Alpaca Lies (Bought-the-Farm Mystery Book 5)

by Ellen Riggs

  Laurene’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know that.”

  “So he said when he filmed a promotional video at my farm. He was looking for investors in town.”

  “Oh? Well, of course with starting a business I wouldn’t be in any position to help.”

  “You didn’t lend him money? I heard others did, and unfortunately they’ll never get it back now.”

  Her eyes filled again and spilled over. “How awful for those… investors. Was your mom one of them?”

  I shrugged. “Trying to get a straight answer out of that woman is nearly impossible. I’ll leave that to Chief Harper to sort out. He’ll interview anyone who took lessons, I suppose.”

  Laurene’s lips sealed into a thin line before saying, “A dollar for the coffee, please.”

  Reaching into my purse, I offered her a twenty so that she had to make change. It gave me a minute to scan the area behind the counter. Keats had raised one white paw in a point, suggesting there was something worth my attention. Nothing looked out of place in a small store until she pulled open the drawer of the cash register. The dangling key chain caught my eye.

  “What a beautiful key fob,” I said, as the light glinted off what looked like a glass circle with something pink inside.

  She twisted the key and pulled it out of the lock. I thought she was going to show it to me but she shoved it into her pocket instead. Then she plucked out 15 dollar bills and four dollars in coins. Turning, she waited till I opened my palm and painstakingly counted out my change.

  “There you go,” she said. “Money for the meter.”

  I laughed. “Homegirls never pay for parking. But money’s money.”

  “Keep me posted about the book club,” she called after me.

  “You bet I will.” Turning at the door, I called back. “You should smudge the place with sage. Good for cleansing the energy, apparently. My sister Daisy swears by it.”

  No need to mention that the dogcatcher had passed not long after Daisy had smudged the inn. There was no way she could have cleansed the entire farm or the field in which he’d been found.

  Laurene slumped against the counter. “Tried it. Turns out sage and cheese don’t play well together.”

  I stepped through the door and held it open so Keats could follow. “I don’t believe that for a second,” I called back. “I think it depends entirely on the cheese.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Where to?” I asked Keats as we headed down Main Street again. He trotted a little ahead of me, probably to avoid getting leashed again. I let him off the hook, so to speak, as I doubted we’d be walking for long. He sat properly at the next corner and stared across the street, waiting for a green light. “Wait,” I said, knowing the command was unnecessary. I was far more likely to be hit by a car for being distracted than he was. Keats was never distracted, except for the rare moments he let his guard down with Percy.

  We crossed on the light and he proceeded directly to Hill Country Designs, Teri Mason’s store. The white paw came up in a point, and I pushed open the door.

  Teri was seated at a worktable and smiled when she saw us. “What a wonderful surprise,” she called, pushing back her wheeled stool.

  “But not really,” I said, grinning as I walked toward her. “Good fake, though.”

  “It is a surprise to see you,” she insisted. “I’m not pretending I don’t know what happened—at least part of it. I just figured you’d have too much on the go to stop by and shoot the breeze.” Fanning her face, she said, “Speaking of breezes, Ivy… you stink. No offence.”

  “None taken,” I said. “I stopped by Pages and Pastries first. The place reeks of cheese and I guess it permeated my clothes.” I twisted my ponytail around. “And my hair.”

  Teri knelt on one knee to greet Keats and there was no ducking now. When he sat for his portrait, I’d heard her chatting away to him and knew she was one of our tribe.

  “And your dog,” she said, rising. “Sorry, Keats. Normally you smell like sheep dung but today it’s more like Stilton.”

  He waved his tail gaily. This dog loved filth and loathed baths. A little cheese wouldn’t bother him.

  “So you heard about José,” I said, leaning against her biggest display case.

  “The sun probably wasn’t even up when my phone started buzzing. The grapevine nearly shorted from the gossip.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said.

  “My loss?” Her dark eyebrows soared up to meet her multi-colored hair.

  “I know you enjoyed his class.”

