A Flair for Chardonnay

by Deborah Garner

  "What happened?" Sadie asked a woman with a wide-brimmed hat shading a face with faint traces of wrinkles that marked her as middle-aged.

  "Oh, it's terrible," the woman said, her voice trembling. "A body, can you believe it? And such a nice family. I can't believe it. I just can't believe it." She paused, turning to look at Sadie. "Can you believe it? Of course not. Who could?" She turned back to watch the activity, satisfied at her answer to her own question.

  "Is it a family member?" Somehow it seemed more tragic if it turned out to be someone she'd met, a thought that struck her as slightly irrational.

  "I don't know. The police won't let anyone near. They're questioning them one at a time.” The woman gulped some red wine, splashing a few drops of it on her beige cable knit sweater as she removed the glass from her lips.

  Sadie looked around. Angelo stood at the tasting room entrance, waving his arms as he carried on a heated discussion with an officer. The elderly mother, Elena, sat on a patio chair, wringing her hands and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, an impassive Luisa at her side, one hand resting on her mother's shoulder.

  Not a family member, Sadie thought, seeing how unmoved Luisa was by the turn of events. A work hand, perhaps? Or simply a visitor? Sadie shuddered at the last thought. Wrong place, wrong time. After all, she was a visitor and might very well have been the victim.

  Circling the crowd, she worked her way closer to Angelo and the police officer, moving close enough to hear part, though not all, of the animated discussion.

  "I don't even know what he was doing here," Angelo shouted at the officer questioning him. "We stopped meeting with him weeks ago."

  Sadie watched the officer pose another question, his hushed words impossible to hear. It was clear he was trying to get the agitated Tremiato brother to calm down by speaking softly. Angelo ran one hand through his hair and began to pace. "None of this makes any sense."

  "I think that's enough," a voice interrupted.

  Sadie looked over her shoulder, watching Luisa approach. Just as Luisa began to speak with Angelo and the officer, a loud scream from the fermentation building shattered her efforts.

  "No! Please, this is some crazy mistake!" Two deputies exited the building, escorting out a distraught woman. Sadie gasped. It was Tina Tremiato, owner of The Vintage Vine. Stefano was nowhere in sight. Elena walked to Tina, handkerchief flouncing in the air as she shook her hand at the deputies.

  "Enough! You will let my son's wife go right now." Elena attempted to pull Tina toward her, but the deputies stopped her.

  "I'm sorry, ma'am. But we need to take her in for questioning."

  Interesting that Stefano was not with Tina at such a time of crisis, Sadie mused. Probably at the store, or on his way. As if on cue, a car pulled up alongside the building. Stefano jumped out of the vehicle.

  "Questioning? At a time like this?" Luisa's stern tone caused the deputies to glance at each other and then back to her as one deputy replied.

  "Yes, precisely at a time like this. She's the one who discovered the body. We need to get details while they're fresh in her mind."

  Not to mention finding out if she's responsible, Sadie added silently.

  "That's ridiculous!" Stefano shouted as he arrived at Tina's side.

  "Sir, please lower your voice." The deputy attempted to move Tina along, but Stefano blocked the way.

  "Sir, I'll need you to step aside. You're welcome to meet us at the station."

  Luisa stepped forward and placed a hand on Stefano's arm, much in the same reassuring way that she'd touched their mother's shoulder before.

  "It's OK, Stefano. We'll call Nick and he'll straighten this out in no time."

  Stefano turned to Luisa. "How can you be so calm? This is our family, our business, our reputation. You can’t trust that a lawyer can solve everything. Nick is a nice guy, but don’t forget lawyers are ultimately after that paycheck.”

  “You just don’t approve of me dating him,” Luisa said, her voice cool.

  “I’ve never said that.”

  “You don’t have to, Stefano. I know you.”

