Tempest in the Tea Leaves

by Kari Lee Townsend

  “I left my phone at my house.”

  “And you think you can take of yourself.” He walked away to further inspect my car while I made arrangements for the tow truck to take my bug to Big Don’s Auto Body.

  Hopefully, the damage wouldn’t be too much to fix. Without working and with this case taking longer than expected to wrap up, my savings were dwindling fast. Although, lately, going back to the city was looking better and better.

  Something I never thought I’d live to say.

  “What’s the damage, Big Don?” I asked the next morning as I stood beside the giant of a man in his auto-body shop. He had to be at least six foot six, nearly as tall as Wally, with a waistline even bigger than Lulubelle’s and a head the size of a basketball.

  “Hmmm,” he grumbled while rubbing his thick beard. “I’ll try to keep her under a thousand, but you did a number on her. She’s no spring chicken, you know.”

  “Great.” The detective should have to go halfsies with me on this one, considering he scared me half to death. If he hadn’t been following me, I never would have whirled off the road like a spinning top in the first place. “Go ahead and fix her. She might not be much, but she’s all I’ve got.”

  “Done.”

  “Good. Belle says you do great work, by the way.”

  His face flushed crimson, and he nodded once. “Belle’s a good woman,” was all he said, and then he headed back into his office. I doubted Belle had any idea that Big Don actually had noticed her and, if I wasn’t mistaken, was a bit sweet on her. He just needed a push to make a move.

  I turned to leave, and a big old station wagon came rolling in, looking even older than my bug. I stifled a chuckle when the driver climbed out. I should have known Gladys Montgomery would be the driver, she being into old things and all. She got out of the car and made a beeline straight into Big Don’s office.

  Glancing around, I realized no one was watching me, so I nonchalantly walked over to the station wagon and peeked inside. The back looked empty as far as I could tell, other than a bunch of real estate listings from Rosemary on various properties in town, all of them zoned for business.

  Wandering around to the front passenger’s side, I tried the door, and it was unlocked, squeaking open as if it were a sign. I poked my head inside, flipped the visors open, and then ducked my head down to the floor mat to peek under the seat. My eyelids opened wide.

  Gladys was packing?

  “Excuse me, may I help you?” her voice said from right behind my backside.

  I jumped and hit my head on the dash, yelping in pain.

  “What in the world are you doing in my car, young lady?” She puckered her face like a sour pickle.

  “Admiring it?” I said in question format. “I love old cars, too, if you haven’t noticed. I took a peek inside to check out the upholstery and dashboard, when I lost my earring under the seat.”

  “You’re not wearing an earring in the other ear.” She squinted. “In fact, I don’t see any earring holes at all.”

  “It was a clip-on. Wearing only one earring is a trendy big-city thing.” I cleared my throat, and she eyed me warily.

  “It’s Sunny, isn’t it?” she asked with a smile that looked way too bright to be natural.

  “Yes, ma’am, and you must be Gladys.” I held out my hand and shook hers. “Great speech you gave the other day at the town hall meeting.”

  “Why, thank you.” She beamed, relaxing a little. “Some people don’t understand what this town needs to survive, let alone actually thrive for a change. God forbid if we get out of the red.” She bristled. “But don’t get me started on that.”

  “Change is hard for anyone. I know from firsthand experience. You really think this deal with that developer, um, what was his name?” I watched her carefully.

  “Alex—er, Mr. Pendleton.”

  “Right. Mr. Pendleton.” You could tell a lot about a relationship from the way people addressed each other. “You really think the deal will be good for Divinity?”

  “Absolutely. We need this deal as much as we need our national landmarks. Turning the library into a bookstore will bring in money and jobs. Turning the hotel into a museum will also bring in revenue.”

  She went on a rant, arms flailing about like something right out of a puppet show. “As much as I love the library, we can’t afford for anything to be free in these hard times. Why can’t she see that? Someone needs to make her see it, is what I say. I know the people are hurting, but our town is hurting more. Stupid woman is going to ruin it all. I just know it.”

