by Tracy Weber
She looked toward the spa area and shuddered. “I still can’t believe her father’s the killer. I met Bruce a few times when I lived in New York. He seemed really sweet. You can never tell about people, can you?”
I shook my head. “No, I guess you can’t.”
We walked in silence as Jennifer harvested more fragrant herbs. I nodded at the recently filled sink hole. “Looks like they got the water fixed.”
“Yes, but the restaurant’s still closed. Between the water problems and all of the drama about Bruce, there wasn’t enough time to prepare dinner. Kyle plans to open again tomorrow morning.” She set the basket on the ground. “I doubt we’ll have much of a crowd, though. Half of the guests checked out the day of the murder. No one left feels much like celebrating.” She bent down and clipped several lavender blossoms. “Still, Kyle wants fresh herbs for the breakfast pastries, so here I am.”
“I thought you worked the morning shift.”
“I do, but Kyle’s in an unusually good mood tonight. I sweet-talked him into letting me start at eight-thirty tomorrow, as long as I help him with breakfast prep tonight. I’ll get to stay through Savasana tomorrow morning and show off my cooking skills.” She smiled. “Works for me.”
Rene called out. “Oh no, Bella, stop. Kate, help! Gross!”
Jennifer and I ran to Rene’s aid, but we were too late. By the time we arrived, Bella was already writhing on her back with joyful abandon, waving her legs in the air and wearing a huge doggie smile—right in the middle of the composted cow dung. I grabbed her harness and yanked her out of the muck, though I needn’t have bothered. Stinky brown gunk covered Bella from her tail to her eyebrows. She never looked happier.
I cringed and looked at Jennifer. “I’m so sorry. I hope she didn’t do any damage.”
She laughed. “Believe me, you got the worst end of this deal.”
“Maybe, but—”
I stopped, mid sentence, distracted by a tiny object. It sparkled in the garden’s floodlights, almost seeming to wink at me.
Rene followed my gaze. “What is that?”
“I’m not sure.” I picked it up off the ground and rubbed it against my shirt.
The back of my neck tingled. “It’s an earring. A diamond one, I think.”
“Let me take a look at it.” Rene moved to examine it under the light. “It sure looks like a diamond. A big one. I wonder how it got here?”
My throat felt dry. “You guys, I think it was Monica’s.”
“Monica’s?” Jennifer’s voice sounded skeptical.
“Yes, at least I think so. I noticed one of her earrings was missing when I tried to revive her, but with everything that happened, I forgot about it.” I glanced around the garden, as if the answer lay buried among the cover crops. “But how did it get here?”
“People lose earrings all the time,” Rene replied. “If you look hard enough, you’ll probably find one of mine around here somewhere.”
“I suppose.” That was the obvious answer, but I didn’t believe it.
Jennifer frowned. “Are you sure it’s even Monica’s?”
“No,” I replied. “But who else’s would it be?”
“Anyone’s really. The garden’s open to the public. People are in and out of here all of the time.”
“Wearing full-carat diamond studs?”
Jennifer shrugged. “For all we know, it’s a ten-dollar piece of costume jewelry.” She took off her gloves and looked toward Eden. “The light’s on in the kitchen. I’d better get this stuff to Kyle before he changes his mind and makes me come in early tomorrow.” She looped the basket handle around the crook of her elbow. “Kate, that diamond, or whatever it is, is probably nothing, but if you’re worried about it, you should tell the police. They’ll know what to do.”
She was right. “Good idea. Thanks, I’ll do that.”
_____
“Come on, Rene. Let’s head back.” I carefully tucked the earring inside of my pocket and started back to the cabin. I was vaguely aware that Rene was chattering beside me, but my mind was too busy sorting through possibilities to listen.
That earring was Monica’s. I knew it as clearly as Bella recognized her favorite Teddy bear. The only questions remaining were when it had gotten into the garden and how. The earring might have simply fallen off, but another, more gruesome, possibility seemed more likely: that it had been torn loose as Monica fought for her life.
