Murder and Salutations (Book 3 in the Cardmaking Mysteries)

by Tim Myers

  “Does the killer know that? Would we, if my brother didn’t happen to be the sheriff? I think we’ve got a small window here to figure out who did this before I have to go into hiding, and I’m not about to squander the chance.”

  Lillian nodded reluctantly. “I see your point. So who do you talk to first?”

  “The person who had the most to gain from Eliza’s death,” I said. “It’s time Addie and I had another talk.”

  MAKING YOUR OWN PAPER

  Making paper is much easier than it looks. All you need are a few simple items like some “seed” paper, newspaper, copy paper, tissue paper or a blend— a frame, some paper towels and a blender. Cut your base paper into one-inch squares, then put them in blender with water to make a slurry. Pour the mix into your frame, which can be as simple as a picture frame with plastic screen mesh stapled to it or as fancy as a kit frame. Press the water out of the mix, pour out your sheet and let it dry. There are countless variations, but the basic steps are easy to master. One warning, though. You might want to use an old blender, as this process is tough on the appliance. I bought one just for papermaking, and it works great. This is especially fun to do with kids.

  Chapter 12

  “We need to talk” I said as I walked into Addie’s shop.

  “Jennifer?” She looked shocked to see me, but quickly covered it up. “About what?” Addie asked. I didn’t know if she meant to, but her tone perfectly latched mine. The niceties were gone, which was fine with me.

  “You know perfectly well what I’m talking about, don’t play around with me.” Her gaze narrowed as she stared at me. “Jennifer, thought we patched things up between us. Do you really want to battle with me?”

  “There’s something you should know,” I said. “I’m too afraid of you, and a little fire isn’t going to stop me.”

  She looked startled by the accusation. “What are you talking about?”

  “Are you honestly trying to tell me you don’t know what happened at Whispering Oak this morning?”

  “I heard sirens, but I had no idea what they were about. I just figured some drunk had plowed into a tree again. It happens all the time in tourist season.”

  “It’s not tourist season yet,” I said. “So what do you have to say for yourself?”

  “You know what? I don’t care for your tone of voice. If you’re not buying anything, you need to leave.”‘

  I looked around her shop, then shook my head “No thanks. There’s nothing here that’s worth the money.”

  It was a low blow, but I didn’t care. I may not have known who Eliza’s killer was, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t stir things up. I figured if the killer got mad he might get sloppy. If that meant that I angered four innocent people along with one guilty one, I was more than willing to make amends later.

  For now, it was time to spread my own seeds of destruction and put the town of Rebel Forge on notice I that I wasn’t going down that easily.

  Next on my list was Kaye and her drugstore. I walked there with a fierce stride, daring anyone to cross me. On my way into the drugstore, Reggie— Gail’s boyfriend, or ex—nearly knocked me over coming out. “Jennifer? What are you doing here?”

  Why was everyone so surprised to see me? “I have an errand to run,” I said. “How about you?”

  “I needed to pick up some medicine for my father,” he explained. “I’m glad I ran into you. We need to talk.”

  “Sorry, I don’t have time right now.”

  I tried to brush past him, but he wouldn’t budge. “You can’t move into the cottage,” he said. “I won’t allow it.”

  “I know you’re not happy about the arrangements, but it’s between your mother and me.”

  “Not if I make an issue of it. And you’d better believe me, I’m going to. I’d like the key back.”

  I laughed at him, though I probably shouldn’t have. “You’re too late. I moved in last night.”

  He was startled by the statement. “What? I didn’t realize ... It doesn’t change anything. You still have to move.”

  “When your mother tells me that, I’ll go,” I said. “But not before.”

  He stared at me, then brushed past, dismissing me with a glare. If Reggie thought I was going to be that easy to evict, he was sadly mistaken. Helena was another story altogether, but I’d have to hear the words from her lips, and I didn’t think she would ever say them.

