Murder Befalls Us

by Patti Benning

  “I did and I didn’t,” she admitted. “I loved the dogs themselves, of course, but waking up at five in the morning to go outside in the freezing cold to feed them and get them fresh water before school was miserable. My siblings and I all took turns doing it. We were all expected to help with chores. I went through phases where I hated it, of course, but overall I think it was great. How many kids grow up with a dog sled team? I didn’t really realize how lucky I was until I moved out to California, actually.”

  “Do you miss it? California, I mean, not your childhood.”

  “I miss the warmth,” she said. “Being in southern California is a little bit like always being on vacation. But… I don’t regret moving back here. This is home. None of us expected my mother’s illness to get as bad as it did as quickly as it did, and I know I would have always regretted it if I had stayed away. I know it probably seems silly, to move back home in your thirties and throw away a decently paying office job to work at a diner, but I’m happy I did it.”

  “I don’t think it’s silly,” he said with a smile. “There’s more to life than just making money and having a fancy sounding job. I wish I’d learned that a long time ago. But I’m happy where I am now, and I definitely don’t regret the path I took, since if I’d done something differently, I wouldn’t have had my kids.”

  “It always comes back to family, doesn’t it?”

  They traded smiles. Angie was about to speak again, to bring up a lighter topic for their conversation, when a man stopped in front of their table, his eyes glued to her face.

  “Um, excuse me?” she said after a few seconds passed.

  “Angie? Angie Seaver?”

  “That’s me.” She forced herself not to sigh. Moments like this had happened all too often over the weeks since she had moved back. She had thought that she had gotten past most of it, but apparently not. She decided to take it as a compliment that she was still so easily recognized after ten years. She couldn’t have aged that much, if people could tell who she was at a glance.

  “It’s Percy. Percy McDougal. I used to come over to your house all the time after school, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah. Percy… wow, you’ve changed. I like the beard.” She winced. That had probably been a weird thing to say, but she had been caught off guard and Malcolm was watching her with amusement in his eyes.

  He stroked it, then grinned. “So, is your brother back too?”

  “No, but he’s coming to visit for a couple weeks. Do you still talk to him?”

  Percy and her brother had been best friends all through school, and he had been a fixture at their house. She didn’t know exactly what had happened to him after he graduated. He had left town, but had apparently come back at some point.

  “We’re friends on social media, but don’t talk much,” he said. “Man, I’m only visiting for a short time too. I live in Anchorage now, I just come back a couple times a year to say hi to the folks. We should throw a party, get all of the old crew back together. I heard Maggie O’Brien moved back too. It would be just like old times.”

  “That might be fun,” she said. “I’d have to talk to my parents. I’m staying with them for the time being, and my brother and his fiancée will be staying there for their visit as well.”

  “Just like old times,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll send him a message and let him know I’m visiting as well. Maybe we can make up for never having a high school reunion. Here’s my card. You should keep in touch too. It was nice to see you again.”

  She took the card he handed her, and raised her eyebrows when she saw the initials after his name. He was doing well. She had never imagined that he would go on to get a PhD.

  “I’ll keep it,” she promised him. “It was nice to see you again as well.”

  “You too.” He blinked, as if noticing Malcolm for the first time. “Uh, sorry if I intruded on your date. I’ll leave you alone now. See you in a few days, hopefully!”

  With that, he wandered off and Angie turned her attention back to Malcolm. He seemed amused, not annoyed, by the interruption, which she was glad about.

  “Does everyone in this town know you?” he asked. “I think someone has recognized you every single place we’ve gone together.”

  “Well… I did spend a lot of my time during the summers helping out at the diner,” she said. “It’s a popular restaurant, pretty much everyone in Lost Bay has been there at some point. Everyone knew the owner’s kids.”

  He shook his head, chuckling. “It’s a strange sort of celebrity, but it certainly makes for interesting dates.”

  Angie grinned. He had called their outings dates. It looked like she had her answer, and she hadn’t even had to ask.

  4

  After getting home from the diner the next day, Angie quickly showered and changed into nicer clothes, then joined her parents in the kitchen where they were having a somewhat tense discussion on what to make for dinner that night.

  “We’re not having burgers, Rod,” her mother snapped. “We haven’t seen him for over ten years. He’s finally coming back to visit, and you want to feed him something he could get at any diner or fast food restaurant.”

  “Anise, he’s coming here to see us. He’s not going to care if the food isn’t fancy. Plus, he likes burgers.”

  “Actually…” Angie began, somewhat hesitantly. Her parents turned to her, both of them looking as if they hadn’t realized she was standing there. “He’s a vegetarian now. He eats seafood still, I think, but that’s it.”

  They stared at her for a long moment, then her father shook his head. “How come you know that and we don’t?”

  “Because I talk with him online,” she said. “I see the articles he shares and the things his friends post. He decided to start being a vegetarian a couple years ago. His fiancée mostly is too, but she eats chicken and he doesn’t. Trust me, they’ll both be happy with salmon or something.”

