Expresso Messo: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 6)

by Constance Barker

  I stepped out of the dressing room and Jules grinned. Her eyes widened and she clapped a hand to her mouth. “Lily, it’s beautiful. You look amazing in that dress.”

  I smiled at the sales lady. “I think we have a winner.”

  “You’ll need shoes to go with it,” Jules said.

  “I have heels.”

  She gave me a look that said, no arguing you’re getting shoes.

  It was nice how she had no problem spending my money but she was right. None of the shoes in my closet would do the red dress justice. I needed the perfect pair so we paid for the dress and headed out in search of a shoe store.

  I felt like I was in a fairy tale. Except there was no fairy godmother giving me things, I was buying them. But I didn’t splurge often and it was a special occasion.

  As we walked into a shoe store something hit me.

  “You know what was missing from Mildred’s place besides her purse?” I asked.

  Jules shook her head.

  “Shoes. I saw one pair of shoes but I know Mildred must have more than that.”

  “Oh definitely. I’m a shoe connoisseur and I always look at everyone’s shoes. That woman has a ton of different styles. You only saw one pair?”

  “Yeah, I peeked into her closet. She has one of those closet organizers and you could see where she could put all her shoes in those little cubicles. Only one pair was there. I thought it odd at the time, but then just forgot about it.”

  “Yeah, that is odd.”

  With me thinking about Mildred again we browsed the shoes and compared them to the dress. We finally found a pair that matched the color of the dress exactly and they were in my size. We found a stool and I sat down and tried on the right shoe. I felt like Cinderella getting ready for the ball.

  I stood and tested the height of the heel then walked, with a pronounced limp, due to the different shoe on each foot. The red heel felt comfortable. And I would be sitting down for most of the evening anyway. When it came time for music and dancing in my living room I could take them off.

  “This pair is perfect,” I said.

  Jules grinned. “Another stop to get you some jewelry and you’ll be ready for the ball. I just hope your Prince Charming gets back in time.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Two days later I was in the Coffee Cabana pulling my thin, limp hair out wondering what had happened to Mildred. The styling from Joseph had died a quick death the same day. Sleeping on it had crushed any body he’d been able to coax into my hair. And washing it had finished off the job of bringing the limp back. Nothing I did to it made it look any better so I was back to my usual non-style. I almost wished I hadn’t gotten Reva to change the special syrup. I could use a bit of gut buster myself after this crazy week.

  To take my mind slightly off the whereabouts of the red-head my mind turned to Eli. Sure, I would accost him later with everything I knew about the disappearance but I was thinking about later and my surprise early Valentine’s Day celebration. My partner in crime for the celebration pushed through the door of the shop.

  “Hey Jules,” I said.

  She smiled but there was still sadness on her face caused by the failure of the secret admirer column. “I could use a top up,” she said.

  I started making her new favorite raspberry latte. “How’s it going over there? Moira still helping out?”

  Jules nodded. “It’s okay. It’s a bit tense but I guess that’s to be expected. She seems eager to stay and promised that she would never do it again.”

  I put her drink in front of her and she smiled her thanks. “I thought the column was a great idea. Maybe you could have it again next year but with more security in place,” I said.

  “Have you figured out what happened to Mildred yet?”

  She knew not knowing was driving me crazy. And not being able to enlist the help of my guy was making it worse. At least he would be back soon and I could get his help. I’d begun to run through scenarios in my head right before bed imagining everything that could have happened. I was starting to grab onto even the most ridiculous of theories. Though I doubted she’d joined a cult I couldn’t rule out anything right now except alien abduction.

  “There’s still no sign of the woman anywhere. No one has heard from her. I have nothing to go on,” I said.

  I was beginning to think it was more than a kidnapping but I hoped I was wrong. Convinced I’d missed something I wanted to pop back to her house to go over it again. The first time over there I hadn’t stayed very long. There were a few rooms I hadn’t checked out that could provide a clue as to what had happened.

  “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Can’t leave the newspaper closed much longer, I should get back. Let me know what Eli says.”

  “I will. And you’re still available after to work to help me get ready for my dinner with him?”

  “Of course. Stop by on your way out and we can go to your place together.”

  I watched her leave and wondered what I could do to distract myself. The coffee machines needed to be cleaned but that was a messy, sometimes time consuming endeavor and I wanted to head over to Mildred’s as soon as possible.

  My aunts weren’t at the shop yet and I couldn’t leave it unattended so early in the day. I tried to put thoughts of Mildred out of my mind for the time being, focusing on seeing Eli again. He was back in town but at the station right now. He would stop by the Coffee Cabana a little later and then hopefully we’d be heading out to have a nice dinner at my place. The night I had planned for him still needed some finishing touches and a yes from him of course. After being gone for a week with his dad I couldn’t imagine that he would say no.

