by Tim Myers
“Take it easy, Heather. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. She said she was a tenant here with Aaron from the very start.”
“Before me, is that what you’re saying? Did you happen to ask her why she left?”
“I assumed it was because of the divorce,” I said. “Listen, can we discuss this over a cup of coffee?”
“I’ve had mine, thank you very much. You assumed wrong. Belle threw her out. She told Aaron that either Sanora went alone, or they both did. What do you think about that?”
“It’s hard for me to believe Belle would do something like that. What happened?”
Heather said, “I don’t know exactly. Belle said it would be unladylike of her to discuss it, but she was mad enough to spit. Now are you going to throw her out or not?”
“It’s not that easy, even if I wanted to,” I admitted. “Cragg drew up a new lease for her last night, and we both signed it with him acting as a witness.”
Heather headed for the steps. “So she’s here for good. I’m leaving then. I’ll be out by the end of the month.”
“Wait a second.” I tried to explain that Sanora’s lease only ran another two months, but Heather didn’t give me the chance.
Now what had I gotten myself into?
I grabbed my clothes and headed downstairs. My regular coffee wasn’t going to be enough to get me jump-started this morning; it was going to take some of Millie’s special brew.
Instead of her usual warm greeting though, she faced me with a grim look as I approached the counter of The Crocked Pot.
“Good morning,” I said. “I need something strong.”
She slid a piece of paper across the counter without explanation.
“What’s this,” I asked.
“I think you should settle your bill before you order anything else.”
It was a substantial amount, but I didn’t doubt the total. I’d gotten lazy, taking many breakfasts and lunches at Millie’s counter. It was a great deal easier than going out someplace, and I wasn’t all that fond of eating alone up in my apartment. Still, it looked like I was going to have to make more of an effort, with the total now staring at me.
“I’m good for it,” I said.
“Sorry, cash only until the bill’s settled, landlord or not. And before you get any cute ideas about my lease, I just renewed it.”
So that was what this was all about. I sat down hard on the stool and said, “I gather you’re not pleased about Sanora coming back either.”
“Harrison, how could you? She’s already been thrown out once, and now you’ve let her back in.”
“First of all, I didn’t know she’d been thrown out. And second, her lease is only for two months. She’s here on a trial basis. Would you mind telling me what she did that was so wrong?”
Millie eased her scowl for a moment. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t take it out on you, you didn’t know. Heather came by, and she got me worked up all over again.”
“So what happened?”
Millie said, “Coffee first, then we’ll talk.”
She poured me a mug of steaming coffee, and I took it gratefully. After a sip, I slid the bill back to her. “Here, put it on my tab. I left my wallet upstairs.”
She laughed. “This one’s on me.” She tried to reach for the bill, but I snapped it up first. “I’m going to pay this tomorrow, as soon as Ann Marie brings me my check.”
“There’s no hurry,” she said.
“I don’t like having outstanding bills, Millie. I’m happy to settle it. Now tell me about Sanora.”
“Well, you know me, I hate the spread of idle gossip, but there was money missing from a few tills, and someone saw Sanora coming out of shops she didn’t have any business being in.”
“So she was accused of stealing. What did the police say?”
“There was no evidence,” she admitted reluctantly. “But Gertie Braun swore up and down she was ninety-eight dollars short the day she saw Sanora slip out of her shop. She had the space Heather’s in now, and she sold needlepoint supplies. Gertie’s got quite a slick way with designs, but she was a nightmare for the business details. Sanora denied it, but Belle was itching for a fight when she issued her ultimatum.”
“You heard it yourself?” I asked.
“It happened right over there,” she said as she gestured to a table by the window. “I thought they were going to come to blows, Belle was so mad.”
I shook my head as I took another sip of coffee. “So now I’ve let her back in. I wondered why Cragg insisted we sign the papers last night.”
“It’s no secret Gary Cragg’s had a crush on Sanora Gaston since the day she came to River’s Edge, married or not. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s the one who put the thought of coming back into her head.”
“So what am I going to do? Heather’s talking about leaving.”
“I’ll have a chat with her after she’s had a chance to cool down. I wouldn’t worry about her skipping out, though. She signed her new lease the day I did. We’re both going to be here for at least another year.”
“She can still break it, can’t she? You don’t know how upset she was when she woke me up.”
“I’ve got a good idea. She was building up a head of steam here before she came up to give you your wake-up call. There’s something else you’re forgetting. Aaron broke up with her to go back with Sanora, and once they were through for the second time, he didn’t want her anymore. It’s got to sting like the devil’s tail to have to see the other woman at River’s Edge. Stay out of Heather’s way for the next few days and things will be fine.”
“Thanks, Millie, I appreciate the advice, the information, and the tab. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, Harrison. Sorry I was snippy with you.”
“You? Snippy? I don’t remember a thing.”
I started for At Wick’s End, but it was too early even for me. I noticed a pickup truck in front of The Pot Shot, quickly filling up with things from inside. Sanora was boxing up some of Aaron’s things, and from the look of it, she’d been at it awhile. I’d just assumed she’d use his equipment and materials, but evidently I’d been wrong.
