Cremains of the Day

by Misty Simon

  * * *

  Something hot and yummy was in order after my morning of chaos—and no, I didn’t mean Max of the dreamy biceps. I was putting him permanently out of my mind. I’d gotten into more trouble than I had in my entire life since he’d shown up, trying to get me to find the money. I was done now. The taxmen were going to just have to do their worst. I’d work until I was ninety-seven years old if I had to. My dream of my own shop floated away down the river of shit that was currently my life.

  Just as I was taking my first sip of pumpkin spice, though, guess who walked through the door? I wanted to run and hide, but couldn’t make myself do it.

  “I hear there’s some commotion in town.” Max straddled a chair across from me and crossed those fantastic arms over the back, making the biceps I’d been thinking about bulge.

  I had to remember that first and foremost this was my brother’s old friend. Second, I was recently divorced. Both huge strikes against doing anything with the man. I couldn’t come up with a third strike on the fly, but I was sure there was one out there if I thought hard enough.

  “I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

  He smirked at me. “Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second.”

  I bristled. He was so tempting and I should not be tempted. That word shouldn’t even be in my vocabulary right now. It didn’t escape my notice that I was arguing with myself about something that might not even be on his mind. So I went on the defensive instead of facing my own confusing emotions. “Why are you here again, Max? You decide to come out and help an old friend’s sister? I’m still having a hard time believing that. Are you sure you’re not after the money itself and you’ll leave me in the dust when we find it, with a fat tax bill in my hands and nothing to pay it?”

  He reeled back as if I’d slapped him and I felt terrible. “Is that what you think, Tallie? That I have nothing better to do? Yeah, I wanted to help. Your mother and father showed me more kindness than I ever have had before or after. I lived with a grandmother who I could not please to save my life and the memory of your parents welcoming me, showing up for plays and awards ceremonies and including me in your dinners and your celebrations, kept me afloat all those years until I was old enough to leave the old battle-ax. They even came to my college graduation. That meant something to me. I was trying to repay it in a small portion by saving their precious daughter.” He glared at me. “Not anymore.”

  Well, I felt about two inches tall in three-inch heels. How did that go so wrong? Oh, right—because I was scared and taking it out on him.

  Gina shot me a disapproving frown from behind the counter as Max stalked out the front door.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m going.” The only question was how was I going to get him to accept my very humble apology?

  I caught him outside the bank down the street. Fortunately, he was not in a car or I would not have caught him at all. I still didn’t even know where he was staying.

  I had been so focused on myself and how this would all come tumbling down around my head that I hadn’t even taken the time to think about his part in helping. His monologue about my parents had hit me harder than I was willing to admit. I had no idea what it would be like to grow up without the support of the people who were supposed to love you. Their care must have really impacted him in a way that helping was giving back. And I’d taken that from him in one fell swoop.

  “Max!” He didn’t even turn around. I was so blind to getting to him that I didn’t see someone coming my way. I was knocked hard in the shoulder and went down on my hands and knees. A paper fluttered down and I picked it up, looking after the person who had bumped into me. All I caught was a glimpse of black-and-white fancy shoes rounding the corner.

  I was momentarily stunned. I knew those shoes. They’d come a hairbreadth from stepping on my face, and whoever it was had been fighting with Darla the day before she was killed. No matter if I was supposed to be staying out of this or not, I couldn’t leave that lead alone. Burton be damned.

  The squeal of tires had me up, swearing at the pavement for cutting into the palms of my hands. By the time I got to my feet and rounded the corner myself, whoever it had been was gone from the street. I couldn’t be sure he had been in the car with the squealing tires and as I looked up to the buildings above me, all three-story monstrosities with shops and apartments and private homes, I realized he could be lost forever. There was no way I would be able to find him if he’d hidden in one of these buildings, not even if I took all day to knock on every single door.

  I called Uncle Sherman, not sure what else to do. I’d catch up with Max later. This took precedence, even if that wasn’t the way it should be.