  I busied myself with cleaning the morning rush dishes and wiping down the tables. The decorations were holding up well so I didn’t need to reapply tape to any of them yet. I checked the display case and the baked goods were running low so I didn’t treat myself to any though the truffles were calling my name.

  Finally my aunts pushed through the doors with trays of baked goods. I hurried out from behind the counter to help them. I didn’t know how to broach the subject of them looking after the shop again. It seemed like I’d dashed out a lot this past week.

  “You’re life savers! We were running low again.”

  Essie fixed me with a stare. “Have you been dipping into them again?”

  “No. Haven’t had one all day. Yet.”

  “You can have some later towards the end of the day,” Hildie said.

  Essie studied my face, cocking her head to one side. “You have that look, Lily. What do you want?” Essie asked.

  She walked over to the counter and deposited the tray in the middle. Hildie went behind the counter to put the baked goods away.

  It was uncanny how she knew whenever I wanted to ask something I thought they were going to say no to. “How do you do that?”

  “We know you. You want to leave again?”

  “I can’t help it. Something is definitely not right. I want to go check Mildred’s place again to see if I missed anything.”

  The bell above the door jingled and Toe walked in. He lumbered over to his corner table by the counter and sat. My aunts mulled over my request while I got Toe’s coffee and brought it to him. Essie and Hildie sat at the table with him.

  “Any word on Mildred,” Toe asked.

  “Nothing yet. Still investigating.” I turned to Essie. “See, I’m not the only one who’s worried about her,” I said.

  Essie scowled. “So there are two people worried about her.”

  “Essie!” Hildie said.

  “What, fine. I’m a teensy bit concerned that she’ll come back.”

  Hildie shook her head at her sister and turned back to me. “Isn’t Eli coming back today?” Hildie asked.

  And therefore Harvey, I thought. She wouldn’t ask directly but I knew Hildie was missing Harvey since he’d started asking her out more and more lately. I thought it was cute. She’d never been married but that didn’t mean
she didn’t like a man’s company. And the old coot still hadn’t asked out for Valentine’s Day yet.

  I glanced over at Toe wondering if he was going to ask Essie. That had to be part of the reason my aunt was so hostile about Mildred. For the longest time the red-head had tried to capture Toe’s attention but he wasn’t interested in anything other than friendship with Mildred. That still didn’t stop Essie from seeing the woman as a rival. We could all see it even if she wouldn’t admit it. Well, Toe couldn’t see it. Things like that usually went over his head. When Gladys hit Mildred over the head because they both wanted to date Toe it had come as a complete shock to the old bachelor.

  “Yes, he is but he won’t be by for at least an hour or so. I want all stones turned before I present my case to him. I need to have something for him to go on. She’s been gone more than enough time to declare her missing. He should investigate.”

  “Fine,” Essie said. “We’ll keep an eye on things here.”

  I thought about taking Jules with me but she couldn’t leave the store either especially since her after school worker was still at school. As long as Moira promised not to mishandle the paper and realized the trouble she might have caused, I was all for giving the teenager another chance. Despite the column tampering she was still a good kid.

  It was around the same time of day as I’d gone over before. If someone had taken her from her place I doubted they would return now for something. Presuming they didn’t find it when they ransacked her house.

  I went to the back room to get my purse then left before they could change their minds. The morning rush was over so they shouldn’t have a problem handling the trickle of customers that might pop in during the next hour.

  I pulled onto Mildred’s street and slowed as I approached her house. There was a lot more traffic on the street this time. Foot traffic and cars driving by at a leisurely pace. Too many people around to watch me while I entered a house that wasn’t mine. And this time Eli would know for sure.

  I studied the houses on either side of Mildred’s wondering which one had seen me there before. The one on the right didn’t have a car in the driveway so I assumed they were at work. The other house had one car parked in front. I parked on the street, walked up to that door and knocked lightly still not sure what I was going to say to whoever answered.

  The door swung open revealing a sweet looking lady with gray hair, bright eyes and a thin smiling mouth. She peeked at me through dark rimmed glasses.

  “Yes,” she said in a quiet voice.

  “Hi, I’m Lily. I was wondering if you’d seen Mildred lately?” I pointed at her house.

  “I’m sorry, dear, I haven’t seen her for about a week.”

  My hopes sank. “Have you seen anything out of the ordinary or suspicious lately?”

  “Not until after Toe Thompson left the other day.”

  That perked me up. Maybe I had a lead after all. “You saw something suspicious?”