  Sadie watched as the deputies skirted the arguing siblings and escorted Tina to a police car. It struck Sadie as odd that instead of following closely behind the officers and Tina, Stefano continued to argue with Luisa. In fact, all the interactions between the Tremiatos seemed fraught with tension and criticism. How the family managed to run a business – several businesses – without imploding was a puzzle. That phone call she’d overheard at the chocolate store certainly fit into the family dynamics she’d observed since she arrived at the winery. Yet Matteo was supposedly estranged from the family. Or was he?

  "Basta!" Elena's command stopped the arguing between Stefano and Luisa. "That is enough! We will not talk more here. There are guests and polizia!"

  Like obedient children, the two quieted down.

  "That man should not have been here," Elena continued, waving her handkerchief again. "I told him he’d be sorry if he came around again!"

  Luisa hurried to hush her mother. "Shhh. Stop talking!”

  “He pushed too hard, Luisa,” Elena continued. “It was insulting, as if I’m not capable of handling our family business myself!”

  "Mama," Luisa said, “Let me take you to the house to rest. You’re upset and not thinking clearly."

  Luisa took Elena to the farmhouse behind the tasting room, to settle her in the family's living quarters. Stefano returned to his car, started it up and followed the squad car holding Tina as it wound its way down the driveway. Sadie watched as the police secured the fermentation building with yellow tape and stood by, probably waiting for the coroner. Most guests returned to their cars, anxious to get away from the unpleasant scene. A few chose to calm their nerves with another glass or two of wine in the tasting room.

  Sadie weighed her options and decided to head to the tasting room. A glass of chardonnay didn't sound too bad after the scene she'd just witnessed. And she had a hunch there were clues all around her that could tell her what was happening with the Tremiato family. Whatever was going on at the property was surely connected to Matteo's argument on the phone. Hadn't Matteo told the person on the other end of the line to stop threatening him? Sadie shuddered. No, she wouldn’t entertain those kinds of thoughts. She’d been friends with Matteo for years.

  The tasting room was buzzing like a beehive, the guests who'd chosen to stay chatting up a storm. Angelo was busy pouring half glasses of wine, but seemed tight-lipped. His gaze flitted from one guest to the next, to the front door, the back door and back to the guests. Sadie thought he looked a cross between lost and nervous, yet not 100 percent one way or the other. Was he watching for someone in particular?

  Sadie bustled through the small crowd and leaned against the counter, grabbing a miniature crab cake off one of many trays intended to feed a much larger group than remained. She was in the process of reaching for a second when she saw Luisa step up beside Angelo and whisper to him. Angelo set the wine bottle down and stepped aside, clearing a few glasses guests had left after the commotion began.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Luisa said. “As you know we’ve had a terrible shock today. I’m so sorry you had to be here for this tragedy when you expected a happy celebration. I’m afraid we need to postpone the festival to next weekend. If you’re on our mailing list, you’ll receive a reminder. If you aren't, please sign up. The mailing list forms are by the front door.” She paused to allow a few seconds of polite, but nervous laughter. “Thank you for understanding. We hope to see you all next week.”

  The small crowd took the immediate hint, most setting their glasses down and heading for the door. A few took generous swigs of wine before they followed the other guests. The woman with the wide-brimmed hat, who had lingered with the others, grabbed a slice of bruschetta on her way out. How insensitive, Sadie thought, then paused. Or just practical? She grabbed a bruschetta for herself and headed for the door.

  “Excuse me!”


  Sadie recognized Luisa’s voice and her inner third grader prepared to say, “She took one first!” However, she held her tongue, turned around and returned to the counter.

  “We met yesterday, I think.” Luisa didn’t make eye contact, instead surveying the full trays that spanned the length of the counter.

  “Yes,” Sadie said. “I came back for the event today, but it’s clearly a bad time, so I’ll go and let your family have privacy.”

  “That’s nice of you,” Luisa said, her tone noncommittal. “I was wondering if you happen to be staying at my sister-in-law’s bed and breakfast, The Vintage Vine, the inn we recommended to you yesterday.”

