by Kate Bell
He sighed loudly. “Now how did I know that? And why didn’t you tell me?” he said to my back.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going?” I asked, unlocking my car door. “How did you get here?”
“My neighbor was headed this direction so he dropped me off. I was going to ask to borrow your car. I really need to get one of my own.”
“Well, come on then, before I leave you behind,” I said, getting into my car and shutting the door.
He trotted over to the passenger side and got in. “Going my way?”
“You’re so cute,” I said and started the car and backed out of my driveway. “So who do you think will be at the funeral? Jennifer really wanted to go, but she has a test that she couldn’t get out of.”
“Seeing as how it’s Sandy Harbor, I’d say just about everyone will be there,” he said.
“I agree. But it’s mostly because Iris was a well liked schoolteacher. You can’t get any more popular than that in a small town.”
“That’s true,” he said.
***
The parking lot of the funeral home was packed. Cars lined the curb all the way around it and across the street at the medical office complex. I always thought it was convenient having a funeral home across the street from the doctor’s offices. You never know when something might go wrong.
I parked the car three blocks away and took Alec’s arm as we walked up to the funeral home.
“Catch me if I slip on these sidewalks,” I said to Alec. We had had a freeze overnight and there were patches of ice on the sidewalk.
“I will if you’ll catch me,” he said.
“Uh, I’m not so sure about that. You’re a lot bigger than I am,” I said as my foot slipped out from under me. Alec caught me before disaster struck.
“Like that?” he asked with a grin.
“Just like that,” I said.
Once inside, we found a seat in the back. If many more people showed up it was going to be standing room only. I nudged Alec when I spotted Josh Stine sitting near the middle. He kept dabbing at his eyes with a tissue. I turned to Alec and he shrugged. Lots of people were going to miss Iris.
I nudged him again when I spotted Janice. He turned toward the other side of the room and nodded slowly. I had to wonder why she was there. Had she and Iris made up after the affair was revealed? Or was she there for moral support for Richard? She sat next to three other women I recognized as elementary school teachers. If they were unaware of the affair, then it made sense that Janice would come if they asked. It would seem odd if she refused.
I leaned over to whisper to Alec. “I hope Hilda doesn’t freak out when she sees Janice here.”
Alec turned to me. “Oh, now that wouldn’t be good.” He sighed. “I wish people would think things through before attending funerals.”
I stifled a laugh. “You better be on the look out.”
Then I spotted Hilda as she staggered her way up the aisle toward the casket. It looked like Hilda had fallen off the wagon. We watched as she leaned over the thankfully closed casket and began sobbing.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” she cried. “I’m so sorry.”
We watched, unable to look away for nearly five uncomfortable minutes. “Maybe you should do something?” I whispered to Alec. I didn’t want to see her open the casket and cry all over Iris.
“I’m not the funeral bouncer, you know,” he said.
“I know, but someone needs to help her, just in case. You know?”
He sighed with resignation and got to his feet, making his way slowly down the aisle. I saw him whisper something to Hilda and she turned to look at him, her face turning a darker shade of red. I instantly regretted sending him down there. I saw Alec’s lips move and Hilda seemed to take a deep breath. She nodded and took his arm and they slowly made her way to the front pew. Hilda turned to him and nodded and sat down.
Alec made his way back to me and sat beside me. “Satisfied?”
“Very much so,” I said. “You’re such a gentleman.”
“I try.”
Richard sat on one end of the front pew and Hilda sat on the other. A woman about Hilda’s age and a man approached her and hugged her, then sat next to her. I wondered if they were Iris’s aunt and uncle.
I glanced at my phone for the time, and then turned the volume down in case it went off. We had another ten minutes until the service began and so far everyone was behaving themselves.
A few people went to the casket and laid a hand on it or spoke to it and it looked like things were going according to plan so far.
Then I saw Josh stand up and make his way to the aisle and up to the casket. His shoulders began to shake and his head bowed. I looked at Alec.
“I’m not going up there,” he said, looking at me.
I shrugged. I guess he couldn’t rescue everyone.
A few seconds later and Josh was crying loudly. He slammed a fist into the top of the casket and laid his head down on the top of it.
“Alec,” I hissed.
“Oh, come on, Allie,” he said putting his head down. “I can’t do this.”
“Richard looks really uncomfortable,” I whispered.
He looked to where Richard was squirming in his seat.
“Why can’t people behave at funerals?” he asked.
“Why do you think Josh is that emotional?” I whispered.
Alec shrugged. “He was kind of wired that day we saw him. He’s kind of nerdy. Maybe he’s got some emotional problems.”
“Are you going up there?” I whispered.
Alec put his head back and looked at the ceiling for a few moments. He sighed and stood up and made his way to Josh and whispered to him. Josh quieted down and then looked at Alec and nodded and then made his way back to his seat. Easy as that.
“What did you say to him?” I whispered when Alec sat down beside me.
“I told him she was in a better place now and she would be watching over him,” he said.
I slapped his arm. “You did not,” I hissed.
He shrugged. “I did. What else do you tell someone like that? He isn’t family and to be reacting that way, he’s got to be a little nutty.”
