“We’re going to have to work on your timing, friend,” Steve said with a smile, glancing at the server.
Six
“All right, Carl, you can go out,” Kelly said to her dog as she slid the glass patio door open. “Squirrels are in the trees, just waiting to torment you.” The big black Rottweiler charged through the doorway and dashed across the cottage backyard, barking his arrival lest any squirrel be unaware.
“They already know you’re there, Carl. They have scouts posted on the upper tree limbs.” She pointed to the huge cottonwood shading the backyard, then leaned against the doorjamb to watch Carl begin his surveillance while she finished her first mug of coffee. Carl sniffed every inch of ground that bordered the fence in case renegade squirrels had dared trespass while he was inside having his kibbles breakfast.
“What do you smell, Carl? A cat maybe?” Carl’s head jerked up at the “magic word.” Cat. Oh, yes. Devoutly to be wished. Kelly laughed. “Give it up, Carl. No self-respecting cat would dare come into this yard while you’re here.” Carl stared at her again as if protesting: Say it isn’t so!
Kelly had no doubt that cats as well as other furry animals trespassed in her yard during the night. Carl would suddenly bark in the middle of the night as if he sensed their paws treading his turf. After all, the cottage backed up onto a city golf course. Green grass stretched all the way from the back of the fence to the edge of Fort Connor’s Old Town. The Cache La Poudre River ran along the southern edge of the greens. So all manner of wildlife were roaming about at night and the early morn hours. Not only cats, but raccoons, foxes, even deer were drawn by the water and the abundance of nearby greenery. Carl did not lack for tempting smells to discover in his early morning investigations.
Kelly’s phone jangled. She’d changed the ring tone to a more melodious tune after her phone went off in the middle of a Warner Development meeting.
Burt’s name and number flashed on the screen. “Hey, Burt, what’s up?” she asked as she answered.
“I’m off doing errands, Kelly. Getting an early start. So I thought I’d let you know what I learned from Dan yesterday evening. He said he and a uniformed officer went to Oscar’s house late the night of Zoe’s murder to let him know that his wife was dead. Oscar’s truck was in the driveway, so they pounded on the door until a sleepy Oscar finally opened it. He reeked of liquor, according to Dan.”
“Oh, brother.” Kelly could almost picture belligerent Oscar out on a drunk.
“Well, they told him they found Zoe dead in her car earlier that night and asked him where he’d been during those hours.”
“I can’t wait to hear what he said.”
“According to Dan, Oscar didn’t even believe them at first. He said they were lying. So Dan described her, and Oscar just stared at them and said they were wrong. It couldn’t be Zoe. Then Dan showed him Zoe’s wallet and purse, and Oscar started to cry.”
“Oh, please.” Kelly had trouble believing abusive Oscar would shed tears for his wife.
Burt chuckled at her comment. “Dan asked Oscar again where he’d been that night, and Oscar told them he’d been at the Stop On Inn bar down East Mulberry. Of course, Dan asked how long he was there and where did he go after that, you know, standard questions. Oscar couldn’t exactly remember when he’d left, but he said he came straight home.”
Kelly snorted in disgust. “I’m sure he did, after he’d gone to that church parking lot and shot Zoe.”
“Judge and jury, eh, Kelly?” Burt said, laughing now. “No mercy, right?”
“Not for Oscar. I’ve been up close and personal with that scumbag. With his track record of abusing Zoe, I’d say he’s the number one suspect.” Kelly drained her coffee mug, then grabbed her knitting bag and walked out of the cottage.
“Well, he’s certainly right up there,” Burt agreed. “But there weren’t any fingerprints on the gun, so whoever used it either wiped it clean or used gloves. So it’s not cut and dried. We all know how easy it is to buy a gun. Who knows? Oscar may have an alibi. Maybe he was at the bar while Zoe was shot. Dan said he’d let me know once they’d interviewed employees at the bar and also some of Oscar’s neighbors and coworkers. They need to get a clearer picture.”
Kelly headed across the driveway, early morning sunshine bright in her face. She should have brought her sunglasses. “Good. You’ll keep me updated, I trust.”
“Don’t I always?” Burt teased.
