by Tim Myers
I’d been bracing myself for a confrontation with Andrew, but Terri was working by herself at the shop. I knew she’d taken a limited interest in her family’s business over the years, preferring to work as a corporate sales rep on the road instead. I wasn’t exactly sure what she sold, but I had no doubt she was good at.
“Hi, Ben,” Terri greeted me with a smile that seemed sincere enough. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“I’m kind of surprised you’re even open.”
Terri shrugged as she looked up from an account ledger she’d been studying, a pen poised in her left hand taking copious notes on a legal pad beside it. “I’ve been trying to decide what to do with this place. Andrew’s pressuring me to liquidate all of the assets, but Dad loved this place. I’m thinking about running it myself.”
“Could you give up life on the road,” I asked.
“For the right price. I would do it in a heartbeat.” She pushed aside the books she’d been peering over and asked, “Is there something I can help you with?”
I came by to do a little shopping.” I said, trying to disguise my real intent.
“So, who’s the lucky lady? Is there a new woman in your life, by any chance?”
That caught me off guard. “Now what makes you say that?”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not stalking you or anything like that. You just have that look in your eye.”
“What look is that?”
She waved a hand in the air. “New love, at least new interest. So who’s the lucky woman?”
She was either the greatest saleswoman in the world, or an extremely talented guesser. The conversation had gotten a little too personal for me, especially since my relationship with Diana was so new that I hadn’t been able to define it myself yet. “Let’s just leave that a mystery for now, shall we?”
Terri smiled. “That’s fine by me. I just love a good mystery. So, let’s find something perfect for her, shall we? What are her likes and dislikes?”
“To be honest with you, I’m not really sure.” I had come in there to ask questions, and had ended up being grilled instead.
Terri nodded. “Okay, this is going to be a challenge. Let’s start with something simple. Does she have pierced ears? Does she like rings, or perhaps necklaces?”
Blast it all, I didn’t have a clue. “I don’t know. I never really noticed.”
“Men,” she said. “How do you all manage? Tell you what. Why don’t you look around and see if anything strikes your fancy? After that, we can take it from there.”
That suited me. I hadn’t been all that comfortable under Terri’s spotlight, and it felt good to get the focus off my budding love life. I peered into some of the counter displays, and stopped at a bar of gold nestled among pendants and necklaces made with old coins and other golden items. “Is that bar real?”
She laughed. “No, it’s spray paint on lead. We couldn’t afford a real ingot if we sold the store. It looks nice, though, doesn’t it? Dad worked a long time on getting it just right.”
There was the opening I’d been hoping for. “Have the police had any luck yet finding out who did it?”
Terri frowned. “Not that I can tell. They’ve talked to both Andrew and me several times, and I suppose they’ve interviewed you as well.”
Now she was fishing again. “Extensively,” I said. “But I didn’t do it.”
“Neither did we,” she answered a little too sharply for my taste, especially since I hadn’t accused her of anything. At least not yet.
As casually as I could, I said, “By the way, I met your stepmother the other day.”
The distaste on Terri’s face was readily apparent. “I heard she was back in town. I never could stand that woman. How did you happen to run into Linda Mae?”
“She came by the soap shop yesterday. It was quite an interesting conversation.” That comment drew blood.
Terri’s face tightened for just an instant as I said it, but the expression was a microburst of energy, and then she regained her composure.
“Don’t believe everything you’re told, Ben. That woman would rather lie when the truth would serve her better.”
I decided to push a little harder. “I don’t know. She made sense to me.”
“Then you’re both delusional,” Terri said curtly.
Instead of replying to that, I decided to change the subject. “Have you seen my grandfather lately?”
She shook her head. “He hasn’t been in this shop for years, as far as I know. Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” I said. “He just mentioned that he dropped by this week.”
“What is this, some kind of game you’re playing?” she asked pointedly. “I’m not here the entire time we’re open. I’m sure Andrew waited on him, but he didn’t come in while I was here.” Her eyes narrowed as she asked, “Are you sure you came by looking for a present for your new girlfriend?”
Before I could answer, a voice from the back room said, “Sis, I need to ...” The rest of his words died in his throat as he spotted me. “What are you doing here?”
“Shopping,” I said. It was true, though I was looking for answers instead of jewelry.
“How stupid do you think we are?” he asked.
“I was just talking to your sister about my grandfather. Do you remember what day he came by this week?”
Andrew started to answer when Terri cut him off. “Ben said Paulus told him he was here. When was that, do you remember?”
“We get a lot of customers here,” he said. “Perkins, if you’re not going to buy something, why don’t you go look somewhere else?”
“That’s not very neighborly of you, now is it?”
I could see a vein on Andrew’s forehead start to bulge. He wanted me out of there, which was just one more reason I wanted to stay.
“You’re free to shop,” Terri said, “but I’d appreciate it if you’d limit your questions to our jewelry.”
