A Page Marked for Murder

by Lauren Elliott

  “Why? Does he know Brett?”

  “Not as far as I’m aware, but he was pretty close to Martha’s three oldest daughters growing up and knows how hard it was on the family when Ken, who was Marc’s father’s best friend, up and left them all.”

  “I see.” Addie focused on a wriggling Pippi. “I had no idea the families were that close.”

  “Yeah, it’s going to be a tough one on the chief. That’s for sure.”

  Addie’s gaze followed Marc’s cruiser as he pulled away from where he’d been parked over by the back of his sister’s tea shop, and she blinked.

  “Jerry, my car’s been moved outside the police barrier.”

  “Yup, we took tire impressions and swabbed the wheels in case you ran over any evidence when you pulled in.”

  “Does that mean you’re done with me?”

  “I guess it does. The chief never told me to hold you this time.” He snorted out something halfway between a deep chest laugh and a comical chuckle, as though he amazed himself with his little quip.

  “How big of him.” Addie rolled her eyes at the still-simpering sergeant. “Does that also mean I can get into my store now?” She glanced down at Pippi nestling her head against Addie’s cheek.

  “Not from here. You’d better go around and use the front. We still haven’t processed the area over there.”

  “Okay, thanks. Catch you later.” She waved over her shoulder and headed to her car. “Let’s go get Baxter, so we can both get some sleep tonight,” she cooed into the furry top of Pippi’s head.

  * * *

  One teddy bear named Baxter rescued from under the bookstore counter, and now safely tucked into the basket on the front seat, and one very happy little dog later, Addie pulled into a parking spot along the side of the hospital. “Now, let’s see if your day can be made even better, my furry friend.” Addie shouldered the basket and headed to the front information desk in the lobby.

  After some explanation of why Addie felt that Pippi qualified as an emotional support dog for her owner, the clerk behind the glass-partitioned window allowed Pippi a short visit in Gloria’s private room as long as Pippi stayed in her basket and did not bother any other patients. Addie happily obliged and headed to the elevator and room 207.

  Gloria’s bright and breezy voice drifted out into the hallway, which sent Pippi into a tailspin of excited yaps that didn’t subside until Addie deposited her on Gloria’s chest. The yaps turned to laps of Pippi’s pink tongue over Gloria’s round cheeks. Addie glanced over at the nurse Gloria had been sharing a joke with when they came in and was relieved to see that she, too, was enjoying the touching reunion of Gloria and her furry little companion. The nurse left, and Addie made herself comfortable on the chair beside the bed as the two old friends cuddled and cooed at each other.

  “Addie, you have no idea how much this means to me. I’ve been worried sick about my baby.” She snuggled Pippi under her chin. “At first, I was so terrified that I’d crushed her, I didn’t even feel the pain in my hip. When I heard she ran off to find you, I was so relieved.” Tears filled Gloria’s big round eyes, and she kissed the little black nose inches from her face. “You, looking after her for me and bringing her here today, means so much to me.”

  Addie’s eyes burned with tears, too, as she sat back in the chair. She could clearly see that Pippi was the best medicine Gloria could have had, and she hadn’t been wrong when she’d told the clerk that Pippi was an emotional support animal.

  “I can’t believe I was so stupid to have fallen off that silly ladder. I play the whole thing over and over in my mind, and it doesn’t make sense.”

  “What do you mean?” Addie shifted forward in the chair.

  “I mean I’ve been up on that ladder hundreds of times, and never have I even come close to crashing off. I’m always so careful because of my age, and the chance of something like this”—she gingerly patted her hip—“happening.”

  “What was different this time? Was the ladder not level in the snow or something?”

  “That’s just it. I thought I had double-checked it before I went up. Everything seemed solid. I didn’t even go up the last rungs to be safe. I remember that I was reaching up to unclip the Christmas banner, and out of the blue, the ladder shook and bam! It and I were going over. I think I let out a scream, but the next thing I knew, I was on the ground. There was a dark shape bending over me, but he was just a blur, so I don’t even know who it was to thank him for coming to my aid so quickly.”

