The Cure For What Ales You

by Ellie Alexander

  “I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves. The crowd loved you.”

  “Stop, Sloan, you will make us blush.” Ursula waved me off.

  “Mom!” a voice called from nearby.

  We turned to see Alex and Mac approaching. My heart thudded in my chest. I tried to remain calm, but shot a look in both directions. Villagers crowded around us. If Forest or one of his henchmen were watching me, there would be no way for me to know. I stood on my tiptoes and was relieved to see John only a few feet away. He looked like he belonged. A number of police officers stood waiting to lead the procession and make sure that the streets were cleared for us.

  Whew. I let out a sigh.

  Play it cool, Sloan.

  “Don’t you look dapper,” I said, planting a kiss on his check.

  “Mom.” Alex wiped my kiss away. “You can’t kiss me in public. I’ll lose my street cred.”

  “Street cred?” Mac laughed. He wrapped a burly arm around Alex’s shoulder. “You’re going to have to teach your old man your tricks.”

  They were nearly the same height. In fact, on closer inspection, I couldn’t be sure that Alex hadn’t inched over the top of Mac’s head. They looked like father and son, with their rosy cheeks and bright eyes. Mac’s build was stockier, whereas Alex had a long and lean soccer player’s frame. His cheeks had begun to fill out, and his voice had deepened. It was surreal to watch him transform in front of my eyes.

  “April got to you guys, too?” I teased.

  They both wore Der Keller’s traditional Trachten shirts, suspenders, and shorts.

  “I’m in charge of handing out coasters.” Alex reached into his pockets to show me a stack of coasters with the Der Keller family crest, two lions waving German flags.

  “That’s a great job for you.”

  We walked together to join the parade procession.

  “You would have been so impressed with this kid of ours,” Mac said, ruffling Alex’s hair. “He must have run five miles going back and forth between the patio and kitchen last night.”

  “That should make your soccer coach happy,” I said. “How was it? Are you going to turn in your resignation this morning?”

  “No way. It was awesome. There were a couple of jerks in the mix, but for the most part, everyone was chill and happy, and my shift went by so fast because we were busy the entire night.”

  “Just wait for today,” Mac cautioned. “You think last night was busy? Tonight is going to be triple the crowd.”

  “Bring it on.” Alex flexed.

  We made it to the back of the line, where we were ushered to our different spots. I had been slotted to be part of the flag-waving group. About twenty of us were handed small German flags. I noticed Bozeman—or Boozeman, as the twins referred to him—talking to Vienna the housekeeper. They were both assigned to my group. I hung back and watched them for a minute. Vienna appeared to be pleading with Bozeman.

  The sound of the alpenhorns at the front of the line signaled that the parade was about to start. We slowly shuffled forward. A man wearing the Hotel Vierter Stock uniform squeezed in next to Vienna and Bozeman, who continued to argue.

  I recognized the man. He was Jay Hunter, the owner of the hotel. I didn’t know Jay well. He had moved to Leavenworth from the East Coast three or four years ago when he bought the hotel. I’d bumped into him at a few chamber meetings and seen him at the pub a handful of times, but our conversations had never been more than casual. I’d been fine with that. Jay was handsome in a slick way that had put me on edge from the moment I met him. I remembered at our first meeting moving away from him when he had smiled with unnaturally white teeth that made me conjure up images of Little Red Riding Hood into the Big Bad Wolf.

  Vienna tried to scoot away from him. I saw why. As the horns bellowed again, Jay reached beneath her skirt and grabbed her ass.

  CHAPTER

  NINE

  I PUT MY HAND to my chest. The thought made my skin crawl.

  She swatted his hand away and moved to the other side of Bozeman.

  I considered myself a pretty good judge of character. Vienna’s reaction and her rigid body posture told me she didn’t welcome Jay’s advances. It appeared that I needed to add sexual harassment to the list of issues at the Hotel Vierter Stock.

