Thanks for outing me, jerk. “Sure,” I said. “Nice to meet you.”
“What was that all about,” I heard Mr. Austin ask Sam.
Unfortunately, I didn’t hear Sam’s response. I found a spot in the center of the room, within hearing distance of several tables. Gerri Lynne, the owner and my best friend, brought me over more hot water and a fresh tea bag. She had a candy cane ink pen in the pocket of her T-shirt.
I gulped. “Where’d you get that?”
“What?”
“Th-the ink pen,” I stuttered. “You weren’t at rehearsal. How’d you get it? Olivia had those made for the guests.”
Gerri Lynne pulled the pen from her pocket and examined it. “Found it when I cleaned off a table. It writes really good. She must have spent a mint on these.”
I fanned my face. “OMG! OMG!”
“What is wrong with you? It’s just an ink pen.”
“It’s not just an ink pen. It’s the same kind of ink pen we found shoved into Mr. Oglethorpe’s neck. The murder weapon!”
She dropped the pen, and it ricocheted off the napkin holder and landed on the floor. “Jeez Louise, are you serious? The killer used a pen? This is the murder weapon?”
I bent over to get a closer look. “Not this exact one, goofball, but an identical one. Who was sitting at the table?”
She thought for a moment. “I don’t remember. My busboy called in sick. We were busy, so the tables stacked up. It was a while before I got to it.”
“Well, who was here who would have been at the rehearsal?” I glanced around the room and recognized at least half a dozen faces who had been at the country club for the rehearsal event. Including Mr. Austin and Sam. Wait, where was Mr. Austin? Sam still remained at the table, but the seat across from him was empty.
Gerri Lynne pulled out a chair and sat down. “Let me think. Umm, Mrs. Jamison came in this morning ranting about everything that happened yesterday. Chase Austin was in earlier, too. In fact, he sat with Mrs. Jamison. That was weird.”
“Who else?” I prodded.
“Oh, Tyler came in later. He didn’t stay. Just got a breakfast sandwich to go and a cup of coffee. Mamie came in, too. Though, why she was out after everything that happened is beyond me. You’d think she’d be at home planning the funeral, but no. Mamie already had on her black dress and played the grieving widow card. She bawled to anyone who would listen to her sob story. And most of it had to do with your mom.”
My head started to spin. “This whole thing is so frustrating. I don’t know why she is so intent on blaming my mom. I mean, I know their history, but still. Murder is about as serious an accusation as you can get. I can’t believe she hates my mother that much.”
Gerri Lynne got to her feet. “I need to pick up an order. I’ll be right back.”
None of this made sense. Mr. Austin and Sam were in cahoots to get Mr. Oglethorpe to sell his firm. Did they know he had second thoughts about the sale? Or did they decide to take matters into their own hands? They had motive. I saw them when I went to the restroom, and again after Mamie came back inside hysterical. They had motive and opportunity.
And Mamie? She had it in for my mom. Did Mamie know about the Oglethorpe’s financial condition, and that her world of high-rolling was about to come to an end? If Mr. Oglethorpe had a big life insurance policy that might be a bigger motive. And she would not be happy that her husband was going to tell Tyler about Olivia.
Tyler’s mom could also be guilty. She was keen on getting Tyler and Olivia married off, so the families could join their fortunes. Even if Olivia wasn’t pregnant, that wouldn’t matter to Mrs. Jamison. She wanted the power the two families represented. Although, if she knew Mr. Oglethorpe was broke that would change her perspective.
“Hey, who’s the hunk?” Gerri Lynne interrupted my thoughts. “We don’t get many of those in here.”
“Huh?” I looked around for a fresh face in the crowd.
“You were talking to him earlier.”
I swiveled around, and Mr. Austin was across from Sam once again. “Him? A murder suspect,” I said, dragging my tea bag around my cup.
“Shut up. Really?”
“Could be. He was at the rehearsal dinner when Mr. Oglethorpe was murdered. And he’s connected with a construction firm who’s trying to buy out Oglethorpe and Austin. He’d have something to gain.”