  Kaye was at the front checkout. “Jennifer, thank goodness you’re all right. I can’t believe that lovely old building is gone. The historical society has been trying to get it designated as a landmark for years, and I honestly believe we would have succeeded this time. Whoever burned it down should be executed.”

  She couldn’t fake the ardor in her voice. Kaye’s declaration took the steam out of my step for a moment. “Do you have any idea who would be capable of doing it?”

  Kaye looked shocked by the question. “No civilized person, that’s for sure. I just don’t understand why. How did you manage to escape?”

  “I moved out yesterday afternoon,” I said.

  “How fortunate,” Kaye said, then her eyes narrowed. “You were displaced unwillingly, weren’t you? I bet it infuriated you.”

  “Wait one second,” I said. “If you’re suggesting I had anything to do with that fire, you’re nuts.”

  “I’m just saying, some people may think that’s how it looks, Jennifer.”

  “Then let them say it to my face,” I said. “Do you have any suspects besides me?”

  “I didn’t mean to make it sound that harsh,” Kaye said.

  I waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Forget about it. Well, do you?”

  “No, I’m sorry, I don’t.”

  I started for the door as Kaye asked, “Where are you going now?”

  “I need to speak with Polly,” I admitted.

  “You can’t. She stopped by here yesterday after noon. She was on her way to the Outer Banks.” The banks were a popular vacation destination for folk from our part of Virginia. While we had beaches of our own, the chain of islands on the North Carolina coast were particularly lovely, especially the parts not infested with summer rentals and T-shirt stands. I could still remember the open stretches of windswept dunes from my childhood, and the last time I’d beer there a few years before, it had been difficult believing it was the same place. Too many people with too much money were ruining one of the country’s most beautiful and delicate habitats, and it didn’t appear that anyone was doing anything about it.

  “Did she say how long she’d be gone?” I asked.

  “Just a few days, I think,” Kaye said.

  “I’ll talk to her then,” I said.

  Kaye wasn’t finished, though. “I’m guessing Luke Penwright’s on your list, too, isn’t he?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Jennifer, I make it my business to know people You’re speaking to everyone your brother interviewee the night Eliza was murdered. Don’t bother denying it.”

  I grinned at her. “Okay, I won’t. Do you have any idea where I can find Luke?”

  “You just missed him. He’s on his way out of town. For good, from the way he was telling it.”

  Blast it all, I needed to talk to him. If he was running because he thought he’d been successful in killing me, I had to dissuade him of that notion. I knew Bradford couldn’t hold him, but if he left for good, my brother might never be able to find him again.

  “Thanks,” I said as I raced out the door.

  To my surprise, Kaye followed me outside. “Try the Petrol Planet. He said he had to gas up first, and I’m willing to bet he’s still there. He’s driving a forest green motor home.”

  “Why are you helping me?” I asked her.

  “You may not believe this, but I hope you figure out who killed Eliza. We weren’t close—far from it, actually—but I don’t want people in town whispering behind my back for the next thirty years that I was one of the suspects in the case.”

/>   “I’ll buy that,” I said. Then I remembered I didn’t have my car. “Any chance I could borrow your car?”

  Kaye shook her head. “Sorry, but I’m not willing to help that much.”

  I raced toward Sara Lynn’s shop, hoping that she was there. If I couldn’t borrow her Honda, I was out of luck.

  “It’s an emergency. I need your car,” I said breathlessly as I ran into Forever Memories.

  Sara Lynn reached into her purse—tucked safely behind the counter—and tossed me her keys.

  “Don’t you want to know what I’m doing?” I asked.

  “Tell me when you bring my car back.”

  I had to look twice to be sure it was my sister and not some imposter. It was a sure sign that she’d been shaken up by last night’s events, since there was no doubt in my mind that Bradford had already brought her up to speed on what had been happening.

  I raced toward the gas station, and sure enough, the motor home was still at the pump.

