Drape Expectations

by Karen Rose Smith

  The dogs ran over to join them as they walked a little faster, maybe in anticipation of a family dinner that always seemed to hold surprises.

  The Koffee Klatch, Kismet’s premier and only gourmet coffee shop, was noisy and busy on Monday morning as workers, passersby, and even tourists stored up on their caffeine for the day. Caprice had told Bella she’d meet her here.

  Her sister had started back to work at All About You, a boutique owned by Caprice’s best friend, Roz Winslow. Bella sometimes needed space to vent, and these coffee meetings gave them a chance to talk, away from family and the chatter that always seemed to surround them.

  The Koffee Klatch not only served up gourmet coffee, but also the best gossip in town. Teenagers with their mobile phones and twenty somethings with their laptops streamed national news while taking in their fill of local news, too. Roy Butterworth, the owner of the Koffee Klatch, even kept a police scanner behind the bar. Not that there was usually that much to scan in Kismet.

  Bella was already seated at a table for two with lattes when Caprice arrived. Her sister motioned to her, and to the two blueberry muffins that sat in front of her. She’d already taken a corner from one.

  “Your blueberry bread is much better than this.”

  Caprice put her finger to her lips and shushed Bella as she sat. “Don’t say that too loud. Roy might eject us.”

  Bella laughed, and it was good to see her acting and looking like her old self. She’d had a baby in January and in the past few weeks she’d slowly learned to cope again with an infant. Bella liked to dictate her world around her. She did it pretty well, except for last summer when her life and her husband Joe’s had almost been torn apart. That was behind them now, Caprice hoped.

  “How many hours are you working this week?” Caprice asked as she took the latte thankfully and warmed up her hands with it.

  “Only twelve. I’d like to be putting in more, but Joe and I made an agreement—only twelve to fifteen hours a week for the next couple of months. The day care provider I found through the church mothers’ group is caring and responsible. But I don’t think she wants to care for Benny more than part-time. Mom said she’d babysit for me this summer if I want to work more hours. Do you think I should let her?”

  “What are your concerns?”

  “First of all, she won’t accept any payment. You know how Mom and Dad are. And Joe isn’t going to stand by and let her do it for nothing.”

  “Maybe Joe could help Dad with a summer project. Or maybe you could get her a discount at Roz’s boutique.”

  Bella ran her hand through her black curls. “Hmmm, I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “Any other worries?”

  “Mom isn’t getting any younger. A baby requires a lot of energy.”

  Even though their mother was fifty-seven, she was young at heart, exercised, and usually had plenty of energy.

  “You know Mom loves babies, and I bet Nana would like having Benny there, too.”

  “Are you saying I’m worrying about nothing?” Bella seemed a little defensive.

  “Pretty much. I’m not sure you want to be away from Benny more hours, and this is your way of putting up roadblocks.”

  Bella took a few more sips of her latte and then eyed Caprice. “Leave it to you to tell me how you think it is.”

  Caprice leaned forward and patted her sister’s arm. “You can always try it, Bee, and see how it goes. If there’s a problem, you can change your plans.”

  Bella was thinking that over, and Caprice was about to tell her that she’d invited Grant to their Easter family dinner. Suddenly, from behind the bar, Roy Butterworth called, “Breaking news.”

  Roy was in his forties, but had already gone bald. His black-rimmed square glasses made him look more like a professor than a coffee shop owner. He was leaning over the shelf where the scanner was located.

  “A unit was dispatched to Ace Richland’s place,” he announced. “My brother’s on the force. He’s on duty this morning. I’ll give him a call and see what he knows.”

  Caprice and Bella sipped their lattes until he waved his phone and said, “Got a text back. He doesn’t know much. Something about stolen guitars.”

  Stolen guitars. Ace had a couple hanging in his office, but the valuable ones were in his secure room.

  “Didn’t you say he keeps them in some sort of safe room?” Bella asked.

  “There’s a security code to get into the estate, and a security system on the house. The safe room has a code of its own. I’ll give him a call and see what’s going on.”

