“At least she seems to be taking it well,” Moira said. “Any luck on digging anything up about Alexa?”
“Nope. She’s never had so much as a speeding ticket. I don’t know how or where she would have learned to steal a car. I gave Jefferson her name anyway, just in case he can find a link. They found some blonde hairs on the driver’s seat, which are being analyzed in a lab. Of course, chances are they’re Candice’s, but the examination will show whether any of the hairs have been bleached. Does Candice get highlights?”
“She hasn’t recently,” Moira said. “She’s done it in the past, but didn’t like how it turned out.”
“Well, then if any of the hairs have been bleached, Jefferson might have a reason to take a closer look at Alexa.”
“It scares me to think that someone might be out there that wishes my daughter harm,” Moira said. “I don’t like this ex of Eli’s at all.” She fell silent and sipped her coffee, thinking all the while. “Do you think Alexa would have had any reason to kill Joshua? I know he was a friend of Eli’s a while back. Is it possible that they knew each other?”
“It’s possible,” he said. “That’s something you should ask Candice. Or Eli himself.”
“That reminds me, I think the two of them and Reggie are up to something,” she said. She told him about the mysterious meetings that Eli had been having, and they spent the rest of the time until she had to leave for work tossing ideas back and forth about what her daughter was plotting.
Despite the umbrella that she unfurled the second she stepped out of the car, Moira was soaking wet by the time she’d unlocked the deli’s door and let herself inside. At least it was warm and dry inside the building.
She stripped off her damp coat and hung it in the kitchen where the heat of the stove would dry it. Her umbrella she shook off and left by the back door. She flicked the coffee maker on and pulled out a carton of eggs to begin preparing the morning’s mini quiches. She was feeling jittery from drinking so much coffee on an empty stomach, and decided that the first quiche that came out of the oven would be hers.
The sound of the storm blowing outside the building combined with the comforting sounds and scents of a kitchen made her feel oddly secure and comfortable that morning as she worked. There was just something about the sound of rain on a roof that always made her happy.
It wasn’t until after she finished her breakfast of a garlic and artichoke quiche and a blueberry crêpe topped with powdered sugar that she remembered her promise to start her diet today. Well, I’ll start dieting at lunch, she thought. One meal isn’t going to set me back that much. Doing her best not to feel guilty, she rinsed off her plate and washed her hands before arranging the remaining mini quiches on a platter to put under the warming light in the special display case out front. The crêpes she made to order, so she simply covered the bowl of batter with plastic wrap and put it back in the fridge until she needed it.
She looked around the clean kitchen, glanced at the timer on the stove which was counting down the time remaining until the next batch of quiches came out, and then looked at the clock on the wall. The morning chores were done, and she still had a few minutes before it was time to open. She was getting good at this.
Figuring that she might as well take advantage of her extra time, she sat down with her phone and sent a text message to Candice.
I need to ask Eli something. Will he be at the ice cream shop this afternoon?
She wasn’t expecting a reply right away—she knew her daughter enjoyed sleeping late—so she was surprised when her phone buzzed just a few seconds later.
We’re going out to brunch today in Maple Creek. We can stop at the deli after.
She texted back, Perfect. She wondered if this line of investigating would go anywhere, or lead to yet another dead end. It was worth a try, at least. Something about Alexa made her uncomfortable. The thought that the woman was trying to emulate her daughter frightened her. At least Candice seemed to be handling the girl’s intrusions well enough, for now at least.
CHAPTER TWELVE
* * *
Since her daughter had mentioned brunch, Moira wasn’t expecting to see them until after eleven at the earliest. She was surprised when Caroline walked through the door shortly after ten, looking as wet and bedraggled as everyone else had that morning. The power had already dimmed twice, and the deli owner had spent the last ten minutes trying to remember whether she had unplugged the computer at home in case of a power surge; she hoped it hadn’t completely slipped her mind. She had a suspicion that it had.
“Hi, Caroline,” she said. She peered around the dark-haired young woman, looking for her daughter. “Is Candice with you?”
“No,” her daughter’s friend said. “She and Eli are meeting someone. I didn’t feel like I should be there, so I offered to wait here. I hope that’s all right.”
“Of course, that’s fine. What are they doing?”
Caroline smiled. “I think Candice wants to tell you herself.”
Moira knew that she should just be patient, but she was dying to know what it was that Candice and her fiancé had up their sleeves. If they decided to forego their beautiful destination wedding and elope, she was going to be upset. Of course it was Candice’s choice, but she had always dreamed that her daughter would have a perfect traditional wedding, surrounded by friends and family. Moira was looking forward to her part in the ceremony, and was also excited for the chance to travel somewhere nice with David. It had only been a few months since her own honeymoon, but she already missed the excitement of vacation.
“Do you want something to eat while you wait?” Moira asked as the young woman took a table. “It’s on the house. We’re still serving breakfast, but I could whip you up a sandwich if you’d prefer.”
“Actually, breakfast sounds great.” She eyed the blackboard for a moment. “How about some crêpes?”
“Sure. What filling?”
“Raspberries?” Caroline asked.
