The Diva Cooks up a Storm

by Krista Davis

  Jay and Alex didn’t hesitate to rush toward the rear of the house. I was right behind them. We burst into the kitchen. The door was straight ahead.

  It creaked again when Jay opened it. Alex shone his flashlight around the backyard. The beam crossed the gate to the alley, which hung open, gently swinging in the soft breeze.

  Alex ran out in the yard.

  Jay and I followed. The three of us stopped in the alley.

  I held my lantern high while Alex pointed the flashlight in both directions. “Someone was definitely in the house.”

  “We’d better search it.” Jay led the way back into the yard.

  “Definitely.” Alex latched the gate securely. “It’s unlikely anyone is still inside, but you never know.”

  We walked back to the house, where Kelsey and Nina waited in the foyer.

  I told them what we saw. “Do you think we should call Wolf?”

  “No!” Kelsey’s eyes grew large. “Oh, please don’t call him.”

  I tried to reason with her. “Kelsey, what do you think will happen if Alex and Jay find someone in the house? Besides, they’ll barely be able to make out anything with only flashlights and lanterns. I can tell you one thing, there’s no way I would sleep in this house tonight unless Wolf cleared it first.”

  “Okay,” Kelsey whispered. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Kelsey murmured to Alex, “You do the talking, all right?”

  * * *

  Forty minutes later, Wolf had gone through the house and declared it safe.

  We all reconvened in the elegant living room, which smacked of the nineteenth century. I could just imagine a family entertaining friends there by gaslight and candlelight.

  Wolf sat down on a settee and bent forward toward Kelsey. “Do you have any idea who it could have been?”

  She looked at Alex, who nodded.

  “No.”

  “Is there a possibility that you left a door unlocked?” asked Wolf.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Who else has keys to the house?”

  Kelsey shrugged.

  “Do you keep a spare key outside somewhere?”

  “No.”

  Wolf always kept his cool. I often thought he would be a dangerous poker player. I suspected he was frustrated, but he didn’t show it.

  “Okay. I guess we’re through here. Tomorrow in the light of day you should have a look around to see if anything is missing. If you find something is gone, let me know.”

  Kelsey nodded.

  We all stood to leave. I walked over to Kelsey. “Are you certain you’re okay sleeping here by yourself tonight? You’re welcome to stay over at my house.”

  “Oh, darlin’, that’s so nice of you. I’ll be fine. I’ve been through much worse. Thanks for walking me home. I’ll see you in the morning, Alex.”

  We left her house and turned to walk to Jay’s house next door, but he stopped us and said good night.

  “You don’t even have a flashlight. Let us walk you to your door,” said Alex.

  “That’s not at all necessary. Thank you for offering.”

  “At least take a lantern,” I offered, holding mine out to him.

  “I can see fine. Thank you for a lovely evening, Sophie.” He turned abruptly, hurried to his door, and let himself in. We heard the door lock clank. I watched the first-floor windows for the mellow glow of a candle or the beam of a flashlight but didn’t see one.

  “Did anyone else think that was odd?” asked Nina.

  “It has to be black as pitch in there,” I said.

  Alex, who wasn’t the gossipy type at all, looked up at the second-floor windows. “He didn’t want us in his house.”

  “That’s for sure!” said Wong.

  Nina gasped. “I wonder what he’s hiding!”

  It probably wasn’t a secret that Jay was hearing voices in his house and thought he had ghosts. But he had spoken to me about it privately as though he didn’t want others to know. I studied the building. Surely the alleged ghosts couldn’t be the reason he didn’t want us to help him find his way inside. If I thought I had ghosts other than Mars’s Aunt Faye, and I wasn’t sure about her, I would certainly want some kind of light on. But everyone was different.

  Wolf and Wong said good night, but I noticed that they took their time getting into their cars.

  “I’m off then. Are you sure you two will be okay walking back by yourselves?” asked Alex.

  “It’s not even a full block,” I said. “Nina and I will be fine. Besides, there are two cops sitting right there.”

  “What time is the Widow Haberman meeting with you tomorrow?” asked Nina.