  Her father sighed. “Fine, fish for dinner it is. I guess I’ll just feed the dogs the ground beef I brought home from the restaurant, since it’s going to go to waste otherwise.” He stomped out of the kitchen. Angie could hear his footsteps all the way down the hall. When she heard her parents’ bedroom door slam shut, she turned to her mother.

  “What on earth is he so upset about?” she asked.

  Her mother sighed. “He’s just anxious about seeing your brother again. You know how similar he and Jason can be. They’re both stubborn, and convinced that they’re always the one in the right. Your brother hasn’t stayed in touch with us as much as you, and I think what you said about him being a vegetarian now makes your father think he doesn’t know his son anymore.”

  “Was he this bad while you two were preparing for me to come?”

  “Oh, not at all,” her mother said. “But you’ve always had a different relationship with him. You — both of you girls — were always daddy’s girls. He was just excited. He never worried that he’d find a stranger waiting for him at the airport.”

  “Do you think I should offer to go pick them up tonight? Maybe it’s best if Dad waits here.”

  “No, I don’t think so. An hour in the car together will do them good.”

  The next few hours were a blur as they all did their last-minute preparations for the visit. Angie and her mother went to the store to get food, and Angie’s father spent some time cleaning out his truck, going so far as bringing it into the barn so he could plug in the vacuum cleaner and clean the upholstery. At last, it was time for him to leave for the long trip to the airport. He seemed grim, and all Angie could do was hope that he and her brother didn’t get into an argument before they even got home.

  She finished unpacking the bags in the kitchen and brought the pack of bath soaps and salts she had bought for her brother’s fiancée — her soon to be sister-in-law — to the upstairs bathroom. She took one last look around, making sure everything was in place, then went downstairs to help her mother cook.

  Soon, the kitchen was hea
vy with the scent of dinner. They had decided on dill salmon, quinoa with garlic and spring onions, and her mother’s famous homemade dinner rolls. For dessert, they had picked up a frozen chocolate cream pie. Working side by side with her mother brought back memories of helping cook for holidays and family get-togethers when she was younger. It was peaceful, and she found her worries melting away as she stirred the creamy dill sauce. The kitchen really is the heart of the house, she thought.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve made these,” her mother said as she covered the dough for the rolls with a hand towel. “I hope I remembered everything.”

  “They’ll be perfect,” Angie said. “You should have opened a bakery. Your rolls are amazing.”

  “It’s my greatest gift in the kitchen. You and your father inherited the cooking gene. Besides, the rolls are a labor of love. Some of the magic would be lost if I made hundreds every day for strangers.”

  She could understand that. While she enjoyed cooking at the diner and always put her best foot forward with each plate she made, there was something about cooking for family that she just couldn’t put her finger on. It made all the difference, though. She didn’t think she was ever this relaxed at the diner.

  “We’ll wait to put the salmon in until Dad calls to tell us they’re almost home,” she decided. “We don’t want the fish to get cold. Everything else can be kept warm on the stovetop.”

  “It shouldn’t be too long,” Angie said, glancing at the clock. “I can’t believe he’s actually coming to visit.”

  “Me either.” Her mother smiled. “I’m glad he is though. I’m happy I get to meet his fiancée. Do you know much about her?”

  “Not too much. She seems nice. I think she is the one who encouraged him to come back and make amends.” She hesitated. “I don’t know if it’s my place to say this, but she mentioned to me in an email that she wants all of us at their wedding. I know her family is really close, so it’s probably important to her that his family is involved too.”

  “Well, I guess I should direct my thanks to her.” The older woman sank down into a chair at the kitchen table. “Thanks for all of your help these past few days, Angie. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “That’s what I’m here for,” she said. “I’m happy to help however I can. You and Dad have been trying to do things on your own for too long.”

  “I know it’s hard for him to take care of me and also run the diner. He hasn’t complained, but I can tell having you here has taken a load off.”

  “Good. You two should have told me you were having troubles earlier. I would have come.”

  “Well, you’re here now. That’s what matters.”

  They smiled at each other. Before either of them could say anything else, the phone rang. Angie picked it up.

  “It’s Dad,” she told her mother after a moment, putting her hand over the receiver. “They’ll be here soon. They’re just past the diner right now.”

  Her mother nodded and got up to see if the rolls had raised enough. Angie finished the conversation with her father, said her goodbyes, and ended the call. She put the salmon in the oven, feeling a twist of nerves in her stomach. For the first time in ten years her family would be together again — most of them, anyway. This visit would set the tone for the rest of their lives.

  5

  The front door opened, letting in a blast of cold air and the sounds of conversation. Angie hurriedly rinsed off the last pot and put it in the drying rack before drying her hands and helping her mother up and out of her seat.

  “Here, take my arm,” she said. “I’ll help you over to the door.”

  “Thanks,” the older woman said. “The walker would just get in the way. Goodness knows how much luggage they brought.”

  The two of them walked slowly out of the kitchen and down the hall. Angie tried not to feel impatient, but she was bursting with eagerness to see her brother and meet his fiancée. At last they came to the front entrance way, where three people were busy taking off their warm outerwear.

