I glance to the carts they’re pushing and note they’re fresh out of quilts. Who would have guessed my mother and Georgie would form an unholy business alliance with head-turning sales volume? I’d better buy stock in Wonky Quilts while we’re still on the ground floor.
But first thing’s first.
“I’m not getting a divorce,” I say loud enough for all interested parties to hear. I’m about to extrapolate when I spot Willow speaking to Marigold in front of Suds and Illuminations. “Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have an investigation to conduct.”
I dart past Jasper, and soon I’m right in Willow and Marigold’s midst.
“Wonderful vigil,” I say. “I hope it brought you both some peace.” I try my hardest to control my breathing from the quick jaunt over.
Both women nod in agreement, but Willow squints past me as if trying to make something out.
“Is that your sister?” Her jaw becomes unhinged. Her blonde hair is combed to the side, and in this dull light she looks strikingly like Macy whether she intended to or not.
“Yes, she’s out on bail,” I say. “And it wasn’t soon enough.”
“Well good for her.” Willow cinches her lips. But is it good for me? The last thing I need while trying to rebuild my life is the white-hot spotlight of suspicion over me. What if they discover what I’m running from? I’ll do time, that’s for sure. And if I run now, I might do far more time for a murder I didn’t commit. Not that it hadn’t crossed my mind. But unless I poisoned those donuts in my sleep, I’m not the one who should be frying for this one. I’m sorry, Macy. I might look an awful lot like you at the moment, but I’m not paying for your sins.
I take a deep breath as I contemplate her thoughts.
Willow is officially crossed off the suspect list. And I’m not interested in her petty theft. So her secret is safe with me, and with Jasper for that matter, since he’s already been apprised.
Marigold postures my way. “Are you okay, Bizzy?” Her hair is slicked back, nice and neat, and she’s impeccably dressed for the brisk fall weather. She’s wrapped in a gorgeous plaid peacoat, and I want to stop everything and make her tell me where she garnered that wool treasure. Although, if I did track it down, I probably couldn’t get over the sticker shock.
“I’m fine.” I try to shake out all of the madness this night has already displayed out of my mind. “How are you? Any more of those ghostly happenings?”
Willow gasps hard as she looks to Marigold. “You too?” Oh, thank God. At least I know it’s not just me. And Lord knows Marigold irritated Ember the most.
Marigold gives a somber nod. “And you?”
A horrible moan escapes Willow. “I think I’m going insane. Every night this week I’ve heard strange noises, scratches outside my window. And last night I woke to find red sticky liquid oozing all over my living room floor. It turned out to be the cherry vanilla bubble bath we were selling. There was a puddle of it right in front of my door. I thought it was blood. I screamed for an hour at least. I know that was Ember. It was her way of telling me she wasn’t happy that I was closing the store.”
Marigold nods my way. “She’s after us. She wants to control us from the great beyond. She wants us to be afraid of her from the other side as much as she wanted us to fear her in the here and now. Ember is as tenacious in death as she ever was in life.” Not a surprise. A brat in this life and the next. “Honestly, I think Warner would be proud.”
Willow shakes her head as she looks to Marigold. “How is Warner doing?” There is a pained look in her eyes as she asks the question. “Is he any better?”
Marigold stiffens. “His only daughter is dead. He’s doing worse than you’ll ever imagine.” Something across the street catches her eye. “Well, would you look at that?”
Willow and I turn that way to find Flint and Hunter having a rather animated conversation.
Here it is. My moment.
I turn back to the ladies in front of me. “Will I see you both here for the parade on Thanksgiving?”
Willow glances back to her shop. “I’ll be here. I struck a deal with the landlord, and I told him I’d be out by the weekend. I’ve got a lot of cleanup ahead of me. Ember’s ghost really did a number in there.” A sorrowful laugh strums through her. “Words I never thought I’d say, and yet I’m not all that surprised.” And a parade—how fitting. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the fact I won’t have to live another moment under Ember Sweet’s thumb.