  Alex was silent for a moment. “Did you want to come?”

  “Yes! Could I?” Nina asked enthusiastically.

  Alex planted a kiss on her cheek. “No.” He kissed me as well, but on the lips. “Thanks for dinner, Sophie. See you tomorrow.”

  Alex took off at a leisurely pace, as though he was enjoying the quiet night.

  When Nina and I walked away, I noticed that Wolf and Wong didn’t turn off our street until we were within yards of our homes.

  “Do you feel like a time traveler?” asked Nina.

  “A little bit. Especially in the Haberman drawing room.”

  “Sophie, I’m going to come right out and say it. Were you out of your mind to put Kelsey and Alex together?” asked Nina.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The Widow Haberman will be looking for her next husband very soon. You handed her another Hollis, except much better looking.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “Consider yourself warned,” said Nina.

  “Have you been talking with Trula? She’s very bitter about Kelsey marrying Hollis.”

  “For heaven’s sake, Sophie! No one likes a husband thief.”

  “No, they don’t. You’re right about that. And on the surface at least, that’s the way it appears. But don’t you feel just a little bit sorry for her?”

  “I do! She’s had an awful life. Assuming that any of that wild story is true. For all we know, she was a perfectly average child who grew up in a nice suburb and her parents are still alive and living in the same Cape Cod with a white picket fence. But you’re my best friend, and I’m telling you that she’s willing to find solace in Alex’s arms.”

  I laughed aloud. “Really? You don’t know Alex better than that? Mr. Straight-Laced? I happen to know for a fact that lawyers cannot sleep with their clients. It’s considered unethical, like shrinks sleeping with their patients. Alex may be sympathetic to her, he might even buy her lunch, but there’s no way he will succumb to whatever siren-like charms she presents to him.”

  “Hmm. I suppose he is stronger than Mars in that respect.”

  “Oh! That’s a low blow.” Mars and Natasha had set up housekeeping together shortly after our divorce. A lot of people thought Natasha had stolen him from me. Of course, I knew what was happening in our marriage. Mars and I had put so much energy into our work that we seldom saw each other and drifted apart. We all coped with life’s unfortunate twists in our own ways. Call me naïve, but I preferred to imagine that Natasha had been available when Mars and I split. “I thought you were my friend.”

  “I am. But you’re not listening to me. Beware of Kelseys dressed as damsels in distress.”

  That made me laugh. When we reached my house, the kitchen was immaculate. We found Mars, Bernie, and Francie lounging in the backyard by the fire drinking Nina’s cocktails.

  Nina and I settled into chairs around the fire.

  Bernie poured drinks for us. “What took you so long?”

  Nina launched into a detailed explanation.

  Mars said, “Jay thinks Hollis was murdered. He’s a pathologist. I have to believe he knows what he’s talking about.”

  “Jay and my husband have known each other since their med school days. Sometimes he makes me a little nervous,” Nina chuckled, “because he’s so pr
oper. I’ve never seen him truly relaxed like we are now. He’d be sitting up straight and wearing a bow tie. But he has a brilliant mind.”

  “Have you spoken with Wolf about this?” asked Francie.

  “He’s concerned,” I said. “I gather there are two big issues. Why are the bees inside the house dead while the outside bees are mostly alive? And how did Hollis manage to inhale enough of the pesticides to kill him unless there was some kind of foul play?”

  Bernie relaxed on a chaise with his feet up. “He had a drink and took a sleeping pill before he went to bed. Some of those sleeping pills are pretty powerful. Could she, or someone else, have sprayed bee spray directly on him while he slept? Or would that wake a person?”

  “Did you say, ‘Or someone else’?” I asked. “You’re thinking Kelsey is having an affair?”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time the December half of a May—December romance bit the dust for that reason.” Francie looked up at the stars. “Maybe he was waiting for her in the house tonight and panicked when he heard voices.”

  Chapter 16

  Dear Natasha,

  I was born and raised in the South. Recently, I received an invitation to a “bring your own meat” cookout. Did my mama overlook teaching me about this curious event when she taught me etiquette?

