by Cindy Stark
She continued walking, trying to see if he was hiding or if he’d taken a side street to the alley behind.
A few seconds later, he peeked around the corner of the building, and then started walking again. She glanced up the sidewalk ahead of John and recognized the mayor and his wife strolling in the same direction.
Was this John trying to carry out orders to investigate the mayor by stalking him and his wife? Not that she was above something similar, but she would have done a much better job at hiding.
When he repeated his movements, this time turning to face a store window as though he was interested in what was behind the glass, she really did begin to wonder about his antics. She chuckled. He’d been cuckoo as of late, but now she wondered if he’d lost his ever-loving mind.
She glanced toward the mayor again and inhaled in gleeful surprise. The mayor was no longer walking away, but striding toward Officer Bartles with an angry expression on his face.
Oh, boy. This should be good.
She glanced up and down the street to ensure no cars were coming and stepped off the sidewalk to cross the road. There was no way she’d miss this confrontation.
The mayor reached John seconds before she stepped onto the cobblestone sidewalk fifty feet from where they stood, and she paused.
Mayor Elwood jabbed John hard in the chest. “What in the sam hell do you think you’re doing? If you weren’t the law, I’d be calling the cops right now.”
John’s face blanched. “Sorry, sir. I’m only strolling down the street.”
“If that’s so, then why do you hide every time I glance backward? You’ve been tailing us for four blocks.”
The mayor’s wife placed her hand on his forearm. “Come on, Robert. I think you’re overreacting.” She was a gentle, almost fragile blonde, but she seemed quite capable of handling him.
John seemed relieved, but the mayor shook his head angrily. “I am not overreacting, Sandra. This isn’t the first time this imbecile has harassed us, and I’ve had enough. We’re marching down the street and talking to your boss right now.”
Hazel cringed. Poor Peter.
Sandra graced her husband with a patient smile. “We have things to get done this morning, Robert, and don’t have time for this nonsense.”
He puffed out his chest, and then she seemed to shrink back. “Fine. You can handle the bank matters while I deal with this. It won’t take long.”
Without waiting for her reply, he gripped John’s forearm and walked away.
Mrs. Elwood sighed in exhaustion and turned toward the bank. Hazel hurried to catch up to her.
“Good morning, Mrs. Elwood.”
Sandra Elwood glanced her way with a kind smile, but Hazel sensed her fatigue and resignation. “Good morning, Hazel. Sorry about the scene. My husband has been under a lot of stress lately.”
“I’m sure, with him preparing to run for senator. That must be a lot of work, and what just happened isn’t the best publicity. If it helps, there are not many people out, and I don’t think anyone else noticed.”
She shook her head in dismay. “Let’s hope not.”
Hazel had always liked the mayor’s wife with her quiet charm and concern for the citizens. She had a heck of a time picturing her having an affair with Father Christopher. Even though that had occurred years ago, the woman seemed too smart for that.
They had almost reached the bank, and Hazel panicked when her opportunity was only moments from slipping away. “Would you mind talking with me for a minute?”
Mrs. Elwood glanced toward the bank.
“In private?” Hazel added. “I know you’re in a hurry, but I have some sensitive things to say and wouldn’t want anyone to overhear.”
The woman’s defenses shot up like a bullet aimed toward the sky. “Excuse me?”
Hazel offered her a friendly smile and hoped it would smooth the edges. “I’ve come across some information regarding Father Christopher that involves you, and I’d like to give you a heads-up.”
She’d also like to see how she reacted.
Ice chilled Mrs. Elwood’s gaze. “Do I need to call my husband back?”
Hazel extended a hand toward the mayor’s wife but didn’t touch her. “Please. I’m not trying to threaten you. I just want to talk, to tell you what I’ve heard.”
She seemed hesitant but nodded. They stepped away from the bank’s door, and Mrs. Elwood faced her with a wary gaze.
