“My goodness.” She blushed and waved a hand to fan her face. “You sure make a lady feel wanted.”
“Are you opening up the shop? It would be nice to have my neighbor back,” Izzie asked.
“Absolutely. I’ve been away too long.” She gripped the bag tighter. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m no slacker. I never let the dust settle. Time’s too precious for that, you know. I did some gardening and knitting and came up with some new designs for my kites. Spent a couple days in the Finger Lakes and then stopped on my way home to visit with my sister-in-law, Tressa. She hasn’t been feeling well.” Her eyes widened. “Come to think of it, that was the evening of the Paint Your Shop event. I’m sorry I had to miss it, Izzie. I’ll be sure to come to the next one.” Gwen heaved her chest and smiled. “But I’m back now and ready to work. Yes, I am. Ready and anxious and—say! Would you two girls like to join me?” She lifted a bottle of wine from the bag. “I hope you like semisweet. It’s the only kind I drink, you know.”
I blinked. Her chattering raced so fast, I barely kept up. I couldn’t recall her talking at any pace but slow and calm. Her fingers wouldn’t stop fidgeting, either.
“Sure! Hold on a sec.” Izzie slipped behind the counter and pulled out a box filled with plastic cups and utensils.
“How nice is this? Three business ladies celebrating our successes.” Gwen poured a generous amount into each of our cups. “I hate to confess, but these past few weeks have been stressful. Why, there was a moment I worried I’d have a mental breakdown.” She tipped back her cup and drank then poured more. “But that’s over now, thank goodness. Our town has returned to the peaceful place we all love. Don’t you agree?” She arched her brow as she took another sip of her semisweet, her eyes peeking at us over the edge of her cup.
I blinked, speechless, and totally confused. I didn’t recognize the nervous, flighty woman in front of me.
“Well, it’s certainly nice to have you back.” Izzie slid the bottle behind her and to the other side of the counter. “I’m sure you have plenty to keep you busy. Why don’t I walk with you back to your shop? I’d love to see those designs.” She skirted around me and whispered. “Call Mom. Tell her to come here, ASAP.”
“Oh, I thought …” Gwen knitted her brows and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. “Yes, I do have a lot to prepare. Thank you, Izzie. Maybe you can visit another time? My new work needs a bit of tweaking, you understand.”
“Absolutely.” Izzie wrapped an arm around her shoulders and walked Gwen to the door. “You have a great and productive day then.” Izzie waited on the outside step while Gwen walked toward her shop, then pivoted on her heel to face me. Her jaw dropped. “What the heck? She’s never acted this way or drank so much. I’m calling Mom.”
I held up my phone. “Already texted her. She’s on the way.” I hiked my rear back onto the stool. “Maybe she did have a breakdown. I mean, the story Theo told us was pretty disturbing. A gentle, easygoing person like Gwen might not be able to handle such trauma.”
“I don’t know if you remember, but Mom told us how she’d worried about Gwen during her divorce.” Izzie poured more wine in her cup. “Hard to believe Gwen’s been single for more than twenty years. Anyway, Mom claimed Gwen held it together, as sane and strong as anybody through the whole ordeal. No breakdown. No hysterics. Not even I could be that calm and collected. Although the younger Gwen might’ve been stronger than the one we saw today.” Izzie tipped her cup forward and pointed. “I heard from others besides Mom that the ex is a real loser. His reaction to the divorce was to cause an angry scene in court. Said he’d make her pay somehow.”
“Funny.” I traced my finger around a ring of sweat from the bottle on the counter. “Why would Gwen stay in touch with her ex’s sister?” I thought about Ross and the group of friends we had hung out with on those rare occasions he agreed to take a break from work to socialize. Actually, they were his friends, buddies from college and their spouses, and sort of like his family. I’d feel strange doing anything with them now.
“I certainly can’t understand.” Mom entered the shop, flushed and bright-eyed. “Since Gwen and William divorced, she hasn’t mentioned her sister-in-law, Tressa. She’d tell me if she visited her. I’m sure of it.”
