by Krista Davis
Everyone stopped eating and drinking, even Nina.
“So that’s why they posted a guard at his hospital room,” I said. “They’re afraid his attacker will return to finish him off.”
Chapter 24
Dear Natasha,
I have some leftover apples that I’d like to bake in a pie. My neighbor acted like I was nuts! Isn’t a pie a good way to use fruit before it spoils?
Confused in the Village of Almond, New York
Dear Confused,
You neighbor is correct. Fresh fruit is necessary for a good pie. Mushy fruit will result in a mushy pie.
Natasha
“Well?” I demanded. “How is Alex?”
“They don’t tell me much more than they tell you. My understanding is that he’s doing as well as can be expected. Of course, I’m hoping that when they bring him around to consciousness, he can tell us who attacked him.”
“So you think he’ll live?” I asked.
“He might not be quite as good-looking. I suspect he’ll need some plastic surgery.”
“Be serious, Wolf.”
Mars cut into his waffle and broke the gloomy atmosphere by saying, “Mmm. Best breakfast ever!”
On that recommendation we all had to try the waffles.
“Someone should call Alex’s parents,” I said.
“Already have,” Wolf responded. “They’re on their way here. Sophie, I know Alex is a respected attorney who wouldn’t blab about his clients, but did he say anything to you that I should know?”
I put down my fork. “I went over to his office on Monday around lunchtime and they were looking for a client who didn’t show up for his court date. I have no idea who it was, and there’s no reason to think there’s a connection. Alex was completely mum about his work, but his assistant would know who the missing client was.”
“I’ll check with her. I was hoping he might have complained about someone to you. Maybe another lawyer?”
I shook my head. “I’m afraid not. When I asked him about the lawyers who represented Nellie Stokes, he pretty much told me to back off. That I shouldn’t be getting involved in a closed case.” I gasped. “He warned me that if Nellie wasn’t guilty, then there was a killer roaming around who got away with murder and could be dangerous.”
“Good point,” murmured Mars through a mouthful of food.
I looked straight at Wolf. “You don’t think that I somehow triggered the attack on him?”
“Oh, Sophie!” Nina cried. “Of course not. Now you’re being silly.”
“I agree with Nina.” Wolf poured himself more coffee. “That’s highly unlikely.”
As they chattered, I considered the possibility that I had inadvertently stirred up a hornet’s nest. But it didn’t seem likely. Even if the Sergeant had returned and seen me speaking with his wife, that wouldn’t have anything to do with Alex. And as far as I knew, none of the Apex Pie crew had any business with Alex. Maybe Wolf was right. I was grasping around for connections that didn’t exist. I reached for a Krispy Kreme and bit into the heavenly, pillowy, chocolate-glazed doughnut and felt better immediately.
The nice thing about take-out food is that it’s cleaned up in minutes. As soon as everyone left, I fed Daisy and Mochie, then hurried to my office and checked my schedule. Still in my bathrobe, I took care of a few outstanding matters so they wouldn’t be overlooked if I took the next couple of days off to worry about Alex.
With those items taken care of, I hurried upstairs for a long, hot shower. Even though Nina had misrepresented my identity to the doctor, I suspected that wouldn’t hold up for long. The only person who could really shed light on this was Alex’s assistant. But I had a bad feeling she was as closemouthed about his business as he was.
If someone missed a court date, wouldn’t there be some kind of public record of that? I hopped out of the shower, dressed in a gray sleeveless sheath that I thought looked professional, donned my cushy sandals, which ruined the effect, and blew my hair dry. I added button-style earrings. Maybe the clerk at the courthouse wouldn’t notice my shoes.
I could hope.
I locked up the house and walked over to the courthouse. It was packed. I heard Alex’s name mentioned several times as I walked to the clerk’s desk.
“Hi,” I said. “Sophie Winston. Do you still have a schedule of the hearings that were set for yesterday?”
