by Linda Wiken
*
• • •
J.J. sat on the floor in her living room, surrounded by cookbooks. She’d pulled a few off the bookcase as soon as she’d finished her dinner of poached salmon and wild rice and started thumbing through them to try to come up with a menu for the next night. She finished off the remaining red wine in her glass and stood up to stretch. She had both arms raised above her head when someone knocked at the door.
She glanced at the mess on the floor but left it as it was, hurrying to answer the insistent knocking. Ness Harper stood right up against the door and pushed his way in as soon as she’d cracked it open.
“Sorry to barge in like this but I need your help. Or at least, some advice.” He peered around the doorframe out into the hall in the direction he came from.
J.J. wasn’t sure what to say. Ness asking for advice from her? Talk about tables turned.
When he’d straightened up and closed the door, he glanced behind her. “You’re not entertaining, I hope.”
“Nope. Just looking for a recipe, so the room’s a bit of a mess, I’m afraid. Can I get you coffee, wine?”
“Coffee would be great.” He headed for the living room while J.J. went to the Keurig. She made some tea for herself and placed both cups on the ottoman that served as a coffee table.
Ness sat on the love seat, thumbing through one of the books. His salt-and-pepper hair looked on the longer side, in need of a trim. “Looks like some dandy recipes in this one.”
“The problem is, there are too many that are dandy. I can’t make up my mind.” She groaned. “And, I’ve got to come up with one for tomorrow night.”
“What’s happening then?”
“I’m having the dinner club over for an impromptu meal. Alison will be with us, along with her aunt.”
“Her aunt? I assume she’s staying with her until things get settled. That’s good. Nothing worse than having to see something like this through on your own. Any updates?”
“You could say that.” J.J. filled him in on the dead bigamist.
Ness let out a soft whistle. “That’s a strong motive for murder.”
“For both wives.”
“Exactly. And Alison should have the local cops on her side so I’d try not to worry about it too much.”
J.J. was just about to ask Ness how one could go about committing bigamy and not get caught, when he launched into his reason for dropping in.
“I’m a bit embarrassed about this and hate to bring you into it,” he hedged. “I know it’s not something you’re used to dealing with. I’m not either, and you being a woman and all … I just thought …”
“Out with it, Ness.”
His face had turned a delicate shade of pink, something so unusual for him that J.J. began to get worried. Was his health okay?
“You see, there’s this … Uh, have you met our new neighbor in 210? The woman?”
A woman. Does he want me to set him up on a date? She almost laughed but fortunately got control of herself.
“No, I haven’t met her. What’s she like?”
He stood and started pacing. “Uh, where do I start? Pushy? Overbearing? A real pest.”
J.J. wasn’t sure what to say except there went the theory about her role as matchmaker. “What’s the problem?”
“Problem? I can’t even walk down the hall without being harassed by her. Does she not have a life? She keeps asking how I am, inviting me in for a drink, inviting herself into my place for a drink. The woman has no boundaries. And have you seen her? She dresses like a sixteen-year-old, and even sixteen-year-olds shouldn’t be dressed like that. She’s about as clued in as a yahoo—and I’m not talking Internet here—when it comes to taking hints. She doesn’t know the meaning of the word no. And I think she thinks just because I’m a male I’d be interested in her.”
“And, you’re not, I take it?”
He stopped in his tracks and glared. “Got it in one. What’ve I gotta do to make her go away? You’ve gotta help me, J.J. You must have some suggestions.”
J.J. tried to look like she was giving his question some sincere consideration. What she really wanted to do was chuckle but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. However, dealing with a lovesick elderly woman was not in her realm of expertise. Maybe the woman wasn’t elderly. That could change things.
“Does she have a name?”
“Of course. ‘Lola Pollard is my name but you can call me Lola,’” he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. “Can you imagine anything so, so silly?”
Lola Pollard. That certainly conjured up images of what this woman might look like. J.J. tried to hide her smile. “How old is she?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
J.J. shrugged. “Just trying to get a picture of her, get all the facts.”
“Huh. I’d guess she’s pushing her late sixties. Hard to tell with the dye job. Not a bad figure for her age, though.” He sat back and held out his hands, palms up. “So, what am I supposed to do?”
“Just tell her outright that you’re not interested?”
He looked at her like she’d just dropped out of the sky. “I can’t do that. What if I’m reading this all wrong and that’s not what’s happening? I’d look like an idiot.”
J.J. sighed. This was turning out to be a no-win situation. Why couldn’t he just take Lola out for coffee and get to know her before running for cover?
“I know this is really bothering you, Ness, but you asked for my advice and I’m going to give it to you. You”—she pointed at him for emphasis, thinking it was time for grand gestures—“are an attractive man, to women of a certain age.” She realized as she was saying it, a qualifier was required. She didn’t want any hint that she might actually be thinking of him as such, also.
“And Lola, I’m guessing, is a fairly active mature woman.” Does that sound too old and stodgy? “She certainly seems to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm. And I think what she wants is someone to have a fun time with. And, why shouldn’t she? I’d guess she has no ties or commitments, no husband or children around. I would think you should give some serious thought to the possibilities. Maybe a dinner out each week, dutch treat, of course,” she added hastily, noting his scowl. “Maybe a movie. What about dancing? I’ll bet you’re great on a dance floor.”
