by Lyndsey Cole
Annie’s hand caught Rachel’s arm. “You could learn more about Brian when he was a teenager.”
Rachel clamped her jaw. She bounced from one foot to the other. “Oh, okay. I don’t have anything else pressing to do and, you’re right, I could certainly use a distraction.”
Rachel jogged off and Annie was pleased with her plan. Now, as long as Kitty and Camilla didn’t have something else to tie them up, she’d have her foursome. She whistled to Roxy and turned back toward Cobblestone Cottage. Roxy started to head up the path to Thelma’s house but Annie said they’d visit later and kept walking home.
She decided to swing by Kitty’s house on her way to the café instead of calling to invite her to the spa. Kitty might need a little extra face-to-face encouragement to leave her despair for a few hours.
As Annie stood on Kitty’s front porch with her hand raised to knock, she wondered if it was too early to just drop in on someone she didn’t know well, but yelling coming from inside gave her the answer.
Annie pounded on the door. “Kitty? Are you okay?”
The door flew open. “Hello, Annie. Everything is fine. Jacob is leaving.” Annie didn’t miss the glare Kitty leveled at her guest as he walked past without a glance in Annie’s direction.
Kitty pulled Annie inside and slammed the door. “And good riddance,” she said to the closed door. “He has some nerve coming here and using Brian’s death as an excuse to think I need his shoulder to cry on.”
“Jacob Fairley? The doggie daycare and grooming guy?” Annie asked. She looked down when she felt a body rubbing against her legs.
“Yeah. I had been getting my cats groomed at Animal House but the last time I went, Missy escaped and I told Jacob I was done giving him my business.”
“He didn’t take it well?” Annie picked up the big cat that she thought was the one she saw before—Moby.
“Harrumph,” Kitty snorted. “That’s putting it mildly. My monthly bill probably made his boat payment. He came to my party, tried to sweet talk me then, too.” She shook her head. “He thinks since I went out with him after my divorce, at a very low point for me, I’ll give him another chance. But, quite frankly, I’m not interested in him or his business.”
“How are you going to get that message across?” Annie wanted to be sympathetic but she didn’t want to be late to work or Leona would never let her hear the end of it.
“Good question. If you have some advice, I’m all ears.”
“I don’t have any advice at the moment, but I do have an invitation for you.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“You don’t even know what it is,” Annie laughed. “But I guarantee you’ll like it. Jason gave me a gift certificate to the Escape Reality Spa. For four. Want to come?”
“Heck yeah. What kind of a question is that? Have you ever been there?”
“No.”
“Well, Annie Hunter, you are in for one out-of-this-world experience. They didn’t choose the name Escape Reality for nothing.”
“Great. I’m inviting Camilla and Brian’s girlfriend, Rachel. The four of us can brainstorm and solve your problem.”
“Rachel?” Kitty’s voice lost its excited tone.
“Yeah, Camilla brought her to my house last night and she’s pretty friendly. I thought it would be a good escape reality for her, too.” Something in Kitty’s demeanor made Annie suspicious that she knew something about Rachel that she didn’t like. “Why?”
“Oh, nothing. I probably just jumped to false conclusions based on what Brian told me about her, but I’ll give her a chance to prove me wrong. What time?”
“Meet at my house at two.”
“Two at your house,” Kitty repeated. “That should give me enough time to finish my errands if I get myself in gear soon.”
“I’ll get out of your way so you can get started.” She handed the cat, which had made himself comfortable in Annie’s arms, to Kitty. “Moby, right?”
“Yes. He’s my little lover. Always making friends.” Kitty cuddled Moby. He batted at the silver cat charms hanging from her bracelet. Then got distracted by the skeleton earrings dangling above her shoulders and caught one with his mouth. “No you don’t.” Kitty tilted her head out of his reach. “This one loves anything shiny.”
“He could be a metal detector around town, finding all the dropped coins. He might find enough to pay for his food,” Annie said.
