“Will you answer the phone when I call?” I asked.
“Yes. It was kind of you to be concerned. Though I shan’t forgive you for bursting into my house uninvited. The only other person who checked on my welfare was Horace’s secretary, Phyllis . . .”
I could feel Nina sending me vibes.
“. . . but I suspect her visit had more to do with the paycheck she inquired about.”
We said good-night, and she acted very much the hostess when she saw us to the front door.
When we turned the corner to head back to the alley, I asked, “Think Brown-Eyed Girl is the one tormenting Edith?”
“No. But I want to find her more than ever. Horace lost a child, too, but he didn’t turn into a sour recluse. He’s spent most of his life with a woman who still thinks of him as less than her, as being from the wrong side of the tracks.”
“He married her so he would get the business.”
“The truth is that he made something of himself. He worked hard or Scroggins Realty wouldn’t be what it is today. I think Horace deserves a shot at happiness with Brown-Eyed Girl.”
My thoughts had turned back to the mouse. Either Natasha had bought one or the person gaslighting Edith had deposited it in Natasha’s workroom.
The alley still teemed with police and neighbors.
Patty ran up to us, her skin oddly pale in the strange combination of Christmas lights and car lights. “There you are! Alex told me you were out here.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “And let me just say that you have got one adorable guy on the hook, Sophie. Good looking and smart, too!”
My breath caught in my throat. Patty? Could she be his client? “He’s very nice.”
“But watch Sugar around him.” She tsked. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be sleeping over with the kids tonight. They’re taking Gwen’s death pretty well, but you know how teenagers are. They try to act cool and then they fall apart because they’re not equipped to handle the situation. Your neighbor Luis has been wonderful with the kids. Really amazing. He suggested I pick up some sleeping pills for Baxter and told me what to get.”
“Baxter must be inconsolable,” said Nina.
“Hmm.” Patty closed her eyes briefly as if gathering herself. “They all are. I may not have liked Gwen, but even I’m horrified. I never saw this coming. That’s why I think I should stay over. Sugar is a blubbering mess. Elvin doesn’t know what to do, and Baxter is a basket case. I’ve been trying to get the kids to help me cook dinner just to distract them and create a sense of normalcy, but that’s really impossible with the police questioning everyone.”
“How’s little Katrina?” I asked.
“I don’t think she understands yet. Twiggy’s packing her up right now. She and Jonah are taking her for the night just to get her out of the house. Heaven knows where they’re going, because the cops won’t let them into their apartment. I don’t think they’ve—” Patty’s head turned fast. “Oh no, you don’t! There goes Bradley. Excuse me.” Patty ran toward her son, turned him around, and steered him past Twiggy and Kat, back through the gate that led to the Babineaux home.
Twiggy gazed around somewhat hopelessly. Where would I go if I couldn’t stay in my own home? They would have to check into a hotel. That would cost them!
“C’mon,” I said to Nina.
We approached Twiggy and Kat. In as happy a voice as I could muster, I asked, “How would you like to stay with me tonight? I have a kitty cat who would love to play with you.”
Kat nodded eagerly, but never let go of Twiggy’s hand.
I smiled at Twiggy. “You and Jonah, too, of course. And his mom. She’s living with you?”
“I can’t let you do that. It’s too much of an imposition.”
“Nonsense. Come on.” I steered them down the alley away from the commotion. “We can cut through Nina’s yard. And I have a fun bedroom upstairs where my niece likes to stay. Maybe Kat would like that room.”
Nina accompanied us across the street to my house and within ten seconds of unlocking the door, Kat carried Mochie in her arms.
“Are you sure about this?” asked Twiggy.
“Absolutely.” I led the way up to the third floor. Making a big deal out of it, I swung my arms and sang, “Ta da!”
Kat entered timidly. “The cover on the bed is purple!” She climbed onto it, still clutching Mochie. As though Mochie knew she needed extra love, he purred so loud that I could hear him.
I showed Twiggy to the room next door. “Sorry, the bathroom is down a flight.”