“Maybe she didn’t want you to know?” Maybe Gwen kept it a secret because she didn’t want a lecture.
Izzie and I weren’t the only ones showered with Mom’s words of intended wisdom. She dished out advice to her friends and anyone else who would listen. Well-meant intentions weren’t always welcomed.
“She could’ve kept it secret for a good reason.”
“Where is she, by the way?” Mom circled the shop and peeked inside the storage room. With hands hitched on hips she gave us one of those looks with a chin slant and squinty eyes. “You didn’t let her leave, did you?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. She went to her shop. I watched her go inside.”
“Still.” Mom marched to the door. “I’ll go visit to make sure she’s okay. See you girls later at dinner.” She waved and cut across the lawn to Go Fly a Kite.
“Never changes.” Izzie swung a leg over the stool and scooted on the seat.
“Yeah, but Mom is a great friend that way.” I studied the spread of papers for the events.
“You think it’s only us who are bothered by all the attention and advice and coddling?”
“Nope. Not in the least.” I rolled my eyes and laughed.
“She’s the best, right?”
“Absolutely the best Mom we could hope for.” I scribbled notes on one sheet of paper.
“Make sure you include the exact time, date, and price in the description of each event.” Izzie tapped her pen.
“Yes, ma’am.” I wrote more details while letting my mind wander.
Gwen wasn’t herself. That much was obvious. The question was why, and what had caused it? Could her behavior involve Fiona’s murder, or was there some other reason she behaved this way and kept quiet?
“Okay, how’s this sound?” Izzie straightened her paper and cleared her throat.
“Wait!” I held up one finger. “I want to close my eyes and visualize your words.”
“You’re such a tool. Shut up and listen.”
I squirmed in my seat, placed my elbows on the counter, and cradled my chin in upturned palms. “Ready when you are.”
Before Izzie could speak, the door chimes jingled again. “Oh wow. Look who came to visit, again.”
I pushed off the counter with my hand to turn the stool around. “Don’t tell me you’re done checking on Gwen already? Mom, you should know we—Oh!” I hopped off the stool and scratched behind my ear. “Ross. I figured you’d be halfway to New York by now. What gives?” That alarm ringing in my head to tell me something was off made me wary and tense.
“Ha. Funny thing. I, um, my car wouldn’t start this morning. Turns out I need something or other fixed, according to the local mechanic. I guess that means I’ll be sticking around for the next couple of days, maybe more.” He avoided making eye contact and shifted his gaze around the room. “Nice place.”
“Days, huh?” I whistled under my breath. My alarm scaled up several decibels. Fate sure had a twisted sense of humor.
“Yeah.” He ran his tongue along his upper lip. “He doesn’t carry parts for a Mercedes, so he called in a rush order from a dealer in Buffalo. Any recommendations for good places to eat?”
“This is so great.” Izzie crept up behind me and gave my arm a squeeze.
“No, it isn’t,” I hissed at her. “There’s a diner around the corner on Whisper Cove Boulevard. Millie’s.” I bit the inside of one cheek as my brain worked to make sense of his story. “I don’t understand. Why don’t you rent a car to drive home? I’m sure you could arrange for somebody to drive the Mercedes back to New York.”
He shook his head. “I don’t trust strangers driving my car. You know that. Besides, I took a few days of vacation. The office doesn’t e
xpect me to return until next week.”
I did a mental countdown to cool my temper. “You don’t take vacation time.”
“I do now. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.” He tapped his hands against his thighs. “Yep. Couldn’t pick a nicer town to get stuck in, right?”
My lips pressed together. I raced to think of a response that didn’t involve something I’d regret later on.
“This doesn’t have to be awkward, Chloe. Nothing’s changed. I wanted to give you a heads up, is all. See you around.” He swung the door open wide and disappeared down Artisan Alley.
“Wow. That’s a surprise,” Izzie said.
“Not a good one.” I rolled the pen between my fingers, while staring at the door as it slowly creaked closed.
“Why should you care? You broke up, right?”
