Death Before Diamonds (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 10)

by Mary Maxwell

  “No,” I said, scooping up more ice cream and feeding it to him. “The people she met weren’t legitimate diamond merchants. They were the shadowy guys that buy and sell gems of dubious origin under the table.”

  “And she was behind the robbery, right?”

  I smiled. “She was the instigator of the heist,” I said, “but Theo Greer actually gave her the idea to rob the place one night over a beer. She’d just been dumped by the man that owned the store for a new sales person who was younger and more attractive. And she was mad, like, super deluxe M-A-D and filled with venom. A few weeks after Theo joked about getting even by robbing the store, Mildred put the plan into action. She recruited a couple of low-level street punks, bought guns from someone she’d briefly dated in high school and then had one of the men kill the other shortly after the heist. The police now suspect that Mildred murdered the second man to get rid of the final witness and cover her tracks.”

  Zack rubbed his chin as he contemplated the twists and turns of Mildred’s schemes. “Okay,” he said. “I think that I’ve got it. Mildred orchestrated the diamond heist, and then she waited for three years until she started selling the goods.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “She’s obviously a very patient woman.”

  “How much were the diamonds worth?” asked Zack.

  I shrugged. “I couldn’t even guess the actual value, but Trent seemed to think she could’ve cleared about six million if she’d sold all of the stones.”

  “Do you mean she held onto some of the loot?”

  “Lots of it,” I said. “She actually gave Theo a small pouch with about fifteen diamonds so he’d walk away.”

  “And then she shot him anyway?”

  I smiled. “Over an insult. Rex told Dina that Theo was leaving that afternoon when he called Mildred an unfortunate name.”

  “Does it rhyme with witch?” Zack asked with a wide grin.

  “No. This particular slur rhymes with an entirely different word,” I said. “One that I will not be repeating. You can use your imagination.”

  He nodded, but didn’t comment.

  “As soon as it seemed like things had cooled off enough,” I continued, “Mildred began slowly unloading the diamonds. Once the cash started to flow, she told Bethany that a distant and very wealthy relative had included her in his will.”

  “Lucky break when that happens, huh?” Zack joked.

  “I’m still waiting,” I said. “But it was the kind of lie that Bethany accepted without question because Mildred was suddenly flush. She treated her daughter to a seemingly endless parade of expensive gifts, took her on a lavish Caribbean cruise and paid for Bethany’s divorce lawyer with a stack of crisp hundred-dollar bills.”

  “And she bought it?” Zack laughed. “I mean, who goes around with stacks of money in a briefcase? That’s like something out of a low-budget movie.”

  “Or a high-stakes gamble,” I said. “Apparently, Mildred was walking a tightrope for a few months. She was still going to work every morning, slogging away as a temp in an insurance company claims center. But at night, while Bethany attended classes to get certified as a yoga instructor, Mildred was quietly selling diamonds and amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. When she had enough, they moved to Crescent Creek, bought the first of three houses on Edgewood Road and reinvented themselves.”

  “Why Colorado?” asked Zack.

  I smiled. “Because it’s the most amazing place on the planet,” I said. “And because there was a family connection in the past.”

  “And when did Arlene change her name to Mildred?” he asked.

  “Somewhere along the line,” I said. “Dina and Trent are still putting the pieces into place, especially Mildred’s years in Philadelphia. They’ve already traced her history here in town and recreated how she ingratiated herself into the community.”

  “How’d she do it?”

  I shrugged. “Charitable donations, political contributions, doing volunteer stints with every group that would have her. I guess she’d perfected her book of lies by that point. Everyone who met Mildred Nelson believed that she was a rich divorcée from the East Coast with one daughter, one dog and more money than they’d ever see in their lifetime.”

  “And one brother?” Zack said. “I ran into Blanche at the car wash. She told me that Mildred’s brother had moved in fairly recently.”

