“Bizzy!” She wraps her arms around me as if we were old friends. “Oh, please tell me you have Sugar with you? I’m ready for her to come home.”
“No, actually, sorry, she’s at my cottage with my cat and dog. But don’t worry. They’re all getting along just fine.” The truth is, once they heard that this was akin to a funeral, none of them wanted to tag along for the ride. And yet it’s virtually a party scene—not to mention there are meatballs dropping to the floor at an alarming rate. They could have used Sherlock’s help in keeping this place tidy.
“Don’t apologize.” She waves the idea off. “I’m the one that needs to apologize. But I’m all better now, so I’ll pick her up tomorrow night after the event.” And then we’re off to my mother’s for some real R&R.
“I’ll be sad to see her go.”
Georgie nods over to Lacey. “How’s it going, Toots? You ready for the big shindig tomorrow night? Did you get ordained so you can marry those crazy kids?”
Lacey’s mouth falls open. “I completely forgot. I guess I’ll have to find a minister to take my place.”
“Don’t look any further.” Georgie waves a hand in the air. “They don’t call me Madame Matrimony for nothing. I married this kid off right here.” She hitches her head my way. “And she and her hubby are still standing.” Georgie rolls her eyes. “For how long, who knows? All I can do is make it legal. It’s up to her to bring the heat to the bedroom.” She leans their way. “Rumor has it, the air is frigid in that little love den of theirs.”
“Georgie.” I laugh as I look to the older woman by my side. “That is not true at all.”
“What’s not true?” Diane Regal crops up in our circle, and we exchange quick hellos.
Georgie shrugs her way. “I was just telling the girls here about Bizzy’s ho-hum love life. She’s a newlywed, you know. Rumor has it, her husband is already looking for an alternate route down the highway of love.”
“Oh, he is not.” I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Don’t listen to her, Diane. My husband and I are just fine in and out of the bedroom.”
Diane laughs. “It’s nothing that chapter fourteen can’t cure in Bobbie and Lacey’s new book, the Perfect Pairing Checklist. In fact, we’ll be selling copies tomorrow night right at the entry to the ballroom.” We’ve got to get ’em coming and going if I’m ever going to get my money back. She takes a moment to glower at Bobbie. Who in the heck doesn’t list their spouse on their own life insurance policy?
What?
Diane shakes her head at her old friend. Not that I’m buying anything Bobbie Buckingham is selling anymore. As soon as I get my sixty grand back, she’ll never see the likes of me again.
Huh.
I examine Bobbie a moment. She doesn’t seem all that broken up about Chip’s death. Or over the fact he supposedly didn’t name her as his beneficiary. I’m starting to side with Diane. I’m not so sure I believe Bobbie regarding the life insurance policy. Obviously, she doesn’t want to give the poor woman what she owes her. And the thought of it boils my blood.
“No way.” Bobbie wags a glossy pink fingernail my way. “Bizzy gets a book for free. She’s still caring for Sugar.” She shakes her head. “I owe you much more than a book. How about this? Lacey and I will do another conference at the inn, come spring.”
“Spring fling!” Lacey belts it out as if they were a couple of teenagers ready to embark on Spring Break. “And don’t worry, Bizzy. We’ll make sure to invite our listeners from out of town to really pack the inn for you. It’s the least we can do in exchange for free use of the ballroom.”
My mouth opens, but not a sound comes out. “You’re welcome.” Definitely not the sound I was hoping I’d make. I can’t believe my sister is the one that got this disastrous and costly ball rolling. Teaches me to do her one tiny favor. Her tiny favor is about to injure the inn’s bottom line.
Bobbie elbows Lacey. “There he is,” she whispers as she nods to someone across the room, and both Georgie and I follow their gaze until we spot Tiger Caldwell looking spiffy in a light gray suit that sets off the come hither in his eyes.
A half a dozen girls are already dripping off of him, and one of them happens to be my sister.
A quiet laugh strums from Bobbie. “I told you he’d show.”
“Yeah, well, he showed up with a date.” Lacey makes a face. “At least it’s not Keegan.”
