Murder Most Wholesome

by Staci McLaughlin

  “I can’t believe how well my stir-fry turned out,” I said. “Who knew vegetables could taste this good?”

  “Those of us who regularly eat vegetables.”

  I swatted Jason’s chest with my fingers, noticing how firm his body felt. “So Zennia keeps telling me.”

  “How is Zennia?” he asked. “Any chance she’ll be coming back to work soon?”

  “Not that she mentioned,” I said. “She enjoyed our visit to the commune, but she’s still clearly having a hard time dealing with Birch’s death. I don’t know if it’s because she loved him all those years ago or because he was murdered in her yard.”

  “Could be both.”

  “Either way, I need her back at the farm soon. I’m running out of different ways to prepare the vegetables.” We passed a woman walking her Chihuahua, and I nodded a greeting. “Speaking of eating vegetables,” I said, “Ashlee went on a date last night.”

  I realized that made no sense at the same time that Jason said, “What do vegetables have to do with Ashlee’s date?”

  “The guy’s a vegetarian. That’s not the interesting part, though. She was on a date with Ryan, the guy from the commune who’s pushing for more technology.”

  Jason reached over and took my hand as we walked, interlacing his fingers with mine. “Don’t tell me Ashlee has run out of guys to date in Blossom Valley and drove to the commune to find more.”

  I laughed. “She doesn’t go through guys quite that fast. Ryan brought an animal into the vet clinic. I guess a few of the residents at the commune take their pets there, and Ashlee said they’ve been bouncing checks so much that her boss will only accept cash now. You were right about their iffy financial situation.”

  “Everyone I’ve talked to keeps mentioning it.”

  We reached a massive oak tree with an impossibly wide trunk. Whoever paved the walking trail had split the path in two to run on either side of the tree. We took the path on the right, circled the oak, and headed back toward my apartment.

  “Did she tell you anything about Ryan?” he asked. “Like where he went to college?”

  “Not that I recall. She just complained about his eating habits and how he lives on a commune. Which reminds me, I’ve been wondering how such a place handles its finances,” I said. “Does everyone pay their own electric bill or do they donate a portion of their income? What if they don’t have any income?”

  “I’ve been asking those exact questions. Everyone pays a preset monthly amount, plus they’re expected to contribute to the livelihood of the commune in some way. If they have no source of income or can’t pay, then they have to provide extra labor to make up for that. Apparently Frank’s contribution is that he handles the bill paying, taxes, and investing. He’s been doing it for the last fifteen years, but the person I spoke to mumbled that he wouldn’t be doing it much longer if he kept making mistakes.”

  The sky had darkened by this time, and I almost wished I’d brought a flashlight. I kept my eyes on the ground as I walked. “Any chance he’s skimming off the top, and that’s why the place is running into these cash flow problems?”

  “Didn’t sound like it. Rather, he’s getting sloppy. I also don’t know how much money the commune is bringing in, but you’d have to sell a lot of jams and honey to support such a large place.”

  We’d reached the stairs to my apartment, and I led the way up. Once inside, I shed my sweatshirt and draped it on the back of a kitchen chair.

  “Care for coffee?” I asked. “I wasn’t kidding about those cupcakes either.”

  “Coffee only, if it’s not too much trouble.”

  “No trouble at all.” I dumped the remnants of the morning’s pot and made a fresh one.

  As the machine started chugging away, I heard a key in the lock, and the front door swung inward. Ashlee stood in the doorway, clutching one broken high-heeled shoe in her hand. Half her hair was piled on top of her head, while the rest spilled down in a tangled mess. I could see twigs and leaves sticking out.

  At the sight of her, my insides filled with panic. What had happened?

  Chapter 18

  My feet felt stuck to the kitchen floor as my mind took in Ashlee and her disheveled state. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason rise from the couch. Before either of us could ask what happened, she spoke. “I’ve done it!”

  “Done what?” Jason asked.

