My eyes widened. “You’d have to really trust the person who owned the account.”
“Yes, you would.”
Jenny came hurtling down the stairs and around the corner into the kitchen. “When’s dinner? I’m starving, and it smells so good.” She switched on the oven light and peered in. “Chicken parm, my fav.”
I tore my gaze from Rob. “Two minutes. Would you put the salad in a bowl?”
“Will do.”
We were just about to sit when the phone rang. “Merry, it’s Jay. Would you mind if I came by tonight? About an hour from now?”
“That’s fine. See you then.”
I hung up and sat at the table. “That was Jay. He wants to talk to me.”
Jenny frowned. “Do you think he knows about the will?”
“I think he just found out.”
We finished dinner. Jenny went upstairs to complete a report, and Rob and I cleaned up. There were some brownies left over, so I cut them into small pieces and put them on a plate. Turning the coffee on, I lined up three mugs.
Jay stuck his head in. “Anyone home?”
Rob said, “Come on in. The coffee’s almost ready.”
“Thank goodness. It’s just about time for my caffeine fix.” Jay took off his coat, hat, and gloves.
I gestured to the kitchen table. “We might as well sit there.” I handed mugs around and put the brownies on the table. “What’s up?”
“I just learned about the contents of Amanda’s will.”
I nodded.
“A million dollars is a heck of a motive.”
“Not if you knew that killing that person meant you wouldn’t get the money. It’s not my place to defend Drew anymore, but Drew’s smart. He wouldn’t kill Amanda. How does that help him?”
Jay played with his napkin. “What if it was a crime of passion? They were arguing, he had a gun, and he shot her. He forgot about the money.”
I rolled my eyes. “Drew never forgets about money. Never.”
Rob looked up. “When was he supposed to have gotten the gun anyway?”
“What do you mean?” Jay asked.
“You questioned him at the hospital. He was there with Amanda. Didn’t they go to Amanda’s house from there?”
“Yes, that’s what he said, and we have some witness statements that agree with that timeline.”
Rob frowned. “Then how did he get the gun? There was the melee at the VFW, and I would have noticed a gun there. Then the ambulance took him to the hospital. I’m sure somebody there would have noticed a gun. Do you think he was keeping it at Amanda’s?”
“We found a .22 and the shotgun when we searched Drew’s house.”
“So what you’re saying is that Drew kept the gun at Amanda’s, retrieved it, shot her in a fit of pique, and then took the gun back home with him and stored it with the other one he took from Merry?” Rob picked up a brownie, finished it in one bite, and sat back to chew on it, looking smug.
“When you lay it out like that, it does sound far-fetched. But stranger things have happened.” Jay looked superior. “And there is the fact that she was shot with a .38 caliber pistol.”
I sat up. “What? That means Drew didn’t do it. He doesn’t have a .38.”
Jay gave me a hard stare. “That you know of.”
I picked up a brownie and examined it. “If he had a .38 caliber pistol, why would he have taken the guns from me?” I popped half the brownie in my mouth.
“Because he could.” Jay picked up a brownie and ate it as he stood. He started to put on his coat but bent over for a last sip of his coffee. “And don’t forget, if he gets off on the murder charge, he will get the million dollars.”
“That’s a big if. Are you too focused on the easy suspect?”
“What do you mean?”
I stood to make my point. “Philip might have done it. He started dating Amanda last Valentine’s Day. I remember watching them at the dance, thinking they made such a cute couple. Fast-forward to earlier this week. I saw his face when Drew kissed her up on that stage. He looked shocked at first and then angry. He probably felt humiliated, and it was worse because it happened in front of the whole town.”
Jay glared at me. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Merry. Let me lay it out for you. Which murderer do you think is more plausible? The town dentist, who in his spare time offers free dental work in Appalachia and who has never even gotten so much as a parking ticket, or a convicted felon who stands to inherit a million dollars. Thanks for the coffee and brownie.” Jay tugged on his hat and slammed the door as he left.