  “What you got, girly?” Sherman said as he answered my call.

  “I just saw a pair of shoes that belong to the guy who was fighting with Darla before the day she died. Should I call the cops?”

  He snorted out a laugh. “What are they supposed to do with a pair of shoes? Did you see a face?”

  I sighed in defeat. “No.”

  “You might want to hang up your deerstalker, honey, and let Burton do his job. Though I doubt he really knows what he’s doing.”

  “Uncle Sherman, what is it between you two?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about, honey. Just go clean your houses and keep your nose clean too. I’m sure this will all settle down soon.” He disconnected the call.

  Yeah, that didn’t help at all.

  I’d lost Max when I’d gone after the shoes, but at the bank I found Letty.

  “Hey, Letty. I’m glad to hear Darren is keeping you on.”

  But Letty didn’t even look at me. In fact, she went so far as to turn her head away and hustle down the street.

  All in front of Katie the Barracuda. Could things please maybe stop spiraling down the toilet? Just for today?

  “I don’t think you’re making friends anymore, Tallie, what a pity.” Katie smirked. It was all I could do not to haul off and whack her in her recently duct-tape waxed lips.

  “You know, the cops don’t believe your story at all. And the next time you want a free lip wax, tear your own duct tape off.”

  Katie scurried away with her hand over her mouth. Probably off to see Waldo. What did I care? Not a whit, but it was irritating on top of a day of irritations.

  The culmination of it all was my phone ringing with Waldo’s tone. Good grief!

  “What? What do you want? I have no patience right now and no time for more crap.”

  “My, we’re in a mood. Is your monthly craziness coming on? I remember when I wanted to lock you in a room for that week and only let you back out when your eyes weren’t wild.”

  “Waldo, I do not need to reminisce about my periods. It was the only time I was truly happy, since you wouldn’t try to put your paws on me. The one time a month I wouldn’t have to pretend that three inches did something for me other than make me yawn. Now, what the hell do you want?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “We are talking and it’s giving me a headache.”

  “You need to come over. There are some things we need to discuss.”

  “I don’t have time, and I certainly don’t have the inclination to be anywhere near you. Just say what you have to say right now.”

  “I’m not having this conversation on the phone. It has to do with money, enough money that you’ll be cleaning houses twenty-four hours a day for a very long time if you don’t get over here.”

  He must have heard about the tax thing. I still wasn’t going there. I wanted nothing to do with the twit. If I had to make a payment plan, then I would. Perhaps I could get Max to intercede on my behalf. Of course, I’d have to apologize to him first.

  “I also want the jewelry you took from my house back.”

  “I told you I didn’t take anything. What jewelry are you talking about? The only things I have are the ones you gave me when I left.”

  He ignored that. “Oh, and there’s something else you’ll
want that you can’t have unless you come here bearing my possessions.” A pause was followed by Mr. Fleefers howling. I’d know that sound anywhere.

  My rage knew no heights. I hadn’t seen the cat since my home had been broken into. I’d just thought it was his way of showing displeasure at his environment being disrupted. The bastard had him! That led my mind to other things I would probably have no way of proving.

  “I took him when I tossed your house. Now come get him before I toss him too.”

  “You bastard!”

  “Come now, my mother would take exception to that, just as she did to me marrying you in the first place.” Another pause, another yowl. “Better come quick, Tallie. I don’t have any cat food. I think the poor thing might starve to death.”

  He hung up before I could yell at him again.

  I couldn’t walk to his house, so I had to go back to the funeral parlor to pick up my car. Time wasted when who knew what the jerk was doing to my poor kitty cat.

  Hoofing it back to the house, I prayed no one would waylay me or need anything from me. I’d made up my mind to ignore everyone and anyone when Max stepped into my path.

