by Tegan Maher
I shrugged. “I guess we need more info than we have. I’m gonna go see Coralee when we get home. Bobbie Sue, too, probably. Hunter’s gonna talk to Peggy Sue, so maybe she’ll have a better idea of what was going on with them at the courthouse.”
She gave a sharp nod, and her translucent bun wobbled. “Probably. That woman knows what God himself had for supper last Tuesday. You got stuff to do anyway.” She tittered. “On a different note, I heard Penny had it out with Olivia again. One of Olivia’s bridesmaids ended up with a bun in the oven, and rather than make modifications, Olivia booted her out of the party and wants Penny to give her a refund on the dress.”
I shook my head. “Those were all custom. With all the murders we have around here, I can’t believe she hasn’t been one of ’em.”
Addy raised a plucked brow. “You and me both, kid, though we both know evil don’t die. Probably a good thing, though. You know you’d be at the top of the suspect list, and we don’t need you goin’ up the river for murder before I at least get ya married off.”
“Thanks,” I said, arching a brow. “Now I know where the point of no return is for you.”
She laughed her big belly laugh. “You know I’ll always love ya, girlie. I also know Olivia is a walkin’ temptation, and it’s all you can do sometimes not to twist her neck like an old dishrag. You’re a saint just for that, far as I’m concerned.”
I smiled, then rose to go inside. “I need to make sure we cleaned everything up so we can get outta here. Hunter’s done his best to stick it out, but his heart’s not here.”
She waved me off. “You go do your thing. I’m gonna go get outta these clothes, then go brag to Belle about Dixie.”
“Wait, you didn’t take Belle with you?” That was gonna go over like a fart in church. I searched my mind trying to remember if I mentioned the visit while I was there getting my haircut and was pretty sure I hadn’t. Now that I knew she hadn’t been in the loop, I’m sure I’d have remembered a meltdown of that magnitude.
Addy’s lips curved into a catty smile. “Nope. Cheri Lynn only had a plus-one, and she picked me.”
Oh, boy. Maybe I didn’t want to go to Coralee’s after all.
7
I decided to avoid the Dixie drama I knew would be going on at Coralee’s, so I had Hunter drop me off at Brew4U on his way to the courthouse. I’d texted Raeann shortly after we’d found the body, so she’d already had her ear to the ground for details and clues. Her place was probably tied with the diner for morning gathering spots in town, so she’d have plenty to work with.
Sure enough, when I walked through the door, the place was a madhouse. Roy and Jimi had their usual table and were absorbed in their chess game, oblivious to the chaos around them. Levana and Raeann were scrambling to manage the line of people stretching almost to the door, and I scowled when some guy loudly proclaimed how long he’d been waiting.
“I never have to wait like this over at Grounds,” he said, his nostrils flaring on his long face.
“Then go to Grounds,” I snapped at him. “There’s the door. Don’t let it hit ya.”
He glowered at me but zipped his lip. The reason nobody ever had to wait at Grounds, the other coffeeshop in town, was that their coffee was always either weak or burnt and they didn’t know an espresso from an Americana.
I cocked a brow at him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. They’re doin’ their best, and quality takes a minute.”
Jumping behind the counter, I snagged my apron off the peg where it always hung and tied it around my waist, then turned to help.
“What do you need?” I asked. She’d put in a second espresso machine a few months ago, but right now, she and Levana were manning each.
Raeann nodded toward the cooler. “Two iced caramel cold brews, double cream, an iced chai, and an Earl Gray, plus three berry tarts and an orange muffin, separate plates.”
I’d worked with her since the day she’d opened, so I stepped into the fray as easily as I’d pull on my most comfy sweatshirt. We’d followed the big coffee guys and labeled cups, so it was especially easy to jump in. Nothing she’d rattled off to me required the machine, so I grabbed the labeled cups and started filling the orders.
The madness went on for the next thirty minutes, then stopped as quickly as it had likely started.
“Damn, ladies,” I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my wrist. “Where did that come from? It’s Thursday, for crying out loud.”
