Saturday morning arrived with more snow. This time it amounted to almost six inches. Tabby dragged the shovel out of its hiding place in the back closet to go clear the sidewalk in front of her shop. Janice stayed inside and manned the register. Thelma had been called and told she could stay home. It was a light, dry snow and she was done shoveling in under ten minutes.
Janice banged on the front window and pointed across the street. Tabby turned just in time to see a woman run away after being spotted. She tried to see where the mysterious woman was going, but she lost track of her when she disappeared down the alley between Chocolate Motion and the Main Street Hardware Store.
“Was that the same woman as yesterday?” Tabby asked Janice as she took off her wet boots and coat just inside the door.
“I think so.”
“I couldn’t see her face; she had a scarf wrapped around it,” Tabby said. “I wonder who she is and what she wants with me.”
The mysterious woman was forgotten as the snow let up and people ventured out to shop. Tabby couldn’t go upstairs to cook as Janice would have been overwhelmed with the amount of people in the shop.
The bell on the front door chimed a little after noon. Thelma entered the shop, two hours later than usual, singing carols and handing out candy canes to the customers.
“Thelma, I thought I asked you to stay home today. You didn’t have to come out in the snow; you could have slipped and fallen,” Tabby said, taking her employee’s coat.
“Oh, pish posh. I may be old, but I can still deal with a measly six inches of snow,” she answered. “I had to come tell you the news. I’m sure you haven’t heard yet.”
“Okay, I’ll play along…what news?” Tabby asked, smiling.
“Dave Tullinson was found in a ditch on the outskirts of town near the drive-in. He’s been beaten pretty badly and is in a coma,” Thelma informed them.
“Dave Tullinson? Are they sure it’s him?”
“Sheriff Puckett is sure. He told me that if he hadn’t been discovered when he was, he’d have been dead by tonight. Whoever did it left him there to die in the cold figuring he would never be found.”
“Who did find him?” Janice asked.
“Jack French was out for his morning run with his dog. The dog started whining and pulling on his leash, so Jack let him go. He ran right down into the ditch and waited for Jack to catch up to him.”
“How convenient…” Tabby mumbled.
“Anyway,” Thelma continued, giving Tabby a funny look because of her comment. “Sheriff said he doesn’t think Dave is going to make it even though he was found. They have him at Larsen General with a policeman stationed outside his door.”
“Well, you definitely scooped us both on this one, Thelma,” Tabby stated, smiling at the elderly woman.
“Yes, I did,” she said proudly. “Now that I am here you need to go cook; the shelves are looking pretty empty.”
“I’m out of here. Do me a favor? If the sheriff comes in for his coffee, would you please send him upstairs to see me,” Tabby requested.
“Will do, now go,” Thelma ordered.
Tabby began cooking a batch of her jam of the month; Holiday Jam. The strawberry and cranberry mixture smelled wonderful. The shop had been featuring the jam since the week before Thanksgiving. People told her they had used it as a spread to complement their turkey sandwiches instead of cranberry sauce. Word spread, and it started to sell so fast that Tabby had a hard time keeping it in the shop.
As she stirred her jam, her thoughts centered on what she already knew about the murder, which wasn’t much. Maybe she had to widen her way of looking at the case.
Dave Tullinson had been one of her main suspects in Mrs. Piper’s murder. Now, he was lying in a hospital bed almost dead. That left Jack Fletcher, Samuel Benson, and half the town of Whipper Will Junction who had been on Tillie’s list as being at the library that morning.
Did Jack Fletcher always run on that road in the morning or was he checking to see if his latest victim was indeed dead? Why would he call an ambulance if he beat Dave in the first place? It didn’t make sense. Nothing was making sense.
She started to fill the jars, one at a time, capping them and turning them upside down to seal them. A knock sounded on the apartment door.
“Come in,” Tabby yelled, turning the rows of jars back to their upright position.