I nodded. “Okay, I’ll ask you something about the shop. Exactly who inherits it now that your father’s gone? Is it a fifty-fifty split, or was one of you favored over the other? Do you have any idea what that might be worth? And what about Linda Mae? Does her presence here change anything? Was she mentioned in the will at all? Do you expect a fight from her?” I turned to Andrew and added, “Did your dad give you an even share, or did you get shafted in the will?”
Andrew started toward me, and I stood my ground. I’d been trying to make him mad with that last jab, hoping he would let something slip. Unfortunately, I think I may have pushed him a little too hard. There had been tension brewing between the two of us for twenty years, and while I never went looking for a fight in my life, if he took a swing at me it would be all the invitation I needed.
Chapter 8
Terri stepped quickly between us before anything could happen. “Honestly, you two are acting just like children. Ben, I need to ask you to leave.”
I thought about turning her request down, but I wasn’t going to uncover anything if I got into a fight with one of my suspects. I backed up as I said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything. I was just curious.”
I walked out, got in the Miata, and drove around the block before finding a good parking place where I could keep an eye on the jewelry shop without being seen. The Joys were clearly hiding something, and I was determined to find out exactly what they were up to. I planned to follow whoever left the shop first to see if I could find a lead, but my Miata was a little too conspicuous on the streets of Harper’s Landing. I drove back to the soap shop and approached my mother.
“I need to talk to you.”
There was a look of concern in her eyes as she asked. “Ben, what is it?”
“First, I need to know if anyone has heard from Paulus lately.”
“Why? What’s wrong, Ben?” Though I knew the two of them had their share of problems. I also knew the love they’d felt for my father was a strong bond between them.
“May
be nothing, but I’m a little worried about him. We were supposed to meet earlier and he never showed up.”
Mom waved a hand in the air. “Your grandfather is not the most reliable man in the world.” she said. “He probably got distracted. You know how he is.”
“Maybe.” I said, though I didn’t believe it for a second.
“So what’s second? You said first, now I’m waiting to hear what comes next.”
“I need to trade vehicles with you. What do you say? You can drive the Miata, and I’ll take your minivan.”
She shook her head. “No thank you. I like to drive a grown-up’s vehicle. It’s high time you started driving one yourself.”
“Mom. I’m not asking you to go for a joy ride. I’m digging into Earnest Joy’s murder, and my car stands out just a little too much. This is for the family.” They were magic words with my mother. To her, family was everything.
“Take it.” she said, digging into her apron pocket and producing her car keys.
“Thanks.” I said as I tried to hand her the keys to my Miata. “Keep them. Benjamin, you might need them later.”
“I don’t want to leave you stranded,” I said.
Mom laughed. “With all these children here dying to give their mother a ride? Don’t be silly.”
I kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks. I don’t know when I’ll have it back to you.”
“I’ll expect to get it back when I see you handing me the keys. Benjamin, be careful.”
“Always,” I said as I hurried for the door. I needed to get back and start my surveillance of the jewelry shop. At least in my Mom’s gray minivan, I’d have a chance to blend into the surroundings. The vehicle was roomy, and the seat more comfortable than my Miata’s, but it was going to be a bear to park, and I didn’t look forward to topping off my mother’s gas tank when I was finished with it.
I got back to the Joys just in time to see an intense-looking man getting into a white-paneled van, a black case grasped firmly in his left hand. I don’t know what caused my instant suspicion of him. Maybe it was the way he scanned the streets before he got into his vehicle, as if he were searching for someone like me watching him. Even with my mother’s tinted windows, I still ducked down in my seat when his gaze swept past me. As he drove off, I saw the lettering on the side of his van. In scripted letters, it said, Davis Fine Jewelry. He was probably just a regular supplier of theirs. So why had he acted so oddly?
I was still wondering about it when I saw Terri come out of the shop. Though my money was on Andrew as the chief suspect, I knew that Terri no doubt stood to inherit as well, giving her motive enough to kill her father and try to frame someone in the Perkins clan.
It was time to see what Terri Joy was up to.
I followed her to the outskirts of town, wondering what could possibly bring her there. When she pulled into the parking lot of the Mountain Lake Motel, I tucked the mini-van into a spot ten slots from her car. The rooms all had outside doors, and if Terri was going into a room close enough to where she was parked, I might just be able to see who she was visiting.
Without any hesitation, she knocked on one of the doors, waited a minute, then tried again. Her hostess was dressed in a robe with a white towel wrapped around her head, but I could still easily recognize her. It was Linda Mae. If Terri disliked her stepmother as much as she’d claimed, what was she doing visiting her? They both disappeared inside the room, and I debated whether to head back to trail Andrew when he left or wait it out. After ten minutes, I was growing impatient, and I started the minivan. As I did, Linda Mae’s door opened and Terri came out. Her face was flushed, and she looked upset about something.
As she drove back to town, I tailed her, but she’d looked so upset that I could have been driving a fire truck and I don’t think she would have noticed. I half expected her to head back to the jewelry store; but instead, she went directly to a small apartment complex and pulled into a spot near the pool. After she disappeared inside one of the units, I had to get a closer look to see who she was visiting this time. I casually got out of the minivan and walked past her door. Her name was printed near the buzzer. So Terri had gone straight home after going to see her stepmother.