The clerk retrieved a sheet of paper from her desk and set it on the counter in front of me. “You’re not the first to ask.” She plunked her fingertip down on Armbruster v. Armbruster. “That’s the one you’re looking for.”
“Alex was representing Honey Armbruster?” I was stunned.
“Nope. I believe he was representing Mr. Armbruster.” She smiled at me. “I hope Alex pulls out of this. He has always been so nice to me. If you talk to him, tell him everybody at the courthouse is rooting for him.” She leaned toward me and whispered, “You need anything else, you let me know. Every one of us wants to see the creep who did this to Alex in handcuffs.”
“Thank you. I’ll pass your message along to Alex.”
I was walking away when she called, “Hey, Sophie! I like your shoes.”
So much for fooling her, but it was great to know they were all on Alex’s side. I hoped the police felt the same way and would hustle to catch the perpetrator.
Alex’s office was close to the courthouse. I walked in that direction. The stench from the fire hit me two blocks away from the building.
When I saw it, I could hardly breathe. Not from the lingering odor, but from the shock of the appearance. The large window in Alex’s waiting room had shattered. It was nothing but a gaping hole. The interior must have burned hot and fast. Everything looked like charcoal. There wasn’t a thing left.
Crime scene tape crossed the door and the window.
I backed up to see how the rest of the building had fared. As far as I could tell from the street, the fire had reached the second floor. I wasn’t sure about the extent of the damage to the third floor.
“Good thing Alex can’t see this,” said a woman’s voice.
I glanced over to see Alex’s assistant.
“Have you heard anything about his condition?” she asked.
“Not much. As well as can be expected, I’m told.”
“I went over to see him this morning, but they were taking him for a scan. I barely got a glimpse of him, but he didn’t recognize me or say anything. They told me his parents were on the way.”
“He’s in a medically induced coma.”
She gasped and covered her mouth with long, slender fingers. “It’s worse than I heard!”
How could I gain her confidence? How could I coax her into telling me if she knew of any dangerous clients?
“Poor Alex,” she said. “Maybe it’s a blessing that he can’t see this. What a mess. It will take us months to get everything back up and running.”
I hugged her just because I was so happy to know that she expected Alex to be back and working, even if it was in the distant future.
She swallowed hard and pulled a card and pen out of her purse. She jotted a number on the back of the card. “This is my cell phone number. Would you call me if you hear anything about Alex’s condition?”
I took the card from her. “Yes, of course. I imagine you’ll be calling his clients to let them know what happened?”
She nodded. “I’ll have to phone the ones with upcoming court dates and appointments.” She scratched her forehead. “I hope I can remember them all. I think I can refer them to a couple of his attorney friends who might cover for him.”
I decided I might as well come right out and ask her if she knew anything. After all, she would want that person arrested, too. She might even say something to me that she wouldn’t tell the cops. “Do you know who did this?”
“I wish I did. The cops asked me the same thing. Honestly, I don’t have a clue. No one that I know of was making threats or acting violent. Of course, you k
now Alex. He might not have mentioned it to me.”
“I know what you mean. Protecting the privacy of his clients was a big deal to him. There’s not a doubt in my mind that he expected the same from you. But this isn’t the time to stay mum. If there was anyone who could have done this to Alex, I hope you’ll tell me or the police. The cops can take it from there. They don’t need to know a lot of details about the client’s legal issues.”
She just stared at me.
“Alex said something to me the other day in another context that probably also applies to you now. There’s someone out there who is very angry and not afraid of killing. He meant to murder Alex. He could come after you next. This is the time to speak up and tell Wolf what you know. For your own sake, as well as Alex’s.”
Color drained from her face, and I felt a little guilty for putting fear in her. But it was true. She needed to be careful and the best way was to inform Wolf.
She gazed around. “It could be anyone.”
“Could it be Honey Armbruster’s husband?”
I was staring at the building, but I heard her sharp intake of breath.
