Fatality by Firelight

by Lynn Cahoon

  Cat nodded. Next week, either before or after her couple days at the ski lodge, she was planning on going through the rest of the books in his office. It was time to put that part of her life away. “Please.”

  Cat mimicked Bella’s shoulder roll and stood to follow her. When she reached Michael’s office, Bella wasn’t there. She stood at the desk, wondering what she had found. When she turned around, Shauna was watching her. “Do you know where Bella is?”

  “She just left for the coffee shop. She said she wanted to buy a bag of beans to take home with her.” Shauna leaned against the doorway. “Why?”

  Cat laughed, but the sound was tinny, even to her. “She said she found some notes I wanted to look at. I’ll just talk to her later.” She left the room and headed back upstairs to her office and to her computer. She might be able to finish this chapter if she forgot about her real-life craziness and just focused on Kori and the gang.

  The fictional world without a missing blue folder.

  Chapter 16

  Thirty minutes later, Cat gave up on the writing. Instead of writing, she’d been staring out toward the street. For some reason, the idea of a walk nagged at her. She hadn’t been to the Written Word, Aspen Hills’ one-and-only bookstore, since she’d moved home. She’d meant to stop in several times. But then the retreat had started, and she’d fallen into the trap of being too busy to do the work that wasn’t in front of her face. She grabbed a copy of her latest release and a business card and headed downstairs. At least by spending some time marketing her series, she could pretend this visit was more than just the much-needed break from writing and the retreat guests.

  She met Shauna on the stairs. “I was just coming up to get you. Do you want me to make you some lunch?”

  Cat shook her head. “I’ll grab something when I get back. I’m going for a walk into town.”

  “What for? You going to the library? I think that’s where everyone but Bella is right now. She’s back to being holed up in Michael’s study. Having her work in there isn’t bothering you, is it?” Shauna followed Cat down the last few stairs.

  “Visiting the bookstore to talk to the owner and leaving one of my books. I hope that, since I’m a local author, she’ll stock the series. I guess I could sell copies here, but that feels a little commercial. Besides, I like shipping her some of our retreat business.” Cat didn’t want to talk to Shauna about her feelings right now. And she didn’t want to find out what Bella had found. Instead, she grabbed her coat and the hat her mother had crocheted and sent last Christmas, even though then Cat had still been in California and had no need for the warm topping.

  “See if they have that new Emeril cookbook. I’m thinking we might just need to spice up some of our breakfast menus for the winter.”

  Cat nodded, not really listening. She needed to get out of the house and clear her mind of all the thoughts that were circling. Bella, Michael’s books, Christina, the list was long.

  The chill of the winter’s day bit her cheeks and made her wrap her scarf a little tighter. She loved the Colorado weather. Cold, snowy, and bright, the air even smelled cleaner in the winter than it did during the summer. She was briskly strolling toward town and turning left out of the front walkway when she saw Mrs. Rice standing by her front gate talking to the postal carrier. One obstacle avoided. How many more would she encounter before arriving at her destination? She felt like she was in a damn video game.

  By the time she’d made it to the bookstore, she was cold and grumpy. Walking had not been a good escape from writing. She hoped the store would be slow so she would get a chance to actually talk to the owner. Tammy Jones was standing at the counter, looking at a book, as the bell rang over the door.

  “I can’t believe you are really here. I love your books. When Seth told me you were opening that retreat, I’d hoped to meet you.” Tammy came around the counter and took Cat’s hand in a vigorous shake. “Of course, if I’d thought about it, I should have come and visited you. But you know how crazy running a business can be. That is so not an excuse.”

  “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing. And I understand how crazy it can be.” The woman’s over-the-top energy made Cat smile and put her at ease. She pulled out the book she’d brought. “I take it you’re already aware of what I write.”

  Tammy squealed and picked up the book. “I’d love it if you signed the copies we have in stock. And if you ever want to do a signing here, please let me know. I’d love to have you.” The door’s bell rang as a new customer entered. Tammy held up a hand toward the front of the store, but then turned to the back office. “Hold on a second, I’ll be right back.”