I had just finished reading her name when I heard a woman’s voice behind me. How in the world was I going to explain my presence there?
“Can I help you?” she asked. For a second I was sure it was Terri, but when I turned around, I found a lean blonde in a tailored business suit standing there.
“I’m at the wrong apartment,” I said, backing away from Terri’s door.
I was four steps away when she said, “Tell me who you’re looking for. I know everyone at Sunny Side.”
The problem was that I didn’t know anybody there. Inspiration suddenly struck. “This is Sunny Side?” I said. “I’m looking for Henderson Place.”
She frowned at me. “That’s on the other side of town. How in the world did you end up here?”
“Bad directions, I guess. Thanks for your help.”
“But I didn’t do anything,” she said as I hurried to Mom’s minivan.
I drove off as fast as I could, but when I checked my rearview mirror, the woman was still staring after me.
As I raced back to the jewelry shop, I hoped Andrew was still there. I would have loved to know what Terri and Linda Mae had talked about, especially what had gotten Terri so upset when she drove off. If she disliked her stepmother that much, why had she driven straight to her motel room after talking to me? For that matter, how had she even known where she was? I needed to dig into that more. It could be tied to Earnest Joy’s murder.
Andrew’s car, a Mustang from the seventies in dire need of a paint job, was still parked in front of the jewelry store when I got back. The minivan was a great deal more comfortable than my Miata, especially for extended surveillance. I moved to the middle row of seats so I could stretch my legs out and was just settling in for a long wait when Andrew came out. Without even bothering to flip their open sign to closed, he locked the store up and got into his car. I scrambled forward and was barely buckled in by the time he ripped past me. Maybe I’d been rash swapping vehicles with my Mother. Andrew wouldn’t stand a chance losing me if I’d been in my car, but I wasn’t sure if the minivan could keep up with him. As I hurried through the streets of Harper’s Landing, I hoped Molly wasn’t out on patrol. I didn’t want to have to explain why I was tailing Andrew Joy around town, especially while driving my mother’s car. She’d probably lock me up on general principle.
In five minutes, Andrew pulled up in the driveway of his father’s house. I thought about how I could get a better look inside when he surprised me and bypassed his dad’s door, instead cutting across the lawn to Ralph’s house. There was no place I could park on the street without being noticed, so I drove down the block as slowly as I could, trying not to wreck as I watched Andrew as he approached the front door. I saw Ralph open it before Andrew even had time to knock. It was almost as if he’d been waiting for his guest to show up. Ralph and Andrew both stepped quickly inside, and I nearly hit a Hummer parked in the street. The thing was as big as a school bus, and I hadn’t been watching very closely. I circled the block a couple of times, then headed back to the soap shop. As far as I knew, I was finished tailing people for the day, and I wanted my Miata back.
I walked back in and Cindy shoved a note in my hand. “Special delivery,” she said.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Open it and find out.”
I tucked it in my shirt pocket. “I’ll read it later. So how did class go? Did Kate help you?”
Cindy beamed. “She didn’t have to. I did it all myself. You know what? I’m going to sign up for the next class myself.”
I loved the smile on my youngest sister’s face. “Cindy, I don’t think you need to take a class. You’re already pretty good at soapmaking. If you need a refresher, I’d be happy to help you out myself.”
“Benjamin Perkins, I’
m talking about signing up to teach, and you know it.” She paused, then added, “You know what? You were right. I had fun.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, cupping a hand behind my ear. “What did you say? I missed it.”
“I said I had fun.”
I shook my head. “No, that wasn’t it. You said something about me.”
She laughed. “Okay, you win. You were right, and I was wrong. Happy now?”
“It’s a good start,” I said as Kate and Louisa joined us. Kate said, “What are you two chattering about?”
“Cindy’s got the teaching bug,” I said.
Kate nodded. “She should. She’s better at it than you are.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Louisa said, apparently in my defense.
Kate looked at her and said, “I didn’t say she was better than you. Just Ben. You know how clumsy our oldest brother can be.”
Louisa pretended to consider it. “He does tend to bang around into things, doesn’t he?”
I shook my head. “You three should at least have the decency to do this when I’m not around. By the way, has anyone heard from Paulus?”
That effectively killed their jovial moods. When they all admitted that they hadn’t, I said, “I’ll be in my office if anybody needs me. I’ve got some phone calls to make.”
Jeff was absent in back as Bob and Jim struggled with a heavy batch of soap they were preparing to pour. “Do you two need a hand?”
“We’ve got it,” Bob said, though they were clearly struggling with the weight of the container.
Ignoring him, I grabbed an edge and helped them move it to the finishing line.
Jim wiped his forehead when we had it in place. “Thanks. That was a little heavier than I thought it would be.”
“Where’s Jeff?” I asked, looking around the production area.
Bob wouldn’t answer, so Jim finally said. “He’s not back from lunch yet.”