Organized for Murder

by Ritter Ames

  The hawk-faced man piped up, "If a person's kitchen resembled the house-wares department at M—"

  "Robert—" His little wren-wife fluttered, striking his shoulder with a small hand.

  "Well, Margaret, it does," he countered. "You have everything from meatballers to ice cream makers. Even a heart-shaped waffle iron. Why do we need a heart-shaped waffle iron?"

  "Valentine's Day breakfast for the grandkids," she returned. "And you always—"

  Though Kate imagined variations on this scene played out almost hourly with this couple, she interrupted, "If you use an appliance regularly, then it earns its place on a kitchen counter. Take time to consider how often you need an object and whether another, more versatile appliance can do the job equally well. For example, my twins love fruit smoothies—"

  "Twins!" A schoolmarmish woman jerked even straighter in her chair. "No wonder you're an organizational expert."

  After the laughter died down, Kate continued, "I have twin six-year-olds, and yes, their birth helped me to stay on the straight-and-narrow, organizationally speaking. But back to my story, they've been bugging me to purchase a smoothie maker." She held up a hand. "Don't think it's because they can't have smoothies at home because they can. We have a perfectly acceptable blender that creates excellent fruit drinks of every consistency. No, a smoothie maker wins out over the blender in their eyes because they want to press the lever in front and have drinks dispensed right into the glass. That spigot is the winning factor for my children."

  Kate scanned the crowd. "Anyone want to be brave and admit to purchasing something your household could have easily done without? A special gizmo you acquired simply because it had a 'new and improved' extra you truly didn't need?"

  Several women in the crowd tittered, but no one raised a hand until the hawk-faced husband snorted, and uncrossed his arms to grab up his wife's left arm and hold her hand high. The crowd roared, with half joining in to show they, too, had purchased just such a treasure—or three. As courage grew in the room, more hands went up, until nearly everyone had at least one raised. Even Bill laughed and raised his right hand. The lone holdout, Gabriella Cavannah-Wicker, kept hers clenched in her lap.

  "Yes, we buy more things on impulse, then hate to throw out the mistakes. But letting things fill your living space only because you don't feel you've gotten enough use out of it—and never will—only adds clutter and makes finding things you do need more difficult. Plus, unnecessary counter items add to cleaning time, as you must constantly move and wipe around each extra appliance. Save your money, people. If you don't use it, someone else might. Donate or sell it in a tag sale."

  The husband, arms again tightly crossed, nudged his wife with an elbow. "See, Margaret, I told you."

  Kate quickly moved on to the subject of hidden storage potential. "Never leave the space under the bed to just the dust bunnies."

  The group tittered again. She flipped to a detailed drawing of a box on wheels.

  "Wheeled boxes are great for beneath the bed storage, and can be easily made from disused or mismatched dresser drawers." She pulled a small, plastic wheel from her pocket. "Hardware stores carry a wide selection of wheels similar to this one. Attach it to the bottom, those cute guys at the hardware store can tell you how—" more titters, "—and the box or drawer will roll out and under the bed with ease, no matter how heavy and full. Large plastic storage containers that slide are lightweight and work equally well, plus they have the added advantage of stay-tight lids to keep out dust and crawly things. For economy, you can use those big clear zip bags blankets and sheets come in."

  "What a good idea," one woman cried. "I can take care of my seasonal clothing that way."

  Kate nodded, glad the audience was getting into the spirit of the event, and shifted to another poster. "This is an answer for seasonal storage, but there is another way to get the most clothing stored in the least amount of space."

  The next poster showed an enlarged shot of a white plastic bag filled with clothing, and a vacuum cleaner sitting alongside. From the puzzled faces, Kate knew she would win points here on sheer surprise. "By packing folded clothes in plastic bags, you can store them clean and ready for immediate use once the temperatures change. The only problem with plastic bags is they have a tendency to store air along with the clothing."

  She flipped again and pointed the laser at a picture showing a hand tightly holding the neck of the bag around the vacuum cleaner's hose. "Once you get folded clothing into the bag, close the bag's opening around the hose of the vacuum and lean or lay across the packed clothes, flip the sucker on and—whoosh! All the air goes into the vacuum and your clothes package is nothing more than, well, clothes, with everything tightly packed." She flipped to the next poster and showed a blow-up shot of the 'after' picture, now compressed and easily stackable. "Air, and the extra space it takes, has disappeared."

  Pulling out an example she'd brought of just such a bag, filled with summer clothes Kate hoped her family would be using soon, she watched as people came forward to ooh and ahh. They lifted the bag and grunted at its denseness and weight, marveling at the airless compactness. Many discussed how such bags could be stacked in cabinets and closets. One woman declared she couldn't wait to get home and try it for herself. "This will transform our walk-in closet," she said. "I'll actually be able to find things I want to wear."

  Saree had said to expect a lot of working moms in the audience, and Kate saw most fit such a description. She moved on to zone cleaning to teach kids to keep rooms and clutter under control. "Getting kids to clean their rooms and keep things neat isn't impossible if you teach workable methods and furnish the right tools. Even young children can learn to keep things in zones or centers for play and storage, like you see in daycare centers and elementary schools. For older kids, this method provides privacy and space to entertain friends, too."

