Sconed to Death

by Lynn Cahoon

  “She and her husband have a brownstone near the college. I did some work for them in the basement. They finished it into a game room for the kids.” Seth grabbed two plates. “Were you friends?”

  “Yeah. We used to double date a lot.” She smiled. “Of course, that meant cheap pizza and a bottle of wine at the house before game night. I’m pretty good at Scrabble, just saying.”

  “I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile about a memory that involved Michael, ever.” He touched her shoulder. “It couldn’t have been all bad, right?”

  “It wasn’t. At least not at first.” She dished up the rice and enchiladas. “Do you want me to stick this in the microwave?”

  “Sure.” He grabbed two sodas out of the fridge. “So you ran into Jessica. What did she have to say?”

  “Not much. She was on her way to a class. We made plans to get together next week to catch up.” Cat dished up food for herself while she waited for the microwave to finish. “I’ve missed talking to her.”

  The microwave beeped and Seth took his plate out and put hers in. Then he took the plate and sat at the table, opening his soda. “I’m surprised she’s working today.”

  “How come?” Cat stood and waited for her food.

  He set down his fork. “I would have thought you knew. Especially since you’ve met her husband.” He held his hands palms up. “Her brother-in-law was the guy who was killed last night.”

  “Her husband’s last name is Blair, not Finn.” Cat took her food out of the microwave and went to join him.

  “Not true. His name is Finn. Her name must be Blair.” He took a bite of the rice. “This is so good.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense. I know. . . .” Cat paused, thinking about how Jessica had introduced them. Tyler. Always just Tyler. She’d assumed his name had been Blair. She cut into her enchilada and cheese oozed out onto the plate.

  Seth took another bite before he answered. “Look, I remember because I said something about how different the name was when he gave me the check. He said Finn was a good Irish name.”

  By the time they’d finished eating, Shauna was back with groceries. Seth helped her carry in the bags from the car. Shauna started to unpack and glanced at the casserole dish. “Do you mind making me a plate while I finish this? I’m starving. I would have been home earlier, but I got caught up with all the gossip at the store.”

  “You get your gossip at the grocery store?” Cat took a plate out of the cupboard and dished up the food. She placed it in the microwave.

  “I’ve told you that before.” Shauna put two gallons of milk in the fridge. “Today was crazy busy since they all wanted to know about the murder.”

  “You don’t know anything about the murder,” Cat reminded her.

  “Just put that in the pantry. After two days, I think I underestimated the amount of soda products this group is going to consume. They’re not much on coffee though.” Shauna directed Seth with two cases of soda. She turned back to Cat. “I never said I did. But everyone thinks since your uncle is a frequent visitor to the house, I must know something. It works for all of us.”

  “What do you say?”

  “I tell them I don’t know anything. They don’t believe me, of course, and tell me what they know. I nod a lot, which they take as me confirming what they knew was what I knew. It works great all around.” Shauna took her plate out of the microwave when it dinged. “So do you want to hear the gossip?”

  Cat grabbed a bottle of water and sat. “Of course.”

  “Are the guests here or out?” Shauna looked at the door. “I’d hate to get them all excited about solving a murder. You know your uncle hates it when the amateurs step into his investigation.”

  Seth delivered the last case of water to the pantry, then sat. “That includes the three of us sitting here. He was just complaining about the last time you got involved.”

  “When?”

  “On our fishing trip last weekend. Face it, Cat, he worries about you. And Shirley’s feeding that fear. She sent him an article about a woman who was killed because she was getting too close to finding a killer. You need to leave investigating to the professionals.”

  Shirley Mann was Uncle Pete’s Alaskan girlfriend. They’d been having a long-distance relationship since Shirley had attended one of Cat’s retreats. Cat wasn’t quite sure yet how she felt about her uncle’s new love life.

  “Does that mean you don’t want to hear what I found out?” Shauna looked at him, pausing.

  “Of course I want to hear. Gossip is good for the mind.” Seth took a sip of the soda he’d left on the table when Shauna had arrived.

