They continued their work, paying attention to the seated pair to anticipate their needs and fill them before an unkind comment could be made. There would be no reason to complain about the level of service they received.
Conversation was quiet. Chelsea wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but she usually caught some of what people talked about when she was serving. It seemed to her that Siobhan and Ronald were taking care that she not hear anything of what they were saying.
Finally finished, Ronald threw two twenties down on the table. He and Siobhan left without saying anything else.
Chelsea picked up the money with distaste. Their bill was $38; the $2 tip was meant as an insult. She followed Siobhan and Ronald into the parking lot and reached them before they got into their car.
She handed the money to Siobhan, who was closest to her. “Our treat.”
Ronald said to Siobhan, “Give it back to her.”
Siobhan looked torn between obeying Ronald and being smart with Chelsea. He peeled off four twenties and threw them at Chelsea, who put a hand up to keep the bills from hitting her in the eyes.
“Do what you want with the money,” he said. “But I always pay my tab.” He looked at Siobhan. “Get in the car and shut up. I don’t want to hear from you.” He started the engine and put it in reverse before Siobhan was buckled up.
Chelsea moved out of the way when she realized Ronald would hit her if he could.
Going back to Beach Tea Shop, she closed and locked the door behind her. “That wasn’t fun,” she said. “What a jerk. You should see how he treats Siobhan.”
“I see why he gives Colleen Browne the creeps,” Dani said. She joined her sisters at a table and put a plate with chocolate chip cookies down. “We deserve a treat after that.”
Biting into a cookie, Chelsea let the chocolate melt on her tongue. The sweet taste helped ease the bitterness she felt over what just happened.
“I found out something,” Alex said. She smiled and bit into her cookie. “Do you want to know what it is?”
“Yes,” chorused Dani and Chelsea.
Alex laughed. “They were so busy seeing where Chelsea was they didn’t pay attention to me. I was setting the table in the corner where they didn’t see me and I heard Ronald say something about what a mistake it was to let Grace Carson come to the house. Siobhan said something I didn’t catch, then Ronald said he was lucky he tackled her when he did.”
She thought for a minute. “Did anyone say they heard a fight before the fire?”
Chelsea said, “I haven’t heard anything. Should I give Rose a call and see if she has?”
“Not yet. Did either of you notice the smudge on the house by the back door?” Alex asked. “I took a look around when we got clothes the other day but I thought it was from the fire in some way. Now I wonder.”
“Wonder what?” Dani asked.
“I wonder if Ronald chased Grace from Browne’s house to ours and tackled her so she hit the wall. I wonder if that’s what the smudge is.”
Chapter 10
Alex called Elizabeth Weaver and asked her to meet them at Nana Jean’s house. No matter that it was theirs now and they’d grown up in it; she and her sisters still thought of it as Nana Jean’s.
Elizabeth Weaver met them in the driveway. Alex looked next door to see if Siobhan and Ronald Parker were there, but couldn’t tell if a car was in the garage and they were home.
She hoped they weren’t. She wanted Elizabeth to check the smudge without tipping Ronald Parker that she’d heard part of their conversation.
“What smudge are you talking about?” Elizabeth said. She took a bag out of her car and brought it with her as they walked to the backyard.
Alex explained about the smudge she’d seen on the wall and the conversation she’d overheard. “I wondered if you’d be able to tell if someone fell against that wall,” she said. “I saw it when we came back to get clothes the day after the fire, but I thought it was from the fire. After what I heard, I wonder if Ronald Parker tackled Grace Carson and they hit the wall.”
Elizabeth peered at the wall. She took a magnifying glass from her bag and examined the wall. “I see fibers,” she said. She pulled evidence bags out of her pocket and used a tweezer from her bag to pull a fiber off the wall and put it into an evidence bag. She took time to label and sign the evidence bag before she looked again.
“A different fiber,” she said, and repeated the process.
Another close look and she took a long cotton swab out of her bag and swabbed the smudge. She put it in a long tube and labeled it. Taking another long cotton swab out, she swabbed the smudge in a different place, put it in a tube, and labeled it.
“I want to get these to the lab,” she said.
They walked back to the driveway where their cars were and a truck was parked in the driveway next door.
Chelsea saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see what it was. The curtain on the window nearest them swayed, and she thought someone was behind it. Who saw them, and did it matter if it was Siobhan? She knew if it was Ronald it was bad news, but she wasn’t sure which side Siobhan was on.
They got into their cars and left, Elizabeth Weaver to the lab and the Powells to BevAnne’s. She hadn’t come on this trip, deciding that she didn’t need to. Chelsea knew it was a tangible reminder of Nana Jean’s loss, seeing the house where she and BevAnne spent so much time and had so many happy memories. It was hard for the sisters, too, but they had each other and that helped ease their grief.
The fire might have taken their scrapbooks, yearbooks, and mementos, but the memories of love and good times with Nana Jean would never be taken away.
~*~
Chelsea called Sean to tell him the latest developments. They planned to meet at Citrus Beach Roast House at 8 o’clock.