  “Alleged brother,” I said. “At this point, when it comes to Mildred Nelson, everything is suspicious until it’s been proven to be true. When police searched her house the other day, they didn’t find anyone besides Bethany and Mildred. She probably lied about him, too.”

  Zack snickered. “Hey! What about the presumption of innocence?”

  I finished my last bite of ice cream and put the bowl on the coffee table. Then I snuggled against his chest and locked my arms around him tightly.

  “What about the presumption of second helpings?” I said. “Is there more ice cream?”

  “There is,” he answered. “Would you like some?”

  “I would, but I should probably refrain.”

  “I don’t mind going,” Zack said, putting his empty bowl beside mine.

  “Well, I do,” I said, squeezing even harder. “I’d much rather snuggle for a while before anybody makes a move.”

  He laughed; the sound rumbled into the ear I had pressed against his sweater.

  “We could watch a movie,” he suggested a few seconds later.

  “Or not,” I said, lifting my head and reaching one hand behind his neck. I pulled him closer and we kissed, a soft, tender moment that was far sweeter than anything Scoops of Joy would ever sell.

  Zack leaned forward, pressing his lips to my ear.

  “There are a couple of other things we could do instead of a movie,” he whispered. “Although they’d require slightly less clothing and more horizontal space.”

  When he leaned back on the seat again, I turned my head and winked.

  “Are we talking competitive ballroom dancing?” I said with a smile. “Or Olympic-level gymnastics routines?”

  He laughed again, filling the room with enthusiastic joy.

  “Actually,” he said, getting up from the sofa and taking my hand. “It could be a little of both if we play our cards right.”

  CHAPTER 46

  By the following morning, the gossip around town about Mildred Nelson’s criminal history also included whispered tittle-tattle about her attorney. As I helped Harper reset the dining room for lunch, Blanche Speltzer called to me from where she and Minnie Brompton sat sipping tea and dispensing conspiratorial nuggets to a steady stream of local nosy parkers.

  “Did you hear the news?” asked Blanche in a croaky whisper. “Mildred’s being represented by that hotshot lawyer from Austin.”

  I stared at her blankly.

  “He’s on CNN all the time,” she added. “The legal expert that wears cowboy hats, hand-tooled leather vests and silly little fringed scarves knotted like an English dandy.”

  I didn’t know who she was talking about, nor was I particularly interested. On the rare occasion that I watched the news, I was usually looking for seasonal weather updates for our neck of the woods instead of courtroom wizards dressed in faux cowpoke gear and showy accessories.

  “Well, she’s innocent until proven guilty,” I said. “Let’s hope there’s justice for the men who died during the jewelry store heist that Mildred allegedly engineered.”

  Blanche sneered. “Allegedly? I knew that woman was bad news from the minute I met her.”

  “Is that right?” I said, catching a glimpse of Marion and Herb McGill coming in the front door.

  “You could just tell,” Minnie Brompton said, scrunching her nose with contempt. “I mean, for crying out loud, I saw Mildred one afternoon at Tipton’s in a low-cut nightie under a flimsy rain slicker. It may have kept her dry, but that coat was essentially a Ziploc bag with sleeves!”

  I covered my eyes in mock repulsion. �
�Somebody alert the Fashion Police!” I teased. “Before she offends again!”

  Blanche reached over and tapped Minnie’s wrist. “Don’t waste your breath,” she said. “This one’s obviously too busy right now to give it any serious thought.” The sassy retiree looked at me and winked. “But don’t worry, Min. She’ll come around. Katie knows that Mildred Nelson is rotten to the core.”

  I checked to see if Harper had noticed Marion and Herb, but she’d been waylaid by a table of construction workers who wanted to tease her about the cake frosting stains on her apron.

  “Will you ladies excuse me?” I smiled at Blanche and Minnie. “I need to greet a couple of new arrivals.”

  Minnie checked over her shoulder. “Oh, goodness,” she murmured. “There’s Marion and Herb. Did you hear that his sister’s getting divorced from Pete Mooney?”