“Why would it be Keegan?” Bobbie looks physically ill at the mention of the girl. “I bet you dollars to donuts she’s home crying in her soup.” Crying over a husband that was never hers, nor ever would be. Her expression hardens. I’m not sure what I would do if I saw her here tonight. Let’s just hope she steers clear for both our sakes.
So Bobbie still thinks Chip’s mistress is Keegan.
And I bet dollars to donuts she’s right. I can’t imagine how she must feel. Not only did she lose her husband, but just moments before he died, she found out he was a cheat.
Hey? I wonder if Keegan has any experience with guns?
A thought comes to me. “Bobbie”—I say her name lower than a whisper as if I was unsure if I wanted her to hear it—“that gun you had the night that Chip died, who else knew that you were carrying a weapon with you?”
This might narrow the pool of suspects quicker than a gunshot.
“Everyone,” Lacey answers for her. “We talked about it on one of our podcasts called Safely Pairing. In fact, we’re both big proponents of carrying a concealed weapon.”
“Hear that, Bizzy?” Georgie grips me by the arm. “These women are walking time bombs. Just give any one of them a wayward look and they’re liable to blow my kisser right off my face before I get any mileage out of it.” She looks to Bobbie and Lacey. “No offense, girls, but couldn’t you drum up a couple of cute men to take our minds off our own mortality for a couple of hours?”
“Georgie.” I shake my head at her, hoping she’ll take a hint and put a lid on that bloated kisser before I’m forced to shove a shoe in it.
“Don’t you Georgie me.” Her words come out thick and clunky no thanks to her puffy pout. “I got dolled up for a good time. And everyone at the senior center knows a funeral is where it’s at if a girl really wants to have fun.”
“Georgie”—I whisper—“you don’t belong to any senior center.”
She gives a long blink. “That’s never stopped me from partying with the in-crowd.” She leans toward Bobbie. “And by in-crowd, I mean in-ground. Well, sometimes, they opt for the mausoleum, but personally I look forward to being one with nature someday. So what did you do with the mister’s body? Let me guess. It was the furnace for him after the way he treated you. I can’t blame you. I’ve sizzled a few husbands myself for less transgressions.”
I take a quick breath as I turn her toward he crowd. “There’s a meatball calling my name, why don’t you get one for me?”
“Get your own meatballs, sis.” She wrangles out of my grasp just as Macy and Tiger step this way. “Speaking of meatballs, I’d love to take a juicy bite out of that one.” She nods to Macy. “Way to go, kid. Try not to take a page out of your sister’s playbook. Word on the street is she wears flannel to bed.”
I do, but in my defense, it’s one of Jasper’s flannel shirts, and he happens to like me in it. I think.
“Well, well,” Lacey purrs. “If it isn’t Macy, the tiger tamer, and our favorite big cat. Careful, Macy”—she wags a finger playfully at my big sis—“rumor has it, this cat bites.”
“Oh, he does.” Macy nods with that bored look she gives when she’s being sardonic. “In all the right places.”
Georgie leans my way. “Bet you’re sorry you ended up playing seven minutes in heaven with your brother instead of this guy.”
“Eww.” Macy swats me for no good reason. “Tell me the rumors aren’t true. You did not make out with our brother.”
My mouth opens and closes. “It was an accident.”
Everyone in our small circle frowns my way, and I
could swear I just heard someone hissing at me from behind.
Macy straightens. “Have no fear, girls.” She smears a tight smile to Lacey and Bobbie. “Unlike my sister, I am not a freak of nature. Tiger will be my official plus one tomorrow night.”
Lacey averts her eyes at the thought. It’s probably for the better. Although, I’ll need a date before the big event or the sheeple we’re leading toward the Valentine’s Day slaughter might actually accuse me of not practicing what I preach. And with Bobbie off the hook this year, it’s up to me alone to paddle this loveless canoe.
I guess she’s feeling pressured to find a plus one for tomorrow night. And ironically, the pressure is coming from her own platform.
A thought hits me. “You know, Lacey, my best friend’s brother works at the inn, and he’s hoping to find a date by tomorrow night.” I whip out my phone and quickly flash a picture of him her way and her lips part as she ogles him.
