by Cindy Bell
“Thanks so much. I know I’m a bit early, but I wanted to get here before Mrs. Cale could.”
“You only have a few minutes then.” She smiled. “Those three are usually here when I unlock the door.”
“That’s what I thought.” He winced. “I’ll have to make this fast.”
“What can I help you with?” Ally studied him, searching for what her grandmother might have seen as an issue. Although he did seem to be fond of jewelry, and his mannerisms were a bit dramatic, she didn’t detect anything that was distinctly off about him.
“I’d like a box of her favorite chocolates. Do you happen to know what they are?” He offered her a warm smile. “I’d like to surprise her with it, and I haven’t been able to pick out exactly what she prefers.”
“Oh, I know, trust me.” She smiled in return. “I think it’s a lovely gift for her. We have some special boxes I can put the chocolates in.”
“Perfect, thanks so much. I’d really like to impress her.” He tilted his head back and forth as his smile grew. “She keeps playing hard to get, and I want to make my intentions clear.”
“Aw, that’s sweet.” She selected a flower covered box from under the front counter and began to fill it with Mrs. Cale’s favorite chocolates. Really, she liked them all, but she also had a few that she preferred, and one, milk chocolate caramels, that Ally always made sure was in the sample tray every morning. She couldn’t imagine Mrs. Cale playing hard to get, but the thought made her smile. “There we go.” She placed the box on the counter. “Does that look good to you?”
“Perfect.” He nodded as he gazed at the chocolates. “She’s going to love them.”
“I’m sure she will. Good luck, she’s a very lovely lady. I’ve known her my whole life.”
“Ah, you’re making me feel old.” He chuckled. “Oh wait, you don’t have to do anything to make me feel that way, I am. But being around her, let’s say she makes me feel young again. I always say, age is just a state of mind.”
“I can believe that.” She smiled. “You seem to be settling in well here. Are you planning to stay?”
“Perhaps.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been one to settle down, but with such a nice town, and such an amazing woman to tempt me, it might be too hard to resist.”
“Good luck.” She watched as he left the shop. He did seem very sweet. Maybe a little too sweet. Maybe that was what her grandmother sensed in him, that he was more of a salesman than someone with genuine intentions. As she returned to the task of opening up the shop, her mind traveled along a visual checklist. When the bell above the door rang, she glanced over her shoulder and found her grandmother.
“Mee-Maw, what are you doing here? You’re not supposed to come in until the afternoon.”
“I got bored.” Charlotte shook her head. “I was going to go to yoga, but then I realized there is no excuse for rolling around on the floor.”
“Oh, Mee-Maw.” Ally laughed then walked around the counter to give her a hug. “Okay, yoga’s not your thing, but there are plenty of other things you could be doing.”
“None better than spending time hearing about your evening with Luke. How was last night?” Charlotte asked eagerly. “How was dinner?”
“Do you mean, was it edible?” She smiled.
“I guess.” Charlotte grinned.
“It was, I actually think the food was quite nice, but the company was even better. Unfortunately, he had to leave early because he had an early start. So, our evening was cut short a bit.”
“That’s a shame.” She frowned. “I haven’t missed the ladies, have I?”
“No, they haven’t been in yet. But Mr. Michaelson has.” She smiled. “Now, that’s where you’re going to find romance. He bought a mixture of some of Mrs. Cale’s favorite chocolates.”
“Romance huh?” She smiled as she looked at her granddaughter. “Sure, if that’s what you want to call it.”
“Aw, Mee-Maw, he can’t be that bad, can he?”
“Not sure. And it’s not my place to find out. Mrs. Cale is happy, and that’s all that matters. But I can tell you this, if he does anything to break her heart—”
The bell above the door cut off her words just in time, as Mrs. Bing, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Cale hurried through the door.
Flustered, Charlotte glanced at Ally, then greeted the women as they gathered near the counter.
