Proposals and Poison

by Rachelle J. Christensen

  Drago frowned. “But what if they think I’m just saying stuff to make myself look innocent?”

  “I’m going to call Detective Ford right now,” I said. “He’ll listen to you and take everything under consideration. But Drago, if what you’re saying is true, then it might be a lead on her murder investigation.”

  Drago spat in the dirt. “I didn’t think Phil had it in him, but I heard he’s going to collect on a huge life insurance policy that’ll probably save his company.”

  My stomach rolled every time I thought of the implications. Could her stepfather have arranged something so heinous? Someone in Phil’s business must have known something was amiss if Lily was voicing her worries out loud to Drago. “I’ll go and make that call now. Then you can meet with Tony as soon as you’re off work here,” I said.

  “Let’s go over a few things while Adri makes that call,” Luke said.

  “Sure, I’ve got the copies of the paperwork in my truck.” Drago motioned toward a white two-door Ford pickup.

  I shook my head. Poor Boris. I wished that I didn’t have to call Tony, but it was better than someone recognizing Boris from the description I’d given and the police chasing him down. Luke followed Drago and I dialed Tony’s number, thinking that maybe I should just assign him to one of the speed dial settings in my phone.

  After making my report, which had Tony grumbling in what sounded like a good-natured way, I slipped my phone into my back pocket. Luke and Drago were talking beside his pickup. I couldn’t be certain, but Drago seemed a little more relaxed. Maybe Luke had discovered something that would help Drago’s case.

  I looked past them to the beautiful Sawtooth Mountain Range rising up to meet the sun, which smoldered above us. My thoughts circled around the events of the past week. Even though Tony and Luke had warned me off sleuthing, I didn’t think a visit to Lost Trails Construction absolutely qualified as amateur detective work.

  I pulled out my phone again and searched for the address to the office. It was about a ten-minute drive from my shop. After I dropped Luke off in Hailey, I might have time to stop by before they closed at five. My stomach filled with jitters and little warning bells, but now that two of my brides were involved with the mystery, it was my duty to investigate.

  KEEP SEWING NEEDLES SHARP

  Do you have a tomato pincushion with a little strawberry attached? That strawberry is filled with emery sand to keep your needles and pins sharp. You can make your own sharpening pin cushion by filling it with emery sand. In the meantime, don’t leave that strawberry dangling, fill it with needles!

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  I ended up getting a call from another potential client on the way back from meeting Drago. Luke was understanding, and blew me a kiss when I dropped him off at the Hailey Courthouse while still talking to the exuberant new bride-to-be. Even his innocent air-kiss made my stomach flutter. I didn’t hide my smile, which helped me to cope with the chatty Zara Lowry, who was describing in great detail how she had fallen in love.

  Usually I enjoyed hearing how my brides met their grooms, but something about the way Zara spoke in a too-sensual voice made my ears itch. She talked nonstop, and I did my best to interject with a few questions. By the time I got off the phone, I’d been sitting in my car in the parking lot for fifteen minutes. I huffed, because I’d burned up the time I needed to visit Lost Trails Construction. Zara would be coming in tomorrow for a consultation. I needed to prepare, but maybe if Lorea helped me there would still be time to make it to the construction office before it closed.

  Grabbing the crumpled receipt where I’d scrawled Zara’s info, I slipped in through the back door of my shop. “Did you hear?” Lorea asked as soon as I entered.

  “Uh, no?”

  “Tim’s out on bail,” she stage-whispered. “I’m not really supposed to know that, but I figured it out from hearing one side of Tony’s conversation.”

  “Lorea, don’t get him in trouble.”

  She smiled. “Never. I may have made a phone call to someone who is always in the know.”

  “Your sister? What is she, a reporter?”

  Lorea nodded. “Terese got a job with the Idaho Mountain Express newspaper. She didn’t tell anyone at first because she wanted to make sure it was the right thing for her. It’s been a few months, and she’s trying to get a piece that will break into the Associated Press.”

  “So Terese already knew about Tim?”