“Coming right up,” Moira said with a smile. “Help yourself to a drink. Or do you want coffee?”
“Pop’s fine. Thanks, Ms. Darling.”
The deli owner returned a few minutes later with a pair of freshly made crêpes. She set the plate down, then said, “Is it all right if I sit with you, Caroline? It’s been pretty slow so far this morning, and I’d feel odd just sitting at the register while you’re over here all by yourself.”
“Sure, the company will be nice. But I’m not going to tell you what Candice and Eli are doing.”
Moira laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t try to get you to say anything about that. Even though it’s driving me crazy, I respect her enough to wait until she’s ready to tell me in her own time.”
She sat and glanced outside while the other woman began eating. Was it all in her mind, or did the rain look like it was slowing down a little? If it cleared up, she might actually start getting some customers in.
“So,” she said, turning back to Caroline. “How do you like being back in Michigan?”
“It’s nice,” she said. “I’m thinking of moving here, actually. Candice said she could use someone else to help out at the candy shop, and there are a few places up for rent in town I might look at.”
“What about your schooling?” Moira asked. “And your parents? I’m sure they’d miss you.”
The young woman shrugged. “Maybe it’s time for me to do my own thing. Besides, Candice only has an Associate’s Degree, and look how well she’s doing. I’m sure I could figure things out as well.”
“Just make sure you have a backup plan,” the older woman said. “In Candice’s situation, I was behind her every step of the way. If something went wrong or the store just wasn’t successful, she could always have moved back in with me. I just don’t want to worry about you being here all alone, with no family to watch out for you.”
“It’s nice of you to care, but you shouldn’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
“Well, all right.” Moi
ra decided to change the subject. “Have you and Candice spoken at all about her car? Who do you think could have stolen it?”
“I don’t know.” The dark-haired woman frowned.
“What is it?”
“It’s just… no, never mind.”
“You can tell me. Do you think you might know who it was? Whoever did it is responsible for a man’s death, you know.”
“I know.” Caroline looked pale. “That’s why I don’t want to say.”
It was Moira’s turn to frown. “Caroline, what is it?”
“It’s just that when I got up to use the bathroom that night, I noticed that Candice wasn’t there. Her keys and purse were gone. I thought then that she must have just gone back for her car—she didn’t like leaving it behind—and went back to bed. Then in the morning when I heard what had happened, I was so surprised. I know it’s terrible of me, but I can’t help but think… what if she went back to get the car, and then had the accident?”
Caroline’s words sent ice through Moira’s veins. She’d thought the exact same thing, though she would never admit it to anyone other than her husband. She didn’t know how to respond to the young girl. It took her a long time to come up with something to say.
“Caroline,” she said at last, “you know Candice. She’s a good girl. Even if she did make a mistake, she wouldn’t lie about it. And besides, we have proof that the driver of the vehicle wasn’t her.”
“Proof?”
“Yes,” Moira said firmly. “I don’t know if I should tell you what it is, since the police are still investigating, but I can promise you that Candice had nothing to do with that poor man’s death.”
After that, Caroline finished her meal in silence while Moira thought about her daughter. She hoped that this investigation was over soon, for all their sakes. If Candice’s own friend thought she might be hiding something, then what would the general public think? She felt a rush of anger toward the person responsible for all of this. They wouldn’t get away with this, not if she and David had a say.
When Candice finally walked in a little bit later, Moira was in a testy mood. The sight of the wide smile on her daughter’s face served to make her feel better, but just a little bit.
“Good news?” she said.
“Great news,” Candice replied.
“Do I get to hear what it is?”
“Not yet, but soon,” her daughter promised. “I’ll tell you tomorrow, actually. Do you think you and David have time tomorrow evening for dinner to say goodbye to Caroline before she leaves, and so Eli and I can share our news with both of you at the same time?”
“I’m sure we’ll be able to make it work,” Moira said. “Where do you want to have dinner?”
“I was wondering if it would be all right if we could all meet at the brewery, and go from there? Caroline hasn’t had a chance to see it yet.”
“I’ll talk to David, but that should be fine.”
“Hey, Ms. D.,” Eli said. “Candice said you wanted to ask me something?”
“Oh, right. I have a question about your friend that got killed, Joshua.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven’t been his friend for a couple of years,” Eli said.
“I think you can help me anyway. Was there any chance that he knew your ex, Alexa?” Seeing his look of confusion, she went on, “Is there any reason that you can think of that she would have had to kill him?”
To her surprise, the normally mild-mannered Eli clenched his jaw, and his eyes showed a flash of anger. “Oh, she knew him, all right.”
Candice stepped in. “She cheated on Eli with Joshua. That’s why they broke up, and why he and Josh stopped being friends. Why are you asking all of this, Mom?”
Moira took a deep breath. “Because I think Alexa might have stolen your car and killed Joshua, and I think she was trying to frame you when she did it.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
* * *
She checked her phone for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Still nothing. When would Jefferson make the arrest? She couldn’t stand this waiting.