Marigold takes in a breath. “I’ll be here.” Her gaze is still pinned on Flint and Hunter across the street. I need to make sure that rat fries for what he did. And as soon as the sheriff’s department untangles the knot of Laurel’s disappearance, I’m sure they’ll realize they have their man. “I’ve always liked a good parade.” She shrugs over to Willow. “I’ll even help you pack up the store. What can I say? I’m feeling generous.”
“That’s a great idea,” I say. “I’ll bring the donuts!” My hand flies to my lips. “That’s not what I meant.” I cringe as I quickly step away with a wave.
I spot Jasper watching me with his hands shoved deep in his pockets from about thirty feet away. He looks stern and concerned, and yet very, very patient with me.
And I’m glad about that glimmer of patience in him because he’s going to have to hold steady a little bit longer. My feet carry me across the street at a quickened clip, and no sooner do I arrive than Flint has moved on to a crowd of women all cheering and clamoring for his attention.
Perfect. I scoff at my own imperfect timing.
Hunter is already walking down the street in a determined fashion that lets me know he’s taking off, and I jog my way over until I catch up with him.
“Hunter!” I call out, and he turns around, giving me a sweep with his eyes as if trying to place me. His dark blond hair is combed back in smooth waves, and his thick cologne threatens to suffocate me. “It’s me, Bizzy Baker Wilder. We met on the hayride. I was the one with the weird quilt.”
“Wonky quilt.” He snaps his fingers my way. “Those aren’t weird at all. I was thinking about picking up a few for Christmas to give to my mother and sisters. I figured they love that kind of stuff.” He gives an affable smile, and I instantly like him.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.” He takes a step in close, and I can see Jasper from my peripheral vision heading this way.
Great. Leave it to Jasper to jeopardize my case. He, of all people, should know better.
“Hunter, what do you know about a woman named Laurel Crabtree?” There, I blurted it out in haste because I can feel the lead homicide detective in the case breathing down my neck. Don’t get me wrong, I very much want him breathing down my neck in less than a couple hours.
Hunter inches back a notch. Why in the heck would this woman be asking about Laurel?
A breath hitches in my throat.
He knows her! He knows Laurel. This could crack everything wide open.
Hunter shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure I know who that is.” No use in getting caught in that dragnet, too. It’s bad enough I’ve been taken down to the sheriff’s station twice to be quizzed about Ember’s untimely demise.
My mouth falls open as I give an incredulous huff.
Jasper dragged him down twice and has yet to tell me?
“Oh, come on, Hunter. You know about Laurel.” I’m this close to shaking him. “How did Flint make her disappear?”
A heavy groan comes from him. “Okay, look, I know enough to get me into trouble. Ember came to me once and mentioned the girl.” He blows out a deep breath. There’s no way I’m going to tell her Ember swore if anything ever happened to her that Flint would be responsible. That would be tantamount to pinning Ember’s murder on him. And not a bone in my body believes he did this.
I nod. “He could have very well done this.”
He inches back once again. “Laurel was—Ember told me a few things when we met up for
coffee a few months back.”
“You had coffee with her after what she did to you? After she caused you to lose your license?”
“What can I say? I’m a lover, not a fighter. Yes, she utterly destroyed me, but when I bumped into her, she seemed frantic. Out of sorts. I was concerned.” Ember on a good day was harmful to others. Ember on the edge of oblivion was downright dangerous. “She said Flint was cheating on her. She thought maybe some chick by the name of Laurel Crabtree was back in town. I guess a couple of years ago Flint was an alderman. He had an affair with a summer intern, a high school student by the name of Laurel Crabtree. She was under eighteen. I don’t know the details. But according to Ember, there was legal trouble looming, and then all of a sudden the girl was gone.”
“As in missing?”
“As in I don’t know. But Ember felt strongly that something went very wrong. She said that Flint destroyed Laurel’s life, and now he was trying to destroy hers by way of humiliating her.”
Funny. That seemed to be her MO.
I nod. “I saw you talking to Flint. You seem as if you’re on friendly terms.”