“Are you kidding? Don’t you dare apologize! I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you for this.”
“No need. It’s what neighbors do. I’m going to change clothes, then I’ll start dinner. Are you sure Kat won’t have an allergic reaction to Mochie?”
“I can’t guarantee it, but she hasn’t appeared to be allergic to cats yet. Frankly, I suspect it’s a lie. Gwen concocted that story so she wouldn’t have to take care of pets. We’ll watch Kat for sniffling or congestion.”
I trotted down the stairs to my bedroom on the second floor. In a way, I hated to take off the beautiful dress and turn back into a pumpkin again. But hopefully there would be loads of other occasions to wear it. I pulled on a lightweight pink V-neck sweater and comfortable elastic-waisted navy blue pants, but kept the rhinestone bracelet on for fun.
I hurried down the stairs to see what I could whip up for dinner. To my surprise, Liza sat at my kitchen table holding her Yorkshire terrier. She clutched him to her like a child would hold a stuffed animal for comfort. Her strawberry blond hair jutted in wild directions. Her usual grin had vanished, replaced by the tense mouth of a frightened woman.
“You can set your dog down, Liza. How does he feel about cats?”
Nina had poured four glasses of wine and handed me one. By my calculations, we would be seven for dinner.
“He was always fine with my mom’s cat.” She set him on the floor and removed the green Christmas sweater he wore. “There you go, Oscar.”
He shook rapidly from nose to tail as if glad to be rid of the sweater, then nose to floor, he explored every corner.
I tossed kindling into the fireplace and strategically placed a couple of nice-sized logs over it.
“I hope you don’t mind that I brought him over here,” said Liza. “Luis is at the Babineauxs’, and I’m a little rattled. I’ve never known anyone who was murdered.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Dear Natasha,
I have elegant china for our formal Christmas dinner. But breakfast always looks too much like it does every other day. How can I spark up my white plates to make it feel like Christmas?
Plain Jane in Spruce, Michigan
Dear Plain Jane,
Sew chair wraps with each person’s name machine-embroidered on the back. Add matching napkins, and tie ribbons of a coordinating color on the handles of all the breakfast mugs.
Natasha
I located three pork tenderloins in the fridge. They didn’t take long to cook and were always soft and juicy. I had bought cranberries on a whim, but they would make a great sauce. In minutes, I had potatoes boiling in a pot, and the pork tenderloins browning in a pan.
I had baked three Linzer tortes in anticipation of my family visiting for Christmas. I pulled one out of the freezer to let it thaw for dessert.
When Twiggy came downstairs, I asked, “What veggies will Kat eat? Peas? Carrots?”
“She loves peas.” Twiggy bit the corner of her lip. “I don’t mean to offend you, but plain. No seasonings.”
“Not a problem. How’s she doing?”
“I’ve told her that her mom went to sing with the angels. That might not have been the best thing to say. She seems to think her mom is going to be in a Christmas choir. I think Baxter is the one who should explain it to her, but he’
s in no shape to do it now. Maybe in a day or two.”
“That poor little girl. My heart just bleeds for her.” Liza sniffled. “Imagine losing your mother so young. It’s lucky you’re close to her and can comfort her.”
Twiggy glanced at the stairs, her forehead furrowed. She whispered, “Gwen wasn’t a very attentive mother. Half the time she didn’t even brush Kat’s hair. Jonah and I love Kat, but honestly, Gwen used us as free babysitters. We said we’d watch her one day, and then she brought her by another day, and before we knew it, Kat was with us every afternoon.”
“Free day care. That sounds like Gwen,” Liza sighed. “Everything was all about her. Wonder what she was doing while you were taking care of Kat.”
The kitchen door opened. Patty gazed at us in surprise. “Oh! I hope I’m not interrupting anything. Gosh, it smells good in here. And the blazing fire and Christmas lights. Aww, I wish I could be over here with you guys. I came to get my glasses so I can see when I take out my contact lenses.”
“We were just talking about Gwen,” said Twiggy. “How are your children coping?”