I looked at Rob. “It could have happened. He’s really focused on Drew.”
Rob laughed. “Yes, he seemed pretty clear on that.” Rob snagged another brownie. “You cut them so small.”
I handed him a napkin. “More coffee?” He nodded, and I topped off his mug. “Since it’s clear that the police aren’t going to look at alternative suspects, I think we’re going to have to.”
Rob clinked his mug with mine. “I’ll go along for the ride. As long as we’re careful. Remember what happened last time.”
✽ ✽ ✽
After tossing and turning for most of the night, I gave up at six and figured I might as well bake. I checked one of my favorite recipes from the Internet, and the blueberry muffins were mixed and in the oven in short order. Satisfied at achieving something, I sat to focus on my coffee. He was seeing Amanda for at least a year before he was arrested. He trusted her enough that he moved a million dollars into her account. Why didn’t I notice anything?
My phone buzzed with a text from Rob: “Are you up?”
“Yep. Making blueberry muffins.”
“Coffee ready?”
“Yes.”
“See you in ten.”
I shuffled over to the cupboard and grabbed another mug. The oven bell chimed, signaling that the muffins were ready. I took them out and put them on a rack to cool. I had just taken a sip of my coffee when the back door opened and Rob scooted in. “Brr. It’s cold out there.” He filled his coffee mug.
“No kiss, no coffee.”
“I can oblige.” He leaned over and placed a sweet, soft kiss on my lips.
“Now, that’s the way to start a morning.”
He smiled. “Now can I have coffee?”
“Of course. You can even have a muffin once they cool enough.”
He touched one of the wrappers. “Maybe another minute or so.” He took his coat off and sat next to me. “I’ve been thinking.”
“And?”
“If Drew didn’t kill Amanda and if for the minute we exclude Philip, who did? Who else would have motive?”
“Didn’t you tell me that she wasn’t very popular?”
“I did. But people aren’t usually killed just because other people don’t like them.”
The clock ticked. “There’s something I keep on turning over in my head. It was just plain weird.”
“What?”
“When Susan Clime threw her drink at the fashion show. She threw it at Amanda, not Drew. And she called her a tramp. Why would she be mad at Amanda?”
Rob hesitated. “Sometimes people blame the woman. You told me that there was a lot of animosity toward you after Drew’s misdeeds were discovered.”
“I’m not sure it’s the same thing. I was married to him, and people thought I knew what he was up to.”
“Who knows what goes through people’s minds? Maybe she thought Amanda was betraying the town by dating him.”
“It’s still strange and something I think I want to understand better.” I took a sip of my coffee. “On a separate note, how can we find out if Drew really did give Amanda the money to keep for him?”
“I’m not sure we will ever know. One thing that might help is to know when the account was opened. Jay might be able to get that information.”
“True, but will he tell us? He seemed pretty mad at me last night.”
Jenny stuck her disheveled head aroun
d the corner. “I heard voices. Why is Mr. Jenson here this early?” She grinned. “At least he’s wearing different clothes.”
“Jenny, that’s an inappropriate comment,” I scolded.
Rob cleared his throat. “Your mom texted me she was making blueberry muffins.”
“In that case, I’m sorry for my joke.” She sprinted in, grabbed a muffin, and dashed back up the stairs.
I shook my head. “That girl.”
“At least you know where she stands. And she does have a sense of humor.”
I smiled. “She does, no matter how inappropriate. I’m sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable.”
He laughed. “Takes a lot more than that.” Hugging me with one arm, he reached behind me and nabbed a muffin. “Cool enough now.” He peeled off the wrapper, finishing it in three bites. “Tastes good.” He took another sip of coffee. “I need to leave. I’ll check on the money angle and see what I can find out.”
“I’m thinking it may be time for a teeth cleaning. I’ll see if I can get an appointment.”
We smiled at each other, and he wrapped me in a hug. “Be careful. I wouldn’t want my best girl to get hurt.”
“I promise.” He gave me a long, slow kiss and grabbed another muffin before leaving.