  We proceeded toward Front Street to the happy applause of the crowds. Tourists pushed together on the sidewalks for a firsthand view of the polka bands, giant puppets, colorful floats adorned with lush spring flowers, and clopping Clydesdales. A group of women in pretty dresses with red, black, and yellow aprons tossed fuchsia pink and canary yellow carnations to bystanders. Children perched on their parents’ shoulders noshing on pretzels the size of their heads. The brilliant blue sky above and sturdy mountains surrounding the village served as the perfect backdrop for the whirl of color, thumping of music, and cheerful laughter. I waved my German flag high in the air and kept an eye on Vienna. She made a concerted effort to stay as far away from Jay as possible. I didn’t blame her.

  I made a mental note to mention the interaction to Chief Meyers. If she was already investigating a murder at the hotel, she could probably do a bit of digging into employee/management relations or report what I’d witnessed to HR.

  We sauntered along Front Street, waving to happy visitors. They snapped photos and steadied their cell phones to capture our Festzug on video. Kids in tiny German costumes danced on the street and tossed candy to parade watchers. A line of six alpenhorn musicians led the procession. The melodic sound of the delicately carved wooden instruments brought a grin to my face. They were followed by a traditional horse-drawn carriage guided by two long-maned mares with floral saddles. April sat with the mayor and sprinkled her adoring fans (as I’m sure she imagined the spectators were) with rose petals.

  It was hard to argue that there was any place more magical than Leavenworth at the moment. Our version of Bavaria was on full display, with authentic costumes and the pulsing beat of shiny tubas, as the band high-stepped down the street. The budding trees and gazebo draped with silky ribbons and dainty twinkly lights caught the sun, creating sparkling patterns that reminded me of falling snowflakes. The smells of roasting nuts and aromatic flowers brought a smile to my face. Everyone clapped and swayed along when the high school band broke into the “Beer Barrel Polka.” German maidens spun in circles carrying a miniature version of the Maipole. I wondered how they weren’t dizzy by the end of the route. I caught Garrett’s eye in the crowd. He grinned and waved, as he dutifully followed the Bier wagon that carried the all-important wooden keg, which had been decked out with dozens of red and white blooms. He had been assigned to the poop scoop crew, who wore matching felt hats and darted after the horses with their wheelbarrows and shovels.

  The parade didn’t take long. Within twenty minutes, we had made it to the Festhalle. I hadn’t spotted Marianne or anyone looking nefarious in the crowd, but I had felt the eager gaze of my young police detail burning the back of my head. I wondered if anyone else had noticed that John marched by my side or a few paces behind for the duration of the parade, rather than up front with the other police officers. I tried to ignore the thought that I was being watched and focus instead on the jubilation.

  It was hard not to feel upbeat and festive in the midst of so much joy and happiness.

  This is why you love Leavenworth, Sloan, I thought, stopping at the corner near Der Keller to watch the remainder of the parade. Our village might have its fair share of quirks and challenges, but we came together for events like this in a way I had never experienced in my youth or young adulthood. The entire village embraced the return of spring and our collective desire to share that with our guests.

  I was about to return to Nitro when I spotted Vienna coming toward me. She was making a beeline for Der Keller, but there was already a line queuing halfway down the block. She stopped at the corner and sighed.

  “It’s already packed,” I commented. “You basically have to pitch a tent on the sidewalk the night
before parades if you want a seat inside.”

  She frowned and nodded. “Bummer, I was just hoping to sneak in for a slice of pizza and pint before the parade finished. Guess I missed my chance.”

  “I think some crafty paradegoers got smart and used their spot in line to view the parade.” Der Keller’s patio tables were packed with tourists enjoying strudel and giant beer steins. From their rosy cheeks and the way different groups crammed together around the long picnic tables, I suspected they’d been there for a while. “I work around the corner at Nitro. I can pretty much guarantee that we won’t be packed yet, but that might change soon. If you want to follow me, I can hook you up. We don’t have pizza, but we have ample beer and some delicious lunch specials.”

