I glanced at my watch. “I better get back to the shop. Can’t wait for that chicken noodle soup this evening. Love you.” I planted a kiss on her cheek, then jogged to the front door. My thoughts churned and mulled over what I’d learned. Theo was a smart and determined businesswoman who, it seemed, hadn’t had a great marriage.
The room glowed with festive lighting that Izzie had chosen to give this evening’s event some ambiance. Several guests arrived early, anxious to see the penciled sketches of their precious pets. The hum of chatter and bursts of laughter filled the room. Proving once again to be an expert teacher, Willow had organized and distributed various palettes of colors to each station that matched their respective animal. Showing her creative side, Izzie had put on her shopping hat and found paper toweling and cups designed with an animal theme for this evening. I volunteered to find the proper music selection. I tapped my fingers to the rhythm as “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” played. I also added “What’s New Pussycat?” even though Tom Jones wasn’t singing about a feline, and “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” despite the fact no one attending had a hippo for a pet and Christmas was several months away. Everything had been planned down to the tiniest detail. Izzie beamed with pride over the results. In a more subdued way, so did I.
I pointed my finger at each person and counted. “Only one hasn’t arrived.”
“Hmm.” Izzie nodded.
“Should we start anyway? My watch reads seven.” Without checking the roster, I knew which guest hadn’t shown. Grayson Stone. He hadn’t promised, only said he was interested. Why had he bothered emailing the photo of Major and paying for admission, then?
“You’re pouting.” Izzie tapped my bottom lip with her finger tip. “He’s not special, you know. Money doesn’t mean everything. Our parents taught us that much.”
Over dinner, I’d explained the article and photo from Theo’s collection to divert attention from Mom’s tirade about Ross having the nerve to ask for another chance at dinner. She’d told him she’d think about it, but gladly accepted the box of chocolates. Chances were, she’d accept his proposal, though it might involve a second box of chocolates, a bouquet of flowers, and a lot of groveling. I cherished the thought.
“I’m not pouting. I’m thinking.”
“Thinking about Grayson, of course.” She nodded.
“No, I’m thinking that it’s a waste of a canvas and the time it took to sketch his dog. That’s all.” I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. Can we start? Because it’s now five after seven. Every minute counts. Isn’t that what you said?”
Izzie stared at me and opened her mouth, but then quickly shut it. Stepping onto the platform, she clicked on the projection screen. “Welcome, everyone. I have to say, you all have some adorable pets. We enjoyed sketching them, and we hope you’ll enjoy painting them too.” She gestured to me, then Willow, who stood near the front counter. “My sister, Chloe, and assistant Willow will be joining me to float around the room and help guide you through the steps to complete your paintings. You’ll notice each of you has an individual printout with some tips. Willow came up with the brilliant idea to help you. You can thank her for that. Of course, whenever you have a question, please shout out to us. Good luck, everyone.”
We each took a row of five patrons to monitor. My row was missing one. The sketch of Major looked lonely propped up at its station without his master. On a whim, I decided I’d deliver the sketch tomorrow evening at the bonfire. Somehow, having another reason, a more practical one, to attend Grayson’s event put me at ease.
A couple of the locals were supportive and had signed up to paint their pets. Megan and Edna Charles, who owned three poodles. Somehow, I’d managed to fit all three headshots on the canvas. Moving up and down my row, I pointed out what each person needed to do and answered questions, but my gaze never left Megan for more than a minute. I’d given up snooping on her for the most part, or maybe I was merely taking a break. Giving up entirely seemed extreme. Guilt slowed me down. Her being best friends with Izzie dampened my enthusiasm. Still, something about her behavior didn’t add up.
“How’s it going?” Izzie whispered over my shoulder.
I gasped and dropped the brush I’d been holding. “Good grief. Why do you sneak up on me like that?”
“Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt the artistic flow.” She waved her arm up and down.
“Weird.” I stepped away from Edna Charles and cupped my hand around my mouth. “You know as well as I do, she can’t paint a straight line. Thank goodness poodles are all curls.”