  As I pulled in behind it, I changed my mind at the last second, and swerved so I could keep it from leaving before I was ready. I got out and saw Luke coming out of the cashier’s office.

  “Jennifer, you really should slow down.”

  “I will as soon as I have the time. I was hoping I’d catch you. I heard you were leaving town.”

  He nodded. “There are just too many bad memories around here for me. Now that Eliza’s gone, there’s no reason for me to stay.”

  There was a group of men standing by the entrance and I felt like Luke had said it for their benefit, not mine. If he wanted to put on a play in public, I was game.

  “Funny, I never thought of you as a coward.”

  He gave me a hard look; the men standing around had dropped all pretense that they weren’t listening to every word.

  “You’d better be careful there, Jennifer.”

  “What are you going to do, attack me? Like someone attacked your ex-wife?”

  His face reddened at my goading, and I saw one of the men flinch. “That’s enough,” he said when he could control his voice.

  “I don’t think so. If you loved Eliza as much as you claim, you surely wouldn’t run away with your tail between your legs if there was a chance her killer might be caught. Don’t you want to be there when, Bradford brings him in?”

  I saw a few nods out of the corner of my eye, and I could see that I was scoring some points. Luke must have noticed it, too.

  “Do you really think your brother’s capable of catching anything more than a cold?”

  “Look at his track record,” I said. “He’s good at what he does.” I was on solid ground there. Bradford was the best sheriff Rebel Forge had ever had, and more folks said it than me. “I can’t believe you’re just giving up. I thought you were a real man.”

  He actually took a step toward me as I said that, and I could see the pure hatred in his eyes. Only the sight of the men standing by watching kept him from approaching me more. I thought he was going to come after me anyway when one of the men, an older fellow named Moss Marlette, said, “She’s got a point, Luke. What’s your hurry?”

  That emboldened one of the other men to say, “I knew your daddy, and he never gave up a day in his life.”

  Luke wanted to scream, I could see it in his eyes, but instead, he plastered a fake smile on his face and said, “You know what, Jennifer? You’re right. I’m turning this rig around and parking it back at Campers’ Cove, and I’m not leaving until the worm that killed my Eliza pays for it.”

  Several of the men nodded their approval, but out of their hearing, Luke added, “This isn’t over.”

  I nodded. “Anytime.”

  I drove off after making sure that Luke was heading back into town. I’d found the right button to push, but it hadn’t been that hard. I loved Southern men dearly, but they were so proud, a lot of the time it made them predictable. I wasn’t all that thrilled with my own behavior, but I couldn’t rule Luke out as a suspect if he wasn’t around. I was making quite a name for myself as a hag around town, but it didn’t matter if it helped find Eliza’s killer. Things were getting hot in Rebel Forge, and if it took some stirring to make things boil over, then I was going to do it.

  “That was fast,” Sara Lynn said as I returned her car keys to her.

  “And yet I managed to annoy several people in that short a time,” I said.

  “Jennifer, are you being bad?”

  I looked around. The only customers in her store were clustered back by the scrapbooking how-to books. “I’m trying to find out what really happened to Eliza. I have to believe that whoever killed her is the same person who took those shots at Bailey and me, and then burned down my old apartment.”

  “But why would they be so zealous?” she asked, “It doesn’t make sense.”

  I didn’t want to get into it right there with my sister. “Who knows why lunatics act the way they do?”

  She studied me a few seconds, then said, “Jennifer, you’ve got a theory. What is it?”

  “Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “If you’re trying to save me from some hurt feelings, I’m a little beyond that. I doubt you can tell me anything worse than I’ve already heard. Talk to me.”

  I took a deep breath, then said, “Okay, here’s what I think happened. I think Bailey saw Eliza murdered or at least witnessed something incriminating that the killer wanted silenced. The killer followed Bailey to Hurley’s the night I was there with Greg, and he spotted your husband and me on the loading dock. I’m willing to bet he wasn’t sure how long we were up there together, so he was afraid that Bailey told me whatever it was he was hiding.”