  “Oh yeah, one of my friends was talking about Nitro. I haven’t checked it out yet. I live in Wenatchee, so usually I head straight from the shuttle to work and then back again.” Vienna nibbled on the tip of her pinky. Her fingernails were painted like a rainbow and dotted with little stars. “Good thinking. As long as you have food. I forgot a lunch, and I’m working a twelve-hour shift today.”

  “We do,” I replied. I felt someone watching us, and when I turned, I realized it was John, who stood casually leaning against one of the hop vine trellises that Hans had built. “I’m Sloan, by the way. I saw you at the hotel.”

  “Vienna.” She reached out her manicured hand. While her nails were painted and buffed, her skin was rough, chapped, and calloused. “Yeah, I work there, although I don’t know for how long. You’re not hiring for a housekeep by chance, are you?”

  “Not at the moment, but you never know.” We walked together. John faded into the horde filing into shops. “Why? Are you thinking of leaving Hotel Vierter Stock?”

  “I’m not thinking of leaving. I think I’m getting fired.” She chomped harder on her pinky.

  Her words echoed what Bozeman had told me earlier. I was stunned that she would admit it to me. Maybe she had a different side to the story. “Oh no. Why do you think you’re getting fired?”

  “Did you hear about Sara, the woman who died?”

  “I did. I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah. It’s crazy. It’s still hard to believe.” She kicked a plastic cup that someone had left on the sidewalk.

  I stopped to toss it in one of the keg barrel trash cans. Crews would work around the clock for the duration of the festival, making sure that the trash cans didn’t overflow and that our cobblestone sidewalks remained clean.

  “Had you worked with Sara a long time?” I asked.

  “Not that long. I’ve only been on staff for about a year, but she was my boss the entire time, so I guess I knew her pretty well. She was tough. She had high standards for us, and she hated cell phones.” She fiddled with her platinum blond braid, wrapping it around her finger and then letting it go again.

  “Really?”

  “She freaked out anytime I happened to be on my phone. I kept telling her it wasn’t a big deal. She didn’t understand my generation. It’s not like I talk on the phone. I would shoot a text to a friend or check in on my TikTok. It didn’t stop me from doing my job.”

  I didn’t respond, especially since I was in Sara’s camp on the issue of phones at work. If it was slow in the pub, I never minded that Kat would use that time to take pictures for our social media and website, but Garrett wasn’t paying her or any of us to scroll on our phones for hours. There were always endless projects to be done when working for a small, family-owned business. Work ethic had been essential to my success. It was one of the things I tried most to impart to Alex. His life hadn’t been filled with the same challenges that I had experienced in my youth. While I would never have wished him the instability that I’d had, my years in foster care also made me resilient. I wanted that for him.

  “So it sounds like you and Sara didn’t have a great working relationship?”

  “That’s what the police kept asking me earlier. I don’t know what the big deal is. She was my boss, and she was, like, forty years older than me. It’s not like we went out for beers after work or hung at the spa together, but isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?”

  “Definitely,” I agreed. “I think it’s important to have some boundaries between management and staff.”

  “Yeah. Exactly.” Her phone buzzed. She reached into her pocket and responded to a text as we continued along the sidewalk.

  I was impressed that she could text and walk simultaneously.

  “Sorry, I had to text my mom real quick.” She stuffed her phone back into her skirt pocket. “See, that’s what I told Sara. I’m fast. What’s the big deal about taking a few seconds to shoot off a text? I never take long lunch breaks or anything. I’m a hard worker. I need this job.”

  I wasn’t sure how to respond, but Vienna seemed open, so I decided the best route was taking the straightforward approach. “Did that cause problems between you and Sara? Is that why you’re worried about getting fired?”

  “No. Sara threatened to fire me a bunch of times. I knew she would never do it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m the best cleaner she had. I’m the most reliable. I’ve never skipped a shift or showed up late. You can’t say that about some of the other staff members. Sara warned me to put my phone away all the time, but she wasn’t going to fire me. It was an empty threat to make a point. That’s all.”

  “Then why are you worried about getting fired?”

  She bit her lip. “Uh, because of my other boss. He won’t keep his hands off of me.”

  Jay.