Chelsea ordered a cappuccino and settled in at the same table in the corner they sat at before. She pulled out a book to read while she was waiting. Engrossed in her book, she didn’t pay attention to the person brushing past her. Feeling a sting like a bug bite, she looked up and saw Ronald Parker when she moved to brush the bug away.
“Hi, Chelsea, how are you feeling?” he asked.
Chelsea felt woozy and tried to get up. Her fingers started going numb and her book slipped from her hands and fell onto the floor.
“Let me help you,” Ronald said. He grabbed her arm and lifted her up.
Chelsea tried to call out, but she couldn’t form words. Another coffee shop patron looked up, but Ronald said, “My daughter. She’s had a little too much to drink.” The patron curled his lip and looked away.
Chelsea struggled against Ronald for a minute before the drug Ronald injected into her took full effect and she knew no more.
~*~
Alex puttered around the house while she waited to hear from Chelsea how it went with Sean. Nine o’clock came and went. Nine thirty. Ten o’clock.
She knew the Citrus Beach Roast House closed at nine o’clock. She started to worry when ten thirty came and went. Chelsea was not a night owl, preferring to be in bed reading before she fell asleep.
Alex’s phone rang. “Chelsea?” she said.
“Um, this is Evan, from the Roast House?” a voice said. “I found a book on the floor with your name and number on a card in it? I wanted you to have it back?”
“Evan, where are you now?” Alex asked. Chelsea borrowed a book from her last week. They passed books back and forth often, and had gotten into the habit of putting a card with their name and number in it in case the book was lost. Her worry increased.
If the book was at the Roast House, where was Chelsea?
“Um, I’m at home. My mom said I should call.” The voice warbled with nerves and Alex tried to stay patient so she didn’t scare the girl.
“Who is your Mom?” Alex asked.
“Mallory Fox.”
Alex closed her eyes in relief. Mallory and her husband owned Citrus Beach Grill and was a friend.
; “Evan, did you see my sister leave her book?” Alex asked. She wanted to hear that Sean and Chelsea left and the book was missed when they left.
“The man said his daughter was drunk?” Evan said. She had the habit of ending her sentences like she was asking a question. “He helped her out to his truck?”
“Do you know what the truck looked like?” Alex asked. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Siobhan drove a car, but Ronald had a truck.
“It was white?” Evan said.
Alex asked, “Evan, is your mom there?” She hoped Mallory was. She needed help.
“Alex, it’s Mallory,” a new voice said. “What’s going on? Evan told me what she saw when I asked where she got the book. Is Chelsea all right?”
“I don’t know. She was supposed to meet Sean Browne for coffee and give him some information, but she’s not home yet. It’s not like her to be this late without calling, and when I call her it goes to voice mail.” Alex tried not to let panic swamp her, and took a deep breath.
“The fire? I heard about it,” Mallory said.
“It’s related,” Alex said. “I have a starting point now, though. Thank Evan for me. Better yet, come to afternoon tea tomorrow so I can thank her in person.”
“We look forward to it. I hope you get ahold of her soon,” Mallory said, then said goodbye and ended the call.
Chapter 11
Sean drove to his mother’s house to talk to Siobhan before he met Chelsea at the Roast House. He wanted to get answers about what Siobhan was doing.
He passed a white truck on the way to the house and thought it was Ronald driving.
Good. He’d talk to Siobhan in private.
He parked in the driveway and rang the doorbell. Odd to ring the bell at his childhood home, but Siobhan changed the locks when she moved back and made a point of not giving him a key. Games. She’d always been into games.
She answered the door. “Sean, it’s not a pleasure to see you.” She turned away but left the door open, which Sean took as the only invitation he’d get.
He walked inside and had a moment to look around before the barbs of a TASER were buried in his back and he to the ground. He couldn’t move his limbs, but they jerked as the electrical current from the TASER disrupted his voluntary muscle control.
He knew he was in trouble.
~*~
Sean was trussed up like a chicken. His ankles, knees, and wrists were bound with zip ties. His elbows were zip tied to his belt. He couldn’t move much, but could get some lateral movement on the floor if he slithered like a snake.
Moving wouldn’t get him far. He was in his old bedroom with the door closed.
The sound of the garage door rumbled through the house, and he was afraid that Ronald was back.
He heard Siobhan saying “What is she doing here?” followed by the sound of a slap. Trouble in paradise? Maybe he could work that to his advantage, get Siobhan to cut the zip ties and free him.
No such luck. The door opened and Ronald stood there. He threw a bundle down and Sean realized it was Chelsea. Unconscious.
Time passed.
The door opened again.
Siobhan.
“Little brother, in trouble again. Drugs will kill you, did you know that?” she said. “This time it’s my drugs that will get you.” She came towards him with a syringe and jabbed it into his arm. He saw her push the plunger in and pull the needle out.
He started to feel woozy.
