Chapter 18
After the realization that someone had broken in, I texted Cin, telling her I would keep Thor overnight. I baked him the pizza and fed it to him after it cooled thinking he was a pretty great houseguest. Moonlight ate hurriedly and escaped out the back door earlier and I hadn’t seen him since, so I was grateful for Thor’s company. As well as his obvious ability to kick the ass of anyone who tried to hurt his new human friend.
We stayed up past midnight researching on the Internet. I researched ethylene glycol poisoning and was surprised to find several news stories. A neighbor getting rid of a barking dog, a wife slipping it into her husband’s drink, a suicide. I also learned, if not detected, it could cause kidney failure, renal failure, brain damage and death. Sometimes in 24 hours, depending on the amount. Gramps was lucky his doctor recognized the symptoms in time.
I decided to do a search on Pearl too. Her last name was Walker. I found some old photos of her scanned from a book on the history of carnivals. That was no surprise since I knew that was how she had met Gramps. There were a few records on ancestry websites that may have been about her, although I couldn’t be certain since I didn’t know what city she was born in. The only other item was a newspaper article announcing the opening of the restaurant. I searched on Gretchen next and found several listings on Facebook and LinkedIn, plus an obituary from an east coast newspaper, but none of the profiles or the pictures matched the woman who was Pearl’s niece. Maybe Walker wasn’t Gretchen’s last name.
All I found on Wildcat was a mention in a military newsletter and a blurb on the website of a bar where he won first place in their dart league.
I filtered through the county records next for real estate transactions. Oddly, there was no record of Entwhistle on anything. Not even a residential sale. Gramps, however, held a lot of deeds in town. Maybe someone was behind on the rent and decided it would be easier if Gramps weren’t around to collect. Or maybe someone wanted to purchase some property that Gramps didn’t want to sell.
Exhausted, I decided to call it a night and turn in. My head was throbbing by the time it hit the pillow.
Thor slobbered me awake the next morning and trotted to the front door where I let him out to do his business. I went in search of food and started washing some pears before the doorbell rang.
Cinnamon was standing there when I opened the door. "Lovely. You don't even bother to ask who it is when there is a maniac running around trying to off members of our family?"
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Smart ass. Come on. I brought some pastries and coffee from mom's shop. Thor," she called over her shoulder.
Thor trotted in after Cinnamon and I shut the door.
She set the paper bag and the coffee tray on the counter and grabbed two plates from the cupboard.
"I tried to call but your phone wasn't working." She plucked the coffee from the nest and set it next to the plates.
"The battery's probably dead.” I eyed the white bag Cin was digging through, mentally counting the sugar and fat grams. "I was just fixing some breakfast. I went shopping yesterday."
Cinnamon paused from unpacking the pastries to make a face at the fruit on the counter.
"That isn't food. This is food." She said, holding a cream puff bigger than my head in her hand.
I chose a biscotti and grabbed a coffee.
“What happened to your eye?” Cin said.
“I fell into the stupid doorknob,” I said as I plugged my phone into the charger. Then I saw the time. “Oh crap.”
“What?” Cinnamon had some cream on her chin.
"We gotta get over there." I ran into the bedroom to throw on some clothes and slap some makeup on the bruise.
"Where?” Cin said from the kitchen.
I was jumping into a pair of drawstring pants when I came out.
"Cin, you have to help me. I promised the aunts I would help out with Birdie gone. You have more experience with this stuff. These people will eat me alive."
"Stacy, I schlep booze, not breakfast. It's a little different atmosphere. Besides, Fiona can handle it."
"She can't do it all by herself. I'm telling you, without Birdie it's a freaking funhouse."
It took a little coaxing but I finally got Cinnamon to agree to help at the B&B.
Which everyone will probably hold against me for the rest of my life.
"You got Eggs Benedict? I specifically requested Eggs Benedict," said the teamster whose name I discovered was Hal.
He was talking to Cinnamon who had just set a plate of muffins on the table. A frilly white apron with pink gingham clung to her chest. Lolly insisted on it. Mine was lace. And lime green. We looked like 1950s housewife rejects caught in a time warp.