She walked down the flagstone pathway into the garden behind the shop. Café tables were already filled with customers enjoying Pete’s and Eduardo’s hearty breakfast specials. “By the way, exactly where was Zoe shot? In the chest? In the head?”
“In the head. Right in the middle of her forehead. She died quickly, I’m sure.” Burt’s voice had lost its jovial tone.
“At least she didn’t suffer,” Kelly said as she walked up the steps to the café’s back door.
“Gotta go, Kelly. Talk to you later.”
“Later, Burt.” Kelly clicked off her phone as she pulled open the door. Stepping into the back of the café, Kelly was close to the prep area and waved to Jennifer, who was loading plates onto a tray.
“Hey, great timing. I was about to take a mini break,” Jennifer said as she passed Kelly. “Why don’t you grab one of those empty tables in the alcove. I won’t have time to go into the shop.”
“Will do,” Kelly promised and wove her way through the front section of the café, which was filled with breakfast diners. The enticing scent of bacon and eggs and pancakes and Pete’s homemade sausage floated on the air, teasing Kelly’s nostrils and worst of all—that susceptible breakfast lobe of her brain.
Kelly rounded the corner and waved to Julie, one of the other waitresses, and the new college girl who was trying out as hostess that week. Giving Eduardo the grill cook a big grin, Kelly deliberately didn’t look at the plates of breakfast omelets and other temptations lined up on the counter for the waitresses.
Finding the alcove less crowded, Kelly settled at a smaller table. She’d barely sat down when Julie walked up, coffeepot in hand. “I could tell your mug was empty. I figured I’d better bring a refill before you went into lack-of-caffeine shock.”
“Thanks, Julie. That would be too scary.” Kelly smiled and held out her mug.
Julie poured a black ribbon of coffee into Kelly’s open mug. “Yeah, I don’t think we want to go there. Are you having any breakfast?”
Kelly sniffed the black nectar. “No, simply catching up with Jen on her mini break. I’ll be out of this table and into the shop before you know it.”
“Don’t rush. It’s starting to slow down. See ya.” Julie hurried off. Waitresses were always hurrying, it seemed to Kelly. Demanding hungry customers made them that way.
Kelly sniffed the black nectar again, then took a sip and felt that harsh burn. Delicious as always. She caught Eduardo’s eye and lifted her mug in salute. Eduardo grinned, flashing his gold front tooth, just as Jennifer came racing around the corner into the alcove.
She plopped into a chair across the table. “Hey, how’re you doing? I heard all about the confrontation with Zoe’s husband from Lisa and Mimi. And then Zoe winds up dead!” Jennifer’s eyes grew huge. “That is awful! Zoe was so nice and so talented. I cannot believe someone would kill her.”
“My money’s on Oscar,” Kelly said, then drank deeply.
Jennifer sipped from a takeout cup. “I’ve heard a lot about him from Mimi. None of it good. He sounds like a classic abuser.”
Kelly nodded. “He sure fits the profile, listening to Mimi. And now that I’ve been face-to-face with him, I can attest that he’s physically aggressive. And he was clearly furious Zoe moved out of the house. Enraged even. That’s what I saw in his eyes when he was in my face. Rage.”
Jennifer closed her eyes and shivered. “Tragic, simply tragic. To think he would wait for Zoe to come out of a class, then shoot her. Do the cops consider Oscar a suspect? Has Burt found out anything? I kno
w he’d tell you if he did.”
Kelly took another sip. “It seems old Oscar may not have an alibi. Police went to his house late that night to tell him about Zoe. They found him asleep, in a drunken stupor. Apparently, Oscar said he was at a bar that night, but he couldn’t remember when he left to go home.”
Jennifer grimaced. “Oooo, drunken stupor, not good. And not remembering, even worse. Of course, the bar will do that.” She gave an experienced nod.
“As I said, my money’s on Oscar.” Kelly took another deep drink. “But there were no prints on the gun, so there will be a full investigation.”
“Well, surely someone at the bar that night was sober enough to recall when Oscar was there. And I’ll bet the bartender will remember. Sounds like Oscar is a regular, so the bartender probably knows his habits better than Oscar himself.” Jennifer glanced at her watch. “Darn, I wish I could hear more, but we’re one waitress short on this morning shift and our hostess is a newbie.”
