Murder Makes a Toast
Page 4
“Did you hear that?” whispered Alice.
“Shh!” said Owen. “I think it’s that Helena from earlier.”
“Well I’m glad he’s dead,” said a male voice, drifting over the vines.
“Max, how can you say that?” asked Helena.
Alice’s eyes widened. “It’s Maximilian and Helena Emmerson. They’re brother and sister,” she whispered. “They own this place.”
“He was using you, Helena,” said Max.
“I know,” she admitted in return. “He didn’t want me. He wanted that stupid essencia formula. But Max, if the police find out about the fight I had with Rupert just before he died, they’ll think I killed him.”
“Then they’d better not find out.”
“So, Rupert was after the secret to the essencia!” whispered Alice.
“Max, I was right there, over near the woods where he died,” Helena went on. “What if they find, like, DNA evidence or something?”
“What were you doing over there anyway?” asked Max, clearly frustrated with his sister.
“That’s where we always met. It’s . . . private there.” She sighed. “By the big stone, near the tree line.”
“I knew there was a big stone,” whispered Alice.
“Shh!” said Owen.
“Well, apparently, Rupert met more people than just you there, Helena. I can’t believe you let him use one of our uniforms.”
“Sometimes he snuck in to see me in the evenings after work,” said Helena. “He didn’t want anyone to notice him.”
“Everyone is after that formula,” said Max. “I knew Clear Creek would kill to get their hands on it. But not Waxing Moon! I thought we were safe around them. And I assume they have the secret now. I mean, the formula wasn’t found on Rupert’s body. I checked with Detective Mullins. So the killer must’ve taken it from him. We’re not going to be the only essencia game in town anymore.”
“No—Rupert would never have written the formula down,” said Helena. “The man was a genius with a photographic memory. It’s part of why he was so gifted as a sommelier. I promise you, he found the formula and memorized it.”
“And how, I wonder, did he find out where we keep the formula?” asked Max, a note of scathing sarcasm in his voice.
“Max, he’d asked me to marry him! I’d said yes! I thought he was going to be joining our family. I—I was so stupid.”
There was a pause. “Oh Helena. I’m sorry.” Alice guessed Max was hugging his sister now, because her sobs were muffled. “That jerk broke your heart.”
The two must’ve moved back toward the inn, because their voices faded after that. But Alice heard Max mumbling, “Rupert Billings got what was coming to him.”
* * *
“Well.” Owen took a big bite of the cherry tart and wiped his fingers with a napkin. “This place is a regular soap opera. I take that back, it’s more like a mini-series. This is prime time stuff. And we have two viable suspects.”
“True,” said Luke. “Both Helena and Max had motive to kill Rupert. She’d been wronged by him. Betrayed. And Max would’ve been furious when he found out Rupert had stolen the family secret.”
“Plus, he’d be mad Rupert hurt his kid sister,” Ben said, elbowing Alice.
“But I’m pretty sure Helena was the one who called the police. If she was the killer, she surely wouldn’t have done that,” said Alice.
“Unless she was suddenly overwhelmed with guilt for what she’d done,” said Franny. “She did, after all, just have a terrible fight with Rupert by her own admission.”
“And the fight took place right where the police found the body,” added Ben.
“Is there anyone else we can add to the list of suspects?” asked Owen. “Anyone else who’d kill for the secret to that crazy-expensive wine?”
Everyone thought for a moment.
“Oh!” Alice suddenly perked up. “How about someone who is just getting started in the winemaking business and needs a showstopper?”
Luke looked at her. “You mean the Youngs? Suzie and Sam?”
Alice nodded.
“Come to think of it, they do have everything riding on the success of their little vineyard venture.”
“And I did see them hanging around when the police were here just after I saw Rupert get shot,” said Alice.
They filled Owen, Franny, and Ben in on the Youngs, and all were in agreement that if the Youngs had somehow known what Rupert was up to in stealing the formula for the essencia, one of them might’ve approached him.
“That could be the real reason they’re here,” said Owen. “Maybe the honeymoon is just a ruse, and they came to steal that formula. But when the sassy sommelier beat them to it, they went after him instead.”
“It’s possible,” said Luke.
“We can try to find out more in the morning,” said Alice, opening the picnic basket and starting to load up the leftovers. “Suzie told me they’d be at our first fun activity of the day.” She put air quotes around “fun.”
“What’s that?” asked Owen.
“Zip lining,” said Alice.
“As in, going up high and careening toward the ground at top speed on a thin wire?” asked Owen.
“That’s right,” said Alice, raising a brow at Owen. “All the fabulous brides are doing it. We need to be there at nine. Be sure to set your alarms.”
Chapter 8
“For the love of humanity, who is Old Johnny, and why does he hate me?” Owen peered up into the treetops, where helmeted zip liners balanced precariously on wooden platforms while they were snapped into harnesses and then sent whizzing from tree to tree.
But Old Johnny’s Adventure Park featured more than just zip lining.
“Look! There’s a wobbly suspension bridge!” said Franny, pointing up.
“And a ropes course,” said Ben. “That’ll be a challenge.”