Dad used to say, “Every contact leaves a trace.” He meant that I should always be kind, because my actions had impact, often more than I realized. But he stole that particular life lesson from Locard’s Exchange Principle: no one visits a crime scene without taking something with him and leaving something behind.
Was that something, in this case, Monica’s earring?
I mentally listed everyone who could have come into contact with the orphaned piece of jewelry. The easy answers were Monica, the murderer, and me, but we were far from the only possibilities. The police, the EMTs the hot tub maintenance guy—anyone who came to the spa after Monica’s death could have accidentally picked up that diamond.
The list of people who might have dropped it in the garden was smaller. Monica could have lost the earring any time between the night before her death—when I saw her wearing it at the Retreat House—and her last ill-fated spa visit. I supposed Monica could have spent part of that time at the garden, but she didn’t strike me as the wandering-close-to-the-manure-pile type.
The murderer was the next logical choice. Bruce had ample opportunity to kill Monica that morning, but enough time—or reason, for that matter—to stroll through the herb garden? That seemed unlikely.
Maybe Jennifer was right. Maybe the earring wasn’t Monica’s at all. Maybe it had been left in the garden weeks ago. Maybe—
“Earth to Kate, are you there?”
I started at the sound of Rene’s voice. “Huh?”
“Have you been listening to me?”
I cringed. “No, sorry. I was thinking. What did you say?”
“That I need your help. I’ve decided to tell Sam about the baby tonight.”
I smiled at her. “Oh, honey, I’m so glad. It’s about time. I’ll get Michael and Bella out of the cabin, so you two can have some privacy.”
Rene held up her hands, alarmed. “Oh no, you can’t do that! You have to be there!”
She couldn’t be serious.
“I mean it, Kate, I can’t tell him without you.” She shook her head. “I just can’t. Sam won’t throw a fit if you’re there. And if he does get mad and storm out the door, well, then I’ll need you even more.” She touched her palms together in the Anjali Mudra, the prayer-like gesture used when saying Namaste. “Please?”
Her request surprised me. Rene typically strutted through life wearing a facade of confident self-reliance. But not tonight. Tonight, my friend didn’t hide her vulnerability. As I looked into Rene’s unshielded eyes, she allowed me to see the truth. If Sam left her, Rene’s heart wouldn’t be the only thing broken. His leaving might shatter her soul.
How could I say no?
“OK. Let me talk to Michael and figure out a plan. Maybe he and I can hang around outside while you and Sam talk. If I hear even the slightest peep from Sam, I’ll break down the door and come to your rescue.”
Rene adamantly shook her head left and right. “Michael can’t be there. You’ll have to find some excuse to get rid of him.”
“Why do I have to exclude Michael?”
“Seriously, I love Michael and all, but you’re family. He’s not. Sam will understand why I told you, but he’ll never forgive me if Michael knows about the baby before he does.”
Her eyes grew earnest. “I know you two are having troubles too, and that I’m asking a lot, but please?”
Michael would forgive me when he found out the truth, right
?
“OK. Give me a couple of hours. I’ll think of something.”
twenty-four
The first thing I did when I got back to the cabin was give Bella a bath. Then I called Dale and left a message about Monica’s earring. I probably should have called the police, but given my history, I figured it couldn’t hurt to consult with an attorney. Those two tasks accomplished, I devised a brilliant strategy to occupy Michael while Rene and Sam had their talk.
Michael crossed his arms and glowered at me through wrinkled eyebrows. “You have got to be kidding me.”
I thrust the leash at him. “She needs a walk.” I pointed at Bella, who was lying flat on her side, twitching and snoring.
“But you already walked her, and she’s still tired from her bath. Look at her—she’s sleeping!”
“For now, maybe. But mark my words, she’ll be wound up and driving us nuts by bedtime. She hasn’t had nearly enough exercise today. I’d take her myself, but my neck is killing me.” I rubbed my shoulders for emphasis. “So it will have to be you.”
