by Jessica Beck
“She claimed that she knew a great deal of what was going on in this office. Let’s take her at her word. Let’s say she was snooping around, not only on Curtis but on Harley as well. She discovers Harley has been stealing from the company, and she demands a share for her silence. Harley decides she has to go, so he asks her to meet him in George’s office so he can dispatch her without anyone being the wiser. The only thing was that Wendy’s reactions were better than he thought they’d be, and she ended up striking out at him before he could do away with her. It’s kind of like what happened with Phillip’s old case. If you look at it that way, Wendy has no reason to stay now, since her hope of getting a cut of the proceeds is just as dead as Harley is.”
“There are a great many ‘what ifs’ in that scenario,” I said after mulling it over.
Momma looked crestfallen. “Sorry. I let my imagination run away with me.”
“I’m not saying that it’s not possible,” I said. “The question is how do we prove it one way or the other?”
“We must continue as we’ve been doing and keep plugging away at it,” Momma said. “Do we have time to interview one more suspect together, or do you need to speak to Amber with Grace?”
“Well, I’ve already spoken with Megan and Nathaniel this morning on my own, and we just talked to Curtis and Wendy. Would you mind terribly?”
“Not at all. I’ve got work to do myself,” she said. “Could you drop me off at home?”
“I thought you drove to Donut Hearts this morning,” I said.
“I was going to, but it was such a beautiful morning that I decided to walk. You know me. I like it when there’s a bite in the air.”
“I know you do.” As I drove toward her home, I said, “Momma, it’s really fun doing this with you.”
Momma smiled in return. “Despite the grimness of the task, I think so, too. Perhaps next time, though, we do something more conventional, like see a play together or go shopping.”
“You don’t have to twist my arm,” I said with a grin.
“It really is puzzling, isn’t it?” she asked.
“I’ve seen worse cases, but not by much,” I answered. “Harley had his fingers in quite a few pies, didn’t he?”
“I dislike that expression, but in this case, I’ll grant that it’s apropos.”
“I appreciate that.”
We arrived at Momma’s place, and as she was getting out of my Jeep, she said, “Happy hunting, Suzanne.”
“Thanks.”
I drove a few blocks and then pulled over before I called Grace. When she answered, I asked, “Hey, where are you?”
“I’m sitting in front of Amber North’s house,” she said.
“What? You weren’t supposed to go there without me.”
“I didn’t. I was just driving by when I saw a strange car parked in front of her place. I pulled over and I was about to call you when my phone rang, and it was you.”
“Don’t move. I’ll be there in two minutes.” I could do it, too, if I didn’t care about the speed limit or any of the other basic traffic laws.
I somehow made it in twenty seconds less than I’d predicted, but I couldn’t find Grace when I got there.
Had something happened to her in the short time it had taken me to get there?
Chapter 16
“Grace, where are you?” I asked frantically the second she picked up when I called her back.
“I’m across the street,” she said, “and a little down the block. Can’t you see me waving at you? Keep driving past Amber’s house and I’ll get into your Jeep.”
I did as she suggested, and after I parked out of sight, Grace came to the car on foot, grinning like a fool. “This is just like in the movies,” she said as she got in.
“I can think of a dozen ways why it’s nothing like it at all,” I said.
“You don’t consider skulking around in the shadows theatrical?”
“Well, for one thing, it’s broad daylight, so I don’t see any shadows. As to skulking, I wouldn’t even know how to begin to do that.”
“You know, like this,” she said as she pretended to sneak around, holding her hands up like a squirrel’s paws in front of her as she darted her head from side to side.
It was my turn to laugh. I couldn’t help myself. She was hilarious. Getting myself under control, I asked her, “Did I miss anything on my way over here?”
“No, nobody’s come out since I got here,” she said. “Who do you think it might be, a secret boyfriend that Harley didn’t know about and who maybe lashed out in a rage of jealousy at Harley for stealing Amber’s attentions?”
What was it with the wild theories my investigative partners were spinning today? Was I becoming too staid in my approach to our crime-solving, or had they both suddenly decided to be overly dramatic at once? “I suppose it’s possible,” I conceded.
“But not probable; is that what you’re saying?” Grace asked me as both of our gazes were riveted to Amber’s front door.
“I’m not saying anything yet,” I answered. While we waited on Amber’s mysterious guest to come out, I brought Grace up to date on what Momma and I had uncovered.
“Wow, it sounds as though Wendy might have a motive after all,” Grace said.
“Do you believe Momma’s crazy theory?” I asked her.
“I know it sounds a little far-fetched, but in a certain light, it makes perfect sense. At least the theory matches the facts we have.”
“In a twisted kind of way, I suppose,” I said.
“Hey, at least it addresses our main concerns.”
“It’s too soon to say that yet,” I said. “Is the door opening?” I glanced over and saw that Amber’s front door was indeed beginning to open. Who was it? Could it indeed be a handsome, mysterious stranger coming to pay a call on her, or had I listened a little too intently to Grace’s theory? The moment I saw that it was a woman, I knew that scenario had become even less likely, and when I finally saw who it was, I knew that there was something quite unusual about who was visiting Amber North.