He glares in the direction the councilman is currently working the crowd.
“We’re not.” In fact, we’re anything but. I’ve made a deal with the devil, and now I have to hope everything works out the way we planned. And if it doesn’t? I’ll be the one to roast once again. “Goodnight, Bizzy.”
My mind spins just trying to make sense of his thoughts.
“Will I see you at the parade? It’s the last day of the Founders’ Day celebration. We’ll have free donuts!”
Ugh.
Again with flaunting the murder weapon in people’s faces?
A dark laugh strums through him. “I’ll be here.” He glances past me once again. But only because he will. Flint and I have unfinished business. He owes me for what I’ve done for him. And if he pays up, I just might come out of this mess on top.
Jasper steps up as soon as Hunter disappears into the shadows.
“Well, Detective Wilder?” He sheds an easy smile, and all the stress between us seems to up and disappear.
“Let’s go home,” I say, wrapping my arms around him. “How does some hot cider in front of a roaring fire sound? There’s a lot to process tonight.”
“Sounds like heaven.”
Chapter 14
As soon as we get back to our cottage, I jump in the shower while Jasper makes some hot cider, and we reconvene on the living room sofa as the fireplace rages.
Fish and Sherlock are playing with the kittens, and every now and again they zoom by in a furry blur.
Jasper wraps his arm around me as we snuggle and munch on a platter of apple cider mini donuts that I swiped from the café kitchen.
“Your hair is wet.” He lands a kiss to the top of my head. “Hey? Why wasn’t I invited in that shower?”
“Because you gave me the stink eye while I was conducting a rather thorough investigation this evening.”
His chest broadens with his next breath. “Just tell me the divorce isn’t on the table.”
“Eh, that’s Macy’s deal. I think if you were her husband, she would have already kicked you to the curb by now. But I have a sneaky suspicion she would have at least had the courtesy to tie you up and teach you a lesson first. Matrimonial manners and all. Would you like me to tie you up and teach you a lesson, Detective Wilder?” I bat my lashes up at him, doing my best to flirt.
His chest bounces with a silent chuckle. “I’ve got the cuffs if you’ve got the time. What did you glean?”
“Other than the fact I directly disobeyed my husband?”
“Bizzy.” Jasper leans his head back a notch, the distinct look of defeat on his face. “You are everything to me. You’re my wife. You’re going to be the mother of my children one day. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” His fingers twirl through the hair at the base of my neck. “Look, I know I can’t stop you, but if I didn’t try and something did happen? I couldn’t live with myself. That being said, maybe it’s time we look into a weapon for you.”
I pull back. “Like a gun?”
“Yes, like a gun. You can use it for self-protection. I trust you with it. And I might feel a little better knowing you’ll have it on you since I can’t be with you twenty-four seven.”
“No way.”
“Think about it.” He takes a sip of his cider before setting the mug down. So who’s still on the suspect list for the murder of Ember Sweet?”
A hard groan comes from me as I lay my head on his shoulder.
“I don’t know. There’s Willow Taylor. But I don’t think she did it. She’s wanted for petty theft in another state, and the only thing going through her mind is keeping her nose clean.”
Sherlock and Fish stop in their tracks as Sherlock lands by our feet and Fish hops up onto the coffee table next to the donuts.
She belts out a sharp meow. Time for the suspect circle! she calls out and the trio of cuteness hops over like a bunch of bunny rabbits.
Willow isn’t happy with Macy, Pumpkin mewls. I think Macy should stay away from the donuts.
Spice meows in agreement. But they look so delicious.
Macy doesn’t stand a chance, Cookie adds.
“They think Macy is toast.” I shrug over at my handsome hubby, and he nods.
“She might be. Anything else about Willow?”
“She’s closing up shop. She did say—or think—that Ember’s death felt like Christmas and her birthday all rolled into one. I think she’s just so relieved that she didn’t have this woman making her do any and everything on a whim just because she had her by the cookies.”