  “I’ll apologize to you as soon as I get done at Waldo’s. I promise. Right now I have a cat who needs me and no time for anything but that.” I darted around him and was in my car and out of the tunneled driveway fast enough to whip his hair around his head as I blew past him.

  * * *

  Zooming out of the garage was the only speed I got on what should have been a ten-minute drive to Waldo’s. Traffic was slow as hell and then there was an accident that I had to wait to get around. It was only a fender bender, but it took precious time to clear from the road, precious time that kept my cat waiting for me.

  I zipped up the driveway to my former home, slammed my car door, and headed for the front door like I was leading a charge into war. I leaned on the doorbell three times, becoming more and more inventive with my language with every stab at the button. Thirty minutes had passed since Waldo had called me with the yowling Mr. Fleefers. It felt like thirty years.

  It was just like the bastard to demand my presence, then not answer the damn door. Next, I tried knocking, I rang the doorbell again at the same time, then I pounded my fists on the door and even kicked the freaking thing, but still no answer. He was going to pay for that.

  I took out my old key, because he still hadn’t changed the locks. That would require effort on his part.

  Unlocking the door, I called out his name in various forms, even resorting to saying his real name in case he was being obstinate. Nothing. I was halfway through the downstairs and hadn’t seen my cat or my ex-husband. When I entered the formal dining room, I had an answer to at least one of those questions. Waldo hadn’t answered the door or my calling for him because he was sprawled out on the dining-room table with his eyes wide open and the chandelier covering his whole body.

  Another freaking body! And, oh Lord, money that would never, ever be found now . . .

  I was so screwed, especially since Burton was going to want my head for this. Talk about wrong place and wrong time. I could explain why I was here, but I was going to have to go through so much more interrogation this time. I had no idea who would want Waldo dead, but I had a feeling that being the first on the scene might not be in my best interest this time.

  I couldn’t walk away, though, no matter how much I wanted to.

  Chapter 12

  “Really? You have got to be kidding me!” Burton’s disbelief came over the phone loud and clear in the laundry room where I had hidden myself. I’d look for Mr. Fleefers in a moment. Since he hadn’t come running when I yelled, he must be locked in a room. He’d have to wait. I didn’t want the cat trying to claw Waldo like he had when we’d lived here and making the crime scene worse.

  “I’m not kidding you. Believe me, I would not kid about this. Please get over here. I’m not sure what happened, but it looks like something horrendous happened, maybe an accident, but I just can’t believe that anymore with everything that’s happened in the last few days. All I know is I don’t want to touch anything.”

  “Sit tight.”

  I hit the off button on my phone and tucked my legs up under me on the washing machine. I was not moving.

  The scene, however, kept running through my mind: Waldo on the dining-room table, a gun next to him like he’d dropped it after he’d pulled the trigger? I didn’t know. There had also been a hole in the wall across from him. Had he tried out the gun before he’d missed and hit the chandelier, rocking it from the ceiling to fall and pierce him? It had been a design I wasn’t entirely comfortable with, the huge spire at the bottom a hazard in my eyes. And now it had proved true. He must have hit it at exactly the right angle. How, though? I’d reinforced those brackets, knowing something horrible might happen if it ever let go at the wrong moment.

  I leaned over the side of the washing machine and puked into the utility sink to my left. I flicked on the tap and looked away as the water took the mess down the drain.

  Well, I’d asked how it could get worse. Apparently, this was my definitive answer. Of course, I was shocked he was dead, another life cut short. Sadness was overwhelmed by panic, though.

  The tax bill would be mine totally, and I had no idea where the rest of the money was. That felt like such a horribly self-centered thought, but maybe it was just my poor mind trying to shield itself.

  I was seriously on overload here.

  Digging my phone out of my pocket, I hit the speed dial for Max’s mobile and climbed down off the washer. I needed to touch base with the one person who knew everything going on and would hopefully be levelheaded in this moment when I was freaking out. I also needed to hear someone’s voice that would make me feel like I wasn’t all alone.