Gerri Lynne’s eyes went wide. “Like a hired gun?”
“Nah! I don’t know. But I’m gonna keep my eye on him,” I said.
“I’d be happy to keep my eyes on him.” She winked several times. “Is your mom joining you?”
I squeezed a stream of honey into my tea. “Just me today.”
“How’s Grace doing?” Gerri Lynne asked. “Mr. Oglethorpe’s death must have been a shock.”
“Mom’s okay. Sad, of course. They’ve been friends for a long time.”
“I saw you go in the salon. Lots of tongues wagging over there?” she asked.
“Yup. I went in for a trim, and old Elvira got a bit personal, so I left.”
Gerri Lynne laughed. “A trim with a side of gossip. Should have come over here, the tales are flying.”
“Anything juicy?” I blew across the top of the cup to cool off my tea.
“Girl, is there ever? Hang on a sec.” She went behind the counter, filled a cup with coffee, and weaved her way back through the tables. “Now, where was I?” she asked, sitting down across from me.
“You were getting ready to tell me all the dirt.”
“The word is Sebastian had something hanging over Austin’s head,” she whispered, nodding to Chase Austin who was still sitting in the corner with Sam.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Dunno, just keep hearing bits and pieces,” Gerri Lynne said. “Something about their partnership agreement. Also heard something about Austin and a woman. I could never figure out who they were talking about.”
“Chase Austin and a woman?”
“Yup, a married one,” she confirmed.
At least that let my mom off the hook. Not that she would give Chase Austin the time of day.
“Umm, heard any rumors about Olivia?” I asked.
Gerri Lynne poured a trickle of creamer into her coffee and stirred. “Like baby bump stuff?”
I nodded.
“It’s all over town. Tyler called off the wedding. Don’t even think about taking that jerk back. Not after all the times he’s come crawling back to you after Olivia’s broken his heart. His mother is beside herself. She was in here earlier crying in her cornflakes.”
The sleigh bell Gerri Lynne tied to the front door for the Christmas season jingled
Gerri Lynne’s mouth dropped. “Uh, oh.”
“What?” I asked, turning in my seat to see what she was staring at. Or rather, whom.
Mrs. Jamison stood in the doorway of the café. When her gaze landed on me, she marched over to my table. “I hope you’re happy.”
“About?” I asked.
“I’m not going to dignify that with an answer. Where is he?” she demanded.
“How should I know?”
“Tyler was at your house last night. What I want to know is how you knew about Olivia?”
Before I could answer, Mrs. Jamison lunged across the table and began flailing at me. “You’re going to pay for what you did!”
Mr. Austin raced over and pulled her away.
“You okay?” Gerri Lynne asked.
I nodded.
Mrs. Jamison collapsed against Mr. Austin, and he led her outside.
Sam stayed put and had returned to browsing his phone.
Gerri Lynne and I talked for a while. When my tea got cold, I figured I’d better head home and let her get back to work. “I better go see how Mom is. As crazy as Mrs. Jamison is, no telling what Mamie is up to.” I gathered my things and hugged my friend.
Sam followed me to the door and opened it. “Nice to meet you, Shelby.”
“Can I ask you
a question?”
“I think you’ve had your quota.”
“Funny,” I said.
“Okay, let’s have it?”
Nothing like being a nosy-nelly, but when had that ever stopped me. “Last night I accidentally overheard you and Mr. Austin talking.”
Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes?”
I rubbed my hands together, trying to warm them. “I heard Mr. Austin ask if the plan was coming together, and you told him you had a suggestion and needed his help.”
“And you’re wondering if that suggestion had to do with kill—”
Heat rose to my cheeks. “No. I mean, well…”
Sam chuckled. “Shelby, part of my involvement in this arrangement is to negotiate the best deal I can for Brasher. Oglethorpe was not a financial whiz, but he was the brains behind Oglethorpe and Austin. Sebastian had also developed a drinking problem. I suggested to Chase that the deal be contingent on Sebastian going into treatment.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Like AA or something?”
