Pattern of Betrayal (Vineyard Quilt Mysteries Book 2)

by Mae Fox

  “Thanks for all your help this morning,” Julie said. “This weekend, actually.”

  Hannah shrugged. “What are friends for?”

  The phone rang. Julie crossed to the old-fashioned unit hanging on the wall. The crazy thing even had a cord, but the sight of it made everyone smile, so she hadn’t had the heart to replace it.

  “Quilt Haus Inn. How may I help you?”

  “My name is David. I work for Tri-County Suppliers. I have an invoice that says I’m supposed to pick up a return shipment heading to Carmichael Foods. I’m calling to make sure it’s ready to go.”

  “Hold on one minute, please.” Julie placed her hand over the receiver and addressed Hannah. “Do you have a return shipment for Carmichael Foods?”

  She shook her head. “What’s it for?”

  Julie uncapped the phone. “I’m sorry, we don’t have a record of this. Can you give me more details?”

  “Yes ma’am. It says here that there’s been a factory recall on their vegetable oil. Seems it’s been contaminated with peanut oil and needs to be returned.”

  Julie sighed with relief as she made her way to her office.

  After putting Hannah on the phone with the trucking company and two calls to Carmichael Foods, the tainted oil was finally ready to be picked up. But the biggest relief came from knowing that Joyce’s attack had been strictly accidental—not the work of a cold-blooded killer.

  Now if they could only solve the mystery of who killed Alice and why, life would be perfect again. Or close to it.

  She resisted the urge to check her watch and see how much longer everyone had to remain at the inn—a watched pot and all that. Instead, she went to her office and retrieved the journal from the safe.

  She’d promised Aston Cooper, the book expert and museum curator, a look at the book. Now that it was back in her hands, she could make good on her promise. She took the non-flash pictures he’d requested and sent them to him via email from her cellphone. She was anxious to know what Aston thought. Something told her the book would be worth more than she was originally led to believe. It took everything she had not to drum her fingers against her desk in her impatience.

  Her phone dinged, and she snatched it off the desk. The message was from Aston: “I’ll get back to you as soon as I know something.”

  “Julie?” She turned as Shirley poked her head into the office. “Daniel Franklin’s here.”

  “Tell him to come on back.”

  “I already did,” Shirley said. “But he said he’d wait for you out front.”

  “Thanks, Shirley. I’ll be right out.”

  “I’ll let him know.” The redhead disappeared.

  Julie locked the journal inside the safe, turning the dial to make sure the tumblers set correctly. She wasn’t about to take any chances. Running her hands through her long hair to try and tame any wayward curls, she headed to the front of the inn.

  “Daniel,” Julie greeted him as she stepped into the front hall. “What brings you by today?”

  He smiled. “You.”

  She wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but ignoring the slight flutter of her pulse seemed like a good start. “Me?”

  “I think you need a break from all this craziness.”

  She was shaking her head before he even finished. “I can’t leave today.”

  “Come with me and get a cup of coffee. We’re talking an hour max.”

  “I don’t know, Daniel.”

  “Give me one good reason.”

  “The guests are all still here, for one thing.”

  “So? They’re big people; they can do without you for one little hour.”

  “But—”

  He shook his head, smiling that charming smile that showed off his irresistible dimples. “The place is not going to fall apart if you leave for a while.”

  “How sure are you about that?”

  “One hundred percent positive.” There was that smile again. “You need a break from all of the stress in this place. I’m here to make sure you get it.”

  “You’re not going to give up, are you?” she asked.

  “Not a chance.”

  Julie could almost feel her hair curling as she and Daniel stepped into the humidity. She cast a glance back at the old mansion as they walked down the sidewalk. It was such a beautiful house with its big windows, deep red color, and turrets reaching toward the sky.

  “Café Bona?” Daniel asked. It was the best place in Straussberg to get a cup of coffee, though their pastries weren’t nearly as tasty as Hannah’s.

  “Lead the way.”