“Need a hand?” I asked.
‘Thank goodness. I thought I was going to have to dismantle this thing before anyone offered to help. Grab an end, would you?”
I did as she asked, and was surprised to see we were removing the pottery wheel Aaron had been throwing at the night he’d died. It wasn’t taking her long to get rid of it.
“You should have told me,” I said as I grabbed the end with the motor mounted, surprised by how heavy the rig was.
“I don’t even have to ask what you’re talking about. Gertie Braun was senile if she thought I took that money, and Belle should never have believed her. I was innocent then, and I’m still innocent today.”
“Why would you want to come back, knowing how folks around here feel about you?” I asked as I lifted my end onto the back of the truck. There was a scattering of tools in the truck bed, and I had to nudge aside a pair of wire cutters as I put my part of the pottery wheel down.
“I thought they’d be over it by now. I know Belle was your family, but it was wrong of her to throw me out. I love River’s Edge. It’s the perfect spot, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m not going to let a few cold shoulders drive me out. You’re not going to try to break my lease, are you? Gary warned me you might.”
“The lease we signed was binding,” I stated simply.
“And after that, we’ll see, right? That’s all I ask, a chance to prove myself to you.”
“Fair enough.” I patted the old wheel. “What are you going to do with this?”
“It’s going straight to the dump. I couldn’t bear to have it around, knowing it was the cause of Aaron’s death.” She added, “Listen, thanks for the help, but I need to get back at it if I’m going to open in three days.”
“Three days? Are you sure you’ll be ready?”
“At th
e rate I’m going, I shouldn’t have any problems. Bye, Harrison.”
I watched her go back inside and started for At Wick’s End, but as I did, I kept wondering why she didn’t try to sell the electric wheel instead of getting rid of it at the dump. All it needed was a new power cord. Or was that why she was getting rid of it? Could it be incriminating evidence? She’d tried to explain away Aaron’s presence at the electric wheel, but Markum and Heather had been adamant; Aaron Gaston didn’t believe in them.
I’d seen a set of wire cutters among the tools on the back of the truck, so I walked back to it and grabbed them while Sanora was still working inside.
Rashly, I clipped the wire where it left the motor. I wanted a closer look at the insulation to see what I could find.
As I put the cutters back down, I heard a voice behind me, full of cold steel.
“Harrison? What are you doing?”
Chapter 6
I tried to discreetly coil the cord as I turned to face Sanora.
“I dropped my watch when we loaded the truck,” I said. I tucked the cord in the back of my shirt as I turned to face her. Thank goodness I’d worn a bulky top that morning, due more to the chill in the air than any thoughts of hiding things.
“What’s wrong with your back?”
So I hadn’t been all that slick in my movement. “I must have gotten into some poison ivy. It’s been itching like crazy. Is that another box for the truck?”
She nodded, and I added, “Let me do that for you.” I took it from her and placed it near where the power cord would have been. She might or might not notice it once she got to the dump. I was hoping she wouldn’t, but if she did and asked me about it, I’d say I thought it had been gone when we’d moved the wheel. Let her think the sheriff took it. At least it had been coiled up and tied into a neat oval.
“Thanks again,” she said as I walked away, hoping she didn’t spot the extra bulge in my rugby shirt.
“No problem.”
I walked past Heather’s store and saw a large handmade sign in the window. In hard black letters, it said, moving sale, and I felt my heart flutter in my throat. So it looked like she was following up on her threat to leave.
Not if I could help it. I didn’t have all that many friends in Micah’s Ridge, and I was in no mood to lose a single one of them. I wasn’t going to let Heather go that easily.
I stashed the cord in my office, but not before examining it a little closer. I’d expected the edges to be frayed more around the cuts, but it looked cleaner than it should have. Maybe Pearly or Markum could take a look at it later. For now, I was glad it was in my office and not on the way to the dump.
I’d just tucked it behind a few boxes in the corner when I heard the front door open. Eve called out her greeting, and I said, “Be there in a minute.”
I joined her by the cash register, fully expecting her to light into me, too, as soon as she found out about Sanora. I had two choices; wait till she heard about it on her own, or just get it over with. I chose the latter. I never have been one to be able to wait for the other shoe to drop.
“Eve, there’s something you should know.”
“About Sanora? I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
“You’re not mad?” I asked.
“Harrison, you know I loved Belle like a sister, but she was too hard on Sanora. Gertie Braun was as likely as not to have tucked that cash in a book and forgotten it the next second. I tried to tell Belle that, but she wouldn’t hear of it.”
“Heather’s threatening to move now,” I said glumly.
“She’s upset, that’s natural, but I don’t think she’ll go, Harrison. She’s happy here.”
“Well, she was before all this happened. I’d hate to lose her.”
Eve said, “Worried about replacing another tenant, or is there something deeper there?”
“I just hate the idea of losing a friend,” I said, admitting nothing more.
“As do I. Take heart, things will work out for the best. I believe that with all my heart.”
“I hope you’re right.”
