Tea, Treats & Terror

by Carolyn L. Dean

  It seemed like the whole town had turned out for the rare good weather and the sight of so many dogs and owners, all raising money for a good cause. The park was a riot of sniffing noses and happy greetings, barking pets and laughing humans. A line of colorful banners fluttered in the spring breeze, and the lake was a placid sheet of calm water, edged with tall trees and the new path.

  It didn't take long for them to find the sign in booth. Mrs. Granger was obviously having a great time, seated on the plastic seat of her walker and helping Arlo Chase, Amanda’s guest from the Inn, handing out runner placards as people signed release forms and paid their entry fee. Madeline Wu was making sure that everybody had a lanyard with their ID in it and was happily answering questions about the route. Amanda could see Brian Petrie in comically short shorts, sitting on the grass nearby and doing leg stretches. He waved at Amanda and then went back to talking to Grace TwoHorses, who was listening raptly and doing her hair up in a ponytail. Petunia Clark, the town florist, seemed ready to go, too, and she had a huge black dog with her, one that Amanda had never seen before. Even Wendell Smith was there, chatting with Ruby at the water table, which was covered in disposable cups. A booth had been set up for baked goods, with all proceeds from their sale going toward the local Humane Society and Tory Sherwood, just back from vacation, was staffing it with Hortense Sandford. Amanda could see that Tory, normally a friendly person, was keeping her distance from Amanda’s dour cousin. It was no surprise that she wasn’t wild about working with Hortense. The stiff-lipped owner of the Sandford Art Gallery wasn’t known for her humor or her warmth, but she had a deep-seated love for Ravenwood and a willingness to help out when it suited her, so Amanda knew Tory would have to put up with her for the afternoon.

  It seemed like just about everyone had brought their favorite canine companion, and the park was full of sniffing mutts and stretched leashes as they got used to the excitement of more and more people arriving for the Mutt Marathon.

  James kept Benson close to him as he walked through the crowd and then sat down on the grass to stretch. He gave the yellow lab a good scratch behind the ears, to the dog’s absolute delight, and then looked around with a grin. "This is the sorta thing that makes me love Ravenwood Cove," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen so many dogs in my life in one spot. Even Mrs. Bitterman brought her new little dachshund to sit with her."

  Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Amanda turned just in time to see Lisa and Meg making a beeline her way, with Truman holding onto Meg’s hand and Sage in tow.

  Truman was in full form, with newly-dyed green hair and a black t-shirt that had RUN OR DIE written on the front of it in bright neon letters. His little brown dog, Benny, trotted behind him, as usual. Even though Ravenwood hadn’t been too sure about Truman’s tattooed and kind of Goth appearance when he’d first arrived, it turned out that he was a great addition to the town. His two businesses, a bike store that also sold kites and a bookstore, added to the flavor of the small beach town, and his reputation for helpfulness and cheerful civic pride quickly melted most prejudice against him.

  “Hey, Mrs. Granger, up top!” he said to the ninety-year-old lady, and she grinned and raised her arm to smack Truman’s palm in a noisy high five.

  “How are you, Truman? You better be nice to my granddaughter or you’ll have me to contend with, doncha know.”

  “Doin’ good, Mrs. G,” he said with a smile, “—and you can be sure I’m taking good care of Meg.”

  To be honest, most of the town had been surprised when Truman and Meg had started to date. He was known for his love of reading and wild appearance, and she had a reputation for fabulous baking and a sunny disposition. No internet dating service in the world would probably have put them together but, for whatever reason, it all seemed to work just fine. Meg had complained that there were no nice guys left, and once she realized that nice guys come in unexpected packages, they became a couple.

  It wasn’t long before the announcement was made for the runners to get to the starting line, and Amanda stepped to the side to watch the marathon begin. She could tell James was having a great time, and Benson seemed to have picked up a couple of new canine friends he was romping with, even though James still held his leash. The chatting and noise seemed to drop a bit in anticipation of the runners’ start, and then a shot rang out and the pack of dogs and people started sprinting down the path. Slower runners soon fell to the back of the group, most just happy to be part of the event or keeping pace with smaller dogs.