  Cat looked at the display of Colorado-themed bookmarks and picked out several to give to the retreat guests. Her mood was improving by the second. She always felt better just by wandering through a bookstore. The shelves of books calmed her. Like everything in the world could be put on hold until she’d finished reading the story.

  “Those are lovely.” Dante stood behind her, looking at the bookmarks Cat had laid out.

  She spun toward him, her hand on her chest. “Mr. Cornelio, you scared me. I hope you’re not following me. I’d hate to have to let my uncle, the police chief, know I’m feeling less than safe.”

  “You don’t seem like the type who would hide behind a relative.” He held up his hands. “I’m not here to see you. Actually, Miss Jones called me earlier and told me a book I’d been asking about had come in. I’m afraid I have a horrible collection habit. I can’t seem to pass a bookstore without buying something.”

  “I’m the same way.” Cat let her guard drop just a bit. She needed to know why Dante was involved in her past, but this meeting might be just a coincidence. She decided to push the envelope. “So did Michael work for you? I know he was doing some analysis for a company before the divorce.”

  “Work for me? Why would you ask me a question like that?” Dante turned and scanned the closest rack of books. “Anyway, I did want to talk to you. So this meeting is kind of serendipitous. I hear you’ve been having some issues at the house. Possible breakins?”

  “Where did you hear that?” Cat didn’t say anything more. Let him tell her what he knew rather than her blurting out everything. Who could he have been talking to? The only people who knew were people she trusted, like Uncle Pete, Shauna, and Seth.

  “I hate to admit it, but I’m afraid my nephew had been playing pranks on you before I arrived. He knew your husband …”

  “Ex-husband,” Cat interrupted.

  “Sorry, ex-husband.” One of Dante’s eyebrows raised just a tad. “Anyway, like I said, the boy played a few pranks.”

  “Like?”

  “The old phone game of call and hang up. I hope he didn’t scare you.” Dante leaned on the counter, watching her reaction. “I gave him a suitable punishment as soon as I found out about the problem.”

  Did this explain the noises she’d heard in the attic, the phone calls, and the white carnation? The fact she’d been scared out of her wits as soon as she moved back to town wasn’t just a prank. Or was Dante’s nephew actually looking for something in the house? Something Michael had hidden that she hadn’t found or had found, but didn’t understand the significance of the item? Before she could ask what else the boy had done, Tammy Jones returned with a stack of Cat’s books.

  “Go ahead and sign all of these. I’m not returning any of them. In fact, we’ll have a local-author mini shelf right here by the cash register.” Tammy set the books on the table and then looked up, startling when she saw Dante. “I didn’t know you were here. Sorry, I should have greeted you. Hold on, I have your book right here in the back.”

  She disappeared as Cat took one of the books and signed the title page.

  “You’re famous.” Dante’s lips curved into a smile.

  “Just a little local celebrity.” She held up the book. “I’m an author. I thought I told you that.”

  He shrugged. “Possibly. But seeing Miss Jon
es so excited to meet you, that must be pretty exciting.”

  “You’re teasing me.” Cat kept her head down and kept signing. She just needed to get this done, pay for her bookmarks, then she’d be away from Dante. When was the guy leaving town, anyway?

  “I do like seeing the blush in your cheek.” He straightened a pile of paper bookmarks on the counter. “I hope your uncle isn’t looking at any of your guests for the latest library incident. I can’t imagine that would be good for your business.”

  “I didn’t realize many people knew about the second book being taken.” Cat narrowed her eyes and watched him.

  “Have you forgotten I was at the library last night?” He put a hand over his heart. “I’m wounded. And I thought I’d made such a good impression on you.”

  Logically, she knew he was trouble but her body tended to ignore that part every time she saw him. Cat realized she had seen him somewhere else last night too. “Wait, you were also at Bernie’s last night talking to Brit. What was that about?”