  “You don’t remember who the first guy there was?”

  She shook her head. “He must have been close by though because as soon as I hit the ground, he was bent over me, asking if I was okay. All I could think about was this little girl and how I must have crushed her in her basket underneath me.” Gloria cradled Pippi and sobbed. “I couldn’t bear the thought of that.”

  “Cliff told me that by the time he reached you, there was quite a crowd. Everyone must have been in shock, not just you.”

  “I’m sure they were, but until I saw Pippi in your arms, I could think of nothing else. That’s when the pain in my hip hit me, and it gets even blurrier from there.”

  Addie patted Gloria’s hand. In the two days she’d had the honor of fostering the little dog, she’d learned how quickly Pippi could grow on a person. She couldn’t imagine the horror Gloria must have felt in that moment.

  “Well, good thing Cliff found your keys in the snow.” Addie fished around in the straw basket for her clutch purse. “Here.” She dangled the dog charm key ring toward Gloria.

  “Before you return those, I have one more favor to ask.”

  “Sure, what do you need?”

  “There’s a book on my bedside table. The one we’re reading for the book club meeting at the end of the month.”

  “Yes, The Secret Garden. I remember seeing it when Martha and I went to pack up a bag and get Pippi’s food.”

  “Right. Do you think I could bother you to bring it to me? I’m not much of a television watcher, and the days here tend to get awfully long. I can only tell the nurses about my travel adventures for so long before their eyes glaze over with my ramblings.”

  Addie’s grin met hers. “Of course I can pick it up for you. My plans for the day have changed, so I’m free to go now, and I’m sure Pippi would love to be able to run around in her backyard for a few minutes, too.”

  “Perfect, thank you.” Gloria snuggled her little friend to her chest.

  Addie purposely neglected to explain the reason her plans changed. Since Martha was Gloria’s best friend, the last thing Gloria needed as she lay helpless in a hospital bed was to hear about Martha’s troubles. Her best friend was a prime suspect in a murder investigation and was no doubt being grilled in a police station interrogation room. Something Addie herself had experience in. She shivered at the memory.

  Chapter Nine

  “Whoa, settle down, little one.” Addie laughed and released a wriggling Pippi into the wilds of Gloria’s fenced backyard.

  It wasn’t that the garden was wild as much as the dog was, particularly when she made a beeline to a snowdrift and burrowed like a mole straight through it. Obviously, this was not going to be a quick do-your-business-and-come-back-in venture. Addie took advantage of the time and settled on the sofa, flipped open the gold-embossed cloth cover, and scanned through the pages of the old photo album she had seen the other day.

  The images she glanced over made her laugh and cringe at the same time. It was hard to believe these were the same people she had come to know over the course of her two years in Greyborne Harbor. Who would have thought that Martha was once a petite beauty? By the sparkle in her eyes, the attractiveness she presented in all the photos radiated from the inside out. When Addie studied the snapshots of Ken with his suave, I’m-so-cool attitude, it broke her heart. He was no doubt the cause for Martha’s change in demeanor over the years.

  One picture caught her eye, and she pulled the album closer, not
believing what she was seeing. It could have been a photo of Marc and Serena. The young man had the same wavy, chestnut-brown hair—albeit longer than Marc wore his—and the woman was dressed in a cream-colored peasant blouse and flowing lace skirt complete with a crown of flowers adorning her dark-red coils of braided hair. This was Marc and Serena’s parents, and this photo appeared to be one from their wedding. Addie had no idea that her friend’s parents, Wade and Janis Chandler, were married right after they finished high school. Addie flipped back a page to double-check the dates. The pages before were photos of graduation, and then the very next page was of the wedding party. Well, I’ll be. Addie mirrored the smiles in the photos with one of her own. I suppose that’s life in a small town.

