A Murderous Misconception

by Lorraine Bartlett

  “I’m here because you left the steakhouse in a rage and were driving recklessly.” His lips twitched. “I’d turn you over my knee and give you a spanking, but I’m afraid we’d both enjoy it too much.”

  “You’d die trying!” she shouted.

  He laughed. “There’s my little spitfire.”

  Katie’s eyes narrowed. “You think you’re funny, huh?”

  “I’m a regular Jerry Seinfeld.”

  “Then answer my question, Jerry. Do you think Andy could be guilty of murdering Erikka?”

  Shifting from one foot to the other, Ray said, “I still think the only thing Andy Rust is guilty of is of being a damned fool. But after you came to me this morning and asked, I wanted to be certain.”

  She nodded. “Fair enough.” Her shoulders slumped and she let out a heavy breath, feeling more than a little chagrined. “I suppose I should thank you for pulling me over. Once a cop, always a cop, huh?”

  “Something like that. What made you come storming out of the restaurant like a whirling dervish?” Ray asked.

  Katie turned and leaned against her driver’s side door, which felt cool on her backside. “A couple who owned a B&B wanted to offer Andy their condolences on Erikka’s death.”

  “That was nice of them.”

  “A B&B that Andy and Erikka visited for an overnight stay back in June?”

  Ray grimaced and let out a breath. “I’ll bet that didn’t go over well.”

  “I thought about shoving a couple of cheese straws up his nose.”

  Ray winced.

  Katie crossed her arms across her chest and let out a breath, every muscle in her body tensed. Fight or flight—and she’d flown.

  “Would you like me to drive you home?” Ray offered.

  “Home? I don’t have a home—at least not right now. And I sure as hell am going to empty everything I own out of the apartment over Angelo’s as soon as possible. If I can’t move in right away, I suppose I’ll have to rent a self-store unit.”

  “I’ve got some room in my garage.”

  Ray was still in the rental house, and Katie knew he hadn’t totally unpacked from his move the previous year. The garage was still filled with boxes. His house-hunting efforts seemed to have come to a standstill.

  “That’s very nice of you, but I can manage. I’ve already called a mover.”

  “Why don’t you take the rest of the evening to figure out your next move. Your apartment over the tea shop will be ready pretty soon. Now’s not the time to rush into things.”

  “I’d say I’ve waited far too long to make the break.” She glanced askance to see that Ray was trying to stifle a smile. “Don’t get any ideas, Ray,” she warned.

  “About what?”

  “About anything.”

  He sobered. “Katie, I’m your friend. I’ll always be your friend, and if that’s all I’ll ever be, I’m okay with that.”

  Sure, now even Ray didn’t want her.

  Katie shook her head. “I’m going back to Sassy Sally’s and hope Brad made enough dinner for four.”

  “I’d be happy to take you to dinner.”

  “Thanks, but … I’m good.”

  She had already said far too much. If she was going to commiserate with anyone, it would be Nick…or Seth, or Don, or Brad.

  It was then Katie realized there were far, far too many men in her life.

  Chapter 11

  Hungry and not wanting to invade Sassy Sally’s kitchen, Katie parked her car in front of Tealicious. Upon unlocking the door and entering, she ventured to the kitchen where she peered into the refrigerator to see what she had to work with. Ham, herbed butter, watercress, mayo, roast beef—she took all of it out and placed it onto the counter. Next, she retrieved a slice of rye bread, a slice of wheat, and a slice of white. Cutting the rye bread in half, she spread some mayo on it and then stacked the ham. On the wheat, she piled on roast beef and light horseradish. The white bread was reserved for the herbed butter and watercress. Now if she only had a bottle of wine—or two—to wash it all down.

  After arranging the tea sandwiches on a plate, she put on a pot of kava tea to soothe her nerves and looked to see what leftover pastries remained after the teashop had closed for the day. Sadly, the oatmeal chocolate chip bars were all gone, but a few of the key lime cookies and some almond butter shortbread remained. She piled a few of each on another plate and took them to her favorite table in the empty, dimly lit dining room.