“Two left feet.”
“Oh. Well, what would you do on a date?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “What?”
“A date? Would you go to a movie? Out to dinner? Go for a walk along the harbor downtown? Maybe a play or a concert?”
J.J. had the feeling she should check to see if she’d grown pointed ears or something. Ness didn’t answer. He just sat with his mouth partly open, staring at her.
“Come on, Ness. It’s not that hard to answer. You’ve been on dates before in your life.”
“Yeah, many moons ago.” He snorted and sat back. “Face it, J.J., I’m not much of a romantic and I like it that way. I like my life like this. No women, no complications. If I want to go to a movie, I’ll go alone, thank you, and have a great time. What don’t you, and Lola, get about that?”
J.J. felt rotten for pushing him. Especially since it hadn’t worked. “I’m sorry, Ness. You’re right, it’s your life and you get to choose how you live it. And I’m happy you’re not lonely or anything. So, what I’d say about Lola, if you don’t want to give it a chance, is tell her outright. She’ll be disappointed but at least she can start looking elsewhere. And you won’t have to be afraid to go out of your door.”
He grunted. “I’m not afraid.”
J.J. just stared at him.
“More like, uncomfortable.” He tapped on the arm of the chair then stood up abruptly. “You’re right. I gotta be going. Thanks for helping me out here, J.J.”
“I don’t feel like I’ve done anything, but if you’re feeling better, that’s great. I will give it some more thought, though, and let you know if I come up with any suggestions.”
<
br /> Ness nodded then let himself out of the apartment. J.J. sighed and sat back down, staring out the patio door. She wasn’t sure if there was anything she could do to help him. Having somebody interested in you seemed like a good thing to J.J. But obviously not to Ness. Was it that old privacy thing or something deeper?
CHAPTER 8
J.J. eagerly opened the door to Beth, Evan, and Connor when they arrived right on time. She supposed that Alison and her aunt wouldn’t be far behind. After the others deposited their meal contributions on the counter in the kitchen, Connor took orders for drinks, and J.J. brought out a plate of blue cheese and bacon lettuce cups and one of hot and spicy stuffed mushroom caps to tide them over until dinnertime.
She had just sat down with her own glass of cabernet-merlot in hand when the doorbell rang again. “That must be Alison and Aunt Pam.” She left her glass on the counter and opened the door.
Alison gave J.J. a hug and moved aside to let her aunt follow her in. Either Alison hadn’t explained about her casual friends or Pam Wieland had chosen to ignore it. Even though Alison was in her usual jeans and pullover sweater, this time a colorful multi-stripe, Pam had dressed to the nines. Her A-line dress was pale blue with a slight shimmer to it. She wore a single strand of pearls and black pumps. It even looked like she’d been to the hairdresser that afternoon. The blonde streaks in her dark hair seemed even more noticeable than the last time J.J. saw her, and it definitely looked a bit shorter, ending just below her ears.
“That’s a lovely dress, Pam,” J.J. said.
Pam’s smile reflected her pleasure at the compliment. She went into the living room and introduced herself to the others while J.J. hung up their coats. Alison placed her bottle of chardonnay on the kitchen counter as she passed by. Evan jumped up to hug Alison, and Conner brought them each a drink. Pam started chattering to Beth as soon as she’d sat down beside her. J.J. smiled. Pam was obviously in her element.
Finally, J.J. leaned forward and passed the lettuce cups around.
“I hope you all like them. I found the recipes in the Bon Appétit magazine and thought I’d give them a try.”
“Do they look like their photos?” Beth asked, teasing in what J.J. thought was an attempt to lighten the mood in the room.
“Somewhat.”
Alison laughed and explained J.J.’s food photo fetish to Pam, who didn’t smile but instead gave J.J. a rather odd look. J.J. had the distinct feeling she was being sized up. But for what? Being worthy of being Alison’s friend? Or was Pam really a chef in another life?
“Is there any more news?” Beth asked.
“Not from the police but I’ve been racking my brains trying to think of a possible suspect from James’s past, rather than mine, and I may have an idea,” Alison said. “I’ve mentioned it to Hashtag but he hasn’t told me what, if anything, came of it.”
“Well, tell us. Maybe we can find something out,” Beth suggested.
“When I first met James, he had just broken up with a girlfriend, or so he told me. Lauren Tate. I didn’t give her another thought, but after we’d gotten married—we’d been dating only a month—Lauren showed up at the front door one evening and she’d been drinking.”
“What happened?” J.J. asked.
Alison sniffed. “She threatened him. She said James had actually dumped her for me and he wouldn’t get away with it.” She straightened her shoulders. “I think this is way too long to carry that grudge, though.”
J.J. looked at Beth, who raised her eyebrows in return. “Do you know where she lives?”
“For sure. I looked it up and had thought about stopping by to talk to her but decided it would be a bad idea. I did think she was stalking us for a while after that encounter, though.”
“But you weren’t sure?”