What was Megan Gray, Amber’s sworn enemy, doing visiting her in her home?
Chapter 17
I was out of my door before I had a chance to tell Grace what I was doing. Truth be told, I didn’t know myself at that moment. I just wanted to confront Megan and Amber together before they had a chance to get their stories straight.
“Megan, fancy finding you here,” I said from afar, nearly out of breath in my rush to get to her before she had a chance to drive away.
She looked shocked to see Grace and me approaching. “Suzanne? Grace? Are you here to see Amber, too?”
“The real question is what are you doing here?” I said as I approached her. “After our talk this morning, this is the last place on earth I would have expected to find you.”
“I came to clear the air,” Megan said resolutely.
Amber was watching us from inside; at least the curtain fluttering said that much to me. What was she making of this? I’d have to ask her as soon as we moved on to her, but for now, Megan was in our sights.
“How did that work out for you?” Grace asked her.
“Not very well at all,” Megan said, and then she threw her arms around me and started weeping.
“Take it easy,” I said as I tried to disengage from her. Either this girl was on an emotional roller coaster, or she was trying to play on my sympathies yet again. Honestly, was this the only card she had in her deck? “We can’t help you if you don’t talk to us.”
“Suzanne, she was just awful. I asked her for an apology, and she just laughed at me. Can you believe that?”
What I couldn’t fathom was what had driven Megan there in the first place, if that had really been the purpose behind her visit. “It’s unfortunate, but there’s not much you can do about it,” I said.
“I can’t just stand out here like this,” she said as she broke free and got into her car before we could stop her. She tried to speed away, nearly running Amber’s mailbox down in the process.
I looked at Grace as Megan’s car disappeared and asked, “What do we do now?”
“Do you believe her?” she asked me.
“I don’t know. She’s really convincing, isn’t she?”
“All I can say is that if she’s acting, she missed her calling. She’s even better than Max.”
“I wouldn’t tell him that,” I said as I started for Amber’s front door.
I didn’t even have to ring the bell before she opened it. “What did she just say about me? Did she tell you that I killed Harley?”
“No, his name never came up,” I said, surprised that was where Amber had begun the conversation. “Why, did she accuse you of it just now?”
“Who knows what that fool was doing here? She started hinting around that I’d wronged her in some way and that the only way I’d ever find peace was if I begged her for forgiveness. Can you believe that? When I told her that she was barking up the wrong tree, she looked shocked that I wasn’t playing by her script. I told Megan that I wasn’t buying it and that she needed to get out before I threw her out. She looked outraged, but I was ready to do it. Harley didn’t suffer fools gladly, and neither do I.”
“Why did you bring up his name first?” Grace asked her from a step down off the porch.
“She clearly thinks I did it, the little nitwit. I ask you, why would I? Harley and I were going places. Someone killing him has ruined all of the careful work I put in on him.”
“So what happens now, do you look for another councilman and start grooming him to oust George Morris? What do you have against the mayor, anyway?” I asked.
“Nothing except for the fact that he’s a dinosaur. He wants to keep this town in the nineteen fifties, and I need to see some progress.”
“You could always move someplace a little more to your taste,” I suggested.
“April Springs is my home, and nobody’s running me out.” Amber took a step back, and then she had the satisfaction of slamming the door in our faces.
“That went well, didn’t it?” I asked with a rueful smile.
“I can’t imagine why she didn’t apologize to Megan,” Grace said.
We both laughed at that, and Amber came back out onto the porch. “Are you two laughing at me?” she asked us angrily.
“No, it was something Grace just said,” I replied.
“About me?” She looked mad enough to come off the porch after us.
“Believe it or not, the entire world does not revolve around you, Amber,” I said.
“You’d both better watch your steps,” she said ominously.
“Is that a threat?”
“Take it any way you’d like to. I’m just saying, you’ve been warned.”
Grace looked at her, fighting back a smile. “So noted.”
Amber didn’t know quite how to take that, so after a few moments, she went back inside, this time without the slam.
“We’re in trouble now,” Grace said the moment the door closed.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have gone out of our way to anger a murder suspect,” I said, the warning having a bit of a chilling effect on our conversation.
“Maybe not, but I refuse to tiptoe around, being careful not to offend anyone. April Springs might be her town, but it’s ours as well,” Grace said.
“Well said,” I replied. “I’m afraid that we’ve just run out of suspects. What should we do now?”
Grace thought about it for a moment, and then she asked, “Would you feel good about asking Jake what kind of progress he’s been making?”
“I don’t know. Would you call Stephen?”
“Probably not. Well, unless we can find a new witness or a new piece of information, I’m not sure what we can do.”
“Let’s go somewhere and think about it,” I said.
“Like the Boxcar?” Grace suggested.
