Cora was dressed to the nines, too. Instead of her usual suit, she wore a knee-length black dress. It had a scoop neck and short sleeves and looked like the classic black dress every woman used to have in her closet. She’d adorned it with a string of big pearls and earrings to match. Going with the more formal look, she carried a satin clutch purse. As usual, she’d gone heavy on the eye shadow and I could see the iridescent blue from across the room.
I could almost hear her sigh with pleasure as her fiancé put his arm around her waist. Ronny joined them. I had to hold back a gag as she embraced Cora and called her “Mother.” Cora seemed to like the title and gave Ronny’s arm an affectionate squeeze.
I should have figured Madeleine was with them. She came out of the gift shop carrying a bag of something. She was wearing a similar dress to her sister’s, though no pearls, and she’d gone way less obvious with the makeup. She looked toward her future brother-in-law and her lip curled into distaste. The expression lasted only the blink of an eye and she put on a forced-looking smile as she approached the family group.
I don’t know why, but I suddenly felt very protective of Cora Delacorte—maybe because she’d liked my aunt so well, or maybe because of how she’d helped with the retreats. Seeing her with that smarmy man was like an accident waiting to happen. I needed to figure out what was going on with Burton Fiore and I needed to do it now.
Somehow I thought it was all connected with Nicole’s shop. No matter what Ronny Fiore said, I was sure of what I’d seen. Her father had come into Nicole’s when I was there and there had been some kind of exchange. It was clear now that someone had been in the shop several times. Could it have been he? And what was he looking for? What could Nicole have found out about him that he’d pay to keep quiet?
When I saw Madeleine head toward the ladies’ room, I followed her. Something that Sammy had said popped into my mind and I thought she might know about it. Another thing I’d learned while working for Frank was that sometimes the people I was calling for information were lonely and glad just to have someone to talk to. I almost felt guilty when I got off those calls. The old saying “like taking candy from a baby” went through my head.
I fussed at the sink until Madeleine came out of the stall. I was glad to see she was the fastidious kind who washed her hands. Starting a conversation was easy. “That’s such a lovely dress,” I said.
The comment didn’t register on her face for a moment, then she broke into a small smile. “I didn’t realize you were talking to me.” She looked around and saw that no one was there but the two of us. “Of course you were talking to me. There’s no one else here.” She hesitated a moment. “Where are my manners? Thank you for the compliment. It is really quite old.” Just as I suspected, she was glad to have someone to talk to and now that she’d started, she went on.
I listened to the whole history of the dress, which was really quite interesting. It was from the early sixties, when everyone wanted to look like Audrey Hepburn.
“That must have been when you were all living in the big house on Grand Street. The one that’s the Butterfly Bed-and-Breakfast now,” I said. Sammy’s comment about his living arrangements coupled with seeing the Delacorte sisters had made me think of something. The dresser and the box of moldy stuff had come from a bed-and-breakfast that was clearing a storage area to build a studio apartment. Sammy had mentioned the B and B where he was staying was adding a small apartment. The yellow Victorian house was across the street from the Blue Door and more than once I’d stopped to read the historical plaque outside giving the house’s history. It had been the family home of the Delacortes until the death of Cora and Madeleine’s mother, Antonia.
Madeleine seemed thrilled to be having a conversation and talked on. She confirmed the bed-and-breakfast had been their parents’ home and went on and on about what a grand house it was. They’d sold it only when their mother died. I was only half listening, thinking about the contents of the box of moldy stuff.
When Madeleine finally took a breath, I asked her if she’d ever seen a locket covered in woven hair.
“Do you have it?” she said quickly. Her tone made it clear she knew exactly what I was talking about. She barely let me get out that I knew where it was before she told me about it.
“My mother had that made when my brother died. With his hair,” Madeleine said, making a face. “I think having that memory of him around her neck only made it worse. Personally, I thought it was grotesque and expected her to start wearing his finger bones as a pendant or something.”
She asked again if I had it. I said Nicole had had it. Madeleine sucked in her breath and asked what else she had. When I described the dresser, she confirmed it had been her brother’s. The door whooshed open and Ronny Fiore came in and locked eyes on Madeleine. “There you are. Mother Cora was worried you were taking so long.”
“It was lovely talking to you,” Madeleine said. Her smile was genuine as she reached out and took my hand in hers. “It would be nice if you came to visit sometime. I used to knit. Maybe you could refresh my memory.”
Before I could answer, Ronny hustled her out of the bathroom, showering her with concern.
I leaned against the sink, thinking about the information I’d gotten. A woman holding an infant came in. The baby smiled at me and I smiled back, getting ready to comment on how cute it was. I searched for something indicating it was a boy or a girl so I could add the appropriate “he” or “she” to the “cute” comment. I thought of the conversation I’d overheard earlier about the tradition of colors for baby blankets. The baby’s white onesie had a tiny pink flower. That had to mean it was a girl, right? My mind started to click and it was like magic. All the pieces that had meant nothing by themselves suddenly began to fall into place. All along I’d thought Nicole had some damaging information about Burton, but now I knew I’d been all wrong. The information wasn’t on him; it was on something he wanted.
