Cappuccino Corpse

by Jinty James

  “We operate Brewed from the Bean at the town square in Estherville,” Suzanne informed her. “Monday to Friday 7am ‘til 4, and Saturdays 7.30 ‘til lunchtime.”

  Maddie frowned at Suzanne. Her friend sounded like a TV or radio ad!

  “Oh, you’re not far from the library,” Judy said. “I’ve got some books I need to return next week, so I’ll stop in then.”

  “We’ll look forward to it.” Suzanne grinned. “And we have health balls too – they’re morsels of wholesome ingredients that taste so delicious, they don’t seem healthy at all!”

  Maddie raised an eyebrow in Suzanne’s direction. Sometimes her friend could go a little overboard in recommending their coffee to others.

  Suzanne must have received the unspoken message though, as she became silent.

  “That sounds wonderful.” The senior smiled. “I can’t wait to stop by.”

  Trixie rubbed against the older woman’s legs, covered in a pair of gray slacks, glancing at Maddie, and then concentrating on leaving her scent on Judy. Was Trixie trying to tell Maddie something? Should she use the Tell the Truth spell?

  She fingered the spell in her purse. A calmness descended as she focused. The words appeared in her mind. Silently, she uttered them, whispering, “Show me,” at the end.

  “Will you have a replacement host for the radio show?” Maddie asked.

  “Yes, they’re interviewing next week,” Judy informed them. “Until then, hosts with their own shows are filling in the time slot.”

  A deep knowing filled Maddie. Judy told the truth!

  “Maddie was interviewed by the newspaper reporter, too,” Suzanne mentioned. “But her interview was bumped to yesterday because of what happened.”

  “Oh, was that Walt?” the senior asked. As they nodded, she continued, “I remember him. He interviewed for this job a couple of years ago. He seemed like such a nice man! And a good reporter, too. But they gave it to Dave instead.” She tsked, then looked around, although the hallway was empty. “I did hear a rumor that Dave blackmailed someone to get the job, but it’s only a rumor.”

  Maddie and Suzanne stared at each other, then Maddie glanced down at Trixie, who looked pleased with herself. Was that what the Persian wanted them to know?

  “That’s terrible.” Maddie found her voice.

  “I know,” the senior mourned. “I shouldn’t be saying this, but Dave wasn’t a nice man to work with. Very demanding.”

  “Do you know who he blackmailed?” Maddie asked.

  “No.” Judy shook her head. “As I said, it was only a rumor, although it did sound like it was someone in upper management who had the power to hire someone for that slot.”

  “Maybe we should talk to him,” Suzanne said slowly.

  “No one in upper management will be here until Monday morning,” Judy informed them. “Let me see—” she appeared to be thinking “—yes, we have two executives and they were both working here when Dave was hired. If you want to know more, then you could come back next week when they’ll be in.”

  “We will,” Suzanne promised.

  They said goodbye to Judy, the older woman making a fuss of Trixie before they departed, then they walked back to the entrance, Trixie leading the way in her turquoise harness, her plumy silver tail waving in the air.

  “Good job we came here,” Suzanne remarked as they got into Maddie’s car. “What if it is someone from the radio station? Maybe Dave wasn’t satisfied with his salary – maybe he decided to turn up the heat and continue to blackmail one of the executives into giving him a pay rise!”

  “It’s possible.” Maddie touched Suzanne’s arm. “I cast the Tell the Truth spell, and it worked! Judy was definitely telling the truth about Dave – or at least, what she knew to be the truth.”

  “That’s great!” Suzanne grinned.

  “Mrrow!”

  “So, what do you want to do now?” Suzanne asked as Maddie drove out of the parking lot.

  “How about visiting Walt at the newspaper office again?” she suggested. “He certainly didn’t tell us he once competed with Dave for the same job.”

  “Yeah!” Suzanne grinned. “This sleuthing is fun!”

  “As long as I’m not face to face with a killer again,” Maddie cautioned her.

  “Don’t worry. You’ve got me and Trixie by your side – and the Escape your Enemy spell.” Suzanne peered at her. “You do have it on you, don’t you?”

