The Sweet Taste of Murder: An Angel Lake Mystery

by CeeCee James

  Almost on auto-pilot, Elise began to make comforting shushing sounds. She patted Lavina’s back. “It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be all right. Calm down. We’ll figure this out.”

  Lavina’s shoulders were noticeably thinner through her Dior robe. Elise could see how the stress had been eating away at her friend. “You aren’t going to jail. There has to be a way. Just tell me what you were doing there. What did you see?”

  Lavina took another deep, hitching breath and began to calm down. Sitting up, she dotted at her face with a bit of twisted tissue she’d pulled free from her pocket. She sighed again. “The last few weeks, I’d been trying to talk some sense into Eric. He said he had pictures that he kept locked in a safe. I didn’t believe him. Cameron was too nosy to let anyone use his safe without getting his finger in the middle of the pie. I’d talked with Sylvia, and she mentioned that every one of them had locking drawers on their desk. That was where she kept the payroll. So, during lunch. I went to search through his desk.”

  “How were you planning on unlocking the desk drawer?”

  “I didn’t get that far. I’d just come around the corner when I saw Eric leave. He was holding a briefcase, and I watched him put it in the back of a blue four-door.”

  “In the trunk,” Elise said dryly.

  Lavina nodded sorrowfully.

  “The one I discovered on my run the other day.”

  “Yep. That’s the one.”

  “You were the one who broke into it.”

  “Well, not me exactly. I told Mr. G. He had someone do it the next night.”

  “Oh, Lavina! Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

  “What was I going to say? Who would believe me?”

  “Well, for one, did you realize that places Eric at the scene right before Cameron died! Did you ever think he might have been the one who did it?” Elise frowned. “He’s a nasty enough guy. I’m sure we can figure out a motive?”

  “His motive? I can think of one. Try the fact that his mama was trying to sleep with Cameron.”

  Elise’s mouth dropped open.

  “Yeah, and Crystal wasn’t subtle about it either. She was calling him at all hours, like a cat in heat.”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “Because Sylvia and I talked. She was tired of getting the cold shoulder from Cameron ever since her positive pregnancy test. She was about to let it all out.”

  “So….”

  “So I think Eric set Sylvia up as the one who killed Cameron.”

  “Which he could have done if he’d killed Cameron himself.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Lavina….”

  “No, Elise.”

  “We have to.”

  “Absolutely not. You are under best friend secrecy. You cannot tell Brad.”

  Elise sank into the settee like a weight of bricks had landed on her. Turning her head, she said, “Fine, then. Bring out the wine.”

  CHAPTER 19

  The next morning she woke feeling like her mouth had been stuffed with baby dragon training papers, and her head wouldn’t stop ringing. She rolled over on Lavina’s spare bed. “Please, please make it stop.”

  She was about to roll back again when she realized it was her cell that was ringing. After scrabbling for it off the night stand, she punched the answer key.

  “Hello?” Great. Her voice sounded like she was talking through carpet wool.

  “Elise? Is this a good time?”

  Brad. She squinted at her Fitbit. Eleven o’clock. Stifling a yawn, she sat up. “Yeah, of course. I’ve been up for hours.”

  There was a chuckle. “I don’t know if I quite believe you. Anyway. I was going to see about that coffee rain check. And I thought you might like to join me on another fun errand.”

  She rubbed her hands through her hair. “Sure. Give me an hour, okay?”

  “See you at noon then.”

  * * *

  They met at the Impresso Espresso. Knowing that everything Lavina had told her the night before was a secret, Elise felt guilty. She wondered if she should divulge what had happened yesterday morning on her dog run, and if that would ease her conscience a bit. “So, I have a confession.” She sipped her coffee, watching Brad’s reaction over the top of the cup.”

  He instantly looked wary. “Okay.”

  “So, did you know there was a huge display of flowers at Cameron’s funeral?”

  “I’d heard.”

  “Well, I discovered who sent them.”