  “Let’s just say Brit did a favor for me. The girl is devoted to her father.” He stood straight as Tammy came back with a bag. “Put that on my account, please. And thank you for your diligence in finding this book.”

  As he walked out, Tammy sighed. “I know it’s crazy, but I can’t help but think he’d be a perfect hero in a romance novel. Maybe a duke.” She looked up at Cat. “He’s a hottie, right? It’s not just me.”

  “It’s not just you.” Cat thought about the barista’s comments about Dante. The man made all the girls swoon. She put the pen down on the counter and moved the bookmarks toward her. “Here are the books. And I’d like to buy these. They’ll make perfect going away gifts to the retreat guests.”

  As Tammy rang up her purchase, Cat thought about Dante’s nephew. She was glad they’d changed the locks on the house but if anything else weird happened, she’d go right to Uncle Pete. She was done with the so called pranks.

  When she left the shop, all ideas of doing anything but head straight home left her head. The wind had picked up, and it looked like a new storm was coming into town. She should get home before the snow started, but wouldn’t if she detoured and went to see her uncle. She dialed his cell. Busy. She left a message and headed back to the house to get ready for the dinner. Thank God they’d asked Seth to drive the guests to the dinner. She would hate to have to navigate the icy roads tonight.

  When she came in through the kitchen door, Shauna hurried over to her. “You look frozen. I can’t believe you went out in this.”

  Cat shook off her coat and put on the jacket she kept in the kitchen. “It was sunny when I left.”

  “Sit down and eat some soup.” Shauna moved to the stove. “Then we both need to get ready for tonight.”

  Cat hurried to the table. As Shauna set the bowl in front of her, Cat grabbed her arm. “Sit down with me. I’ve got to tell you something.” She went through the conversation with Dante and included seeing him at both the library event and the bar afterward. Finally, after she’d laid out the incidents, Cat asked Shauna the one question that had been nagging at her since leaving the bookstore. “You don’t think Dante took the book, do you?”

  Shauna tapped a finger on her lips. “Eat while I think this through. You think because Dante was at the bar, the library, and the bookstore, that’s evidence that he stole the second book? Was he even in town for the first theft? And why would he steal a book?”

  Cat pointed her spoon for emphasis. “Because he’s a collector, that’s why.”

  “Then why would he give the book back? Wouldn’t a collection with two Hemingway’s be more valuable than a collection with just one?” Shauna grabbed her notebook off the side of the table. “Who did you say his nephew was?”

  “He didn’t tell me,” Cat admitted. With a bowl of soup in her stomach to warm her body, the idea sounded more and more farfetched.

  “But he basically admitted the kid was responsible for the weird hang-up calls you got last month.” Shauna wrote a note on the paper. “Maybe your uncle can check out any kid with the same last name or with Dante listed as a next of kin. If he’s here visiting, the college should know who he said he was seeing.”

  “I’d feel stupid telling Uncle Pete this. One, he didn’t believe me when I told him the first time someone was in the house and making prank calls. I think he even said I was lost in my fantasy worlds.” Cat took the bowl to the sink and rinsed it. “So why would he believe me now?”

  “You and I both know he was trying to hide how Michael died back then.” Shauna stared at the page. “Bugger. What if this nephew was the one who actually killed Michael?”

  “Or he could have been the contract hit man who tried to kidnap Christina. Or anyone within a ten-mile radius.” She paused at the sink. “I’m going upstairs to shower. I promise I’ll talk to Uncle Pete tomorrow after we get everyone out of the house.”

  Seth came through the front door with another man before she got up one stair.

  “Hey, Cat, this is Hank, the heating and cooling guy from Denver? He’s here to do an estimate for us finally.” Seth turned toward Cat. “Hank, this is Catherine Latimer. She owns the place and likes being called Cat for some strange reason I could never decipher.”

