I cringed at her choice of words. “I don’t want a gun.” But, I did accept the other things. Contrary to my own resolve, I knew everyone was right and I’d be dragged into trying to find out who killed Teresa.
“So, what’s first?” She sat next to me.
“I’m planning a murder mystery dinner for Saturday night. I need to make the fliers, figure out the crime—”
“A woman gets stabbed in the chest.”
“Grandma, please.”
She held up a hand. “Hear me out. If the victim dies,” she made finger quotes, “the same way as poor Teresa, the killer, who will most likely be at the party, might slip up and betray themselves.”
She made a good point. “What makes you think the killer is a resident?”
“It’s always someone close.” She patted my knee. “Remember, I’m an expert because of all the crime shows on TV.”
No matter what I said, I couldn’t convince her that those were so often fabricated as to be very far from the truth. I nibbled my bottom lip. “I suppose…I’ll be the victim. Everyone who attends will draw a slip of paper. On one of them will be an X. That person will be the killer, and I’ll give them the background information on the murder. It will be up to everyone else to mingle and ask questions to find out who the person with the X is. It just might work. But…” I held up my hand to ward off her protests…”I won’t die the same way. That would be disrespectful.”
“Of course your plan will work. You have my brain after all.”
Heaven help me.
A glance at the clock told me lunch was being served. Despite the rough morning, my stomach rumbled. A granola bar didn’t tide over a person with a high metabolism for very long. Maybe, the conversation in the dining hall would center around Teresa and I’d hear something informative.
The four of us entered the dining hall and all heads turned in our direction. After a couple of intensely quiet seconds, the murmuring started.
Birdie Sorenson, her haired died lavender this month, approached at a fast clip. “You going to help Teresa like you helped Maybelle?”
“I didn’t help Maybelle. I found her dead.” I headed for my table.
“But, you found her killer, just as I asked.”
“Her killer found me is more accurate.”
“Stop dancing around the question. Are you going to investigate or not?”
I detested lying, but found it the wiser course of action in this case. “Not.” I grabbed a plate and headed for the buffet.
Like a sparrow chasing bird crumbs, she followed. “Why not?”
“I prefer living, thank you.” I grabbed a ham and cheese croissant sandwich and a small prepared salad. “Please don’t make up the fabrication that I’m going to snoop, all right?”
She crossed her skinny arms. “I never figured you for a coward.”
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Wanting to live is not being a coward.” I carried my plate back to the table and took my seat.
“She’s tenacious,” Heath said.
“That’s one word for her.”
He gave me a quick one-armed hug. “Chin up. No one can make you do what you don’t want to.”
True, but I tended to want to make my friends and family happy. Which caused me to do things I didn’t want to do.
“What do you think about me digging into Teresa’s death?”
“It scares the dickens out of me. You had a very close call the last time.”
Too close. “Grandma bought me a Tazor.”
“Well, that’s something.”
I bit into my croissant and studied those in the room. Just the usual faces. Not one person looked like a killer or that they would have been interested in a romantic relationship with Teresa. If…my deduction about the roses was correct. The men in the room were in their sixties. Teresa couldn’t have been over twenty-five.
The murder mystery party might be fun, but I doubted it would lead me to her killer. “I don’t think her killer was a resident.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I still think the roses were from an admirer. Can you see someone as pretty as Teresa with one of these elderly men?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t want to see themselves with her.”
3
Heath was right. Age had no limit. I looked around the room with new eyes, and found no further information. I still couldn’t picture any of them as Teresa’s killer.
“Hello, Heath.”
We both turned. Standing next to our table, dressed in a stylish grey suit with a vibrant scarlet blouse, was a raven haired woman with eyes as dark as night. I’d never seen anyone more beautiful.
“Lauren!” Heath bolted to his feet, spilling his glass of tea across the white tablecloth. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m the interior decorator, silly.” She fiddled with the collar of his tee shirt. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
He cast a suspiciously guilty look at me, then grabbed her arm and dragged her to a far corner of the room. Forget the mystery of Teresa’s death. I wanted to know who Ms. Gorgeous was and how she knew the man I thought was my boyfriend.
Either way, Heath did not look happy to see her, and, considering the many furtive glances in my direction, didn’t want me to know about her. After sopping up the spilled tea and rolling the tablecloth into a ball, I carried my half-full plate out the door and to my cottage. Let them resolve their issues in peace. But, guaranteed I’d be getting some answers soon.
I veered before reaching my cottage and headed for the tables poolside. After removing my garden boots, I hung my feet in the cool water, ate my lunch, and tried not to think about what was transpiring between Heath and the beauty queen.
“Why aren’t you working?”
I glanced over my shoulder to spot Alice glaring at me. What else was new? “Lunch.”
She took a quick look at her watch. “Very well. Not too much longer. I want you to meet the interior decorator.”
“Why? We won’t be working together.”
“Because you’re my Jill of all trades. You might be working with her.”
Gag. “What happened in the maze after we left?”
