by Krista Davis
“The night after Patrick died? That’s fast! Unless they’d been seeing each other all along.”
“That’s what Mars said. Then Humphrey asked why anyone would go to the trouble of making it appear that a vampire killed Patrick. I couldn’t imagine a good reason, but it turns out that”—we stopped in front of Hart Wine—“well, you can see for yourself. Frank Hart is using the vampire excitement to sell wine.”
We walked into the store, which was silent except for the sound of a ticking clock. A bored clerk leaned against the wall behind the cash register, texting on a phone.
“Pretty quiet in here,” I said.
“Yeah.”
Evidently, he wasn’t the talkative sort. “Is the vampire in the window bringing in business?”
He slid his phone under the counter. “You’d think so. A lot of people stop and look at it, but they don’t usually come in. You interested in a bottle of wine? The Vampire wine is actually pretty good.”
Nina had migrated toward the cash register. “Do I smell licorice?”
“Everybody asks that. You’re probably smelling the licorice sticks we sell.” He pointed to a jar full of black licorice. Some people think eating licorice when they drink red wine brings out the nuances.” He straightened the Vampire wine bottles. “Frank is into gimmicks.”
“Is it always this dead?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It is when I’m here. But hey, Frank’s usually on time with my paycheck and that’s all I care about.”
I felt obligated to buy something. I picked out a bottle of ChocoVine, a French Cabernet combined with chocolate, and paid four dollars more for it than I would have at the grocery store.
We thanked him and left. “I think we have our man. The place reeked of licorice!” I hated what it would do to Gabriel. The darling little boy with everything going for him would soon see his world collapse. “I guess I should call Wolf and tell him.” I pulled out my cell phone.
In front of the gruesome skeleton vampire in the window, Nina grabbed my elbow. “Tell him to come right away. We have company.”
“Where?”
“He’s standing in a dark, recessed doorway across the street, watching us.”
I tried not to be obvious, but there was no way to see across the street without turning around. I lifted my arm and pretended to look at a watch even though I wasn’t wearing one. My heart pounded in my ears, but I reasoned that the search for the killer might soon be over. Nina and I needed to keep him engaged until Wolf arrived. My head bent, I raised my eyes to look for him. If Nina hadn’t pointed him out, I never would have noticed him lurking there. I could make out the outline of a person, but little more.
“Let’s move away from the show window so it won’t be so obvious that I’m calling someone.” I inserted an earbud in my ear and pressed in Wolf’s number while we strolled.
When Wolf answered, I told him where we were and that the killer was behind us.
“Stay on the line with me and head toward King Street where there are lots of people.”
“No problem. We’re already doing that.”
“I’m just a few blocks away in my car. Don’t turn to look for me. I’m hoping I can spot him from behind.”
More to Nina than to Wolf, I said, “He must have been watching Bubble and Trouble. He probably tailed us from there when we closed up. Wolf, we’re turning south onto King Street.” I welcomed the brighter lights and bustle of pedestrians.
“Slow down,” Wolf replied. “We’re not going to be able to identify this guy once he makes it onto King Street and mixes with the crowds.”
A restaurant door to our right burst open and teenagers in costumes poured out onto the sidewalk. Whooping and hollering, they danced and ran with youthful exuberance across the street where Wolf was driving. There were so many of them, I thought they would never stop streaming past us.
I heard Wolf grunt. “Where did the circus come from?”
Circus was the perfect description. The kids wore colorful costumes, some danced, some walked backward, a couple swung around the lampposts. It was the worst imaginable timing.
“You lost him, didn’t you?” I asked. “Where are you?” I tugged at Nina and we retraced our footsteps.
Wolf walked toward us on the side street. “What a lousy break.”
“No worries. We figured out who the killer is. It’s Frank Hart. He’s having an affair with Maggie.”
Wolf rarely showed much emotion, but this time his face registered surprise. “Frank?”
I explained about the licorice connection.