“Good morning, ladies, how are you all?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Mrs. Bing leaned close, her eyes wide, and her lips quivering with the information she was about to share.
“Hear what?” Ally’s interest sparked. It seemed like Mrs. Bing had more than just common gossip on the tip of her tongue.
“One of those salesmen was found dead. Dead as a doornail, right in the middle of the road!” She shuddered as she spoke. The two women beside her nodded and gasped at the same time. Ally grabbed the counter to steady herself. Could it be true that one of the salesmen was dead? It seemed impossible.
Chapter 4
“Oh no!” Charlotte gasped and put her hand on her granddaughter’s shoulder. “Was he hit by a car or something?”
“No.” Mrs. Bing’s eyes widened even more. “No one knows exactly how, but he was not hit by a car.” She frowned. “I think we’ll have to wait to find out.”
“Maybe he was out for a walk and had a heart attack or something?” Charlotte pursed her lips as she considered it. “They both looked fairly healthy, but some conditions are well hidden. Do you know which one it was?”
“Marcus, Marcus Carse.” Mrs. Bing nodded then leaned against the counter. “All of the drama this morning has really worn me out. I could use a pick-me-up.” She eyed Charlotte with a pleading look.
“Don’t worry, there’s plenty.” Charlotte smiled at her, then glanced over at Ally. As much as she didn’t want to show it to Mrs. Bing, she did find the death to be concerning. How did he end up in the middle of the road?
“Such a tragedy.” Mrs. Cale shivered as she picked up a chocolate. “And it happened here?” She shook her head. “Awful.”
“Now, now. These things do happen. We aren’t in a bubble you know. Haven’t you watched the news lately? Crimes happen everywhere.” Mrs. White huffed as she picked up a chocolate as well.
“Maybe that’s true, but this is Blue River.” Mrs. Bing pursed her lips as she sucked on her candy.
“Yes, I do feel much safer here than I would anywhere else.” Mrs. Cale frowned. “At least, I used to.”
“I’m sorry this has all of you so shaken up.” Ally looked between each of them. “Try to keep in mind that we don’t have all of the facts, yet. I’m sure with a little time we’ll find out what really happened, and then at least we’ll have an explanation.”
“And what good will that do?” Mrs. Bing gathered up a few more chocolates. “So, we’ll have an explanation. It won’t change the fact that it happened, will it?” She met Ally’s eyes.
“Well no, it won’t.” Ally sighed, then wiped her hands on a towel. “But it might make a little bit more sense, especially if it’s found that he was murdered. Once the murderer is caught, we won’t have to worry about it happening again.”
“Maybe you won’t.” Mrs. Bing’s expression hardened. “But honestly, Ally, it makes no difference to me why he was murdered, all that matters to me is that he was killed at all.”
“Calm down, I think what Ally is trying to say is that if we can figure out why, the killer might be captured, and once he is behind bars, we’ll all feel safer. Right Ally?” Mrs. White placed her hand on Mrs. Bing’s shoulder, then turned her attention back to Ally.
“Right.” Ally managed a smile as she studied Mrs. Bing. She tended to be the most dramatic out of the group of friends, but this went further than drama, she could see real fear in her eyes. “Did you speak to Marcus, Mrs. Bing?”
“Not exactly. I saw him a few times.” She frowned. “He was such a young man. What if he has family? I’m sure he does, most people d
o. It’s just terrible.”
“You’re right, it is.” Ally gave her hand a light squeeze. “I’m sorry it happened, too. It may not have even been a murder. But either way, it is a tragedy.”
Mrs. Bing appeared a little calmer as the three friends left the shop. Charlotte stood close to Ally.
“That was a little strange don’t you think? The way Mrs. Bing was acting?”
“Maybe.” Ally frowned. “I think I was a little too dismissive about the crime. I can understand why she was upset.”
“I didn’t think you were. But Mrs. Bing can be a bit sensitive. She’s seen quite a bit of tragedy throughout her years. As has Mrs. White.” She frowned.