  He lifted an eyebrow, patiently waiting. Almost nonchalantly, he took a bite of his giant oatmeal cookie.

  “It was Mr. Davis. You know, the one Cameron was in the law suit with. Well, after I left the florist, I tried to meet up with him.”

  Brad started choking on the cookie. She watched with concern as he coughed. He waved her off when she made moves to stand to help him. After a moment, he scrambled for his coffee and took a few small sips.

  “What?” he weakly sputtered.

  “I said, I tried to meet with Mr. Davis. You know, to ask him about the flower pots,” she continued defensively as he looked at her aghast.

  “Why in the world would you do that?”

  “I had to know. It’s been driving me crazy.”

  “What part of ‘this is police business, stay out’ did you not understand?” he asked.

  “You’re always busy!” Elise frowned.

  “I knew it was a bad idea to clue you in.” Brad pushed back from the table and shook his head. With a groan, he rubbed his forehead.

  “Well, it didn’t do me any good anyways.” Elise sighed. “He wouldn’t talk to me. The guard told me I wasn’t welcomed.”

  Brad still wasn’t happy. “Did you tell him why you were there?”

  “I didn’t get a chance.”

  “The problem with your questions…” He leaned close and his clean cedar scent went straight to Elise’s head. She swallowed hard. “Is that it gives the suspects time to think of answers by the time I come around and ask those same questions. So I need you to knock it off.”

  Elise nodded and grinned up at him innocently. She didn’t want to tell him that Mr. Davis had already called and scheduled an appointment with her for the following day.

  “I’m heading to the dental office right now to check on Sylvia’s alibi. I know this is a bad idea, but do you want to tag along?” He smiled. Her heart fluttered at the ease of his smile. She was constantly feeling off guard with his attention. When had she last made Mark happy like that? Long before his affair. Stop dancing with those memories. She fiddled with her earring and nodded.

  “Do you really suspect Sylvia? I mean, she’s pregnant. I can’t even imagine that.”

  “People have done crazier things with less motive. Pregnant, kicked out by her husband and losing her job with the baby’s daddy? And the baby will receive a huge chunk of the inheritance under state law? Pretty good motive to me.” They were out in the parking lot now and walking towards the cop car.

  Elise frowned. “I just can’t picture it. She seems like someone who needs a mom—lost even—not a calculated killer leaving her lover drugged up on the train tracks. Just the opposite, a sweet girl.” Her voice trailed off at the memory of Sylvia snarling the word, “sweet” at her a few nights ago.

  “I can honestly say I hope it’s not her, but I can’t rule it out. My job is to find out who did it. Now, hop in. We’re riding in the beast today,” Brad said, holding the door open for her.

  “Oooh. Do I get to ride in your cop car?”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never been in the back of one.” His gaze darted over her as he laughed. “I’ll never believe it.”

  She blushed. There had been that drunken streaking at midnight out on the football field. All of her cheerleading friends had done it as a send off to their senior year. The entire school expected it.

  And, apparently, so had the sheriff’s office. She cringed at the memory of her parent’s faces when the co
ps drove her home covered in a blanket.

  “I plead the fifth on the account that I was young and dumb once.”

  She jumped in and studied with interest all the instruments and computer screen panel. “Makes me feel quite official,” she said as he climbed in.

  “Just do me a favor.” He shifted into gear and turned in the seat to watch as he backed up. His 5 o’clock shadow was apparent this close, and she dragged her eyes away.

  “What’s that?”

  “Don’t touch anything.”

  * * *

  A few minutes later, they were outside the Sunshine Smiles Dental Office. Before getting out, Brad opened his tablet and read some notes. Elise turned to look away so she wouldn’t notice how cute his reading frown was. Her thumb found the divot on her finger. One more week, she reminded herself.

  They climbed out and walked on a path of black lava rock to the office.

  Brad opened the door for Elise. The receptionist looked up as they entered, and her teeth flashed snowflake white with her smile.

