by Lois Lavrisa
Frank blurted out, “Have you seen the arsenal of poisons she has under the sink? I bet that muffin plate found outside of Phong’s room was laced with toxins. I’m just saying there is foul play.”
That night, I’d seen the plate on the floor outside of Mr. Phong’s room. I’d brought it into his room when I’d gone looking for him. How did Frank know that plate had been on the exterior of the room? Maybe Frank had seen it when he’d gotten home.
Lily huffed. “Miss Bezu is innocent.”
Although I’d hoped that Lily meant that to sound as a statement, her voice rose at the end, indicating a question.
“I didn’t hurt anyone. Nor could I,” I said.
Frank shot his eyes at me. “Right.”
Lily tiptoed and whispered in Frank’s ear.
Frank sighed, “I’m sorry, Miss Bezu. Lily said, I mean, I know I was out of line for thinking you killed the illegal immigrant.”
Lilly struck his arm.
Frank continued, “I mean, Mr. Phong.”
“Apology accepted. No harm done.” Picking up a kitchen towel, I dried a wet spot on the counter.
“We’ll catch you later.” Lily grabbed Frank’s hand and walked away.
I only caught glimpses of Frank being saccharin sweet when he interacted with Lily. I just wished that he could spread that amiability to others as well.
A moment later, Xavier entered the kitchen.
Even though something about him seemed duplicitous to me, bordering on uncomfortable, above all, the good manners instilled in me as a child never faltered. “There’s coffee if you want some.” I pulled a mug out of the cupboard and handed it to him.
Xavier poured himself a cup and then leaned back on the counter. “Are you well?”
I filled the thermal carafe with the rest of the coffee, then tightened the lid. “Fine. Thank you for asking.”
“Even though we don’t know each other very well, I’d like to help you if you need any assistance.” Xavier took a sip from his mug.
I’d noticed when I first met him, but now, talking with him, I was convinced that English was not his first language. His accent was becoming more pronounced.
“That’s mighty kind of you. But I assure you, I don’t need your help.” I was slightly suspicious of his offer to help.
Xavier shifted his stance. “Did you have to sell it?”
I stopped filling the empty coffeepot with soapy water. “Huh?”
“Your necklace. I saw you had it on when I ran into you outside of the pawnshop, and now you don’t.”
My hand flew to my neck. Sorrow washed over me as I felt my unadorned collarbone where, for years, the silky-smooth pearls had resided. I was overcome by a deep hollowness, as I knew they were gone for good. There was no way that I’d be able to pay the pawnshop loan in thirty days.
Xavier’s head lowered. “I’m sorry. The look on your face is my answer.”
“What look?” How dare he think he knew me? But then again, I didn’t have a poker face. Still, that did not give him a right to intrude into my personal life.
Xavier’s phone buzzed as he set his cup in the sink. He grabbed the phone and said, “Excuse me,” and left the room.
Humph. He acted as if he knew me, like we were old friends. As if I would ever rely on him for anything. I’d managed just fine by myself. Although sometimes I thought about Cat and Andrew, and how they were always there for each other. It might be nice to rely on someone.
“I had to come back.” Cat entered the kitchen. “I’m convinced that Xavier is the killer.”
“Whoa, there,” I whispered as I placed a hand on her arm. “He’s still here.”
“He’s on the front porch talking on the phone.” Cat guided me through the back door. “Let’s go on the back porch.”
I followed her outside.
Cat darted her eyes around and lowered her voice. “Listen, Bezu, I was at work, and, well, I just couldn’t think of anything else besides the ring at Jack’s Pawn Shop. Seeing Xavier outside of the store and then seeing the ring in the display case. It’s too much of a coincidence. Remember when we were all there when Mr. Phong died and Xavier rummaged around the room?”
“Yes.”
“I think he’s a thief.”
I put my hands on my hips. “I didn’t actually see him take anything. Did you?”
Cat shook her head.
I said, “Then we have no right to accuse anyone of anything if we don’t have proof.”