  Knowing it would take a while for the faster runners to come across the finish line, Amanda walked over to see what Tory was selling. Hortense had walked off to take a quick break, and Tory looked none too pleased to be sitting there by herself.

  "So, how was your vacation?" Amanda asked, and Tory's one-word answer surprised her.

  "Short."

  Amanda looked at Tory and could see her face was set in bitter lines. "What do you mean, short? I thought you were in Seattle, visiting your sister."

  "Meg called me to tell me what was going on with our new competitor, that tea shop guy. You know, the one named after a sandwich full of sauerkraut."

  "Ruben?"

  "Yeah, that's the guy. I had to come back two days early to see what’s going on. Did you know he's been spreading rumors about Cuppa, trying to get our customers to go to his place?"

  Amanda tried to think of what to say. "Meg may have mentioned something about that," she said, trying to be diplomatic. From Tory's determined expression, she could tell tact wasn't working.

  "That guy. What a nerve! I've owned Cuppa now for four years and I've been there through thick and thin. You know, until about a year and a half ago we had hardly any business and I had to scrape for every customer I could get. For a while, I slept in the back room because I couldn't afford rent, and I hired Meg out of pity. She's been with me even when I had to wait to pay her."

  "Sounds rough."

  “You know, I knew that guy from Portland,” Tory said, her eyes narrowing in anger. “He’s a piece of work, and if that...man...thinks I'm going to give up without a fight he's crazy."

  There was something in Tory's strained tone that caught Amanda's attention. "What sort of fight?"

  Tory turned toward her and smiled without humor. "Let’s just say it's nothing a sharp fork in his eye wouldn't cure." She paused, and added, "I'm only kidding, of course."

  Amanda nodded in agreement, but she could hear the anger in Tory’s voice. "Of course."

  Tory seemed to lose interest in talking anymore and clammed up, so Amanda walked over to the finish line and found a seat on the sloped grass, waiting for James to come by.

  It was fun to sit and wait for the runners, and Amanda had a great time talking with the people around her. She could see the colorful parade of joggers as they ran, many with their dogs almost pulling them along with excitement as they strained at their leash, wanting to be the first in the pack.

  When the winner, Grace TwoHorses, broke the tape across her torso, everyone cheered so loudly it echoed across the lake. Grace was well-known for being an avid jogger, as well as the best toy store owner anywhere, and her weeks of training in the Oregon rain had definitely paid off. Hoisted onto the shoulders of several friends, she laughed and waved as people clapped and whistled, thrilled at her victory.

  Amanda clapped and cheered too, watching the rest of the runners streaming in behind Grace. Looking for James, she caught sight of him near the end of the pack but making good time.

  Something must’ve happened to slow him down, she thought, but as she watched he seemed okay and Benson was with him, so she relaxed.

  Each batch of marathoners who crossed the finish line was applauded, but then something odd caught Amanda’s attention.

  There was something horribly, terribly wrong with Ruben Bishop. He was stumbling and gasping, his arms swinging loosely by his sides. His face was pale and mottled and his lips were swollen a deathly shade of blue. W
ith a final, desperate lurch he tripped across the finish line, his eyes staring into space.

  "Pen! Pen!" he hollered thickly, his voice straining with the effort. Seeing the setup tent where people could keep their belongings if they didn't want to put them in their cars, he practically leapt toward it, searching for his backpack. The people around him were watching in confusion as he dug inside the bag, finally fishing out an epi-pen.

  He was having an allergic reaction!

  Amanda sprang forward to help, just as Ruben yanked off the cap of the pen and jammed the sharp needle into his trembling thigh. His face sagged in relief as the pen’s medicine pumped into his veins. Amanda could hear Tory calling 911 and telling the emergency operator to get an ambulance to Sandford Lake Park as quickly as possible. Even though his face was still mottled and swollen, Ruben was waving away the concerned people who had clustered around him, apparently embarrassed.

