Tea Cups and Carnage

by Lynn Cahoon

  Bill and I stood together as Mary drove off, waving until she disappeared out of view on Main Street. He turned to me. “You want some coffee?”

  “I’m late to meet Amy, so I’ll take a rain check.” I paused, “You going to be okay, Grampa?”

  Bill shuddered. “Man, don’t call me that. I can’t believe little Ashley’s old enough to be married, let alone having kids already.”

  I watched as a figure came up the sidewalk toward us. Kathi Corbin was doing the walk of shame. Her clothes, the same ones from last night, were rumpled and dusty. And her hair looked like she hadn’t even brushed it that morning. She held up a hand. “No talking, no comments, nothing until I get a shower.”

  I shrugged. “All I was going to say was good morning.”

  “Is it?” She turned and looked at Bill. “Please tell me you still have coffee available in the dining room.”

  “Of course.”

  Bill and I watched as Kathi climbed up the stairs and went into the house, letting the screen door slam behind her. “Late night, I guess,” he said.

  “Definitely.” I said my goodbyes and headed to the gym. Had Kathi hooked up with Blake after leaving the winery? They really hadn’t talked much but maybe she’d come back after Greg and I had left. I glanced at my phone again. No text or missed call from him. The case must have turned out to be more than just a dead body. A chill ran down my back. Like a murder.

  Amy frowned at me as I walked into the gym ten minutes late. She pointed to the locker room. “Go get changed. We’ve already started.”

  We consisted of Amy, Blake, Matt, and the instructor. None of the class members from the police force were there making me even more curious. I hurried and changed into my clothes and re-entered the gym.

  “You’re just in time for laps.” The instructor grinned as I approached the group. “Today is cardio workout and we’re going to test your endurance.”

  Great. I fell in step with Amy whose blond hair was in a ponytail that bounced as she jogged.

  “Where were you?” She asked. “I called the shop but Sasha said you’d left over fifteen minutes ago. I was worried.”

  “Bank.” I struggled to keep up with Amy’s pace. Even though I ran most days with Emma, that was at my own slower pace. I really needed to work out harder. “Then seeing Mary off. Ashley’s in labor.”

  Amy’s shriek made me miss a step and I almost fell.

  “Seriously? Mary must be so excited.” Amy sped up even faster. “This is terrific. I bet that baby’s going to be so spoiled.”

  We continued to talk about the baby and Bill and Mary until the instructor glared at us.

  “Ladies, this isn’t a church social. Focus on the run. My grandmother can run a faster lap than you’re doing.”

  As we got out of earshot, I muttered. “I don’t like that guy.”

  Amy’s laugh echoed in the gym which garnered us a full-fledged glare from the teacher. After that, we just ran.

  Limping home, I saw Greg’s truck parked at City Hall. I went in through the side door that took me to the police station. Amy kept going, heading home to shower before returning to her job as city hall receptionist.

  Greg stood by Esmeralda’s desk and raised his eyebrows when he saw me. “Rough workout? I’m glad I was too busy to go today.”

  “Oh, you’ll get yours. Don’t think demon trainer didn’t notice you were gone.” I leaned on the counter in front of Esmeralda’s desk. The woman kept her desk immaculate. One pen, one message pad, one small calendar, and a stapler. That was it. I knew she kept a book tucked in the desk drawer. She loved reading historical romance which always made me smile when she came in to buy her weekly supply. “Hey, Esmeralda. You look busy.”

  “Don’t be snide. Just because I keep a clean house doesn’t mean I’m not earning my wage.” Esmeralda cocked her head and looked at me. “You’ve lost something.”

  A chill ran through me. The woman was our local fortuneteller and my closest neighbor, but even she couldn’t have known about the missing money. I tried to change the subject. “My mind. How I let Amy talk me into this class, I’ll never know.”

  Esmeralda shrugged. “If that’s the way you want to play it. Just know it’s safe, you just have to look more carefully.”

  The phone rang and as she answered the call, Greg took my arm and led me into his office. He closed the door and sat with me on the couch. “Do I want to know what that was about?”

