by Lynn Cahoon
“In her dreams.” Angie met his gaze and remembered why she had fallen for Ian in the first place. His eyes, his smile, and yes, his accent all tied up in a very nice package.
“And here you are.” Xandra set two empty plates in front of them, then started sitting other platters around the table. “I know, it’s a lot, but Ben and I couldn’t decide on what we wanted to show you. These are our favorites.”
* * * *
After stuffing themselves at the restaurant, they headed back to the house. Angie curled into the seat and tried not to close her eyes. “I’m going to go talk to Randy first, then I’ll start working on dinner for the team. What’s your plan?”
“More painting. Estebe was going to start on the upper level as soon as he was done with lunch. I’m sure he’ll need some help to finish off the front before the light disappears. We might be able to get all but the back done today.” Ian turned off the highway and onto the country road that would take them to the veteran’s home. “And I want to call the hospital and check on Kendrick.”
“Good plan. We only have two more days here. We need to make sure it’s safe to leave them here with Carol.” Angie yawned, the sun coming through the window adding to the stuffed feeling she had from lunch making her crave a nap.
“There’s nothing saying they aren’t,” Ian reminded her.
“Besides Dom. He scared someone away last night, I know it. And Randy was supposedly on his deathbed when we arrived, but he’s actually stronger now. Then Kendrick winds up in the hospital.” Angie shook her head. “There’s something going on, we just don’t know what. Yet.”
“Old people have health issues,” Ian reminded her. “But I agree, something’s going on. Uncle Allen’s looking into the last guy who lived here. Phil was healthy as a horse according to his girlfriend from the apartment complex—until he moved in here after breaking a hip. When he died, the girlfriend assumed she would get the life insurance, but apparently it went elsewhere. The agent wouldn’t tell her when he changed the beneficiary or who it was.”
“Can I have three guesses and the first two don’t count? It’s got to be Carol.” Angie tapped her fingers on the dashboard. “Does Randy have an estate? Where is it going?”
Ian glanced over at her. “How would I know?”
“We need to ask him. And find out if he knows about Kendrick’s estate,” Angie nodded and whispered. “Follow the money. It’s always about the money.”
“If Carol had so much money, why wouldn’t she fix the house?” Ian pulled into the driveway. “I think your Spidey sense is way off on this one.”
“We’ll see. Thanks for lunch.” She leaned over and kissed him before they left the van. “See you soon.”
“Yes, you will.” He grinned and jumped out of the van. “But for the next few hours, I’m a master painter.”
When she went into the house, she stopped at her room and tucked the box under her bed. Then she headed into the kitchen. Carol was there, standing in front of the cabinet that had a ton of fruits and vegetables that Felicia must have brought inside.
“Your garden’s putting out some amazing produce.” Angie picked up a cantaloupe and smelled the core. “This is ripe. I’m going to do melon cup for breakfast. You have quite the green thumb.”
“Oh, my thumbs are black. My ex-fiancé was the one who planted the garden this year. He loved to work out there. I didn’t get the attraction. I’d rather spend my free time reading. Look, I’m sorry I jumped at you earlier. I’ve just been so worried about Kendrick. I don’t need to lose someone else.” She closed her eyes but Angie had seen the pain in them. “Anyway, thanks for all you’re doing.”
“No problem. I did need to tell you that I moved the pet cemetery into the pantry. They didn’t belong in the kitchen.” Angie nodded toward the pantry door.
“Oh, my, I probably had forgotten I’d even put those there. They were Randy’s pets. All five of them. He didn’t like giving them up but he didn’t have room for them. He hasn’t talked about the ashes for years.” Carol smiled. “Maybe he’s learning you can’t replace family and friendship totally with a dog. Even if they are amazing. Your dog seems to like spending time with Randy. He must know he’s a dog person.”
“They’re very good at recognizing people who like animals.” Angie glanced around the kitchen. Either the team had taken Dom out for a walk or if he was asleep somewhere. Angie figured she’d find him in Randy’s room. “I was surprised you don’t have a pet.”