"I think the ladies are whipping up some delicious egg soufflé along with a few other tasty treats," Cin said to Hal.
It was creepy how well she could fake polite.
Kyle, the honeymooner, and the Wild Women squealed with delight.
I was setting up the buffet with hot water and tea bags. I smiled and winked at Cin. I knew she hated every minute of it, but I was proud she was on her best behavior.
"I could really use some Eggs Benedict, boy," said Hal, jowls shaking. He poured himself a cup of coffee, a napkin tucked into his undershirt.
His wife, Mary, chimed in. "It's his favorite. There's a little diner on the northwest side. Armitage, I think. They got the best Benedict." Mary slathered cream cheese on a croissant. Her rose print pants suit appeared to have been applied with wallpaper paste.
"Yeah and they give you what you want. You want scrambled? You get scrambled," said Hal.
Mary shot Hal a look.
Cinnamon shot me a look that said, You owe me big-time.
Hal shrugged and gobbled a slice of pound cake. "It's all I'm saying'," he said.
Cin opened her mouth. I held my breath. She decided on a smirk and floated into the kitchen, where I could hear the aunts banging pots and pans. The aromas of bacon frying, freshly brewed coffee, hot syrup and melted butter mingled through the dining room.
"Well, whatever it is, it sure smells great," said Jeremy. He helped himself to a muffin.
"You'll have to do an extra half hour on the treadmill if you eat that," said Kyle.
"I'll risk it," said Jeremy. The way he handled his partner reminded me of a patient pre-school teacher.
I smiled at him. He was okay in my book.
"If anyone would like some tea, I have it here on the buffet. Help yourself," I said.
The skinny blonde got up. "Do you want some, Melanie?"
Melanie spread jam on a biscuit. "I'll take peppermint if they have it, Trish."
"There's sugar, cream, honey and lemon. So that should get everyone started," I said.
So far so good.
"That guy's a jackass," Cin whispered to me when I got to the sink with the empty tray.
"It's only an hour. Let's just get through it and then we're off to see Gramps," I said.
I watched Lolly flip a pancake over and over again on the countertop. It wasn't cooked.
Yep. The coffee was in the basket but someone forgot to turn on the percolator. And I don’t mean the Columbian roast.
"I can't thank you girls enough for helping us out this morning. Your Aunt Lolly isn't the same without Birdie here," Fiona said. She was at the stove draining bacon onto paper towels. She already had a platter warming with sausage links. Alongside that were a stack of blueberry pancakes, three different kinds of syrup, and butter.
"No problem, Auntie. Do you want me to take the pancakes into the dining room?" I asked.
"Oh, that would be lovely, dear," she said.
I nudged Cin. She shook her head. I gritted my teeth at her. She stomped her foot. I kicked her.
"I'll grab the syrup and butter," Cin said to Fiona, her tongue stuck out at me.
"Very cute," I said. "Who wants one?"
Everyone raised their hands but Hal, who pouted like a kid who�
��d lost his balloon.
I went around the table and plopped two pancakes on each guest's plate. Then I placed the platter in the center. Cinnamon set the syrup and butter down and went back into the kitchen.
"So what's on the agenda for today?" I asked no one in particular.
"Jeremy and I thought we'd take a drive and check out the town. Then there's an art exhibit at the gallery on Main Street," said Kyle through sips of orange juice.
"We're continuing our Wild Women Adventure," said Trish. "We have a whole list of tasks to complete and then we report back here to the She-Woman Head Heathen."
Wonder who that could be? The problem was the Head Heathen might not be around for a while.
I wanted to ask them if they ever spent the night in the pokey. Now that's a Wild Woman. "Sounds exciting," I said instead.
Kyle gulped.
Cin came back around with the hot bacon and sausage. She dished it out at the far end of the table, clearly avoiding Hal. I topped off coffee cups.
"You know what would go great with that bacon?" Hal said as Cin approached him.
This guy was trying to break Cinnamon like a horse and I wasn’t sure how much she would take.