  Addie scanned down the page and did a double take. There was a photo depicting the happy couple beside the park’s gazebo, and over Janis’s right shoulder, a beaming Gloria was locked in the arms of a young Cliff. “No wonder he’s so devoted to her. They were high school sweethearts,” she murmured, and studied the background, noting that not a lot had changed in the park over the years.

  Pippi scratched at the door, and Addie reluctantly closed the album and placed it back on the coffee table. She longed to spend the entire afternoon perusing the old photos, but it was not to be. Once she had chased down her overexcited friend and dried her wet feet, Addie headed for the bedroom to retrieve the book and paused in the doorway.

  Her gaze darted from the bookless nightstand to the empty bed. Paige’s first edition copy of The Secret Garden was gone. Except for a small Tiffany lamp and a box of tissues, there was nothing else on the bedside table. Addie scanned the room from where she stood, and then a thought struck her. “Martha!” At the name, Pippi waggled her backside and yipped. “Of course, Martha must have had second thoughts and either slipped it into your mommy’s suitcase or come back for it later.” Addie bent down and scooped up the excited dog.

  “Let’s go and ask your mommy to check all the compartments in her bag, and if it’s not there, we’ll call Aunty Martha to see where she put it.”

  A pink tongue lapped at her mouth. To contain her laughter, Addie pressed her lips tight as not to share too intimate of a kiss with her little furry friend.

  * * *

  “No, it’s not in any of these side pockets,” Gloria said, closing the top of the small suitcase.

  “What about that zippered one inside the top? Did you check it?”

  “You can take a look if you like.” Gloria slid the suitcase off her tummy onto the bed beside her. “It’s just my dainties”—Addie pulled back and shook her head—“but with these silly gowns they make you wear in the hospital, I can’t see why Martha even bothered to bring those.” She huffed. “What am I going to tell Paige? How can I ever explain to her that the book her father gave her is lost?”

  “Let’s not think that way right now. I’m sure Martha had second thoughts after I mentioned you might like it while you recover. Maybe she went back to get it.”

  “Then why hasn’t she brought it yet?” Gloria stuck out her bottom lip. “She hasn’t even come to visit me today. Some friend she is.”

  “She’s probably still busy working the hot chocolate and treat table at the festival this afternoon. I’m sure she’ll be by later with it.” At least, Addie hoped that was the reason Martha hadn’t been in yet, and it wasn’t because she was still in police custody.

  “I hope so.” Gloria intertwined her fingers. “Here, hand me my purse. I believe the nurse put it in that bottom drawer.” Gloria pointed to the nightstand beside her bed. “I’ll call Martha right now and ask her about the book.”

  Addie hesitated. She still didn’t have the heart to tell Gloria about finding Brett’s body and Marc taking Martha, Paige, and Ken in for questioning. Surely everything would have been cleared up by now, and Martha would be by soon to visit. Then she could explain to Gloria what happened, and the two old friends could have a good laugh over the fact that Martha was actually a suspect in a murder investigation. Yes, it was best Addie left the telling of the tale to Martha.

  “Okay, but I can call her if it’s easier,” Addie said, handing her the leather bag.

  “It’s all right. We’ll get this sorted out straightaway, and then I can relax. I just couldn’t face her with the news that the book is lost.” Gloria held her cell to her ear and scowled, clicking it off. “Well, so much for that. She’s not answering.”

  “If it’s noisy at the park, she probably can’t hear it ringing.” Addie took the purse Gloria handed back to her and tucked it in the bottom drawer. “You shouldn’t worry about it being lost, though. She and I both saw it on your nightstand. The only logical explanation is she has it, or . . .”

  “Or what?” Gloria asked, searching Addie’s face.

  “Or . . . who else has a key to your house? Maybe Cliff? Could he have gone in to get it so you’d have something to do while you recover?”

  “Cliff? Why on earth would I give him a key to my house?”

