Bound To Be Dead: Cozy Mystery Bookshop Series Book 3

by Tamra Baumann

  I fake a smile. “Want some coffee?”

  “Boy, do I.” Meg slides into the nook across from me and takes a long drink from my mug.

  “That was getting a little cold anyway.” I slip out of the booth and pour myself some more liquid energy.

  “Oh, was this yours?” Meg sets the mug down. “I’m sorry. I’m a little preoccupied today.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” I sit across from Meg again. “Have you heard from Lance and the kids?”

  “No.” Tears form in Meg’s eyes. “It’s the longest Lance and I have ever gone without speaking to each other. He must be furious this time.”

  I lay a hand over my sister’s. “Or he doesn’t have cell service. Isn’t that one of the reasons you didn’t go? So you could stay in touch with the hospital?”

  “Yeah. And I’ve had to put out a fire a day so far.” Little lines form on Meg’s forehead as she takes another slug of coffee. “But my partners would’ve handled things if I hadn’t left instructions to call, I suppose. Maybe I should’ve gone camping.”

  “You’d have been miserable with worry about your patients. And then no one would’ve had fun.” I squeeze Meg’s hand. “I bet Lance and the kids are missing you as much as you’re missing them. Maybe when they get back, you can promise to be better about turning off your phone when you’re not on call.” Meg’s patients are lucky to have her, but her kids and Lance need to know they matter too.

  “Good plan. I need to do that. Thanks, Sawyer.” She finishes her stolen cup of coffee, then says, “Now that we have a scheme to save me, what are we going to do about you?”

  I huff out a breath. “I’m much more concerned about Dad going to jail and Brittany leaving to live with a pack of thieves than I am about myself.”

  “We’ll need to eventually get back to you, but for now, I agree those two are both pressing matters. Hopefully, you and Madge will find something to help Dad today in Monterey. But I’ve been thinking about what’s best for Brittany.” Meg stands to refill her mug. “Remember when you told Mom you were going to live with Dad on the road full-time? And that you’d done the research, and she couldn’t stop you?”

  “Yep.” Not one of my proudest moments. “I’m sure I hurt Mom’s feelings.”

  Meg nods. “Imagine her horror at the idea of you growing up at state fairs, carnivals, and dingy theaters. She’d had enough of that life the minute I was born. She wanted better for us.”

  “I know.” Guilt makes me cringe. “But Mom had my backpack and a sack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches ready before I could even brush my teeth that morning. She gave me a kiss and then shoved me out the door.”

  Meg smiles. “Yes, but then she cried for a week straight. She knew forbidding you to go would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. You’re as stubborn as they come. Brittany takes after you in that department.”

  I shake my head. “But this is different. Telling Brittany to go live with people who have a history of breaking the law isn’t the same as me living with Dad for a few weeks until I begged to come home.”

  “Really?” Meg laughs. “Who was it who had us practice our sleight of hand skills at the fruit stand? Dad has never paid for an apple in his life. We both know he’s no saint.”

  That’s true. I hated when my father would pull expensive toys out of the secret pockets of his suit. Receiving stolen property is a crime too. That’s why we had a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy. “I don’t think he does that anymore. Does he?”

  “No.” Meg joins me again. “I gave him a credit card that I cover every month. But back in the day, when he didn’t have money, he wasn’t above stealing food so we could eat.”

  I study my folded hands as I consider Meg’s words. “Brittany said they never had money unless she earned it. Maybe her mom just needed to eat too.”

  “Exactly. And Brittany probably loves her mom as much as we love Dad. So, we should let her go with our blessings and hope she’ll make the right choice. Like you did.”

  I don’t like this plan one bit, but it makes sense. Brittany swears her mom is sober these days. And everyone deserves a second chance. “The day Dad dropped me off after my miserable adventure, I couldn’t find Mom anywhere. I was afraid she was mad and avoiding me. I finally found her in the greenhouse messing with her roses. She dug in the dirt with that goofy grin she always had on her face when she gardened. After I cleared my throat, she looked up, winked, and went right back to work. We never spoke of it again.”

  “Letting kids try and fail is one of the sucky parts of being a parent. It hurts to watch sometimes. But you can’t go around solving their problems for them, or they’ll never learn to get along on their own.”