  Katie sat and studied her repast wondering, after what she’d learned about Andy and Erikka, how she managed to retain an appetite. Maybe she was in shock. Yeah, that sounded right. Except…if she was honest with herself, she’d suspected Andy had lied to her about his relationship with Erikka. She’d seen them together too many times through the pizzeria’s big front window, laughing, looking at each other with eyes that sparkled—yes, sparkled—like in a Hallmark movie! And now she felt like a damn fool for trusting him.

  A noise at the shop’s door caused her to look up. Key in hand, Brad entered the shop. He looked around the room with concern, having not yet seen her, and Katie called to him: “Over here!”

  “Oh!” He let out a breath as he strode toward her table. “What are you doing here so late? Are you all right?”

  Katie shrugged. “Pretty much.”

  “I didn’t intend to intrude,” he said. “I was concerned when I saw lights on in the dining room. I’m accustomed to seeing them upstairs in the apartment after closing but not down here.”

  “You aren’t intruding in the least. I appreciate your concern and diligence.” She nodded toward a chair. “Care to join me?”

  He sat. “I take it your evening with Andy didn’t go well then.”

  “It was practically over before it started.” She told him about the Rochester inn owners who’d stopped by the table to express their condolences to Andy on his loss. “That would’ve been fine had they been consoling him on the loss of his friend-slash-assistant manager. But, no! They thought I was Andy’s sister! And they told me what a lovely couple they found Andy and Erikka to be when they stayed at the inn!”

  “Oh, wow. That really sucks.” He snagged a piece of the almond butter shortbread. “Want me to punch Andy for you?”

  “If anybody punches Andy, it’s gonna be me. I wouldn’t deprive myself of the satisfaction.” She sipped her tea, feeling heartsick. “But violence isn’t the answer. I’ve been such a fool, and I’m not wasting another minute on Andy Rust wondering why he did what he did, why I wasn’t enough for him, and if I could ever forgive and trust him again. All I want now is to clear myself of suspicion in Erikka’s death and move on with my life.”

  “Hear, hear. You do realize I’ll help in any way I can, don’t you?”

  “I do,” she said and even managed a weak smile. “And your support means a lot to me.”

  After eating in silence for a moment, Katie added, “I’m sorry I wasn’t around to help you through your breakup with Julia.”

  “That would have been difficult, since we hadn’t yet met,” he said and laughed. “Still, I’m kinda glad you weren’t.” He gave her a wry grin. “I was such a horrible friend to everyone who tried to help me that I managed to alienate almost all of them. Thankfully, Nick remained a true friend and refused to budge—it was he who was finally able to talk me into going to rehab.”

  “How long did it take you to get over her?” Katie asked before popping the rest of the watercress sandwich into her mouth.

  “Not long once I dealt with my anger and got sober,” he said. “I accepted the fact that she didn’t want me and realized that if she didn’t love me I didn’t want her either. And, eventually, my love for her dimmed and made it possible for me to move on. You’ll get to that point, too.”

  Katie managed a wan smile. “Promise?”

  He nodded. “Cross my heart.”

  They finished eating, and Brad insisted on helping Katie with the dishes and buttoning up the kitchen for the night
.

  “Are you going to drive back to Sassy Sally’s?” he asked, as he locked the door.

  “No. I can move my car tomorrow. Then again, I’ll be parking behind Tealicious from now on anyway.”

  “Great, then I’ll walk you home.”

  Home? Not quite.

  At that moment, they heard a slam from somewhere on the darkened Square. Brad stepped protectively in front of Katie.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “Probably just one of the merchants closing up shop. Come on.”

  He started walking, and Katie hurried to catch up. Although she wasn’t superstitious, Katie was oddly glad she had the crystal from The Flower Child in her purse.

  When Katie returned to her room at Sassy Sally’s, she cuddled with Mason and Della on the bed. She told the cats all about how rotten her so-called date had been, and then she promised them they would be moving into their new home soon.