  She flipped to a bulleted zone chart. "Using zones, keep like and needed items where they are used most."

  The poster showed four basic zones: sleeping, computing/homework, music, and R&R. Kate pointed to the first. "These zones stay the same throughout children's lives, whether they are two years old or twenty. For the sleeping zone, keep this for bed and bedding, and only things relating to time just before sleep, like stuffed animals and a small table with a lamp or nightlight.

  "For the computer/homework zone, have a desk or table and chair, and keep this and the sleeping zone separate. Don't let kids start bad future sleeping habits by doing homework on their beds. They'll associate bed with work rather than rest. Make sure there is adequate desktop space to write on, or add a separate PC table. Include game and educational CDs, pens and pencils, tablets or spirals for notes, research materials, and a good desk lamp."

  She moved on to music, noting storage for iPod, CDs, and headphones. "If using rechargeable batteries, the charger stays here, too," she added.

  For R&R, she suggested easy-to-shift chairs, like beanbags, floor pillows, or blow up furniture for reading and watching TV or DVDs. "Bookshelves work to store more than books, doubling to hold remote controls and other things easily misplaced."

  From the basic zones, she moved on to activity areas which catered to specific age levels, changing to a chart that read—Let's Discover, Let's Pretend, and Let's Build.

  "Okay, do you own a lizard or a guinea pig, or any other kind of pet that stays in your child's room?" Heads nodded throughout the audience. She tapped the first line and said, "Put the varmint and anything relating to the pet in the Let's Discover zone. This is the science zone. Add any microscope, binoculars, bug or butterfly collections, magnifying glass, flashlight, magnets, compass or camera your child uses."

  As the mother of girls, the next had been a particularly busy zone in her house. Still was. "In Let's Pretend, keep all creative play items. Use hooks or a box for dress-up clothes, and hang a mirror on the wall. Large bins hold props for playing house or putting on a stage production and can double as a place for puppeteer
s to hide behind for a puppet stage.

  "The Let's Build It zone holds toys that evolve into larger projects. Give kids space to create by offering a carpeted spot to build a personal Trump Tower. This is also the spot for creating doll worlds, train tracks and landscapes, or loop-the-loop tracks for race cars."

  She had their complete attention. Even the attendees of grandparenting age smiled, as if figuring how to utilize the information. "Once zones are established, provide the right tools for storage success. Small lidded plastic bins and boxes collect millions of pieces, like Legos, KNex, Hot Wheels, Barbie clothes, and other items that can drift unchecked through your house. Larger tubs and containers are great for blocks and balls, play dishes and larger trucks, train sets, and any kind of track system. Use see-thru containers or label what goes inside."

  "But my children are too young to read," one mother interrupted. "I thought this was all about teaching them to do some of the picking up themselves."

  Kate smiled. "It is. For young children, draw pictures or let them help you find photos of the items in magazines or catalogs. Or snap a digital photo and paste the print on the outside. Kids love putting pictures onto containers with tape or a glue stick."

  Heads nodded all around, and the questioning mother seemed pleased with the suggestion. Kate moved on to closet fitness. "Hooks work best for very young children, and invest in sturdy plastic hangers rather than wire. Designate a certain color hanger or hook for all play clothes and another for school and church, and you might save the knees of dress pants from getting creamed during afterschool bike races."

  Laughter swept through the crowd.

  Kate then suggested hanging a shoe organizer on the back of the closet door. "If kids don't have enough shoes to fill the pouches, use the extras to store umbrellas, caps, or other small items. Another organizer can be hung on the back of the bedroom door for toys, like cars or fashion dolls, or even small stuffed animals." As a hand went up, she anticipated the question by adding, "If your child is too short to use many of the door organizer's pockets, add a shoe cubby to the closet instead. Purchase one ready-made or do-it-yourself by asking your local grocer for one of the divided boxes laundry cleaners are shipped in. Cover with contact paper or let your kid play Picasso and paint it."

  To growing applause, Kate covered adult and storage closets, family cleanups, morning no-battle routines, laundry low-maintenance practices, and gift and hobby storage. The crowd was on their feet as she concluded saying, "Organizing and de-cluttering are a lot like dieting. Pay attention before bringing an item into your house. Consciously decide you really need to pack those pounds around. When you de-clutter you truly are losing weight, both physically and emotionally. And like any change, it may not work overnight and can take long-term commitment, but believe me, it's worth it."

  Several came by to speak to her and get a business card. In a wave, the rest of the audience moved to the display of books. Kate packed her things to leave.

  "Can I buy you a coffee to thank you for a lot of terrific advice?" Bill reached out to steady the tripod as she pulled off her posters. Meg had a box of supplies in her hands, ready to head for the van, but Kate wasn't surprised her friend stayed grounded there instead. She knew Meg wouldn't want to miss a second of this exchange.

  "Oh thanks, Bill, but I can't." She smiled to soften the rejection. Meg stood behind him and wiggled her eyebrows. Kate fought the laughter bubbling inside, and turned away to stand the posters against the wall. "Coffee sounds wonderful, especially Saree's, but I need to get home and relieve my sitter."

