by K. J. Emrick
Darcy nodded. As she went to get up their hands brushed each other. Darcy felt something akin to electricity scorch along her skin. She gasped in a breath and saw him do the same. Their eyes met and she felt like she was falling.
In a panic she rushed for the door, mumbling excuses. “Oh my, I didn’t realize exactly how late it is I should be getting home.”
The cool air outside helped clear her mind, but not the feel of his skin against hers.
Chapter Seventeen
Darcy went to work the next day all ready to ask her friends about Anna and Jeff. She was a bit nervous about all the questions she would have to ask them, but she knew that so many people in town loved to gossip that it wouldn’t seem unusual for her to ask. Well. The killer might be upset with her, she reminded herself.
The first logical place to start was at the bookstore. So while they were busy working, she slipped a few questions here and there to Sue. She was quite certain that Sue was innocent and Sue confirmed it for her when she told Darcy that she had been with her family when both Anna and Jeff had been killed.
Darcy decided to visit the bakery before lunch and talk to Helen. She found her friend with her nose in “And Then There Were None” once again. Darcy smiled to see someone else enjoying the book. Helen would be a welcome addition to the book club if she ever decided to join.
“It’s a good book isn’t it Helen?” The other woman jumped a little at Darcy’s voice. She must have been so engrossed in Agatha Christie’s tale that she hadn’t noticed Darcy was there.
“Oh, hi Darcy. Yes, it’s a great book. I’m almost done reading it and I can’t seem to put it down.” She set the book aside and frowned. “I’m so sorry about Jeff.” She sent Darcy a sympathetic look. “Did you want something, dear? Coffee?”
Darcy nodded and as Helen got it ready she said, “I’m really upset about all this. First Anna, now Jeff. I can’t seem to set my mind at ease. Can I ask you some questions?”
“What kind of questions?” Helen placed a cup of coffee on the counter for her in a brown styrofoam cup. Darcy noticed that she had made one for herself also. That was good. It helped her pretend her inquiries were just an informal chat.
“Did you hear,” Darcy started, “that the coroner got the time of death wrong for Anna? She was actually murdered at ten o’clock.”
“Really?” Helen said, her eyebrows raising. “How interesting. Did you hear that from Grace?”
“Yes,” Darcy lied. Her sister was as good an excuse as any for her knowing the things she did. “So now the police are trying to find out where everyone was at ten.”
Helen tilted her head to one side as thought about that. “Ten o’clock you say? How odd. That means I was all alone in my house when Anna died. I suppose I don’t have an alibi at all then, do I?” She laughed at the thought.
Darcy knew it couldn’t have been Helen, anyway, but she’d been hoping maybe Helen had been with someone, or knew something else. She took a sip of her coffee and tried to keep the conversation going. “This is such delicious coffee, Helen.”
Helen smiled in a pleased way. “I’m glad you enjoy it.” Then her smile slipped and she looked a little sad. “But I don’t know how much longer it will be around. Steve and I aren’t making enough money to justify keeping the bakery open. I may have to close the shop.”
Darcy was shocked. The Bean There Bakery and Café had been operating in Misty Hollow for as long as she could remember. “Oh no. I’m so sad to hear that, Helen. Is there anything I can do?”
Helen laughed. “Not unless you can turn back time or make me rich, dear.”
They drank their coffees in silence for a little while. While they drank, Darcy said, “Have you heard anything else unusual around town?”
“Unusual?” Helen shook her head. “You mean other than two good people getting killed? No I haven’t.”
Darcy reflected on Helen calling Jeff a ‘good person.’ Maybe those two had been friendly, after all. “Well, thanks for the coffee and the chat, Helen. I have to run now.”
Darcy walked slowly back to the bookstore, wondering what to do next. How did you solve a jigsaw puzzle that kept adding new pieces as you went?
***
Darcy and Jon met up at her house that night. She had done a whirlwind cleaning, knowing he was coming, and wondered why she was trying so hard.