“Just do your best.” Izzie whispered in my ear. “We don’t expect them all to be Michelangelo, you know.”
“Picasso with misplaced body parts is more like it,” I muttered and walked over to the fridge for a beverage. Leaning against the wall, I swigged my water and perused the room for hands to go up.
A warm breeze flowed into the room as the door opened wide. Hunter walked in and shifted his gaze until it fell on me. He nodded and crossed the room. “Evening, Chloe.”
“Hunter. What brings you here?” I kept my words short and civil and my mood tempered, even though every time he showed up, he wanted to talk about police business. I doubted he ever clocked out and took time to relax. “Any news?”
“About?” His brow inched up.
“Oh, let’s see.” I tapped my lip, then pointed. “You’re a detective, so how about police matters? Isn’t that why you’re here? Seems you always are. What’s the saying? All work and no play makes—”
“I get it. Well, I did hear from one of the department’s men searching for Sammy.”
I gasped. “You weren’t going to say anything?”
“I planned to call you, but then I got sidetracked. Besides, it’s not my habit to share police business with civilians.” He popped a stick of chewing gum in his mouth.
“Even when this civilian is a close friend and when our business is at risk? Or how about the fact that while a killer—and I’m not saying she is one—runs free, my sister and I remain suspects? Does none of that count?” I gritted my teeth.
We couldn’t get through one tiny encounter without him making my blood reach the boiling point.
“Like I said, I was going to call.” He chewed slowly. “The news is someone spotted her in Altoona. At least we know she’s alive.”
My jaw dropped. I didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved, though angry pushed its way to the forefront. How dare Sammy not let us know she was okay? She had to realize we’d be worried.
“Too bad she managed to get away before our man could catch up to her. Anyway, that’s not why I’m here. I’m looking for Megan. Ah, there she is.” Without asking for permission, he stepped toward her.
“What’s that about? He does realize he’s interrupting our event, right?” Izzie sniffed as she stood next to me.
“I’m sure he doesn’t care. What the …” My eyes widened.
Hunter bent over to whisper to Megan, who frantically shook her head. Finally, she bolted out of her chair, grabbed her bag, and ran out of the shop, with Hunter close behind her.
Izzie started for the door, but I pulled her arm. “Don’t. She can take care of herself. Besides, we have a painting event to finish, right?”
Her chest rose as she took a deep breath. “I’ll deal with him later.”
“Who needs help?” I walked back to my row and mingled with my group.
We finished up with fifteen minutes to spare. I suggested the guests stand together with their artwork in front of the stage for a photo, which would be added to our website. Nothing like free advertising. After handing out flyers for future events and bidding the last guest goodbye, I closed the door.
Izzie grabbed her phone and stepped to the front. “Would you two take care of the clean-up? I need to make a call.”
Before I could comment, she disappeared outside.
I turned to face Willow. “How about I start washing down the tables and stations while you carry
supplies to the storage room?”
“Got it.” She tossed paints and brushes in a plastic bin.
Halfway through washing, I ran out of cleaner. Twenty minutes passed, and Izzie hadn’t returned. I worried she might have gone to find Megan and what would happen if she found Hunter instead. I shuddered at the picture in my head. In defending her friend, Izzie would give her former classmate a tongue-lashing he’d never forget. Or worse. I stabbed her number on my speed dial and stared at the phone while rushing to the storage room.
Willow stood at the utility sink scrubbing a paint stain on her shirt. “Oh well, this is hopeless. I’ll toss it in my rag pile at home.” She shrugged.
“Here.” I opened the locker we used to store coats and aprons. “You can borrow this so you don’t have to wear a wet shirt home.”
“Thanks.” She pulled the top over her head. Wearing only a bra, she reached for the clean shirt I held.
I quickly turned away to give her privacy. “You were a big help this evening.” I waited a few more seconds, then turned around to smile at her.
“I do love this work. Art has been my dream since I scribbled in my first coloring book.” She laughed. “You too, I bet.”