“Yes. Brasher Construction wanted Oglethorpe in our organization. We had nothing to gain by his death.”
“Thanks for explaining it.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “I’m going to be spending a lot of time in Copper Springs during this transition. Do you think I could call you the next time I’m in town? Maybe have dinner or something?”
I thought about his offer for a minute. “Probably not a good idea. My track record is pretty dismal.”
“Okay, if you change your mind, I’ll be around now and again.”
We went our separate ways, and I kicked myself for not taking his card. No! Bad idea, Shelby. I did not need to get involved in another relationship, not a long-distance one.
Overhead clouds crowded out the sun, and the wind picked up. I drew my coat around me and scrambled to my parking spot. As I approached my car, I saw something hanging on my door handle.
When I got closer, I recognized the candy cane ink pen. It was the same kind Olivia had for favors at her rehearsal dinner. The same kind that Tyler and I found shoved in Mr. Oglethorpe’s neck. The same kind Gerri Lynne had found at the café. I grabbed it with a tissue and put it in my console.
Chapter Nine
I stopped by the station to deliver the pen to Detective Chandler but learned he was still at the crime scene. On the way, I remembered one person who may have seen what went on at the lake. I wheeled into the country club hoping that Bobby, the valet, was on duty. Turned out to be my lucky day. He stood at the main road leading up to the club, talking into his cell phone. There were half a dozen police vehicles and several cops combing the area around the lake.
When Bobby saw me, he disconnected and motioned for me to stop.
“Morning, Shelby,” he said. “Didn’t expect to see you. You know there’s no wedding today?”
“Yeah, I figured. Why are you down here on the road?” I scanned the grounds for a glimpse of Detective Chandler.
He shrugged. “Beats me. Boss told me I had to come in or else I wouldn’t get paid, but the cops won’t let me go up. They told me to stay down here and not let anyone in. Said they’d be wrapping up in a little while.”
“Rats! I need to see the detective who’s working the case.”
“I can go get him, if you want. You’ll have to stay here,” he insisted.
I climbed out of the car. “Nah. I’ll talk to him later. Have you got a minute? I wanted to ask you something.”
He shut my car door. “I’m about questioned out. The cops have picked my brain thoroughly. What do you want to know?”
Bobby had had a crush on me since junior high. I liked him—a lot. Not like he wanted me to like him. I would never do anything to hurt his feelings, though. He was one of those guys who would always be your buddy, regardless.
I looked up the drive to the spot where he had his valet stand. “Do you have a good view of the lake from up there?”
“Yep, first rate,” Bobby said.
“Did you see what happened?”
He leaned against my car and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I saw a lot of activity. For a while it looked like a free-for-all. With everyone down there, I thought the dinner had been moved outside.”
“Wait,” I said. “Who all was there?”
Bobby repeated the names my mother had told me. “The one thing I know for sure was Mr. Oglethorpe was still alive when your mother left. And I told that to the cops.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Oh, Bobby. Thank you so much. She’ll be so relieved.” I paused, then leaned in close. “Did you see who killed him?”
Bobby slowly shook his head. “No. If I had any clue what was going to happen, I would have gone down there myself and put a stop to it. Right after your mom left, a bunch of guests pulled in, and I got busy parking cars.” He nodded over his shoulder. “In the opposite direction.”
“That stinks. Did you see anything after you got back?” I asked.
“When it finally slowed down, Mr. Oglethorpe was by himself. That was right before you came out looking for your mom.” Bobby shrugged. “I feel like this is somehow my fault. Like if I had been here, Mr. Oglethorpe would still be alive.”
I patted Bobby’s arm. “You can’t beat yourself up. None of us expected anything like this. You were doing your job.”
“Thanks,” he said.
“Do you remember who was down there when? I mean, like who was there when my mom was there?”
“Sure. Your mom actually walked to the lake with Mr. Oglethorpe,” he said.
That jived with what Mom had said.