  “Who is?” I had realized a long time ago it was better to let people talk. They often revealed more than if you asked them questions outright.

  “Huh?” Gladys looked startled, as though just now remembering she was talking to me and not herself. “Oh my.” She smoothed her hair. “Sometimes I get carried away over things I’m passionate about.”

  “That’s okay, I’m the same way.” I nodded. But there was a fine line between passion and obsession. “You were saying?” I tried to encourage her to keep talking, but then Big Don popped his head out the office door.

  “Gladys, your ride’s here,” he boomed.

  “Thanks, Don.” She waved at him, grabbed her purse, and said, “Nice to meet you, Ms. Meadows,” as she hustled to the door.

  She might not have said the name, but I was pretty sure Lucinda Griswold III was the “she” Gladys had been referring to. The bigger question was, how exactly was Gladys going to make her see the error of her ways?

  The gun she was packing beneath her seat?

  “Sylvia, honestly, you haven’t tried on a single thing.” My mother walked beside me down the street, frowning on the inside, I was sure. God forbid she wrinkle her face any more than her clothes.

  After lunch, we had gone into almost every single one of the quaint little shops Divinity had to offer. Unlike most of the female population, I did not enjoy shopping. I led a simple life with simple needs. My mother could not seem to wrap her brain around that and insisted on dragging me shopping with her every chance she got. She was determined to reform me one day, and no matter how many times I claimed that would never happen, she refused to give up.

  “I haven’t found anything worth trying on, that’s why,” I responded.

  We entered a designer dress shop, and Mom went to work, determined to find something for me to try on. While she was browsing the racks, I bumped into someone.

  “Whoops, sorry.” I turned around and looked straight into the face of Mrs. Sampson. “Maude, hi. So nice to see you again. You didn’t miss lunch with Bernard again, did you?” I teased.

  She stared at me blankly. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

  “It’s me, Sunny. From the library.”

  “Ah, yes, the library. I must get back to work. I’m late again.” She fled without another word.

  “But you’re retired,” I hollered after her to no avail.

  “Who was that?” my mother questioned.

  “One poor, confused lady, I’m afraid,” I answered, staring after her when my eye caught sight of a store across the street. “Hey, Mom, I saw a shop back there that I wanted to check out.”

  “Really? Well, that’s wonderful. I’ll go with you.” She started to put the outfit in her hands back on the rack.

  “No!” I yelled, and she scrunched her forehead together. I hastened to explain before she got suspicious and followed me. “I mean, it’s vintage clothing. Not really your cup of tea. You finish trying on that outfit, and I’ll meet you outside when I’m done.”

  “Well, okay, but you better not take off on me. I know a very good detective who will hunt you down.” She tried to look stern, but I saw her slight smile.

  “Ha, ha.” I grinned back. It felt good. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t an argument, either. “See you in a few minutes.”

  I slipped outside and crossed the street, heading straight into Eddy’s Gun Emporium. Hunting was big in these parts,
so it would make sense that one of the most thriving businesses in town was a gun shop.

  The walls were lined with rifles and shotguns and bows and arrows, the shelves loaded with of all kinds of ammo and knives. Stuffed heads and full bodies of deer, bear, birds, and rabbits occupied every available free space, and huge big-game fur pelts covered the floor. My head swam. This shop wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, either, but I had no choice. I had some questions that needed answering.

  “May I help you?” a man in his forties with a polite smile and kind eyes asked from behind a display case. “You look a little pale. Are you sure you’re in the right store?”

  “You caught me. This isn’t really my thing.” I studied him. “Although this doesn’t really look like your thing, either.”

  He chuckled. “At one time, it wasn’t. I used to be a big-city accountant, but the pressure got to me and I gave it all up. After moving to Divinity, I tried hunting. Best decision I ever made. I don’t believe in hunting just for the sake of the sport. These animals will die off for sure if we don’t thin out their numbers. Hunting with respect to nature is a wonderful thing.” He leaned his elbows on the case. “I don’t sell my weapons to just anyone.”