  “Hi, there. How can I help you today?”

  “Hi….” Brad’s eyes darted around looking for a name tag.

  “Margaret,” the receptionist supplied.

  “Hi, Margaret. I spoke to you yesterday on the phone about a Sylvia Nichols? She had an appointment here on the 27th.”

  Margaret’s eyebrows drew together in concern, and she reached for the scheduling book. With practiced skill, she paged back to the 27th and quickly ran her finger down the column. “Yes, I see it here at 11:15.”

  Elise felt her muscles relax at the news. She hadn’t realized how anxious she’d been that Sylvia had an alibi.

  “Well, now. That’s strange,” Margaret continued, pressing her finger to her bottom lip. “I have a slash next to it that shows she came in at a later time.” She nodded. “That’s right. She was late, and we had to reschedule for the next afternoon.” She looked up at them. “It’s policy to do that if the patient is too late, otherwise the entire day is messed up. Poor girl. She left here in tears. Just kept insisting that she’d made it for noon and not 11:15.”

  “Was she upset when she arrived?” Brad pulled out his tablet and began typing. “What time was it when she finally came in?”

  “Oh,” Margaret looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “I’m guessing at least thirty minutes late. Any earlier and we still try to work them in. We might have been able anyway and just run into lunch, but the doctor had an emergency appointment for that time.”

  “An emergency appointment?” Brad looked up. “Can I ask who?”

  “That’s funny. It’s not on the books.” Margaret shuffled through the pages before turning to the computer screen. The screen flashed brightly as she searched. Finally, she pushed back, looking slightly embarrassed. “I’m not sure who it was. I don’t see a record of it. But I can remember distinctly that the doctor had been busy.”

  “Did you see who came in?” Brad asked.

  “No, actually. Dr. Harris told me he would take care of it and to go ahead and take my lunch. And of course, when I came back, poor Mr. McMahon….It was a horrible nightmare.” She blotted at her eyes. Elise watched carefully. There didn’t seem to be any real tears.

  Brad thanked her, and the two of them turned to go. Once outside Elise couldn’t help looking across the street. Through the trimmed holly hedge she could just make out the car dealership. And the train tracks that ran along behind it.

  CHAPTER 20

  The next morning at eleven o’clock on the dot, Elise arrived at Mr. Davis’s house. The security guard stepped out from the gatehouse with his hand on his belt. Elise was taken aback to see a gun holstered there.

  She quickly rolled down the window. “I’m here to see Mr. Davis. I have an appointment.”

  “Your name?” The security guard’s face was blank.

  “Elise Sanders.”

  He gave her car a hard look, even peering into the back seat before he reentered the booth. His face creased into a deep snarl like she was a drug lord about to drop a hit on his boss.

  She watched him pick up the phone with her heart beating in her throat. Frowning, she leaned back in the seat and told herself to knock it off.

  A moment later there was a clank, and the gate rumbled back on its track. His arm waved out the window telling her to go through. Elise let off the brake and rolled forward.

  Old growth maple trees edged the driveway leading up to the house. Their leafy boughs arching overhead shielded the pavement from the sun.

  The house itself was magnificent and nearly took her breath away. Large and white, it had been built with typical Southern heritage.

  She slowed to a stop and eyed the building. A small movement drew her attention to the far left window where she made out a tall figure standing there. The curtain dropped.

  Elise parked the car by the portico. With an uncomfortable feeling, she thought about Brad and hoped he wouldn’t be too mad when he discovered what she’d done.

  She took the white marble steps lightly, her head swiveling, completely impressed with the massive pillars that held up the roof. Nervously, she slid her finger under the Fitbit and gave it a small twirl before stabbing at the doorbell.

  The heavy oak door opened silently. A young woman stood at the entryway wearing a prim blouse and black skirt. It took Elise a moment to place her—Mr. Davis’s assistant. She was shorter than Elise remembered, and something about her looked different, but Elise couldn’t put her finger on why.