"A hot poker up your ass?" Cin said.
Here we go again.
Kyle dropped his fork. I got the feeling the guy still hadn't recovered from the night before. Jeremy massaged his shoulder.
Hal stared at Cin for a minute. I tensed. Then he busted out laughing.
Cin curtsied and went back into the kitchen and I followed her.
"Cinnamon, come on. Just ignore him."
"What are you talking about?" she asked. Lolly had a cup of coffee in front of her and Cin was pouring Kahlua in it. "He loved it."
"Just behave."
Fiona took an egg casserole out of the oven. "Stacy, would you mind? This is the last hot dish. Take the oven mitts and hold the pan and Cinnamon you scoop it onto the plates. It has to be hot or the eggs fall apart. Go, go."
We went.
"I'll try some of that," Hal said, still laughing. I walked over to him with the dish. He pointed at Cin, "Hot poker. That's a good one."
If he only knew. I had never actually seen my cousin impale a person, but there were rumors.
Cinnamon smiled, softening like melted ice-cream. She turned to spoon up a huge portion of eggs.
"You're all right, kid." Hal smacked her on the ass.
I stopped breathing for a second. He shouldn't have done that. Cinnamon carried a little black book in her purse that contained the names of all the men who have touched her without permission. Many of them were never heard from again.
There was nothing I could do since my hands were occupied by a pan of hot egg soufflé. So I stood and watched Cin dump a huge steaming pile into Hal's lap.
Hal bounced back from the table and jumped up. "Son of a bitch! What did you do that for?" He threw his napkin down and shook his pants.
I set the eggs on the table and ran for a towel.
"I'm sorry, did you want more?" I heard Cin ask and before I could stop her, she scooped up another glob and lobbed it at his face.
I grabbed the spoon from her hand and handed Hal the towel. I was about to apologize and get Cin out of there when I heard Melanie yell, "Food fight!"
I whirled around to find the Wild Women facing off with the Newlyweds.
The girls were dipping their pancakes in syrup while Jeremy and Kyle each grabbed a handful of greasy pork products.
I did a 'safe' sign with my arms and simultaneously screamed, "STOP!" in the deepest bellow I could muster.
Everyone stopped and looked in my direction. Then they all pitched their fistfuls of food at me.
In an instant, I was dripping with butter, syrup, sausage, and bacon. And I was hoping to get through one day without being sticky.
I tried to scrape off whatever the hell was stuck to my eyelids but the syrup kept it glued in place. I feared I was making it worse because I could hear squishing sounds as I tried to pull the mounds off my forehead, cheeks, and nose. Real blueberries too. Which are great on pancakes. Not so great on clothing.
Someone handed me a napkin but that compounded the problem. Now I had bits of paper dotting my face as if I had sliced myself shaving my whole head.
I heard chairs moving and shoes clicking on the hardwood floors. I pried open an eyelid with my index finger and saw them all rushing from the room.
That pissed me off.
"Where the hell do you all think you're going?" I yelled.
No one answered me.
"Well?"
"I'm going to get some Eggs Benedict," said Hal.
I snatched the napkin from his shirt and dipped it in his water glass, wiping my face with it. When I was through, I tucked it back in his shirt and grabbed his shoulder.
"You are going to sit your ass down and eat your breakfast," I said, shoving Hal back in his seat. Mary sat too.
I snapped my fingers. “You four." Pointed to the chairs. "Sit!"
The Wild Women and the Newlyweds returned to their seats.
I surveyed the table. There was still plenty of food left. Although it was mostly in a big pile.
"Now. This is what's going to happen. You all are going to enjoy the meal that my aunt has prepared. Then you will help us clean up this mess. And for the rest of the weekend, you will act like people vacationing at a Bed and Breakfast, not a fraternity house on spring break."
An hour later, back at the cottage, Cinnamon said, “That went well." She was scooping leftover bacon, eggs, and sausages into a bowl for Thor who watched with enthusiasm. A puddle of drool was forming at his feet.
"Don't worry, Cinnamon, I won't ask you to help out again." My voice oozed sarcasm.