She set her ever-present clipboard on a table. “They found where she was murdered. At least, they found a blood soaked patch of ground just inside the entrance. I’m surprised you didn’t see it. Your boot print was smack in the middle of it. Officer Lawrence was not happy about that, I can tell you.”
Gross. I lifted my boots. Sure enough, in the tred of my right boot, was reddish brown mud. I almost washed it off right then and there in the pool, but figured it was evidence. I’d turn it over as long as I got a promise my favorite boots would be returned.
“The decorator is in the dining hall talking to Heath,” I said, setting my boots at arm’s length from me.
“Oh, good. I’m sure she will have a lot of things for him to do.”
No doubt. I sighed and pushed to my feet. “Where’s Officer Ted now?”
She shrugged. “Probably at your cottage.”
“Return this for me, will you?” I thrust my plate into her hands and without waiting for an answer, picked up my boots and ran across the hot path to home.
Officer Ted leaned against the outside wall, waiting for me. “You must have spoken with Alice.”
“Yes. I want these back.” I handed over the boots.
“Just as soon as the forensics team is finished with them.”
Does this make me a suspect?” I had been one with the first murder, and didn’t relish a repeat.
“Should you be?”
“Don’t toy with me or I’ll sic Grandma on you.”
He chuckled. “No, you’re not a suspect. We only want what’s on your boot.” He gave me a jaunty salute and sauntered away.
I unlocked my cottage door, chose a pair of bright blue boots with hot pink polka dots and headed for my toolshed. Getting a start on spraying weed and grass killer on t
he brick path shouldn’t destroy evidence since the crime took place within the walls of the maze. I could clear the path and start work on trimming the overgrown bushes and plant some flowers. All of which would take me most of the week.
If I stayed busy, and away from the others, perhaps there wouldn’t be any more pressure to investigate. No such luck. Grandma stood outside the tool shed waiting for me with arms crossed.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“Working.” I unlocked the padlock and slid the doors open.
“Why aren’t you investigating?”
“Shady Acres doesn’t pay me to investigate. They pay me to work. Besides, I thought the party on Saturday would be the best time to start snooping.” I stepped into the dark shed and stretched to remove the bottle of vegetation killer from the top shelf. Armed with it and the sprayer, I loaded them into the wheelbarrow and exited, locking the door behind me.
“I’m working on the path leading to the maze. Feel free to come along and snoop.”
“Oh, goody. Maybe I’ll find a strand of hair or something. I’ve a magnifying glass and tweezers in my bag.”
Of course she did. I wheeled my supplies to the front of the path, pausing only once to wipe the perspiration from my brow. It was going to be a scorching afternoon.
“Here.” Grandma plopped a floppy pink hat on my head. “You don’t want to freckle.”
“Thank you. I left my hat in the gazebo.”
After half an hour, Grandma marched up the walkway. “I can’t find anything out here. How much trouble do you think I’ll get into if I go past the yellow tape?”
“A lot. It’s against the law.” I blinked against the sweat dripping into my eyes. Maybe I should do the hard work in the cooler mornings and work on community activities during the heat of the day.
“I’m finished for now.” I loaded my things into the wheelbarrow.
“Who is that with Alice?” Grandma pointed.
I glanced up to see Alice, Lauren, and Heath strolling toward us. The only one smiling was Lauren. I glanced at my dirt smeared arms and legs, a stain on my blouse, and blew hair out of my eyes. Wonderful.
“Shelby, this is our decorator, Lauren.” Alice took a deep breath through her nose. “Heath’s fiancée.” That explained Alice’s sour expression. She had a crush on Heath that had now been crushed under Lauren’s stiletto.
“Ex-fiancee.” Heath’s eyes implored me not to freak out.
“Darling.” Lauren turned to him. “I said I was sorry.”
He exhaled sharply, then mouthed the words, “We’ll talk later,” to me.
I gave a small nod to let him know I understood. “It’s nice to meet you. Forgive me for not shaking your hand, Lauren, but as you can see I’ve been working.”
“That’s fine. I love playing in the dirt myself from time-to-time.” She smiled, revealing perfect straight and white teeth.
“I’ve told Lauren that if she needs any help, to call on you and Heath. I’m sure you won’t mind.” Alice turned and marched away.
Lauren continued to smile. “Wonderful. I’d like to set a meeting for…” she glanced at a gold watch on her delicate wrist. “one hour. That should give you time to clean up, Shelby. I’m staying in the main building, room number three. See you then.”If her hips swayed any harder as she walked away, she was going to break something.
“Shelby—”
“Talk to me on the way to the tool shed. Grandma, go home. This is my business.”
“Oh, pooh. You’re as bad as your mother.”
“We aren’t engaged, Shelby, no matter what Lauren says.”
“She seems a bit confused, then.” I unlocked the padlock on the shed and rolled the wheelbarrow inside.
“I caught her with another man. No amount of apologies can erase that.” He gripped my shoulders and turned me to face him.
“We don’t have an…exclusive relationship, Heath. It’s really none of my business.”
“I thought we were an item.” Pain flickered across his bluebonnet eyes.
“Are we? I think the return of Lauren might put a kink in that.” I swallowed against the mound growing in my throat.