  “He didn’t, did he? Don’t worry, I won’t tell Bradford if you’re holding something back from him.”

  “I swear, he didn’t tell me a thing,” I said. “That’s not completely true. He thought Eliza was seeing someone else, but that wasn’t his secret. So anyway, the killer thinks I know, too, so I’m a target. That’s why he burned Whispering Oak to the ground, to protect his secret.”

  “Then you think Bailey’s dead, too,” she said in a muted voice.

  “I think no such thing,” I said forcefully. “Bailey was fine the last time I saw him, and I don’t have any reason to believe that anything has changed, and neither do you.”

  Sara Lynn stared off into space, then said, “I always thought it was sheer delusion when people said they knew when their loved ones died, but I don’t anymore.”

  Chris answered the phone nearby, and said, “Jennifer, it’s for you.”

  Sara Lynn fought to find a smile. “Now you’re getting calls at my shop?”

  “They probably want to ask me if I’m ever going back to mine,” I said as I took the telephone.

  “Jennifer Shane,” I said.

  “Jen, this is Savannah. You asked me about Eliza earlier, and I kind of cut you off. Since then I’ve been doing a little digging of my own.”

  “Savannah, how on earth did you know where to find me?”

  “It was Lillian’s idea to try there,” she said, laughing. “Turns out that aunt of yours knows you pretty well.”

  I saw my brother’s police cruiser pull up outside. The second I saw his face, I knew something bad had happened. “Savannah, can I call you back later? Something just came up.”

  “That would be fine,” she said as she hung up. “But don’t forget. I think this might be important.”

  As I placed the telephone back in its base, Bradford walked in and headed straight for Sara Lynn. He whispered something to her, and I saw her collapse. It was a good thing Bradford was ready for her fall. He caught her in his arms, and started back for the break room without missing a step.

  “Bradford, what happened?”

  “We identified the body at Whispering Oak,” he said

  “It was Bailey, wasn’t it?” Why had I blurted it out? Sara Lynn’s prediction had spooked me, but that didn’t mean I had to say it.

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nbsp; He frowned at me. “Now how in the world did you know that, Jennifer?”

  “I didn’t,” I said as I pointed to our sister. “But she did. Sara Lynn just told me she knew that he died last night.”

  As Bradford laid her gently on the couch in back, he said, “You know I don’t give any credence to that kind of thing.”

  “But she was right, wasn’t she?”

  He looked down at her. “It wasn’t that hard a conclusion to jump to, given what’s been going on around here lately.” Bradford knelt down beside Sara Lynn and said, “Sis, can you hear me?”

  Her eyelids fluttered, and she came fully awake. “What happened?”

  “You fainted,” I said over Bradford’s shoulder. “But you’re going to be fine.”

  “Then it’s true? He really is dead?”

  “I’m afraid he is,” Bradford said. “We’d haw known sooner, but there was a holdup with the dental records.”

  Sara Lynn started to get up, but Bradford put a hand on her shoulder. “Just keep still and collect yours breath before you try to stand.”

  “Nonsense,” she said. “I don’t mind if you help me, but I won’t let you hold me down. Do you understand me?”

  He shrugged. “Whatever you say. Jennifer’s going to take you home now. Where are your car keys?”

  “I will not be handled,” she lashed out at him, “no matter how good your intentions are. I’m not going anywhere. This is where I belong.”

  “You’ve lost it, woman. It’s okay to show your emotions. Your husband just died.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? I may never go back to that house. Every way I turn I’ll see a memory of our lives together. What on earth makes you think I want that? I’m staying right here, Bradford, and you’re going to have to arrest me to get me to leave.”

  I touched my brother’s shoulder lightly. “I can stay here with her.”

  “You’ll do no such thing,” Sara Lynn said. “You have a store of your own to take care of. I’m warning you two right now, I won’t be coddled. I’ve got Chris and Nancy. I’ll be fine.”