  Blanche frowned. “Things have changed,” she said. “Alice told me that Betty Wade was in the bank yesterday afternoon and she overheard Carol Shaughnessy telling that skinny teller with the bad perm that Sheila and Pete put the divorce on the back burner.”

  “That’s fantastic news!” Minnie exclaimed. “You just made my day!”

  “And you’ll make mine if you stop kicking me under the table,” Blanche whined.

  “It’s that new medication,” Minnie said defensively. “It makes me antsy if I sit too long.”

  “Okay then,” I said, stepping away from their table. “I’ll check back in a little while.”

  As I walked toward Marion and Herb, they both smiled and waved.

  “Hi, Katie,” she said. “We had a rare chance to get out for lunch, so we decided to have a sandwich and indulge in some of that scrumptious Sky High pie!”

  “I’m glad that you’re here,” I said, giving them both a quick hug. “How’s everything in the land of cats and dogs?”

  Herb chuckled. “The morning was pretty slow, but we’ll be busy this afternoon,” he said. “Although we had a Great Dane come in earlier with some of the worst—”

  Marion stopped him with a stern look. “Not now, sweetheart. We’re getting ready for lunch.”

  Herb winced. “Sorry, Katie. I guess we’re so used to the highs and the lows of the animal kingdom that we don’t think how the nasty stuff sounds to other people.”

  “Believe me,” I said, gesturing at an open table near the front windows. “We get our own challenges around here!”

  After they were settled and I’d shared the daily specials, I asked about Sheila and Pete.

  “I heard a little buzz around town,” I said. “Is it true that they’re staying together?”

  Herb laughed. “Yes! And we’re both thrilled! I love my sister, but she wouldn’t stop talking about how miserable she was and how it was the end of her life and how she wouldn’t be able to stand people gossiping about them if she and Pete actually split up.”

  I nodded. “It can be tough. I’ve had a few friends go through some pretty ugly divorces.”

  “We’re just glad that Sheila and Pete are working through their issues,” Marion said. “They’re better together than they are apart.”

  “That’s true,” Herb agreed. “They’re sorting things out with a marriage counselor and some kind of fungus expert.”

  Marion shook her head. “Not a fungus expert,” she said. “Mrs. Alexander is a feng shui consultant.”

  Herb made a face. “Same difference,” he muttered. “She came in, charged a small fortune and helped them find their—” He used his index fingers to make air quotes. “—love corner.” He shook his head. “She told them to remove a dead plant and get rid of a cracked vase.” He paused to chuckle again. “I mean, that’s crazy! I could’ve given them the same advice for half of what she charged.”

  Marion smiled and pushed the menu toward her husband. “Some folks aren’t as open-minded as Sheila and Pete,” she said.

  The following silence buzzed with tension until Herb leaned over and kissed his wife’s cheek.

  “Isn’t she the best?” he asked with a sunny smile. “We didn’t need a fungus expert to find our love corner.”

  Marion tapped the menu. “Why don’t you get busy with that,” she suggested. “I’m sure Katie isn’t interested in hearing any more of your commentary about feng shui.”

  “What about Pete’s band?” I asked. “Wasn’t that driving a wedge between them?”

  Marion smiled. “Oh, the group is still rocking out,” she said. “But they have someone new on vocals.”

  “Care to guess, Katie?” Herb’s face stretched with an exaggerated grimace. “The new singer is a hybrid of Taylor Swift, a John Deere tractor and one of those mouthy parrots that can’t stop squawking all the time.”

  Between Herb’s description and the look on his face, I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Is it Sheila by any chance?” I asked.

  “Wow!” Marion said. “You got it on the first try!”

  “She’s actually pretty good,” Herb confessed. “But she’s my sister, so I like giving her a hard time.”

  Marion pointed at the menu again. “Come on, buster. What are you having?”