A few minutes later, Jenny came running by. “Love you, Mom. I’m late.”
I barely had time to say, “Love you too,” when the door closed behind her. Cleaning up quickly, I left the house and hopped in my car.
I parked a bit farther away than usual so I could get a few steps in. After I had cleared away some of the urgent items, I called Dr. Philip’s office to schedule my cleaning. They had a cancellation, so I was able to get in the following morning. I strolled over to the Morning Pastry to pick up some lunch and realized that they had changed the name. It was now called Delightful Bites. Nice name. Doesn’t limit them to breakfast.
I ordered an egg salad sandwich on rye and a large coffee to go. As I waited, Gary Johnson came around the counter. “Merry, I understand you sell property and casualty insurance.”
“Yes, although we do carry other product lines.”
“Would it be possible to set up some time to chat about our coverage here?”
“I’d love to do that. When would be most convenient for you?”
“Between two and three or after five when we shut down.”
I checked my phone. “I could do next Monday at two.”
“That would work. I’ll see you then.”
My name was called for my sandwich, so I waved goodbye to him. Nice man. Hopefully I can help him with whatever he needs.
Returning to the office, I told Cheryl, “New name for the Morning Pastry.”
“Yes. Delightful Bites. I saw that yesterday. I think they are living up to their name.”
I nodded and went into my office. Unwrapping my sandwich, I sighed with happiness. They had olives in the egg salad. The brininess tasted so good. I had a meeting with a client later that afternoon that I needed to prepare for, so I focused on not dropping any egg on the paperwork. Just as I finished eating, my phone dinged. Patty’s text said, “GNO tonight?”
“GNO?”
“Girls’ night out. Sheesh.”
“Okay. Pickled Herring at six?”
“B there or B square.” She signed off with a smiley face.
I texted Rob and told him I’d see him the following evening. Next, I texted Jenny that she would be on her own. She reminded me that she had basketball practice and that Patrick would be taking them to dinner before. Satisfied that plans had firmed up, I continued to prep for the afternoon meeting.
Patty waited for me in the same seats we had the night Rob and Amanda were getting cozy. Shuddering involuntarily, I gave her a hug.
Ann, the bartender, looked over. “Your usual, Merry?”
I nodded, hung my coat on the back of the barstool, and climbed up onto it. “I wish they made barstools shorter.”
Patty snorted. “Then you wouldn’t be able to reach the bar. Especially not with your T. rex arms.”
I gave her a dirty look. “Whatever. How’d you get sprung tonight?”
She smiled. “Basketball practice. Luckily the boys get a kick out of watching their sister play. Patrick does too, so it works out well for me. The coach always lets them shoot a few during the break, so it gets them running around.” She eyed me. “What’s new with you?”
Ann handed me my wine, so I took a fortifying gulp. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“I always believe you. And you tell some pretty far-fetched tales.” Her gaze abruptly shifted to something over my left shoulder. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. Was there something that you wanted?”
Startled, I swiveled in my seat to find Caroline’s face inches from mine. She glared at me. I recoiled. “Patty, this is Caroline Thomas, Amanda’s sister.”
Caroline leaned even closer. “You bitch.” Smelling the alcohol on her breath, I slipped off the stool and backed away. The bar went silent. She stepped in closer. “I talked to another lawyer. He said he can’t break Amanda’s will. That means either your ex-husband or daughter is going to get Amanda’s million dollars. He killed her, and now he’s going to benefit. And what do I get? A paltry $50,000 plus some odds and ends.”
The whispers from people around the bar began. “A million dollars. Where did she get a million dollars?”
Ann came around the bar and grabbed Caroline’s arm. “I’m sorry, miss, but you’re going to have to leave. We don’t tolerate disturbances in the bar.”
Caroline started crying, making her mascara run. “She was my sister. I miss her so much, and now you’re getting her money.” Ann pulled her away, helping her on with her coat. Then she guided her to the door. Just before she stalked out, Caroline turned. “I’ll get you and your daughter!” Ann pushed her out the door and shut it firmly.