  Hank held out his hand for a handshake. “Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back. Apparently, your house is under consideration for historic preservation. Believe me, you don’t want that headache label placed on you. It took me a month just to get permission to give you a quote.” He smiled. “Although I’m pretty sure they didn’t have systems anywhere as nice in the old days as the one I’m going to sell you. And you already have a security monitor.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” She looked upstairs. “I’m invested in getting that attic section livable—and not just on soft spring mornings or Indian summer days.”

  “Seth said you wanted to set up a library. I think that’s a great idea. Too many homes I work on installing windows don’t have even one book in the house. Unless you count the cookbook on display in the kitchen that—from the way it looks—I don’t think anyone used for years, if not ever.” He looked at Seth. “My man here tells me you’re an author? I’m going to go buy your books for my daughter. You think a twelve-year-old would like them?”

  “I think she’d love them. Thank you.” She smiled at the guy. “I’m afraid we make up for a lot of homes without books. We have books all over.”

  Her gaze automatically drifted to the hallway to Michael’s study. Turning her head back, she saw Seth watching her.

  “We better get upstairs if we’re going to get this done before six.” Seth slapped Hank on the back. “I’m also the chauffeur around here when retreats are in session.”

  “Sweet gig.” Hank tipped his baseball hat toward Cat. “Nice to finally meet you. This guy talks about you all the time.”

  The men headed toward the cellar door to inspect the current heating unit. Cat heard Shauna from the kitchen doorway. “He seems nice.”

  “You could have come out from behind the doorway and actually met him,” Cat pointed out.

  “I wasn’t eavesdropping. I just came to see who was out here. I heard Seth’s voice, but didn’t know who the other guy was.” Shauna smiled.

  “That’s a bad habit you know.” Cat started up the stairs. “You may not like everything you hear.”

  “That’s what my grandmother said when she caught me the first time. But ever since I was five, I’ve never regretted knowing what I heard.” Shauna paused at the bottom of the stairs looking up toward Cat. “Besides, you won’t tell me what’s going on between you and Seth, so I have to figure it out by other means.”

  “Maybe it’s none of your business.”

  Cat heard Shauna’s laughter all the way up to the third-floor landing. When she opened the door to her room, all she wanted was to take a long shower and wash all her doubts and worries down the drain.

  *

  Her plan worked for a little while
after she’d gotten out of the shower she’d felt lighter. Then her phone rang. Glancing at the display, she turned down the television she’d been kind of watching for the last hour. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “Hey, yourself,” said Uncle Pete. “I saw you called earlier. Is this a good time to talk?” Her uncle sounded worn out on the phone.

  Cat swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Of course.” She glanced at the clock. She still had two hours before she even had to think about getting ready. Three if she threw on a favorite dress, boots, and makeup.

  “I just wanted to let you know that I may not make dinner tomorrow night. I know you wanted to have a relaxing meal, but with this new book disappearing, I’m up to my waist in alligators.”

  “Not in Colorado, you’re not. Maybe black bears.” She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked as drained as Uncle Pete sounded. And her hair was sticking up on one side. So much for showering early for the event. Now she looked like she’d been sleeping the day away.

  “Whatever fierce predator you’d like to use. I keep forgetting my niece was an English professor.” He chuckled into the phone. “At least my missing lodge bartender showed back up this morning. Apparently, he’d been visiting family and forgot to tell his boss. Of course, he also forgot to tell his boss about his little drug dealing arrest back in Boston. I swear, sometimes I think working in a big town would be so much easier.”

  “Wait, is that Martin? We met him last Sunday. The kid seemed on top of everything. He was a great salesman.” Cat thought about the little extras like how he proposed adding alcohol to Seth’s coffee or the condo suggestion.

  “I really can’t say, but the lodge only has two bartenders, and one is the sixty-year-old sister of the manager of the place.” He paused. “So you do the math.”

  “So it is Martin.” Cat thought about her meeting with Dante this morning. “Stupid question, but is his last name Cornelio?”

  “You mean like Dante?” Her uncle paused. “No, but he still might be related. Why are you asking?”