“Everyone has a gray alibi.” Jon stopped when he noticed Darcy’s perplexed look. “That means that it doesn’t completely check out. There are only a few who have solid alibies.” He paused for a moment and consulted his notes. “Pete and Blake only have each other as alibies. Jess was home alone when Anna was killed and was at work helping the mayor when Jeff was killed. So again, those two are each other’s alibies. And Aaron was at home on his own each time.”
He sighed loudly and tossed the notepad down on her living room table. “This is useless. I think we should go and have a look in Jeff’s apartment. Maybe he found out something new since he last talked to you.”
“Didn’t you search there already?”
“Of course we did,” he said, standing up. “But we didn’t have you with us when we did.”
At Jeff’s apartment, Darcy found all of the paper’s she and Jeff had been working on. They were scattered on the kitchen table.
“We saw those already,” Jon explained to her. “Your sister Grace recognized your handwriting right away. So how far did you and he get?”
“Wait,” Darcy said, leafing through the pages. “There’s some missing.”
“Missing?” Jon looked over her shoulder. “You mean, like gone? Taken?”
“Looks like.”
“Maybe you were on the right track,” Jon said to her. Darcy sorted through the papers, looking for any new ones. Mixed in with them she found several bank statements for the town.
“Look here,” Darcy said as she turned and handed them to Jon. There was a name highlighted on the papers. Aaron, Grace’s husband. “You said he didn’t have an alibi, right?”
Jon nodded. “What are you thinking?” he said. “Was he stealing money from the town? Maybe Anna and Jeff found out somehow?”
Darcy didn’t want to say anything. She didn’t want to believe that Aaron could be the killer, for her sister as much for Aaron. But she reminded herself about what Jon had said before about sticking to the facts and not relying on your emotions. They had to run down every possibility, until there were none left.
***
Darcy and Jon walked to Grace and Aaron’s house. They had just spent the last couple of hours going over the bank statements, which proved that money was indeed being stolen from the town and put into another, nameless account.
When they arrived Jon knocked loudly on the door. Aaron opened it to them with a smile. “Hi guys. What’s up? Grace isn’t home at the moment.” He must have seen something on Darcy’s face, because his smile slipped a bit. “What’s going on?” he said as he looked back and forth between the two of them.
Without hesitation Jon stepped forward and grabbed Aaron by the upper arm. Darcy had to look away as Jon took out his handcuffs.
“You’re under arrest,” she heard Jon say.
Chapter Eighteen
Grace did not take the news well. “I just don’t understand what’s going on! How could you do this? Why would you arrest my husband?!”
Grace was crying. Darcy couldn’t remember ever seeing her this upset. She had been out doing an errand when Jon and Darcy had brought Aaron in but she’d come screaming into the police station not long after. Anger had quickly turned to frustration for her.
Jon laid a calming hand on Grace’s shoulder that she shrugged away. “Grace, listen to me. We found some papers in Jeff’s apartment that seem to incriminate Aaron.”
“In the murders? Are you insane?” Her voice echoed around the police department as several other officers looked on. They had heard about the arrest and come to watch. Darcy imagined everyone in town had heard about the ar
rest by now.
“I don’t know what he’s into, Grace. But you need to talk to him.” Jon went to his desk and came back with photocopies of the documents that Darcy had helped him find in Jeff’s apartment. “I’ve questioned him. He won’t talk to me. Maybe you can talk to him like a wife and get something out of him.”
She ripped the papers away from him, her fist wrinkling creases into them. “Screw that. You have nothing to hold my husband on. Let him go.”
Jon nodded as if he’d expected that answer. Quietly, he left the room to go and get Aaron. Grace glared at Darcy the whole time he was gone.
Aaron came flying out of the back of the building where the holding area was. He fell into Grace’s arms. “Come on,” he said to her, “let’s go home before your new partner changes his mind.” He gave Jon a dirty look and then turned it towards Darcy. Without another word he and Grace left the police station.