  “And they say women are chatty.” Cat rubbed his back, turning her attention to Shauna. “What do the good folk of Aspen Hills say about the murder?”

  “I guess Finn came into the store the morning he was killed. He told the butcher he was cooking a special meal for family. He came in often, but Conrad, he’s the butcher, didn’t think anyone recognized him. He’s kind of a secret foodie so he’d been to Finn’s restaurants a lot and studied up on the guy.” Shauna took a bite of her lunch.

  Cat and Seth shared a look.

  “What?” Shauna quickly swallowed her food. “You already knew this?”

  “We knew he had family. Remember I told you about my friend Jessica Blair? Greyson Finn is her brother-in-law.” Cat paused for a minute, listening to a noise in the front of the house. “Sounds like the children are home. I’m going to go check in with them and see if they need anything.”

  “Tell them not to order dessert with dinner as I’m pulling out the pie and vanilla ice cream with a caramel drizzle. I hope they like it because we’re going to have a lot of it.” Shauna opened her tablet and started scrolling. “I’m looking for an apple muffin recipe now.”

  Seth headed the other way. “I’m checking in on Snow and her dwarfs. I’ll see you at dinner. My mom used to make an applesauce for pork chops that was pretty good.”

  “I’ll look into that. Thanks, Seth.” Shauna focused on her tablet as Cat left the kitchen. They were all in sync again. It had taken some time after Shauna’s boyfriend was murdered, but finally, the three of them seemed comfortable again. Cat thought about Jessica. In all the time they’d been friends, she’d never mentioned her husband had a different last name. She’d always been Jessica Blair. Cat should go visit her, take her food. That’s what friends did when there was a loss, right? Supported each other? But was Cat even supposed to know that Jessica’s family had had a loss?

  The etiquette rules were confusing, at least in this situation. Cat shook off the questions and decided to go over after Jessica’s last class. Maybe she’d been trying to hold it together to get through her day and that’s why Finn’s death hadn’t come up.

  “Hey, we’re back!” Molly almost crooned the announcement. “Everyone’s going to grab their laptops and write in the living room. Do you want to join us?”

  Cat glanced at her watch. She had a couple of hours before Jessica would be home. “Sure. Let me grab my laptop and I’ll meet you in there.”

  “Cool. I’m so glad Ms. Blair talked me into applying for this retreat. I’m enjoying getting away from the reality of school for a few days, even though I know it’s going to suck trying to get caught back up when I go back to school next Monday. I tried to work ahead, but you know how those things go.”

  Cat touched the girl’s arm before she could disappear up the stairs. “Jessica Blair suggested the retreat?”

  “Yeah, she said I’d learn a lot from you.” Molly tilted her head, studying Cat’s face. Somehow she heard the underlying question of “why?” in Cat’s words. “She said you two were friends—isn’t that true?”

  “No, we’re friends. I’m just surprised she suggested the retreat. I’ll have to thank her for that.”

  “Oh, yeah. She’s a big fan. She even teaches a bit out of your first book. You know, the part she helped you write?”

  Chapter Sev
en

  “Maybe she said edit, and Molly thought it was more than that?” Shauna sat a soda in front of a steaming Cat. “Drink this and calm down. You know people like to expand their part of the story.”

  “But I never expected Jessica to do this. I mean, I don’t think I even talked to her about the book, since it wasn’t literary. Michael told me that the other professors would use me writing a genre book against me if I ever wanted to go for tenure. In fact, we’d discussed a pen name so no one would know it was me once it released.” Cat scrubbed her face with her hands. She’d told Molly she’d be a little late for the write-in, but instead of going to the office to get her laptop, she’d ducked into Shauna’s kitchen and unloaded. “And I was going to have lunch with her. Why? So she could steal more of my life to make herself look good in front of her students? I’m about to explode.”

  “You’re more hurt than angry, I can see that. You need to talk to her, but this probably isn’t the best time, not with a death in the family. So keep your lunch date next week and hear her side of the story. Maybe she had a good reason.”