Sheriff Puckett walked in, coffee mug in hand.
“Janice said that you wanted to see me after I refilled my coffee,” he said.
“Yes, I did,” she confirmed.
“By the way, Dave Tullinson died an hour ago. We went back to where the body was found and discovered the murder weapon in the leaves near the ditch. The tire iron had been wiped clean of prints.”
“Did you expect anything else?” Tabby asked.
“No, I guess not,” the sheriff sighed. “I just don’t understand what is happening to our quiet little town.”
“It’s growing every day. We’ve had twelve new families move here in the last six months. It used to be that we knew everyone who lived here; that isn’t the case anymore,” Tabby replied. “Speaking of not knowing everyone, I have another problem I would appreciate some help with.”
“What’s that?”
Tabby preceded to tell the Sheriff about the mysterious woman who had been watching her from afar. He promised to keep an eye out as he walked around the town.
“Did you find anything else about Carl Bender?” Tabby asked, adding fruit to the kettle on the stove. “I read the online newspaper interview he did right before he died.”
“Nothing. I don’t know any more about the case than they did back in 1994,” Sheriff Puckett admitted. “There was a driver in the get-a-way car that no one seems to remember anything about. It was mentioned only once in all the reports that were recorded.”
“So, there were actually four people plus the guard who were in on the robbery. Carl Bender, his two accomplices, and now a driver. The suspect list seems to be growing. Have you met Samuel Benson yet?”
“I have, and he insists that he had never met Mrs. Piper. He had never been to Whipper Will Junction prior to moving here. He told me he and his mother hadn’t lived in Larsen since he was a young boy,” Puckett answered.
“Didn’t the reports say that Bender’s wife and who they think was a son disappeared right before he was arrested?? Tabby asked.
“He would be about the right age,” he surmised. “But, the name is different.”
“Maybe his mother returned to using her maiden name, or changed her name altogether,” Tabby suggested.
“Could be. I’m checking for birth records and marriage licenses that were issued in Larsen and the surrounding towns. Bender is not a common name, but, unfortunately, Benson is in this area. In the meantime, be careful until we can find out who that woman is that’s watching you.”
“I will. She hasn’t come anywhere near me; she just watches me. It’s kind of creepy,” Tabby admitted. “Will you be at the meeting on Sunday night?”
“Me and the Mrs. will both be there,” he confirmed. “We’re still trying to raise the extra money we need to cover the additional families that have recently moved here, one of which has five kids. Can you imagine trying to support a family of seven now-a-days? It’s crazy.”
“I think that I’d be happy with two,” Tabby replied, adding sugar to the mixture of fruit.
“Are you trying to tell me that Mr. Stone has popped the question and Gladys doesn’t even know?” the sheriff teased. “I don’t see a ring on that finger of yours.”
“No, he hasn’t,” Tabby answered in a huff. “And, if or when he does, I can assure you that Gladys Twittle will be one of the last ones to know.”
“Calm down, I was only joking with you,” the sheriff said, walking to the door. “I’ll be in touch.”
Tabby kept stirring her jam, chiding herself for being so touchy.
“Why do people need to rush things?” she asked M
armalade, who was rubbing up against her leg. “My mother is the worst one of the bunch; always asking Greg when she will be a grandmother. I wish everyone would just back off.”
Marmalade meowed like she was answering her owner. Ghost came out from the bedroom to see why his sister was making so much noise. He meandered over to the dry food bowl and Marmalade joined him. They climbed up on the plant stand to clean themselves when they were done.
Two batches of jam completed, Tabby went down to check on the shop. Thelma was behind the register, chatting happily with customers. Janice was nowhere to be found. Tabby helped a few customers find what they were looking for and then walked over to the register.
“Thelma, where’s Janice?” Tabby asked.
“She went to lunch. It wasn’t busy when she left like it…” she started to say.
Janice came busting through the front door out of breath. She grabbed Tabby by the arm and dragged her boss into the back room. The customers were watching the two young women trying to figure out was happening.