  Seeing that it wasn’t terribly late, she picked up her phone and called John Healy.

  “Good evening, Katie,” Healy answered brightly. “I hope nothing’s wrong.”

  She gave a weary laugh. “You’re hoping I’m not calling to complain about anything.”

  “Well, sure, but your satisfaction is my top priority. What’s up?”

  “I’m actually calling to see if I can move my furniture into the apartment sooner than I’d anticipated. I know I told you I was planning to do it at the end of the week, but I’d like to go ahead and move some of it in if I can. I’m eager to establish my new home for myself and my cats.”

  “I don’t see why you couldn’t,” he said. “It’s close enough to the end of the week that I believe it’ll be fine. We’re just doing the final touches now—we’re almost ready for you to do your walk-through. Would you like to do that before moving the furniture in?”

  “Sure. Thanks, John.”

  “That’s what I’m here for. Let me know when to expect the movers.”

  “I will, thanks.”

  Katie ended the call. Saying she was eager to move in was putting it mildly. While her new home would be smaller than even the apartment over Angelo’s Pizzeria, it would be hers—all hers. Well, except for her being beholden to her ex-mother-in-law, Margo for the loan to do the work. But she had a plan to pay off that debt and she’d make that self-imposed deadline on time, if not before.

  After reaching to turn off the light by the side of the bed, she sank back into the mattress. As she did so, her cats moved to nestle against her. It was then that she finally gave into the tears that had been threatening for hours. And she cried herself to sleep.

  By the next morning, Katie had not only regained her composure, but her resolve, as well. She dressed and ventured out to power walk around Victoria Square. When she saw Moonbeam unlocking the door to The Flower Child, she called, “Good morning!”

  Moonbeam turned and said, “Hey, Katie! That looks fun. I really should exercise more often.” She pushed open the door and stood on the threshold. “Would you like to come in?”

  “I would actually.” Katie paused. “What does my aura look like today?”

  Moonbeam waffled her hand back and forth. “No way near as bad as it was, but still not in the most optimum place. Have you suffered another shock recently?”

  Katie didn’t want to confide too much to Moonbeam, since she still didn’t know the woman well. So, she gave a humorless laugh and said, “I feel as if lately my life has turned into a B-list horror movie—one scare after another. But that’s not why I’m here—I’m here to make sure you know about the Harvest Festival.”

  “I hadn’t heard about it,” Moonbeam said, so Katie explained that it was an annual, highly publicized event that Victoria Square merchants participated in to offer sales and to get their name in front of customers.

  “I hope you’ll participate,” Katie said. “People need to know about The Flower Child.” She smiled. “Also, this year, Artisans Alley is hosting a vendor appreciation reception. The arrangements are still being made, but I wanted to extend an invitation to you while it was on my mind. It would give you a chance to meet your fellow merchants—or, you know, the ones you haven’t met yet.”

  “Awesome! I’ll look forward to it.”

  Katie took some money from the wristband wallet she wore. “Thank you again for the massage and the crystal.” She slid the money across the counter.

  Moonbeam held up a hand. “You put that right back where you got it. The massage and the crystal were gifts. I’m happy they made you feel better.”

  “They sure did,” Katie said. “I apologize again that I didn’t come by to check on you sooner.”

  “Nonsense. You’ve had a lot on your mind. Do you have a few minutes to chat? I don’t want to keep you from your walk.”

  “Trust me—I’d much rather chat.”

  “Super. Let me fill the kettle with water, and in a couple of minutes, we can have tea while we spill tea.” She giggled at her own joke as she took the kettle into the tiny kitchenette.

  Katie looked around the shop. She hadn’t paid much attention to it when she’d been there before—she’d been too relaxed by her massage and then mildly unsettled by Moonbeam’s talk of Erikka’s negative energy and where it might go.

  The Flower Child was a charming little shop. In addition to the crystals, herbal teas, and eclectic jewelry, Moonbeam’s inventory also consisted of dream catchers, scented soaps, lotions, candles, CBD oil products, incense, and new-age books lining her shelves and display cases.