Michael’s face seemed to morph into an odd-looking caricature of itself. His lips puckered together and turned down. A deep vertical line creased the center of his forehead. “I hoped you and I could finally spend some time together. This vacation hasn’t exactly been romantic so far.”
He grumpily snatched the leash from my hand and marched toward Bella. I said a quick prayer of thanks to the universe, grateful that for once my plan had worked. And it almost did. Michael was leaning down to clip the leash onto Bella’s collar when he froze.
“Wait a minute …” He stood up and peered at me through suspicious eyes. “You’re trying to get rid of me, aren’t you?”
I should have denied it. I should have assured Michael that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the evening with him. Barring that, I should have avoided the question entirely. Instead, I opened my mouth and said something stupid. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. But would you please take Bella and go? I need some alone time.”
“Alone time?” He glanced toward Sam and Rene, who were both relaxing in the living room.
“Well, yes. At least alone with them.”
Wrong answer.
Michael’s teeth clenched. His face turned bright red. His chin started trembling. He lifted the fist that held Bella’s leash and opened it. The leash clanked to the floor.
“I am not your errand boy.”
I closed my eyes, torn between competing loyalties—to Michael and Rene—and practically beaten to the ground by a very real, relentlessly pounding headache. My patience shattered.
“Michael, stop arguing with me and just do it, would you?”
Michael’s chin stopped trembling. He glared at me defiantly. “No, as a matter of fact, I won’t. I’m done.” He threw open the door and stormed through it.
I followed, waving Bella’s leash like a battle flag. “Done with what? Get back here!”
Michael whipped around. The porch light illuminated his blood-red face. A small vein throbbed high up on his forehead. “Get back here? You just ordered me to leave!” I’d never seen him so angry. Even his nostrils quivered. “You’ve been avoiding me this whole trip, and you know it. If you’re going to break up, do it already!”
He stomped away from the cabin, swearing.
“Michael, wait!” I’d gone too far, even for me. I ran to catch up with him and grabbed his arm, but he yanked it away. He stomped backwards, still yelling.
“I’ve had enough of your crap, Kate. Now I need some alone time. Walk your own damned dog.” He paused long enough to pick up a rock and throw it. He turned his back to me and continued marching.
Every muscle in my body ached, especially my heart. I wanted to follow Michael. I wanted to explain. I wanted to apologize, not only for tonight, but for my erratic behavior the entire trip. But how could I? I didn’t know what was wrong with me, either. I promised Michael six months ago that I’d never shut him out again. What if that was a promise I wasn’t capable of keeping?
Rene met me outside the cabin. “Kate, I’m sorry. I had no idea he’d get that angry. Go after him. I’ll be fine.”
I closed my eyes, rubbed the center of my forehead, and sighed.
“It’s OK. We’ll work it out later.”
At least I hoped so.
I flashed her an anemic smile. “Come on. Let’s go back inside. It’s time.” I led Rene to the living room.
“You ready?”
She nodded her head yes, but I could tell from her trembling lips that she was lying. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, gave her a hug, and whispered the words she’d used to encourage me so many times before: “You know I love you. You’ll be fine.”
She left my side and tentatively approached the couch. “Sam, we need to talk.”
Sam laid down the magazine he’d been pretending to read. He looked from Rene to me and back again. We all knew this was it: the conversation we’d been simultaneously anticipating and dreading the past three days. What we didn’t know was how it would end.
“I’ll give you two some privacy.” I patted my leg. “Come on girl.” Bella stood up and padded softly behind me. “I’ll be in the bedroom if you need me.”
Rene’s soft voice faded to silence as I closed the bedroom door. Bella leaped on the mattress, turned a quick circle, then lay down and rested her chin on her paws. I tried to distract myself by meditating, but my mind refused to focus on anything other than the conversation happening two rooms away.