  “Angie! Mom!”

  She barely had time to brace them both before a pair of strong arms wrapped around her for a long second. A moment later they vanished as her brother turned to hug their mother. He stepped back, grinning.

  “Jason,” their mother said. “Goodness. Look at you. It’s been so long.” She wavered on her feet, and Angie reached out to support her.

  “I know. I’m sorry about that. How are you doing?”

  “Not so bad, lately. Now, why don’t you introduce us to your lovely fiancée?”

  “Oh, yeah! Mom, Angie, this is Lydia. Lydia, this is my mom and Angie.”

  A pretty woman with bobbed blonde hair and an easy smile stepped forward. “It’s so nice to meet you both. Thank you for inviting me to stay with you.”

  “Of course,” their mother said. “You can call me Anise. How was your drive from the airport?”

  “Long,” Lydia said, laughing. “When Jason told me you guys live in the middle of nowhere, he wasn’t joking. It’s beautiful here, though. Very different from Florida.”

  An insistent beep started to sound from the kitchen. “That’s the salmon,” Angie said. “You should all go sit down. I’ll get the food.”

  It wasn’t long before they were all seated at the table, serving dishes full of steaming food in the center. Angie’s mother kept smiling at Jason and Lydia. Her father hadn’t said much, and she was curious to find out if he had actually spoken at all during the long drive back from the airport, or if they had just sat in silence the entire time.

  “This looks lovely,” Lydia said.

  “Angie’s the one who told us about your dietary preferences,” her father said gruffly. “You have her to thank. It does look good, though. You two did a good job.”

  “Are these your famous rolls?” Jason asked, grabbing two out of the basket. “Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve had these. Here, Lydia, try one.”

  The conversation stayed on food for the rest of the meal. Angie was glad that the meal had turned out so well, though her father still seemed slightly annoyed about the burgers. He didn’t talk much while they ate, but seemed somewhat mollified when Lydia told him how much Jason talked about the family diner and the food they served there.

  “He always compares other diners to yours when we go out to eat,” she said. “Before we decided to change our diets, he would make me the best burgers ever, and said he learned how from you.”

  Angie smiled at that. Lydia was a skilled conversationalist and always seemed to know what to say when awkward silences fell. Talking with someone through emails wasn’t the same as meeting them face to face, and she had been prepared for things to be awkward between the two of them, but instead she found herself quite liking the other woman.

  At last came the time for them to clear the table and bring out dessert. Jason jumped up to help Angie, telling everyone else to stay seated. They each grabbed a couple plates and carried them into the kitchen. Angie pulled open a drawer and started counting out dessert forks, when Jason put his hand on her shoulder.

  “Thanks for convincing me to come back,” he said. “I should have done it a long time ago.”

  “Then why didn’t you?” she asked. Her tone was neutral and curious, but he still winced as if she had spoken to him in anger.

  “Because I didn’t know what to say to them,” he finally admitted. “Do you know why I left in the first place?”

  She shrugged. “I always assumed it was for the same reason that I did. Things were spiraling here, and everywhere I looked there were reminders of Katy. I felt like there was no future, like if I stayed here I would always be defined by what I had lost. I needed a fresh start, not so I could forget but so I didn’t have other people constantly remembering for me.”

  He tilted his head. “Well, I suppose it was partially for those reasons. Everywhere I looked, there were reminders and guilt. But that wasn’t what made me decide to leave in the end.
It was Dad.”

  “Dad? Why?”

  “I bought the cell phone for her, you know,” he said. “Katy wanted one for her graduation present. I bought it for her and was paying for her plan. Dad told me it was my fault that she died. That if I hadn’t bought the phone for her, she’d still be here.”

  “Jason, that’s horrible! He had no right to do that.”

  “It was right after the funeral. None of us were really thinking straight. But I just couldn’t stay after that. It took me a long time to get over what he said, and by the time I started to think that maybe I should reach out, it had been too long and I didn’t know where to start. Plus, Mom never knew and by then she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and I didn’t want to bring up old history during all of that. So I ended up just keeping my distance.”

  “Why are you telling me this now?”

  “Because I want your advice.” He sighed. “I don’t know if I should bring it up with him, or wait for him to say something, or just pretend it never happened and enjoy the time here with you and Mom.”

  “I think if you want him to apologize, you’re going to have to bring it up yourself,” she said. “You know how Dad it.”

  “You’re probably right. I’ll give him a couple of days, at least. Everyone’s having such a good time now, and I don’t want to wreck it.” He grinned at her. “Maybe after the party.”

  “You talked to Percy?”

  “Yep. And I talked to Dad in the car. We’re going to get people together this weekend. Dad’s making burgers, and Mom’s bringing out the old yearbooks. Percy said he’d call up some old friends. If there’s anyone you want to invite, feel free. It will be nice to see everyone again.”

  “I’ll see if Maggie can come,” she said. “And…”

  “And?”

  “This guy I’m seeing, Malcolm. I might see if he wants to come too.”

  Her brother’s grin widened, and he nudged her shoulder. “You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend. My little sister is growing up.”