“Let’s just say there was no proof. She seemed to turn up at a lot of the same places and then one day, she didn’t. So, I thought she must have gotten tired of it all.” She shrugged. “At least, I’d hoped she had. Now, of course, I don’t know what to believe but my gut tells me she didn’t do it. She was primed to take action long before this, and if she was still keeping track of us, she’d realize James didn’t live with me anymore. No, it doesn’t make much sense.”
“But, you can’t be certain,” Connor said.
Pam cleared her throat and jumped into the conversation. “I don’t want to be rude but I can smell those incredible aromas and they’re making me very hungry.”
Alison looked sharply at her aunt and then gave a small laugh. “You’re right. We can talk too much about this and not get anywhere. I, too, am hungry.”
J.J. jumped up. “Well, unfortunately my dining table won’t stretch enough for us all to sit there. So, I hope nobody minds if we just help ourselves, buffet style, to the food that’s out on the counter and then sit back in the living room. Does anyone want a TV tray as opposed to using the ottoman or your knees?”
Pam looked around the room and then said, “I would, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
After they’d all filled their plates and started eating, J.J. glanced around, hoping to see a reaction to the chicken Dijon she’d made in the slow cooker, a gift to herself from last Christmas. It was the first time she’d used it. She’d felt very daring and in fact hoped it wouldn’t disappoint her fellow cooks. She was still that unsure of her abilities. When she noticed Beth take a bite and then actually smile after swallowing it, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Another dandy meal,” Evan finally offered, the first to speak. “And J.J., very adventuresome of you. Nicely done. I particularly like the fact that you’ve finally used that frigging slow cooker. See how easy it makes life?”
Pam looked around at everyone. “Are we all supposed to offer comments? Is this what you do in your dinner club?”
Alison chuckled. “It is what we do, but no, we don’t need to today because it’s just a dinner among friends. But I totally agree with Evan. Delicious, J.J.”
“And I want to say, I also agree,” Pam added. “My middle son is a chef so I know something about food.” She looked at each of them. “It’s so nice of you all to invite me to join you. I can see why Alison is determined to stay in Half Moon Bay, even after all that has happened.”
J.J. almost choked on the slice of baguette she’d just eaten.
They all stared at Alison. Finally, J.J. swallowed, took a sip of her wine, and asked, “Was there any thought of moving, Alison?”
Alison’s face had turned a light pink. “Not entirely. Aunt Pam, of course, thinks I should move back to Middlebury, where they can keep an eye on me.”
Pam held up her hand. “That’s not entirely why. Okay, maybe it is but I just think a change of scene would be healthy.”
“Well, maybe I should move to Montpelier. They’re a big police service. Surely I could get a job if I don’t end up in jail.”
J.J. could see Alison was trying to hold back a smile so she joined in the fun. “What about Stowe? Just think, you could spend your days off skiing.”
“Or maybe Cambridge,” Connor added, a big smile on his face, “and enjoy the great winery there.”
“Of course, you could do that in Stowe, also,” Evan threw in.
Pam looked from one to the other and then started laughing. “All right, I get the message. It is totally up to Alison what she does with her life, as it always has been. And, I go back to my original comment. I can see why she stays here. You are good friends and I know you all look out for her.”
Alison made a face and shook her head.
“This is a good thing, Alison.” Pam leaned toward her. “And I know you know it. Now, is there any dessert?”
*
• • •
Alison hung back while Pam walked toward the door with Evan and Beth. They all had their coats on and were in deep discussion about the black rice pudding that Evan had brought for dessert.
“By the way, I got a call from Jessica today.”
Alison said it casually but J.J. could sense the tension.
“Really? What did she want?”
“To talk about the funeral arrangements.”
“And how did that go?” asked J.J., thinking back to their last encounter.
Alison scrunched her nose. “It went okay, I guess. She was quite civil and I was happy she did call because I know something must be done but I didn’t want to be the one doing it. I told her that since he’d been living with her, it would be more appropriate if she made the arrangements.”
“That makes sense.”
“We also each got a call from James’s lawyer about the reading of the will. That’s in two days. I have no idea what to expect and Jessica said the same thing. I’m assuming she’ll get everything since that has been his new life. Otherwise, I would probably have offered to help share funeral expenses. As it is, I’m reluctant to go to the funeral, but on the other hand, I need to go. For closure and all that. Does that make any sense?”
“I think so. There was still a lot that hadn’t been settled between the two of you. This is a way to do just that.”
“Exactly. Now, I’m hoping you’ll come with me. I’m not sure I want my family there. They were never close to him, and right now they have nothing good to say about him.”
“Uh, okay. Sure, I’ll go with you.”
Ugh. I hate funerals.
CHAPTER 9
Devine sat in his car parked outside J.J.’s office building the next morning. He saluted as she walked up to the passenger window.
“I’m assuming you’re waiting for me rather than tailing me.”
Devine smiled. “I think your investigative skills are getting more astute. Do you have some time for a coffee? Hop in.”
As she slid into the seat she said, “We could just walk up the street to Beth’s or even across the street.”
“I thought we’d have coffee on the way to the fire station.”