“He wouldn’t give me anything, Darcy. I’m not sure what we should do now,” Jon said, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Well, I know.” Darcy shook her head and crossed her arms over her stomach. “I know what to do, but you’re not going to like it.”
***
In the bookstore Darcy went around lighting candles as Jon looked on nervously.
“Uh, Darcy? I know I said I’d trust you and all, but what are you doing?”
This was the part he wasn’t going to like. She wasn’t wild about it, either. “We are going to have communicate with the other side to try and channel the spirit of Anna. Maybe she can shed some light on this whole situation.”
Darcy saw the look that Jon gave her. She was used to the scepticism of others. She just smiled and finished preparing the space. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s sit and hold hands.”
They sank to the floor, cross legged, and Jon gave her his hands. She bit her lip at the warm sensation that flowed through her at his touch. She had to concentrate for this to work. She swallowed and pushed aside thoughts of the gorgeous man she was holding hands with by candlelight, and instead pictured the fog in her mind.
Nearby, within the circle of candles, mist coalesced in ethereal tendrils. She watched it, wondering if Jon could see it too. She let it happen, let the bridge between this world and the next solidify until the mist became a spirit, became the form of a figure. A woman’s form, tall and shimmering dark.
But it wasn’t Anna, it was Millie. Great-Aunt Millie once again floated over to the book shelf and took Agatha Christie’s thriller from the shelf and sent it flying at Jon. The book hit him squarely in the head. He yelped loudly and jumped up and as he did it broke the connection the communication had created and Millie disappeared.
Darcy sighed. Millie’s obsession with that book was becoming annoying. And what did she have against Jon? Knowing they weren’t going to be able to connect to the other side for a while she pulled Jon into the employee area of the shop where there was a small refrigerator and freezer unit.
Using a plastic bag she dropped ice into it and handed it to Jon. “Here. This will help with that knot that’s forming on the back of your head.” She gently laid the ice pack to his skull. His hand slipped over hers and she pulled back at the touch of it. Once again, she looked up into his face.
“I, uh, didn’t realize that you were quite so tall.” She heard the breathlessness in her own voice. She’d been right. He was very distracting.
He smiled at her. “I’m glad to have you on my side, Darcy. Only, no more flying books, okay?” His voice was quiet when he spoke.
“Yes, I agree.” She laughed softly. “And I’m glad you’re on my side, too. I couldn’t do this without you.”
Standing this close she could see flecks of silver around the pupil of his deep blue eyes. And those cute freckles across his nose were begging for her to kiss them.
Her breath stalled as he moved in closer until their bodies were just touching. She watched in fascination as his head lowered towards hers. The first touch of his lips to hers felt so right. The kiss was soft and sweet and electrifying and everything a first kiss should be.
Darcy couldn’t remember the last time she had felt like this, or if she had ever felt like it before. For a moment she was able to forget about all of the doom and gloom that had been hanging around her lately. There was nothing but this moment.
When they broke apart Darcy laid her head on Jon’s chest for a moment. This was perfect. Like a story from a book. Then she suddenly gasped.
Jon leaned back and held her by her upper arms. “What’s wrong?”
“I know what Millie has been trying to tell us. That book. The only person I know who is reading that book right now is Helen.”
“But…you said the killer was a man. Remember?”
That was right. Darcy didn’t know where Great-Aunt Millie was leading them, but she was sure it had something to do with that book. Helen was the key.
Jon and Darcy headed to the police station to see if they could find any information on Helen. She still didn’t know where Millie was guiding them. Darcy just couldn’t believe that Helen would have killed two people. She was the nicest person that Darcy knew. There was no motive.
Wait. Yes there was.
She sat with Jon at his desk. “Helen told me she was having trouble with the rent on her shop. She didn’t know if she and Steve would be able to keep it open. Maybe she stole money from the town and then Anna and Jeff somehow found out.”