Cat sighed. “You are right.”
“He may not be a crook, but I don’t believe he is being honest about who he is.” I bit my lip. “He acts like he is from around here, but his speech has a hint of an accent.”
“Spanish or something like that. I can’t place it for sure.” Cat tapped her foot. “This all makes sense, though. Do you remember calling out his name when we saw him on Broughton a while ago? He didn’t answer.”
“He said he had a lot on his mind.”
“Or maybe he’s a liar and forgot the alias he was using,” Cat said.
“Do people really do that?” I asked.
“Of course they do. All the time.”
“Like who?”
Cat said, “Like writers, some use pen names.”
“Pseudonyms.”
“Yes.”
Shaking my head, I smiled. “You’re comparing an author to a killer?”
“Why, yes, some kill off characters. So it’s all the same.”
I had to chuckle at her logic. I loved having one of my favorite friends living with me. I poked my head into the house.
The loud bang of the front door shutting was followed by footsteps on the stairs. I pointed up. “He’s back in the house now, and it sounds like he headed upstairs to his room.” I kept the door cracked open.
“Let’s keep our voices quiet.” Cat ran her hand through her dark brown hair. “Trust me, Bezu. Something isn’t right with Xavier, or whoever he is.”
“I have to admit he does seem to be a little off, as though he’s not comfortable in his own skin, like he’s performing.”
“Exactly.” Cat nodded.
“So that makes him a killer?” I asked.
“Maybe. When Annie Mae and I did our first case, we learned that a murderer has to have a motive, means, and opportunity.”
“First case?”
“Lucy’s was our first.” Cat looked away for a moment.
I felt the tug at my heart. Every day I missed Lucy.
For a few moments, Cat and I remained silent.
“We have to defend the innocent, right wrongs, find justice. That’s how we can honor the dead,” Cat continued. “And now we have Mr. Phong’s case.”
“You’re calling this a case?”
“Yes, for all intents and purposes, it is. And to clear your name, we need to find his killer.”
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“I’m at a standstill with the books, unless I can find out who made the big deposits.” Cat bit her bottom lip.
“I see,” I said.
“And we have experienced, reliable employees working at the store. They don’t need me there. So in the meantime, you and I are solving Mr. Phong’s murder.”
“We are, are we?”
“Yes, and I will only take yes for an answer.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
“That will do, too.” Cat shook her hand. “Let me talk this out.”
I smirked. “I’m on pins and needles.”
“Hey, enough, smarty britches.” Cat playfully tapped my arm. “Okay. Xavier had the opportunity since he lived in the same house as your departed tenant. And they worked together as well. Didn’t you tell me that Mr. Phong would take muffins all the time?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s say that Xavier knew this. And he spiked them with some sort of poison and then gave them to Mr. Phong. So he had both the means and the opportunity.”
“What’s his motive?”
&
nbsp; Cat rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know.”
I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Two thirds isn’t bad.”
Cat mumbled, “But it may not be enough. I’ve failed again.”
“What are you talking about?”
A tear ran down Cat’s cheek. “Where do I begin? I haven’t found my dad’s killer. I get so close, then a dead end. So far my life’s mission is to figure that out, and even though I won’t give up on that, I’ve been unsuccessful.”
“I wouldn’t call that a failure. You’re trying to do the impossible.”
“Oh, but I have more letdowns. I insisted on staying here, and now I’m missing out on spending time in Korea with my family. Want me to go on? Now I’ve burdened you with all my foolishness. Plus, the doggone store books don’t balance. I’m sorry. I’m having a pity party now.”
My dear friend was hurting. However, I knew she was resilient. I attempted to lighten her mood. “I love parties, pity or not.” I smiled. “And you are welcome to vent anytime you need to.”
Cat put on a half grin. “You’re a glutton for punishment.”
“I thought I was only a connoisseur of choosing bad men, like my ex-fiancé.” I reached over and squeezed her hand. “Let’s move forward with this case.”
