Tea Cups and Carnage

by Lynn Cahoon

  As I said my goodbyes, I realized I hadn’t asked her about Josh’s strange request. He’d asked me to keep it from Jackie, but I wondered if she knew what the antiques dealer was planning. Probably a shopping trip for some estate sale. The guy kept his dealer life under wraps, hoping that no one would get the good stuff before he could manage to buy it all cheap.

  I tucked my phone into my tote and headed back to the food truck to check on supplies. When things were back to normal, I was going to have a long talk with my aunt about hiring another part-time employee. At least during the summer when we were doing the food truck, we needed more manpower we could trust.

  Toby greeted me as I walked into the truck. “Hey boss, how’s Jackie?”

  “Word spread quickly.” I explained her injuries and that she and Harrold were still at the hospital, but heading home soon. As I talked, I checked the supplies. It looked like they’d barely been touched. “Slow day?”

  Nick sighed. “No, heavy day. I just restocked everything a few minutes ago. We wanted to be ready for tomorrow’s opening. And Toby let me drive his truck.” The kid’s grin lit up his face. “It’s rad.”

  Toby handed me the deposit bag. “I’ve already set up the drawer for tomorrow. But here’s today’s deposit.” He held on as I reached for it, watching my face. “Unless you want me to make the deposit on my way to the station?”

  I pulled it out of his hand. “I’m heading that way anyway. I’ll do it.” The bank had already closed for the day but they had a drop box for business deposits. I’d walk into town, check on Sasha let her know the change in plans, and then drop the deposit for both the truck and the shop. If Lille’s wasn’t too packed, I’d stop there to grab food before I went home.

  “Okay, then. You realize you could tell me if something’s going on, right?” Toby’s question made me nervous. The guy could read me like a book and he knew something was up besides Jackie’s injury. I just hoped Claire would figure out where the money went. If we didn’t get an answer tomorrow, it would be Monday before we’d hear anything else. When I didn’t respond, he looked beyond me toward the ocean. “I’m on beach patrol tomorrow afternoon and Saturday through the fireworks but I’ll stop by to see if you need anything.”

  “Sasha will be relieving you at ten, and then she and Nick will work the late shift. I’d love it if you’d check in with her. I’ll be at the shop until Aunt Jackie and Harrold come in to replace me.”

  “Jackie’s feeling that good?” Toby asked.

  I shook my head. “No, she’s feeling that stubborn.”

  * * * *

  By the time I got home that night, the sun had already begun to set into the ocean. A faint breeze carried a mix of summer florals with the always present salty sea smell that made me feel at home. There was a packet leaning against my front door. In dark block letters, someone had written on the front–For Jill Gardner’s eyes only.

  There was only one person who would leave that type of message for me. I took the envelope into the house and laid it on the table as I let Emma out and poured myself a glass of iced tea.

  I pulled out a formal power of attorney, several deposit slips, and a ten-page document explaining how to make a bank deposit. Josh had left his instructions.

  Chapter 10

  Antiques by Thomas was closed when I walked by the next morning on my way to open the shop. That in itself wasn’t unusual. Coffee, Books, and More opened four hours earlier than Josh’s place. I glanced up at the apartments above the store. Lights shown in the one on the left where Kyle, Josh’s assistant, lived. The second apartment, the one where Josh lived, was dark. He’d left South Cove.

  A part of me worried that this was about Aunt Jackie and Harrold. Josh had been devoted to my aunt so when she’d started dating Harrold, Josh had been crushed. I knew when he found out they were taking their relationship even further, it would hurt him even more deeply.

  I glanced over at Tea Hee. The outside of the building looked almost ready to open. The construction crew had built a fake porch on the building, complete with picket fence railings. They had painted the entire thing white to make the shop look like your grandmother’s house. If your grandmother lived in a little southern town, that is. Several wooden rockers sat on the porch, just waiting for someone to take a load off. I wondered if Kathi was still on board with us serving her signature tea at the shop. I made a mental note to make sure I talked to her about the joint venture. And maybe we could talk about her sister and what was going on with the family.