“I did, a long time ago. I had a cat. When he passed, I just couldn’t bring myself to get another one.” Carol smiled sadly. “Anyway, I need to be working on the paperwork. So many reports have to be filed, you wouldn’t believe it.”
“I’ll come by when dinner’s ready.” Angie nodded to the apple pies sitting on the counter. “The pies turned out lovely.”
“I can’t wait.” Carol hurried out of the kitchen and toward her office on the other side of the house. Her bedroom was that way as well.
Felicia came in the kitchen from the backyard with a colander of blackberries and with Dom. “There you are. How was lunch? Did you find our missing child?”
Angie leaned down to give Dom a hug, then answered Felicia. “Lunch was amazing. You have to try this place. And we didn’t find him, but we have more leads.”
“Well, it wasn’t a total loss. Did I see you talking to Carol when I came up? What did the witch want now? Did she offer you a poison apple?” Felicia took the colander over to wash the berries in the sink.
“Actually, she was nice. And apologized for being horrible. So I guess we don’t have to call her a witch anymore.” Angie was looking at the vegetables and trying to come up with a recipe for dinner. “Her ex-fiancé planted the garden.”
“Where did he go?”
“What?” Angie pulled her thoughts away from listing off the ingredients for a tomato pie and wondering if they had ricotta in the fridge.
“I knew you weren’t listening. Her ex-fiancé? Where did he go?” Felicia repeated. “He had to be here in the spring to plant the garden.”
Angie met her gaze. “She didn’t say. And she didn’t say why he left. I thought the ‘ex’ part kind of explained it.”
“Unless he was the one hurting the residents.” Felicia turned to face her. “We need to find out more about him.”
Angie sighed. “Add one more item to the list of things we don’t know.”
Chapter 7
Angie knocked on Randy’s door. She had a tray with tea and cookies in her hands. Dom stood at the door with her, waiting to be allowed inside. “Do you have some time to chat?”
“Let me see, my schedule is so busy. Of course, I have time. The question is do you? Carol says you all have a lot to get done in a short period of time.” Randy reached out a hand and Dom walked over to see him. “It’s been kind of quiet today without Kendrick around. He’s usually in here talking my ear off about one thing or another. Although if he tells you he went to London during the war, that’s a complete lie. He was kicked out of the Air Force just before the war started because of a heart condition. He showed them. They thought he wasn’t strong enough to fight, but he’s outlived a lot of boys that went over to ’Nam.”
“I hope he comes back from the hospital before we leave.” Angie pulled the table closer and poured the tea. “I didn’t get a chance to talk with him. Did you hear what happened?”
“Reaction to a new medicine Doc Sawbones gave him. I think that guy uses us as guinea pigs for the new pharmaceuticals they sell him on. Carol said he’s doing better and will be home tomorrow morning.” Randy picked up a cookie and took a bite. “He sure loved meeting your friends. All of our visitors should be as lovely as your group is. And the girls. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard girls giggling late at night. My sisters used to do that when we went to bed. They’re all gone now.”
> “I hope we’re not disturbing your rest. I could talk to them.” Angie watched as Randy poured sugar into his tea. A lot of sugar.
“Doesn’t bother me. I like waking up to that sound a whole lot better than when Carol had her man living with us. I didn’t like the way he talked to her. And he looked at us like we were paychecks rather than people. I felt like I was that orphan boy in Oliver Twist.” He laughed as he picked up the cup. “And I’m feeling a whole lot better now that he’s gone. Now, I’m not saying he was messing with my food, but my stomach is much better now. You can make your own conclusions.”
Angie thought of the rat poison she’d found in the pantry and shuddered, hoping her reaction didn’t show. She didn’t want to scare Randy. “So why did he leave?”
“Carol got smart and kicked him out. He wasn’t a good man.” He glanced at the door and lowered his voice. “She could do so much better. I think he was just here for a place to stay, but I’d never say that to her face. She works so hard.”