  A few minutes later, he pointed to one of the cheerful umbrella-covered tables lining the walk. “You sit. I’ll go get us something.”

  Julie complied.

  It felt good to be out in the open air and not shut up with a group of strangers, including a possible killer. She propped her elbow on the tabletop, rested her chin in her hand, and raised her face toward the sky. Closing her eyes, she let the golden rays of the sun wash over her.

  “You look more relaxed already.” Daniel’s deep voice pulled her back to reality.

  Julie smiled and opened her eyes as he took a seat opposite her, handing her a steaming mug of coffee and a piece of lemon cake.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “I know their desserts aren’t on par with Hannah’s, but you needed to get out.”

  “You’re right,” she said. “On both accounts.”

  He laughed and took a sip of his coffee. “Wish I had that on tape.”

  They shared a smile. Then she looked away.

  “Anything interesting happen today?” he asked.

  “I found the journal.”

  “What?” Daniel sat up straight. “Where was it?”

  Julie proceeded to fill him in on recent events.

  “Unbelievable,” Daniel said. “Kenneth must lead a terribly boring life. Who knew podiatrists were so strange?”

  “They do play with feet all day. Thankfully, everything was pretty quiet when I left. The guests were in the tearoom, playing cards and quilting. Here’s hoping it stays that way.” Julie raised her coffee cup and they drank to that.

  “Have you heard anything from the police? Do they have any idea who might have wanted Alice dead?”

  “No.” Julie sighed. “They’ve talked to each guest at various points throughout the weekend—discreetly, in person, and by phone. But to my knowledge, they have no solid leads.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Daniel paused. “And what about you?”

  “What about me?”

  He cocked a brow. “Don’t play coy. I know you’ve been doing some investigating of your own.”

  She pursed her lips but didn’t deny it.

  “Do you have any leads?” he pressed.

  “Nothing concrete. Only what Carrie told me she saw the night the lights went out. If only she’d gotten a good look at the person holding the book. I’m certain that’s our murderer—one of them, at least. There could be two people working together for all I know.”

  “I don’t like this,” Daniel said, the worry evident in his eyes.

  “That makes two of us,” Julie said. “Nine o’clock tonight can’t come soon enough.”

  He lifted his cup in salute. “To nine.”

  She raised her mug to clink with his, but before she could complete the action, a movement across the street caught her attention. Sadie.

  “So that’s where she disappeared to,” she muttered to herself, watching her walk down the sidewalk.

  “Who?” Daniel started to turn, but Julie ducked down, pulling Daniel sideways and underneath the table with her.

  “Shhh,” she said.

  “You mind telling me what’s going on?” he asked, his nose inches from hers.

  “Sadie Davidson is over there, across the street.” Julie watched as Sadie glanced nervously from one side to the other and then looked behind her as if she were being followed. She carried her big white
handbag looped over one arm as she hustled down the sidewalk, neatly darting through the milling tourists. The woman suddenly appeared very spry for her age.

  “I thought you said everyone was in the tearoom,” Daniel said.

  “I did,” she hissed in return. “I meant everyone except for Sadie. And Gregory.”

  “And why are we under the table?” Daniel contorted his head around to peer at the older woman. “And it better be a good reason because this is killing my back.”

  “Because I don’t want her to see me here.”

  “Why not?” He pulled against her hold. “You do live here after all.”

  “Because we’re going to follow her.”

  “That’s an interesting notion.” He pulled harder and broke free of her grasp so he could sit up straight in his seat. They’d garnered more than a few curious looks from the folks around them. “Why are we going to follow her?”

  “Because she’s acting weird.” Julie sat up in her seat.

  “So are you.”

  “I wasn’t the one who left my self-proclaimed ‘bestie’ all alone at the hospital in a strange town after she nearly died.” Julie grabbed the menu off the table and held it front of her face with one hand as she gathered her purse. “Are you with me or not, Franklin?”