  “She’s your employee, how would I know?” I felt bad not telling Greg, but I didn’t want this to become a big thing until I was sure the money was actually gone. Besides, according to the woman plugged into the vast unknown, I’d find it eventually. For some reason, even though I didn’t believe Esmeralda had the gift, her comment made me feel better about the entire situation.

  “Okay. So why are you here?” He pushed a curl back out of my face. “Too far to walk home after the workout?”

  “You’re just mean, you know that right?” I sank into the couch. It did feel amazing just to veg for a second or two. Okay, so Greg could have been right about my real motives for the impromptu visit. “Actually, I wanted to know about your call-out last night. I’m assuming this was a murder and not an old guy dying in his sleep.”

  “And you deduced that from?” He watched me closely.

  Shrugging, I sank deeper into the cushions. No wonder Greg didn’t mind sleeping in his office every so often. The couch was amazing. “No one blabbed, if you’re thinking of blaming Toby. You didn’t call, and you’re still wearing last night’s clothes.”

  He chuckled. “You’re right. I guess I’m more transparent than I thought.”

  My eyes flew open. “Is Toby going to be able to work? This isn’t going to affect him running the food truck today?”

  Greg held up a hand. “Relax, Toby’s on his normal schedule. We don’t know much about the murder, except the guy checked in a few days ago under a false name. Of course, the motel doesn’t ask for any verification or even a credit card. Cash only out there.”

  “So he’s not a local.” For some reason, this made me feel better. Sure, it was sad someone had died, but people died all the time. I just didn’t want it to be one of my friends.

  “Not that I can tell. But I think it’s the biker who’s been racing up and down Main Street. He fits the description.” Greg shrugged and grinned. “And, there’s a bike parked outside his room. Yep, I’m a trained investigator, I notice these things.”

  “Big guy?” I thought about how the elderly woman had almost been smashed by the rider just a few days ago.

  “Nope, you were wrong. He’s tall, maybe six feet, but if he weighs more than a hundred fifty soaking wet I’ll buy you dinner.” Greg groaned as he stood and walked across the room to his desk. He pulled me to standing. “I hate it when you do that.”

  “Do what?” Now that I was upright, my stomach growled reminding me I hadn’t eaten all day. I dug into my tote and pulled out a protein bar.

  “Trick me into telling you more than I should.” He pointed to the door. “Out of here. I’ve got work to do.”

  I took a bite of my protein bar as I walked out. Pausing at the door, I turned back to look at him. He was already typing into some document. “I take it I won’t see you for dinner?”

  “Not tonight. But I’ll be over on Sunday at the latest.” He paused. “Are you working the festival that day?”

  “Just the morning shift. We’re closing the main store and only running the food truck that day.” I adjusted the strap on my tote, feeling the weight on my screaming shoulder blade. “Oh, and Ashley’s having her baby.”

  Greg turned to look at me, confusion filling his face.

  Before he could ask, I responded. “Mary and Bill’s daughter?”

  He nodded. “Sorry, my mind is on other things.”

  I walked out of the office and wondered how bad the murder had been. Just because it was a stranger that
lay in the morgue, didn’t mean someone from South Cove hadn’t been involved or known the guy.

  Or why else would he have been here?

  Chapter 6

  My hair still wet from the shower, I grabbed a bag of grapes and cuddled up on the couch with another YA novel. This one was set in summer and from the few chapters I’d read, the author was amazing at setting the scene. Sasha had insisted I read the book after she’d finished, her exuberance for the story shining through.

  Unlike this morning. I paused with the book in my lap and wondered if money worries was really what had my YA specialist in the doldrums. The girl was always on the go. Between school, work, and Olivia, I didn’t think she had a spare moment to herself. I made a mental note to suggest a girls’ spa night out for Sasha and Aunt Jackie once this summer festival was over. We all would need a break then.

  An hour later, with my stomach growling, I sat the book down and went into the kitchen. I chopped veggies for a salad and put a chicken breast on to grill. Sitting down fifteen minutes later to eat, I heard the knock on the door.