  Ace answered on the first ring. “How did you hear?” he asked.

  “The Koffee Klatch.”

  “Jeez, already? I’m learning all about small-town chatter channels. The police just got here, asked a few questions, and now they’re examining the secure room. But there’s no doubt in my mind how this happened.”

  “How?”

  “I had a party last night and some of my friends brought guests. I don’t always keep that room locked. I mostly keep the guitars in there because of the temperature control.”

  “What’s missing?”

  “Two of the most valuable ones. They’re insured. I have bigger problems than the stolen guitars,” he complained.

  She wondered if his problems had something to do with Alanna.

  “One of my band members just quit last night, and I have to find a replacement for Zeke for the tour,” he went on. “It revs up in a few weeks.”

  “I’m sure you have a line of musicians waiting who want to sign up.”

  “I still have to interview them, hear them play, see how they fit in with the rest of the guys. Just when I thought I had all my ducks in a row.” He sighed. “Alanna tells me you sent her a proposal last night and she accepted. The open house is Sunday?”

  “I’m working on it. I’m headed over to Alanna’s this afternoon.” Last night, she’d managed to get hold of the luxury-real-estate broker she usually used. “A moving crew is going to put some of her pieces in storage. Denise Langford and video cameras are coming in tomorrow.”

  “Thank you for fitting her in. I know you have a tight schedule.”

  “You’re welcome. Maybe sometime you can meet my nana. She likes your music, too.”

  “Just name a time,” he said with a laugh. “I guess I’ll see you at Alanna’s open house on Sunday.”

  “I’ll definitely be there. Nikki and I are coming up with a food menu later today.”

  “Alanna likes cheese grits.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  After Caprice ended the call, she made a mental note to tell Nikki about the cheese grits, sure her sister could work them into the menu somehow. Would Alanna appreciate that?

  Caprice doubted it.

  On Friday, Caprice’s morning walk with Lady took them around her neighborhood. Lady had learned to heel quite well, though Caprice still kept a few treats in her fanny pouch as an incentive for Lady to stay in that square beside her. She kept the leash loose and Lady rarely pulled on it.

  Caprice was nearing her home, analyzing her mental list to make sure everything was ready for Alanna’s open house on Sunday, when she saw her neighbor on her porch across the street.

  Dulcina spotted her, too, and waved. “Need me to pupsit?” she called.

  Dulcina had become quite fond of Lady and often pupsat when Caprice had an open house or was going to be away for an afternoon or evening.

  “Are you free Sunday?” Caprice called back.

  “Freer than I want to be. Rod’s taking his girls to visit his sister.”

  Dulcina had begun dating at the start of the new year. Since her new male friend had two daughters, they were taking it slow.

  Caprice crossed the street. Lady rushed forward with her, eager to see Dulcina, too.

  “I have an unexpected open house. It’s from two to six.”

  “That’s no problem at all. I’ll bring Lady over here. We’ll have a good time.” Sh
e stooped down and ruffled the fur around Lady’s ears. “Won’t we, girl?”

  Lady gave a little yip.

  At that moment, Caprice’s cell phone played a Beatles tune—“Here, There and Everywhere.” What could she say? She’d been feeling a little romantic when she’d chosen it.

  “I won’t hold you up,” Dulcina said. “I’ll see you on Sunday.” Then she went inside, as Caprice recrossed the street with Lady.

  When she checked the phone’s screen, she saw Trista’s picture. Why was Ace’s daughter calling her?

  “Trista! Hi. Are you in Kismet?”

  “We sure are. The teachers had an in-service day and I asked Dad about coming up today, but he obviously forgot.”

  Forgot? Ace? Not where Trista was concerned.

  “Isn’t he there?”

  “Oh, he’s here, and so is Mrs. Goodwin. She’s still in her nightgown. Oh, wait, she’s not anymore. She’s leaving. And guess what? Mom and Dad are fighting. Even Brindle’s upset.”

  There were two ways to look at that. Yes, Brindle could be upset by the commotion ... or Trista was projecting onto Brindle because she was upset.

