by Tonya Kappes
The faint smell of his cologne curled around my nose when I walked past him. The memories of us hit me like a two-by-four, stopping me in my tracks. I looked at him. The muscles in my face tightened. A vague sense of familiarity passed between us.
“Yeah, dead body.” I choked out knowing that it was everything about being back that was crowding all the space in my head.
Ten
Thank goodness running the coffeehouse was on automatic pilot for me and I didn’t have to think so much when it came to perfecting the coffee or the light baking I was offering to the customers. It was a good front for what I was truly feeling internally.
The beautification committee had been busy. There were twinkling lights strung along the wood railing of the boardwalk and down the pier. The tents for the vendors were set up along each other and they too had twinkling lights connecting them. Pepper and Patrick walked ahead of Louise and me.
“You know he’s available.” Louise nudged me. “And Pepper loves him.”
“Now you’re sounding like Aunt Maxi,” I said. “And you make it seem as though I’m a single mom.”
“Pepper is a special baby. He has a way of bringing people together.” She nodded and carefully held onto the tray of cookies. “In fact, many people wanted to adopt him, but he never seemed as interested as he was in you.”
“Is that right?” I asked and watched as a speed boat zoomed down the lake. I squinted to see if I recognized it as the one from this morning, but when they sped past the pier, the cross section of the stern wasn’t sparkly like the one I’d seen this morning.
“Well, he did have a date once with that awful Leslie Roarke but she showed her true colors by two-timing him with Spencer.” Louise tsk’d.
“Officer Shepard?” My eyes popped open and I stopped in my tracks.
“Oh, honey. If you want him, he’s single too.” She wiggled her drawn-on eyebrows. “You can’t go wrong with either of them. Both strong, nice as pie, and I bet they taste just as sweet.” She winked.
“No thank you.” Leslie Roarke wasn’t exactly what I’d call a sweet young woman and she clearly didn’t see the appeal of either man. “I’m curious.” I stopped. “What on earth did they see in her?”
“Leslie Roarke can put on the charm and switch it off in an instant. She’s a gold digger and would stop at nothing to get what she wants.” Louise leaned closer to me. “Between you and me, Alexis told me once that she and Leslie got in a fight because she said that Leslie wanted everything handed to her all her life. Since she was a single mom she had spent all her life working at Crooked Cat and every penny went to Leslie. When the economy started to dip around here, that’s when Leslie decided she needed to be taken care of.” Louise pursed her lips. “Who better to take care of her than the richest bachelor in town?”
“Who?” I asked and pulled back.
“Patrick Cane of course.” A mischievous look came into her eyes. “Then you’ve got Spencer who’s set to have a great political career here in Honey Springs and from what I hear, the mayor’s office is in his sights. Wouldn’t Leslie love to be the first lady of Honey Springs.”
Someone called for Louise from the door of All About The Details and she scurried over while I took a minute to look around the boardwalk. Around this time of year, the days started to get longer. The sunset reached out and over the lake sending a magical glow over the boardwalk. Honey Springs was beautiful and even though the day’s sadness lingered in the night air, I was still happy to be here.
My phone chirped from my back pocket. I put the thermos down and took it out, eagerly pressing the talk button when Aunt Maxi’s face appeared on the screen.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m home. I’m going to be late to the meeting.” She acted as though nothing was going on.
“Where were you all day? Everyone is looking for you.” I curled my chin down into my chest when I noticed Officer Shepard was looking at me from underneath the awning of All About The Details.
“Who’s looking for me?” she asked.
“Didn’t you hear?” I asked through my gritted teeth. “Alexis Roarke is dead. I found her this morning and the cops want to talk to you.”
“To me?” she shouted into the phone. I pressed it closer to my ear as if someone else could hear her. “I didn’t kill the old biddy.”
“And that’s why they want to talk to you,” I referred to how she addressed Alexis. “Apparently, everyone is in a big uproar because of a public fight you had with her over the rent.”