  “Not on the record, but apparently when there’s any movement on this kind of a case, it’s pretty hard to keep things quiet.” Lorea stacked up a few spools of thread and put away her sewing scissors. “Anyway, I thought that was good news. Maybe something will come up to clear Tim’s name.”

  “I wonder if they’re looking very hard at anyone else.”

  Lorea shrugged. “Not sure, but Terese did say that Tim hired a pretty good lawyer.”

  “I guess I need to talk to your sister,” I said. “I feel like I live under a rock.” My mind spun with the new information. Maybe there was a chance for Tim after all. The fact that he was out on bail was at least one minor triumph in the tragedy.

  “Not a rock, just a big, fat wedding planning book,” Lorea teased.

  “Speaking of which, I just talked to another new bride.” I pulled out the crumpled receipt and started transferring information to my computer.

  “When’s the date?”

  “She’s thinking about mid-January,” I said.

  “Well, that gives us plenty of time. When is she coming in?”

  “I set up an appointment with her for tomorrow afternoon,” I said. “She sounded a little ... intense.”

  “Ah, so maybe the appointment will be a pre-screening?”

  I traced the embossed border of the wedding planning binder. “I think maybe our schedule is getting full, so we’ll have to be selective, but let’s see how it goes.”

  Lorea nodded. “Do you want to see the new gown I’m working on?” she asked with a lilt to her voice.

  “You’ve already started on it?” She’d shown me several sketches a couple weeks ago and ordered some special beaded silk that was extremely expensive, but I hadn’t seen anything else.

  I followed Lorea to her dress bodice, which was now sheathed with the base layer of the gown. The beaded silk was pinned to the scoop neckline of the dress, and it sparkled under the overhead lights.

  “I didn’t know it had a shimmer to it.” I carefully ran my fingers over a section of the silk.

  “Isn’t it pretty? And I’m using this rayon blend for the bow in the back.”

  I walked around the dress bodice and noted the unique design of a bow from Lorea’s sketch just below the shoulder blades. The tails of the bow were large enough that they swooped down to create a smaller train on the dress. “This is going to be magnificent,” I said. “Are you going to enter it in the design contest for Country Bride?”

  Lorea chewed on the end of her thumbnail. “I’m thinking about it.”

  “I think you should.”

  “I’m going to add a panel of the silk beading on the front of the skirt.” Lorea began stitching the silk with a fine gossamer thread.

  “I’m thinking of the love story that will go along with this dress.” I paused and studied Lorea. “Have you designed your own dress yet?”

  Lorea chuckled. “You are funny, you know that?” She didn’t include the usual accusatory tone that came with the subject. Tony was slowly breaking down all of her barriers—at least, the twitch of a smile at the corner of Lorea’s mouth indicated as much.

  “Hmm, maybe not as funny as I used to be.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lorea asked, her voice light.

  I smiled and headed to the front of the shop to finish my work, glancing at the clock as I went. If I left in the next ten minutes, I could make it to Lost Trails Construction by four thirty.

  The office for Lost Trails Construction was decorated in sleek, mode
rn lines and definitely made a statement of opulence. With granite countertops, a vintage-style chandelier overhead, and a beautiful picture window overlooking a patio out back, it was obvious that they knew design. White custom cabinets lined the walls, and the floor was hardwood with tile surround in a spectacular display.

  “May I help you?” The receptionist smiled from her large cherrywood desk with a nameplate that said “Savannah.”

  “Yes, I wondered if anyone could help me with some questions on remodeling.”

  “You’ve come to the right place,” Savannah said. “Let me see if Rose is free.”

  She walked down the hallway, and I took the moment to try to compose myself: I knew she was referring to the same Rose Benavidez involved in a court case with Luke as the opposing attorney. I hadn’t expected to meet with Rose. If Luke found out, there might be another murder investigation. And what would happen if Rose recognized me from Gladys’s wedding?

  Savannah returned and waved her hand with a little flourish. “Right this way.”

  “Thanks,” I managed as I followed her down the hall, which had several beautiful pieces of artwork adorning the walls. She led me to an office that was equally as beautiful as the front entryway.