  “I’ll try anything once, but I didn’t renew my package. Not my thing.”

  “But dancing with him was like being in the arms of an angel,” I said. “Or so I hear.”

  Now she gave a snort of laughter. “An angel? Well, I missed my chance, I’m afraid. He never once chose me for a demo. I suppose the caftan or the striped hair put him off. Either way, I ended up paired with one of the other ladies, and it didn’t feel heavenly at all. In my class, your mom or Tish Ramsey usually got to enjoy the celestial experience.”

  “Well, at least you’ve got your own angel now,” I said. “How come I didn’t hear about Kevin before the recital? I thought we were friends.”

  “Oh, we are.” Small red circles appeared on her cheeks. “I don’t use that word lightly, either. It’s still early days with Kevin, that’s all. Didn’t want to jinx it.”

  “He seemed nice.” Keats looked up at me with the blue eye, his lie detector, and blinked. “Although we didn’t get a chance to talk.”

  “Let’s have dinner with our guys,” she said. “When this José thing has died down.” She closed her eyes for a second. “Poor choice of words.”

  “I do it all the time. When you’re trying to avoid a word your mind keeps pushing it on stage. At least that’s my experience. Drives Kellan crazy.” I tapped my fingers on the glass, trying to figure out a subtle way to proceed. Normally my HR skills did the heavy lifting but Teri was a friend, and I didn’t want to trick her into confiding in me if she didn’t feel comfortable.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I mean, besides the fact that a black cloud has returned to the farm.”

  I propped both elbows on the case and then dropped my face in my hands. “Don’t say that.”

  “This will blow over just like every other cloud has. I’ll be here to support you every step of the way.”

  Peering over my fingertips, I said, “Then do you mind if I ask you an impertinent question?”

  “Not at all. Impertinent questions make life interesting.”

  “Were you, uh, dating José as well as Kevin?”

  “Dating José?” Her sputtered laughter reassured me instantly. “Ivy, come on. No matter how hard up I was for dates—and I was, I’ll admit—José Batista really isn’t my type. For one thing, I’m not into older men with ponytails. And for another, I need a man who likes caftans and esoteric discussions about art. I’m very much an acquired taste.”

  My sigh fogged up the cool glass under my elbows. “Thank goodness.”

  “Why would you even think that? I showed up at the recital with a date, remember.”

  “I heard you met up with him sometimes, that’s all. Maybe my intel was faulty.”

  She crossed her arms and stared at me. “Mandy McCain was not wrong. José and I had coffee a couple of times. On business.”

  I pushed up off the glass. “Tell me you weren’t investing in his studio, Teri.”

  “Are you high on cheese fumes? Sleep deprived? Why would I give my hard-earned money to a virtual stranger?”

  “Why are you asking so many questions without answering any?” I countered.

  “Fair enough,” she said. “We met on business and I normally don’t share the details of my transactions. Since José has passed, I guess it’s okay to say he invested in my business. I made some one-of-a-kind gifts for him.”

  Keats’ tail started beating like a metronome so I followed his lead. “G
ifts? Like the necklaces you made for Lloyd Boyce, the dogcatcher?”

  “I take it you’re speaking now as Ivy the sleuth, versus Ivy the friend.”

  I nodded. “José wasn’t a good guy, Teri. At least, not according to what I’ve heard through my family grapevine. He took advantage of people.”

  “Ah. So you’re saying he didn’t get trampled by your alpaca while trying to force her to dance in the middle of the night?”

  “Is that what people are saying?” Outrage distracted me from my mission. “Alvina would never do that.”

  “But the llama might, right? My money was on Drama.”

  “Is there a wager over which one of my animals dispatched José?” I gave an exasperated twirl worthy of Alvina herself and the tie flew out of my ponytail. “Oh man,” I said, as my long hair hit my face. “It smells like Gorgonzola.”

  “Just calm down and quit the pirouettes,” Teri said, coming around the counter. “Since when do you care what people are saying, anyway?”