“Janice, what the…”
“I followed her. I know where she lives,” Janice said, trying to catch her breath.
“Followed who?” Tabby asked.
“Is everything okay back there?” Thelma asked, poking her face in between the curtains to the back room.
“Everything is fine, I think,” Tabby replied.
“The person who has been stalking you. I saw her coming out of the library when I was coming back from lunch and I followed her.”
“Where did she go?”
“She went into a house two down from Greg’s house on Emblem Avenue. She had a key for the front door so I have to assume that’s where she lives,” Janice answered.
“That house was empty. She must have just moved in recently,” Tabby said, thinking out loud. “Emblem Avenue seems to be filling up fast.”
“I could be mistaken, but I think she was the woman Greg was talking to at the memorial service. It looked like her from where I was standing,” Janice said.
“It could be, she seemed to latch right on to Greg and monopolized his time.”
“Maybe she’s checking you out to see what she has for competition,” Janice suggested.
“We’ll just have to find out, won’t we?” Tabby stated.
“What are you going to do?”
“I think I need a little fresh air. I’ll be back shortly,” Tabby answered grabbing her coat.
Tabby walked up Main Street, her adrenaline pumping. She walked into the sheriff’s department and was told he was in interrogation room A. She followed Deputy Small who knocked lightly on the door.
“Sheriff, are you busy?” he asked.
“Just going over some files. What’s up?”
“Tabby’s here to see you.”
“Send her in,” the sheriff answered.
Tabby entered the room as the sheriff was closing the file folder he was perusing.
“I think Janice found the woman who has been stalking me and where she lives. Her name is Becky Tillman. Would you mind taking a walk to her house and find out what is going on?” Tabby requested.
“No, not at all. It will get me away from all this paperwork for a while,” he answered, standing up and stretching. “I’ve been at this all day.”
“Thanks. If you could just find out why she’s following me, I’d be grateful. She lives in the fourth house on the right on Emblem Avenue.”
“Does Greg know her? She lives right near him?” he asked.
“He talked to her at Mrs. Piper’s memorial at the house, but I can’t say for sure if he knows that she lives near him,” Tabby answered. “I’ll watch from the gazebo, if that’s okay?”
“Lead on,” the sheriff instructed, holding the door open for her.
They walked across the town green. Tabby stopped at the gazebo and the sheriff continued walking to Emblem Avenue.
He walked up to the front door and knocked. No one answered, but he could hear someone moving around inside. The sheriff knocked again, this time a little louder. The door opened just enough for whoever was inside to check out who was knocking.
“Becky Tillman?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“My name is Sheriff Puckett and I have had a complaint filed that you are stalking another resident of this town; a Tabitha Moon.”
The door opened a little bit wider.
“I haven’t been stalking her,” she stated defensively.
“You have been seen by other people; twice now. Both times you stood across the street from her shop and when noticed, you would run off,” the sheriff commented.
“All right, maybe I was watching her. I’m new in town and will be opening a new bakery on Main Street next to the flower shop in the Spring. Her shop sign mentions weddings, so I was scoping out the clientele. I was hoping that she would use my bakery to provide wedding cakes for her receptions.”
“Why didn’t you go in and introduce yourself to Miss Moon?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think of it,” she snapped.
“If you want to make friends and business acquaintances in this town, don’t sneak around spying on people. Go to them directly, introduce yourself and misunderstandings like this won’t happen,” Sheriff Puckett suggested.
“Yes, sir,” she mumbled.
“And please stop standing out in front of Jellies, Jams and Weddings watching the store and who shops there,” he instructed.
“Whatever…” Becky said, closing the door with a bang.
He walked back to the gazebo where Tabby was anxiously awaiting answers.
The sheriff informed Tabby that the baker claimed that she was just checking out Tabby’s customers and that he told her to stay away from Tabby’s shop as they walked back to the station. He requested that she let him know immediately of any more occurrences involving the baker.