  Foodie in Pie Town, New Mexico

  Dear Foodie,

  Natasha is still trying to catch her breath from the notion of a party to which guests bring their own meal. Your mama did not overlook anything in your education.

  Natasha

  Nina, who had been comfortably ensconced, jumped forward, nearly spilling her drink. “I bet you’re exactly right! That makes so much sense. We ought to stake out her house to find out whom she’s seeing. Then we’d know who murdered Hollis!”

  I really hated to admit that Nina might be on to something. I desperately wanted to point out that even if she was having an affair, it didn’t mean she or her lover had killed Hollis. But Hollis had stumbled out of their house very early in the morning. Who else would have been there at that hour except for Kelsey and possibly an accomplice? My heart sank. I really hadn’t thought she was responsible for Hollis’s death. And then out of nowhere, the obvious became horrifically clear to me.

  “Cindy,” I said. “That’s who. What if Hollis didn’t change the locks? She could still have a key to the house.”

  “I admit that she’s angry enough with Hollis to do some harm,” said Mars. “But he was Gavin’s dad. For that reason alone, I can’t see her killing him.”

  “And what about Kelsey?” asked Bernie. “Cindy lets herself into the Haberman house in the dead of night, sneaks into the master bedroom, but Kelsey doesn’t wake up? Even when Cindy sprays her with bee spray?”

  “Have any of you geniuses considered that Parker, Hollis, and Gage were law partners?” asked Francie. “And now Parker is the only one standing?”

  “But Gage’s death was an accident,” Nina protested.

  “Really?” Francie emptied the last of her drink. “How do you know that?”

  “Parker!” shouted Nina. “Kelsey’s lover is Parker!”

  Bernie, Mars, and I broke into laughter.

  “Staid old Parker?” chuckled Mars. “While we’re imagining things, maybe she had an affair with Jay, too!”

  It was closing in on two in the morning, and we were too tired to think straight. On that note, Mars put out the fire, and we all headed for our beds.

  I expected to be exhausted after the party. But all I could think of was Kelsey. Some part of me just couldn’t accept Kelsey as the black widow, swooping in on men to kill them and collect their estates. It happened. But surely Hollis hadn’t been so susceptible that he fell for a scam like that. And I couldn’t imagine Kelsey being that wicked.

  Nina’s theory made sense. In fact, it was the only theory that made any sense—so far. I made up my mind to sleuth a little deeper. Like it or not, I believed Kelsey.

  I drifted off, only to be awakened at just past three in the morning when bells rang, machines jumped back to life, and lights came on again. I turned over and slept, secure in the knowledge that life would be normal again when I woke.

  * * *

  In the morning, Nina and I slept late. When we rose, I fed Mochie salmon and made lattes for Nina and myself. Since we were technically on vacation, even if we weren’t at the beach, we agreed to meet in an hour for brunch at a café on the waterfront.

  I indulged in a long, hot shower, pinned my hair up to stay cool, and dressed in a turquoise twill skirt, white sleeveless blouse, and sandals. I missed having Daisy to take along but hoped she was having fun with Mars.

  Nina and I met on the sidewalk in front of her house and walked down to the waterfront. It was a glorious day, without a cloud in the blue sky. We found a table with a red umbrella overlooking the Potomac River and truly felt like we were vacationing.

  We both ordered their specialty fried chicken and waffles with butter and maple syrup. Decadent, but we were on vacation after all. Nina sipped coffee, I switched to hot black tea with milk, and we people-watched when we could tear our eyes away from the water.

  When our waiter served our meal, I noticed that his nametag said, Chadwick. He was about Gavin’s age, friendly and chatty, telling us chicken and waffles were his favorite dish.

  I took a chance and said, “I hear you have a girlfriend.”

  He stopped dead. “Do I know you?”

  “I don’t think so. Gavin Haberman used to be a neighbor. I heard what happened. Are you grounded, too?”

  He frowned at me. “Noooo.”

  “You didn’t get caught when you snuck out in the middle of the night on Thursday? That was a lucky break! Don’t worry, I won’t mention that to Gavin’s mom.”