  I watched as they exchanged a warm, loving smile. Then I offered to get their beverages while they decided on lunch.

  “I’ll take a cup of coffee, please,” Marion said. “How about you, Baby Cakes?”

  Herb smiled. “I love it when you call me that, Gumdrop!”

  He reached over, took her hand and began kissing the tip of each finger. I felt awkward standing beside the table, but I still needed to get his order. After a few seconds, I gently cleared my throat.

  “Excuse me, Baby Cakes,” I said. “What can I bring you to drink?”

  “Oh, man!” Herb blurted. “I’m so sorry, Katie! I just got caught up in the moment. I’ll have a Coke, please.”

  “Coming right up!” I said, heading for the far end of the room.

  As I made my way toward the counter, I noticed Blanche and Minnie waving their napkins.

  “More coffee?” I asked when I reached the table.

  Blanche motioned for me to lean in closer.

  “What did Herb just say about fungus?” she whispered.

  “He was actually talking about feng shui,” I said.

  Her eyes tapered. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” I told her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need—”

  “Was it about Lorelei Alexander?” Blanche asked, glancing at Marion and Herb. “The feng shui consultant from Fort Collins?”

  “I believe so,” I said.

  The gray-haired hellion clapped her hands. “Oh, I just knew it!” She reached over and gave Minnie a light tap on the arm. “You owe me a hundred pennies, Min!”

  I frowned. “Are you two taking bets on what people are talking about?”

  Minnie reached for her purse. “Yes,” she answered. “We both got new hearing aids this month, and Mrs. Busybody here thinks that her model is better than mine.”

  “And it is!” Blanche crowed. “I bought the upgrade package. If you’re interested, I can hook you up with Dr. Ackerton.”

  Minnie pulled out a crisp five dollar bill and slid it across the table. “I’ll need change,” she said.

  Blanche scowled at the money. “Oh, put that away, you silly goose! We’re just having fun. We won’t play for keeps until tonight when we’re at the theater.”

  I shook my head and left the two friends to continue their discussion. As I resumed my trek, I noticed Harper and Julia talking through the pass window. I kept my eyes on them as I walked, wondering if the three of us would grow old together like Blanche and Minnie.

  “What was all that about?” Harper asked when I stepped behind the counter.

  I smiled innocently. “All what?”

  “The two senior troublemakers,” she said. “Were they eavesdropping on your conversation with Marion and Herb?”

  Julia giggled. “Well, duh!” she joked. “Just like we were spying on Kate’s exchang
e with Blanche and Minnie.”

  I shook my head and went to work on the beverages. As I listened to Julia and Harper whisper and gossip, I knew there was no doubt. At some point in the distant future, we would gather around a table like Blanche and Minnie, sharing a laugh, telling a joke and relishing in the deep and abiding joy of true, kind-hearted friendship.

  Nana Reed’s Sky High Recipes

  Red, White & Blueberry Scones

  Ingredients

  4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  1/2 cup brown sugar

  4 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1 cup butter, chilled and cubed

  2 eggs

  3/4 cup milk

  3/4 cup fresh raspberries

  3/4 cup fresh blueberries

  1 cup white chocolate chips

  1-1/2 cups toasted almond slivers

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

  2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

  3. Add cubes of butter to dry ingredients with pastry blender.

  4. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/2 cup milk.

  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients before adding chocolate chips.

  6. Gently fold in raspberries and blueberries.

  7. When all ingredients are combined, place dough on lightly-floured surface.

  8. Knead dough thoroughly before dividing into two equal portions.

  9. Shape portions into 8-inch circles; divide each into eight wedges.

  10. Arrange on ungreased baking sheets with 1-inch gap between wedges.

  11. Moisten top of wedges with remaining milk.

  12. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

  13. Cool on wire rack before garnishing with Sky High Glistening Glaze (see next page) and toasted almond slivers.

  Sky High Glistening Glaze

  Ingredients