  “Scared off that cat.” She limped into the apartment on one heel, looking like a pirate with a too-short peg leg. She sat down in a kitchen chair, dropped her broken high heel on the floor, and slipped off the other one. “That stupid animal has been using my tire as a bathroom for weeks. The thing was even waiting for me when I pulled in a minute ago. But I freaked it out. There’s no way he’s coming back.”

  “You didn’t hurt it, did you?” I asked.

  “I wish. I threw my shoe at him, but he moved out of the way too fast.”

  “If all you did was throw your shoe, why are you such a wreck?” I plucked a leaf from one of her blond curls.

  She reached up and felt around her hair, pulling out two twigs and another leaf. She dropped the foliage on the table. “When I missed the cat, I chased it all over the complex, even in the bushes, which wasn’t easy with only one shoe, but now that dumb cat knows I mean business.”

  Somehow, I doubted the cat was all that frightened of a one-shoe Ashlee. A picture sprang to mind of her hobbling down the road, yelling at a cat she’d never catch. I tried to suppress my smile, but couldn’t quite manage. I glanced at Jason as he sat down at the table and saw that he was trying not to smile, too.

  Ashlee noticed our expressions. “I’d like to see you guys catch it,” she growled.

  “He’s not using my car for his bathroom,” I said. “Where were you tonight anyway? Seeing Ryan again?”

  She wiggled out of her jacket without standing up and tossed it over the back of the couch. “No way. I still don’t know if I’m going to bother with that guy again. Blossom Valley isn’t exactly swamped with vegetarian restaurants, and I don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding a place where we can both eat.”

  “I hear he lives at the Evergreen commune,” Jason said.

  “Yeah, that’s another problem. What if things get serious and he wants me to live out there with him?” She patted the part of her hair that was still piled on top of her head. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I don’t always look good in tie-dye.”

  I managed not to roll my eyes as I filled two cups with coffee. I carried them over to the table and handed one to Jason. “I didn’t think you wanted to get serious with anyone right now.”

  “I don’t, but you should never say never. That’s when fate comes and bites you in the butt.”

  My sister, the philosopher.

  “I guess you don’t have to worry about it, since Ryan hasn’t called you for another date,” I pointed out.

  Ashlee stuck her tongue out at me.

  “When you were on your date with Ryan, did he tell you anything about himself?” Jason asked.

  Ashlee scooted her chair back and inspected the bottom of her foot, which was blackened by her run through the parking lot.

  “What didn’t he tell me? The guy talked about himself nonstop. All about his fancy IT job when he lived in San Francisco, how he got his degree in only three years at San Francisco State, blah, blah, blah.” She put her foot back down.

  Jason suddenly sat up straighter and leaned toward Ashlee. While I knew he wanted to find out information about Ryan, his reaction seemed more intense than her comment warranted. What had he found so interesting?

  “You’re sure he said SF State?” he asked.

  “Pretty sure, although by that point, my eyes were starting to glaze over. I mean, get a clue, buddy. Everybody knows you don’t do all the talking on the first date.” She slapped her palm on the tabletop. “You know, the more I think about that date, the less I want to see Ryan again.” She stood up. “Thanks for helping me make
up my mind.”

  “No problem,” I said.

  She gave us a little wave and went into her room, leaving her shoes on the floor and her jacket on the couch.

  Once I heard her bedroom door shut, I asked Jason, “Why were you interested in Ryan’s college background? You asked me about that earlier, too.”

  He drained the last of his coffee and set the cup down. “Someone else told me that Ryan attended SF State, but I can’t find his name in their records. Could be a simple clerical error, but I like to know my facts when I’m working on a story.”

  “What story are you working on? Is it related to Birch’s murder?”

  “No. Your curiosity about the commune got me thinking other readers might have a similar interest. I thought I’d catch up with the people I originally interviewed to see how many are still there and how their lives have changed, if at all. I need to run the idea past my boss, but I was doing preliminary research and looked into Ryan’s history while I was at it. For a guy who keeps promoting the wonders of modern technology, he’s managed to keep a low online profile.” He checked his phone. “It’s time I got home.”

  I walked him to the door. “Thanks for helping with dinner tonight and being my taste test guinea pig.”