“It doesn’t. I promise.” He took my hand. “I’ll walk you to your cottage.”
I tried to push aside my suspicions, but after being ditched at the altar, and the groom-to-be replacing me within the week, I found it hard to trust the words coming from Heath’s mouth. I kept my hand in his, but kept my gaze straight ahead. My heart needed to be guarded until things were clearer.
Back at the cottage, while Heath waited in the living room, I scanned my closet for something to wear that wouldn’t make me pale too much in comparison with Lauren. I chose a pair of strappy sandals and a sundress that fit at the bodice and flared away at the waist. After a quick shower, I smoothed back my unruly mass of curls and secured them with a barrett. After a quick dab of mascara and lipgloss, I was as good as I could get.
“You look nice.” Heath took my hand again. “Don’t let Lauren intimidate you.”
I blinked up at him. Did I look as if I’d be intimidated? Maybe I should change. His firm grip on my hand, kept me at his side.
“You are beautiful, Shelby. Inside and out.” He led me out the door and up the stairs of the main building to room three.
He rapped his knuckles three times, then stepped back for her to open the door. Great. She had changed into skinny jeans and a tee shirt. Now, I was overdressed. I had the feeling I couldn’t win with this woman.
“You clean up nice, Shelby.” She stepped back and ushered us in. “Have a seat.”
The round table in one corner of the room had three chairs and several sheets of paper waiting for us. Heath pulled out my chair and sat down until Lauren cleared her throat. Rolling his eyes, he stood and did the same for her.
I hid a smirk. Usually the gentleman, his not pulling out her chair until asked spoke volumes about his feelings. I glanced at the page in front of me. It seemed as if I were to be Lauren’s personal assistant while she was here.
“I can’t do all this and my job, too.” I slid the paper across the table.
“Alice assured me you would have time.” Lauren crossed her arms, her smile never fading. “She said you were a marvel at time management. Don’t sell yourself short, Shelby. That’s no way to get ahead in this world.”
“I’m perfectly happy where I am. Not only am I the only gardener here, but I plan the weekly social events. I can give you one hour a day and no more.”
She sighed dramatically. “It will have to do. I’ll just have to impose more on Heath.”
Wait a minute. I needed to rethink things here. “I’ll try to give you more, but no promises.” The least amount of time she spent alone with Heath, the less temptation put in front of him.
He glanced from her to me. “Don’t I get a say in this? I have work, too.”
Lauren tilted her head. “You’re the handyman, darling. This is handyman work.”
“You make my job sound beneath you.”
“Not at all. You’re very good with your hands.” She winked at me.
I scowled and focused on my list of chores, wanting nothing more than to shove the paper down her pretty throat.
“Although, it is a mystery as to why you quit working for Daddy and…came here.”
Ah, there was more to Heath’s background than he’s told me.
“I didn’t think it wise to continue working there after breaking off our engagement. Besides, I’m not the desk type of guy. I like working outside. Shady Acres is perfect for me.”
“Give me a week.” She trailed a manicured fingernail down his arm. “I’ll change your mind.”
He stood suddenly enough to knock his chair over. “Let’s go, Shelby. We know what’s expected of us.”
“See you two in the morning directly after breakfast,” her voice trilled after us.
“I should have left the state,” Heath said the moment the door closed be
hind us. “But then, I wouldn’t have met you.” He smiled down at me.
My heart did a somersault. “I don’t think she’s going to make things pleasant for us.”
“If I could keep Alice at arm’s length, I can do the same with Lauren.”
I didn’t think so, but held my tongue. Only time would tell whether I had a boyfriend at the end of the week.
4
Alice seemed to have the same thing on her mind as I did. By the weekend, Heath had spent very little time alone with Lauren. Instead, Alice kept Lauren locked in her office with her going over plans for the cottages.
As for plans, I had my own to finalize with the murder mystery dinner that evening. I knocked twice on Alice’s office door and waited for her to answer.
“I’m busy.” Alice opened the door, spit out the words, and started to close it.
I shoved my foot in the opening. “I need to finish the plans for this evening.”
“Very well.” She opened the door wider.
Lauren and two men I had yet to meet sat across from Alice’s desk. Both in their fifties, both very handsome. If they were new residents, the women were going to be all a flutter competing for their attention.
“Shelby, this is Alan Barker and Damon Markson. They’ll be moving into the vacated cottages. Lauren will renovate their places first.”
“Welcome.” I handed them both a flier for that evening’s events. “I hope you can join us.”
“Is that the flier I need to approve?” Alice frowned.
“Yes. But, since we haven’t been able to get together, I handed them out three days ago.” Hopefully, she was okay with the information.
She glanced over the paper. “It looks fine. Next time, I need to see them before they’re handed out.”
The two men watched our exchange with curiosity. Then, they stood, shook my hand, and left the room, promising to be at the party.
“When are they moving in?” I cut a sideways glance at Lauren, relieved to see her engrossed in sketches on the desk.
Path to Nowhere (A Shady Acres Mystery Book 2) Page 2