  “Go stand by the park gate and direct the ambulance back this way,” Amanda ordered Sage, and he was off like a shot, running toward the main entrance. Ruben collapsed into a nearby chair, now wheezing while he tried to catch his breath.

  “I don’t think it’s working. Why isn’t it working?” Mrs. Granger cried, holding onto Ruben’s hand, but within seconds he had slumped down in his chair, his eyes shut. Just as people realized that he’d passed out they heard the blessed sound of an approaching ambulance. Several people held the crowd back to let it through and it only took minutes for the paramedics to be out with their equipment. After quickly checking him they immediately slung his limp body onto a stretcher and secured him in the back of the ambulance. The lights and siren were already started before the vehicle sped away from the park and toward the waiting hospital.

  The crowd watched it go in eerie silence, the joy of the day fading as the red lights disappeared from view.

  Chapter 9

  "I can't believe he dropped dead right in front of me." Mrs. Granger's voice still held a touch of horror in it. "I mean, I never knew the man at all, except from what Meg had said about him spreading rumors, and what Lisa said about him criticizing Sage and his friends and trying to shut down the garage..." Her voice trailed off in confusion. "Maybe he wasn’t such a good guy after all."

  "Are you okay, Mrs. Granger?" Lisa asked, watching the elderly widow intently. "I know it's been a shocking day. “I’ll go get Meg.”

  Still sitting on the seat of her walker, the ninety-year-old peered up at her young friend. "Oh, I’ll be fine. Sweetie, I've seen more people die and be buried than just about anyone in town." She shifted a bit on her chair, then said, "Of course, normally they don't just keel over in front of me like that. Poor man. Not an easy way to go."

  Amanda couldn't help but think back to Mrs. Granger’s previous opinion of Ruben Bishop, when she'd sided with Meg about his spreading rumors regarding Cuppa and its business.

  James loped up, Benson happily running alongside on his leash. He’d finished his race just as the ambulance was pulling out, and had quickly explained that he’d had to stop when Benson took an extended pit stop. He’d spent the time since then controlling the crowd and working with George Ortiz.

  "I just got the confirmation from the hospital. It's not good news." He paused, seeing he had everyone's attention.

  "He didn't make it."

  There was a moment of stunned silence while they absorbed this news, and a few people nearby drifted away to tell their friends and family. Amanda knew that within minutes the information would be all over town.

  Another death in Ravenwood Cove.

  Another set of questions that only the police and the coroner could answer.

  James gently took her by the arm and pulled her aside. "Look, I'm going to be here for the rest of the day, making sure everything is handled and evidence will be gathered correctly. Once you get the all clear to leave, can you stay at the Inn until I get there?"

  It was an unusual request from James, and Amanda was puzzled. "Stay at the Inn? Honey, you know I was planning on going back and working at the Inn once the marathon was over and done with. Did you need something from the Inn?"

  James shook his head, his face serious. "No, but I still need to fly out tonight to Boston, and I'm hoping to get some time with you before I go. We’ve both been busy, with the recent drug bust I was assigned and everything going on with construction, I just feel like I haven't had a chance to see you much lately, that's all."

  It was one of the things Amanda liked best about her quirky husband. He had no problem letting her know when he missed her, or how much he loved her, or tossing an extra load of laundry into the wash. Even if their relationship had only been platonic, she had to imagine that he would've been a good, responsible roommate.

  "Is that all?" she asked, suspicious there was more, and she wasn’t disappointed.

  "No, it's not," James said. "With an unexplained death in town I'd feel much better if you were safe at home. The last thing we need in our lives right now is more drama or danger." He looked around at the dispersing crowd. "I think we've had plenty of both of them lately. Enough is enough."

  Amanda laughed and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss, not minding how sweaty he was from running. Benson, not wanting to be ignored, pushed his way between them, whining for attention, and Amanda had to laugh.