  “In my purse,” Maddie reassured her friend.

  “Mrrow!” Trixie joined in, as if knowing that was where Maddie had put the spell.

  “Let’s go!”

  Maddie parked outside the newspaper office and checked her watch. “It’s three o’clock.” She turned to Suzanne. “Do you think anyone will still be here?”

  “Only one way to find out.” Suzanne smiled and hopped out of the car.

  Maddie followed, holding onto Trixie’s lead as the feline gracefully leaped to the ground. The three of them trooped to the glass entrance door. Maddie tentatively pushed it open.

  “There must be someone here.” Suzanne entered first.

  Maddie and Trixie followed.

  “Hello?” Maddie called out when they reached the vacant reception desk.

  “Hello??” Suzanne’s voice was a little louder.

  “Hi.” Walt suddenly appeared near reception. “What can I do for you two?” He smiled.

  “Is this a bad time?” Maddie asked, feeling a little guilty for interrupting him at work – for the second time.

  “No.” He shook his head. “I was getting ready to go home, actually. The newspaper’s finished for tomorrow. Come on back.”

  They followed him into the open plan office until they reached his desk. “Take a seat.” He gestured to two visitor chairs near his desk, and sat down on his ergonomic chair. He seemed to be the only employee in the office.

  Trixie sniffed at the wastepaper bin next to his desk, the lead on the harness stretched out to its maximum length.

  “Sorry,” Maddie apologized.

  “No problem.” He smiled at the cat. “She’s a real cutie. Did you get a chance to read your interview in yesterday’s paper?”

  “Yes.” Maddie nodded. “Thanks for not saying anything about – you know – Dave Dantzler holding my – our – coffee cup …”

  “No problem.”

  “It was great,” Suzanne put in. “In fact, you made everyone sound amazing.”

  “Thanks.” He looked pleased.

  “We were just at the radio station,” Suzanne said. “We wanted to find out if they were still going to play Maddie’s interview, now that Dave is dead.”

  “And the employee there told us you competed with Dave for that very job two years ago,” Maddie finished in a rush.

  “Yeah.” Walt nodded. “And I didn’t get it.” He grimaced.

  “Was that because Dave blackmailed one of the station executives into giving him the job?” Suzanne asked innocently.

  “Is that what you heard?” Walt’s eyes flared.

  Maddie nodded.

  Walt’s mouth twisted. “Yeah, I overheard something after Dave got the job. See, we used to work together, in this office.” He gestured at the vacant desks and chairs. “Then the job at the radio station came up. We both applied for it, and I actually thought I had a shot of getting it.” He laughed bitterly. “I should have known better.”

  “What happened?” Maddie asked.

  “I was always the better reporter. Dave cut corners whenever he could, said he was meant for better things than just being a beat reporter. But I made sure I checked my facts, got my stories in on time, and thought a good solid work ethic would bring me success in the long run. Instead, it seems you have to blackmail someone if you want to go places.”

  “What did he do?” Suzanne held her breath.

  “I don’t know the full story, but after he came crowing into the office, telling everyone he got the job, before I even heard I’d been unsuccessful, I ov
erheard him on the phone later that day. He seemed to be talking to the guy who actually awarded him the job, one of the radio execs. Dave said he better get a ten percent pay increase every year, or else.”

  Maddie and Suzanne stared at each other. Dave had not been a nice person at all!

  “Why did you apply for the job in the first place?” Maddie asked curiously.

  “Better pay,” Walt replied. “And I thought it would be fun, interviewing people live on the radio. It was supposed to be a reporter based show, so I’d still be using my skills as a newspaper reporter. But instead, when Dave got the job, he turned the show into a sensationalist news show and didn’t bother to check his facts before he accused people of crimes, whether real or imagined. Like the judge who announced you as the winner at the coffee festival, Maddie.”

  Maddie and Suzanne both nodded.

  “Dave loved doing stuff like that, and didn’t seem to care who he hurt in the process.”

  Before Maddie could think of another question to ask him, the landline on Walt’s desk rang.

  “I’ll be home soon, Mom,” he spoke into the receiver. “Yes, okay, I’ll pick it up for you. Bye.” He returned the receiver to its cradle with a soft thunk.