  Moonbeam returned and attached the kettle to the heating element, plugging it in. After flipping on the device, she returned to the kitchen for two mugs and a variety of tea blends. “What’s your pleasure?”

  Katie chose a maple oolong. “Tell me—what was it like growing up with the name Moonbeam?”

  Laughing as she plucked a white pear tea from the platter, she said, “Surprisingly, it wasn’t that big a deal. My parents taught me to embrace my uniqueness and to ignore any negativity that tried to worm its way into my life. So I ignored the bullies, and everyone else accepted me as the girl with the quirky name.”

  “What are your parents’ names?” Katie asked, as she placed the tea bag into her mug.

  “Mary and John.” At Katie’s surprised expression, Moonbeam added, “If I’m lying, I’m dying.”

  Both women laughed.

  “I’m really glad you made your way to Victoria Square,” Katie said.

  “Me, too.” Moonbeam poured hot water into both their mugs, and the teas’ soothing aromas filled the air. “By the way, your prediction came true—a couple of detectives stopped by yesterday to ask me if I’d seen or heard anything unusual on the night prior to or the morning of Erikka Wiley’s death.”

  Katie stirred a packet of stevia into her tea. “What did you tell them?”

  “The truth. I didn’t see or hear anything. I did wonder, though, if either of those policemen was the one Erikka had dated.”

  Her spoon clattered onto the countertop. “Wh-what?”

  “You didn’t know?” Moonbeam lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Of course, she could’ve been lying—who’s to say?”

  “Wait. Erikka told you she was dating a police officer? When?”

  “One night, I went into Angelo’s right around closing time for one of those yummy cinnamon rolls. Erikka was getting ready to leave, and I offered to walk out with her. You know, safety in numbers and all?” She took a sip of her tea. “Anyway, she said something along the lines of, “Don’t worry about me. I’m dating a cop. He always makes sure I’m safe.”

  “How weird,” Katie murmured.

  “Right? I was a little affronted that she didn’t care about my safety in the least. Of course, I’ve already told you what shape that woman’s aura was in.” Giving a slight shake of her head, Moonbeam added, “I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised at her complete self-absorption.”

  “Did she make her comment loudly—possib
ly for the benefit of anyone else who might be listening?” Katie asked.

  “I don’t think so. The only other person I saw was a kid mopping the floor…and he was wearing earbuds.”

  Was that kid Roger?

  Erikka was dating a cop? Had Andy known that? And, if so, could he have been jealous?

  Unfortunately, now that she and Andy were officially through, Katie wasn’t in a position to ask.

  A cop? Who could that have been? McKinlay Mill had no police force. As a village, they depended on the county mounties for protection, but the next town over had its own force, as did the city of Rochester. The word “cop” covered a lot of territory. Was the man from Erikka’s past? Where could she have met him?

  Those were questions Katie feared she’d never have answered.

  Chapter 12

  Finishing her three-circuit power walk around the Square and returning to Sassy Sally’s, Katie decided to follow up on Moonbeam’s assertion that Erikka claimed to be dating a police officer. She was glad she didn’t bump into anyone on her way to her room. She wanted to shower, change, and investigate this rumor on her own.

  For one thing, why would Erikka still be obsessed enough with Andy to pay a professional to photograph her in skimpy lingerie—and present those photos to Andy—if she was involved with someone else? Had she merely dated the other man—the officer—in an attempt to make Andy jealous? Or had Erikka been in some sort of love triangle with Andy and the policeman?

  Katie guessed that since she and Andy had been together at the time, it was more fitting to deduce that—if Erikka was, in fact, involved with another man—the four of them had made up a love square.

  More like some sort of freakish love merry-go-round. Why hadn’t I seen what was going on right under my nose? Had I been too involved in my businesses, my new apartment, and Ray’s plight that I hadn’t paid enough attention to the dynamic between Andy and Erikka? Had I simply closed my eyes to what I hadn’t wanted to believe? Or had I believed that Andy and Erikka were merely friends, like Ray and me?