“Oh really?” Ally looked up with surprise. “I didn’t know that.”
“Sure. Everyone has a story here in Blue River, and not all of them are fairytales. Even Mrs. Cale has had her own issues, though she’s kept them mostly to herself. The years go by, and the memories do fade, but the scars, they are always there.” She sighed as she reflected on her own.
“I hadn’t even thought about it, Mee-Maw. I should take some time to get to know them better. I’m sure they have some amazing experiences to share.” She began a fresh pot of coffee, the aroma of which perked her up some.
“Yes, I’m sure they would enjoy that.”
Charlotte and Ally focused on replenishing the samples during the lull between customers. After a few minutes, Ally looked over at Charlotte.
“Do you think it might have been an accident?”
“I would assume so, it must have been.” Charlotte tensed as she added some dishes to the sink. “There are so many ways that someone can die. That sounds awfully morbid, doesn’t it?” She frowned.
“Maybe, but it is true. And it’s best not to just jump to the conclusion that there might have been foul play involved. It just seems so strange to me that he could be here for such a short period of time and somehow happened to die.” She sighed as she turned on the water in the sink. “Do you think I’m just being paranoid?”
“I don’t think you’re being paranoid. It seems odd to me, too. I know things can just happen out of the blue. But this feels strange to me.” She gathered a few more dishes. “I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough, when Luke comes to visit.”
“Hopefully he’ll drop by soon.” Ally laughed, then shook her head. “It is always nice to see him. He’s been pretty busy lately, and I’m sure that this is going to make him even busier.”
“I would imagine so. Don’t you have some errands to run?” Charlotte tipped her head towards the clock.
“Oh yes, that’s right, I completely forgot. Thanks, Mee-Maw.” She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. She wanted to get to the bank before the afternoon rush. Luckily, she made it just in time as a long line formed behind her. While she waited for the teller to handle her transaction, she heard two people talking behind her.
“Yes well, I think those two were con artists to begin with. They came into my shop and tried to sell me a vacuum. I told them to get out before I threw them out.” The stern male voice was one she recognized. It belonged to Mr. Bancroft who ran the bookstore a few doors down from the shop. “I watched them and I saw them go into the clothing boutique and then Charlotte’s.” So, the two salesmen had been bending the truth, they weren’t the first shop they’d stopped at.
“I saw them at the deli, and they looked as thick as thieves.” A woman’s voice drifted over her shoulder. She recognized it as belonging to Julie Pierce, a woman a few years older than her who ran the dry cleaners. “Muttering to each other and looking through paperwork. That was yesterday.”
“Were they angry?” When Ally spun around to ask the question, the two seemed a little shocked that she’d heard their conversation.
“No, I wouldn’t say that.” Julie shrugged. “It was more like they were making plans. Probably plans to fleece some more poor saps out of their hard-earned money with those useless machines.”
“Do you remember anything specific about what they were saying?” She felt heat rise into her cheeks as she realized she might have been the only one in the entire town to accept the vacuum.
“Honestly, I wasn’t paying much attention. I was there to pick up my lunch order. But like I said they had a bunch of papers spread out on the table. I noticed that some of them had several names listed on them, and the others looked like graphs.”
“Interesting.” Ally glanced back at the teller as she held out her receipt. “Thanks.” She nodded to the woman and was about to turn back and ask Julie more questions, but the line behind her now snaked out the door. Julie rushed forward, while the rest of the crowd waited impatiently.
Ally left the bank with a few thoughts rolling through her mind. One in particular, was that she might have been duped by Marcus and Carl. Just how bad was that vacuum?
By the time Ally returned to the shop, she’d had some time to think about the information she’d heard. As she relayed it to her grandmother, her cheeks burned again.
“So, it looks like they really were con artists.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mee-Maw.”