Jasper ticks his head to the side. “I would imagine she is relieved. Who’s up next?”
“There’s Marigold, I guess. She’s married to Warner Sweet, Ember’s wealthy father. He’s been in Africa, but he may have just gotten back. I’m not sure on that. And both poor Marigold and Willow claim they were visited by Ember’s ghost.” A mean shiver rides through me. “I’ll admit, strange things have been happening at the inn. I just want this all to be over and for everything to go back to the way it was. Of course, it’ll never be over for Ember—not in any good way.”
“Or the killer.” He lands a kiss to my cheek.
“Anyway, Marigold is the one who told me to look into Flint. She said she heard Ember and him arguing about Laurel Crabtree. Which brings me to my next point. I didn’t get a chance to speak with my prime suspect, Flint Butler”—I say, giving Jasper’s facial scruff a quick scratch—“but I did speak to Hunter Knox.”
The kittens all mewl at the very same time.
Pumpkin rears her cute little head. Tell me he’s not the killer. He seems like such a kind soul.
I quickly relay it to Jasper. “And I agree with her. Hunter is nice. Honestly, he should be my number one suspect, but he’s just so darn likable.” I try to scroll through my memory of any and every meet-up I’ve ever had with Hunter, and my mind sticks on something. “Wait a minute. The day of the murder, I saw Flint and Hunter going at it, but toward the end of their conversation Hunter held his hand out and Flint clasped it. I remember thinking it didn’t look like a handshake or a high-five. What if Hunter was giving something to Flint? Like the strychnine that was used to kill to Ember?”
Jasper blows out a breath. “Possible. But why would Hunter team up with Flint to kill her? I would think if one of them had the desire to pull it off, they wouldn’t drag anyone else in on it. That would be messy.”
“True, but Hunter had some odd thoughts tonight. He said that he and Flint had some unfinished business. That he owed him for what he’s done for him. And if Flint paid up, Hunter thought he just might come out of this mess on top.”
Jasper closes his eyes a moment. “Okay, so I’d say it’s a definite possibility they teamed up.”
No! the three kittens mewl like a choir, and I laugh as I shrug up at Jasper.
“The Hunter Knox Fan Club
is taking umbrage with the fact.” I poke my finger to his chest. “Speaking of taking umbrage with the fact, why didn’t you tell me that you called Hunter into questioning twice already? Shouldn’t I be privy to this information? What did he say?”
Jasper’s lips twitch. “The legal answer is, no, you shouldn’t be privy to it. The proper answer as your husband is, I’m sorry.” His lips flex in a wry smile.
“You’re forgiven. Did you learn anything new?”
“Nothing. Because apparently you need to be a mind reader to crack this case. He’s definitely climbing the suspect list.”
I nod. “He’s right behind Flint.” I told Jasper about what Hunter said regarding Laurel on our ride home. “So we know now that Laurel was working on one of Alderman Butler’s campaigns, and now she’s gone. She was young. Maybe he knocked her up?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “Or maybe she threatened to expose him and was blackmailing him?”
“I like her more already.”
“This new information is going to make tracking her down a heck of a lot easier. I hope.”
“I hope so, too.” I wrap my arms around him tightly. “I think Flint may have done this. If Ember knew the details of Flint’s sexual dealings with an underage girl, this could cost him his entire future political career. I think he had the most to lose.”
Sherlock barks. That’s our killer then. I say you lure a confession out of him by way of bacon.
Fish yowls as she smacks Sherlock on the top of his head with her paw, You can’t lure a confession out of anyone with bacon.
You can if you withhold it from them. He barks right back.
I look to Jasper. “Sherlock thinks bacon is the answer.”
“It’s the answer to a lot of tough questions.” Jasper pats the spot next to him on the couch, and Sherlock jumps up. “Maybe I’ll try bribing the suspects with bacon. Stranger things have happened.” Those silver eyes of his land on mine. “Is it too soon for you to take another shower? If you won’t let me join in this time, the least you can do is let me watch.”
A Frightening Fangs-giving Page 14