  “My mother,” he explained unnecessarily.

  Maddie glanced at the photo of Walt and his mother on his desk. His arm was around his mother’s shoulders.

  “She looks like a nice lady,” Maddie offered.

  “She is.” He smiled. “That’s another reason why I wanted the radio job. With better pay, I could help her out more. Her medications can be expensive.”

  His conversation on the phone flitted through Maddie’s mind.

  “Do you live with her?” she blurted out, immediately embarrassed.

  “Yeah.” He picked up the photo, showing it to them, the ocean backdrop looking inviting. “I took her on vacation to Hawaii five years ago – that was when she was more mobile.” He shook his head. “A while after that it became obvious she needed more help around the house, and it made sense that I moved in with her. And I’d be saving on rent as well.”

  Maddie studied the photo, once more noticing the pretty silver bracelet. She squinted: was there engraving on it in the shape of a star?

  “I guess we should go.” Maddie rose, not wanting to bother Walt any longer. “It sounds like your mother needs you.”

  “She always needs me,” he said.

  Trixie trotted over to Maddie. The whole time, she’d been investigating the wastepaper basket. Now, she barely gave the reporter a glance.

  “I think Trixie wants to go home, too,” Suzanne said with a laugh. “Thanks for talking with us.”

  “My pleasure.” He smiled.

  They waved goodbye, then hopped into Maddie’s car.

  “Poor Walt.” Suzanne crinkled her brow. “It doesn’t seem fair that Dave got the job when it was obvious Walt was the better person.”

  “Yeah,” Maddie agreed. “But look what happened to Dave. Although at first he got away with blackmailing someone to get ahead, it didn’t turn out too well for him in the long run.”

  “Crime does not pay,” Suzanne declared.

  “Mrrow!” Trixie agreed.

  Maddie looked at Trixie sitting on the back seat. The cat had been quiet in the newspaper office, seemingly content to investigate the wastepaper basket. But she hadn’t emerged with a piece of paper in her mouth, or something stuck to her fur or paw which could be considered a clue.

  She sighed. Was she really cut out for sleuthing? It felt like they’d questioned a ton of people, and still hadn’t discovered who killed Dave.

  “I think on Monday we should visit the radio station again,” Suzanne said as Maddie parked outside her house. “We can go after the morning rush and get back in time for the lunch crowd.”

  “Do you really think the killer works for the radio station?” Maddie asked with a frown. Something tugged at the back of her mind, but she didn’t know what it was. Had she missed something somewhere?

  “If he doesn’t, then who did it?” Suzanne shrugged. “I’d love for the killer to be Claudine, but I don’t think she did it.”

  “No,” Maddie agreed.

  They got out of the car and walked up to the house. Maddie unlocked the door and they made their way to the kitchen, Trixie immediately sitting by her food bowl.

  “Okay, Trix.” Maddie got the sachet of cat food out of the fridge and squeezed it into the dish. Trixie started eating immediately.

  “That reminds me.” Suzanne touched her forehead. “I’m having dinner with my brother.” She checked her watch. “I better get going.”

  Envy swept through Maddie, which she immediately squelched. “Have a good time.”

  “I will.” Suzanne smiled. “He’s paying. He called me last night, asking if I was free but wouldn’t tell me what it was about.” Her eyes widened and her smile grew bigger. “Oh, I bet I know what it is!”

  “What?” Maddie was caught up in her friend’s excitement.

  “He wants to ask me about you! If you’re seeing anyone. I just know it!”

  “Do you think?” Maddie tried to tamp down her sudden excitement but lost the battle.

  “What else could it be? It’s not our parents’ birthday or anniversary soon. Why else would he treat me to dinner?”

  “Because he’s a nice guy?”

  “Well, yeah, but … when we catch up, it’s usually more planned. Oh, I just know it’s going to be about you!” Suzanne looked gleeful. “Don’t worry, I’m going to make you sound so irresistible he’s not going to have a chance!”

  “Suzanne,” Maddie cautioned, “you won’t tell him about—” she swept her hand in the air, indicating first Trixie, and then the living room where Wytchcraft for the Chosen lay on the sofa.