But here was the problem: It was all just conjecture. There was no proof, but what if he thought there was?
26
People were lined up outside the SeaFoam dining hall, waiting for the dinner bell to ring. There was a buzz of excitement. Not only would Sammy be doing his magic, but afterward there would be a movie in Hummingbird Hall. Needless to say the Delacorte sisters and Burton weren’t in the line. Not even Ronny Fiore. Once the dining hall opened they would go in a side door and sit at the owners’ table. I found Lucinda waiting with some of the people in our group. I gestured for her to get out of line.
When we were out of earshot, I laid out the favor I needed. All she had to do was make sure Burton Fiore overheard her say that I’d figured out what Nicole was doing and I was going to her shop to get the proof while everyone was in the movie. “If he’s innocent, which I don’t believe, then it won’t mean anything. But if Nicole was blackmailing him, he won’t be able to resist,” I said.
Lucinda seemed wary. “Are you sure it’s such a good idea to do this when you’re there all alone? If he killed Nicole, what’s to stop him from trying to get rid of you, too?” my friend said. She glanced over the crowd just as Burton Fiore came in, holding Cora close. “By the way, what is it you figured out?”
“It’s better if you don’t know. Then you don’t have to worry about saying too much.”
“Are you sure it’s safe for you?” Lucinda repeated. “The Blue Door can’t lose its number one baker, and I’d be lost if something happened to you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to have my finger over 911. At the first sound of someone coming in, I’ll hit it. The police station is two blocks away. Even if they walked, they’d get there in time.”
We synchronized our watches and she went back to her spot in line. I hung back, looking for Sammy, knowing he was lurking somewhere and probably a nervous wreck. I found him behind a Monterey cypress tree.
“Case, over here,” he said in a sta
ge whisper. I joined him and noticed that he was sweating profusely. I tried to reassure him he’d do great. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I had to slip out early. I also didn’t want him asking why.
When the line was all inside, I gave him a kiss on the check for luck and went to join the others. I can’t even say what the dinner entrée was. I think I ate some of it, but I was too busy thinking about the trap I was setting.
Kevin St. John seemed to be hovering around the owners’ table and left it only when he went to the center of the room and introduced the Amazing Dr. Sammy. Sammy stood frozen to the spot for a moment and I worried he wasn’t going to move, but then his stage fright disappeared and his love of magic kicked in.
The plan was that he would go around the room, doing a mini-show for each table. I held my breath as he got to the first table, but there was no reason to worry. He was all smiles now as he removed quarters from people’s ears, made watches mysteriously disappear from people’s wrists and performed elaborate card tricks. I tracked his progress around the dining hall. I had to laugh when he got to the yoga table. He threw in a few yoga poses and instead of quarters from people’s ears, he produced meditation beads.
I’m afraid I neglected my group, but Lucinda, with her restaurant hostess skills, stepped in for me. When Sammy got to the owners’ table, it was time for me to go. It turned out to be easy. Since everyone was watching him, nobody saw me disappear.
Outside it was getting dark as I ran through the grounds and across the street. I realized now the dress was a bad choice, but then when I’d chosen it, I didn’t know I was going to be setting a trap. At least it was black.
I was in the main part of town in less than five minutes. I parked my car far away from Nicole’s shop and walked up the block quickly, telling my heart to stop beating so fast.
I figured that as soon as Burton heard Lucinda’s conversation, he’d find a way to separate himself from Cora and Madeleine and come to the shop to lie in wait for me. I checked the back door and the lock was as easy to open as before. And then I hid. The last of the daylight disappeared and I saw the streetlights come on. I had 911 ready on my phone. All I had to do was hit send.
Time seemed to be crawling by and I began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Or the obvious—that I was wrong about Burton Fiore being blackmailed. I looked at my watch and figured they all had to be in Hummingbird Hall by now watching the movie. I was deciding how much longer I’d wait when I heard a car door slam and footsteps outside the place. I had my finger on the send button on my phone. There was no reason to wait until he opened the back door. I pressed the button. When the dispatcher answered, I said someone was breaking in and gave the address. A moment later I heard another car door slam and more footsteps.
My heart was leaping into my throat as I heard someone fiddling with the back door. I saw a shaft of light as the back door opened and someone came inside. How long would it take the Cadbury PD to arrive? I didn’t want to show my cards too early.
I heard noise at the back door again and another shaft of light. Did Burton have an accomplice? Just as I heard the whine of a siren, I jumped up and flipped on the lights. Someone else was coming in the back door.
I did a quick scan of the former bank and was surprised at what I saw. Burton Fiore was standing in the middle of the place. But what was Cora doing there? And Ronny Fiore? And Kevin St. John?
I saw the flashing lights of the cruiser as it pulled into the alley. A moment later Dane came rushing in the back door with his gun drawn and yelled, “Freeze!” before he’d processed the situation.
“We got a call there was a robbery in process,” he said, looking from face to face.