  "That's right, you have twins," he said. "And your husband works nights."

  She collapsed the tripod and leaned it against the back wall. "Yep, you must be a sports fan."

  "Not really," Bill replied, his smile shifting to the one she'd seen the first time they'd met. The smile that failed to reach his eyes.

  An icy chill slithered up Kate's spine.

  "Well, guess Thomas and I will get out of here, then," Bill said in farewell.

  Meg's eyes widened. Kate shared her surprise and said, "I hadn't noticed Thomas in the crowd."

  Bill shrugged. "He came in to look for some gardening books." Craning his neck for a moment, he spotted his quarry and added, "There he is at the end of the aisle by the door. Well, I'll be seeing you."

  "Goodbye."

  As Bill and his step-brother left, Kate noticed Thomas was carrying a large Book Nook sales bag. She wondered if he bought the book in which she and Saree had read the information on lily of the valley. She couldn't remember whether she had touched the book. Though the volume was likely covered in fingerprints, it worried Kate that hers might be part of the mix.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Note to Self:

  To survive a meltdown:

  1) Hug my kids.

  2) Go see a movie.

  3) Eat chocolate.

  4) Take a deep breath.

  5) Lean on a friend and don't panic.

  *

  Meg walked over and stood at Kate's shoulder, watching Bill Nethercutt and most of the seminar crowd file out the front door. "That was kind of weird."

  Deep breath. Don't panic. Kate watched a smiling Saree ring up sales as fast as the register allowed, having relieved Anna when the presentation ended. Did they have anything to worry about? If she only knew what book Thomas carried in his green bag. Headlights flashed through the front window as patrons drove away. Kate kept a careful eye on who still mingled. Gabriella Cavannah-Wicker strode out the door without speaking to anyone or making a purchase. Regardless, the evening looked like a big sales success.

  Saree looked up and waved her over, but with a hand signal Kate told the bookseller they would be right back. She grabbed the posters, her purse, and the huge black carry bag and followed Meg. They moved toward the exit in the back of the store, and despite the dimmer lighting, the worries receded as she moved out of the store. Who cares if my fingerprints are on the book. Saree will tell anyone how they got there. Friends. She really had friends, good friends, who would stand by her for what seemed like the first time in her life. The most trying time in her life. She started to snap the rubber band on her left wrist, then realized it wasn't there, and couldn't remember the last time she'd worn the band—or felt like she truly needed it.

  Keith is going to be amazed.

  "Wonderful talk." Jane rushed ahead to open doors for the two. "And an excellent maiden voyage into the deep waters of business presentations."

  "I think you're still in the throes of that cruise." Kate laughed. "But thank you. I don't know about maiden voyage, though. I'm not sure the butterflies in my stomach will let me reenter these uncharted waters."

  "You were scared, Katie?" Meg asked, disbelief evident on her face. "I've never seen anyone appear more relaxed than you seemed."

  "It was all an act."

  "A very good one," Jane reiterated, as she opened the back of the van and stepped aside. "Anything else I can do for either of you?"

  Looking at Meg, who shook her head, Kate replied, "I can't think of a thing, but I do appreciate your support tonight, especially given the fact none of this information is new to you."

  "Might be surprised, Katie."

  Kate patted her motherin-law's arm. "Thank you for that, too. But it's late. You'd better get home before George is worried."

  Jane looked at her watch in the dim light. "I would say that's good for him, but it is after 8:30, and I do hate to drive around once it gets so late."

  After Meg set the box on the van's floor, Kate slid the posters between it and the backseat and placed her large carryall with the rest of her supplies near the door. She turned and hugged her motherin-law. "The girls want to come over and see your cruise pictures."

  "Bring them tomorrow evening, and they can spend the night."

  "In that case, you really do need to go home and rest up," Kate said, smiling as she withdrew her keys and tossed her purse in the back with the rest of the stu
ff.

  Meg slammed shut the back of the van, and Jane noticed the crumpled rear fender.

  "What happened?"

  "Somebody got too close," Kate answered, wistful as she rubbed a finger over the biggest part of the dent. "I haven't had a chance to contact my insurance agent yet."

  Jane frowned. "Who did it?"

  Kate shrugged, wrapped an arm around each of the other women's shoulders and headed back into the store. "It happened while the police interviewed us at Sophia's, and the van was parked out front."

  "The person didn't even leave a note?" Jane asked, indignant, her words as forceful as her actions when she slammed open the shop's back door.

  "No. Which means I'll probably have to pay a deductible to get it fixed."

  Her motherin-law shook her head but said no more as they reentered the bright bookstore. Saree rushed over and hugged Kate's neck. "It was rippin' good, eh?"

  "Yes, definitely." Kate couldn't keep the smile from her face, and she felt true satisfaction at how few business cards she had left in her stack. She kept her fingers crossed the telephone would ring in the next few days with new clients.

  Saree's voice called out happily, "Kate, Organized Queen, this night be a very nice hit. Come by tomorrow, I give free lunch. My treat. We gonna schedule another in summer, yes?"