“Just relax, Moira,” David said, reaching over to put a hand on her knee, not taking his eyes from the road. “Stressing yourself out won’t make the police work any faster. Let’s enjoy our evening with Candice and Eli, all right? There’s no point in worrying about something you can’t change.”
“You make it sound so easy,” she sighed, but his words did make her feel a bit better. She felt as if she had been sitting on the edge of her seat ever since she, David, and Candice had shared everything they knew about Eli’s ex-girlfriend with the police yesterday afternoon. She just wished they had gone to the authorities sooner. No one seemed to know where Alexa was, and the police had spent the better part of the morning searching for her.
“We can go out to celebrate when they catch her,” he said. “The Redwood Grill. I’ll treat the four of us. How does that sound?”
“Like it would be terrible for my diet.” She smiled. “It sounds wonderful.”
He laughed and squeezed her leg before putting his hand back on the wheel so he could turn into the driveway that led to the microbrewery. The for-sale sign now read Sale Pending.
“Great,” he muttered. “It looks like I’ll be meeting the new owners soon.”
“Even if they do decide to terminate the lease, I’m sure you and Karissa will find somewhere else for the brewery,” she said. “If worse comes to worst, we can buy a small plot of land near town and set something up there. It might take some time, but we’ll come up with a solution.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I really appreciate how supportive you’ve been with all of this. I know it’s probably not what you wanted, me being so busy all the time, so I really mean it when I say thanks.”
“I just want you, well, both of us, to be happy,” she said. “Watching you with the brewery, that makes me happy. You still come home to me every night, so I’m not complaining. Plus, sometimes I work some crazy hours, too.”
“We’re the perfect match.” He gave her one last smile before he pulled into his usual spot in front of the building that housed the brewery and shut off the engine. “Time to go give Caroline that tour.”
The tour didn’t take long. Caroline seemed interested in everything that went into making beer, and asked David plenty of questions. Candice and Eli, on the other hand, seemed distracted. Moira watched the exchange, feeling like she was about to burst with curiosity. What on earth could they have planned?
“That’s super neat,” Caroline said as they left the building. “I’ve never been in a brewery before. The tanks are so big.”
“This is just a small setup,” David told her. “In an industrial-scale brewery, everything is much larger.”
“Do you think your brewery will ever get that big?”
He chuckled. “I don’t plan on it. This is just a hobby. It makes enough money to pay for itself, but that’s about it. I don’t want or need to spend all of my time growing this business. If Karissa—that’s my partner, and also my sister—ever decides that she wants to start selling our drafts on a larger scale, I’ll support her, but I’m happy with how things are now.”
Moira slipped her arm through David’s as they left the building. The sun had just started its final descent, and the sky was beginning to change colors. It was a wonderful evening, though the ground was still wet from the rainstorm the day before.
“Well, where to now?” she asked her daughter as David paused to lock up behind them. “Where did you want to eat?”
“Just follow us,” Candice said. She walked toward her car, then, to Moira’s surprise, past it. Pausing mid-stride, she turned to look at her mother. “Coming?”
Moira and David traded a glance. The deli owner shrugged in response to his wordless question. She didn’t have the faintest idea what her daughter was doing, but it seemed like for now they ought to go along with it. They followed the younger couple toward the empty farmhouse, with
Caroline trailing along behind them on her phone. Candice walked up the porch, then paused at the door.
“You ready?” she asked Eli. He nodded. She reached into her pocket, took out a key, and inserted it into the lock. Turning to look at her mother, she smiled. “Eli and I want to welcome you to our new home.”
It took Moira a moment to process those words. She stared at her daughter, then up at the imposing house. Looking back down at her daughter, she said, “You bought this place?”
Candice nodded, beaming. “We closed yesterday. That’s who we went out to brunch with.”
“I don’t understand. How? Why?”
“Come on in,” her daughter said. “I’ll tell you inside.”
The interior of the farmhouse was similar to how Moira remembered it. The biggest difference she saw was the large card table in the center of the room with chips, dip, and various drinks on top of it.
“There are hot dogs in the kitchen,” the young woman said. “And we’ve got ice cream in the freezer. We haven’t really had a chance to move anything over yet.”
“I’m still in shock,” Moira said. “How did you afford this place?”
“Well, since it’s been on the market twice in the past year, and for such dark reasons both times, it actually didn’t cost that much. And, you know, the candy shop is doing pretty well, and Eli’s ice cream shop has been doing okay. It really wasn’t that hard to qualify for the loan.”
“Why would you want to buy this place?” She knew that she probably wasn’t reacting to the news as well as her daughter had expected her to, but she was too shocked to try to pretend to feel anything other than what she really did, which was surprise and confusion.
“There were quite a few reasons that went into our decision,” she said. “First of all, we just like the location. It’s right in between the two towns, and we both like the idea of living out in the country. It’s bigger than Reggie’s old house in town, and there’s a lot more room for things like a garden, or maybe even a swimming pool one day. Since there are bedrooms on the ground floor, Reggie will be able to come here and live with us, instead of at his nursing home. It will cost about the same to hire a nurse to come out here, but here, he’ll be with family.”
Glazed Ham Murder (The Darling Deli Series Book 20) Page 5