I snapped my head around. “Would you want your ex, someone who begged to get back together and caused an embarrassing situation when you said no, to hang around like some wounded puppy dog?”
“Oh boy. Yeah, that does sound awful.” She rustled papers in her hand. “But he’s old news, and life goes on. We have an agenda to complete.”
“You’re such a bossy boss.” I grabbed another sheet and studied the title. “Lego My Ego?”
“Yep. The group will paint self-portraits in the shape of Lego blocks.” She wiggled her brows.
“Huh.” I stuck out my lower lip and nodded. “You might make a go of this after all.”
“Thanks for the confidence. Now, let’s finish as many of these event descriptions as we can before Willow gets here. Then, after dinner, we’re putting on those costumes and hitting the streets to promote our event. It’s sink or swim time, Chloe. Sink or swim.”
* * *
Izzie was right about one thing in particular. The sooner the killer was found, the quicker life in Whisper Cove could return to normal and clear the innocent, including her and me. I worried Detective Barrett had kept me at the top of his list of suspects. That time, place, and opportunity fit my unfortunate situation perfectly, which had my insides tied in knots. No matter how many pieces we added to his Clue game board, the detective would still keep me, and most likely Izzie, in play until the real killer was caught.
I walked along Artisan Alley past several shops to reach Quaint Décor. Izzie and Willow stayed at the shop to finish putting all the event info on the shop’s website, so I was free to carry out my own agenda. Our visit to Sammy yesterday and what I’d discovered had me curious. I couldn’t shake loose the notion that she was hiding something important. She’d been quick to point our attention to Megan, planting the seeds of why Izzie’s best friend would have reason to kill Fiona. Distraction to throw us off seemed like a guilty person’s move.
However, what I really wanted to learn more about was the story behind that underpriced crystal swan. I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Sammy stood at the front, unpacking boxes. With head touching shoulder, she pressed her phone to one ear. I waved to catch her attention, then I took casual steps farther into the shop to browse the aisle where the crystal collection was displayed. Comfortable hearing Sammy’s voice on the phone, I lifted the swan off the shelf and examined it more closely. Seeing no nicks or scratches marring the piece left me puzzled. The price tag was the same as I’d noticed yesterday. I glanced over my shoulder. Sammy continued to chat. I ran my finger along the shelf, searching for another Swarovski I would recognize. My gaze landed on a lady figurine dressed in a full-length gown. I tipped the item on its side and tensed. Again, it was lower than market price. Not wanting to fall into the trap of making assumptions, I grabbed the swan, turned, and walked toward the register and Sammy. A heart-to-heart talk was the fair way to handle the situation. That was the least I could do for a friend.
Sammy nodded at me, then said a quick goodbye over the phone. “Hi, Chloe. You’re back so soon. Is something wrong with the wall art Izzie purchased?” A frown of concern creased her brow.
“Quite the opposite. Izzie is gleaming with pride and so happy with the results. Good choice.” I tapped fingers against my thighs. “Browsing. That’s why I came back.” I set the crystal on the counter. “Swarovski crystal figurines are beautiful, aren’t they? I have a couple items in my collection. Knockoffs, of course. I couldn’t afford the real deal. Way too pricey.”
“Hmm. Yeah, they can be.” She cleared her throat, then bent down to grab more items out of a box piled on top of several others.
I lowered my gaze to examine the stack. At once, my heartbeat picked up speed. I stared at the name stamped in bold, black letters on each box. Infinity Collectibles brought back unpleasant memories. I remembered my employer, the art collector in Paris, complaining about unscrupulous players in the art world. He’d been cheated in dealing with those who were prominent in the black market, like Infinity Collectibles. Up front, the business appeared totally legitimate. However, Infinity fell into the group known for gaming the system, as well as their clients, by using ruthless tactics, sort of like those mafia characters you found in movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas who never seemed to get caught or arrested. They would purchase stolen merchandise to sell to merchants rather than buy legal, and that was just one of their crimes. Maybe my view was extreme, but those were the kind of people you were smart to stay away from.
In any case, this bit of news amplified my concern over what Sammy was doing, and I was determined to push until I got answers.