“It’s so hard to tell with teens. Bradley wanted to go out with friends. This is the first time someone close to them has died, you know? Sooner or later, it’s going to hit them that she’s not coming back. They know it, but I don’t think it has sunk in completely with Bradley yet.”
Nina handed her a glass of wine.
“Thanks! I’m furious with Gwen.” Patty gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. “What a terrible thing to say when she’s gone!”
I placed the tenderloins in a fresh pan and slid them into the oven to roast. With a splash of water, I deglazed the pan in which I had browned them, then added creamy butter, shallots, and robust sage. The scent of the sage sizzled up to me.
“Don’t feel guilty,” said Nina. “We were just talking about the fact that she was something of an absentee mom for little Kat. How was she with your kids?”
Patty sat down. “You know that Christmas letter she sent out? As soon as I read it, I knew something was wrong. I love my kids. There is nothing in this world that I love more. But I’m not stupid. My Bethany is smart. She’s always been a straight-B student because she doesn’t apply herself. I knew there was no way she was so advanced that she needed homeschooling. And Bradley! He’s out of control.” She buried her head in her hands for a moment. “Yesterday I went to pick up Bethany at school. Hah! Imagine my embarrassment when I found out that she’s been kicked out. That’s why they have to homeschool her.”
“What did she do?” I asked.
“She used extremely foul language with a teacher. I’d like to blame that on Gwen because she sure didn’t learn those words from me, but Bethany probably picked them up from friends or movies. But then she was stupid enough to tweet them, and the school booted her out.”
“Wow.” Liza blinked at her. “They’re tough today. I would have been kicked out of school for sure!”
“It gets worse. All those lovely civic improvement projects Bradley ‘spearheaded’?” She nodded her head, her lips in a smirk. “Community service for smashing pumpkins on people’s doorsteps at Halloween. And I knew nothing about this. Not a thing! That idiot lawyer they hired convinced the judge that I was a raving lunatic and that Baxter and Gwen would give the kids a secure family unit. Baloney! I guess they’ve proven him wrong. And at whose expense? The kids’, that’s who.” Patty banged her fist on the table, frightening Oscar.
She frightened me a little bit, too. Gwen’s death might have beneficial consequences for Patty if Baxter relinquished custody of the children.
Patty stood up. “There are going to be big changes. Things will be different now that Gwen is gone. Patty is back in charge.” She walked through the kitchen and up the stairs.
Twiggy bit her upper lip and gazed at the fireplace with frightened eyes. She didn’t have to tell me what she was thinking. Exactly the same thing weighed on my mind. Gwen’s death was a windfall to Patty. She probably had more motive to do Gwen in than anyone else did.
I tossed the cranberries into the sage mixture, along with a cup of orange juice and a little sugar, and placed a glass top on the pot to speed it along to a simmer.
Claudine, Twiggy’s mother-in-law, arrived toting an overnight bag. The first words out of her mouth were, “I feel just awful imposing on you like this.”
“It’s my pleasure, really.” I poured the water off the potatoes and popped them into my KitchenAid mixer to mash them.
Nina carried Claudine’s bag upstairs for her while Liza poured Claudine a glass of wine.
“I love the fireplace in your kitchen, Sophie,” she said. “I think I’d bake and cook a lot, too, if I had a kitchen like this.” Claudine pushed a lock of silver hair behind her ear. “I didn’t really know Gwen, but the rest of you must be shaken to have such a horrible thing happen to your friend.”
Liza’s eyes nearly bugged out. “There’s a killer loose in our neighborhood! I hadn’t thought about it that way before.” She gazed toward the foyer and whispered. “It could be Patty!”
I plopped softened butter and cream cheese into the mixer and let it whirl.
“Or Baxter,” said Nina. “They always suspect the husband first.”
Patty came through again at that moment. I took a stab at finding out who might be Alex’s client. “Give my best to Alex, Patty.”
“Oh, be still my heart. He’s a keeper, Sophie.”
“You know, he broke off his date with me for a client tonight.”
“What rotten luck. Not many men would choose Baxter over you!”