  “It’s only that I saw a photo of the two of you in high school, and I thought—”

  “Oh pish-posh.” Gloria waved her hand. “That was years ago. He ended up marrying Emily Jenkins, and they had four kids.”

  “I had heard through Ida once that Emily passed away about ten years ago.”

  “So?”

  “So, that means he’s available, and I thought that maybe the two of you . . . well, you know, had rekindled something?” Addie glanced down at her damp hands and rubbed them over the knees of her jeans.

  “Wouldn’t that be something after all these years.” A wistful look crossed Gloria’s face as she laid her head back on the pillows, her eyes glimmering with moisture. “But no.” Gloria raised her shoulders up and propped herself on her elbow. “There’s way too much water under that bridge. Let’s just say, no, he definitely doesn’t have a key to my house.”

  “Does anyone else? Maybe they thought they were doing you a favor and will stop by later with it?”

  Gloria shook her head. “Martha is the only person I trust with a key. Well, aside from you now. So you might as well keep mine in case you need to go back and get anything for my baby.” She scratched the little dog snuggled into her chest.

  “Speaking of your baby, I’d better get her home for dinner. It’s almost that time.”

  As if on cue, a young food services attendant swept through the door, placed a tray on Gloria’s bedside table, and swept back out with all the choreography of a graceful dancer. Gloria eyed the covered dishes warily. “My baby will no doubt be eating better than I will if past meals are any indication of what’s under there.” Gloria removed the largest plate cover revealing a pureed blob of something green in the center of the plate. Addie couldn’t contain her snicker. “See, you’d think that after the agony of surgery, they would reward you and not kill you with this. Yuck.” Gloria pushed the over-the-bed table farther away from her. “So, you’ll call Martha and tell her I’m going stark raving mad without something to do, so much so that I’m even contemplating eating that goop.” Gloria eyed the tray.

  “Yes, I’ll call her again in a little while. I’m sure she is just busy at the festival.” Addie settled Pippi into the straw bag and waved good-bye, leaving Gloria to swirl her dinner around the plate with a fork.

  Addie made her way past the nurses’ station to the elevator and set the basket on a bench. Her stomach had plummeted when Gloria was unable to reach Martha on the phone. Surely she’d been released by now. Marc should have had plenty of time to figure out there was no way Martha or Paige could have had anything to do with Brett’s winding up dead behind the bakery. Addie tugged her phone out of her pocket and cursed. She’d forgotten she turned it off when she’d come into the hospital the first time, and now there were eight missed text messages from Serena.

  “Darn it! I was so rattled by everything. I forgot to let her know Simon and I had our plans changed,” she said, glancing at the little head poking over the top
of the straw bag. “Serena’s going to be so mad at us.”

  She braced herself as she read through them.

  We’re here.Where are you guys?

  And the next ones in the stream:

  Can’t see you anywhere?

  Are you running late?

  Is everything okay? You’re missing all the fun. You should see all the carvings. They’re great. There’s even one of a bookcase and another one of an opened book. You’d love them!!!

  Addie smiled. Yes, she would love to see those. Hopefully, she’d be able to pop over to the park tomorrow and have a look. The weather was supposed to hold so the carvings would be on display for the next few weeks anyway. She read on:

  OMG! I just heard that a body was found behind your store. Is that where you are? Are you okay?

  I’m worried. Have you been arrested AGAIN?

  Just heard, not your store but the bakery, and Martha and Paige were arrested? Call me!

  And the last one:

  Addie what’s going on???? We’re still here by the gazebo. Come and find me before I send out a search party!

  Addie’s thumbs clicked across the small keypad.

  I’m fine. Sorry, been busy looking after a few things. Is Martha still working the refreshment booth?

  No, she never showed up today. Zach and I covered her shift.Where are you?

  At the hospital.

  OMG! Are you okay?

  Yes, fine, I was visiting Gloria.

  What? Somebody got murdered, and you’re off visiting? I’ve been worried sick!