  “Come in. Mr. Davis is expecting you.” She spun on her high heels and led Elise through the hallway with smooth, gliding steps. After a moment, the young woman paused and waved her hand toward the library.

  Elise’s gaze dropped to see Mr. Davis in his chair just inside the doorway. The same plaid blanket covered his thin legs.

  Mr. Davis coolly eyed Elise. With a flick of his wrist, he pushed the wheelchair back from the door. “I’m surprised you accepted my invitation after you were so rude as to drop by unannounced yesterday.”

  Elise felt her insides shrivel at his harsh demeanor, but she thrust back her shoulders. With a smile pasted on her face, she stepped over the threshold.

  “I’m truly thankful you made time for me, Mr. Davis. What a beautiful place you have here,” she murmured, craning her head back as her gaze traced a painted trail of flowers swirling along the archway.

  “Follow me,” Mr. Davis said pushing himself farther into the room. His wheelchair wheels hissed against the marble floor. “That was Estelle at the door.”

  “Estelle?” Elise dragged her gaze from the artwork to cut him a questioning look.

  “My niece. Also my nurse and personal assistant. She’s lived with me for the last ten years.” He indicated his chair with a hand and a small shrug. “Truly the most loyal person I’ve ever met. She’s been indispensable to me during my recovery. ”

  “I heard. You look like you are doing very well.”

  “I am improving all the time. Some days are better than others.”

  Velvet covered arching couches and stuffed chairs, their padding tacked down with button latches, filled the room.

  Mr. Davis rolled over to a walnut sideboard. Crystal decanters covered the glossy surface.

  “Would you care for a drink?”

  She was taken aback and resisted the urge to look at her watch. Wasn’t it only eleven? “No, thank you.”

  “What was I thinking?” He smiled and rolled toward the couch. With a firm movement, he gestured for her to sit down. “My sleeping schedule has been quite off. I occasionally get the times mixed up.”

  “Oh, that’s awful. I understand.” She perched on the edge of the stiff sofa and glanced around.

  The painted flowers extended into a full fresco that spread out across the far wall. A naked woman stood beside a waterfall. Her sad face stared down at a young man bleeding at her feet.

  “Wow, that’s intriguing,” she said.

  He stared at h
er, ignoring the art even as he answered. “Persophone and Cupid.”

  “I don’t remember the story quite like that.”

  “Call it a fanciful interpretation….Perhaps my own interpretation. So.…” He tipped his head back and continued to study her. His eyes glittered behind the wire-rimmed glasses. “You are here about the flowers.”

  “Well, yes.” Elise felt a flicker of surprise. “How did you know?”

  He chuckled softly. “This is a small town. Hard to keep little whisperings quiet in a small town.”

  “I was just curious. Especially after….” She pressed her lips together, unsure of how to continue.

  “After the death of my son and the lawsuit?’

  Elise nodded.

  “Why, we all need to forgive in order to move forward, like the bible says, right? After all, death will rise to greet us all most unexpectedly one day.” He laughed again, sounding cold. Elise felt goosebumps rise on her arms.

  She rubbed at them self-consciously. “I’m not sure everyone would be able to forgive in this case. I mean,” she cleared her throat, “rumor has it the brakes were sabotaged?”

  He shook his head. “Couldn’t be proven. You should know better and investigate these things before you burst in with questions. All in all, our fine Angel Lake police force concluded that it was probably a rat chewing through the cables to make a nest for winter.” He looked at her again, this time, his eyes hidden as the glasses reflected the window behind her. “We know how those rats are.”

  “So, you’re saying you didn’t have a problem with Cameron? After the loss of your son?”

  “I’m saying that after my accident, I had to either move forward or let myself die. I was tempted to die. I’ll admit. My niece gave me a reason to move forward. She’s an orphan you know.” He turned his head, and the reflection disappeared. His eyes were dark and sorrowful. “And I was still grieving my son. We needed each other, I think.”

  Elise nodded.