Levana’s lips curved into a smile, and she swatted a flyaway strand of dark hair from her face. “Nothin’ like murder to bring folks outta the woodwork.”
Raeann wiped a few drops of coffee from the counter then rolled her head on her shoulders. “I’m not gonna complain, though. I think that second espresso machine finished payin’ for itself this mornin’, and it’s not even nine yet.”
She’d held off buying a second machine because of the expense, but it made it so much easier on days like this. With the volume she did in such short bursts of time, the ability to make four espressos at a time was huge.
I’d sold the last orange-cranberry muffin a few moments before and had noticed the whole case was almost empty. When I went to the rack to grab the spare boxes I’d left out of the freezer for them, it was nowhere in sight.
“Don’t tell me y’all went through six boxes of pastries this mornin’,” I said. They rarely went through three, which is what it took to stock the whole case.
“Not tellin’ you won’t change the fact, sugar.” Levana smiled as she made a fresh pot of regular coffee. “I pulled three boxes from the freezer a little bit ago, though, so they should be thawed enough to put in the case.”
“Looks like I’m gonna be baking tonight,” I grumbled as I fetched them, though it was an act. I loved that she was so busy my pastries were selling, and it was gratifying that people couldn’t get enough of them.
The shop was abuzz with people, and as I flitted between them taking orders for refills, scooping up dirty dishes, and cleaning up messes, I kept my ears open.
“The wife’s just disappeared off the face of the planet,” a blonde woman in a business suit sitting with two others dressed similarly said on my way past.
Luckily, they were sitting next to the condiments station, so I took my time refilling napkins, sugars, and utensils while I eavesdropped.
“What do you mean, disappeared?” An older woman with her dark hair pulled into a French twist leaned her elbows on the table, all ears in anticipation of the gossip.
“I heard the cops couldn’t find her at the cabin or at their apartment,” the blonde replied. “One of the girls she works with says they were fightin’ about her mama comin’ for a visit. Can you imagine?”
The third woman, another blonde in her thirties, rolled her eyes. “Men. He was an idiot to pick that fight.”
Though she wasn’t categorically wrong, I knew well enough that not all in-laws were created equal. Anna Mae’s previous marriage was a perfect example of how evil a mother-in-law could be. The woman had been a tyrant. I was gonna need more context before I willingly jumped on the wife’s side.
The women segued into a man-bashing session, so I moved on. I made an entire round without hearing anything of use. Most of what people were repeating were wild theories or rehashes of the fight in front of the courthouse, but nobody seemed to have any details. That didn’t stop them from speculating, though.
Just as I circled the counter to report that I’d learned very little, the bell above the front door tinkled and an older man dressed in a snappy suit stepped through.
“Hi,” I said, smiling. “Welcome to Brew4U.”
He smiled back and stepped toward us, perusing the menu as he did.
“Hello, ladies. Do you by chance have just regular coffee?”
“Of course,” Raeann said. “Cream or sugar?”
He nodded and pulled something from his inside pocket. “One of each, please. And I was wondering if you’d seen t
his woman. She’s much older now, but I’m sure she’s just as beautiful.”
He held it out to us, and I took it while Raeann and Levana gathered around me to check it out. The picture was of a smiling twenty-something couple sitting in front of a tree. They were wearing seventies-style clothing, and she had a ring of daisies sitting on top of long, blonde hair. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why.
I glanced at Raeann and Levana, who both shook their heads, then handed the photo back to him. “She looks familiar, but I couldn’t tell you who she is. I’m sorry. Do you have a name?”
He nodded. “I do. Becky Bronson.”
The name didn’t ring a bell. “I don’t recognize the name. Why are you looking for her?”
A winsome half-smile crossed his round face. “She’s the love of my life. Up until three days ago, I thought she was dead. Turns out, that’s just what her family told everybody when she ran off. It was the early seventies, you see, and she was always one to chase the wind. Her parents, on the other hand, were determined to see her married well and put quite a bit of pressure on her to do so.”