  Caprice was at a loss on how to respond to this one. Was Ace so enamored with Alanna that he’d forgotten about his daughter?

  She didn’t think that was possible. “Maybe your signals got crossed somehow,” she suggested.

  “Hold on a minute.”

  Caprice could hear raised voices in the background.

  Trista said, “Dad’s sure Mom said we were coming this afternoon. Mom’s yelling back that we were supposed to be here this morning. Standstill. They’ll be at this all day. Can you come over and break it up?”

  Wasn’t that a new one? Caprice didn’t know if peacemaker was on her résumé. But she cared about Trista and her feelings, and Ace was fast becoming a friend. So she had to help, right? Just like she sometimes helped in her own family?

  “Okay, honey. I’ll be there as soon as I can pack up Lady in the van. She and Brindle can play. Why don’t you take Brindle out back, and let your mom and dad handle their differences. They could have it all worked out before I arrive.”

  “I doubt that,” Trista mumbled. “I’ll play fetch with Brindle until you get here.”

  “Is Mrs. Wannamaker there?”

  “She’s in the kitchen.”

  “Make sure she knows where you go, so if your parents come looking for you, they can find you.”

  “All right,” Trista agreed, but she obviously didn’t want to.

  Ace’s estate was about a mile out of Kismet proper. The road was deserted most of the time, and that’s the way Ace wanted it. After all, the estate was a getaway.

  At the gate, Caprice punched in a code. Ace kept her apprised as to what it was. She had the feeling too many people might have that code. That wasn’t her problem.

  She parked in the wide driveway, let Lady out of her crate, and waited until the pup jumped to the ground. Then they went to the door, side by side.

  When Caprice rang the bell, the housekeeper answered. She was frowning. “Trista told me you were coming. Mr. and Mrs. Richland are in the den.”

  That would be Ace’s office.

  “Is Trista out back with Brindle?”

  “She is. They’re having a fine time with a tennis ball. You could let Lady join her.”

  Five minutes later, after a hug for Trista and praise and affection for both dogs, Caprice wound her way to Ace’s den. She could hear voices as she approached the room.

  “You don’t give us any consideration at all,” Marsha was saying.

  “Of course, I do. Trista’s my daughter and I would never forget about her. You told me you’d be here after noon.”

  “I told you morning. Who would expect your ... your lover to still be here the day your daughter’s supposed to arrive.”

  Caprice knocked on the door frame. Both Marsha and Ace swung toward her.

  “Hi, Marsha,” she said cheerily. “Ace. Lady is playing with Brindle and Trista out back.” Then dropping all pretense, she explained, “Trista called me. She was upset you were arguing.”

  Marsha looked embarrassed. Ace just looked stubborn and determined, and his whole body was rigid.

  “Did you say Trista went out back?” Marsha asked. “I should go check on her.”

  Caprice said, “That would probably be good.”

  After Marsha exited the room, Caprice said to Ace in a calm tone, “You must care for Alanna if she’s going to move in. But this happened so fast. Maybe Trista and Marsha need time to get used to the idea.”

  Obviously still perturbed about his argument with his ex-wife, Ace snapped, “My personal life is none of your business.”

  Although Ace was bristling, Caprice wasn’t going to let that bristle her.

  “Trista made it my business when she called me. Should I have told her I didn’t have time to come, or wasn’t concerned about her feelings, or she could handle it on her own? She’s twelve, Ace. She looks up to you and her mother. Whether this was a misunderstanding today or something else, she deserves to come first. Isn’t that what you decided?”

  Ace’s lips were still tight and his jaw set. Finally he sighed. “Marsha told me she’d arrive after noon. She’s never early. Alanna was here and we were ... making plans, talking about the open house.”

  Caprice waved her hand as if she didn’t want to know any more, and she really didn’t. She said simply, “Trista’s upset.”

  “I’ll make it up to her. Maybe I can keep her tomorrow night, too. Even if I miss Alanna’s open house.”