27
It’s amazing what having a gun pointed in your general direction will do. The fiancé, the bride-to-be, the manager of Vista Del Mar, and the fiancé’s daughter all stood like statues. I have to admit, I did the same. Dane looked over the crowd, and after a moment shook his head with disbelief before holstering his weapon. His gaze had stopped on me.
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” he said.
“Why don’t you ask him,” I said, pointing a finger accusingly at Burton Fiore. “He came here looking to find what Nicole Welton was using to blackmail him with and that’s why he killed her.”
“Killed her?” Burton Fiore said in shock. “Are you crazy?” It was like he suddenly saw Cora. “What are you doing here?” he demanded. I guess for the moment the role of swooning fiancé was over.
“I saw you rushing off somewhere and I wanted to see what you were up to.” Cora glanced around at the rest of us. “I’m not as foolish as you all think. Or as helpless. I commandeered the Vista Del Mar van.” Her eyes stopped on Ronny Fiore. “Missy, what are you doing here?”
Ronny hemmed and hawed. “I don’t understand. I thought I was the only one paying Nicole.” Her father snapped at her not to say anything more.
Kevin St. John seemed to be trying to recede into the shadows, but we all turned toward him. He appeared a little less the lord of the manor. “I wouldn’t call what I was doing blackmail. I’d just been giving Nicole a few bucks to help her out since her business seemed to be struggling.” I don’t think anybody bought his story.
“Did anyone actually break in here?” Dane said, looking around the group.
“They all did,” I said. “I’m the only one with a key and permission to be in here. But it’s not about robbing this place. I think one of them killed Nicole.”
They all started talking at once, insisting they had nothing to do with her death. Dane put his hands up to stop them. Then he turned to me. There was no flirting. He was all business, or almost. “Okay, Casey, how about you tell me the whole story.”
“Yeah, why don’t you. I heard you found some things that Nicole had. Let’s see what you’ve got,” Burton Fiore said. I realized that he was being cagey, not giving away the reason for the blackmail, no doubt hoping that I had nothing concrete and it would all go away.
I saw his face drop as I pulled the big envelope out of my bag. I’d done some checking earlier and then made a pit stop on my way to pick up some items from the box of moldy stuff sitting in my converted garage. I emptied the contents on a beautifully refinished table. The envelope with the baby photo floated down, but the locket and the hairbrush landed with a clunk. The key made a ping.
“But I thought . . .” Burton caught himself and stopped talking.
“You thought it was the hair jewelry pieces Nicole had in the glass case,” I said, finishing what I was pretty sure he had started to say. “So that’s why you took them.”
His eyes flashed with anger. “Don’t be absurd.”
I ignored his comment. “The only piece that meant anything wasn’t even there.”
“Mother’s locket,” Cora said, reaching for the brown heart pendant. She retracted her hand as she got a whiff of the moldy smell. “That explains it. Nicole asked me about mourning jewelry and asked if I’d ever seen a locket with woven hair on the outside. I said my mother had had one. She never mentioned that she had it.”
Dane looked over the items and then back to me. There was a little sparkle in his dark eyes. “I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”
I had their attention and I felt like I was in an Agatha Christie mystery during the big reveal. And maybe I was a little caught up with my own cleverness.
I took a moment to explain how I had found the box of moldy clothes and remembered something Nicole had said about hiding things where no one would look. I glanced around at the assembled group. “The box was here up until a day ago. So, whoever broke in here before must have gone right past it.” Judging from the scowl on Burton Fiore’s face, I was guessing it was he. “Now then, I might as well cut to the chase and explain what it all means.” I waited a beat to begin as I organized my thoughts.
“First, I shou
ld explain that Nicole bought a dresser at a garage sale, which I now realize was from the former Delacorte family home.” There was no need to mention that Sammy’s comment about his living arrangements had made me put it together. I remembered that Will had said the garage sale was to clear out a storage area so that it could be made into a studio apartment. And then Sammy had talked about the B and B where he was living doing exactly that. There was a plaque in front of the B and B that said it had been the home of Antonia and Rudolph Delacorte until Antonia’s death.
“I think Nicole bought it with the idea of refinishing it and putting it in her shop. Just like she bought the old locket at the same sale, planning to fix it up and add it to her collection of hair jewelry.” I’d made a call to the B and B owner and they had verified that along with the dresser, the locket had been part of the odds and ends in the sale. “Nicole might have had it in mind to refurbish the textiles when she emptied the dresser, but I think her plans changed after she realized the real meaning of what she found.”
I held up the silver hairbrush. Before I could speak, Cora called out, “That looks like Edmund’s.” She seemed to choke a little on her words and then explained they’d all had hairbrushes just like it, even mentioning that she still had hers. I nodded and turned it over to display the ED engraved in the filigree decoration on the back. Cora reached out to touch it, then seemed a little disconcerted by the handful of hair still clinging to the bristles.
I looked down at the longish dark hairs with the hint of white on the end stuck in the brush. “I think those hairs were the point, but I’ll get to that later.” I set the brush down and held up the locket and flipped it open. They all leaned forward to get a better view of the tiny black-and-white photograph of a baby.
Silence of the Lamb's Wool (A Yarn Retreat Mystery) Page 21