  His brow furrowed. “Gosh, I hope not. I just got off being grounded. I’d hate to be grounded again, especially for something I didn’t do.” He started to walk away.

  “Chadwick!” I called.

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “Let me get this clear. You and Gavin didn’t sneak out on Thursday night to meet up with your girlfriend?”

  He stared at me with clear blue eyes. “I didn’t go anywhere on Thursday night. I was still grounded. Excuse me.” He hurried to another table, where a rude diner was holding his coffee mug in the air.

  “What was that about?” asked Nina.

  “Cindy told me that Gavin sneaked out with his buddy Chadwick on Thursday night after the underground dinner.”

  Nina was about to take a bite of chicken and stopped her fork midair. “I love Gavin. Bet he has his own girlfriend now, but he didn’t want to tell Cindy.”

  I hoped she was right. But I wondered which one of them had lied. Had Gavin fabricated a story to tell his mother? Or had Cindy invented it for my benefit? I shook it off. Cindy had no reason to tell me a story about Gavin’s misbehavior. In my eagerness to exonerate Kelsey, I was imagining killers everywhere.

  On the way back, we couldn’t help noticing a collection of funeral foods on Kelsey’s doorstep.

  “Do you think she doesn’t know those are out here?” asked Nina.

  “She’s probably not home.” Nevertheless, I banged the door knocker.

  Kelsey opened the door. “Oh my goodness. Did you two bring all this food?”

  “It was on your doorstep,” said Nina.

  Kelsey bit her upper lip. “No one is knocking. They don’t want to talk to me. Everyone thinks I murdered Hollis. How can they be afraid of me but still bring food?”

  Nina giggled, breaking the tension. “That’s Southerners for you. Never let it be said that they didn’t bring food in your time of need!”

  We left Kelsey to find a way to fit it all in her fridge and strolled on to our houses.

  Apparently news traveled fast among teens, even when one of them wasn’t allowed to use his cell phone. When I got home, Gavin was sitting on the stoop outside my kitchen door.

  “Hi, Gavin. Look
ing for a mowing job?”

  “Not today.” He looked up at me with fear. “Um, I heard you talked with Chadwick today.”

  “I did. He seems like a nice guy.” I sat down on the stoop beside him.

  Gavin shifted to face me. “The thing is that I didn’t go anywhere with Chadwick that night. I lied to my mom. Maybe . . . maybe for old times’ sake you could avoid mentioning that to her?”

  “She’d be pretty upset if she knew you lied to her, huh?”

  “Yeah.” His lips tightened. “The divorce was really hard for her. I mean, Mom’s still the greatest, but she’s kinda tense. You know, hyper.”

  “So you don’t want to upset her.” I eyed him. “Aren’t you grounded?”

  “Technically.”

  I tried to hide a grin. “What exactly does that mean?”

  “Okay, I’m grounded. But Mom doesn’t understand. I can’t tell her about it because she’ll flip out.”

  About what? I waited to hear what he would say next.

  “See, that night when I snuck out of the house, I went to my dad’s house.”

  Oh no. Surely he hadn’t murdered his dad. I held my breath.

  “I saw him at the underground dinner, you know? And her, too. My mom calls her ‘the one-who-shall-remain-nameless, ’ like she’s evil and we can’t even say her name. My dad tried to talk with me at the dinner, but I kept avoiding him. I would just walk away or pretend like he wasn’t there.”

  He wiped his eyes with the backs of his fingers and whispered, “I didn’t know he would be dead the next day.”

  I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “No one could know that.”

  He buried his face in my shoulder and cried.

  He lifted his head, sniffled, and wiped his eyes with the backs of his wrists.

  “She knew. The one-who-shall-remain-nameless knew.”

  “Why would you think that?” I asked gently.

  “Because I saw her that night.”

  Chapter 17

  Dear Natasha,

  Honeybees have so many problems. I don’t want to be stung, but I want to help them thrive. I love clover. Who could possibly be against the gentle plant that produces luck in the form of four leaves? And I let dandelions grow, too, to help the honeybees. But my neighbor is outraged and has accused me of having a weed-infested yard. I think it’s my business what I grow in my yard. What do you think?