“Ally, there’s nothing to be sorry for. Just because they weren’t truthful doesn’t make them con artists. Salesmen rarely are truthful, you know, their goal is to sell the product, so they’re going to say and do whatever they can to sell it. But what I find interesting is that we now know that they were working on something together. I wouldn’t be surprised if the list of names and graphs had to do with a customer base they were building.” She raised an eyebrow. “Which is a bit suspicious if you ask me.”
“Why is that?” Ally shrugged. “Wouldn’t salesmen do that normally?”
“If they were partners in their own business, yes, but if they were working for a larger company they wouldn’t need any of that information, the company would likely feed their target customers to them. It’s possible they were trying to branch out into something on their own, or perhaps even planned to poach some customers from the company.” She walked around the counter and out into the open area of the shop. “That could lead to a motive.”
“Yes, it could.” Ally paused as a few customers came inside. She recognized them as locals, but none were very chatty. They made their purchases and left the shop. With only an hour left before closing, Ally stretched her arms and sighed. “It’s been a strange day, Mee-Maw. Why don’t you head home, I’ll close up.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. We still don’t know exactly what happened.” Charlotte glanced towards the door as the sky darkened outside. “I’m not sure if I want you to be here alone.”
“Mee-Maw, I’ll be fine.” Ally smiled as she hugged her grandmother. “You’re right, we don’t know what happened. More than likely it was just an accident, and all of this murder talk, is just that, talk.”
“Yes, you’re probably right.” She patted her cheek. “But keep your phone on you at all times, just in case.”
“I will, Mee-Maw.” After her grandmother left, Ally became determined to lighten her attitude. She didn’t want to admit that she was actually a little spooked to be in the shop alone. A good tune always helped her to relax. She turned on the radio and began to clean up the shop. As the sun began to set outside, she cranked the music a little louder. Usually, when she was open for business she kept the music low and instrumental, but at the moment she needed a distraction, something that would keep her from focusing on the tragedy that had occurred. A few minutes later she turned at the sound of the bell over the door. Quickly, she turned down the volume on the radio.
Luke met her eyes from across the shop. His face was creased with tension, every visible muscle was tightened, and his eyes were filled with exhaustion. He smiled slightly as he walked over to her.
“Ally, it’s so good to see you.” He leaned over the counter to give her a quick kiss then leaned back. He rested his hands on the counter and gazed at her.
“You, too.” She placed her hands over h
is, then looked into his eyes. “I’ve heard quite a bit through gossip, I imagine it’s been a very busy day.”
“It has.” He furrowed a brow as he looked down at her hands. “Busy and bizarre, to find someone just out in the middle of the road like that, it just doesn’t make any sense. I mean, I know death rarely does, but it’s just so odd.”
“Very strange.” She gave his hands a subtle squeeze then pulled back. “Can I get you some coffee? Or maybe something more soothing, tea? Can you go home and get some rest?”
“Coffee please.” He shook his head. “I don’t have any interest in going to sleep.”
“Coming right up.” As she prepared his coffee she tried to think of just the right thing to say. When she turned back and handed him the cup she came to the conclusion that there wasn’t really any right thing to say. “I’m here to listen if you want to talk.”
“There’s not much to say, really. Thanks for this.” He blew lightly across the surface of his coffee, then looked back up at her. “I’m sure you’ve heard most of the story.”
“Some.” She filled him in on what she’d been told. “But I still don’t know what happened to him.”
“That makes two of us.” He cleared his throat then took a sip of the coffee.
“Luke, was it natural causes?” She lowered her voice as she glanced briefly at the front door to make sure that no one was about to step inside.
“No.” He shook his head as he followed her gaze in the same direction. “It looks like it was a homicide. However, it’s technically out of my jurisdiction. If he was found on the other side of the road, it would have been ours, but since he wasn’t, it’s not. I’m not going to be able to find out too much. But I can tell you that he didn’t die there, he was placed there. My guess is that the murderer hoped that the body would be hit by a car or something, to help cover up the real cause of death.”