  “Good afternoon,” Rose stood and walked around the large black desk with a white marble top. Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she wore a green linen skirt with a white-and-blue blouse. Her posture was straight, and “professional” was written all over her. She offered her hand, and I shook it firmly. “Rose Benavidez.”

  “Adrielle Pyper.” I watched her face for any flicker of recognition, but saw none. “Thanks for seeing me,” I said. “It’s nothing urgent, just a few questions that have come up with my remodeling ideas.” I stopped and took a breath because my words had come out in a rush, stumbling over each other. Why was I so nervous?

  “Sure. Have a seat and I’ll see what I can do. I’m here until five thirty today.” Rose sat behind her desk, and I sat in one of the leather armchairs flanking the desk.

  Now that I was here, seated in front of Lily’s sister, my mind was a jumbled mess of nerves. Everything I’d heard about her divorce and custody battle swirled through my thoughts. She seemed nice enough, definitely not the type to neglect her own child. I swallowed and thought through my approach. “Well, I’ve been thinking about remodeling a room in my, uh—office,” I stuttered. If I mentioned my wedding shop, she’d probably be able to connect the dots. But then I thought of an idea that might help. My lip trembled. “Lily was one of my clients, and she always spoke so highly of the work her father did.”

  “Her stepfather,” Rose corrected with a note of malice, though she smoothed it over with a smile. Her lipstick was a deep red, and she wiped the corner of one lip with her manicured nails. “But yes, we do extraordinary work here. How did you say you knew Lily?”

  I didn’t, I wanted to say, but instead I took a breath. “I was helping her plan her wedding.” I hesitated, tamping down the emotions that were flaring up as I thought about Lily. I wasn’t acting. It was hard for me to think about what had happened to her, but if my show of emotions would help me get information from Rose, I wouldn’t hold back. I blinked several times and looked at Rose.

  Her own eyes had filled with tears. “The whole thing is such a waste,” Rose said. “Lily was brilliant and fantastic at anything she put her mind to. I don’t like my stepfather, but he didn’t kill her. Just because he had a life insurance policy isn’t motive for murder.”

  “I’ve heard mention of the life insurance policy,” I said, sniffling. It seemed everyone in town had heard of it, and there were several different amounts rumored. I wondered if Rose knew how much the policy was for. “Do you know if anyone else would have been listed as a beneficiary?”

  Rose narrowed her eyes. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because there’s usually more than one sole beneficiary on those kinds of policies, especially one that large.” I’d done a little research before asking my questions, and this one was well placed.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of Phil’s girlfriends. Show that man some leg and he loses his mind.” She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, but didn’t contradict my statement about the policy being large. “It doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I’m leaving soon. There’s nothing left for me in this town.”

  “Oh? What about—” I barely stopped myself from asking about her divorce case. I conjured up a fake cough and held up my finger for one moment while my mind spun through possible acceptable endings to my sentence. “What about your job?”

  “I’ve got that taken care of, but thanks for asking.” Her tone indicated that she didn’t appreciate my asking. She checked her watch. “Perhaps you’d like to make an appointment with a designer who can help you long term?”

  I had to try one more tactic. “If Phil didn’t kill Lily, then who do you think did?”

  Rose stiffened, likely taken aback by my direct question. She pursed her lips and huffed. “Tim Esplin, whom I’m sure you’re familiar with.” She paused, assessing my reaction, but I didn’t say anything. “Lily was having second thoughts about marrying him. She had even mentioned breaking up with him before he proposed to her. He was controlling, possessive, and manipulative. If he couldn’t have Lily, then no one could. I think it will be only a matter of time before the police catch on.”

  My jaw hung open. I knew Tim. I’d seen the love in his eyes when he talked about marrying Lily. But how well did anyone know a person?

  “See, you’re surprised too,” Rose said in a satisfied tone. She sat back in her chair and eyed me carefully, as if deciding what she wanted to say. “Everyone thinks Tim could do no wrong, but they probably haven’t seen him when he’s angry.”