“Oh, that boy is already taken—by me.” She laughs, and the rest of us laugh along with her.
Macy tips her head my way. “Good to know you’re holding strong with that whole brother theme. Too bad ours is getting married tomorrow night.”
“I’m not laughing,” I say.
“I’m not being funny.”
Diane pats her belly. “I’d better go fill up while there are still meatballs to be had.” She looks to Bobbie and Lacey. “Girls, you’d better eat, too. You’ll need to get your energy up for tomorrow. You’ll have to show up an hour early for the book signing.” And if we’re still in the red by tomorrow night, they’ll both have to go back to selling insurance. Lord knows those empty words they’re spewing into the world aren’t racking up the dollars. She looks to Georgie and me. “I’ll see you both mañana.”
“Feel free to bring Gizmo,” I tell her. “Sherlock, Fish, and especially Sugar are looking forward to seeing him again.”
“Great. At least this way I won’t be without a date. I’d bring my husband, but he’s in bed by seven.”
Georgie gives a commiserating nod as she points my way. “And her husband wishes he could get her in bed at any hour.”
A nervous laugh escapes the poor woman as she makes her escape.
“Would you stop?” I say to the mumbling menace.
Georgie narrows her eyes over mine. “When was the last time you said those words, Bizzy? Be honest. Was it last night?”
Bobbie chortles as she shakes her head our way. “Georgie, you are adorable.” At least Chip has stopped his foray into fornicating with someone other than his wife. And that’s exactly why we’re all here today. “Attention, ladies!” she calls out. “Let’s get those bodies moving and grooving. This is a celebration, after all.” She sashays her way into the crowd while shaking her hips to the sound of the jazz band, and Lacey tips her head back as she watches.
Too bad these women don’t realize this is exactly where their hopeless hearts will lead them one day. Lacey laughs to herself. A cheating louse of a husband, lying cold in a grave, and wife with over one million shiny new reasons to celebrate. Now that is a love story I can get behind.
She takes off, and I scoff in her wake.
It sounds as if Bobbie did get that life insurance payout.
I guess she lied to Diane after all. Or maybe there was a mix-up and Bobbie will make good on that money she owes her yet?
“Come on, kiddo.” Georgie bumps her hips to mine. “I’ll show you a few dirty dance moves you can incorporate into your routine. There might be hope for you yet.”
She bops off into the crowd, bumping hips with anyone who stands in her way.
A pair of arms wraps themselves around me from behind, and a familiar spiced cologne takes over my senses.
“I’ll give you a hint who this is,” a deep voice strums in my ear. “It’s not your brother.”
“You’re hilarious,” I say, turning around and looking into Jasper Wilder’s eyes, the exact color of lightning in a bottle. “There’s a nasty rumor going around that I’m frigid.”
His brows narrow playfully. “For the sake of your honor, I’ll help you dispel them. Your side of the bed or mine?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of Chip Buckingham’s office.”
Jasper offers up a genuine frown, but he doesn’t say a word.
Most likely because he knows I won’t listen.
Sometimes not saying a word is the best form of communication of all.
The mysteries are piling up.
Here’s hoping Chip himself will end a few of those for us, by way of a paper trail.
And hopefully, the mystery of the unnamed mistress will end tonight.
Chapter 15
Jasper Wilder’s detective skills are bar none when it comes to hunting down Chip Buckingham’s office.
The Village Kitchen not only owns the spacious eatery, but it owns the entire building. Chip’s office is on the second floor and overlooks the park across the street, laden with snow as the moonlight softly kisses it with a pale shade of blue. The din of voices from down below, along with the clang of the band, vibrates through the windows in muted tones.
“What’s our cover if we get caught? It’d be nice to keep our stories straight,” he says, turning his phone into a flashlight. Thankfully, there’s enough moonlight seeping in, so we’re not totally in the dark without it.
“Georgie Conner.” It comes out with an edge that clues him in on the fact I’m not all that pleased with her. “Not only do we have her to thank for our cover, but we can thank her for spreading the news of my frigidity so efficiently that even I almost believe it.”