“Where are you and Pete catering this weekend?”
“Football luncheon on Saturday, then a family reunion on Sunday.” Jennifer started to turn away, but stopped. “By the way, didn’t you say you and Steve were going out this week? Where’d you go, Denver?”
“Nope, we had dinner at the Jazz Bistro. Good food, good wines, and good jazz.” Kelly smiled, then gave Jennifer a wink.
Jennifer laughed softly, her eyes lighting up. “Hey, your old favorite. I’m sure you two had a great time. Steve really needs a break from all that traveling.”
“It was nice.” Kelly smiled. “Really nice.”
“Well, you two deserve it. Are you working in Denver this week?”
“Yeah, Saturday. Warner is bringing in several consultants for an apartment complex he’s planning, and that was the only time everyone could meet together.”
“Don Warner is always planning something. Sounds interesting. Take care and stop in when you have time again and say hello.” Jennifer gave a wave and hurried back to the front of the café.
Kelly slipped her knitting bag over her shoulder and left the table, walking toward the back hallway that led to Lambspun. Entering the loom room, Kelly glanced at the neatly stacked triangular-shaped cones of yarn and thread on the floor-to-ceiling shelves lining two walls. Every color and texture of threads, fibers, and trims imaginable.
Vera hurried into the room from the foyer, carrying what looked like two of the beribboned bridesmaids’ headbands. She headed toward the front, where customers lined up at the counter and register.
“How are you doing, Vera?” Kelly called out as the older woman rushed past.
Vera literally jumped, clearly startled, and turned to Kelly. “Oh, Kelly, I didn’t see you.”
“Sorry I came up behind you like that. Didn’t mean to scare you, Vera. I simply wanted to see how you were doing.” Kelly gave her a warm smile.
“I’m . . . I’m doing better, Kelly. Thank you for asking,” Vera replied. “Having to pick up where Zoe left off with all the customers keeps me from thinking too much.” Her thin face pinched. “It’s better if I don’t think. That’s when I get angry.”
Kelly reached out and squeezed Vera’s arm. Vera didn’t have to explain whom she was angry at. Kelly could fill in the unspoken name. Oscar. “I agree, Vera. It’ll be better for you if you concentrate on picking up where Zoe left off. Zoe wouldn’t want the customers to be forgotten.”
“Vera! I’m so glad you stopped in,” Mimi said as she walked into the room. “Do you have time for a cup of tea?”
“I wish I did, Mimi, but I don’t have the time today.” The anxious look reclaimed Vera’s face. “I had to take today off from my regular job to try and finish some of the dresses Zoe was making for customers. And today won’t be enough time to catch up. There are two suits halfway finished. I don’t know if the copy shop will let me take another day off.”
“Oh, my.” Mimi’s kind face furrowed with concern. “It sounds like you need help, Vera. You cannot possibly finish all of Zoe’s customers plus yours and work your full-time job at the same time.”
“I thought I might ask Leann to help me,” Vera ventured, “but I wasn’t sure how she would take it. She and Zoe didn’t get along too well.” Vera glanced over her shoulder toward the front of the shop and the customers who formed a line in front of the registers. Rosa was at the counter.
Mimi reached over and gave Vera’s arm a motherly pat. “I think Leann would appreciate the extra business, Vera. And we both know what an accomplished seamstress she is.”
“I agree,” Kelly added. “I bet Leann would be grateful you thought of her.”
Vera’s thin face relaxed a little, losing the pinched expression, Kelly noticed. “You may be right. I hadn’t really thought of it that way. I’d tried to help her over the years when I could by sewing a few things for her clients without telling Zoe. I didn’t want to cause any more problems between the two of them.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” Mimi reassured her, escorting Vera toward the central yarn room.
“Oh, let me give you these two bridesmaid headbands. That’s what I came in for.” Vera offered them to Mimi. “I don’t want them to get lost in all the upheaval in the workshop. The yellow one is for Lisa Gerrard, and the green one is for Jennifer Stroud. They’ve already paid. I checked.”
“Thank you, Vera, I’ll hold them here safely until the girls can pick them up,” she said, accepting the delicate headbands. “Would you like me to have Jennifer bring you a cup of tea to carry with you?”