His head hit the floor but he could hear her say, “Both out. We have time to get things set up and get out. They’ll be gone soon and we’ll be rich.”
“Doesn’t it bother you to kill your brother?” Ronald asked. He laughed. “That’s cold. I really didn’t think you’d go through with it.”
“He ruined my life,” Siobhan said. “Drugs messed him up and we moved so he could get help. What about me? What about my life? He was always their favorite. It’s my turn now.”
~*~
Chelsea hurt. Her head hurt. Her body ached. She ran her tongue around her teeth to see why they felt like fuzz was on them. She had questions but no answers. She tried to move but couldn’t, held in place by restraints.
She moved her hand.
Not restraints.
A seat belt.
The car was running.
The garage door was down.
Sean was in the driver’s seat, restrained by his seat belt. His head rested against the window.
“Sean.”
Chelsea couldn’t talk. It felt like she was, her mouth moved and her tongue pressed against her fuzzy teeth, but sound didn’t come out.
“Sean.”
She tried again. Did she make a sound that time?
“Sean.”
His head moved.
Not enough.
“Sean.” Louder this time. Definitely sound.
Light. Colored lights played around the car, danced on the walls of the garage, caught in the reflector of a bicycle hung from the ceiling.
Help was here.
The car door handle was lifted but nothing happened. Chelsea heard voices, then someone said, “Step back.”
A sound like a bat hitting glass, and air rushed into the car from behind her. Help was here.
Hands fumbled with the locks and someone crawled into the back seat of the car.
“Chelsea! Wake up, Chelsea,” Alex said.
“I’m awake,” Chelsea said.
Hands slapped her face while other hands undid her seat belt, dragged her out, did the same for Sean.
Oxygen mask on her face. She held onto Alex’s hand and didn’t let go.
They rode to the hospital in the ambulance, Alex holding one hand and Dani holding the other.
~*~
Medical care was administered to Sean and Chelsea. Police investigated their “suicide” and left to find Siobhan and Ronald.
Dani, Alex, and BevAnne stayed with Chelsea during all the questions, filling in the gaps when Chelsea faltered telling her story. Notes were compared.
Sean was in the room next door, Colleen Browne by his side.
Siobhan and Ronald weren’t found.
Sean and Chelsea were released from the hospital.
~*~
Elizabeth Weaver stopped by BevAnne’s house. “We have results from the swabs I took. Human blood, two types. One matched Grace Carson.”
Alex sat next to Chelsea on the couch in the family room. “She tried to run away from Ronald. He tackled her, too close to the house.”
“It appears so. The autopsy showed she died from a broken neck. He broke in to the house and started the fire to cover it up, but he took the electronics to make it look a burglary. We found them next door.” Elizabeth took a notebook from her bag. “There were a few things recovered that weren’t on your list. Can you tell me if they’re yours?”
She handed a list to Alex, who looked it over. “Not ours. Maybe Ronald’s?”
“Evidence now. We’ll go through everything, see what we find. For now, case closed.”
“Does that mean we can move back into the house?” Alex asked.
“It’s not structurally sound, but you can have the repair work started after the insurance company finishes their investigation.”
“Their investigation?” Alex asked.
“They won’t pay until it’s done and they’re satisfied you and your sisters weren’t involved.” Elizabeth Weaver smiled. “They’ll get my report. You should get a check soon.”
“Thank you,” Alex said. “We appreciate all the work you’ve done to find out what happened.” She got up and walked Elizabeth to the door. “Come to Beach Tea Shop anytime, as our guest.”
Alex came back to the family room. Dani was next to Chelsea and BevAnne was in the recliner.
“I can’t imagine what Colleen is going through,” BevAnne said. Her heart broke for the woman who’d lost so much. Her mother’s dementia was bad enough, but losing her daughter to drugs and disinterest was worse
.
“We’re lucky,” Alex said, “We’ll always have each other.”
THE END
Recipes and Crafts
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Recipes: Ham and Swiss Pastry; Summer Tomato and Cucumber Salad; Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata
Craft: Thrift Store Framed Art
Dying for Cream Tea
The adventures continue in Dying for Cream Tea, Beach Tea Shop Cozy Mystery #3 – release date August 20, 2019. Available now.
Nana Jean’s killer is caught. The mystery of who burned their house down is solved. Life is settling into a routine that ramps up with the return of the snowbirds for the holidays. Shirley Abbott, a friend of BevAnne Wexler’s, asks the Powell sisters to cater a cream tea fundraiser for SafeSpace, the local domestic violence shelter. After announcing the amount of money raised and leaving to deliver it to SafeSpace, Shirley and the money disappear.
Shirley is accused of stealing the money and fleeing Citrus Beach, but BevAnne doesn’t believe it. She suspects foul play, and her main suspect is Shirley’s husband, William. He plays the distraught husband in public, but in private he’s making plans to leave town.
Did William harm Shirley in order to take the money? Is Shirley still alive? The Powell sisters and BevAnne are determined to find Shirley, clear her name, and bring the thief to justice.
About the Author
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