  Sadie paused searching for the right words. After all, they’d just watched the police cart off the innkeeper. “Well, I am, but perhaps I should look for another room, in view of the circumstances.” The thought hadn't occurred to her yet, but it might not be the best lodging choice for the evening. The police might need to search the place, and what would guests do without an innkeeper? Would other guests even be staying? Did Tina have an assistant to take over?

  “I’m glad you’re a guest there,” Luisa said, ignoring Sadie’s statement about possibly changing inns. “We can’t possibly eat all this food we had catered in. I need to stay with our mother, who’s very upset, and Angelo is going to be tied up at the fermentation building with police reports and who knows what other paperwork. I was wondering if you might take at least some of this back with you. At least there’s a full house, so it won’t go to waste.”

  Sadie eyed a tray of stuffed mushrooms. “Of course, anything to help.” Where was the chocolate?

  “Thank you. How many can you take?”

  “Three.” Sadie paused, thinking. “No, I could take four, I think.” The tote bag can go on the floor. Coco won’t mind.

  Luisa stepped into a back room and brought out foil to cover the trays. She dropped the foil on the counter, telling Sadie to pick a variety, then pulled a cell phone out of a cobalt blue Coach bag and returned to the back room. Sadie tried to listen in – eavesdropping being a necessary evil in her side career – but the conversation was too hushed, and Luisa’s voice maintained its usual calm. Sadie couldn't help but wonder if this monotone manner indicated that Luisa was less than satisfied with the family business, or even the family itself.

  Choosing one tray each of bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, an array of cheese and a carefully selected mixture of miniature quiches and crab cakes, Sadie covered the fancy food with foil and waited for Luisa to return. The phone call ended, but Luisa didn’t emerge from the back, so Sadie took a tray to the car, setting her tote bag on the floor to make room for the others. After three more trips, she was done. She returned once more to tell Luisa she was leaving, but the tasting room was still empty. An additional box was on the counter with a note attached in perfect cursive saying, “Take this, too, please.”

  “Luisa?” Sadie’s call to the sole Tremiato daughter went unanswered. “I’m leaving now.” Again, no response, though this gave her time to peek inside the box. Chocolate-drizzled cream puffs!

  After one last attempt to tell Luisa she was leaving, Sadie loaded the dessert box into her car. A glance toward the police tape showed her the coroner had arrived in a county ambulance. Happy to skip the next round of activity – she’d never been too crazy about body bags – Sadie buckled up and headed back to The Vintage Vine, exquisite feast in tow.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Sadie arrived back at The Vintage Vine to find two police cars already parked in front. The lack of flashing lights and yellow police tape only took a slight edge off the scene. Somehow she’d expected to return to a quiet inn and had wondered what to explain or not explain to other guests. Now that problem was solved. Maybe. Of course the police had sent cars already! Why hadn’t that occurred to her? If they were considering Tina a suspect, they’d want to gather any evidence before it could be disturbed. Or if they believed someone else to be involved, they’d still need to search the inn before anything incriminating could disappear.

  Parking her car in the side lot, Sadie grabbed her tote bag and one tray and entered through the back door. She dropped her tote bag off in her room and took the tray to the kitchen, where she found two officers searching drawers.

  “Ma’am, you’ll need to stay out of here until we finish searching the kitchen.”

  “I understand,” Sadie said. “I’m just not sure where to put these trays then. I have three more in the car.”

  One officer paused, the beam from a flashlight lingering inside a cupboard. “What’s in them?”

  “Appetizers from the Harvest Festival. It’s been postponed because…well, for obvious reasons, and the Tremiatos didn’t want all that food to go to waste.”

  The two officers exchanged glances. “Go ahead and put them on the center island,” one said.

  “Yes, we may need to search those, too,” the other added. “Depends what they are, right, officer?” He looked at his partner with a hint of a smile.

  “Crab cakes, bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms and miniature quiches,” Sadie said, watching their eyes widen. “And some chocolate drizzled cream puffs.” Though I should be keeping those myself.