“I believe it,” Jasper says, taking a seat behind the desk and opening up the top drawer.
“What?”
“Yup,” he says, pulling open the filing cabinet to his right. “And I’ll continue to believe it until you prove to me otherwise. Georgie Conner is a reputable woman. What she says goes.” He plucks a file out and begins to examine it.
“Lucky for us she’s reputable. And I think that translates to lucky for you.” I wiggle my way into his lap and peruse that file right along with him. “Hey, look! These are receipts of some kind.”
“Bogus receipts.” He points to the top where we see Caldwell Enterprises printed on the letterhead. “It’s an alibi file. If Bobbie ever got suspicious, he could whip these out and extinguish any suspicions she might have.”
“That is low. And an awful lot of work. But then, Bobbie is a smart woman. If she smelled trouble, he’d be sunk without these or it would be game over.”
“Exactly.” He fishes out a few more files, and it’s filled with statements from the Rose Glen City Bank. “Jackpot.”
“Ooh, I can’t wait to dig in.” And dig in we do, right up until we find a pattern. “Jasper, he was cashing the checks Bobbie gave him and trading them for cold-hard cash.”
“You can’t trace paper money.”
“Then why keep the receipts?”
“Good question. I’m betting he wasn’t the brightest bulb.”
Jasper and I dig through all of the drawers in sight and only come up with a couple more files. We each take one and thumb through them.
“Look at this,” I whisper. “It’s receipts from a management company.”
“Bingo. I bet this will lead straight to the mystery women he’s funding.”
“It says Morgan Capital Management. Each month there’s a receipt for twenty-seven hundred dollars for property number 1505 and next to that the word Barron.” I groan. “Why do I get the feeling we’re not getting the address out of this thing? It’s as if it’s encrypted. I bet the management company is run by cheats, for cheats.”
“Nothing would surprise me,” Jasper says, flicking his fingers my way. “Can I see your phone?”
I hand it to him, and he takes pictures of each and every sheet.
“Why my phone and not yours?”
“Because I don’t want to go to prison one day for doing things I wasn’t s
upposed to be doing.”
“You’re right. Besides, I’d probably fare better in prison than you would. Good thinking throwing me under the bus.”
A dark chuckle expels from him as he switches off the flashlight on his phone, and the room falls dark once again save for the moonlight.
I lean in and nuzzle my lips close to his ear. “And what would this part of the investigation be called?”
“The fun part.” His lips dot a string of kisses up my neck.
“Real quick, let’s recap our suspects.”
He pulls back and a breath expires from him. “I’m beginning to think the things Georgie says about you have a kernel of truth to them. Who’s on first?”
“Keegan Merritt,” I say. “Bobbie suspects her as Chip’s unofficial plus one. And when I talked to Keegan, she admitted that not only was she his personal secretary, but he utilized her services as a professional cuddler. I think she’s full of it. We both know what happens when a man and a woman cuddle for hours.”
“They fall asleep?”
I give his chest a quick shove. “They get creative in their cuddling endeavors. Chip was a man’s man, Keegan is beautiful. It seems unbelievable that he was paying her to hug him for hours on end and nothing more.”
“I agree. Who’s next?”
“Tiger Caldwell.” I shrug. “Chip owed him money. And Chip used him as a cover. I guess if Bobbie ever got suspicious and wondered what Chip was doing with all that cash, he could say he was funneling it to Tiger.”
“But why would Tiger want to kill him?”
“He did say he owed him big money and that he almost went bankrupt over it.”
“And there’s our motive.”
“Oh, and another thing we need to look into is the life insurance policy,” I say. “Lacey alluded to the fact Bobbie received a million dollars. And yet, Bobbie told Diane she wasn’t the recipient of the policy.”
He nods. “Okay. I’ll try to make headway with the Rose Glen City Bank. He had an account there. They might have info on the policy.”
“Then there’s Diane.” I lean back as I consider her. “Bobbie owes her a ton of money. And she knew about the insurance policy. Hey? What if Diane tried to frame Bobbie for shooting Chip—knowing that she’d survive and that she’d probably end up getting her money back once she cashed the policy?”
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