Raeann stepped forward. “If you’d like, I can make a photocopy of the picture and stick it up here. In fact, I can make a few and you can post them around town.”
His expression turned from disappointment to pleasure. “That would be lovely, young lady. You see, I’d love to find her, even if it’s only to make sure she’s happy.”
That was so sweet that it brought tears to my eyes. Raeann took the picture and disappeared into her office.
“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice called from a booth. “Could we get a refill, please?” She was holding up her cup, but since she was smiling and asked nicely, I grabbed the pot from the burner and circled the counter.
By the time I did that, the little old man had gone. I sent a wish out into the universe that he found who he was looking for. That kind of love didn’t come around often.
“Oh, hey, Noelle!” I spun at the greeting, bar towel in hand, to see Nancy Flannigan from the bank sitting with a couple of her coworkers.
“Hey, Nancy,” I replied, smiling. The pleasantly plump middle-aged woman was one of those super sweet people who was nice to everybody.
“How you been?” She leaned toward me, concern reflected in her blue eyes. “I heard you were the one who found the body.”
I inclined my head. “I was. I’m okay, though it certainly wasn’t at the top of my list of best getaways.”
Her eyes roamed over the scrapes and bruises on my arms and legs. “So, it’s true. You and Hunter wrecked? Is he okay?”
I nodded and smiled at her genuine concern, but before I could reply, the brunette sitting beside her piped up, her beady brown eyes excited. “We heard the dead guy had a bullet hole right between his eyes and that it looked like he’d been drug behind a truck. Is it true?”
In direct opposition to Nancy, Ella Sue Swanson was a true mean girl. I had no idea what Nancy saw in her, but they’d been friends for years. Out of respect for Nancy, I ground my teeth and forced myself to be polite.
“No, that’s not true. But I’m not at liberty to discuss it. Police business, you know.”
Ella Sue did not like to be told no, and she narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, but I don’t think that applies. You’re not a cop. You’re just sleepin’ with one.”
Nancy gasped in surprise, and her cheeks colored with embarrassment. “Ella, that’s enough.”
“No, Nancy, it’s fine,” I said, not taking my gaze off Ella. The woman practically reeked of sour grapes. It was no secret the viper’d had a crush on Kyle since before he’d joined the force, but being the kind soul he was, he didn’t reciprocate.
I pulled in a deep breath and almost prayed for patience before I realized Fate was testing my current capacity. “To answer your question in a semi-civil manner, it’s not true, but what really happened is none of your business, Ella Sue. As far as my relations with law enforcement, if you’d sweeten up that nasty temperament, maybe Kyle wouldn’t run the opposite direction like his hair’s on fire every time he sees you.”
Her face went red, and I could practically see the steam rolling from her ears. It wasn’t the first time I’d put her in her place, but she never took it well.
She scrunched her face and let all the inner ugly show. “Listen here, you redheaded witch— “
“Ah, ah, ah,” I interrupted her, wagging my finger. “You’ve heard the rumors about my family. Wouldn’t wanna test the theory, now would you?”
Rumors about the Flynns had run wild since way before my time. Though there was only a small percentage of folks who knew for sure that we were witches, there were a lot more who speculated about it. I wasn’t above using that once in a while just for kicks, especially if it stopped a situation from getting out of hand.
She snapped her mouth shut so hard I was afraid she’d shattered her veneers, though she did maintain a glare that clearly would have dropped me where I stood if looks could kill. I gave her my most witchy smile and waggled my fingers, turning her coffee stone cold as I did.
“Nancy, you have a good day, sugar,” I said, then waltzed away.
Raeann and Levana were grinning when I slipped back behind the counter.
“Man, that chick is evil,” Rae said, shaking her head as her eyes shimmered with mirth. She’d had her share of run-ins with Ella Sue, too. “No matter how many variations of that she gets from us, nice just ain’t in her.”
“I’ve known a few of those over the centuries,” Levana said, shaking her head. “But that other woman is always so pleasant when she comes in. I just don’t understand the relationship.”