Wolf rubbed his forehead before slinging an arm around me.
Nina flashed me a grin. “You’re so adorable together.”
“I appreciate the help. Really, I do. But I can’t base a case on licorice. Do you know how many people eat licorice ? A lot of them probably buy it at Frank’s store.”
“But what about his affair with Maggie?” protested Nina.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be looking into that.” He gently squeezed my shoulder. “You didn’t actually see him at Maggie’s house, right? It could have been someone else.”
I wrenched away from him. “Excuse me. He was with Maggie when she found the dead doll, and he’s the one who accompanied her to the hospital.”
“Maybe they’re just friends. Maybe Frank was a buddy of Patrick’s and he’s helping her get through a rough time,” said Wolf.
“That’s not how it looks to me.” Nina frowned at him.
“I’m not saying that Frank isn’t our guy.” Wolf maintained his cool. “But I have to be able to make a case against a suspect. I can’t just arrest someone on suspicion of a love affair and a fondness for licorice.”
He could not have said it in a nicer way. No sarcasm, frustration, or anger tinged his voice.
I felt a fool. Of course he needed more information. “I’m sorry. I was just so eager to pin this on him and get him off the streets. It was totally selfish of me. I’m looking over my shoulder with every step I take and overreacting to the smallest things. I guess I wanted to have it over with.”
“Who could blame you?” Nina shot me a sympathetic look. “I was a basket case when I thought someone was after me last year.” She scowled at Wolf. “Don’t you have any leads yet?”
He suppressed a smile and leaned over to kiss my cheek. “None that I can share with the likes of you. Be careful, Soph.”
He strode away into the night, and Nina tugged at me. “Visiting a wine store without sampling anything is just a cruel tease. C’mon, I need a drink.”
It was the least I could do for her since she’d been kind enough to come along and protect me. “Think we should walk up to Bernie’s? The killer might still be hanging around here.”
“We might learn more by sticking around Frank’s neighborhood. Maybe we’ll bore our stalker and he’ll leave.” She pulled open the door to a trendy restaurant and motioned me inside.
We settled at the bar and Nina ordered an Immortal Kiss.
The bartender, a young fellow with a bohemian goatee, said, “Mrs. Norwood, I have no idea what that is.” Nina rose, and he held up his outstretched palm. “Hold it! I got into a lot of trouble the last time you came behind the bar to mix your own drink.”
“Then you’ll have to make it for me.” Nina rattled off the ingredients as the bartender raced to keep up. “Parrot Bay Passion Fruit Rum and Absolut Raspberri. Oh! And a splash of ginger ale. Don’t you want one, Sophie? Soph?”
The din in the room faded, and I was only marginally aware of Nina’s question. She might have moved on to fun drinks, but my mind still focused on the person who attacked me and killed Patrick. Right in front of me, at the other end of the bar, one of the suspects lifted his glass to me in a toast.
TWENTY-ONE
Dear Sophie,
My wife spent a small fortune on Halloween decorations. In spite of our efforts, our front porch, lawn, and foyer don’t look spooky. What can we do to jazz up our
decor?
—Perfectly Boring in Boos, Illinois
Dear Perfectly Boring,
Adding a few imperfections will put the spook into your decor. Don’t line up decorations perfectly, and don’t make them symmetrical. Think off-kilter! Leaning tombstones, rusty lanterns, drooping spiderwebs, and the unexpected will provide the spooky punch you seek.
—Sophie
I shivered even though he was just being sociable. Red flags jumped up in my head, warning me that someone had been tailing Nina and me, and that it might just be the guy at the end of the bar. Leon collected his drink and napkin and made his way through the crowd toward us.
“Sophie, what’s wrong with you? Give her an Immortal Kiss, too.” Nina nudged me. “What is it?”
By that time, Leon had reached us. I did my best to hide my angst. “Have you met Leon? He’s Natasha’s new assistant. This is Nina Reid Norwood. She lives on our block.”