  I filled my mouth with a large bite of the salad, chewing my way through the living room. Peeking through the side window, I hurried and swallowed. Swinging the door open, Darla pushed a potted plant into my hands and moved me backward into the living room, not waiting for an invitation.

  “Hey Darla, what are you doing here?” I knew what she wanted, but it’s always fun to play the game. Especially when they bring you presents. I sat the plant on the table near the door. The fern was in a Mexican-inspired clay pot that would look amazing on the front porch. And maybe if I kept it outside, it wouldn’t die on me. Greg had started calling me the foliage serial killer, since most of the plants he’d bought for me had wound up in the bottom of my trash bin.

  Darla had sat on the couch, Emma in front of her with her head on the visitor’s knee. “Oh, I thought we could chat a bit. I’m doing a story on the Summer Festival and I wanted your take on how it was going so far.”

  I crossed the room and sat on a chair across from her. “Good, but I don’t have any solid numbers for you. Mary said it would take a few weeks for those and, as you probably know, she’s gone to Idaho to help Ashley with the new baby.”

  “But you have the food truck down at the beach. This is your first time doing an annex so to speak, how’s that going?” Darla sat straight, her pen at the ready.

  Crap, I hadn’t even checked in with the truck this morning. They could be out of everything and just close up shop while Toby or Nick ran to the store for supplies. My gaze darted to the kitchen where my lunch sat. New plan, get rid of Darla, grab a slice of bread, swipe it with a tablespoon of peanut butter, and walk down to the beach. I’d eat the salad once I made sure the food truck was okay. “Honestly, I was just going down to check on the guys. I didn’t hear how it went last night. They probably reported to Aunt Jackie.”

  “Oh.” Darla put her notebook into her purse and with her head tilted away from me, she asked the real question she’d come to ask. “So what happened out at the Coastal Inn? According to the manager, your boy still has room 110 yellow-taped off as a crime scene. Tilly’s a little upset since she thinks she’s losing her walk-up business. People don’t like to rent where there might be cops hanging around.”

  “Sounds like you know more than me.” I moved the book to the center of the coffee table and lined it up with the long edge.

  “Liar. You know something, I can tell by the way you’re avoiding the question.” Darla leaned forward. “Do you know who it was? Tilly was a little vague on the guy’s name.”

  “When I check into a hotel, I have to show my driver’s license and a credit card. I take it Tilly didn’t get this from the dead guy?”

  Darla laughed so loud Emma jumped from the spot where she’d been begging for attention from the new visitor. “Tilly doesn’t even look at the guest sign-in register anymore. How many Mr. and Mrs. Smiths can there be in the world?”

  “But this guy wasn’t an hourly customer. He’d been at the Inn all week. Didn’t she get any information about him?”

  Darla smiled and I realized I’d leaked some information. But the good news was, it hadn’t come from Greg. I’d seen the guy racing up and down Main Street. Or at least I thought it was the same guy.

  “I guess her recordkeeping skills aren’t completely up to par.” Darla pulled out her notebook and scribbled something. “I take it you found out this from Greg?”

  “No.” I paused, then, knowing I had to say something, I gave her the least amount I could. “I saw him drive past the shop on Tuesday, the day of the meeting. Didn’t you see him?”

  She thought a moment, sticking the cap end of the pen into her mouth. “I remember Josh mentioning something about unreliable types but I thought we were talking about the festival.”

  “We were, but the sound of the motorcycle was what got Josh all hot and bothered.” Well, besides the fact that Aunt Jackie was sitting with Harrold and Austin had stolen his spot next to Kathi. I wondered if his interest in the new shop owner was real or if he was trying to make my aunt jealous. Darla’s next comment brought me back to the conversation.

  “That’s kind of a brief glimpse, how do you know it was the same guy?”

  I ran my hand through my now dry hair. “I don’t,” I admitted. “Except I saw him again later that afternoon when he almost ran over a woman in front of Diamond Lille’s. He had on the same cut, one with a big pig on the back. I remembered seeing the pig when the motorcycle passed.”