  As I unlocked the shop’s front door, Greg’s truck pulled up across the street and I paused in the doorway. This was two days in a row he’d met me at the shop when I’d opened. I could get used to starting my day with the guy. I waved as he got out of his truck and he paused, looking back at Tea Hee. He crossed the street and met me at the door.

  “Hey, you.” He pulled me into a hug. “How did your evening go? I saw Harrold dropped off your Jeep last night.”

  “Yep. I have to admit, he was really sweet and concerned about her.” I leaned against the doorway. “I guess I could do worse than Harrold for a new uncle.”

  “You’re still freaked out, aren’t you?” Greg ran his hand over my hair and pulled me into a hug. “It’s going to be okay, one way or the other. You know that, right?”

  I relaxed into his hug. “I’m being a spoiled brat about this, aren’t I?”

  “A little, but I think you’re more concerned about making sure Jackie’s okay. And there’s nothing wrong with that.” He kissed me on the head. “I’ve got to go to work.”

  I looked up at him. “I thought you’d come to see me and have coffee?”

  He shook his head. “Sorry honey, I’m on the clock. I need to talk to your new neighbor.”

  “Why?” I held up a hand. “Forget I asked. I already know what you’re going to say. You can’t tell me what’s happening in the investigation.”

  He tapped me on the nose. “You’re learning. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow out at the beach. I just hope tonight’s not too crazy. I don’t think Toby’s been sleeping much.”

  “Are you telling me that I’m going to have to cut his hours?”

  Greg shrugged. “I know he’s trying to buy a house. He can’t keep burning the candle at both ends. Let’s just keep an eye on it. I’d hate to force him to make a choice.”

  We said our goodbyes and I went into the shop to make coffee. I glanced at the work schedule for the next week. With the festival going and Jackie limited in what she could do, I needed Toby. Besides, I worried about how much traffic our Barista Babe brought into the shop. If Greg told him he had to quit the second job, I’d be hurting in more ways than one.

  Life was ganging up on me this week.

  Instead of brooding, I got busy. I did all the morning and evening chores, hoping that Harrold and Aunt Jackie could handle the walk-in traffic.

  It was noon when Kathi Corbin appeared in the shop. She collapsed into a stool at the counter.

  I handed her a glass of water. “What can I get for you?”

  “Double shot espresso.” Her hands shook as she lifted her water glass.

  I started the coffee, but kept my eyes on her. “Are you all right? You look frazzled.”

  Kathi drank down the entire glass of water. Then she sighed. “I’m sure you know that Greg came to see me this morning.”

  “I saw him, but he didn’t tell me what he was doing.” I kept my eyes down as I finished her coffee.

  “Well, he wanted me to come with him to the county morgue. The body that they found out at that motel on the highway was someone I knew.”

  I stopped pouring the coffee. “Who?”

  “The motorcycle guy that died a few days ago?” Kathi started to explain.

  I finished pouring her espresso and handed it over. “I don’t mean what body. How did you know him?”

  “Oh.” She took the coffee from me. “Darryl was my cousin. I told
you I used to work for his dad at the general store. Uncle Pride died a few years ago and Darryl thought he needed to take on the role of family patriarch, even though he doesn’t have an idea of how to run his own life, let alone a family.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss. Did you know he was in town?” First Ivy, then her cousin. There was one thing both of those people had in common: Kathi. If I was investigating this murder, I’d be looking at the former beauty queen’s motives hard. But I was sitting this one out, even though my fingers were itching to find out more.

  She sipped her coffee. “No. Ivy told me that Darryl wasn’t happy and had sent her here to bring me home, but I never expected him to come in person. I mean, it’s not such a big deal, right?”

  “What’s not a big deal?” I was confused and didn’t know what she was talking about.

  She put the cup down and put on the fake smile I’d seen at the meeting while she was entertaining the crowd.

  “Family stuff.” Her face brightened. “On a brighter note, guess who has a date this afternoon?”

  I pursed my lips and pretended to think. “Let’s see, you?”