“Then Mrs. O. went flying down like a bat out of h-e-double hockey sticks. That’s how her dress got all messed up. She tripped going down the hill and fell flat on her face. Your mom went over to help her, and Mrs. O. went off on her slapping at her and screaming. That’s when your mom left.”
Argh! “Mamie told the cops my mom chased her and started the fight.”
Bobby laughed. “Not hardly. Your mom didn’t wait around. She scooted before Mrs. O. could get a good swing in. All the commotion got Mr. Austin and Mrs. Jamison’s attention. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, seeing how you and Tyler are friends.” He leaned in close. “There’s something going on with those two.”
“Mr. Austin and Tyler’s mom?” I asked.
“Yep. They were standing on the other side of my tent.” He pointed to the little white tent beside the portico where he and the other valets could get in out of the weather. “I suspect they didn’t think anyone could see them, but we have a couple of those big convex mirrors for better visuals. One of them allows a good view of the side of the tent. There’s a door there, and we want to make sure no one comes out and walks right in front of a car.”
Even though I’d been coming here for years, I’d never noticed the side door. It would be easy for anyone to slip in or out. A large grouping of evergreen shrubs made a nice screen from the driveway. “You can barely see the door from down here.”
“Or from up there either,” Bobby said. “It’s a fire exit and required by code. The architect designed it to blend in with the exterior. The only giveaway is a set of stepping stones that lead to it from the drive. And the mirror.”
“I suppose there’s a security camera,” I said.
Bobby rolled his eyes. “Hasn’t worked in months. The whole system is antiquated, and management keeps putting off getting a new one.”
“What about Mr. Austin and Mrs. Jamison? What did you see?” I asked.
“Mrs. Jamison was boo-hooing her eyes out, and Mr. Austin had his arm around her. Looked like they were more than friends, if you ask me. He was doing a lot of comforting.”
I scoffed. “She was crying?” Interesting. I would have sworn that woman was made of stone. I’d never seen her blink, much less squeeze out a tear. How did that fit with anything? Gerri Lynne had told me scuttlebutt had it
that Mr. Austin was involved with a married woman. Maybe Mr. Austin was breaking up with her.
“Big sobby tears. Like her heart was broken.” Bobby’s face brightened. “There is one thing I just remembered. I can’t believe I forgot.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“When I first got here yesterday, there was a lot of mulch on the drive from the rainstorm Thursday, so I went inside to get a broom to sweep it away. Mrs. Oglethorpe and Mrs. Jamison were in the back arguing. Flat out screaming at one another. Mrs. Jamison called her a two-timing whore, and Mrs O. slapped her. At least it sounded like a slap. I didn’t actually see them. Mrs. O. came out and flew past me. Mrs. J. came out a minute later, and she had a red mark on her face.”
“Curious,” I said. “There was a lot of arguing going on yesterday. Both moms are pretty high strung. I’m sure this wedding has all their nerves wrecked.”
A car pulled in and Bobby excused himself. “Gotta go. Give me a holler if you think of anything else.”
I waved to Bobby and left, trying to decide what the deal was with Tyler’s mom and Mr. Austin. And Mamie and Tyler’s mom, was that wedding nerves or something more sinister?
Chapter Ten
When I walked in, Mom had a stack of unassembled boxes propped against the sofa and four rolls of packing tape on the next to them.
“Ack! I guess we need to start packing,” I said.
“The first of the month will be here before we know it.” Mom cut two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in half and placed them on plates. “It’s going to be a skimpy Christmas.”
“Won’t be our first,” I mused. Knowing we would be moving, we hadn’t even put up a Christmas tree, much less decorated.
“Ugh. I’m sorry I’m such a screw-up,” Mom said.
“Hey, we’re both in this.” I recounted everything I’d learned this morning, leaving out the part about finding the candy cane pen on my car door. “Have you heard any rumors about Mr. Austin and Tyler’s mom? Bobby said she was crying on Mr. Austin’s shoulder at rehearsal dinner.”
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