“Inflation!” Aunt Maxi screamed through the phone. “I’ve been painting the duplexes in town all day long getting it ready to put a for rent sign in the yard.”
“You didn’t check your phone?” I asked. “I’ve been calling all day.”
“I didn’t take it with me. I just got home and saw where you’ve been burning it up so I called back before I jumped in the shower.” She paused. “Did Patrick get your oven fixed this morning?”
“Yes. Thank you, but that’s not our main concern right now.” I jumped around when I felt a presence next to me. “Spencer,” my heart dipped. “I…I…,” I stammered. “I’ll be right with you.”
“Is that Maxine?” he asked. I guess my silence told him the truth. “Tell her that I need her to call me ASAP.” He held his hand out. “Let me talk to her.”
“Bye.” I pushed the off button and put the phone back in my pocket.
“Why did you do that?” he asked.
“Come on, Roxy,” Patrick interrupted me and Spencer and I was so happy for it. I wasn’t sure how long I was going dodge him about Aunt Maxi.
“Roxy, you need to answer my questions.” A look of displeasure spread across Spencer’s face.
“I’ve got to go.” I grabbed the thermos and took off toward Patrick and Pepper.
Once I got to the door and turned back around, Spencer had bolted down the boardwalk, no doubt on his way to Aunt Maxi’s house.
I quickly texted her to let her know that Spencer was probably on his way to find her and that she should make herself scarce until I could talk to her.
All About The Details was definitely true to the name. The inside was definitely about the details of what the shop was about. When you walked through the double doors, it opened into an entryway that was decorated for the Honey Festival. There were three large, bright yellow and black constructed beehives on each side of the walkway that led down to a large ballroom. The beehives had large bees painted in bright colors that were stuck out of the top of them. The base of the beehives had drips of honey with a flag across the bottom with the Honey Festival logo.
The ballroom tables had white linen tablecloths and about ten chairs around each table. There was a stage in the very front. The lighting was dimmed purple. There were place settings on the tables with fine china and stemmed crystal to go along with the cloth napkins and sterling silverware. In the middle of each table was a smaller version of the bee hives in the entrance. An assortment of honeys in mason jars was placed on the tables.
“Very nice, right?” Crissy stood next to me, waving the big diamond ring around. “They are hosting the festival dance here.”
“Where’d you get your ring?” I asked, going off the subject.
“Oh this.” She held it out in front of us. “It looks real right?” She moved it around.
“Uhh, huh.” My mouth twisted. It so didn’t look real. “Festival dance?” I asked, going back to our conversation.
“Yeah.” She wiggled her shoulders. “You’ve got to come. It’s going to be a blast. Especially for us single gals. Which reminds me.” She bounced on her toes. “You’re coming tonight, right?”
“Where?” I asked. “The day’s events have me a little off kilter.”
“The bar! All the girls are coming. I told everyone at the spa that the rumors were true. Roxanne Bloom was back in town and breaking hearts just like she did every summer.” Crissy’s face scrunched up with the biggest
smile.
“Breaking hearts?” I laughed.
“Don’t try to deny how those two boys were clamoring after you this morning. Falling all over each other.” Crissy gave me a long theatrical wink.
“You’ve not changed a bit.” I brushed off the comment.
“You’ve got that right.” She grabbed me by the arm. “Come on, we’ll be late and they still hate it when you’re late around here.”
She dragged me to the right of the entryway, past a few doors that had signs with office engraved on them and down the hall to a smaller banquet room where there were straight back chairs lined up and a small table at the front facing the chairs.
“Can we please start the meeting?” The man stood next to the table in the room.
I eased down into a seat in the back row next to Crissy but not without noticing that Patrick, Pepper and Louise had taken seats up front. My cookies and coffee were sitting on the table and they looked half ravaged.
“Excuse me. Excuse me.” A woman walked in front of me and Crissy to get to the seat in the middle of the row where we were sitting. Her purse hanging on her shoulder whacked me in the face. “Sorry. Excuse me. Excuse me.”