  “Anytime. I’m here to serve.”

  Though he was partly kidding, hearing those words gave me a fuzzy feeling in my chest, and I gave him a long kiss before he headed down the stairs to his car. I locked the door behind him and straightened up, leaving Ashlee’s shoes and jacket for her to deal with in the morning. As I turned out the kitchen light and headed to the bedroom, I remembered that I’d forgotten to call Zennia to check on her. Oh well, my call would have to wait until tomorrow. I just hoped she was all right.

  * * *

  The next day flew by in a blur. I managed to feed everyone both breakfast and lunch without destroying the kitchen or poisoning any diners. The tofu stir-fry even earned rave reviews from two of the guests. I spent the rest of my time finessing a magazine ad, catching up on e-mails, and cleaning out the pigsty, an occasional chore that I’d managed to avoid since I’d started filling in for Zennia. Somehow I didn’t think I should be cleaning up after the pigs in the middle of cooking for the guests.

  By the time midafternoon rolled around, I was ready to call it quits for the day. I knew Gordon would be thrilled if I only worked eight hours and he didn’t have to pay me overtime.

  After updating my time card, I grabbed my purse and jacket and went out the kitchen door. I swung by the pigsty to pat Wilbur good-bye and then followed the path past the guest cabins. As I turned toward the vegetable garden, I heard a “yoo-hoo” coming from the spa tent. I looked over my shoulder and saw Esther waving at me.

  I changed course and joined her at the entrance to the spa.

  “Dana,” she said, “Gretchen and I are experimenting with making scented soaps, and we can’t agree on which scent we should pick. Gretchen swears the citrus smell is better, but I like the floral one. Would you help us out?”

  “Sure, I have a minute.” I followed her inside to find Gretchen at the hostess stand with two small blocks of soap before her.

  She perked up when she saw me. “I’m glad you’re here. We could use another opinion.” She held up both blocks.

  I sniffed the first one and caught a whiff of lemon, or maybe it was grapefruit. “That’s nice,” I said, and Gretchen smiled.

  Esther grabbed the other block of soap from Gretchen and held it beneath my nose. “Try this one.”

  I’d barely inhaled when a heavy, cloying floral scent obliterated any other smells I might have detected. My great-aunt had worn a perfume that smelled like this, and I was instantly transported back to her afternoon teas, where I’d have to sit perfectly still in my frilly dress and Mary Janes, not daring to speak unless my aunt asked me questions, usually about school. I suppressed a shudder, not wanting to offend Esther.

  I pointed to the lemon-scented soap. “Definitely the first one.”

  Esther looked so crestfallen that I patted her on the shoulder. “The floral one is nice, too,” I lied, “but I think the citrus will have a more universal appeal. What’s it for anyway?”

  Esther’s face brightened. “My composting classes have proven to be popular, and I thought we could add other ones. Gretchen volunteered to teach guests how to make the soaps.”

  “What a great idea,” I said. When Esther first started holding classes on composting a few months back, I was hoping it might lead to more. Up until that point, she’d left almost all decisions related to the farm up to Gordon, choosing to take a backseat while he ran the place. I was thrilled to see her moving into a more active role. “How about you, Esther? Will you be hosting other classes? You’re such a good teacher.”

  Her cheeks instantly turned pink at the praise. “I might, if I can find the right one.”

  “Or maybe Zennia could teach cooking classes when she returns,” Gretchen said. “Has anyone heard from her lately?”

  I shook my head. “I meant to call her yesterday but got sidetracked. Have you heard from her, Esther?”

  She put a hand to her mouth. “For heaven’s sake. I promised Gordon I’d bring Zennia her paycheck at lunchtime, and I plumb forgot. Now what am I going to do?”

  “I’m heading home right now,” I said. “I can stop by her place and drop it off.”

  “Would you mind?” Esther said. “I’m supposed to visit my friend in the hospital later today. They might be discharging her soon, which means I can get back to helping more here at the farm.”

  Gretchen grabbed the soap from the hostess stand and held it out. “Could you bring her this, too?”