  Daniel sighed, but his eyes sparkled with the light of rekindled adventure. “How could I possibly resist?”

  They walked together down the street, doing their best to stay out of Sadie’s peripheral vision while not losing sight of her. It helped that the older woman was on the opposite side of the street, but Julie wasn’t taking any chances.

  “Something weird is going on with her,” Julie said. “Why else would she leave Joyce at the hospital?”

  “Maybe to enjoy the rest of her vacation.”

  “Really?” She cast an annoyed glance at Daniel.

  “Just a guess,” he replied.

  “The two women seemed closer than that.” Julie glanced across the street again, but Sadie was nowhere to be seen. “We’ve lost her!”

  They stopped and scanned the entire street. As usual, there were a lot of people milling about the town, tourists and locals alike.

  “There she is.” Daniel pointed just ahead of them.

  As Sadie crossed the street and came toward them, Julie grabbed Daniel’s shirt and dragged him into the alcove of a nearby store entrance.

  Sadie’s sweet-sounding voice drifted their way as she hurried past their hiding spot, her phone to her ear. “…missing … must have a master plan … now I’m getting worried. …”

  “Did you hear that?” Julie said. “I can’t believe she’s involved in any of this!”

  “Bits and pieces—don’t jump to conclusions.” Daniel fixed a stern look on her. “She could’ve been talking about anything. That short conversation doesn’t prove her guilt.”

  “Yeah—and I’m the tooth fairy. Do you think she spotted us?”

  “No.”

  Julie peered around Daniel just in time to see Sadie dart into the hardware store. “Not guilty, huh? What would Sadie possibly need from the hardware store during her vacation?”

  Daniel shrugged. “Maybe she’s getting a new lock for her suitcase.”

  “Or buying more tools to put in her handbag so she can pretend to be afraid.”

  “What?”

  Julie explained how everyone had started carrying around some form of makeshift weapon.

  “Did you tell the detective about that?” Daniel asked.

  “Detective Frost! Oh, gosh,” Julie said, fishing her phone out of her purse. “I completely forgot to tell him that we found the journal.”

  “How could you forget to tell him something like that?”

  Julie put a hand on her hip. “In my defense, there has been a lot going on lately.”

  “OK, I’ll let you have that one.”

  “It’s him!” Julie exclaimed, pointing across the street.

  “Him who?”

  “That man. I remember who he is now.”

  “Care to enlighten me?” Daniel asked, his gaze following her outstretched finger.

  “Eric Rutherford.” Julie watched the man on the sidewalk through narrowed eyes. “He came into the inn the other day at the peak of the chaos. He looked familiar to me then, but I couldn’t place him. And I really didn’t have time to dwell on it. But I know it’s Rutherford, I saw his picture online.”

  “Back up. Who’s Eric Rutherford?” Daniel asked.

  Julie looked from Rutherford to the hardware store Sadie had disappeared into and then back to Daniel. “He was Alice Peyton’s boss and the book expert I called first.”

  Daniel frowned. “The one who told you the book was practically worthless.”

  “The very same,” Julie said, unsure of whom to follow—Sadie or Rutherford. Before she could decide, her phone rang. “It’s the inn,” she said, peering at the screen. “Something must have happened. Hello?”

  “Julie!” Shirley exclaimed through the phone. “You need to come see this. Right now.”

  “What happened?”

  “Just hurry!” Shirley disconnected before Julie could press her for details.

  Julie looked at Daniel. “There’s some kind of emergency at the inn. I have to go back.”

  “Another one?” Daniel said.

  Julie sighed as she watched Rutherford slip away. “My sentiments exactly.”

  Shirley met them outside as they rounded the street corner near the inn.

  “Oh, Julie,” Shirley lamented. “This is terrible, just terrible!”

  “Calm down and tell me what’s happened.”

  The redhead pressed her lips together and shook her head. “You have to come see it for yourself.”

  She pulled on Julie’s hand, leading the way up the steps and into the mansion.