I considered doing some yoga poses, but my neck vetoed that idea, so I killed time by straightening up after Michael. I felt around under the bed, where I found two mismatched socks and a single filthy tennis shoe—men’s size ten. I tossed the shoe next to its twin in the closet and wandered around the room gathering the assortment of shirts, socks, pants, and skivvies that Michael had dropped on the floor. I folded them carefully, stacked them neatly on the dresser, and looked around the newly cleared space. Without Michael’s clutter, I felt even more isolated.
I crumpled everything up in a ball and threw it back on the floor.
What was going on out there?
Couldn’t they talk a little louder? All I could hear was Rene’s unintelligible mumbling. At least no one was yelling—so far. I paced back and forth, desperately wanting to hear their conversation. I picked up the “Vegans Do It For Love” coffee mug on the nightstand, drained the water inside it, and tilted it up to the ceiling, much like Bruce had done with his empty martini glass.
“What do you think, Bella? Will this work?”
Bella flopped on her side and groaned.
“Might as well give it a try.” I shook out the remaining water droplets and quietly placed the mug’s rim against the door. I was about to press my ear against the bottom, when Sam yelled. “Oh my God, are you serious?”
He didn’t sound angry, but how could I tell? Bella jumped off the bed and stood at the door, ears pricked forward. She pushed her nose against the impenetrable slab of wood, as if willing it to open.
“I know, baby, I want to go out there, too.”
What if Rene needed my help? But then again, what if I barged in at exactly the wrong moment? I knelt next to Bella and rested my hand on her back. “What do you think?” I sat there, hemming and hawing, indecisively holding that ridiculous coffee cup for at least twenty seconds.
Rene screamed.
That was my cue.
I dropped the mug to the floor, grabbed Bella’s collar, and threw open the door. Bella and I charged through the kitchen but skidded to a stop before entering the living room. Rene wasn’t wailing in agony or crying out in fear; she was screaming like a kid on a carnival ride. Sam twirled her in the air, grinning.
“We’re going to have a baby!” He stopped spinning and set Rene on the ground, almost tenderly.
Rene’s lips trembled. “You’re not mad?”
I knew I should sneak back into the bedroom to give them some privacy, but I couldn’t. I needed to be part of the moment, even if only as an impolite spectator. Besides, I couldn’t have dragged Bella away if I tried. I crouched on the floor and eavesdropped, hoping they wouldn’t notice.
Sam reached up and touched Rene’s face. “Honey, how could I be mad?”
“You told me you’d never have kids—no exceptions. You said nothing would change your mind.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I thought you might leave me.” Tears streamed down her face. Something far less attractive dripped from her nose, but Sam didn’t seem to notice.
“I was an idiot.” He gripped her shoulders tightly. “And so were you. How could you not tell me?”
“I was too afraid.”
He gave her a stern look. “Did you even listen to those wedding vows we made? We’re partners. We stick together, no matter what.”
Rene placed her hand on her belly. “Even if I get fat?”
“You can’t possibly believe that I would care about that.” He held Rene at arm’s length and looked from her head to her toes. His gaze landed back on her eyes. “Besides, you are going to look so sexy pregnant.”
Sam lowered his arms and looked away. “Rene honey, this past week … with all of the secrecy … I thought I was losing you.”
Rene didn’t reply.
“I love you. I will always love you. But you have to be honest with me. You owe me that much.”
“I do, it’s just—”
He didn’t let her finish. “No justs. Prove it. Don’t ever keep something like this from me again.”
Rene only flinched a little. “I won’t. I promise.”
Sam looked toward the kitchen. “I know you’re hiding there, Kate. Come join us.”
He beamed at me as I walked into the living room. “We’re going to have a baby!”
“No kidding. Really?” My lame attempt at sarcasm was foiled by the tears in my eyes. I gave them both a hug. “I’m really, really happy for you guys.” Even Bella wagged her tail and looked at Sam, if not with unbridled adoration, then at least without malice. I scratched her ears. “Good girl, Bella.”