“She’s always late.” Crissy rolled her eyes. “She’s the president of the beautification committee. Perfect marriage.” Crissy knocked her head side to side. “At least that’s what everyone says at the spa.”
I simply pressed my lips together and nodded. This was a far cry from where I’d been the last twelve years. No room for gossip when you went to college and focused on being number one in your law school class, with late nights studying with my ex-cheater, Kirk Swindle. I fell hard for his suave mannerisms. His work ethic was so appealing too, not to mention his celebrity good looks. We’d spent a long time during our internship with the best law firm in NYC. It was a dream come true. When we couldn’t deny the chemistry between us, we fell hard. At least I fell hard. It was perfect. Life was perfect and any hint of Patrick Cane was left in my memory, though every once in a while his name tugged at my heart. When that happened, I’d throw myself back into my perfect life and make excuses as to why I couldn’t visit Aunt Maxi or fly her to see us. I should have known to stay away from an attorney named Swindle, heck, that’s why I’d kept my maiden name.
The woman plopped down into the chair next to me and let out an audible sigh.
“Sorry,” she said flatly and dragged her purse onto her lap. “Mari Kirkwood.” She put her hand out.
“Roxanne Bloom.” I shook it.
“You new here?” she asked. She had moody grey eyes, dark hair, and a thin build. She looked to be around five-foot-three.
“Not really.” My brows furrowed. “Maybe. Sort of.”
“Aw, hell. This is Maxine Bloom’s niece.” Crissy snorted from around me. “She owns The Bean Hive. I’m sure you’ve heard all about her at craft club or the beautification committee.”
“Yes. Where is Maxine?” Mari’s chin lifted above the crowd and looked around.
“She’s at home.” I smiled. “It was nice to meet you,” I added in a whisper when I noticed someone was up in front addressing the group.
“Shame to hear about Alexis.” Her eyes dipped along with the corners of her mouth. “Do they know who killed her?”
“Not that I heard of, but there’s a lot of speculation.” Crissy’s lips pursed.
“Don’t you remember how she talked about that daughter of hers?” Mari whispered across me. I leaned back in the chair so the two of them could gossip. Fine with me. Anything that I could use to get Aunt Maxi off the suspect list was welcome. “She’d said at the committee meeting last week that her daughter had slammed the shop’s door shut and shattered that glass.”
“I forgot all about that.” Crissy seemed to be noodling the idea. “Then there was that time they came in for that Mother’s Day special we was offering at the Honey Comb—they didn’t get past the receptionist area without fighting about something.”
“You ask me.” Mari nodded. “She’s a no count and Spencer Shepard needs to be looking into her.”
The woman in front of us turned around and gave them the wonky eye. Crissy offered an apologetic smile. Not Mari. She straightened her shoulders, shook her hair, and glared at her.
“I never,” she tsk’d before she folded her arms across her chest and crossed her leg over the other, swinging the dangling foot.
I tuned into the meeting; it seemed to be a typical council meeting going over the budget and the different committees.
“Is Mari here?” the man up front asked.
“Here!” Mari’s hand shot up and her purse fell to the ground.
At the same time, we both went down to pick up her purse and our heads smacked together. We jerked up and rubbed our heads before we busted out laughing.
It seemed her scattered appearance was more than just at this moment. Her shoes had dried mud on them and the hem of her pants was falling out.
“I’m here.” She had her purse gathered up in her arms and stood up. “The beautification committee will be putting up the last of the decorative flags on the carriage lights. I was supposed to get those up this morning, but with Drew out of town, I had a lot of things at home to get completed and that includes the council luncheon set for the day after the festival. Which reminds me. Have y’all RSVP’d to the email I sent?” she asked the group.
A few nods and murmurs rumbled through the group.
“They never RSVP.” Mari looked down at me and snarled. “Never. How hard is it people?”
“I can’t believe after the day our community has had, that y’all are still having this meeting!” Leslie busted through the door. “My. Mother. Was. Murdered!” There was a gasp and pause after each one of her words.