“Did you ever locate him?”
“Did Alex tell you about it?”
Hmm. How to handle that? Lie and say he did, so she would feel free to keep talking, or be honest? I didn’t need to tell her I got it from public information at the courthouse. I sidestepped her question. “I know he didn’t show up for his case.”
“He finally called Alex. I never did find out why he didn’t show, but Alex wasn’t too upset about it.”
That wasn’t helpful. Maybe she didn’t know as much about Alex’s clients as I had hoped.
“I’d better go. Call me with updates on Alex, okay?”
She walked away in a hurry, looking from one side to the other as though she was nervous.
Maybe it was a good thing I had frightened her. She needed to be careful.
And I needed to pay a visit to Honey Armbruster. Maybe she would blab about her court date with her former husband.
Since Alex was probably still tied up having tests, I decided to pop in at The Laughing Hound. With any luck I might get a chance to talk with Remy.
The restaurant was doing a brisk lunch business. I spied Mars seated at the far end of the bar.
I headed toward him. “Have you taken up residence here?”
Mars put down his sandwich and wiped his mouth. “I would if I could. Have you tried this? It’s a grilled cheese BLT. Can you imagine a better combination?” He picked it up. “Here, have a bite.”
I bit into it. He was right. The soft, warm cheese mixed with salty bacon, crisp lettuce, and the crowning touch, a slice of juicy tomato, was nothing short of perfection. I hopped up on the chair next to him. “That could be my new favorite.”
Remy walked up and wiped the bar in front of me. “Can I get you one?”
“How about an iced tea?”
“The kind with booze in it?” he asked.
“No, thanks. Plain old iced tea.”
I watched as he poured it from a pitcher and brought it over.
“Actually, I’m glad you’re working today, Remy. Got a minute?”
He glanced down the bar. “For you? Sure!”
“What do you know about the Gibbards and Grainger?”
Chapter 25
Dear Sophie,
I grew up calling the dish in which a pie is baked a pie plate. But my neighbor always calls it a pie dish. Which one is right?
Pie Lover in Correct, Indiana
Dear Pie Lover,
You are both correct. The shallow ones are called pie plates. When they are deeper, they are called pie dishes.
Sophie
Remy eyed me with undisguised suspicion.
Mars ate his sandwich, probably blissfully unaware that Sergeant Gibbard had fired Remy years ago.
“Mrs. Gibbard is nice, but the old man is nuts. I guess you know that I worked for them once.”
I nodded.
“I got the boot when a customer was berating his girlfriend. He was a real jerk. I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I nicely asked him to step outside, then I punched him in the jaw. His girlfriend was very grateful, but the guy sued the restaurant, so I’m not real popular over there.” He grinned. “They settled out of court, but I got the laugh, because the woman dumped him on the spot and started dating me.”
Mars chuckled. “Great story.”
Not if you were the one who was sued. “Did you work there when Nellie Stokes was the pastry chef?”
“Poor Nellie. I never did think she killed Grainger. She adored him and she had a soft personality. You know what I mean? Some people, you know they’re gonna punch you back, like Sergeant Gibbard. But Nellie couldn’t bring herself to do that if her life depended on it.”
“What I can’t figure out is how someone managed to bake a pie with rhubarb leaves in it and talk Grainger into eating it.”
“A lot of people speculated on that. They say strawberry-rhubarb pie was Grainger’s favorite thing in the world to eat. And some people are easy, you know? Like I could probably get Mars to eat just about anything with bacon in it.”
With his mouth full, Mars nodded.
“That suggests to me the killer was someone Grainger knew or was giving a chance at a job,” I said. “But it was two in the morning, so the job interview is unlikely, and why stab him?”
“The rumor mill had it that Nellie baked the pie and took it to the restaurant after hours,” explained Remy.
“What did you think happened with the knife that was used to stab Grainger?”
“Hey, I’m eating here,” Mars protested.