“Natasha’s assistant? You poor thing!” Nina clapped a couple of fingers over her mouth. “Or are you one of her adoring minions?”
“Is Nina friend or foe?” he asked me.
“Friend.” I chuckled at his question and some of my fears abated. He seemed like a nice guy.
“Let’s get a table so we can talk.” Nina moved us all to a tiny table in the corner. I sat with my back to the wall, just in case another suspect showed up.
The bartender followed with our drinks.
“So give us the dirt on Natasha.” Nina sipped her drink.
“She’s frantic about Patrick’s murder and the impact it will have on her reputation. Honestly, I hope the boys in blue catch the killer before she does because I think I’d rather face the law than Natasha’s wrath.”
“She’s looking for the killer?” Nina asked.
“Mostly lip service. It’s all she talks about.”
I sipped my Immortal Kiss, surprised by the fruity flavor. “Who does Natasha suspect?”
“She’s obsessed with Maggie. One of these days I’ll walk in and find she has fashioned a chart of Maggie’s movements that night. Frankly, though, I think it’s because she’s still irritated that Maggie wore a Morticia Addams outfit and stole Natasha’s thunder.”
Nina giggled. “I’m sorry I missed that! Ohhh, I wonder if I could find a Morticia Addams dress by tomorrow night. I bet Natasha will wear hers, and it would aggravate her to no end if I turned up in one, too.” She leaned toward Leon. “We’re having a midnight buffet at Sophie’s house tomorrow night. You have to come. It’s potluck, so bring something.”
Leon sat up straighter. “Really? I’d love to come. But I can promise you one thing—I’m not dressing as a vampire this time. I was mortified to see so many other vampires at Natasha’s party.”
A perfect opportunity to find out about Frank. “What was Frank Hart wearing that night?”
Leon lifted his eyebrows. In a dusky tone, he said, “Frank, eh? You know, I remember him talking with Patrick.”
“What was he wearing?”
“De rigueur for men in attendance, vampire deluxe.”
Nina signaled the bartender for another round of drinks. I clamped my hand over the top of my glass. I needed my wits about me.
“Did you know Patrick?” I asked.
Leon shifted in his chair uncomfortably.
“You can tell us!” A stranger listening in would have thought Nina was an old confidant of Leon’s.
“Promise you won’t inform Natasha? She’d fire me if she found out.”
Nina pretended to zip her lips with her fingers.
“I worked for Patrick. One painfully long month, I worked in his candle shop. Now, I’m not saying I’m a clever businessman, but, honey, I understand retail, and I know how to set up a display. Patrick had no imagination whatsoever. He thought candles should be stacked like cat food cans in a grocery store.”
Nina took a long swig of her drink. “Why shouldn’t Natasha know that?”
“Because he fired me. If she finds out, she’ll do the same.” Leon’s chest heaved. “He was supposed to pay me every two weeks. He didn’t pay me after the first two weeks, but I let it go because I knew we didn’t sell much. I figured he would pay me as soon as he could. When two more weeks passed, I had to tell him I couldn’t continue to work without a paycheck. That louse accused me of stealing cash from the register. Nothing could be more untrue. It just isn’t in my nature to do anything like that. All he had to do was compare inventory to receipts to prove it. I might poke fun at people and enjoy having a good time, but I’m not a thief. Heaven knows I’m not perfect, but my momma did not raise any sticky-fingered children.”
“Did he ever pay you?” asked Nina.
“The crook blackmailed me. I went back to the store to insist he pay me, and he threatened to tell everyone I’d stolen from him. What could I do? How do you prove you didn’t do something? I couldn’t force him to do an inventory or show me his books. It was cowardly of me, but I backed away. I didn’t know how to fight him. He had a lot of clout in this community, and I couldn’t afford to be known as a thief—even if it wasn’t true.” Leon emptied his drink in one long gulp. “Oh dear, I’m sure I’m cursed now that I’ve spoken ill of the dead.”