The Fantastic Bride Magazine photographer had arrived just after them and stood looking dubiously upward.
“Come on, my groom,” said Alice. “We’d better get up there.”
Alice, Luke, and company climbed up the ladder to the wooden platform, to a ride Old Johnny had dubbed the “Lily-Liver’s Special.” Once on the platform, Old Johnny’s hillbilly voice could be heard over a hidden speaker saying, “Take this ride just so’s you can say you zip lined—you scaredy-cats!” followed by a cackle.
“Are there going to be insulting recordings of Old Johnny on every one of these attractions?” asked Owen, tightening up his helmet.
“Try standing here all day, hearing him say that again and again,” said the ride attendant who, according to his name tag, was named Erwin Swanson.
“So, Erwin, has anyone ever—I don’t know—died on this zip line?” asked Owen.
“Not on the Lily-Liver,” said Erwin, shaking his head.
“What are you saying, Erwin?” asked Alice. “That people have died on some of these other challenges?”
“Could you two smile? And how about if all your friends laugh as though having the time of their lives?” said the Fabulous Bride photographer. “I’m afraid of heights, and I’m most definitely going to barf if I don’t get down from here soon.”
Alice and Luke quickly looked at each other, smiling as though they couldn’t wait to fly through the trees harnessed together like two lovebirds, while Owen, Ben, and Franny tossed back their heads and laughed joyfully. Once the photos were snapped, the photographer made a hasty exit and Owen broke out in a cold sweat.
“Do we have to do this?” he asked.
“Yes, and I’ll tell you why,” said Alice, nodding across the trees to another platform in the distance. “There are the Youngs up ahead of us. This is the only way to get to them fast, before they move out of our sight and we lose them. Now get that harness on and act casual.”
“I don’t know how casual I can act while plummeting to my death, but I’ll try,” said Owen, taking a deep breath. “Strap me in, Erwin Swanson.”
“Pull up a chair and sit yerself down,” said another recording of Old Johnny. “Grab one of our famous fried pies or a milkshake!”
“I am not eating a fried pie if I have to do any more zip lining today,” said Owen, plopping into a chair at one of the empty tables. “Not today, Old Johnny!”
“Don’t worry,” said Alice, sitting next to Owen. “We’ll be using that stairway to get down from here. No more zip lining.”
“The Youngs are right over there,” said Luke. “Let’s wave them over.”
A few minutes later, Sam and Suzie had taken seats at the table, and a few minutes after that, sizzling fried pies in little tissue paper-lined baskets were delivered to the table.
“These look delicious,” said Suzie, blowing on hers. “And by the way, it’s so great that all your friends are here!”
Alice had already introduced Sam and Suzie to Owen, Franny, and Ben.
“We’re here on the same honeymoon package as Alice and Luke,” Suzie told the group. “But we haven’t been doing all the schedule activities. Like this afternoon, we’re skipping out and staying around the vineyard to see what else we can learn about winemaking.”
“Congratulations on getting married,” said Franny.
“Sam and Suzie are going to be starting up their own vineyard,” said Alice.
“Wow, that’s amazing!” said Owen, acting surprised. “Sounds risky.”
“Well, we’re risk-takers,” said Suzie, eyeing the next zip liners who were just coming in for a landing. “And we’re wine lovers, too.” She took a big bite of her fried pie and closed her eyes. “Mmm. Peach.”
“So, did you hear about the murder at the vineyard?” asked Alice.
“Yes, we did,” said Suzie, her face clouding over.
“Terrible,” said Franny, shaking her head.
“I heard it was that guy—the sommelier from Waxing Moon Winery—who got shot,” said Alice, leaning in closer.
“We did too,” said Sam, taking a bite of pie. “So sad.”
Suzie popped the last bite of her peach pie into her mouth and wiped her fingers on her napkin. “Well, we’d better be going,” she said, standing.
Sam stood too. “We’re headed over to the Cattywampus Catastrophe zip line next. It’s going to be wild! You in?”
“Oh, I think we’ll sit here and eat pie for a while yet,” said Alice. “Um, just wondering . . .” Alice fished around in her mind for a way to quickly stop the Youngs from rushing off and get back to the subject of the murder. “Do you two feel perfectly safe? I mean, over at the vineyard? Knowing there’s a murderer on the loose?”
Suzie smiled. “Absolutely. I mean, that wasn’t just some random killing. Rupert Billings got himself into trouble, and he paid the price for it.” She picked up her helmet and tucked it under her arm. “I don’t mean to sound callous, but he shouldn’t have been trying to steal the formula for the Emmerson essencia.”
With that, the Youngs set off toward the stairway.
“See you this evening at the Clear Creek Family Fest!” Sam tossed over his shoulder.
“Wow, Old Johnny knows how to fry a pie,” said Owen, who had just crunched into his chocolate cream pie. “What flavor did you get, Alice?”
But Alice wasn’t eating.
“Alice, what’s wrong?” asked Franny.
Alice frowned. “So that confirms it. The Youngs did know Rupert had stolen the Emmerson’s secret. How did they find that out?” She sighed. “I remember Suzie saying the essencia was to die for. But I wonder if she and Sam also thought it was worth killing for.”