  “I admit that makes me feel better.” I smiled sincerely. “I’m Sunny, and you’re Eddy, I take it.”

  “Edward Jones at your service.” He shook my hand. “I’m taking a wild guess that you’re not in here to take up the hobby.”

  “No. But I do see you sell handguns.”

  “Sure, but you have to have a license to carry one, and it has to be registered.”

  “Oh, it’s not for me. No offense, but I really don’t like guns.”

  “None taken, but I still don’t get how I can help you.”

  “Well, I was wondering—you know, with a killer on the loose and all—have many people come in to buy a handgun?”

  He looked thoughtful. “A few of the men. You mind my asking why you want to know?”

  “Just wondering if maybe I should buy one for my, um, mother. She’s a city girl through and through. Any other women in town buy one lately?”

  “I’m not sure,” he said.

  “Oh.” My shoulders slumped.

  “But I can check for you.”

  “Really?” I brightened.

  “Hang on.” He ducked down below the counter and minutes later came up with a book in his hand. Scanning the pages, he finally said, “Little Bobby Jo Sawyer did, but then again, she’s about to enter the police academy.”

  “That’s it? You’re sure? No other women?”

  “I’m sure. Here, see for yourself.” He turned the book around to face me.

  I scanned over the list of recently purchased handguns, and Gladys Montgomery’s name was not on there. That didn’t really mean anything, though. She could have bought a gun from anywhere and had it for years. Still, I was desperate to find a lead of any kind. My eyes halted halfway, locking on one name in particular.

  Alex Pendleton.

  Could Alex have bought the gun for Gladys to off Lucinda? No, that didn’t make sense because he wouldn’t want to be linked to the murder. Or could Gladys have stolen Alex’s gun, intending to frame him for the murder of Lucinda? Or even scarier, were they the ones trying to frame me for Amanda’s murder? After all, Alex had said he couldn’t let the truth come out because he would never be able to handle jail. I needed to find the link that would tie them to the digoxin and soon, before they used that gun on me instead.

  “Thanks, Eddy. You’ve been a big help. I think I’ll stick with my original plan and avoid guns altogether.”

  “Something tells me that’s a smart decision. You take care now, Ms. Meadows.”

  I marched back out on the street in time for my mother to exit the dress shop across the road. Her eyes flittered to mine, but then she read the name of the shop behind me and a horrified look crossed her face.

  I quickly crossed the street to join her and held up my hand. “No worries, Mom, I didn’t buy a gun. I went in there to give him a good scolding about how dangerous guns are.”

  “Right.” She gave me a calculating look that warned me to be careful and not do anything stupid to jeopardize this case. “Well, if you’re done with your lecture, I’d like you to meet a new friend of mine.”

  I looked around but didn’t see anyone. “Where is she?”

  “Inside, buying the outfit I picked out for her. She’s my new protégée. At least someone welcomes the advice I give them.” My mother sniffed sharply.

  A woman exited the shop and came to a stop beside my mother. “Thank you so much for all your help. It’s nice to finally meet a friendly face around this town. I swear everyone thinks I’m the devil.”

  “I know exactly how you feel,” I said, glad to know the Mad Hatters had taken the focus off of me.

  “It was my pleasure, dear,” my mother said and then swept her hand in my direction. “This is my daughter, Sylvia Meadows.” She turned to me. “Darling, this is the new manager of the library, Holly Smith.”

  “It’s Sunny,” I corrected, and held out my hand.

  Holly shook it, her handshake firm and tough, nothing at all like her average, slightly mousy appearance. Her sharp eyes met mine, and I swear a warning of Back off was very clearly written in them. Then they changed so quickly, I questioned if I had imagined it. Either I needed glasses, or there was more to this woman than met the eye.

  Last I checked my vision was twenty-twenty.

  15

  “It was great meeting you, Sunny,” Ms. Smith said as though she hadn’t just given me the look. “And again, thank you for the help, Mrs. Meadows, but I really must be going. My shift at the library starts at five.” She waved and then walked off.