  “And maybe pigs fly.” Cat chugged half the soda down. It was cooling her down a bit. “Anyway, I’ve got a retreat to hostess. I can’t be worried about what some nonfriend said or did.”

  “That’s the spirit! Write her off your list immediately.” Shauna stood and went over to the counter. “I’ll put one of these pies into a box and you can take it over before dinner. That way we’ll be down one pie.”

  “At least you’ll be happy.” Cat finished off the soda. “I’m going to go write a confrontation scene for Tori. That way, maybe I won’t have to rip Jessica’s face off when I see her.”

  “I always admire your way of dealing with stress.” Shauna handed her a plate of cookies. “Put these out in the dining room, will you?”

  Cat got more than one scene done before the group began to disband to get ready for dinner.

  “We’re going to Reno’s again,” Colleen announced. “I’m going to have to work out every day to get rid of all these carb-fueled pounds.”

  “You could run with me in the morning.” Rick shut his laptop and stood.

  “Yeah, no thanks. But I might take a walk around the neighborhood after dinner if anyone wants to join me.” Colleen stretched her back. “I love having time to write, but it really makes me stiff.”

  “I do yoga in my room every morning,” Bren announced. “It keeps me flexible.”

  At that Rick blushed and the other women, besides Molly, giggled. “Too much information,” Anne said, putting her hand on Bren’s back. “Let’s go get ready. Meet down here at five?”

  “Perfect.” Colleen smiled at Molly. “Are you coming too, dear?”

  “If I’m welcome.” The young woman looked from person to person.

  Colleen nodded her head. “Of course, you’re welcome, dear. You’re part of the group now.”

  Cat watched them go up the stairway, chatting about word count and plot holes. The group was bonding. Well, most of them already had fused, but they were including Molly in the mix and that made Cat happy. She went into the kitchen where a pie sat boxed on the table.

  “The guests are on their way to dinner. Molly’s going with them. She’s bonding well with the group,” Cat announced as she stared at the boxed pie.

  “I think you should still go. It’s the right thing to do.” Shauna was working on something on her tablet. She didn’t look up as Cat paused by the table. “I wrote out a sympathy card and signed your name to it as well.”

  “You should go.” Cat ran a finger down the side of the box.

  Shauna shook her head. “No. One, you’re the face of Warm Springs Writers’ Retreat. And two, you and Jessica were friends. No matter what happens after this heart-to-heart you’ll be having.”

  “I’m not as mad anymore, but I don’t understand why she would do it.” Cat grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sank into a chair.

  “You know I can’t answer that for you. But Jessica can. Give her the benefit of the doubt until you hear the whole story. Then you can make a decision on what you want to do.” Shauna stood and crossed over to the fridge where she took out a package of pork chops. “I’m trying the apple suggestion that Seth gave me. I hope the recipe I found matches his mom’s.”

  “If not, he’ll be sure to tell you.” She sipped on the water. “You going riding this week with the retreat in session?”

  “Probably not, but quit stalling. If you really want to talk scheduling, we’ll gather after dinner.” Shauna made shooing motions with her hands. “You’ll be fine. Go talk to your friends.”

  Cat checked how she looked in the kitchen mirror, then picked up the pie. “I’ll be back shortly.”

  “If you’re not, I’ll call Pete and see if you’ve been arrested.” Shauna grinned. “Dinner’s at six.”

  As she walked toward town, Cat took a deep breath to really enjoy the fall foliage. In her opinion the town looked its best in the autumn. The trees were a golden brown, the sidewalk matching the color due to the falling leaves. And mums bloomed in everyone’s flower garden. Shauna handled the flower beds for the house. Cat hated any kind of gardening. She didn’t like to get her hands dirty.

  Cat approached the brownstone and old memories flooded her mind of dinners she and Michael had attended at the house. Long nights talking about the college administration and how unfair it was to new professors. Michael had always tried to be the voice of reason, bringing in the other side, until both women wanted to kick him. Then they’d play some sort of silly game and the bad feelings would disappear. Along with several bottles of wine.