“Ha. Not the way he eats.” Kitty opened the door for Annie. “I’ll see you at two.”
Annie drove to the Cove’s Corner parking lot feeling good that her plan was falling into place. She jogged into the Black Cat Café to the aroma of something sweet baking and the sound of Leona singing along with her oldies station. She was way out of tune so all was as it should be. Or so it seemed until she heard Danny’s voice.
“Leona, you have to decide. Tell Annie today.” Danny picked up his red baseball cap off the counter and adjusted it on his head.
Annie saw the panicked look spread across Leona’s face as she caught Annie’s eye over Danny’s head. A red blush crept from her neck to her cheeks.
Danny swiveled the stool away from the counter. His jaw dropped when he saw Annie frozen in the doorway. “Leona has some news for you.” He slid off the stool and headed past Annie to the door. “See you later, Leona.”
Annie grabbed a red apron with black cats chasing butterflies and tied it around her waist. Her mind was spinning out of control but her body managed to go through the everyday motions ingrained in her memory as the oldies kept right on filling the café with noise, over and above the ringing in Annie’s ears. She marveled how life kept marching along even when it felt like it came to a screeching halt just as it was about to sweep her over a cliff.
15
Annie found herself at the coffee cart pouring herself a cup of French roast. She dumped in a shot of half and half to keep her hands busy before she walked to the counter and sat on the stool, still warm from Danny.
The cup thunked on the counter. She lifted her eyes to Leona.
“It’s not what you think, Annie,” Leona began.
“I don’t even know what to think after hearing Danny’s comment.” Of course, Annie’s thoughts went straight to the worst possible scenario, especially with all the mix-ups Leona had been making with her baking.
“Well, it has nothing to do with my eyes.”
“Okaaay.” Annie sipped the steaming hot coffee. It burned her tongue. “Ouch.”
Leona sighed. “You know how Danny’s been really busy and we haven’t had a lot of time together?”
“You two are splitting?” The level of shock in Annie’s voice even surprised herself. Leona and Danny were made for each other. It took them awhile to figure it out but once they did, it seemed perfect.
“No! Nothing like that. But his latest project has put a strain on us and that’s what we’ve been trying to figure out how to fix.”
“Just spit it out, Leona. Between burning my tongue on this hot coffee and waiting at the edge of my seat for you to get to your point, I might not make it.”
“I want you to take over the Black Cat Café.” Leona’s words rushed out as one long exhale.
“What?”
“You heard me. Danny and I are buying the Harper House Bed & Breakfast. You’re the first to know.” Leona sucked in her bottom lip as she waited for Annie’s reaction. The reaction consisted of Annie’s eyes growing wide with disbelief and her coffee cup thunking on the counter again, the coffee splashing over the side.
“Danny said I can’t run the café and properly help him at the bed & breakfast.” Leona started to get excited and ramble. “There are five guest rooms and the function room to clean and decorate plus all the cooking. I can’t afford to make any mistakes, especially when we’re trying to make a name for ourselves. We already have lots of ideas and some functions in the works but Danny still has a lot of upgrading to do.”
Annie held up her hand. “Slow d
own, Leona. I’m still stuck on you guys buying the Harper House. Why?”
“When Danny was working on the renovations, he fell in love with the old Victorian. It was a shock when it came on the market and a dream come true for him. I couldn’t say no.”
“Even though you already own a business you love?”
Leona looked at the ceiling. “I didn’t look at it that way . . . that I’d have to choose one or the other. It was Danny’s dream, so I said sure, thinking he would run it and I’d help when I had time.”
“But?”
“But when we started planning and making schedules and dividing up the responsibilities, I realized he needed more than just me helping here and there. The good part is that he’s expanding the kitchen so I can do all the baking I do now so I won’t be leaving you completely out in the cold.”
Annie slumped on the stool.
“And Mia will step up more.”
“You’ve already asked her?”