Chapter 9
“These fun honeymoon activities seem to be getting stranger and stranger,” said Luke, opening the brochure he held, which gave a detailed account of the history and splendor of the World’s Largest Walnut.
“What do you mean?” said Owen, looking up at the gargantuan nut, which stood eleven feet high. “This thing is epic!”
“Yeah, it’s nuts,” added Alice, rolling her eyes.
“Good one, Alice,” said Ben with a snicker.
Alice and Luke had already posed for photos which featured them pointing at the walnut with amazed expressions on their faces.
“So let’s go over what we know so far about the case,” said Luke. “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in Detective Mullins and his crew. But I just want to keep a finger on the pulse of this thing.”
“So far, we have four suspects in mind,” said Ben.
“That’s right,” said Franny. “Helena, because Rupert took advantage of her and broke her heart.”
“And her brother, Max, because he loves his sister and was none too happy that Rupert tried to steal the family’s secret formula,” said Own.
“And finally, it could have been one of the Youngs,” said Luke. “They came to the vineyard to learn about winemaking.”
“And Suzie said they need something spectacular to make it in the business,” added Alice. She paused thoughtfully. “And what about the Waxing Moon Winery?” she wondered. “They’re probably tired of always coming in third around here. A special wine like the essencia could put them ahead if they knew how to make it.”
“And after all, the dead man worked for Waxing Moon,” said Luke, nodding. “Makes sense that it could’ve been them who sent him out as a spy.”
“I’m calling Phillipa,” said Alice, taking out her phone.
“The Waxing Moon manager lady? Wait—what good would that do?” asked Owen. “If she knew about a plan to steal the formula, she certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
“Don’t worry,” said Alice, dialing. “I have an idea about how to approach this. I’ll put her on speaker phone. We have plenty of privacy—since, shockingly, we’re the only people who ventured out to see the World’s Largest Walnut today.”
Phillipa picked up right away. “Hi Alice! Good to hear from you.”
“Hi, Phillipa! You’ll never believe where Luke and I are today.”
Phillipa laughed. “Give me a hint,” she said.
“Okay, let’s see . . . It’s rich in antioxidants and omega-3s . . .”
“Oy. You’re at the World’s Largest Walnut?”
“Yep. It’s Fabulous Bride’s latest activity. And we zip lined this morning.”
“Old Johnny’s?”
“Yep.”
“Bless you.”
“Thank you. After this we have a stroll through the vineyard and then we’re off to Oma’s Candy Kitchen.”
“Excellent fudge,” said Phillipa. “Are you going to the Family Fest this evening at Clear Creek Cellars?”
“We’ll be there,” said Alice.
“Good. That event’s actually a lot of fun.”
“Glad to hear it.” Alice paused for a beat. “Phillipa, I have a question.”
“Sure. Shoot.”
“Luke and I truly fell in love with that essencia at the wine tasting the other day.”
“Don’t blame you. It’s amazing.”
“But so expensive. We were wondering if Waxing Moon makes something similar—you know, like your own version of it.”
“Don’t I wish? Wine like that makes a vineyard famous. If we could make an essencia of our own?” She whistled. “That’d be good for business.”
Everyone’s eyes grew wide at this remark. Luke nodded at Alice t
o go on.
“Well, why don’t you? I mean, why not make your own?”
“Great question. But to make an essencia, you have to be able to grow the right kind of grapes, and you have to have optimal conditions for the noble rot. Waxing Moon is just enough higher in elevation to be dryer, so the right rot could never happen here. We also have a different soil composition. There’s less clay in the soil up here. We can’t really grow the right kind of grapes even if we could get the right kind of rot.” She chuckled.
“Oh.” Alice looked at Luke. “So it’s not even on the agenda there—to create an essencia?”
“No, that’d be a big waste of effort,” said Phillipa. “But we are developing a sweet red that we’re hoping will make a good dessert wine. We’re putting all of our resources into that now. Don’t spread that around, by the way. It’s not exactly a secret, but we aren’t ready to formally announce it yet. It’s going to be a few more years before we have a good bottle.”
“How exciting!” said Alice. “You have my word, I won’t tell a soul.” She sighed. “Well, I guess Luke and I will have to chalk our essencia-tasting up as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Phillipa laughed. “I recommend you try a few different dessert wines. There are some very nice ones available at reasonable prices. I’ll text you a few recommendations.”
“Thanks, Phillipa,” said Alice. “That sounds great.”
They said their goodbyes and Alice hung up.
“Well, unless your friend Phillipa is an extremely good actress, Rupert wasn’t spying on Waxing Moon’s behalf when he stole that formula,” said Owen. “Sounds like it’s wouldn’t be feasible for them to even attempt an essencia.”
“But it’s not like Rupert owned his own vineyard either,” said Alice. “I mean, it’s not as though he planned to manufacture the wine himself.” She thought for a moment. “No, I feel certain he was working for someone.”
“Maybe the Youngs hired him—and then killed him once he’d told them the formula,” said Ben. “After all, they wouldn’t want that formula to fall into anyone else’s hands, and Rupert probably had it memorized.”