Rae waved her off. “You’re not the only one, trust me. None of us can figure out why Nancy puts up with her. It’s just one of those weird twists of nature that you have to accept.”
I brushed a few crumbs from the counter. “On a different but no more helpful note, I didn’t hear anything about the murder that might be of use, but I did hear that the wife is missing. I need to confirm that with Hunter.”
Levana sighed. “No need. It’s true. I’ve been texting her since I heard about it last night, and she’s not answering.”
I whipped my gaze to her. “You know her?”
She nodded. “I do. Rory works with Curtis, and we’ve gotten together a few times. Valerie’s one of the few non-magical people I’ve developed a friendship with here outside of our group. She’s quite sweet.”
“What about Curtis?” I asked, glancing toward the front to make sure there wasn’t a customer there. “Is he nice? How did they get along?”
She pressed her lips together in thought. “He’s quite nice. They’ve had a rough patch, as you’d say, lately, though. Her mother announced that she was coming to stay with them while her house is being painted, and apparently, she isn’t the nicest of people. Curtis doesn’t like how she treats Valerie, but Valerie says her mama doesn’t mean anything by it.”
“Have you met her? The mother, I mean?” Raeann asked as she shoved a strand of sable hair behind her ear.
“No, but from what I gather, she’s no bed of roses. Even Valerie admits that. They might have been fighting about it, but I can’t imagine they’d let her ruin their marriage. They’re very much in love.”
“Then where is she?” I asked. “They were there together, and now he’s dead and she’s gone. That doesn’t look so great for her.”
Worry creased her brow. “I don’t know, and I’m concerned. It’s not like her. I know she didn’t kill him, but I also know she wouldn’t have just run off.”
Raeann’s hand fluttered to her mouth. “Do you think she’s dead, too?”
Levana bit her lip and creased her forehead. “I don’t know. I just know that she wouldn’t have willingly left with all this going on. And I know she didn’t kill him. That doesn’t leave much for optional scenarios.”
“We need to call Hunter,” I said, pulling my phone from my p
ocket. “He’s gotta know about this now. If she’s missing, they need to find her.”
I pulled in a deep breath and released it as I fired off a text. We’d either just gone from one murder to two, or Levana was off on her assessment and Valerie had shot to the top of the suspects list. Rather than being an open and shut case like we’d hoped, things had just taken a dramatic turn for the worse.
8
I gave Hunter fifteen minutes to answer the text, and when he didn’t, I called him. It went straight to voicemail. I knew that when he was interviewing people, he often left his phone in his desk, so I figured that’s what was happening. Knowing he hadn’t had any breakfast and only one cup of coffee, I made two Loca Mochas—one of our two favorite energy coffees—and stuffed a couple muffins in a bag. Before I made it around the counter, though, I remembered Peggy Sue’s love for my turnovers and popped a couple in a bag for her.
Even though it was barely nine, it was already a steam bath outside, and my clothes were sticking to me by the time I hoofed it the short distance to the courthouse. Every step I took up the front of the grand building’s staircase felt like a slog, and by the time I hit the top, I felt like I’d run a marathon.
Gertie, Keyhole Lake’s one and only bag lady, was relaxing in one of the several rocking chairs situated on the veranda. “Mornin’ Ms. Gertie,” I called as I trudged toward the tall double doors.
“Mornin’ Noelle,” she called back, raising a hand. I didn’t stop to chat like I normally did both because it was hotter than the seventh circle of Hell and because cubes in the iced coffees in my hand were already melting.
I thought of the muffins in my bag and figured it wouldn’t kill me to skip the extra calories. “Have you had breakfast?”
She nodded. “Sure did. I went over to the diner and had me some biscuits and gravy. Thanks for askin’ though! Now get that young man of yours that coffee. I figure he can probably use it.”
I smiled and waved before pulling the doors open, breathing a sigh of relief when the cool air blasted me in the face. I didn’t know how people in other countries survived without air conditioning, but there’s no way I’d ever trade our heat for their blizzards. I hated being cold. At least when it was hot, I could lounge around by my pool or stay in the AC.