  “I always care what people say about my animals. And my farm. And Jilly and Kellan.” I smiled. “Less so about my family.”

  “Well, relax as much as you can and tell me what you want to know.” She looked down at Keats and took a step back when she caught the intensity of his blue eye. “Does Keats actually think I did something to José?”

  I shook my head. “Look at his tail. Relaxed. Look at his ruff. Down. Look at his ears. Forward.”

  “But look at his eyes. Or at least the blue one. He’s trying to peer into my soul.”

  “Buddy, stop peering into Teri’s soul. She does have one, unlike some of the people we’ve met in Clover Grove.”

  “Well, what’s on his mind, exactly? I’m still in the early stages of being able to commune with your genius dog.”

  “Maybe he’s curious about the one-of-a-kind art you made for José.” I gestured to the dog’s tail. “Witness the white tuft, now rising. Perhaps you have useful information in clearing the farm from its current cloud of doom.”

  “Huh. So that’s how the magic happens.” She stared from Keats to me, clearly impressed. Then she tapped the glass. “See that? It’s something new I’ve been doing. Various handmade stones encased in heavy clear polymer that looks like glass.” The ones on display were tiny orange, red and yellow fall leaves that dangled from earrings and pendants. “José came by and asked if I could create a special collection, just for him.”

  “Leaves in earrings?” I asked.

  She pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled until she found a photo. On a blue velvet cushion lay seven “glass” circles about an inch in diameter. Inside each one, a colored heart floated that featured an ornate initial.

  “I just finished a new one.” Bending, she opened a drawer and pulled out a small velvet bag. Loosening the tie, she let the polymer shape fall into her hand. The heart inside the circle was scarlet and the initial at the center was glittering gold.

  “D is for Dahlia,” I said. My voice sounded raspy as my throat tightened.

  “Or Dina or Diane or Debbie,” Teri said. “There are plenty of D names other than Dahlia.”

  “These were for his harem,” I said. “It’s sickening. Are they pendants?”

  Plucking at the shiny D, she let it swing from her fingertips. “A key fob. Not so sickening, right? They were probably for his best students.” She gave a little shudder. “Okay, it is a bit sickening now that I think about it. But I didn’t have to think about it when I was creating them. For all I knew they could be for family back home. Wherever home was.”

  “It was everywhere and nowhere,” I said. “He was a rolling stone who exploited people.”

  I took the key fob and let it swing in front of my eyes until Keats whined. Then I lowered it so he could take a sniff before handing it back. “Teri, do you know where any of these ended up?”

  “Only one,” she said. “The L was hanging out of the cash register at Pages and Pastries yesterday. I won’t deny it made me curious. Was Laurene dating him?” She tapped her phone. “Were they all dating him?”

  “No idea. José definitely had some kind of magnetic appeal, though.” Tying my hair again, I said, “We’d better get going.”

  “You’re going to hunt down every single one of these key fobs, aren’t you?”

  “I’m sure going to try,” I said. “Can you send me the photo, please? I’ve already forgotten half the initials.”

  She nodded. “I should send it to Kellan, too. It’s the right thing to do. Isn’t it?”

  “Definitely. It’s possible that one of the recipients went mad with jealousy. Until we know more, you probably shouldn’t mention these to anyone else.”

  My footsteps were heavy as I crossed to the door, but Keats was animated. Any adventure was a good adventure.

  “How about that double date?” Teri called after me. Keats’ tail dropped instantly and now that Teri spoke his language she asked, “What’s with the tail? Is Keats trying to tell me something?”

  “Maybe,” I said. “Sometimes it’s like a Magic 8 Ball. Kind of vague.”

  “Look who’s being vague,” she said, following us. “I’m going to ask him straight out.”

  I closed my eyes. “Teri, listen. Keats doesn’t lie if he’s asked directly. I think it’s a matter of pride. So decide beforehand if you really want to know.”