He said goodbye to Tabby and disappeared inside the station. She ran the conversation over in her mind that the sheriff had had with the stalker as she walked down Main Street. She didn’t believe a single word that Becky Tillman said; she was up to something. Tabby would have to keep an eye on her from here on out.
“Well, was it her?” Janice asked excitedly as Tabby came through the front door.
“It was her all right. She made up a lame story about watching the shop because she was hoping we could do business together when she opened her bakery,” Tabby said, hanging up her coat. “I don’t believe a single word she said, and I don’t think the sheriff did either.”
“Did the sheriff go to her house?” Janice asked.
“Yes, he did. He was the one that talked to her,” Tabby replied.
“What are you going to do?” Thelma asked.
“Nothing for right now.”
“Excuse me?” Janice asked, stunned at her boss’s answer.
“She’s been warned. I’ll keep my eye on her. Hopefully, she’ll just go away and leave me alone,” Tabby stated.
“Okay. I’m still going to watch for her,” Janice insisted.
“Thelma, what are you still doing here?” Tabby asked, suddenly realizing that she was still at the shop.
“I came in two hours late, so I worked later to make up for it,” she answered. “I’m going home now, before it gets too dark out. My eyes aren’t what they used to be after the sun goes down.”
“If Tabby will close the shop, I’ll give you a ride home, Thelma,” Janice offered.
“Sure, I can handle this massive rush we are experiencing right now,” Tabby said, chuckling, as she looked around at the five customers that were still shopping. “Have a great day off tomorrow!”
“You, too! Have fun tree hunting,” Janice yelled as she went out the back door with Thelma.
An hour later the shop was locked up and Tabby was upstairs feeding her furry roommates. Ghost and Marmalade didn’t like staying upstairs while the shop was open, but Tabby felt with the high volume of Christmas shoppers that the cats were saf
er staying in the apartment. She changed into jeans and a warm sweater, grabbed her coat and left for the diner to meet Greg for supper.
“Hi, stranger,” Greg said, as she sat down in the booth. “Long time no see.”
“I know, it’s been crazy at the shop. How about yours? Have you sold out of poinsettias yet?” Tabby inquired. “I need one for my donation to the church altar for Christmas service.”
“Don’t worry, I made another run to Larsen and picked up another load of plants,” Greg replied. “I can’t keep them in the shop, especially the gold tipped ones like the ones in the front window.”
“Speaking of windows, did you notice any suspicious characters walking around and checking out the windows?” Tabby asked. “They were supposed to be judging them today for the contest.”
“I was too busy to notice,” Greg replied.
“Me, too.”
Bea came to the table and took their supper order.
“It’s been quiet without you two eating here every night,” she chuckled. “I haven’t made a frappe in almost a week.”
“Are you coming with us tree hunting tomorrow?” Tabby asked.
“No, I have to work, but Jenny is going to go with you. She has a tree in the bookstore, but needs one for her apartment,” Bea stated. “It’s supposed to snow so make sure you bundle up.”
“Yes, Mom,” Tabby replied, smiling.
Bea swatted at Tabby with the menus she was holding and walked away.
“Are we meeting up after church?” Greg asked.
“I’m not sure I’m going to make it. I have to cook in the morning before we go and get our trees. Are you getting one, too?”
“The biggest one I can find. Well, at least one that will fit in the house I am renting. The ceilings are kind of low compared to what I am used to in Gram’s Victorian.”
“When is the closing?”
“There isn’t one. The sale fell through, so it looks like I am going to have to rent it out for at least the winter and put it back on the market again in the Spring.”
“That’s too bad. I had a nice house picked out for us for when we got married,” Tabby said, mysteriously. “But, I don’t think it will stay on the market that long.”
“Did I hear married?” Bea asked, placing their dinners in front of them.
JAMMED WITH MURDER Page 5