“No, no, thank you, Mimi,” Vera said. A quick smile formed, then was gone. Kelly was surprised at how much the smile softened Vera’s face. “I must hurry back to the workshop now and try to finish one of the suits if I can.”
“Promise me you’ll call Leann on the way over, all right?” Mimi directed when Vera headed toward the foyer.
“I plan to, thank you, Mimi,” Vera called over her shoulder. She gave a fluttery little wave, then was out the door.
“Goodness, Vera’s got a lot on her plate. I don’t see how she can juggle all that work by herself,” Kelly said as she walked into the main room and dropped her knitting bag on the table. “I wonder if Leann will decide to help.”
Mimi followed after her. “I imagine Leann will leap at the chance to increase her business. She’s been struggling these last few years, ever since Zoe started her own specialty designs shop.”
“I’m not so sure, Mimi. I mean, judging from the animosity she held for Zoe, I would find it hard to believe Leann would come riding to Zoe Yeager’s rescue. But that’s exactly what Vera is asking her to do. Rescue Zoe’s reputation by finishing her customer orders. Would Leann really do that?”
“I think she would, Kelly. As I said, Leann needs the money. Hopefully, some of her old customers who left her for Zoe will return.” Mimi pulled out a chair at the end of the table.
“You know, I have to confess I’m curious about that,” Kelly said, settling into a chair at the long library table. “Do you really think Zoe stole some of Leann’s designs when she was working there a few years ago? That one gown Leann showed us is definitely a duplicate design.”
Mimi pulled a large white plastic bag filled with creamy fleece from the nearby corner. “I’m almost afraid to hazard a guess, Kelly. Maybe I don’t want to know. I have always liked Leann, and I liked Zoe. I don’t want to picture Zoe deliberately stealing Leann’s design. Yet, I must admit, those gowns are identical in style.”
Kelly pulled out her bridesmaid shawl from the knitting bag and picked up her stitches where she left off on the circular needles. Soft royal blue wool with mohair. “You know, I overheard Zoe talking to her sister on the phone when I was at her shop a week or so ago. I was surprised at her harsh tone. She said she didn’t care if Vera had to work all night on some project. Zoe wanted it finished by the next day. She even told Vera she wouldn’t be paid if she didn’t finish it on time. You know, that really surprised me, Mimi. I
’d only seen Zoe’s cheerful, friendly side.”
Mimi winced visibly. “Oh, dear. I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ve overheard Zoe berating Vera once or twice, but I’d hoped it was an uncharacteristic outburst. Vera didn’t talk about it. And . . . I suppose I didn’t want to think that Zoe would treat her sister like that.”
Kelly glanced at Mimi’s furrowed brow and worried expression. Clearly, Mimi was concerned about what Kelly had told her. Mimi never liked to think ill of her friends. Kelly knew that, so she left the subject and returned to her knitting.
She was nearly finished. This project had taken Kelly even longer than usual because of her frequent business trips to Denver. Travel ate up the extra blocks of time that might be free. Frequently those odd bits and pieces of time were spent driving, so there was no time left for leisurely knitting. By the time Kelly reached her luxurious hotel suite in Denver, she relaxed by sinking into the hot tub with Jacuzzi, then went to bed.
Like so many others, Kelly found something else slipping in and stealing the stray bits of time she could be knitting: e-mail and online computer work. Sometimes it was a deluge waiting in her in-box. Time was eaten away by online activities that had become a necessary part of life.
Thankfully, her work schedule had settled into a regular routine these last couple of months. She was enjoying the quieter pace. Don Warner, her hard-driving, dynamic Denver developer boss, was presently immersed in managing his current projects. And the Thornton redevelopment project that had occupied so much of Kelly’s time last winter and spring was nearing completion six months later. There were no more mini–mob scene mass meetings in Thornton. Kelly didn’t miss those at all. Of course, those mass meetings had provided an opportunity six months ago for Kelly and Steve to meet and slowly renew their friendship, then explore the “new territory” they found themselves in. And explore what came next.
Kelly came to the end of a long row near the top of the triangular shawl. She paused to sip her coffee, then started the next row. After another few rows, she would begin the edging rows which would become the border for the top of the shawl.
Cast On, Kill Off (A Knitting Mystery) Page 7