“You like her.” Angie tried to hide her surprise.
He blushed and tucked his head down. “Now, don’t you go spreading rumors. There’s no fool like an old fool, right. Anyway, Carol’s going to be fine. At least she will be when I pass. I don’t have much, my savings and a life insurance. Of course, if you find Jacob, I’ll need to change that.”
“Did you know they had kids?” Angie pulled out the pictures she’d had tucked in her jacket pocket. “He and Mai had at least two. A boy and a girl. Their names are on the back of the picture.”
He studied the photos, turning them over and then back, a small smile on his lips. “The boy looks just like Jacob did at that age. Where did you find these?”
“There was a box with your late wife’s letters in the kitchen. I suspect you must have brought them with you when you moved in.” Along with the pet coffins, she added silently. “I take it you didn’t look at the letters?”
Randy shook his head. “When Mary Elizabeth died, I fell into grief. I stayed there for years. Some people from the church came and boxed the house up when I sold it and I moved in here. They must have realized they were sentimental.”
“There are several from Jacob to his mom. Maybe twenty. Do you want them? I have them in my room.” Angie realized she couldn’t say it was because she’d thought Carol might toss them, so instead she said, “I wanted to have time to study them for clues.”
He looked up from the pictures he now held with a death grip. “Did you find anything?”
“Mai’s folks ran a restaurant in Nampa, like you told Ian. We went there today for a late lunch.” She didn’t want to get him too excited, but she could see the interest dance in his eyes. “They’d sold the place to a really nice couple. She said she’d give the Nguyens my phone number and ask them to call me. I told her I was trying to reach Jacob. She said the in-laws lived in Meridian.”
“I remember them. Mary Elizabeth dragged me to an engagement party they held at the restaurant. They were nice people, but I was so mad. I was rude to them.” He reached down and petted Dom’s head. “I really need to talk to Jacob. Do you think you’ll find him before you leave?”
“If I don’t, I’m not going to stop trying.” Angie patted his hand. “You’ll see Jacob again. Sooner than later, I hope.”
He yawned and Angie took that as a clue to leave him alone. “Sorry, I’m just so tired all the time. I never slept through the night when I got back in country. Not for years. Mary Elizabeth used to try to get me to take sleeping pills, the ones you can buy over the counter. But I hate taking any pills. I only do it here so Carol doesn’t get all up in my face about it.”
“I’ll bring the letters in as soon as I finish reading the last few for clues. Unless you don’t want me to.” She paused at the door. Dom had already laid down, blocking the doorway to get into the room. She might have just lost him to Randy. He obviously wanted to protect the older man.
“I’d love to see them. She used to write me when I was in Vietnam too. I’d love to catch up on my son’s life.” He lay down and pulled a cover over himself.
Dom looked at her and whined.
“It’s okay buddy, you can stay here. Just come get me if you need to go out, okay?” Angie could swear that Dom knew exactly what she’d said as he laid his head down and closed his eyes.
Felicia was in the bedroom reading the letters when Angie came in. She didn’t look up but spoke. “Hope and Bleak are getting dinner ready. These letters are so sweet. I don’t think I’ve gotten a letter from anyone for years. Emails, yes, but not a real handwritten letter.”
Angie sat on her bed and pulled out the last few envelopes she hadn’t opened yet. “Look for anything that nails down where they live or work. We need to find Jacob. Randy is counting on us. He made Carol his heir before he decided to find Jacob. Those kids need a grandfather.”
“Wow. That’s a motive to actually get rid of him.” She paused, setting down the letter. “Ian found a bottle of eye drops in Kendrick’s room. The hospital is checking his blood work to see if he’s been poisoned.”
“I thought it was his heart. Randy thinks it’s a reaction to a new medicine.” Angie thought about how Dom hadn’t wanted to let anyone in Randy’s room. Had he scared away whomever had the eye drops and they’d gone to Kendrick’s room instead? “I wonder who’s named in Kendrick’s will.”