  “A pig? The local gang has a coyote or a wolf; I can never get that straight. Who would have a pig?” Darla wrote the word pig and underlined it.

  “No clue. But I’ve got to get down to the beach and check on the truck. Do you want to walk down with me?” I didn’t really want the company, but maybe Darla would let something slip and I could figure out who had been killed at the no-tell motel without asking my boyfriend.

  Darla stood and shook her head. “I’ve got to open the winery in a few minutes. Are you and Greg coming by tonight?” she asked, her tone hopeful.

  “I probably won’t see him until after the festival is over. I’m working Sunday morning at the food truck, but I’ll probably go back later for the fireworks.” I wondered how many customers we’d have that late in the evening, but Aunt Jackie had reminded me that we could sell apple cider and hot chocolate as well as coffee. Still, I thought we’d sell more if we figured out an ice cream menu. Maybe coffee ices? This weekend’s sales records would help make my case. Ice cream and a small display of books.

  I was talking to an empty room. Darla had already left the house so I walked to the door and waved when she looked up at the house from her subcompact. She looked so uncomfortable, crammed into the small front seat. The vehicle had South Cove Winery painted on the side with a follow me sticker on the back along with a wine glass. She seemed to love it. I personally liked driving something a little bigger.

  I shut the front door and locked it. Emma looked up expectantly and I debated taking her with me. Since I wouldn’t be actually working the truck, I decided she could come along and after clicking the leash, we headed to the beach.

  To my surprise, the coffee shack had a long line. Looking at the women standing there, I realized why the line was so long. Toby’s girls had followed him from the coffee shop to the beach food truck. I bet Sasha was bored out of her mind at the main shop. I knocked on the side door and a frazzled Nick stuck his head out. “What?”

  His eyes flew open even wider and he put his hands up. “Gosh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. We’re just slammed.”

  “How long has it been this way?” I nodded to the line.

  Nick looked at his watch. “Since just after noon? We were busy in the morning, but nothing like this.”

  “How’s your supplies? Do you need anything?”

  I saw Toby pull the boy back into the trailer. “You go make coffee. I’ll ch
at up the boss.”

  “You like having a minion.” I grinned. Emma barked a short hello. She liked Toby, especially after he moved into the shed a few months ago. I had a feeling they played a lot of catch when I wasn’t home. Toby didn’t seem to sleep much, if at all.

  “I love having a minion. And Sadie raised him right. He’s polite, charming to the ladies, and a hard worker. He could probably take my job in a few years.” He turned his head back into the truck when he heard a large bang.

  “Sorry,” Nick yelled. “I’m okay.”

  Toby smiled at me. “I need to get back. The kid is all thumbs. Did you need something?”

  “Just wondering if you needed supplies or if I needed to make a bank run?” With this crowd, my idea of having a low-selling weekend was going out the window. So much for ice cream.

  “Nah, I stopped at the shop on the way here for cups and stuff. We may need to restock tonight before we close up, but I dropped the money bag off with your aunt from last night’s take and she had a new one for me this am.” He cocked his head. “I guess she didn’t tell you?”

  I needed to be more active in this area. Especially after Aunt Jackie lost the city’s check.

  Another crash sounded in the truck. “Sorry,” Nick yelled again. “It’s fine.” Although this time, he didn’t sound as confident. Toby and I looked at each other.

  “You better go.” I shortened Emma’s leash as she was leaning too hard into the truck where a piece of cheesecake now sat on the floor just out of reach. “Call me if you need anything.”

  I circled back around to the front of the truck. A twenty-something woman with purple stripes in her blond hair grinned. “That man could call me if he didn’t need anything.”

  I smiled and headed back across the parking lot to get away from Toby’s girls. Sometimes they could get a little intense.

  “Hey, Gardner. Come over here, I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” Lille stood at the edge of the parking lot watching the food truck.

  I knew she hadn’t been happy when Austin had sold the truck to us when his wife passed, but that had been months ago. I wondered what I’d done now. I stopped a few feet away to give Emma a chance to greet the restaurant owner. “Hey Lille, what’s going on?”