It was a slow morning out front, and I needed to get ready for my next candlemaking lesson with Mrs. Jorgenson. She’d gotten the knack for dipping from the start, and if I knew my star student, she was practicing at home like mad on the basic techniques. I had to have something really special for her, and some research had given me a great idea. Eve had been my teacher from the beginning, and she was a pro at the basic techniques, but Mrs. J wouldn’t stand for the simple after she’d conquered it, and I wanted to be ready for her.
I said, “If you can watch the front, there’s something I need to take care of in the classroom.”
“More monstrosities for our benefactress?” Eve had caught a glimpse of Mrs. Jorgenson’s last lumpy candle and had found no charm in it at all.
“I’ve been studying a new technique,” I said. “If you need me, just give me a yell.”
She said lightly, “I believe I’ll be able to handle anything that comes up. Go on and play.”
“Hey, this is serious stuff,” I said as I smiled at her.
I did a tandem dip with beeswax as I’d shown Mrs. Jorgenson during her last lesson, alternating between two pairs to allow one to cool while the other was being dipped. When the first set was built up to about half an inch, I let it cool a few minutes, then grabbed both candles in one hand at their bases and twisted them together. I loved the look and set the twist aside. I repeated the same twist with the second pair, but this time I over-dipped the twist, not enough to obscure the curving lines, but enough to give it all a more solid look. I trimmed both bases before the wax hardened too much, then looked in the dipping can to see if I had enough wax to try another. There wasn’t enough wax to dip another pair, but I wasn’t going to stop dipping. I had an idea, remembering a candle I’d seen in one of my dozen reference books. I quickly dipped another half-inch taper just before the remaining wax started to congeal on the surface of the water. As soon as it was cool enough, I took out a rolling pin and flattened the candle on the tabletop, leaving a rounded base so it would still fit into a stand. The next step had looked tricky in the book, but I had to try it at least once. Grabbing the base in one hand and the exposed-wick end in the other, I gave the flattened candle a twist. It was outstanding; the taper looking elegant and extremely difficult to make. I was certain Mrs. Jorgenson would be pleased.
I’d just finished my cleanup when Eve came back. She studied my experiments without comment, though I noticed her gaze did linger a little longer on the flattened taper.
I smiled and said, “You should try it; it’s lots of fun.”
She said, “I’ll stick with the traditional methods, thank you,” though I could tell she was tempted. “You have a visitor.”
“Is it somebody I’m going to be happy about seeing, or should I stay back here?”
Millie poked her head in. “Harrison Black, are you ducking me?”
“No, ma’am. I’m just hard at work.”
“You missed the taste-test yesterday afternoon.”
I’d forgotten all about Millie’s offer to share her latest and greatest recipe. “Sorry.”
“Nonsense, everyone deserves a little time off now and then. That’s why I’m closed Sundays. It gives George and me time to get reacquainted.” Millie’s husband worked more jobs than any sane man would, but the two of them were happy with their arrangement, and far be it from me to interfere.
“Something smells wonderful,” I said, looking at the basket tucked under her arm. A bright piece of gingham cloth covered the top, but it couldn’t contain the heavenly aroma coming from beneath.
“That’s why I’m here. Eve, would you like a sample?”
“I’ll have to take a rain check, I’m losing ground on my diet as it is. Harrison, I’m meeting someone for lunch, so I may be a little late this afternoon.”
“Take your time,” I said. “I owe you.”
After she was gone, Millie
said, “Does our Eve have a new man in her life?”
“If she does, she hasn’t said a word to me, and I’m not about to ask.”
She laughed. “Such a big man, and a big coward, too.”
“Hey, I never denied it. Now are you going to let me have a taste, or am I going to have steal that basket from you?”
“Never let it be said I led someone to a life a crime. Here, try one and tell me what you think.”
She pulled back the cloth and I saw a batch of cranberry muffins, the bread shining like a wedding dress and the fat, crimson berries barely contained, bursting to get out. They were warm to the touch, and I took one and bit into it. It was absolutely the best muffin I’d ever had in my life. “What’s in it?” I asked.
“Oh, cranberries of course, some flour and sugar, a little butter, things like that.”
“In other words, don’t ask.” I took another bite and was startled to find that I’d polished it off.
“So what do you think?”
I stroked my chin and said, “Well, it’s really hard to say based on such a small sample. I’d better try another one.”
She held the basket out of my reach. “You’ve already used that on me, you rascal. Honestly, do you like them?”
“They are spectacular,” I admitted. “Does that buy me another one?”
“I don’t want to spoil your appetite,” she said, laughing softly.
“Have a heart. You heard Eve, she might not be back till tonight.”
“Oh pooh, of course they’re all for you. Thanks, Harrison, I trust your palate.”
“You shouldn’t,” I said.
“And why not?”
“I love everything you make.” I took another muffin out, had a bite of it, and said, “If I could get upstairs to my apartment, I’d grab some cold milk and be set. I don’t suppose you could...”
She laughed and said, “This isn’t a catering service, you know. Now I’ve got to get back to The Crocked Pot. I locked up so I could bring these by.”
“Thanks again, Millie, you’ve got another winner here.”
Before she could leave, I added, “Did you see the sign on Heather’s shop? She’s having a moving sale.”