Cat said, “Where do we start?”
I heard the front door shut. “Excuse me a second. I have an idea.” I motioned for Cat to follow me into the kitchen. “Stay here a second.”
I made my way to the front of the house.
Looking out the picture window, I saw Xavier walking away. Good. I could enter his room. A minute later, I was back at Cat’s side. “Xavier is gone.”
Cat looked at me. “Let’s search his room for clues.”
“That’s what I was thinking as well.”
“Then grab your keys, and let’s go before he gets back.”
Opening the pantry door, I rummaged through my purse, finding the master set of keys.
“What in the world are you doing in here?” Cat had followed me into the pantry.
I jangled the keys. “Getting these.”
“No. I mean, what’s with the bedding?” Cat folded her arms on her chest and slit her eyes at me. “Are you sleeping in here?”
“Um. Well. You see…,” was all I could manage.
“That’s it. You, my friend, are moving your skinny behind upstairs into the bedroom with me. If you don’t, then I’m coming down here and sleeping with you. This is ridiculous.” She grabbed a pillow and shook it at me. “You have this huge house, and you’re living in here like a mouse.”
“It’s rather cozy,” I said.
“You go back into the bedroom. End of conversation.” Cat set the pillow on top of the stack of blankets. “Now let’s head upstairs. We’re wasting time.”
***
With shaky hands and sweaty palms, I unlocked Xavier’s door. This felt criminal. “Cat, aren’t I breaching some sort of tenant-landlord agreement?”
Cat said, “Not that I want to state the obvious, but don’t you think that went out the window when you began taking them in without a permit?”
“Um, now that you put it that way, this whole thing is chicanery.”
“Chic what?”
“Like smoke and mirrors.”
“Ah, yes.”
We entered the room. The bed was neatly made. On the nightstand, an eyeglass case sat next to an empty shot glass and a half-filled bottle of Bourbon.
“Hey, it smells woody and spicy in here.” Cat picked up a bottle on the dresser. “What is Ambre Topkapi?” She took the lid off and sniffed.
“Very expensive cologne. Apparently only worn by scalawags.”
“Huh?”
“My lousy ex-fiancé wore the same cologne, and now it seems that miscreant Xavier favors it as well.”
“Whoa, that is the most almost-cursing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”
“Well, I’m not the same sweet little southern belle who can be walked over. I’m an illegal landlord, I fenced my necklace, and now I’m violating someone’s privacy. I’m walking on the feral side now.”
Cat high-fived me. “Good for you! Time to shake up your life a little and get out of your comfort zone. But by the way, you actually did not fence your necklace. You would’ve had to steal it first, then sell it.”
“In a way, though, I do feel as though I pilfered it from my family. They had given it to me with the intent of me having it indefinitely.” I looked at the ground. The sinking grief weighed me down.
Cat placed a hand on my shoulder. “We all do what we have to do. And you shouldn’t feel ashamed. Trust me, I’ve done things that I’m not proud of.”
“But you seem to have your life so together,” I said.
“Hah! Let me tell you, one day I sent Timothy and Teddy to school with a can of beer instead of soda in their lunch boxes.”
“In their lunches?” My mouth hung open.
“Yes, I would never win a mother of the year award, any year.”
I giggled. “Beer?”
“Let me explain. Once a week, when the boys were in grade school, I’d give them soda with their lunch. Anyway, that particular morning was right after Nina and Nancy were born. I’d been up for, like, a week straight. I’d reached into the fridge, and let’s just say that both Budweiser and Pepsi cans have the same red, white, and blue coloring.”
“Did they drink it?”
Cat stuck her tongue out at me. “Oh, of course they didn’t. I got a call from the school. I apologized and explained what had happened, pleading sleep deprivation and anything I could think of.”
“Oh my. Were you in trouble?”
Cat cocked her head to the side and lifted her shoulders. “Let’s just say from then on, the teachers knew to check my kids’ lunches for contraband.”