I reached down the bar and slid a bottle of ketchup toward him.
“You’re so cruel,” Mars muttered.
Remy grinned. “I’m told the cops went in and wiped them out. They took every chef’s knife in the place. I remember that because friends who still worked there said the Sergeant was furious about having to pay for all-new knives.”
I didn’t want to point a finger at anyone and predispose him to agree with me, so I asked, “If Nellie didn’t murder Grainger, then who did?”
Remy looked me in the eyes. “Who else? The old man. He’s the only one insane enough to have killed Grainger.”
“You mean Sergeant Gibbard?” asked Mars.
“That’s exactly who I mean.” Remy flicked his thumb down the counter. “I better get back to work. Good seeing you, Sophie. I’ll put your tea on Mars’s check.”
“Thanks, Remy!”
“Gee, thanks!” cried Mars in mock dismay. “Think Remy’s right?”
“I’m not sure. Thanks for the tea. I’m off to see your new girlfriend.”
“Very funny.” He took a bite of his sandwich.
“Should I send your best to Honey?” I asked.
Mars coughed.
I winked at him and headed to Honey Armbruster’s house.
Pink flowers cascaded down her front steps. It was lovely. She lived in a sizeable Federal-style house, but it was a modern one without a historical plaque on the door. I rang the bell while admiring her pineapple-shaped door knocker, a colonial sign of welcome.
Honey opened the door, looking perfect, as though she had been expecting someone to drop by. How did people do that? A cocker spaniel sat at her feet and didn’t bark or jump up. “Sophie, please come in. To what do I owe this lovely visit?”
I stepped into an immaculate entrance hall that was pure Williamsburg in color and décor. “I’m sorry to bother you. You probably heard about Alex German?”
She no longer smiled. “I loathe that guy. But I am sorry about what happened to him, even if he’s a dreadful human being. Won’t you have a seat?”
Her living room was enormous. A stunning Oriental-style rug, with a predominately teal background, anchored the room. Most of the upholstered furniture picked up on a rose tone in the rug, but she had made sure there were teal accents through the room, like the paintin
g of her three children that hung over the fireplace. As I looked, though, I noticed that the paint behind the portrait was faded in spots, as though something else had hung there for a long time.
I had to appeal to her soft side. “Alex can’t talk. He’s in terrible shape. But I do know that there was a problem with your court date the other day.”
“That was all my ex-husband’s doing.”
Her mouth pulled into a taut line. She sat primly, averting her eyes as though that was all she planned to say on the subject. I hadn’t expected that. Was it true that she was chasing Mars? Maybe if I let his name slip . . . “Mars thought you might be able to help me with some details about that.”
Her chin rose a little bit. “Of course. You understand, I’m sure, that with the children getting older, they have greater needs. Sports, camps, and the like. They shouldn’t be denied those things simply because their father left me for a woman with five children. It’s clear that he owes his first allegiance to his own children, not to someone else’s. Right?”
She didn’t wait for an answer and kept on talking. “I’m sorry. I’ve been holding this in. I can’t go blathering about it to anyone. I have a reputation in this community. Mars left you, so I’m sure you understand what I mean. You have to hold your head high and keep going. I need more child support, but my ex-husband has been yanking me around, pulling stunts like avoiding his court dates. And now he wants the house! This house! Alex was there in court. When my ex-husband didn’t show, Alex managed to get yet another continuance for him. Meanwhile I need money now! And my jerk of an ex-husband has stopped making the mortgage payments. Doesn’t he have any love for his children? How can he pull this house out from under them?” She drew a deep breath and gazed at me in horror. “That’s all strictly confidential between us. Please don’t tell Mars.”
“I’m sorry, Honey. You’re not alone, and no one would think any less of you if they knew. Everyone goes through trying times in life. You’ll get past this, too. And I won’t breathe a word. I feared his absence might have something to do with the attack on Alex.”