  “What a nice girl,” my mother said.

  “Hmmm, she seems nice enough, but she’s hardly a girl, Mother,” I said. I couldn’t get that look out of my head. I knew I hadn’t imagined it, but I didn’t know what it meant, either. “I have to go, too,” I said, needing time to figure out what to do.

  “But we’re not finished. What could possibly be more pressing than spending time with your mother?”

  “I, um, have to meet with Detective Stone to go over the case.”

  “Oh, well then, by all means get going. We need something to break in this case soon.” My mother looked worried, like the kind of worry I see on the faces of the people whose tea leaves I read after I tell them I see a pistol. A pistol represents disaster, and right about now disaster pretty much summed up my life. My mother never looked worried. That was not a good sign.

  I gave her a quick hug and air kiss, and then I drove home in my rental car. It was almost four o’clock. I had to hurry if I was going to get to the library before Holly Smith. Maybe she was hiding something in the office. But how was I going to sneak in with Carolyn Hanes around?

  I let myself into the house, tossed my bag on the kitchen counter, and then hit the message button on my answering machine.

  “Hey, Tink, where are you?” A pause filled the line, and then Mitch’s smooth, deep buttery voice continued, “We need to talk. Call me.”

  Morty rounded the corner and hissed.

  “Oh, so now he wants to talk. Ha!” I said to Morty, feeling like hissing myself. “Too little, too late. I have plans.” I looked at Morty and sighed. “I just haven’t figured them out yet.”

  Morty stared at me for a full minute, and I couldn’t look away. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he could hear my thoughts. He meowed and then headed for the stairs. When I didn’t follow, he ran back, rubbed up against me, and meowed again. Louder this time. Then headed for the stairs once more.

  I needed to change my clothes, anyway, so I followed. When I reached my bedroom, Morty was sitting on my mattress. I eyed him curiously. “What are you up to, boy?”

  His nose wrinkled, and it seriously looked like the corners of his mouth tipped up. Then he stepped to the side, revealing a teddy bear behind him.


  My jaw fell open. “Where did you get that?” I sputtered.

  When I was little, my mom had a nanny cam that looked just like this. She used to watch my babysitters to make sure they weren’t behaving badly. When I grew older, she still had a nanny cam to keep her eye on me. I hadn’t seen a teddy bear like this in years. It couldn’t be the same one . . . could it?

  “How on earth did you get this?” I asked, gaping at Morty.

  He sauntered off as if to say, You simple, simple girl.

  My grin came slow and sweet. I didn’t understand how it had happened, but I didn’t really care, either. This nanny cam was the perfect solution to my problem.

  I changed my clothes, putting on a flowy skirt and soft sweater, and then I grabbed the bear. Once downstairs, I stuffed it inside my bag and glanced around. “Thanks, Morty, wherever you are.” The little stinker was as elusive as ever, his food and water still untouched. I shook my head and headed out the door.

  Ten minutes later I was parking my rental car at the library. I glanced at my watch. Only thirty minutes until Holly Smith showed up. I had to work fast.

  Locking up my car, I headed inside right to the circulation desk. “Excuse me,” I said to the woman behind the counter.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you know where Miss Hanes is?”

  “In the office in back.”

  “Thanks.” I headed in that direction and knocked on the closed door.

  The door opened, and Carolyn stared at me in surprise and then wariness. “Ms. Meadows?” She looked beyond me as though looking for Detective Stone. “Are you alone?”

  “Oh yes.” I waved my hand. “This is an unofficial visit. I have a request that might sound strange, but I was hoping you could accommodate me. You know, just between you and me. Detective Stone will never have to know.”

  “It’s not anything unsavory, is it?”

  “Oh, heavens, no.” I held my hand to my chest. “It’s just I feel so bad about what happened to Ms. Robbins. When she came to me for her reading, she mentioned how much she loved teddy bears.” I had no clue if she really did like teddy bears or not, but I was winging it. “Anyway, I thought it would be a nice tribute if I could keep this teddy bear in here in her honor.”