember just before Austin jumped?” She shivered a little at the memory.
“Yes, why?”
“He tossed his keys to me.” She reached into her pocket and pulled them out. As she set them down on the counter between them, she braced herself for her grandmother’s reaction.
“Ally, you should have given these to the police.” She picked them up to inspect them.
“I know. Honestly, I didn’t even realize I still had them until I was falling asleep on the couch last night. I thought what harm could there be in keeping them a few extra hours? I wanted to see if the keys would lead me to any kind of information about him.”
“And did they?” She turned each key over to have a closer look.
“Not really. I thought maybe it would turn up something, but it only led me to a vacuum repair shop, which turned out to be a dead end.” She pointed to the letters on the key. “I did a search to find any local businesses with these initials. I thought maybe I’d find a place he worked, but nothing.”
“So, the only thing that turned up was the vacuum repair shop?” She fiddled with the keys for a moment. “We really do need to turn these in.”
“I know, but I guess, I’m a little worried that they might get lost, or never really investigated. At least when Luke is working a case, I have some sort of idea of what’s happening.” She frowned. “It just seems like with how busy they are, they might put the case on the back burner.” She sighed as she picked up the keys. “There were two other possibilities, but neither of them made any sense. One was a realtor, and the other was cabin rentals.”
“Hm. He could be a realtor, don’t you think?” She raised an eyebrow. “They tend to be fast talkers.”
“I hadn’t really thought about that. I figured he might be involved with the vacuum repair shop, maybe as a traveling salesman or something.” She tilted her head from side to side. “But yes, he would probably be able to sell me a house.”
“We’ll have to consider it.” She looked from the keys to Ally. “For now, I think we should hold on to these.”
“You do?” Her eyes widened. “I thought you’d feel the opposite way.”
“Not for long, just until we have time to sort a few things out. I think we should agree that by the end of the day today they should be delivered to Mainbry PD. Can we agree to that?”
“Yes, absolutely.” Ally tucked the keys back into her pocket. “For now, I’ll make sure they’re safe.”
“Good.”
Chapter 7
Charlotte and Ally were almost finished filling the display case when the door swung open.
“Oh look, we have customers.” Charlotte smiled.
Mrs. White, Mrs. Bing, and Mrs. Cale stepped through the door. Ally was relieved to see them as she hadn’t had that many customers all morning. She guessed it was because the rumor had spread through town that she and her grandmother were present when Austin died. It wasn’t that people didn’t want to come in for their chocolates, it was more that they didn’t want to think about what had happened.
“Good morning, ladies.” Ally smiled at them as they approached the counter. From their somber expressions she was certain that they had heard the news.
“Ally, Charlotte, darlings, how are you holding up?” Mrs. Cale peered at Ally, then Charlotte, then back to Ally. “What a tragedy, what an utter tragedy.”
“Yes, it was.” Ally’s smile faded as she recalled Austin’s last moments.
“We are doing okay.” Charlotte placed her hand on Ally’s shoulder. “But thank you for thinking of us.”
“I’m just so relieved that you two didn’t jump out of that plane.” Mrs. White adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder and huffed under her breath. “Why would you even be up there in the first place?”
Ally was a little surprised by her scolding tone, but her grandmother didn’t seem to be.
“Mrs. White, we were never in any danger, I can assure you.” Charlotte’s tone was firm.
“No, you most certainly can’t assure me of that. What if you had decided to jump? What if your parachute didn’t open? Really, Charlotte, I would expect this from Ally at her age, but at yours? You should know better.” Mrs. White’s cheeks reddened beneath the powder she wore.
“Mrs. White, we appreciate your concern, but Mee-Maw and I were just up there to see what it was like. We had no intention of jumping, and if we had, I am sure that we would have made certain our equipment was working properly.” She glanced over at her grandmother. “Really, there’s nothing to be upset about.”
“Upset?” Mrs. White sniffed. “I am horrified. Absolutely horrified that the two of you would even go up in one of Harris’ rickety old planes. From now on I must insist that you both keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, understand?” She shot a disapproving look at Ally, then at Charlotte.
“Yes, ma’am.” Ally couldn’t hide a small smile. She thought it was sweet that Mrs. White was so concerned about her well-being.
“No need to worry, Mrs. White.” Charlotte gave her a light pat on the hand. “Enough talk about such things, how about some chocolate?” She showed off the sample tray.
“I just feel so badly for Austin.” Mrs. Bing fretted as Mrs. Cale and Mrs. White began to pick out their chocolates. “He was such a nice young man.”
“Did you know him?” Ally’s eyes widened. He’d only been in town for a short time, but if anyone had the ability to find out information about him it would be one of these three ladies. They knew everything about everyone and weren’t shy about sharing the details.
“Yes, I did.”
“She did not.” Mrs. White frowned. “She met him once in a grocery store and now she thinks she’s some kind of expert on the poor boy.”
“Excuse me.” Mrs. Bing cleared her throat. “Austin and I talked by the eggs. I was getting the ingredients for the chocolate soufflés Charlotte finally let me have the recipe for. I couldn’t quite reach the eggs I wanted and he offered to retrieve them for me. But of course the container he got had a cracked egg i
n it, and then some of the others had very small eggs, so he had to pick through the containers to find some large eggs that weren’t cracked.”
“And that doesn’t mean that you knew him. Honestly.” Mrs. White shook her head.
“It’s not as if I knew him well, you’re right. But we did talk, and I do know who killed him.” She cleared her throat.
“Not this again.” Mrs. Cale rolled her eyes.
“What?” Ally stared at Mrs. Bing, her mouth open.
“Mrs. Bing, what did you just say?” Charlotte leaned close to her.
“She even went to the police with this nonsense. I warned you, I would not stand for it.” Mrs. White turned on her heel and marched out of the shop. Mrs. Cale followed after, only after she picked up the last chocolate from the sample tray. Mrs. Bing blushed as she looked down at her hands and clutched her purse.
“They don’t believe me,” she murmured. “But I do know who killed that poor sweet boy.”
Charlotte glanced over at Ally. She sensed that Mrs. Bing was embarrassed, and might not speak freely with her around. Even though she and Mrs. Bing were friends, she regarded Charlotte as her peer, while she viewed Ally more as a granddaughter. Someone who she could be more free to voice her modern opinions in front of.
“Ally, I’m going to check on the chocolates in the back. Let me know if you need anything. All right?”
“Yes, Mee-Maw, I will.” She cast her a brief smile, then looked back at Mrs. Bing. “It seems like Mrs. White is a bit grumpy today, hmm?”
“Yes. A bit.” Mrs. Bing lifted her eyes just enough to look at Ally.
“Would you like to try one of these? It’s more of a hard candy, but I thought you might like it.” She pushed a tray of chocolate caramels closer to Mrs. Bing. The memory of giving one to Austin flashed through her mind, but she pushed it aside. After hearing Mrs. Bing’s comment, she wanted to know more about what she might have to say.
“Mrs. White can be so difficult sometimes.” She sniffled as she picked up a piece of the chocolate. “Thank you, Ally.”