  “Yes, you.”

  I felt blood rush to my cheeks in a hot blush. “Sorry about that. I’m a little worried about her. No one has seen her for a while.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t help.”

  “Thanks anyway.”

  I walked back to my car wondering where she could possibly be. I had flash backs of seeing her on the floor of the Cat Fancy booth after being hit on the head by Gladys. But this time, after wondering where she was, no one had found her. Anywhere. I found it extremely odd that no one knew anything. People didn’t just vanish. There was always a trail.

  When I saw Eli I would ask him to run reports, check credit cards, phone records. Anything. Not that the cell phone records would do much good since it was still at her house.

  Deflated again I headed back to the Coffee Cabana. I didn’t like the niggling feeling that I missed something. The not knowing was driving me crazy. All the weirdness this week had been explained except for Mildred.

  When I got back Toe was still sitting at his table talking with Hildie and Essie. A few other customers seated at tables around the room chatted while munching on baked goods. My aunts and Toe looked over at me. Hildie’s face was expectant. Essie’s was bored. Toe’s was inquisitive. It didn’t help that Mildred seemed to hang off Toe’s every word. Toe would never date Mildred seriously but Essie still felt threatened. I hoped he asked her to do something for Valentine’s Day soon.

  “Did you learn anything new?” Hildie asked.

  “Nothing except her neighbor wasn’t paying attention at the time that would have been useful.”

  “She called you on your snooping, didn’t she?” Essie asked.

  I rolled my eyes. “Maybe. And she saw Toe there. But she didn’t see anything else.”

  “When Eli comes in you can present your case. I’m sure he’ll look into it,” Hildie said.

  I hoped so. Mildred might be ditsy but she was basically good. She’d been through a lot and I didn’t want to see anything else bad to happen to her. The woman deserved something good to happen in her life.

  At least the mystery at the diner was solved. No one would accidentally drive under the influence. Moonshine wouldn’t interfere with someone’s medication. I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if Derrick had continued spiking the syrup. I was surprised Reva had kept him on but I suspected there was something going on there. At least on her part. I saw the way she looked at him but the man seemed to be oblivious to how Reva felt about him.

  And the suspected infidelities had turned out to be the workings of bored teenagers. For that I was thankful. The town didn’t need more drama, we had plenty already. There was only one mystery left to solve. The missing red-head.

  If Eli didn’t get to the shop soon I would have to go to the station. My mind was swirling with possible scenarios based on the mess of Mildred’s house and none of them were good.

  The bell above the door jingled and I looked up. Eli stepped through and my stomach fluttered. I watched him saunter through the Cabana, the smile on his face making my heart race. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have him in my life. Before he could get to the counter I rushed out to meet him half way. I hugged him fiercely, kissed him on the lips then dragged him over to Toe’s table.

  “I’m so glad you’re back. Did you have a good time?”

  He grinned. “I did but I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.”

  “I can tell by the way you’re fidgeting that you want to tell me something. What’s been going on while I was away?”

  “So many things. I can tell you about the cheating later.”

  “Cheating?” Eli looked stunned. I’m such an idiot.

  I shook my head vigorously. “No, no! That’s a whole other thing that has nothing to do with us….just forget I said that.”

  Eli nodded with a smile on his face. He knew how scatterbrained I could be.

  “The most important thing is that Mildred is missing.”

  “You’re sure she’s missing?”

  The bell over the door jingled again. Figures that the usually quiet time of the day at the Cabana was turning into happy hour. Hildie gasped and I looked over at the door.

  Mildred, looking relaxed and bronzed stood there with a huge smile on her face. I thought I would faint.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  A chair actually toppled over as Toe and Hildie got up from their seats. Essie stayed seated not at all impressed that the woman in question was standing in the middle of the coffee shop.

  A few seconds later the bell jingled again and Jules ran into the Cabana, skidding to a stop when she saw Mildred.

  “I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

  Mildred turned around and flashed Jules a smile. “I’m back!”

  The woman looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen her. And happy. Bronze skin could only mean she’d been somewhere warm, probably tropical where she’d been outdoors for most of the day.

  “Mildred, where in the heck have you been? I was just
about to get Eli here to investigate your disappearance,” I said.

  Eli looked at me quizzically. “You’ll explain later?”

  I nodded and focused on Mildred again. “What happened?”

  “I’m sorry to have worried you. I didn’t have time to tell anyone I was leaving.”

  “Toe was supposed to work on your faucet. He went to your place and you weren’t there.”

  “Sorry about that. It all happened last minute and there wasn’t a lot of time to inform people of anything. The plane was leaving soon.”