  “Oh, yes,” the second officer said, not even hiding his grin. “We’ll definitely need to search those.”

  Sadie returned the grin and set the tray down. “Thank you, officers. I like it when law enforcement does a thorough job.”

  “We do our best.” “We aim to please.” The men spoke over each other.

  Sadie made three trips to her car, bringing in the trays one at a time. Each time, she glanced around, trying to determine if the officers had found anything of interest. It didn't appear so, though someone had definitely lifted the foil cover on the bruschetta tray. She returned to her room, transferred Coco from tote to palace, and sat down, looking out at the garden.

  Several questions gnawed at her. Who was the victim? She’d overheard Elena Tremiato say she’d told the victim he’d be sorry if he kept coming around. That certainly didn't look good for Elena. But an elderly mother wouldn’t be capable of a crime like that, would she?

  Sadie glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Almost noon. Flair would be opening in a few minutes. She pulled her cell phone out of the tote bag’s side pocket and called the boutique. Amber answered on the first ring.

  “Good morning! Thank you for calling Flair! Fashion at your fingertips!”

  “Amber, how much coffee have you had this morning?”

  A few seconds of silence preceded the answer. “A double espresso at Jay’s Java Joint on the way here.”

  “And?”

  “Two cups of dark French roast in the back office.” A pause. “OK, three.”

  “You know where the decaf is, in the cupboard? Make yourself a pot.”

  “Roger that. Wait a sec, let me open up.”

  Sadie waited as Amber put the phone down with an enthusiastic smack on the counter and clicked her heels across the boutique’s floor. After a jingle of bells that signaled the swing of the front door, Amber returned to the phone.

  “OK, open for another day of business. No customers yet.”

  “How about Matteo’s shop?” Sadie could swear she heard a muffled slurp of a beverage.

  “It didn't look open to me,” Amber said. “Let me check.” Again the phone hit the counter and the heels clattered across the floor. When Amber came back, Sadie heard the answer she’d feared.

  “Closed. Sorry, Sadie. I’m sure you’re worried about him.”

  “Well, now I really am,” Sadie said, gathering her thoughts. “In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never once seen Matteo open late. Or close early, for that matter. I’d hoped he’d just left to run an errand yesterday, but it sounds like something’s up.” Though she couldn't fathom the thought that Matteo could be involved with a murder, there was no question his absence was disturbing. Whether or not his absence had anything specifically to do w
ith the events at the winery, the timing couldn’t be coincidence. Perhaps Matteo was in trouble. Or worse? Sadie shuddered.

  A jangling of bells in the background told Sadie that customers had entered. She asked Amber to call her when Matteo showed up and hung up.

  “I am worried, Coco.” Sadie smiled when the Yorkie yipped her response. “I knew you would be, too. You’re also fond of Matteo, what with all those doggie treats he keeps on hand.” Another yip.

  “Ah, I know better than to say the word ‘treat’ out loud around you!” Sadie pulled a plastic bag from her suitcase, told Coco to sit, and rewarded her with a petite dog bone.

  As Coco began to focus on decimating the treat, Sadie heard voices somewhere in the inn. She left her happy dog and followed the murmuring until she arrived at a gathering of guests in the front parlor. Instead of the cheerful exchanges and animated card games from the previous evening, she found a group of nervous people whispering their fears. Shock was a common theme.

  “Did you hear?” A man with frizzy hair and a chin that was far too pointy looked at Sadie through wire-rimmed spectacles. She had to force herself to focus on his words instead of staring at his lavender, paisley printed shirt, which gave his face the pallor of a skinned potato. “There was a murder in town and the innkeeper has been arrested.”

  The others echoed him fretfully. The sounds of the officers continuing to search the premises did nothing to relieve the guests’ fears.

  “Yes, I’m aware of that,” Sadie said. “But let’s not jump to conclusions. Just because she was taken in for questioning doesn't mean she’s guilty.”

  “Well, I heard she was found at the murder scene,” a woman said. “That sounds suspicious to me.”