If that was the case, Leon wouldn’t be the only cursed resident of Old Town. “Did you ever see Patrick argue with anyone else?”
“He must be turning in his grave like a rotisserie chicken with all this nasty gossip about him.” He paused and leaned over the table as though he was speaking confidentially. “Ray from next door came in all the time. At first I thought he was snooping, but it turned out that Patrick hadn’t paid his rent, and the old coot wanted to see if we were selling anything. It’s quite ironic, really. Have you seen Ray’s shop? Ugh. If he sells one item, I bet it’s a great day. If Ray didn’t own the building, he would be behind on the rent, too. That old man is such a character. He acts like he just rode in from the Wild West. The way he ranted, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to find out he did Patrick in.”
“Was he invited to Natasha’s party?” Somehow I couldn’t imagine Natasha putting Ray on her guest list of Old Town’s elite.
“Are you kidding? He most certainly was not on the guest list. I can assure you of that! I do wonder, though, if he has an alibi. How could we find out?” Leon addressed his question to Nina.
“Sophie and I will pay him a visit tomorrow morning.” She finished her second drink.
“Be careful,” warned Leon. “You can’t come right out and ask or he’ll be onto the fact that we suspect him.”
Nina giggled. “Oh, darlin’, Sophie and I know how to handle an interrogation. He won’t know what hit him.”
I wondered if Leon realized that he’d just been the victim of one of our interrogations. I whipped out my wallet and paid our check before Nina could order more drinks. “I think we’d better be on our way. I’m so glad we had this opportunity to chat with you, Leon.”
“We’ll see you at the Halloween party!” Nina waved and followed me out the door. “What a great guy! I feel like we have a spy in the enemy camp!”
We giggled like silly schoolgirls as we walked up King Street. “You do know that he’s a suspect?” I turned the corner so we were headed east.
“No!” Nina’s giggles subsided. “Do you think he was telling the truth about being fired?”
“We’re about to find out. I thought we might drop in on Maggie to see how she’s doing. She would know the scoop about Leon and Patrick.”
“Unless Patrick lied to her. He might not have wanted her to know his business was such a shambles.”
“True,” I said. “But Blake told me his mother paid the rent at Patrick’s shop. She must have realized something was wrong.”
“But we women can be blind to the faults of the men we love.”
Nina was certainly right about that.
She slid her arm under mine so they linked at the elbow, and drew me close. “He’s following us again.”
I slowed and was turning my head when Nina whispered, “Don’t look!”
“Would you rather he caught us off guard? We have to know where he is and cross the street or something.” We’d already arrived on Maggie’s block and left the hubbub and crowds of King Street behind. The only soul outside was someone parallel parking a car.
In spite of Nina’s warning, I glanced back. A shadowy figure darted behind a tree. “Our best bet is to jaywalk across the street and head straight to Maggie’s house.” Shivers shuttled along my arms as we changed our direction and jogged across the street and up the stairs to Maggie’s front door. I rang the bell somewhat impatiently and whipped around to see where he had gone.
“I’ve lost him. Where is he?” A note of panic had crept into Nina’s voice. “Oh my gosh! The cat!”
I squinted. “Where?”
“On the other side of the street. He just ducked under someone’s gate.”
“Who is it?” Maggie called.
I pounded on the door. “Maggie! Let us in. Hurry! It’s Sophie and a friend.”
In the quiet night, we could hear a little discussion inside the house.
Nina clamped onto my arm with strength I hadn’t known she possessed. “He’s coming up the sidewalk!”
A man strode toward us with an assured gait.
This time Nina banged on the door.
It swung open, but Maggie’s eyes didn’t focus on us. “No!” she howled.
I was certain the killer must be right behind us. My feet seemed locked in position. I turned my head and saw a vampire, his cape flying out behind him, running along the other side of the street.
Nina screamed like she’d seen her mother-in-law, and the man who’d been striding toward us walked up the steps.