  She nodded, her blond hair bouncing with the action. “Blake stopped over at the shop this morning and we got to talking. Of course, he’s busy with the band every night until Monday, but we thought we’d go wander around the festival for a couple hours Saturday. Just like two tourists, getting to know South Cove.”

  “It’s a great time to check out the other shops on the street.” I wished I had time to do my liaison thing with a few of the businesses this week. It would be great PR not only for the Business-to-Business meeting, but also for Coffee, Books, and More. “I’m stuck working most of the weekend since my aunt was hurt yesterday. I’m glad it was minor, but I know how you’re feeling about your cousin. It’s hard to put that kind of stuff on the back burner when it’s family.”

  “Oh, no. Well, tell her to get better soon. Summer is a bad time to be laid up, you miss out on so many fun activities.” Kathi pointed to the display case. “Why don’t you get me up a couple of those cheesecake slices? Maybe if I feed my construction guys they’ll work faster.”

  I knew when I was being sidelined, but I didn’t take it personally. I just changed my tactic. As I boxed up the treats, I posed a new question trying to keep her talking about her family. “So how long is Ivy staying? I heard she was looking for work. Is that just until you open and then she’ll be working with you?”

  The color drained from Kathi’s face, even with the perfectly applied makeup. “She won’t be staying long. In fact, she’ll probably return to Texas with Darryl’s body. Someone has to deal with all the arrangements, and Daddy isn’t up to that kind of stress.”

  “Is your dad ill?” I thought about Kori’s statement that she’d never met the guy.

  Kathi took a twenty out of her purse and laid it on the counter, making a big deal of looking at the clock. “I had no idea it was that late. I really need to go.” She grabbed the bag and quick stepped to the door, faster than anyone should be able to walk in that high of heel.

  “You forgot your change.” I called after her but she didn’t even turn around.

  She raised her hand in a farewell gesture and called back, “Keep it.”

  I rang up the purchase and put the tip into the jar. Toby and Sasha split the tip fund at the end of the week. And now, I guess Nick would be cut in on the windfall as well. I knew Toby probably brought in more of the cash during his shifts, but he was the one who insisted on the equal shares. Apparently for him, it went to the house fund. For Sasha, I expected it made sure Olivia had food and paid for daycare. And now with Nick splitting it even more, I hoped it wouldn’t cut into her budget too deep. Of course, summer was our busy season, so maybe she wouldn’t even see a decrease. The missing check entered my mind again.

  My thoughts hovered around Sasha and her financial situation for the next hour or so. I knew it wasn’t my business, but I also knew the girl was fretting about something. Something she wasn’t talking about.

  Harrold wheeled Aunt Jackie into the store precisely at three pm. He grinned as he pushed her toward the couch. “Your relief shift has arrived.”

  “Such as it is,” Aunt Jackie muttered.

  I walked over to the chair, catching his eye and raising my eyebrows in a question. Harrold just grinned. “Don’t mind her. She’s been grumpy all day.”

  “You’ve been treating me like an old lady all day, no wonder I’ve been out of sorts.” She tilted her head, presenting her cheek for a kiss. “How’s the traffic been today?”

  I bent over and gave her a quick kiss on the offered cheek. I sent my thanks upward for the wave of gratitude I felt that she hadn’t been more seriously hurt. “Busy. I’ve talked to the guys over at the truck and they’ve been swamped. They’ve had a line since they opened. Sasha’s replacing Toby and then she and Nick will man the truck until close.”

  “Purchasing the truck was a smart business decision.” My aunt’s statement wasn’t one of pride, but more just the facts.

  “We’re going to have to hire more staff if we use it often.” I thought about the long weekend ahead and knew I didn’t want to spend all my time working in the small truck kitchen. Even without really cooking anything, that metal box would be steaming hot by the middle of the day.

  My aunt waved away the idea. “We’ll be fine for a while. Besides, this is our maiden run. And we have Nick until school starts. With what that college of his costs, I’m sure he’ll welcome the hours.”