Ann returned to the bar. “Show’s over folks. Back to your own business.”
In shock, I climbed back onto the bar stool and took a big glug of wine. Patty asked, “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?”
I bit back a laugh as I realized all eyes in the bar were on me.
John Little yelled over, “Is it true, Merry? Are you inheriting a million dollars?”
Patty rolled her eyes. “Just ignore him.”
I ground my teeth as I stared down into my glass.
Someone else asked, “Is it true?”
I slid off the stool and faced the people at the bar. “I’m not inheriting a million dollars. Amanda did leave money to Drew. It has nothing to do with me. We’re divorced. You know that.”
I sat and glared at my glass. Patty asked, “Do you want to leave?”
I nodded and threw some money on the bar. We bundled up and left. I guess everyone knows now.
Patty and I went back to my house, where I opened a bottle of wine. I sank onto my sofa. “Will you still love me if my daughter ends up inheriting?”
She giggled. “I’ll love you even more.”
Chapter 12
I groaned as I woke up the next morning. Everyone knows about the money. Thank God it’s Friday. Tomorrow I can just burrow in bed all day. Courvoisier batted at my face. I picked her up to snuggle with her. Offended, she squirmed free and stalked off.
Drambuie leapt up on the bed to see what was keeping me. She head butted me and swatted at my hand. I swung my legs over the side of the bed. “I’m up; I’m up.” She must have thought I was serious, as she padded out the bedroom door, her tail swishing behind her.
Remembering my dental appointment, I flossed carefully and spent extra time with my toothbrush. I guess that means no breakfast or coffee. Great day this is shaping up to be.
I knocked at Jenny’s door as I went downstairs and heard a barely discernable, “I’m up.”
Taking her at her word, I fed the cats and grabbed my phone. Rob had texted me: “I heard the million-dollar story is out. Didn’t take long.�
��
“Nope, sure didn’t.”
I put a muffin on a plate for Jenny and left. As I ambled to the dentist’s office, I pondered how I could get Philip to talk to me about his relationship with Amanda. And, more importantly, where he was when she was killed.
The receptionist told me to have a seat. I sat by the enormous fish tank in the center of the waiting area. They must have fifty fish in the tank. I guess watching them swim around is supposed to calm your nerves. Give me a good Pinot any day.
The hygienist appeared at the door and called my name. “I think you were overdue for a cleaning, Merry. I’m glad you came in.” She scraped my teeth. “Is it true? Did Amanda leave a million dollars to Drew?”
I nodded. She frowned. “That must make you mad—Drew getting all that money after you got divorced.” She looked away. “What I wouldn’t do for a million dollars.”
She polished my teeth then stood. “I’m going to take some X-rays.” She put the lead apron over me and completed her task. “Let me get Dr. Philip.” I waved weakly at her departing back.
Philip came into the room. “Merry, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you.” He put on a mask and grabbed a probe. “Open wide.” He gently tapped various teeth then dug into one area. “Any pain here?” I jumped, and he glanced at the hygienist. “Tooth number fourteen.”
The hygienist asked, “Did you hear about Drew inheriting a million dollars from Amanda?”
Philip gasped and hit my sore tooth with the probe again. I jumped about five feet in the air.
He frowned. “Oh, sorry, Merry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.” He gripped the probe tightly as he continued poking my teeth. “Is it true?” I mumbled an answer. He removed the implement from my mouth. “What was that?”
I rubbed my jaw. “Yes, it’s true.”
He brandished the probe. “How can it be true? Why would she leave money to him? He killed her.” He stopped mid-rant, his eyes narrowing. “And where did she get the money anyway? I tried to get her to go away with me to the Caribbean for Thanksgiving, and she said she didn’t have enough money. I told her I would pay. She wouldn’t let me.” Shoulders slumping, he shook his head. “Just one more thing that she kept from me.” He again swung the probe toward my mouth.
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