***
The service went off without a hitch and if it hadn’t been for Josh, it would have been completely uneventful. It was a relief and I was glad when it was over. My heels were killing me and I wanted to take them off.
“What did you think about Josh acting that way?” I asked Alec as I fastened my seatbelt. I had given him the car keys so I could kick my shoes off in the car. Wearing running shoes all day had made me unaccustomed to wearing high heels.
“I’m not sure what to think. I suppose he bears watching,” Alec said.
“We need to talk to him. His behavior is highly suspicious, if you ask me,” I said.
“You think everyone’s suspicious,” he said.
“Oh, come on,” I said. “You aren’t at all suspicious of him?”
“Actually, I am. And yes, we should talk to him. Does that make you feel better?” he asked.
“Yes, very much so,” I said and headed toward home. “We also need to get with Sam at the police department and see where the investigation is going.”
“Oh, can’t wait to do that,” he said.
“And I need to get home and get some baking done. I’m thinking a cheesecake of some kind. Maybe I’ll start with two different desserts per day to take to Henry’s. What do you think?”
“I think two a day is a good amount. Not too overwhelming,” he said. “And you’ll make enough for me to sample, right?”
“I think you need to keep an eye on your diet. You have a marathon to run in a few months.”
We were stopped at a signal light and he turned to look at me.
“Light’s green,” I said.
Chapter Fourteen
“I completely forgot to ask, how was the funeral?” Lucy asked me. She was leaning against my kitchen counter sampling my oatmeal raisin cookies. I wa
s still working on the recipe and had added extra nutmeg to them. It made the flavor pop.
“Oh, you know. It was a funeral. Not much to tell,” I said, sitting down at my kitchen table. I’d been on my feet all morning baking and I was pooped.
“You should have told me you were going. I enjoy a good funeral,” she said, picking up another cookie. Her blond hair was escaping the thick knit cap she was still wearing. The kitchen was warm from baking and she was making me sweat just looking at that hat.
“Why don’t you take that hat off? Aren’t you hot with it on?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.
“I can’t. I didn’t brush my hair this morning. Were there a lot of people there?” she asked.
“Since when is brushing your hair optional if you’re going out?” I asked. I mean, who did that? As an adult, I mean?
“Since I have a hat to hide it under. Answer me. Was there anyone interesting there?” she asked.
“Alec and I were there. We’re interesting. And yes, there were a lot of people. She was a good teacher and people really liked her. It’s such a shame. Oh, do you know a Josh Stine by chance?”
Her forehead scrunched up in thought. “Oh, you know, I think Melanie Stine is his mom. She works at Walmart. But I don’t think I know him. Why?”
“When we went to the school to talk to Janice Cross, he was there. He brought roses to Iris’s classroom. He was also at the funeral and he got very emotional,” I told her.
“Really? Why would he bring her roses? Did he know she was dead or did he think he was bringing them for her and she would be there to accept them from him?” she asked and came and sat at the table next to me.
“Yeah, he knew she was dead. He was a former student and I guess it made him feel good to bring the roses to her classroom,” I said with a shrug. “It makes some people feel good to bring flowers to the place they associate with the deceased person the most.”
“So you suspect him? That’s it, isn’t it?” she asked, eyeing me.
“Alec says I suspect everyone,” I said and got up to get myself a cookie.
“You do. Do you want to interrogate him?”
“I’d like to talk to his mom,” I said. “I bet she could give us some insight into him. Wait. She works at Walmart? He said he left college to take care of her because she was sick.”
“If she’s sick, it must be something recent. I think I saw her about a month ago and she seemed fine,” she said.
“Hmm,” I said, thoughtfully.
“I know that look. Let’s go,” Lucy said, getting to her feet.
***
Walmart wasn’t nearly as busy as I thought it would be when we got there. That was good. We’d have more of a chance to get Melanie Stine alone.
“What department?” I asked Lucy as we walked in.
“She’s a checker,” she said and we walked down the line of cash registers, looking for her. I had no idea what she looked like, but there were only four young, college age girls on the registers so I knew she wasn’t there.
“Maybe it’s her day off,” I said.
Lucy sighed. “Maybe she’s around. Let’s go for a walk.”
We headed toward clothing and went through each section, looking around displays and down each aisle. No Melanie.
“I bet she’s off today,” I said.
“Maybe. Let’s look in another department.”
We wandered around the entire store and all we had to show for it was my feet hurting more than they had when we started.
“I guess we better go,” I said. I was tired and ready to put my feet up. “Do you have her number? Maybe you can call her?”
“No, we’re more acquaintances than anything,” she said. “I used to see her at my therapist’s office and we struck up a conversation, and then I saw her working here. She’s a nice person.”
“Wait, you have a therapist?” I asked. It was the first I’d heard of it.
“Not for a few years,” she said looking at me. “What? It takes a lot to keep the crazy in sometimes. Let’s stop off in produce before we leave. I need to make a salad for dinner. Ed’s on a new health kick.”
“All right,” I said and we headed over.