Hazel exhaled a tense breath. “Is it true that you once had an affair with Father Christopher?”
All color disappeared from her face. “Where did you hear that?”
“I can’t reveal my source, but information was found in church records.”
“That—” She clamped her lips shut and shook her head. “Father Christopher told me he would keep our secret.”
Hazel sent her a commiserating look. “I’m not sure who or if he told, but there’s record of it somewhere at the church.”
She closed her eyes on a long sigh. “It was a long time ago, Hazel.”
Sandra met her gaze again. “You cannot tell anyone what I’m about to say. Please.”
Hazel nodded. “Of course.”
“Robert was off in New York City helping with a senator’s campaign. I was young and all alone, so I sought comfort from the one place I trusted. The church.”
Hazel braced herself, knowing this story would not be good.
“Father Christopher was a new priest to our town. You wouldn’t know it now, but he was handsome back then. And understanding. So understanding. I didn’t plan for anything to happen. One day, I was in the chapel praying for strength, and he joined me on a pew. Next thing I knew, we were kissing, and, well, I’m not proud of what happened after that.”
Hazel wanted to ask if Father Christopher had encouraged her to commit adultery right there in the chapel, but she’d probably be best to let that go. “He took advantage of your loneliness.”
Mrs. Elwood nodded. “I didn’t realize it back then. I just thought he was new to town and lonely, too.”
“But priests are in a position of power, and what he did was wrong.”
“Oh, trust me. I figured that out pretty quickly, but by then, it was too late. He said he’d fallen in love with me, that he’d leave the church if I’d leave my husband, and we could be together. Of course, that would never happen.”
“And he was okay with your decision?”
“He wasn’t happy, but what could he do? It was his job to counsel me to work on my marriage, and even though he didn’t, if he would have said anything to anyone, it would have cost him his career. He could have tried to ruin my marriage, but quite frankly, Robert needed the money and prestige my family carried, so he never would have left me.”
Oh, the sordid affairs. “Did the mayor ever find out?”
Mrs. Elwood shook her head. “I don’t think so. If he did, he never mentioned anything. Up until today, I thought I’d left that all behind me.”
Hazel snorted. “Funny how life never seems to let that happen.”
“So true.” Mrs. Elwood focused a hard gaze on Hazel. “Why are you telling me this? Why now?”
She had to be honest with the poor woman who might have her life implode on her, too. “Some see you as a suspect in Father Christopher’s murder. Your husband is running for office, and you, or he, might be desperate enough to keep this information hidden.”
She released a long sigh. “Well, I guess I can see that point. Although, I’d had no idea he’d made a written record of our interactions all those years ago. We never spoke of it again. Why would I worry it would come back now?”
Hazel shrugged. “I don’t know. Doesn’t seem that you would, and it doesn’t seem that the mayor had a clue and, therefore, no motive to kill.”
Mrs. Elwood lifted her brows. “Do the police know?” Her expression dropped. “Oh, Lord. That’s why Officer Bartles was following us, right? He’s watching our actions.”
She couldn’t outri
ght confess what Peter had told her. “I think that makes a lot of sense.”
Sandra nodded sadly. “I do, too. I also think I should get to the police station as soon as possible before this gets further out of hand. Thank you, Hazel, for this information. It’s certainly not what I wanted to hear, but I can work on solving issues now.”
Hazel nodded and shook the woman’s proffered hand. As Mrs. Elwood walked away, Hazel realized her husband wasn’t the only one with smooth political moves.
Twenty
Hazel watched Peter tighten the screw on the last turquoise bistro chair she’d purchased for outside her teashop. For an hour, she’d watched him work. She’d appreciated her personal brand of eye candy while she’d filled him in on her conversation with the mayor’s wife.
Peter dropped the wrench into his toolbox and chuckled. “Yeah, I’d thought Bartles would have a cow when the mayor marched him into my office and told me what had happened.”
That would have been the best show ever. “I wish I could have spied on them.”