  “I—uh, I didn’t know,” I stammered. “Lily seemed so happy and excited about her engagement.”

  Rose pursed her lips. “I think she was at first, but then she found out some things about Tim—the way he ran his clinic, the things he hid from everyone.”

  My stomach clenched. I didn’t want to believe anything that Rose said, but her hatred of Tim was convincing. “What do you mean, how he ran his clinic?”

  “Financially. Maybe you’ve heard how smart Lily was with numbers? She could assess any business quickly and see the problems. She said something about Tim’s clinic—that it wasn’t as financially sound as she first thought.”

  “Oh dear,” I said. “That’s too bad.”

  “It doesn’t matter now,” Rose said. “He mortgaged his clinic and everything else to get out on bail. He won’t have anything left, but he’ll be behind bars anyway. It’s more than he deserves.”

  The venom in her voice had a razor edge, and I wondered what Tim had done to get on her bad side. “I’m sorry. Are they going to let you have the funeral?”

  “Yes, it’s tomorrow. We’ve tried to get word out since it had to be postponed.” She leaned her head forward and massaged her temples. “It’s at ten o’clock.”

  “I’m so glad you told me, because I hadn’t heard. I’ll be there.” I stood to leave; my trail of questions had the air charged with so many emotions that I needed some fresh air. “Thank you again for your time.”

  “You can make an appointment with one of our other design directors with the secretary.” Rose stood and led me to the door.

  “Thanks.” I left the office quickly, hoping Rose didn’t notice that I didn’t make a return appointment.

  Once I got back to my car, I sat there for a moment and let the cool breeze from my air conditioning take the heat out of Rose’s words. Did Lily really have second thoughts about marrying Tim? As I thought about it, I remembered that day in the vet office. Tim had blamed Lily’s potential cold feet on Rose’s divorce, but maybe there was more to the story. With a sigh, I backed out of the parking lot, mulling over the measly crumbs of information I’d gathered from Rose.

  Every time I asked questions about Lily’s murder,
I didn’t find answers, only more questions. My gut didn’t feel so certain anymore when it came to Tim’s innocence. I asked myself again if I could be wrong about Tim. I’d been wrong before, but that was in a different time of my life, before I learned to trust my instincts. There weren’t any warning signals sounding in my head or my heart. I wanted to trust Tim. Rose and Javier were still on my list of suspects, but Tim was lingering on the edges. I needed to find out what Lily might have been referring to when she said Tim’s clinic wasn’t financially sound.

  FUNERAL POTATOES

  Peel, then boil 6 potatoes until tender. Drain water and replace with cold water. Grate potatoes into a pan (Use disposable gloves so you don’t burn your hands.)

  Pour a mixture of 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, ½ cube melted butter, 1 can cream of chicken soup, and 1 cup sour cream over the potatoes. Stir the sauce into the potatoes. Add ½ cup buttered breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes over the top.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly on top.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  The funeral home was packed for Lily’s service that Tuesday morning. I had to park my car on the other side of the street, and I noticed several others doing the same thing. Lorea was already inside, saving me a seat beside her and Tony. Luke had offered to come with me, but he didn’t know Lily, and it was obvious that it was hard for him to offer to attend the funeral. He’d looked relieved when I’d told him to get his work done so we could go to lunch later.

  My heart felt pinched when I thought about what it must have been like for him to attend his own wife’s funeral. It made his offer mean even more. Luke was stepping out on the ledge with me. I smiled as a little thrill went through me at the thought of jumping off that ledge, with Luke holding my hand. Before entering the funeral home, I tucked my smile away, holding that secret hope for later.

  Tears welled up in my eyes and my breath caught as I stepped inside the chapel. There were dozens of lilies in every color decorating Lily’s coffin and placed around the room. Only one week ago, Lily had been alive. I had called and talked to her on the phone to reschedule her appointment. Part of me couldn’t believe how much things had changed in one week. It seemed like my little town had been turned upside down with murder allegations, rumors, and the investigation into Lily’s cause of death. I blinked until my eyes cleared, and swiped a finger underneath my lashes.