“Oh, trust me. I didn’t have a choice. In my family, it’s art of some kind or you’ll be disowned.” I laughed along with her. “Why don’t you get going? Try a bit of turpentine on that stain before you wash it … which I’m sure you already know.”
“You sure? Okay. See you tomorrow.”
“You’ll come with Izzie and me to the bonfire on Friday, won’t you?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve got other plans. Have a good evening, Chloe.” She hurried to the front.
The door slammed shut.
“Guess bonfires aren’t her thing after all.” I checked my phone but didn’t find any messages. My call had gone straight to Izzie’s voice mail. I told myself not to worry. I’d give her ten more minutes then try again. As if my thoughts had telepathic powers, the phone buzzed to life. “Where have you been? I’m waiting here at the shop and ready to go home.”
“Sorry. Everything has gone crazy and I forgot to call,” Izzie said, out of breath.
“Crazy. Crazy how? Izzie, are you okay?” My heart pounded.
“I’m fine. I decided to go to Megan’s place and see if I could comfort her. She was so upset.” She hiccupped.
“Did you find her? Is she okay?” With a tight hold on my phone, I sat in a chair.
“She’s fine too.”
“I’m confused. She’s fine. You’re fine. When does crazy come into the story?”
“Oh, right. On my way to Megan’s—she’s still living in the condo but has to be out by the end of the month. That greedy landlord won’t give an inch and—”
“Izzie!”
“Oops. Sorry again. On my way to Megan’s, I passed by Quaint Décor, of course. Such a mess with all that fire damage. Yes, well, I saw a light inside. A flashlight, I’m thinking, because the beam moved around. Why would someone be in a badly burned and unsafe building at night? Anyway, I was too scared to check it out, so I hurried past.”
“That’s it? That’s the crazy part of your evening?” I scoffed. Maybe living in New York had toughened me.
“I’m not finished.” She drew out her words. “After I made sure Megan was okay, which she really isn’t, but she won’t say why, I had to pass Quaint Décor again. This time, someone came out of the shop, walking as if they didn’t want to be seen. Slouching down, looking side to side.”
“Yeah, I get it. Go on. Did you see who it was?”
“A man. Or maybe a woman dressed like a man?”
I slid down farther in my chair and dropped the phone to my side for a moment.
“Do you think it was Sammy? Or maybe her goony partner from Infinity?” Izzie said.
I pressed the phone to my ear. “I don’t know, but I’m tired and want to go home. Are you almost at the shop?” I didn’t have the energy to tell her Hunter’s news about Sammy being spotted in Altoona. That could wait until morning.
“No, I’m home. I thought you’d be here. That’s why I called. You shouldn’t stay there so late. Besides, Max is moping. I think he misses you.”
I clenched my jaw. “I’ll be home in a bit, but give Max his evening doggie treat. That’s what he’s missing.” I ended the call, then rummaged through the fridge, looking for the bottle of wine we’d started and I hoped not finished. “Yes.”
The bottle was a third full. Enough to calm my nerves before going home. I poured a glass and sat on a stool, mulling over what Izzie had told me. Whatever someone was looking for in Sammy’s shop, it must be important enough to take the risk of getting caught. The question was, what could it be?
Chapter Seventeen
“I’m tired of waiting for answers and getting bits and pieces of information Hunter dishes out. I say we start our own detective team.” Izzie slipped into a denim skirt, then pulled a peasant top over her head. She brushed strands of hair away from her face. “Are you with me?”
After spending Thursday with family to celebrate Mom and Dad’s participation and finishing in fourth place in Wednesday’s race by sailing to a nearby winery, it was time to get back to work.