He grinned as he stood. “It was pretty glorious. I let Mayor Elwood rake him over the coals a few times before I told him I’d handle the situation. The mayor left in a huff, and for a minute, I thought John might cry.”
“Seriously? That shouldn’t make me happy, but it does. Just a little.”
“Same. I would say he learned a good lesson on how to hone his etiquette when dealing with others.”
She snickered and eyed the two bistro sets. “Thanks so much for your help. They look really great.” Especially with the bright lime green awning she’d had placed last week.
She’d hoped the display said, “Come sit in my shade and enjoy something cool and refreshing”, and that customers would want one of the new iced teas she’d begun selling in her shop. Tastes were still free, but she’d hoped potential customers would be so tempted that they’d want a big glass of tea instead.
Peter scooted the last chair into place beneath the table, and then stepped back to join her for a look. “Fantastic, if I do say so myself.”
She grinned and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. “I say so, too. I’m going to put pots of purple petunias and orange marigolds on each of them. Even if no one ever pauses long enough to sit, the added beauty should encourage shoppers to at least slow down and notice my shop.”
He cast a sideways glance at her. “Are you having difficulty with sales?”
She placed her hands on her hips in a sassy gesture. “Not even. I’ll have you know, I’m having my website redesigned as we speak so I can start selling the newest blends online to accommodate out-of-town customers who’ve requested it.”
His eyes shone with pride. “That’s really great. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
The sound of a loud, rumbling engine caught her attention, and she glanced up the street to see Victor and his ridiculously hot, but stupid Harley coming down the road. “Ugh.” She shifted her gaze to Peter hoping he wouldn’t notice.
But, of course, he had. Everyone looked when a powerful engine motored by.
Peter caught her gaze and smiled. “Boyfriend, huh?”
She rolled her eyes and turned her back to the road. “I don’t know who you’re talking about because you’re my boyfriend. In fact, boyfriend, there’s something else you can help me with inside.”
She took his hand and tugged him toward the door of her shop.
He opened the door, and she stepped in. Victor drove by just as Peter followed. Before the door could shut behind them, Peter launched forward, bumping into her before he caught himself.
She gasped in surprise, and he grunted. He glanced back at the floor as though to see what had tripped him.
Hazel clenched her jaw knowing very well what had happened. A juvenile trick she’d learned in high school. If she could hex Victor from where she stood, she would.
“I think the threshold on your doorframe is a little high.”
She widened her eyes in concern. “That’s not good. I’ll have someone look at it right away. I certainly don’t need any of my older customers tripping and falling.”
He nodded. “Good idea.”
And by having someone look at it, she meant she’d be scanning those darned spell books for anything that might protect Peter from future attacks.
Peter glanced at his watch. “I need to get back to work before too long. You said there was something in here you needed help with?”
A teasing grin tickled her mouth. “Why, yes, there is, Chief Parrish. My lips have been feeling a tad neglected lately, and I thought perhaps you could pick up the slack.”
A sexy chuckle rumbled from his chest. “You’ve called the right man to help.” He pulled her hard against him, and she loved the way her body collided with his.
“Yes, I did,” she said with a laugh. “You’re the best kisser I know. Though, unfortunately, I won’t be able to recommend you to anyone.”
“That’s okay. I’m a one-woman man.” He lowered his mouth to hers and devoured her with a fiery kiss.
When he pulled away, she released a breathless sigh. “Perfect. Now my day is complete.”
“Mine, too.” He grinned. “What are you doing the rest of today?”
“I’ll be here alone most of the time. Gretta is taking her grandmother to a doctor’s appointment in Salem. Cora is supposed to stop by in a while.”
Hazel had ancestry searching left to do on her family tree before her line reached Clarabelle’s level. Unfortunately, Sarah’s family line had mirrored hers up until that point. If she was about to discover Sarah was also related to Clarabelle, she couldn’t do it alone.