“I don’t know. I love Trish and her diner, but right now, I could use a breath of fresh air.”
“We haven’t been to Napoli’s for a while,” Grace suggested.
“That’s true, and I’m always in the mood for Angelica’s food. Sure, why not? Let’s drop your car off at home, and I’ll drive.”
“It’s a deal,” she said. Our investigation might have stalled, but that didn’t mean that we couldn’t have something fantastic to eat, along with the best company outside of April Springs that I could ask for. Angelica and her daughters were just what I needed, a chance to be among friends and not focus solely on poor Harley Boggess’s murder.
Chapter 18
Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the parking lot was jammed, and there was a line of people outside waiting to get in.
“Should we go somewhere else?” Grace asked me.
“I kind of had my heart set on this,” I said. “Why don’t I drive around back?”
Grace grinned. “I love it. That way we can skip the crowd altogether.”
“If they aren’t too busy to feed us in the kitchen,” I answered.
We knocked on the back door, and Maria, one of Angelica’s beautiful daughters, opened up. She looked as frazzled as I’d ever seen her. “Is this a bad time?” I asked.
“No, of course not. Come on in. Momma’s cooking.”
We walked in, and Angelica’s frown turned into a smile the moment she saw us. “Ladies, how nice to see you both.”
“What’s going on out there?” I asked her as I took off my coat. “Are you giving food away or something?”
“Practically,” she replied, and then turned to her youngest daughter. “Sophia, would you care to tell them what happened?”
“I made a mistake, okay?” Sophia said. “I’ve already apologized like a dozen times, Mom.”
“I wouldn’t mind hearing it again,” Antonia said. “I’ve got to get back out there. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” we all sang out, and Antonia smiled, despite the hungry crowd that was waiting for her.
“Sophia,” her mother reminded her.
“I’ve been after Mom to try a newspaper ad to help fill some dead time in the afternoons between meals, so I placed a special between two and four this afternoon,” she said.
“It appears that it was a success,” I said with a grin.
“You don’t know the half of it. The only problem was that the paper moved a decimal place on me. I ask you, Suzanne, how is that my fault?”
“Let me ask you something, Sophia. Did you read through the ad?” Angelica asked.
“I thought I did.”
“Twice?” her mother asked.
“No, not twice.”
“There you go. Instead of offering a taste of Italy for $14.95, we’re offering it for $1.495. Where that half penny goes is beyond me.”
“Can’t you just post a notice and say that it was a mistake?” Grace asked her.
“Certainly,” Angelica said with a smile. “Better yet, why don’t you wade out there and tell them yourself?”
“No thanks,” Grace said.
“No matter. We’re making lots of pasta and sauce, and we’re not turning anyone away. If you’re here to allow me to feed you, you’ve both just made my day.”
“Forget that,” I said as I grabbed an apron. “If you are all in the kitchen, Antonia desperately needs help out front.”
Grace grabbed one as well. “Do we need order pads?”
“Hardly,” Maria said. “Everybody’s getting the special today, which is not all that much of a surprise, is it?”
“That makes it easier,” I said with a grin.
Angelica frowned. “I won’t let you two work when you came here t
o eat.”
“Angelica, what would happen if you came by Donut Hearts and I was being overrun with customers? Would you demand a donut, or would you pitch in and help?”
“She’s got you there, Mom,” Sophia said with a grin.
“Really, Sophia? Do you choose to tease me right now?”
“Why not?” her daughter answered, still smiling. “After all, you can only kill me once.”
Angelica’s face softened. “I would never do that. You girls are my life.” She then returned her gaze to us. “You ladies are a godsend,” she said.
“Come on, Grace,” I said with a smile, now that that was settled.
“Into the breach!” she shouted, and everyone started laughing.
Once we were in the dining room, the laughter stopped. Not only was every table full, but so was every seat. Antonia was working the room like a madwoman, and when she saw that we’d come to lend a hand, she smiled in relief.
“We’re here to help. What can we do?”
She made no bones about accepting our assistance. “Grace, take the drinks. Suzanne, would you mind bussing the dirty tables?”
“I’d be happy to do it,” I said. As we worked, Grace and I grinned at each other during those rare moments when we made eye contact. In a way, it was kind of fun, especially knowing that we were helping out friends in need. I stacked dirty dish after dirty dish and transported them into the kitchen, where the rest of the DeAngelis family worked in perfect harmony. As I ran the dishes through the dishwasher, I asked Angelica, “Are you going to lose much on this?”
“No, we should come close to breaking even, if we survive it,” she said as she labored over two pots of boiling water. “The taste they’re getting is heavy on the spaghetti, with a little lasagna and chicken Parmesan thrown in to round it all out.”
“You know, this might work out in your favor after all,” I said as I worked.
“How so?”
“You are getting a ton of good word of mouth from this. It looks like a publicity stunt that paid off instead of a mistake.”
“Do you really think so, Suzanne?” Sophia asked as she mixed up another batch of fresh spaghetti.