I tipped my head to the side. “I think that’s what one or both of us have been doing since this murder investigation started. Didn’t we visit Sammy’s shop to pump her for information? Though you might have pushed too far since she practically threw us out. How about stopping by the Gazette? We got a great story from Theo. I know you don’t like to think Megan could be a suspect, but you came up with the Bob’s Barbecue connection to the evidence found in the dumpster.” I paced back and forth across her bedroom. “Of course, I did some snooping on my own. Like calling the nursing home, though I didn’t really learn anything. Oh, and I should confess that I visited Megan the other day to see if she’d talk more about selling her shop. She was munching on Bob’s food and acting kind of strange. Then there was the day we dressed in costumes to hand out flyers. She came out of the bank dressed like Inspector Gadget, with a trench coat and hat pulled over her forehead, talking to some guy in a Hawaiian shirt. I mean, who does those things? Looks pretty suspicious to me.” I heaved my chest to take a breath.
Izzie’s eyes bugged out and her mouth flapped. “What about Sammy? She’s off doing who knows what in Altoona. Maybe she’s the killer and the one I saw prowling around her shop the other night. She might’ve come back to town to finish off some more victims. Did you consider that?”
“Yeah, sure I have. I’ve considered her, Megan, Gwen, even Penny, who’s a bit weird if you ask me. I’ve given them all equal time, and my brain is fried from thinking too much. I’m only saying we’ve done a lot already and learned quite a bit, even if it’s not all useful, but we’re not detectives, Izzie.” My voice was tinged with a pleading tone.
Izzie fiddled with her shirt buttons and then glanced at me. “Megan isn’t a killer.”
I barely heard her muffled words. This wasn’t going well. As usual, I didn’t have the first clue how to be subtle. I just charged in like a rhino and said whatever was on my mind. “Look. I’m sorry, and I don’t want to argue. We have a bonfire to attend this evening. Let’s have fun, okay? We deserve it.”
“I guess, but I plan to stop by Megan’s this morning and get her to talk. Something Hunter said has her so upset, and I want to help.”
“You want me to come with you?”
“No. She’ll think we’re ganging up on her. It’s better if I go alone.” She shoved her phone and keys in her bag then turned. “Maybe we’re not detectives, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do what we can. Like you said, we’ve learned a lot. No reason we can’t find out more. In our bungling, amateur way, of course.” She smiled and held up her hand.
“Agreed.” I gave her a high five. She was the cheerleader this time. I was happy to let her take a turn. “I’ll see you later at the shop. Mom’s expecting us back here
for dinner before we go to the bonfire.”
“She and Dad still won’t say yes, huh?”
“They’re too old to have that sort of fun. That’s what she told me. I laughed until I cried, then handed her the brochure that came in the mail from Greenbrier Assisted Living facility. She didn’t see the humor, only grumbled something about me being a wise guy.” I chose a shell necklace out of her jewelry box and held it to my neck. “I think Ross is going.”
“I’m not surprised. Didn’t you say he was staying in Whisper Cove to relax and enjoy himself?”
“Yes, but I would prefer he take his fun somewhere that’s not around me.” I dropped the necklace back in the box.
“You’re so mean to him. I think Mom is going to cave and invite him to dinner again.”
“After three boxes of chocolates, two dozen roses, and a million compliments thrown her way, no wonder.” I scoffed with a wave of my arm. “He managed all that in twenty-four hours. Trust me. If she invites him to dinner, it’s because she wants the gifts to stop. I don’t think Dad cares for it either. Did you see how he moped around the kitchen this morning? Practically sobbed while munching on his quinoa muffin.”
“You can stop with the melodrama.” She giggled. “I’ve gotta go. When you get to the shop, will you answer all the emails we received in the past two days? I haven’t had a chance to take care of them.”
“Sure thing.” I hugged her tight, then waved goodbye. Grabbing the necklace, I placed it around my neck. “I wonder if she has earrings to match.” I picked through the jewelry and, after a minute, gave up and left her room. I had time for one more cup of coffee before going to the shop.
At least several dozen emails sat in the inbox, waiting to be answered. People from as far away as Buffalo had heard about our shop. Even though the painting event business was beginning to explode, ours was rather unique with its picturesque location and view. Izzie had talked about scheduling some daytime events and taking the classes outside to sit by the lake. We still had a couple of months before the cold weather arrived, which gave us time to include one or two.
A Brush with Murder Page 21