  Harrold had gone to the counter, washed his hands and donned an apron. “So who wants to show me how to make coffee?”

  Welcoming a distraction, I trained him in how to run the cash register, make the menu coffee drinks, and where we kept the extra cheesecakes just in case he sold out. It was almost four by the time Aunt Jackie told me to leave.

  Glancing at my watch, I shrugged. “I have to make Josh’s bank deposit anyway.” I froze, hoping Aunt Jackie hadn’t heard, but I felt her gaze bore into me.

  “Why?” Her tone was cold and hard.

  I grabbed our own banking pouch and tucked it into my tote. “I told him I would.” When I got to the door, I added, “He’s out of town for a while.” Then I powered through the door before she could ask a follow-up question. I figured my cell would ring in about two point five seconds, but that I could ignore. At least I knew one thing. Josh’s disappearance was a surprise to my aunt as well.

  The bell rang as I pushed open the door to Antiques by Thomas. Kyle stood at the counter, working on a laptop. His smile deepened as I walked toward him. “Hey, neighbor.”

  “Hey, yourself. How has business been today?” I had a funny feeling my aunt wouldn’t be the only one to call tonight and I wanted to be able to give Josh an update when he checked in about the store.

  “So so. I had a guy come in and ask about selling some pieces, but since I didn’t know what Mr. Thomas would offer, I had to just take his name and number. Mr. Thomas said I might be estimating purchases later this year, but for now, I’m in sales only.”

  “I’m sure it’s a science.” I didn’t know much about the antique business except I was sure Josh’s business plan consisted of four words. Buy low, sell high.

  Kyle pulled out a matching bank deposit bag to our own and handed it to me. “I think it’s more of a feel thing. Thanks for doing this. I know it made Mr. Thomas feel better about being able to leave me alone in the shop.”

  “No worries, I have to do my own deposits anyway.” I took the pouch and considered how much they looked alike. Was this the cause of the missing money? It could have been an honest mistake by someone at the bank. I slipped the deposit bag into my purse. Distracted by the idea, I asked about Kyle’s boss. “So do you know where Josh went this weekend?”

  Kyle frowned, his hand tapping on the counter as he considered my question. “He didn’t tell you either?”

  I glanced at my w
atch. I still wasn’t good at sneaking information out of people. “Oops, if I’m going to make it to the bank, I better get running. Let me know if you need anything while Josh is away.”

  I dashed out the door and heard Kyle call out a goodbye, but I’m sure he knew I was avoiding the question. So Josh hadn’t told the one guy who worked with him where he was going either. This was getting curiouser and curiouser. He could be trying to buy an estate before anyone got wind of the sale, but I didn’t think so. This felt more personal.

  I mulled over possible answers to the Josh mystery as I walked to the bank. When I got there, the line was almost out the door. Margie’s line was ten people deep, but the new teller, Allie, was filing her nails.

  I headed to the new teller’s window. The bank was closing in a few minutes and I didn’t want to be carrying around both our shop deposit and Josh’s all the way home. She didn’t look up when I put the moneybags on the counter, keeping her eyes on one of her glittery nails which I swore had real gold mixed in the polish color.

  When she didn’t speak, I did. “Your window is open, right?”

  She looked up at me and rolled her eyes. “Duh. I guess people just like Margie more than me. I haven’t had a transaction all day.”

  I wanted to tell her that maybe she needed to learn some social skills, but I didn’t need an argument. Let Claire teach her employee customer service skills or figure out a way to fire the boss’s relative. Instead, I pushed the bank bags closer since she hadn’t attempted to pick one up. “These are both commercial deposits so there’s a mixture of cash, coins, and checks.”

  The girl opened one and sighed. “This is going to take forever.” She glanced at the clock. “I’ll need Claire or Margie to walk me through this kind of deposit.” She zipped up the bag and put it and the other one under her counter. “You can pick up your deposit slips tomorrow.”

  “Usually Margie does it while I wait.” I wasn’t sure how to press the point, but didn’t want to take a chance of more money going missing.