“Thank you. Your story lightened my heavy heart,” I said.
“My pleasure, my dear friend. I have more awful mom stories if you ever need them.” Cat moved toward the closet door. “Now let’s get to work. You go through his drawers, and I’ll look in here.”
“What are we looking for?” I asked.
“Anything that seems out of the ordinary. What about a pawnshop ticket?”
“Yes, for the ring.” I tugged open the top dresser drawer. Neatly folded socks, boxer shorts, and white T-shirts filled the space. A few handkerchiefs were in the corner. I closed the drawer and pulled open the one below.
A few polo shirts; the labels were Kent Wang. A gold money clip engraved with the letters LRS. I remembered seeing it the day he arrived. I called over to Cat. “I don’t know if this deviates from the norm, but there are the letters L, R, and S on this.”
Cat knelt with a hand stuck in a large duffel bag on the closet floor. “No letter X?”
“That’s strange.” I shook my head. “Why would anyone have someone else’s initials on their things?”
“You wouldn’t. Unless you stole it.”
I studied the money clip in my hand. “Hattie used to have all of my pinafores monogrammed. And our good silver had our family initials or surname engraved on them.”
When Cat arrived at my side, I handed her the money clip.
Cat said, “When the girls were little, I used to monogram their lace bloomers and smocked dresses. I went a little crazy and wrote our last name with permanent marker on all of my kids’ shoes, lunchboxes, and stuff. They were always losing things. Doing that gave me half a chance to identify their items and get them back.”
“Good idea. Now that would give you points for mother of the year.” I smiled.
Cat held the money clip up. “Let’s say this is his. That means his name is not Xavier.”
“What could it be?” I asked.
“I’m thinking the LRS stands for Loser Robber Slime.”
I tittered. “I doubt that. But it’s something.”
“You bet it is.”
“I think you may be right about him. He’s been lying to
us.” I bit my bottom lip.
“Keep looking just in case there’s more to find on this scumbag.” Cat pulled her phone from her jean pocket. “I’m calling José and telling him to get over here. I just know there is something criminal going on.”
“You can sense that?” I asked.
“Now that I’m an unofficial official professional amateur sleuth, I just feel when there’s trouble.”
“Do you know how many contradictions you just said?”
Cat rolled her eyes. “Being me is full of ambiguity.”
I grinned.
While Cat made the call to José, I continued rummaging through a dresser drawer. In a corner, my fingers discovered the cold metal of a gun. Bending over to get a good look, I pulled it out. “I found a gun. He had it on him the day he arrived.”
Cat put away her phone. “You know there are quite a few Georgians who have guns. So that’s not unusual. By the way, José will get here as soon as he can.”
“Great.”
“Did you find anything else?”
“Nothing yet. Maybe we’re looking for an angel in hell.”
Cat said, “Hey, there’s no time for negativity. Just finish looking through the drawers and then we’ll leave.”
“Fine, although I doubt we’ll find anything.” I opened the bottom drawer. Under a stack of jeans was a manila, legal-size envelope. Opening the envelope, I pulled out eight-by-ten-inch color pictures. In each picture, faces were encircled in thick red marker. “Oh my heavens. Cat, you have to see this.”
Cat rushed to my side. “These look like some sort of surveillance photos because no one is looking at the camera. Why are Joseph and Mr. Phong’s faces circled?”
My heart caught in my throat as I shuffled through the pictures. “What does this mean?”
Cat’s eyes locked with mine. “We just may have found our killer. That’s what it means.”
Footsteps pounded down the hall and stopped outside the bedroom door.
Chapter Nine
“Hide in the closet with me.” Cat seized my hand.
“Both of us won’t fit.” I had to face this myself. “No. You go. I have an idea.”
“Are you sure?” she whispered.
I nodded. “Trust me. Go.”
Cat scrambled into the closet, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Xavier entered the room. His eyes widened as he stuttered, “Miss Bezu, What are you doing in here?”