“Do you think she keeps the residents’ wills on site?” Felicia whispered, glancing around the room.
“Where is Carol right now?” Angie glanced at her watch. Almost four. If the woman had planned to visit Kendrick, she would have to leave soon.
“In her office. Do you want to go offer her the last slice of apple pie? She seemed to enjoy it last night.” Felicia curled up on the bed. “I need to get up to speed on these.”
“I’ll be right back. Dom’s in Randy’s room. Take him out if he asks, okay?” Angie stood and set the letters down gingerly on her bed.
“Dom knows I’m his employee.” Felicia nodded toward the door. “Go get going. Maybe we can figure this out tonight and not have to sleep under the same roof as a killer.”
“As an alleged killer.” Angie smiled and headed out to the kitchen. She waved at Hope and Bleak as she made her way through the kitchen and to the hallway where Carol had her private quarters. An office, a bedroom, and a bath, all off a hallway with a sign on the wall with one word: Private.
She knocked on the door to the office; no answer. She poked her head in, but she didn’t see anyone, just a pile of papers on the small desk. And all the chairs, except one, had piles of papers. Angie stepped inside and saw a real estate poster, a business card stapled to it. She read it aloud. “Let me know when you’re ready to sell. I’ve got a ton of clients who would love this property.”
She’s selling? Angie peeked on the back of the card. Theresa Yard’s name and smiling face was on the front. Angie studied the room. If she was going to actually search for something, she needed some time with Carol out of the house.
Shutting the door quietly, she moved back to the living room, where she peeked out the front windows. Carol’s car wasn’t in the driveway. She moved to the kitchen and leaned on the wall in the arched walk-through. “Hey, have either of you seen Carol?”
“She ran into town,” Hope said, stirring a pot on the stove. “She wanted to visit the hospital. You just missed her.”
Okay then, that was a great sign. The lords of chance were telling her she had an open window to do a quick search. Angie nodded. “Bleak, could you watch out the living room window and tell me if she’s coming back before I get done what I need to do?”
Hope shook her head. “You shouldn’t be sneaking into Carol’s private area. It’s not right.”
“I know, but I found a flyer saying she might be looking at selling this place, and if she is I don’t want our ‘charity’ work to be used for s
omeone else’s gain.” Angie also wanted to find out if Kendrick’s will listed Miss Carol as the beneficiary, but no need to mention that.
“Well, I guess that’s a good reason.” Hope frowned. “I bet that was a survey post we found down by the pond.”
“The one that Matt got his fishing line wrapped around?” Bleak grinned at Angie. “Twice.”
“Yeah. I knew that looked familiar. When my folks sold my grandfather’s farm, they had to have it surveyed before they put it up for sale as the lines with the neighbor were in dispute. Has Mrs. Stewart just been using us to get the house ready to sell? Where would Randy and Kendrick go?” Fire spit through Hope’s eyes as she thought about the two elderly residents. “That’s not right.”
“No, it’s not. Anyway, Bleak, can you be my lookout?” Angie hoped the girl would agree the transgression was worth the sin.
“Sure.” She grinned at Angie. “I haven’t done anything like this since I moved in with River Vista’s police chief and Maggie. I swear that guy knows what I’m going to say before I even think it. Especially if I’m trying to hide something.”
“Like kissing Ty after prom?” Hope teased.
“La-la-la, I can’t hear you.” Bleak ran to the living room couch, where she planted herself backwards to watch the driveway. “Angie, you better get busy. I don’t think she trusts us enough to leave us alone in the house for long.”
As well she shouldn’t. Angie made her way back to the office and started going through stacks. Medical records, bills, household lists, emails Carol had printed off. The stacks were all about running the home and the warnings she’d gotten from the state on fixing the place up. The pile on the chair was about the last resident, Phil, whom Randy had mentioned. The one who’d died in the house. And a notebook sat on the pile. Dates and meals and a note about some guy named Brett’s whereabouts on each day.