The produce section was nicely taken care of and although it wasn’t as big as Shaw’s Market’s produce section, it was adequate. If I had to work at Walmart, I would want to work in produce. There weren’t nearly as many pesky customers in this section.
“Hi, Melanie!” Lucy called out as we looked through the lettuces.
A woman with a green apron and holding a produce spray hose, turned around. “Hi, Lucy,” she said. “How are you?”
Melanie had short red curly hair and wore gold wire rimmed glasses. She looked to be in her early fifties and she had a big smile on her face.
“Are you in produce now?” Lucy asked. We crossed the distance between us to where Melanie was lightly spraying down a display of fresh berries. I made a mental note to get more blueberries.
“Yeah, I got a promotion,” she said. “I love it!”
Lucy introduced us and I let Lucy lead since I didn’t know Melanie.
“So, Melanie, how have things been? I haven’t seen you in here for a while, and I was hoping you weren’t sick or anything,” Lucy said with concern.
“Me? No, I’m healthy as a horse. I never get sick,” she said and chuckled. “I eat a lot of vegetables.”
“Oh, that’s good to hear. I must have come in on your day off,” Lucy said, giving me the eye. “So, how were your holidays? Did your son come to spend Christmas with you? You did tell me you had one son, right?”
At the mention of her son, Melanie stopped smiling. “He did come home. I think I’m going to try and get him in to see Dr. Stewart. I think maybe a little therapy might be good for him. I’m worried about him.”
“Oh no,” Lucy said. “What’s wrong?”
I shook my head sympathetically.
She sighed and looked around. “He flunked out of school. He had wanted to go to Texas so bad, but he didn’t like it when he got there. He just wasn’t up to it. It’s not that he isn’t a good student you know, but he’s such a shy boy. It makes it hard for him to fit in. I told him to try and get into a distance learning program with the University of Maine.”
“College can be difficult for a lot of kids,” I said. “I have a daughter that’s the sensitive sort and she struggles sometimes. She stayed local for college so she could come home when she needed to. Maybe he could look into something close by?”
“Really? I should suggest that to him. What did you say your daughter’s name was?” she asked.
“Jennifer,” I replied without thinking.
“You know, maybe we should, you know, get them together? She’s shy, he’s shy. It could be a match made in heaven,” she said, beaming.
“Oh,” I said. I hadn’t thought of that when I’d volunteered the information about Jennifer. I had only said it to gain her sympathy and get her to open up.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Lucy said, looking at me and giving me a wink.
Jennifer would kill me. And I was going to kill Lucy. Alec would have to bail one or both of us out of jail, but I was not letting Josh anywhere near my daughter.
“I’ll certainly ask her, but you know, now that I think of it, I think she said she was seeing a new boy,” I said with a big smile.
“Oh, of course,” Melanie said. “I bet she’s a cute girl if she looks anything like you. But if it doesn’t work out, you’ll keep my Josh in mind, won’t you?”
Did she think the kid was applying for a job?
“Oh, of course,” I said. “We better get going, Lucy. Ed’s expecting that salad.”
“Yeah, we better get going. It was nice to see you again, Melanie. And congratulations on the new position,” Lucy said. “We’ll be seeing you around.”
“Yes, I’ll be seeing you,” Melanie said.
We picked up a bag of lettuce, a tomato, and some blueberr
ies and headed for the checkout. “Thanks for volunteering Jennifer for her kid,” I said. “I’m sure Jennifer will be thrilled.”
Lucy giggled. “Stop it. I was just trying to gain her trust.”
“Yeah, right.”
“What did you think about what she said?” Lucy whispered as we waited in line.
“Josh is a liar and a social misfit. It doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling, that’s for sure,” I said.
We checked out and headed home.
Chapter Fifteen
“This is perfect!” I said as Alec pulled the dessert display stand out of the shipping box.
“Yes, and apparently assembly is required,” he said as he pulled out glass panels sandwiched between Styrofoam sheets.
“Oh, but you’re so talented, it’ll be easy for you,” I said, looking over the instructions. The display stand was pricey, but it would be worth it. It had wheels so Cynthia would be able to move it if need be.
We had temporarily taken over Cynthia’s office for assembly purposes. Once Alec had all the parts laid out on the floor, he pulled out his toolbox. I didn’t even know he owned one.
“You know what?” I asked as I studied the instructions.
“What?” he asked, picking up part of the cherry wood frame.
“I’m thinking I over-bought on this thing. If I’m only making two desserts a day, this thing’s going to be nearly empty.”
“Hmm,” he said, holding his hand out for the instruction sheet. “I guess you can cut the pies and have pieces displayed on plates.”
“I don’t think they’ll stay fresh. And I think plastic wrap will make them look too cafeteria-ish. I can’t have that,” I said.
“Bake two of each and space them out,” he said absently. He pulled out a cordless screwdriver and began attaching one side of the frame to another.
“Maybe I can put something in the display case with them. Like holiday months I could put ornaments or something. Or teacups on saucers. Or something. I’m going to have to get with Lucy on this,” I said.
“Well, you two have your work cut out for you,” Cynthia said, poking her head in the open door.