  Mr. Fleefers needed to be found. Burton would just have to take my word that I’d found Waldo dead or finally charge me.

  Exiting the laundry room, I was fueled by anger and fear. I had taken no more than two steps when I ran straight into a wall that had not been there before. The wall didn’t have any give, but it did breathe and clamped a hand on my arm. I opened my mouth to scream, lifting my face at the same time.

  Coming face-to-face with Max was much preferable to finding a murderer manhandling me, but what the hell was he doing here and how did he get in? I tried to back away from his grip, but he wasn’t letting go.

  “Tallie, you need to be calm.”

  Add that to my list of other needs.

  “I am calm and I’m calling you. My cat is around here somewhere and I want him before something else freaking happens in my vicinity!”

  Bolting away from him, I shoved the phone in my back pocket and didn’t look to see if Max followed. I ran up the stairs to check the five bedrooms on the second floor, coming up empty at each.

  If I knew anything about Waldo, it was that he would never willingly leave the cat to roam on its own. He’d always shut the poor thing in the laundry room anytime I’d left, even if it was for hours. But Mr. Fleefers couldn’t be in the laundry room because I had just been in there, puking, after finding Waldo. God, my head hurt.

  Making the rounds of the bathrooms next, I found my poor kitty cowering in the corner of the bathtub, soaking wet and shaking. Dammit! If Waldo hadn’t already been dead, I would have killed the son of a bitch!

  Grabbing a towel from the linen closet, I wrapped up Mr. Fleefers and went to head back downstairs, only to find Max in the master bedroom, going through drawers.

  I was so stressed that I gave free reign to my bitch on wheels. I didn’t care at that moment who deserved my angst; Max was getting it. “What the hell are you doing?”

  He turned just his head and looked at me with his hand in what used to be my underwear drawer. “Tallie, I know the scene downstairs is hard to see, but there is not going to be a better time to go through things before the police get here.”

  “Are you sure you’re in this for the right reasons?” At this p
oint I did not care if he got mad at me. Here he was, contaminating a crime scene, and somehow he always seemed to be right where he shouldn’t, at exactly the time he shouldn’t be there. Had I been an idiot for trusting him and right all along when thoughts intruded that maybe he wasn’t here for the reasons he said?

  “Yes, for the last time. I just want to be able to find this money for you.” He straightened to his full height and took a step toward me.

  Mr. Fleefers howled as I took a step back. Max took another step forward, reaching out his hand this time.

  “Seriously. I’m in over my head now. I want resolution for you.”

  I placed my free hand in his and he pulled me up tight against him, laying a kiss on me that made me see double.

  Immediately after, Max backed up. “Sorry.”

  “No, don’t apologize,” I said absently, walking forward.What little attention I had left after that kiss focused on the mirror I’d never seen before. I was still recovering from that kiss, but my mind was also whirling with this new addition to a house Waldo hadn’t changed since I’d decorated it.

  Waldo had never bought his own furniture. Hell, he didn’t even buy his own clothes. So where had this mirror come from and who had bought it?

  Running my fingers over the gilt-edged frame, the flesh of my pointer finger snagged on something sticking out the back. Max had come up behind me, so I stuck him with Mr. Fleefers in order to be able to use both hands to feel around the edges. Something was there. I wanted to know what it was before anyone else could discover it.

  The mirror itself wasn’t heavy. I lifted just the edge from the wall to find a folder taped to the back. I ripped it off with a feral sound deep in my throat. I did not need one more secret unless it was finally the answer to the question of where the money was.

  Yanking open the folder, I found page after page of figures. At the top of every page was the name the Book Nook, a small used bookstore I’d tried to run at the beginning of my marriage that I’d given up on because it was too much work.

  This deserved a closer look. I needed to study what exactly the numbers were. Then Max was over my shoulder. All I wanted was a private moment to figure out what I was looking at before I did anything else.