"Good." Cin sunk into the couch.
"You know, an apology would be nice." I took off my shoes and proceeded to wring out my socks.
"For what?"
I stared at her. "Are you kidding? Look at me!"
"You can't think that's my fault." She feigned innocence.
Thor’s giant head bobbed from me to Cinnamon, not sure whose side to take. He finally belched and plopped onto the carpet.
I silently counted to ten. "Accountability, Cin. Some of it is your fault. Accept it."
Cin curled forward and smiled. "You sound like Birdie."
I rolled my eyes, pounded to the bathroom, and slammed the door behind me.
The shower felt great. Hot water poured down my back, washing away the muck of the morning. I soaped all the food off my face and lathered my hair up twice. Scrubbed my hands until they reddened, but my fingertips were still pale blue from the berries. Maybe a little lemon juice would help. Nature had a way of providing solutions to every problem.
I turned off the water and reached for a towel when a thought occurred to me. Nature. Birdie said that nature would help me figure out what happened to Gramps. What was it? Nature, knowledge and truth? If it weren’t for the storm, Thor wouldn't have been here. And if it weren't for him chasing the guy, whoever he was, ripping off a chunk of cloth, I wouldn't have known someone was in the cottage at all. I guess nature had lent a hand.
Were any footprints outside? Or did the storm wash them away? Whoever was in here must have taken their shoes off because the carpet was clean.
I wrapped the towel tight, stepped out of the shower, glanced in the mirror, and yelped.
“Cin!"
"Yeah? What’s up?" she asked through the door.
She was still here. Then how could I be I seeing what I was seeing?
In the mirror was another message.
HOME AGAIN
Could the intruder from last night have taken the time to write it? Obviously, this was not left over from a previous guest.
But Chance took a shower yesterday too. Had he seen it? Or was he the one who wrote it?
“Come here.”
She stuck her head through the doorway and wrinkled her brow. “What. Something stuck?”
>
“Funny. Look.” I pointed to the mirror.
She said, “Home again.” She looked at me. “Why yes, you are.”
I rolled my eyes. “Smartass. Did you do that?”
“Well I’m not a pervert and we are related, so no.” She frowned. “Wait, what’s going on?”
I didn’t want to worry her so I said, “Maybe it was the previous guests who stayed here.”
She didn’t look too certain.
I wrapped a towel around my hair and puttered past her into the bedroom.
She followed. “Stacy, why did you want to keep Thor overnight?”
“I don’t know. It was late.”
I pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a green tee shirt. I blasted my hair with the blow dryer and donned my Cubs hat and a white hoodie. Why bother with makeup at this point?
Thor galloped into the room and I scratched his ears.
“I know you’re lying so you may as well just tell me or I’ll tell Birdie about the time you used her crystals in your eighth-grade science project.”
I wished I hadn’t. They were fresh off a love spell and my teacher left his wife for the lunch lady that weekend.
Cinnamon sat on the bed as I told her about my uninvited guest.
"What do you think he was after? I mean, it’s obvious he didn’t know Thor would be here," she said.
I regarded her, not liking my next thought. But I said it anyway. “Maybe he thought I would be.”
Chapter 19
"I'm serious, Stacy, I want you to stay with me," Cinnamon said a short time later. "And you need to file a breaking and entering report."
We were in her Trans Am on our way to the hospital to visit Gramps. It was a decent day, so Thor decided to snooze on the porch and Cin left him there with a giant bowl of water, telling him that Fiona would be around to check on him later.
"Cin, that's ridiculous. You aren't even around at night, you're at the bar. And Birdie made it clear that she wanted me to figure this out."
"Birdie didn't know the bastard would stalk you," Cin said. She was convinced that whoever broke into the cottage was responsible for Gramps’ illness. "But you're right about me. I'm not home much." She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, thinking. "Well then, at least, borrow Thor. That dog has taken to you. He won't let anything bad happen to his new buddy."
Witch Way To Amethyst: The Prequel (A Stacy Justice Mystery Book 0) Page 10