  James gave the dog a mock glare. "Hey, buddy. That’s my girl you're trying to poach. You'd better figure out who the big dog is in this family or we're gonna have problems, you and me."

  Benson sat back on his haunches and looked innocent, and Amanda burst into laughter, then looked at James. "All right. I'll be home when you're home, if you don't have to go to the airport first."

  "Thank you. Well, I have to go touch base with George about everything, and the Sheriff is coming by in about half an hour, so I'd better go. I'll catch a ride home with someone later."

  George Ortiz was in full police chief mode, organizing his small band of officers to process people so they could leave and taking charge of the scene. Amanda was one of the first people who were told they could go home, and she was just putting Benson in the car when James loped over her way. At first, she thought he was just going to say goodbye but as he got closer she could see the worried expression on his face.

  “Be careful,” he said with a quick kiss, then jogged back to where George was still talking with bystanders. Amanda could see Lisa standing nearby, taking notes and probably putting together the next front-page article for the Ravenwood Tide.

  Chapter 10

  When the sun comes out in Oregon before summertime, everyone seems to emerge from their homes and blink upwards at the pale late-winter light.

  Peering out her front parlor window, Amanda felt a thrill at the prospect of spring coming soon. The clouds were just small white puffs in a clear blue sky, and the still-damp grass was a shimmering green. Everyone who lived near the beach knew that dry days like this one were rare, including the owner of the Ravenwood Inn. She grabbed a leash from the drawer at the reception desk and gave a short whistle. Looking up the main stairway, it was only seconds before a wildly-wagging Benson came barreling down toward her, tongue hanging out in excitement.

  "Come on, buddy," she said as she snapped the leash onto Benson's collar. "I need to go to city hall to check on permits, and you could use a good walk." Truthfully, he deserved a treat and a break. Just an hour before, he’d met Oscar when Jennifer accidentally let the big orange cat in for breakfast. Benson had been innocently sitting by the harvest table, hoping something would drop from the humans’ bowls onto the floor. The instant the huge orange cat had locked eyes on the unwary interloper, he’d been in full attack mode. Puffing himself up to an enormous orange puffball, she hopped sideways at the startled dog, hissing and spitting as the humans in the room leapt out of his way.

  Benson gave a startled yelp and frantically backed away from the huge ball of fury that was coming toward him, finally crashing backward into a nearby wall. Feeling cornere
d, he just flopped over on his back, his legs waving pathetically in the air in absolute surrender.

  Apparently, Oscar hadn’t expected this. He stopped hopping and just stood in one spot, considering his options, while his thick fur slowly settled back into place. After a minute or so of standing over Benson, who now was watching the big cat with enormous eyes, Oscar plopped himself down next to Benson’s head and looked him over. The dog eyeballed him right back, then slowly rolled over and set his head on the floor.

  Maybe Oscar was unhappy that he didn’t get a confrontation or maybe he was disgusted by Benson’s meekness, but he walked away, heading toward his empty food bowl while shaking his tail in irritation.

  After an encounter like that, Benson definitely deserved a car trip.

  Nose to the doorjamb, Benson was outside the moment Amanda swung the door open and headed toward her car.

  Once the dog was settled inside she buckled in herself and started out of the circular driveway. The Hendersons, her neighbors from across the street, were out power washing their driveway and ignored her as she drove past. She wasn't surprised. They were kind of an unusual family and even though Amanda had tried to be a good neighbor to them, they hadn't seemed interested in getting to know her in anything other than a cursory fashion.

  Just as the road started to drop down toward the main part of town, Amanda saw a blur of movement dart across the street, right under her tires. She shrieked in surprise as she jammed on the brakes, squealing to a jerky stop as she was thrust forward into her seatbelt. Benson slid off the front seat, landing in a heap in front of it, crumpled up in the footwell and giving a yelp of protest. As soon as Amanda realized they were stopped, she jerked the car into park and checked on her dog.