  “Vienna, what do you mean?” I stopped. Although I already knew how she was going to answer.

  “The hotel owner is a serious creep. He is always trying to grope me. I told Sara about it, and she had my back. That’s another reason I know she wasn’t going to fire me. She told me to stay away from Jay and that she was going to help me file a formal complaint.”

  This was major news. I wondered how it might tie into Sara’s murder. “Good. No one should have to suffer through workplace harassment.” I could hear my tone shifting into concerned mom mode, but it was true. Vienna deserved to go to work without fear of unwanted touching from her boss—or any other staff member, for that matter.

  “I know, but now I’m stuck. I don’t know what to do. Sara was going to help. She’s dead, and I’m alone. Jay has told me on more than one occasion that if I don’t sleep with him, he’ll fire me.” Vienna sounded dejected, as if she was out of options.

  “That’s illegal, Vienna.” I could feel my heart rate increase. How dare Jay take advantage of his power like that? “I’m so sorry that Sara is dead, but her death doesn’t mean that you have to suffer through this situation. There are laws in place to protect you. Did you talk to Chief Meyers?”

  “She asked me some questions earlier. Someone told her about Sara threatening to fire me, but I didn’t say anything about Jay because I was worried that she might tell him and then I’d get fired for sure.”

  “No, listen, you need to tell her. It’s important. Chief Meyers and I have been friends for a long time, and I promise that she’ll protect you. Whatever you tell her will be in confidence. You don’t have to worry about her confronting Jay, but you do need to tell her what’s been happening, not only for your sake but because he could be doing this to other women on staff.”

  “Yeah, I guess I didn’t think about that.” She didn’t sound very sure.

  I wanted to add that Jay’s sexual harassment could also be connected to Sara’s murder, but I decided it was best to leave that out of the equation for the moment. Vienna had enough to deal with.

  We arrived at Nitro. John took up a post near the patio doors. I invited Vienna inside and poured her a pint and got her a to-go box of our cheese and meat plate.

  “You’ll talk to Chief Meyers, right?” I asked when she paid for her lunch.

  “Yeah. I will. Thanks for listening.”

  “Anytime. My door and my bar are
always open.” I ran my hand along the wood bar top. “Vienna, Sara was right to help you. I’ve worked in this industry for many years, and I have had plenty of run-ins with guys like Jay. This isn’t your fault. And if you need extra support or someone to talk to, I’m here.”

  Her eyes misted. “Thanks. It’s so embarrassing.”

  “For him.” I met her eyes and reached my hand out to console her. “Really, Vienna. This isn’t on you. Workplace harassment is a huge issue. If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s Jay. Not you.”

  She nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.

  “Sorry, it’s the mom in me.” I patted her arm and moved away. “This is how men like Jay manipulate the situation, to make you feel bad or like it’s somehow your fault that he’s crossing a major line. It isn’t. This is on him.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re probably right.” She took her to-go box. “Thanks again for listening. I need to get back to the hotel.”

  I watched her leave. Hopefully she would follow through and talk to Chief Meyers. If she didn’t, I would. I wasn’t about to let Jay get away with harassing his young female staff. Not to mention if Sara had confronted him, that could have given him a motive for killing her.

  CHAPTER

  TEN

  AS EXPECTED, A POST-PARADE surge poured into the pub. Within thirty minutes, there wasn’t an empty seat to be had in the tasting room, on the patio, or outside in the temporary section we’d set up in the back. People were in good spirits, which was fortunate because, even with five of us working, there was a constant line at the bar. The twins were earning their keep. I thought of Alex many times when I watched them sprint from the patio to the bar to pick up trays laden with pints, bowls of fresh pea soup, meat and cheese platters, and my Lemon Kiss trifle.

  I had to stop multiple times to dab sweat from my forehead and rehydrate with a glass of water. There was no time to think about Marianne or Sara’s murder with the steady stream of customers, which was not a bad thing. I checked on John a few times, bringing him pub snacks and Arnold Palmers. He was appreciative but refused to engage in small talk; rather, he kept his eyes forward, constantly scanning the sidewalk.