  I took the soap. “Maybe by now she’s made a decision on when she’s coming back.” I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I had no clue what I’d be serving the guests for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. Or the next day, for that matter. The sooner she returned to work, the better for all of us.

  “I hope it’s soon,” Esther said. She gave me a sheepish look. “Not that your cooking isn’t wonderful, Dana, but every time I walk into the kitchen, I feel like we’re missing a member of the family.”

  “I know exactly what you mean. If you’ll give me her paycheck, I’ll go see her right now.”

  Esther and I walked back to the house, where she retrieved Zennia’s paycheck from the office. I slid it in my purse for safekeeping and headed out.

  Being late afternoon, traffic on the highway was light, not that it was ever heavy, and I reached Zennia’s house in minutes. A small, older-model compact sat in her driveway, so I parked on the street. As I got out of my car, I glanced at the house on the corner and saw the blinds slip back into place.

  Feeling like I was now under scrutiny, I walked up Zennia’s driveway. Someone, presumably the police, had removed the crime scene tape, and her yard was once more a haven for flowers, birds, and bees alike.

  I rang the doorbell. While I listened to it chime inside, I wondered who the car in the driveway belonged to. I hoped I wasn’t interrupting anything.

  A moment later, Zennia answered, dressed in a floor-length housecoat. Bags hung under her eyes, but she smiled when she saw me.

  “If I’d known I’d be this popular today, I would have gotten dressed.”

  I held out the soap. “Sorry I didn’t call first. I was on my way home and wanted to drop this off from Gretchen. She’s trying her hand at making scented soap.”

  Zennia took it and waved me inside. “You’re always welcome here, especially considering all you’ve been doing for me lately.”

  I dug around in my purse and pulled out the envelope. “Before I forget, here’s your paycheck, too.”

  She took it and closed the door behind me. “Payday already? I’ve lost all track of time.”

  “You need to meditate,” said a voice from the direction of the wicker chairs. “Center yourself.”

  I jumped at the unexpected sound, belatedly remembering the car in the driveway
.

  Millie rose from one of the chairs and turned toward me. “A pleasure to see you again, dear heart.”

  “Um, you, too,” I said.

  Zennia gestured toward the other wicker chair. “Please, sit down. Millie and I were catching up.”

  “I don’t want to interrupt,” I said.

  “Nonsense,” Zennia said. “You might find this interesting. Millie was telling me about the changes at the commune in the last few months.”

  A frown crossed Millie’s face. “And none of those changes are good. We’ve got a rat in our midst, sneaking around and gnawing at the very fabric of our community. And I’m getting ready to exterminate him.”

  I took the seat Zennia had pointed to, eager to hear more. Somehow, I just knew that rat was Ryan.

  Chapter 19

  Zennia chuckled at Millie’s outburst. “Millie, you always have such a way with words.”

  Millie rose from her chair and stepped into the sunlight coming through the window. She jutted out her chin. “I speak the truth.”

  “I know you do,” Zennia said. “That’s what I love about you.”

  “Who’s the rat you’re trying to exterminate?” I asked.

  Millie stepped closer and gestured for me to stand up. I did so, and she looped an arm around my elbow. “Come, let us walk around the garden.”

  I allowed her to lead me outside, curious to see if she would identify this rat by name. Zennia walked beside us, though I saw her step falter as we approached the lawn and the spot where she’d found Birch.

  Millie noticed her hesitation, too. “Come, Zennia, you must face any lingering evil energy and vanquish it, so you can see the beauty once again.”

  “I’m trying.” She moved ahead of us and stepped onto the grass. She spread out her arms, as though walking on the grass wasn’t a big deal, but I could see how tense she was. “There now, see?”

  “The first step is the hardest,” Millie said.

  Zennia sank onto the nearby bench. “I think I’ll take a moment to collect myself.” She stared off into the distance.

  Millie and I left her and continued walking along the edge of the lawn. I tried to keep my mind on the bright, colorful flowers, but my thoughts kept returning to Millie and the problems at the commune.