  She climbed the stairs and rang the doorbell. A harried man opened it and his face turned from pain to a look of welcome. “Oh, my, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad to see you. Jessica will be upset she missed you. She took the kids over to her mother’s. We have a thing tonight.”

  “Actually, I talked to her this morning. I heard about your brother.” Cat stepped back from the hug. “I brought you this. I’m so sorry for your loss, Tyler.”

  “I didn’t know if you knew. Jessica was always so determined to make it on her own, she didn’t want anyone to know and prejudge her.” Tyler leaned against the door frame. “I’d invite you in, but I told my mom I’d meet her at the funeral home at six. The body, I mean, Greyson, isn’t released from the coroner yet, but she wants to make some decisions now. I think it’s helping her cope. Keeping busy, you know.”

  “That’s okay. I’m in the middle of a retreat, so I should get back to the house. I’m really sorry, Tyler.”

  “Thanks, Cat. I’m sorry about Michael. We didn’t know what to do when he passed.” Tyler ran a hand through his hair. “I’m a mess. I’ve got to go. Can we talk later?”

  “Of course.” Cat pressed the box into his hands. “Take care of yourself.”

  And then the door closed on her and Tyler was gone.

  She didn’t feel as warm and fuzzy on the way home. In fact, she barely saw the beauty of Aspen Hills this time. All she saw was Tyler’s devastated face. The man had loved his brother. And his explanation of why they’d kept it a secret rang true. But somehow, there was something more that Tyler hadn’t said. Something about Jessica.

  Back at the house, she entered through the front door. The writers were still out. When she went to the kitchen, Shauna was busy cooking. She glanced up when Cat paused in the doorway. “Everything go all right?”

  “Yeah. Tyler’s devastated. I can’t blame him.” Cat went to the fridge and stared inside, finally choosing a soda. “I never had siblings, but I could see how hard it was on him.”

  “I have a brother. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if he was gone.”

  Shauna’s announcement shocked Cat. “You’ve never talked about him.”

  “He’s ten years older. A banker or some financial guy, I can’t ever keep track of where he is or what he’s doing. He worked
in Europe for a while, but now I think he’s back in NYC. Wall Street type.” Shauna turned the heat down on the pot of green beans. “I don’t see him much or really at all, but I would be devastated if something happened to him. Probably because I’d think of all the things we should have done.”

  “You have some fun money now, you should go visit.” Cat took a sip of her soda. “We said we weren’t doing any retreats in December. Christmas in the city would be lovely.”

  Shauna went over to her desk and pulled out the tablet she used in the kitchen. “I’ll think about it. Right now, I’m going to send him an e-mail and tell him I love him. If that doesn’t give him a heart attack, we’ll be fine.”

  Cat took the cue and left Shauna in the kitchen. Instead of heading upstairs to her office, she decided to walk out to the barn. Visiting the kittens was always a mood elevator. And she really needed that. Maybe instead of a pie, she should have taken Tyler and Jessica a kitten.

  When she reached the barn, the kittens were out in the middle of the yard, the mommy cat, Angelica, up on a straw bale, watching them with one eye open and a foot dangling over the side of the bale that one kitten was using as swatting practice. Cat sat next to her, stroking her black-and-white sun-warmed fur.

  “Take in the sun while you can. Pretty soon we’re going to have to think about moving you guys inside the house. The winters can get pretty cold up here.” She scooped up one of the kittens, with soft gray fur covering his body and a speck of black on his nose. “Hey, buddy, how are you today?”

  “I didn’t expect to see you out here with the retreat going on. Let me guess, the writers are all at dinner?” Seth sat on another bale. His blue jeans were covered in dirt and he wore his overshirt opened, showing the what-had-been-white tank underneath. Even after a long day working with the landscaping, the guy looked hot. Or maybe it was because he had been working. When she didn’t respond, he tapped her on the leg. “Earth to Cat? Are you okay?”