“This day couldn’t get any better.” Crissy rubbed her hands together and sat up straight. “This will provide the Honey Comb plenty of chair talk tomorrow.”
Leslie marched down the aisle, her fizzy hair flopping. The entire room grew silent. Mari eased back down in her chair. She picked up the rest of the contents of her purse off the floor and stuffed them in before she stood back up.
“Excuse me. Sorry.” She winced. “Excuse me. Lots to do. I don’t have time to listen to this crap.”
“You aren’t going to wait around to see what happens?” Crissy couldn’t believe Mari would leave.
“I’ve got flags to hang.” Mari rolled her eyes. “Say,” she bent over Crissy and put her hand on my knee, “do you think you could whip up something sweet and do one of those coffee bars for the luncheon at my home on Monday after the festival?”
“I. . .” I hated to turn down business. I was closed on Sundays even though I was in the coffeehouse baking and preparing the menu and specialty drinks for the upcoming week. I was sure I could slip in something good for the Monday meeting. “I’d love to.”
“Great.” She patted my knee. “I’ll come see you tomorrow during the festival.”
I nodded at her but my eyes focused on Leslie.
“My mother was murdered and you want to continue with the festival?” She shook with anger.
“Leslie dear,” Louise stood up. “Your mother would’ve wanted us to continue.”
Leslie glared at her with a hatred that scared me. She moved her eyes to Patrick. Her face softened.
“Patrick,” she cried out. “You can help me.”
Patrick stood up and curled Leslie into the crook of his muscular arm. A tinge of sickness pierced my gut, taking me off guard. He whispered something in her ear. She let out a few sniffles and batted her eyes at him.
“I’m going to puke.” Crissy stuck her tongue out to drive the point home.
“She’s got a right to be upset about her mom.” I could already tell I wasn’t going to be friends with Leslie, but I did feel awful for her circumstances with her mother, not about her being in Patrick’s arms.
“You know what, you say I haven’t changed,” Crissy cocked a brow. “You haven�
�t changed and that’s why this world has swallowed you up and spit you out, right back here.”
Inwardly I growled at Crissy and turned my attention on Patrick as he passed down the aisle with a crying Leslie on his shoulder. His eyes met mine as they walked past the row I was sitting in. There was a gentle understanding settled in them.
“Pepper,” I called for my dog who was trotting next to them. He ran over to me and jumped into my lap. I focused all my attention on him.
“Sorry for the interruption, folks,” the mayor said from the front of the room, bringing the attention back to the meeting. “We are all saddened about the death of Alexis Roarke. She was a very important member of this community and we are sure she’d want us to continue with the festival since she was a very instrumental in bringing the boardwalk back to life as a member of the beautification committee as well as the festival.”
Very instrumental? I wondered what that meant. Aunt Maxi wanted the festival here too. I took a quick look around. Spencer wasn’t back. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and Aunt Maxi hadn’t texted me back. Aunt Maxi might’ve had words with Alexis, but I couldn’t get the mayor’s words out of my head about Alexis making sure the festival was on the boardwalk.
The what-ifs swirled around. What if someone in the town was mad about moving it because it would hurt their business? What if she didn’t support the other side and made someone else mad? From all the shows I’d seen on TV, money was a big reason to be murdered and business was business, which included money. If Alexis had taken money out of someone’s pocket, maybe that was why she’d gotten killed.
Besides, Aunt Maxi couldn’t hurt a flea off of one of the dogs at the Pet Palace much less kill a person.
“How about The Bean Hive?” Louise bounced back on her feet and pointed back to me. “Roxy is going to have a lot of business and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
“Mind what?” I asked in a soft voice and with a shocked look.
“The tickets.” Louise smiled back at me. “Stand up!” She instructed me and lifted her palms to the ceiling. “This is Roxanne Bloom. She owns The Bean Hive and she brought the tea cookies all y’all are enjoying.”