  She blinked at me a few times and then sighed. “I always want to know the truth, no matter how much it hurts.” Stepping back so she could take in his posture, she said, “Keats, can I ask you a question?” His tail gave a half-hearted swish. He knew where this was going and he didn’t like it one bit. “Is my boyfriend Kevin a good guy?”

  The gentle drift of the white tuft toward the floor said everything. Teri’s normally cheery face crumpled. The one guy who’d appreciated her quirky qualities was apparently lacking character.

  “It’s just one dog’s opinion,” I said. “And trust me, that tail said so much more when he met José. Keats was so worried for Mom. Kevin isn’t a terrible guy, I’m sure of it. Maybe he’s just not a pet lover. Keats is judgy about that.”

  Teri stooped and stared Keats right in the eyes. Normally he didn’t like that at all, but now he turned his warm brown eye on her and then offered his soft ears for a pat.

  “Thank you, Keats,” she said. “I appreciate your looking out for me. You, my friend, are a true gentleman.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I am glad we had the two pies of preparation this morning,” I said, heading down the street with Keats on a leash. “Because this day has drained me and it’s only two o’clock.”

  We crossed to the far side of the street to avoid Bloomers, where Iris was working alone. If I saw my sister there was a chance I’d blurt out what I’d learned in my rounds.

  “I’m so glad he didn’t give that thing to Mom. I bet it was a token for his biggest supporters, and Mom came last because she could only scrape up a couple of grand from the family coffers.”

  When we neared the end of the main drag, Keats picked up speed and then stopped suddenly in front of Peachtree Fine Foods. We came here often with Jilly and I normally waited outside with Keats. He wasn’t permitted inside grocery stores without a song and dance about his therapy dog designation and I always felt guilty exploiting it in that situation. He was a dirty farm dog that really shouldn’t be near beautiful displays of unwrapped foods.

  “You know you have to wait out here,” I said. “Are you sure you want me to go inside?”

  I knelt beside him and gave him a one-armed hug. Each time we separated I worried it might be the last time I ever saw him, even if he were safe at home with Jilly. There was a good reason I’d worked so hard to gain the therapy dog designation before we moved here. I’d improved in so many ways but my dependence on Keats hadn’t faded one bit. It probably wasn’t healthy for either of us, but for the moment, it was what it was.

  “It’s going to be fine, right?” I said.

>   Keats rested one white paw on my leg and turned his brown eye on me at close range.

  “Right. Breathing. In for five, out for five, just like Jilly says. I don’t know how I managed to survive so long breathing without thinking about it. Was life always this complicated?”

  He panted a ha-ha-ha. Of course life was always complicated. My HR job had been filled with corporate land mines that destroyed careers, including mine. Now the complications were different, that’s all.

  We were still hunkered together near the bike rack where I’d tied Keats’ leash when the door of the store opened and Ryan and Tish stepped outside. It didn’t take Keats’ mystic blue eye to see they were arguing. Ryan’s already ruddy face was maroon and when the door closed behind them he crossed his beefy arms and turned away from Tish. Meanwhile her pale face was splotchy and her eyes red from crying. Not just the crying of a few moments. The puffy, inflamed eyes of someone who’d been crying for hours. I knew that because I’d seen it in the mirror. Before Keats, of course. After Keats, no matter how dire life got, nothing seemed worth so many tears. Why dehydrate myself over things I could either do nothing about or do something about… with my dog?

  “Ryan, it’s not what you think,” Tish said pleadingly.

  “It’s exactly what I think,” he said. “You took five grand out of my account without telling me. I bounced a check to the produce guys and my payment didn’t go through to the refrigeration company. That makes me look bush league. Word gets around and no one will trust me.”

  “I said I’m sorry. I thought I could pay it back right away. But it didn’t work out.”

  He turned to face her. “I want to know what it was for. It was my account and you owe me an explanation.”

  “If you wanted me to tally up every penny you should have said so when you added me to it a few weeks ago.”

  “That was when you said you wanted to add some of your own savings for the wedding. You never added a cent, just made this huge withdrawal.”