  “Look.” Shirley took Julie by the shoulders and turned her toward the far wall of the front sitting area. It was normally a cozy little nook with comfy chairs, good lighting, and a warm ambiance. But not today. Not with the menacing words that were spray-painted across the wall and furniture.

  Stunned, Julie read the words aloud. “Alice is dead. I’m coming for it.”

  The person responsible for the unsightly graffiti obviously hadn’t cared about anything other than getting that message across. The thick black letters covered everything in their path. The exclamation point ended on the overstuffed armchair. The paintings on the walls, the window frame … nothing had been spared.

  “Whoa,” Daniel said, whistling under his breath.

  “How could this happen?” Julie asked.

  Shirley wrung her hands and looked like she was about to burst into tears. “I really used to love this place, but now … it’s like a never-ending bad dream.”

  Julie wrapped an arm around Shirley and pulled her in close. “It’s OK, Shirley. This is still a good place. Somehow we’ve managed to attract the wrong kind of guest this week, that’s all.”

  Shirley attempted a shaky smile, but she still appeared dubious.

  “Where is everyone?” Julie asked.

  “Liam went to work on his book. Carrie said since it wasn’t raining any longer, she was going out into the garden. I have no idea about Gregory or Sadie. Susan and Kenneth went to lie down.”

  Julie furrowed her brows. “Kenneth shouldn’t be sleeping with that head injury.”

  Shirley nodded and pulled a crumpled tissue from her pocket to dab at the corners of her eyes. “I promised I would wake him in an hour.”

  “When did you find this?” Julie pointed at the offensive message.

  “Just a little bit ago.”

  Daniel went to the wall and touched the paint, pulling back his fingers to examine them. “It’s dry,” he said, showing them his clean hand.

  “Have you called the police?” Julie asked.

  “Not yet,” Shirley said. “I thought you should see it first.”

  After phoning the police, Daniel ducked into Juli
e’s office to look at the Civil War journal and pass the time while Julie worked at the front desk, waiting for the police. It didn’t take long. Julie suspected Detective Frost was on permanent standby, waiting for something else to go wrong at the inn. A sure testimony to this fact was that he arrived before the uniforms did.

  “Detective Frost.” Julie greeted him from her perch behind the desk as he let himself in the front door.

  “Miss Ellis. I’m beginning to think I should rent a room here to save on gas.” He turned to inspect the words splattered across the wall and furnishings. “When you make someone angry, you sure do it up right.”

  “All or nothing.” She shrugged.

  “Any possible witnesses to this one?” The detective took a penlight out of his trouser pocket and shone it toward the crudely painted letters.

  “Not that I’m aware of. I was gone when it happened. Shirley found it.”

  “Shirley, huh?”

  “Yes.” Julie didn’t like his tone. “Did you find out any more about Alice from her family?”

  He gave her a “Nice try” smile and put the tiny light back into his pocket. “No more than I’m sure you found out on the Internet.”

  Julie pursed her lips. Clearly he had no intention of discussing the case with her. “It would be helpful if someone could at least determine why she lied about her marital status and who bought her trip to Straussberg.”

  “Where are all the guests today?” he asked.

  “Carrie’s in the garden. Liam, Susan, and Kenneth are upstairs in their rooms.”

  “What about that other fellow? Gregory, was it?”

  “He’s made himself scarce this morning,” Julie said.

  “Does that seem odd to you?”

  Julie chuckled. “Most everything about the man seems odd to me. But at least it’s been more peaceful around here with him gone.”

  “Hmmm.” The detective said it in a way that could mean almost anything.

  Shirley sashayed down the hall toward them. “Sadie just called. They’re waiting on the doctor to release Joyce, and then they’re coming back here.”

  That still doesn’t explain Sadie’s trip to the hardware store.

  Shirley glanced at her watch. “It’s been an hour. I’d better go wake Kenneth or we might have more trouble.” She hustled past them in a flurry of flowing bright fabrics.