“Are you interested in buying the swan?” She stood straight and pushed a stray curl out of her eyes. “It’s a genuine Swarovski and a steal at that price.”
“Yeah, about that.” I rubbed my bottom lip, working out what to say next. This heart-to-heart approach was harder than I thought. I pointed at the box. “You do much business with Infinity Collectibles?”
She nodded. “All the time. Why?”
I detected the slight twitch in the corner of her eye as she clutched a ceramic candle holder to her chest. I waved an arm. “Oh, I’ve just heard some things.”
“Things like what?” The eye twitch stopped, replaced by a glare.
Going immediately on the defensive was another bad sign. I sighed. “Infinity Collectibles is a dummy corporation known worldwide, but you probably already knew that. Did you also know it has a shady reputation as a black-market dealer? Infinity buys stolen merchandise, so they can easily sell to clients at cheaper prices. In fact, some in the art industry suspect the company has shipped merchandise with contraband hidden inside objects. I know this because I worked for an art collector who had trouble with Infinity. He lost money and even took heat from the authorities when their investigation of stolen merchandise led to his collection. The inspector had explained to him he wasn’t the only victim and Infinity was clever enough to avoid any charges against them. They hid their tracks, and their victims were afraid if they said anything, Infinity would retaliate. The company was known for threats, too.”
I reached across the counter and laid my hand over hers. “Sammy, are you in trouble with them? You can tell me. I know a great lawyer who can help.” The corners of my mouth curved in an attempt to give her an encouraging smile.
She sniffed and lifted her chin. Her eyes grew moist. “I can’t. It’s too …” She cleared her throat. “Would you like to buy the swan? I’ll throw in a coupon from Penny’s shop next door. Mood therapy is the latest trend in medical cures, you know?” She swiped her eyes and bent down to look behind the counter. “I know I put those coupons in here somewhere.”
“Sammy. Sammy, please.” I skirted around to stand next to her. “They will keep pulling you in, deeper and deeper, and you will never escape.” I squatted until we were face to face.
Tears filled her eyes, and she broke into heavy sobs.
“I, I was so desperate.” She grabbed my hand. “More than desperate. I had to do something or he’d be put away forever. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Who, Sammy? Who will be put away?”
<
br /> She nodded. “My dad. My dad was arrested for embezzling. Now, I owe a lot of money.”
Chapter Eight
Sammy sat on the floor. “My dad’s only chance at getting a lighter sentence was for us to hire a good lawyer, and I wanted the best, you see.” She heaved a sigh. “I don’t have that kind of money because all of it has been sunk into this shop. I heard about Infinity from another business owner—no one from around here—and how the seller has connections to purchase merchandise at way below market price, but totally legal. Or at least that’s what I thought. Gullible, naïve me, right?” She shrugged. “Anyway, my plan was to buy cheap and sell at a high enough price to still make a huge profit.”
I eyeballed the crystal swan and the hundred-dollar price tag. “Just how deep of a discount did Infinity give that you made a profit?” I shook my head. “Never mind. I guess you found out too late the true nature of Infinity.”
“Yep. When I approached them the first time about discontinuing my orders, things didn’t go as planned.” Sammy shivered. “My designated contact promised there would be serious consequences if that was my decision.”
“Maybe asking the bank for a loan would’ve been an easier option.” I gritted my teeth. Kate Abbington’s behavior in giving advice that wasn’t asked for didn’t fall too far from that proverbial family tree. “I’m guessing you already tried that first. Sorry, I don’t mean to judge.”
“It’s fine. Yeah, I tried but was turned down before the ink on my application had a chance to dry.” She picked at the flap of one box. “I’ve already saved up enough for a retainer to hire one of the top criminal defense lawyers in the state. Unfortunately, that’s only a small portion of what I’ll owe him by the time the trial is over.”
“Debts to the black-market dealer and to the lawyer. A double whammy, as my granddad used to call it.” I whistled. “You’re in a pretty tight squeeze with no wiggle room. Better watch out.”
A Brush with Murder Page 9