Not if the outcome was as she feared.
“Sounds fun,” Peter said. “Are you going to be home later tonight?”
“Yes, I’ll be hanging out with Mr. Kitty.” She wasn’t sure she’d be in any shape for company, but she knew he was fishing for an invite. If he flat out asked, she’d agree. Otherwise, she’d pretend that subtle hint had slipped right past her.
He kissed her once more. “Care if I stop by?”
“Not at all,” she lied. “You know I love to see you.”
She inhaled a slow breath and reminded herself not to fret over chickens before she had eggs.
“Hey,” he said, his expression brightening. “Before I leave, I wanted to tell you that you were correct. We’ve found Karen’s mother and confirmed Karen was Father Christopher’s daughter. Still can’t find any correlation between the two deaths, though. Karen’s mother had already heard about the May Day Curse and preferred to believe that was what had taken her daughter and not a case of vindictive homicide-slash-suicide.”
There had to be something they were missing. “Keep working on it. You might find something. I’ve been thinking of trying to find a way to get to know Dan Cullpepper and see what I can get him to tell me.”
Peter leaned back and stared down at her with an offended look. “Don’t you think I’ve tried?”
She teasingly traced a finger across his bottom lip and smiled. “Sometimes, I discover much more than you or your officers do, dear chief.”
He shook his head in a playful warning. “Uh-huh. But really, don’t bother. He and his wife were both out of town, confirmed alibis.”
She blew a frustrated breath upward, stirring her hair. “I feel like we’re getting nowhere. If it’s not Dan, the mayor or his wife, then who? Lucy or Rosalinda? I don’t want to believe it’s either one of them.”
“Yeah. The district attorney is pushing for us to arrest Lobster Lucy, but I don’t think we have enough evidence. If her motive was recent, I’d be more inclined, but if she really wanted to punish Father Christopher for his bad guidance, I think she would have done it before now.”
Hazel nodded thoughtfully. “Rosalinda has motive, too, but not a strong one, and hers is old. Though I still feel like she’s hiding something more.”
He released a frustrated breath. “I tried to get her to ope
n up to me the other day about what she had in her files about the mayor and his wife, but her lips were shut as tight as an oyster with a prized pearl.”
She chuckled at his comparison. “Thank you for not outing me to her.”
“If I could use it in court, I would have.”
She narrowed her gaze, searching the energy to see if he was serious. “No, you wouldn’t.”
He gave her a sly smile. “I might, so you’d better mind your own business and stay out of trouble.”
She met his smile with one of her own. “I promise to try harder to be good.”
Then they both laughed.
Peter gestured toward the outside of her shop with a tip of his head. “Looks like Cora is here. Bonus for you, Lucy is with her.”
Hazel caught them surveying her new outdoor furniture and grinned. Lucy’s timely arrival would give her another chance to question her without being obvious, and it would also put off the research she intended to complete with Cora’s support.
Peter slid his hands up both side of her cheeks and placed a possessive kiss on her lips. “Don’t forget you promised to behave.”
She gave him her most innocent smile. “Of course.”
Though if the opportunity presented itself for her to learn more about Lucy, she couldn’t be blamed.
The chief left her shop, calling out a “hey, ladies” as he passed Cora and Lucy. They responded with friendly hellos and Hazel joined them outside.
“Cora, Lucy,” Hazel said. “So good to see you both. Why don’t you be the first to try my new bistro sets, and I’ll grab us some iced teas.”
“I’m down,” Lucy said and lowered herself into one of Hazel’s adorable chairs.
Cora dragged a chair from the other table and sat in it, leaving an empty place for Hazel.
She hurried inside, filled clear plastic cups with ice and poured recently-brewed Pineberry Bush tea over them. She added lids and straws, and carried the pretty red drinks outside where hopefully others would see them and want their own.
She placed a cup in front of each of them on the table and took her seat. “Thanks for helping me advertise today.”