So it was Baxter who called a lawyer within an hour of the discovery of Gwen’s body. That was telling. Did he expect them to blame him or was he protecting someone else in the family?
Patty left and little Kat finally joined us.
Oscar barked madly at the sight of Mochie in her arms, but Mochie kept his cool in spite of the red velvet Christmas cape Kat had tied on him.
“That’s quite an outfit, Kat. Does Mochie like wearing it?” I asked.
“I think so. It belongs to my doll, but she doesn’t mind sharing.” She pulled a pair of doll-sized glasses from her pocket and plopped them on Mochie’s face. “The glasses won’t stay on, though. His ears aren’t in the right place.”
I squatted next to Kat. “Could I see the glasses?”
She readily handed them to me. I swallowed hard. They were the right size for Edith’s mouse. Hoping she would tell me they belonged to one of her dolls, I asked, “Where did you get these?”
“In the living room. Uncle Elvin said I could have them.”
Oscar grabbed the cape in his mouth and pulled, which prompted Mochie to hiss and smack him.
I rescued Mochie and placed him on a chair by the fireplace so he would be higher than Oscar. Kat immediately scolded and hugged Oscar. He focused on Kat, who engaged him in a dog game while Mochie took a much deserved break, without glasses. But they weighed heavily on me.
“Could I keep these for a day or two?” I asked.
“Sure.” Kat giggled at Oscar, who barked at the door.
We heard a tap on the door. Twiggy opened it.
“Can we come in?” asked Jonah. “Look who I brought with me.”
Alex stepped inside. “I’m not in the habit of inviting myself to dinner.”
“We have plenty. The more the merrier.” Oddly enough, the presence of Kat, Jonah, and Alex changed the climate in the room. No one mentioned murder, Gwen, or Christmas wrapping paper. It felt like old friends had gathered together.
They protested when I tried to move everyone to the larger dining room table. The guys brought some extra chairs into the kitchen, I popped Christmas CDs on at a volume that allowed for easy conversing, and we sat down to savory pork tenderloin with sweet shallot cranberry sauce, peas, and as Kat cal
led them, smashed potatoes with butter.
Jonah was every bit as charming as he was at Rocking Horse Toys. Apparently, he didn’t put on an act just for his customers. I envied the way he looked at Twiggy, as though the two of them could communicate without words. He had his mother’s wavy hair. I could imagine it turning the same beautiful silver one day.
“Mom used to live in Old Town a long time ago,” said Jonah.
Nina’s fork skidded across her plate. She leaned forward. Turning to me, she mouthed brown eyes.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Dear Sophie,
I like a more natural Christmas look for my cottage—not so much glitter. Plus, I’m trying to teach my children that things don’t have to be shiny and from a store to be pretty. Where do I start?
Emma and Bella’s Mom in Tannenbaum, Arkansas
Dear Emma and Bella’s Mom,
Look outside. Collect pine, holly, nuts, and berries for decorating. Teach Emma and Bella how to string popcorn and cranberries, and make a paper-ring garland for the tree. Buy four or five colors of felt, and get out the button box. Help them sew hearts, stars, cottages, and angels for the tree.
Sophie
“Everything has changed so much,” said Claudine. “Not in the center of town, of course. I mean all the condos on the outskirts. Back then, I think there was only one stoplight between King Street and Tyson’s Corner! The house I lived in is still there. I’ve walked by a few times, but I haven’t gotten up the nerve to knock on the door yet.”
Nina cleared her throat. “Did you know anyone by the name of Horace?”
That got Claudine’s attention. Twiggy’s and Jonah’s, too.
“I did! Why do you ask?”
Nina turned the color of the cranberries. Clearly she hadn’t thought past asking the question.
I jumped in. “We have a friend, Horace Scroggins, who is in the hospital.”
“I heard about that. What a terrible accident.” Claudine dabbed a napkin on the corner of her mouth. “I was very excited when I heard his first name. There aren’t that many Horaces around. The name isn’t very popular anymore. But my Horace’s last name was Maccrindle. I’m sure he moved away long ago.”
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