“I gave her a hint and I think she added it up to what’s happening. I know she’d love to have more responsibility here.”
The initial shock was beginning to fade. Annie remembered that she did enjoy being in charge when Leona and Danny took a last minute vacation last Easter. And Leona would continue with the baking, just at a different location. It wouldn’t be too different from the setup now, except for Annie having the responsibility for decisions.
“I can see your wheels turning. Please tell me you’ll at least think about it,” Leona begged.
“I’ll think about it. But before I decide, there is one thing that needs to be fixed.”
“I’ll wear reading glasses.” Leona huffed and pulled a pair of glasses from her pocket and slipped them on her nose. “Satisfied?”
“And you have to make Greta a new chocolate cake, deliver it, and share a piece with her.” Annie tried not to snicker at the silly zebra striped frames perched on Leona’s nose. “That was her demand to avoid her calling the paper with a complaint.”
Leona wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. “That would have been terrible publicity for the Harper House, too. Her cake is already in the oven.”
“It wouldn’t have been good for the Black Cat Café, either. Is this decision what has been making it so hard to talk to you lately?”
Leona nodded. “I think it also contributed to me mixing up ingredients. My eyesight isn’t all that bad but I’ve been so distracted and worried about telling you our plan, I wasn’t focused and concentrating like I should have been.”
The timer buzzed, making Leona jump. She laughed and reached for her potholders. “Think about it, Annie. Time to get ready for business.”
Camilla pushed through the door, reminding Annie of her plan for the afternoon. She cornered Camilla at the drink cart. “In the mood for a spa afternoon?”
Camilla’s eyes lit up. “Are you kidding me? It’s exactly what I was wishing for when I woke up.” Her eyes closed. “I must have been dreaming about a nice soak in a hot tub followed by a massage from an oiled up sexy and well-muscled man.” She opened her eyes. “Maybe it was a premonition. What do you think?”
“I think you’re in luck.” Annie pulled out the gift certificate. “Jason surprised me with this. And I can bring three friends.”
“What did Jason do? In my experience, when a man gives a big gift like that, he must have screwed up in a big way.” She elbowed Annie. “But the apology is always worth whatever the crime was.”
“Maybe in your world, Camilla. Jason felt bad for dragging me to Kitty’s Halloween party and this was his make up.”
“Really? Huh. I wonder what he’ll give you when he really does something wrong . . . a trip around the world?” Camilla read the certificate. “Escape Reality Spa? This is the cream of the crop, Annie. Count me in.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve also invited Kitty and Rachel.”
“Rachel, the murder victim’s girlfriend? You barely know her.”
“That’s why I need you along.” Annie quickly touched Camilla’s arm. “Not that I wouldn’t have invited you anyway, but I especially want your expertise this afternoon to see if we can uncover any details about why Rachel came to town and why she’s staying. Something doesn’t add up with her.”
Camilla’s face spread into a satisfied grin. “I’m your girl then. She and I hit it off like this.” Camilla wrapped her middle finger around her index finger. “She loves my pink highlights.” Camilla fingered her hair. “And I promised to fix her up with some, too. What time does the fun start?”
“Everyone is meeting at my house at two. We’ll leave from there.”
The door jingled just as Annie and Camilla finished their planning. They turned as one but the person entering gave Annie pause.
“Good morning, Annie. You’re just the person I was hoping to bump into.” Detective Christy Crank helped herself to coffee while Annie began stocking the pastry display and Camilla checked the tables.
Christy leaned one elbow against the pastry display. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. “What do you recommend this morning?” She twisted her mouth as her head bopped back and forth, scanning the variety of sweets. “Are those leftover from Halloween?” Her finger pointed to a tray of chocolate cupcakes drowning in orange frosting and chocolate sprinkles.
Leona, who had been keeping her eyes on the detective, frowned. “Fresh from the oven just this morning—rich fudgy chocolate with a surprise in the middle hidden under the sweet frosting. Try one.”