  Ace really did have a good heart. He just had to figure out where Alanna and his daughter fit into his life.

  Chapter Three

  Caprice knew her open houses sometimes hit snags. It was the nature of the business. However, she didn’t expect her client to be a huge impediment.

  Alanna Goodwin was a monumental impediment.

  Never mind that Alanna insisted that when the open house was over, she was wrapping her draperies with the fringed tiebacks once more. Never mind she’d wanted her stamp of approval on all of Nikki’s Southern dishes. Never mind she was underfoot and in the way at least half the time Caprice had been staging her house. They’d had a royal battle about moving out the two settees that crowded the room. Caprice had won that turf war by bringing in one love seat from her own storage shed to help de-clutter the space.

  The theme of Antebellum Ecstasy was perfect. The only thing that could have enhanced it would have been century-old live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from their boughs in the front yard. There were “oohs and aahs” from prospective buyers about the grandeur of the house, the beautiful white pillars, the expansive veranda around the back, the porcelain knickknacks, and the velvet and brocade fabrics.

  Nevertheless ... Alanna wouldn’t stay out of the mix. She was dressed to the nines in pearls and polished cotton, perfume, and hot pink nails, inviting everyone inside as if she had been expecting them for tea. She was talking to prospective buyers and not just talking, but overselling with overkill.

  Denise Langford, the luxury-property real estate broker who had listed the house, sidled up to Caprice. “Can’t you cage her? She’s going to run off clients who are actually interested. When it’s a done deal, the buyer sometimes wants to talk to the seller. But not at this stage. What are we going to do?”

  “Underneath that pretty lipstick, Alanna isn’t all soft-spoken words,” Caprice explained, if Denise didn’t understand that already. “She’ll get what she wants any way she can. I’ve had to work with her this entire week, and, believe me, it hasn’t been easy. The only thing I like about Alanna Goodwin is her cat, Mirabelle. I don’t know how the poor thing puts up with her.”

  Denise actually gave a small smile. “Is Ace coming? Maybe he can distract her.”

  “He wasn’t going to, but then he called me this morning. He asked his daughter if she wanted to stay overnight last night. She did, but then her mom arrive
d for her first thing this morning. And it was first thing. Trista had to be at some sort of youth service today. So now Ace is free to come.”

  “If he’s with Alanna, that could keep her away from the other clients, don’t you think?”

  “If we both circulate and pull clients away from her when she monopolizes them, we may be able to avert any disasters.”

  Caprice hadn’t been through every room in the house yet today, and she had a question. “Have you seen Mirabelle? She’s a white Persian. She followed me around for the past week whenever I came into the house, but I haven’t seen her today.”

  “I haven’t seen a cat, but that doesn’t mean one isn’t here. Don’t they like to hide under beds?”

  When they are frightened or wanted peace and quiet, they did. Could Mirabelle be hiding? Or had Alanna tucked her away safe and sound somewhere, like in one of the upstairs bedrooms? Yet she hadn’t seen her there.

  As soon as Caprice checked the kitchen, food, and serving staff, maybe she could find Mirabelle, as well as head off Alanna before she did any damage with prospective clients.

  In the huge kitchen, the counters were laden with food servers and warming dishes.

  “Are we ready?” Caprice asked Nikki as she looked around.

  “More than ready. As we discussed, I concentrated on turkey and pork dishes that were popular from the American Colonial period to the Civil War.” She pointed to celery in lead crystal vases and a huge cranberry mold. “I found a description of a plantation dinner and replicated it.” She nodded to one of the warming dishes. “Take a peek at the scalloped oysters.”

  Caprice did. “You’ve outdone yourself, as usual.”

  “I know stewed apples don’t sound particularly appetizing, but the recipe I found added cream. That should be one of the first desserts to run out, along with the brandy and walnut tube cake. The coconut pudding—” She wobbled her hand back and forth. “We’ll see.”

  “Any cheese grits?” Caprice asked, amused.

  “I paired them with braised okra and came up with a baked dish. From the looks of Alanna, she’ll be too busy even to taste them.”