Jon scratched his head. “Maybe. It’s as solid a theory as anything else we have. I’ll trail Helen about for a while and see if I can get any hard evidence on her.
Chapter Nineteen
Darcy was distracted at work the next day. She wanted to know what Jon was finding out. As she put some new books on display she dropped an entire rack. Sue came over to help her with an odd glance but no comments. Darcy couldn’t help it. She really didn’t want Helen to be guilty.
The bell over the door jingled to announce the arrival of a customer. Darcy watched Linda come in and right up to the counter.
“What can I do for you today Linda?” Sue asked in her usual bubbly voice. Darcy moved over to stand behind the counter with Sue.
Linda shook her head. “Oh I’m not in here to buy anything. I just wanted to ask both of you to a little last minute memorial at my place tonight. I know that everyone has been so on edge lately, but I really want to honor the memory of Anna and Jeff.”
Sue and Darcy exchanged a look before saying that they would be there. Darcy was dreading going to it, especially since Helen would be there also. But on the other hand it would be a good opportunity for her to observe all of the suspects in one place.
Kind of like in “And Then There Was None.”
***
Darcy had gotten to the memorial at Linda’s house early so that she could observe everyone as they arrived and mingled. She was hovering with Linda and Sue when Mark walked in, eyes darting one way and then the other. He looked really unsettled.
“Mark looks really nervous doesn’t he?” Sue noticed.
Linda nodded. “Yes, he does.” Darcy agreed with them but then reminded herself that he did have a firm alibi.
As she watched the crowd, Darcy saw Jess making her way towards them.
“Hello all,” she greeted them. Jess was once again dressed very fashionably with another lovely designer dress and matching expensive shoes. Darcy saw the look Sue gave to the outfit.
Darcy decided to do a little digging. “Jess, can you confirm a rumor for me?”
Jess shrugged. “I will if I can.”
“I heard you have a new fellow. I wanted to know who it was.”
Jess flushed and shook her head, her red locks bouncing. “You must be mistaken, Darcy. There’s no one new in my life.”
Darcy thought that was strange. Jess was usually a huge gossip who had no trouble telling everything, even about her own life. Had the rumors been wrong?
There was a moment of silence while th
e women tried to pick up the conversation. “So, Darcy,” Linda finally asked. “Are there any updates on the case?”
Now was the time to strike, Darcy knew. “We have a very strong suspect. Jon and Grace think we’re close to solving the case.”
“Oh? Is that why they arrested Grace’s husband?” Jess pressed.
“Well.” What could she say about that? “That would be police business, I guess. Grace doesn’t tell me everything.”
They all hushed as Pete walked behind where they were standing. He looked very upset. Pointing discreetly at him Sue said, “I heard a new rumor about him. Apparently he’s been going to that acting studio in Meadowood every week to take acting lessons.” Meadowood was the next town over from Misty Hollow and was quite a bit bigger.
Acting lessons? Darcy considered that. Depending on how good he was at acting…
She needed to tell Jon this piece of information right away so she excused herself from the other women. She found Jon standing alone beside the makeshift bar that Linda had set up in one corner of her living room. She could see he was scanning the crowd, checking out all of the suspects, much more obvious about it than she had been. She hurried over to him. When she got to him he took hold of her hand and she couldn’t control the shiver she felt at his touch.
“Have you found anything out?” he asked her.
“I think so. I just saw Pete and he looked really upset, but maybe it was all an act.” She went on to tell him what she had learnt about Pete taking acting lessons.
“That’s interesting. Well, I haven’t been able to find anything on Helen yet. Maybe there just isn’t anything to find out. Maybe she isn’t the one.”
Darcy didn’t know how much longer she could take this. Suspecting everyone she knew of murder was taking its toll on her.
“Hey, you look upset.” Jon ran a finger across her cheek, then stepped back, both of them conscious of how almost the entire town was at the memorial.
She smiled at him. “I really just want to go home. I’m too tired to be at a party. Even one for the dead.”