“A surprise, you say? What kind of surprise. I’m not a big fan of surprises,” Christy replied, but she licked her lips, too.
Leona put one hand on her hip and held the other in the air. “If I tell you the surprise, it won’t be a surprise.” She shrugged. “Try something else, then.”
Annie tried not to let her laughter creep out as she looked at Christy’s clamped jaw muscles. The detective never liked it when she didn’t get her way.
“I’ll try one,” Christy grudgingly said.
Leona smirked.
“Speaking of surprises, Detective Crank, it must have been quite the surprise to find out your boyfriend visited one of the murder suspects around the time of . . . you know . . . the murder.” Leona turned on the mixer, which effectively drowned out any possibility of hearing Christy’s response.
What was Leona up to, Annie wondered? Why on earth did she feel the need to goad Christy? Was she trying to deflect attention away from Greta for some reason?
Christy took her chocolate surprise cupcake and wiggled her finger at Annie. “I need to talk to you.” She shot daggers at Leona busily mixing her batter. “Somewhere quiet.”
Annie took off her apron and handed it to Camilla. “I’ll be right back. I hope,” she whispered before she followed Christy out of the café.
The second the door closed behind Annie, Christy whipped around and stuck her face inches away from Annie. “What was that all about? Does Leona know something about Cody that I should know?”
Annie forced herself not to back away. “Shouldn’t you be asking Leona?”
“I’m asking you, Annie. You went into Greta’s house right after Brian’s body was discovered. Was someone else inside?”
Annie’s mouth fell open.
“There was, wasn’t there? I can tell from your reaction.” She pulled her little notebook from her back pocket.
“When I was in the bathroom, I thought I heard someone outside the door but when I went out, it was only Greta’s cat. I didn’t see anyone.”
Christy jotted something in her well-worn notebook. “You didn’t see Cody?”
“No.”
“You only saw Greta Grayley?”
“Not in the house, Christy. I saw her outside.”
“Right.” She flipped back a few pages in her notebook. “A figure hunched over something. So you are confirming it was Greta you saw hunched over something?” Christy smirked.
Annie rea
lized what Christy just did and it made her feel like a fool. She was tricked into confirming she saw Greta hunched over Brian’s body. Well, Christy could follow whatever path she wanted, but Annie planned to dig deeper into Cody and Brian’s family relationship. Rachel and Kitty would be unknowing helpers with that parallel investigation.
16
Leona was humming without the accompaniment of the radio. She looked up when Annie returned and the door closed. “I don’t think Detective Christy Crank is too happy with me at the moment.”
“You’re right about that.” Annie grabbed an apron and got back to work behind the pastry display so Camilla could finish cleaning tables. She boxed up a half dozen of the chocolate surprise cupcakes to bring to Thelma on her way home. “By the way, Leona, what’s the surprise in these cupcakes?”
Leona burst out laughing. “A dab of mocha flavored cream cheese. I decided that would pair well with the chocolate and sugary frosting. I hope the detective likes it.”
Annie didn’t miss the contented grin on Leona’s face. “She does like her coffee and sweets so maybe this will put her in a better mood. What was your reason for bringing up Cody and pushing her buttons like that, anyway?”
“I heard Brian and Cody arguing at Kitty’s party. Obviously, this was before you found Brian dead in the yard. Christy needs to face the facts even if a potential suspect is her boyfriend.”
“What were they arguing about?” Annie slid a tray of mixed berry tarts into the display case.
Leona poured chocolate batter into cake pans before answering. “Greta was the hottest topic. And when I say hot, I mean red-in-the-face, menacing-tone hot. Brian also brought up the subject of their farm.”
“Oh boy. That sounds like two touchy subjects that they might both be on opposite sides of. Let me guess, Cody was trying to convince Brian not to visit Greta?”
“Bingo. You hit the nail on the head. I’m not sure I’d use the word convince though, it was like a threat. Cody said Brian had already hurt her enough and why did he ever even come back to town.”