  “Of course not!” her friend reassured her. “Don’t worry, I promised you a long time ago I would never tell another soul about your abilities and I haven’t.”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” Maddie replied.

  “Don’t worry, I get it.” Suzanne hugged her. “I’ll come by tomorrow and tell you about dinner, and then we can go through our list of suspects and cross off the ones we know are innocent. And then make a plan for Monday.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Maddie spent Saturday night wondering what Suzanne and her brother Luke were talking about over dinner. Was it truly about her? Or was her friend so caught up with matchmaking that she was letting that enthusiasm carry her away?

  She watched some TV with Trixie, but couldn’t concentrate. Maddie wandered around the house while the cat dozed on the sofa, but she couldn’t think of anything to do. Finally, she ended up back on the sofa, slowly looking through Wytchcraft for the Chosen, but no spells tugged at her, trying to catch her attention.

  Should she do a Coffee Vision spell? Maybe it would show her what would happen tomorrow. But she didn’t even feel like making a latte right now. And what if the vision showed her an image of Suzanne’s brother?

  She didn’t think she could deal with that.

  Maddie ended up going to bed at 9.30 p.m., half of her wanting to know if Suzanne’s brother really was interested in her, and the other half not wanting to know, in case she was doomed to disappointment.

  ***

  On Sunday morning, Maddie forced herself not to think about Suzanne’s brother Luke. Instead, she went over the questions they’d asked each suspect. Something still nagged at the back of her mind.

  “Do you know, Trix?” she asked the cat, as they sat on the sofa, Wytchcraft for the Chosen beside them.

  “Mrrow.” Trixie looked thoughtful for a moment, then slowly closed her eyes.

  Did that mean the Persian did know who the killer was? It wouldn’t surprise Maddie if she did. After all, the spell book was real, and so was the Coffee Vision spell and the Truth spell. Only time would tell if the Escape your Enemy spell was real as well.

  But if Trixie knew who the killer was, why wasn’t she telling her?
Or did Maddie have to learn the cat language in order to find out?

  Ding dong. The doorbell interrupted her musing. Maddie and Trixie headed toward the hall, Trixie scampering to the front door.

  Maddie peeked through the peephole – yep, it was Suzanne, looking excited.

  “You’ll never guess!” She barreled into the house as soon as the door was open wide enough to get through. “Hi, Trixie,” she greeted the feline, as she swept down the hall into the kitchen.

  Maddie and Trixie followed.

  “I was right!” Suzanne crowed, plonking herself down at the kitchen table. “Luke took me to dinner last night to ask all about you!”

  “Really?” Maddie’s face flamed, while millions of butterflies zoomed and whooshed in her stomach.

  “Really!” Suzanne grinned. “It’s going to be so good having you as a sister!”

  Maddie’s mouth parted as she stared at her friend.

  “I’m kidding.” Suzanne lightly punched Maddie on the arm. “Well, only half kidding. It would be so cool if you and my brother got married one day, but I guess I’m jumping the gun a little.”

  “A little,” Maddie managed to squeak.

  “Sit down.” Suzanne patted the place at the kitchen table opposite her.

  Maddie sat, not sure if her wobbly knees would be able to hold her up any longer.

  Trixie sat too, on the kitchen chair next to Maddie, her ears pricked and her expression alert, as if she wanted to hear all the details as well.

  “We had dinner at that little place just off the town square. I had the pork ribs and he had the steak with Portobello mushrooms. Oh, those ribs were so delicious, we’ll have to go there one night. And then he told me about how he’s been so swamped with work—”

  “Suzanne,” Maddie interrupted. “Are you sure he asked about me?”

  “I’m getting to it.” Suzanne waved her hand as if she thought Maddie was being a tad impatient. “It’s important to set the scene. So, he was telling me how swamped he’s been at work, but he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about you – like, forever! And then he asked me if I thought it would be weird if he asked you out on a date, and what I thought your answer would be. Because he knows we’ve been best friends since middle school and he didn’t want to ruin that, but he said seeing you at the coffee festival and then again last week, just made him realize how much he likes you and—”