  “Dylan pointed out I have a really bad habit of trying to solve everyone’s problems. But I can’t seem to help it.” I lay my head down on my folded arms in defeat. “Okay. We’ll do it your way. But if it doesn’t work, I’m blaming you.”

  “Fine.” Meg stands and drops a kiss on the top of my head. “Just so you know, I offered to take Brittany in when we knew Mom was in her last days. But she insisted that once you got over the shock of having a kid dumped in your lap, you’d step up to the plate. Mostly because she knew you wouldn’t back down when given a direct challenge. So thank you for being so stubborn.”

  I snort out a laugh. “Go away before I deck you with my stubborn fist.”

  “Love you too.” Chuckling at the idle threat, my sister adds, “Thanks for the amazing coffee. See you later.” Meg is almost out the door when she stops. “By the way. My offer still stands to help you start a restaurant in San Francisco if Uncle Frank ends up with everything.”

  That’s what I love about my sister. She’s the most generous person I know. But I would never ask her for something that big. Opening even a small restaurant can take hundreds of thousands of dollars.

  “Thank you.” I lift my head from my arms to appear more confident than I feel. “But I haven’t given up yet.”

  “Fine. But we all like having you nearby again, so whatever happens, don’t you dare run back to Chicago. Got it?” Meg’s right brow arches like it does whenever she’s not messing around. I bet my niece and nephew fear it too.

  I give her a thumbs-up because I have a big lump in my throat and can’t speak. I don’t want to go back to Chicago either. I have some friends there and a great executive chef position I was promised I could have again with a simple phone call, but little else. No real connections with the town like I have here.

  After my sister is gone, I lay my head down again and moan. Losing the house, my future restaurant space, and even the bookstore that doesn’t make much money would be letting my mom’s legacy die. It’s all I have left of her.

  However, if my uncle wins, Brittany leaves with her mom, and if Dylan and I don’t get back on track, I won’t have much reason to stay. And the thought of starting over in a big town like San Francisco that already has more restaurants than it needs doesn’t appeal either.

  If nothing else, when things are settled, I need to decide if I want to start over again with Dylan. To give one hundred percent of my heart and trust he won’t break it again is a risk I’ve been hesitant to take, but we can’t stay in limbo forever. Maybe this separation he imposed will be a good thing. It’s a rare day I don’t see Dylan now. Let’s see how much I miss him by the time Tina’s mysterious death is solved.

  Speaking of which, I need to get going. I have a few tasks to do at the store before Madge picks me up for our trip to Monterey. One of them being finding pictures online of my uncle, Tina, and Pattie. Hopefully, we’ll get some clues to who Pattie’s mystery man truly is. And what, if anything, he has to do with Tina’s death.

  The toot of a horn outside my store’s window is my signal it’s time to go. “Bye, Nan. See you in a few hours.” I pat my dog’s fluffy head. “Sorry, Coop, but you have to stay this time.”

  My dog stares adoringly at me and wags his tail like I’m just kidding. It alway
s tugs at my heart when he does that, but not today. Madge and I have serious sleuthing to do. “Nope. Not going to work. Be a good boy.”

  Nan joins me and says, “Actually, he might be a good prop for you two. It’s mostly outside dining at The Blue Hippo, right?”

  I blink at Nan because I don’t recall telling her about my plans with Madge. But then, my store’s not that big. “It is, but what do you mean about Cooper being a prop?”

  Nan shrugs. “How often do people stop and pet Cooper when you’re out? All the time, right? Because goldendoodles are cute and cuddly like teddy bears. Might be a good way to get a conversation started with a stranger.”

  “Great point.” I grab Cooper’s leash and clip it on. “See you in a bit.”

  Nan shakes her head. “It’d be best if you went right home after you gals get back. So you can spend a little more time with Brittany before her mom gets in. I’ll stay and lock up.”

  Nan’s offer makes my heart go all gooey. “You’re the best!” I give Nan a hug. “Thank you.”

  She leans back and frowns. “Get going, you two. I have work to do.”

  She hates hugging, but Nan hugged me right back. Her reputation as the grumpy town librarian cracked for a second there. And I love it.

  Madge toots her horn again, so Coop and I hurry to the curb. I open the VW Bug’s door, and Cooper jumps in first. After I clip Coop in, I settle in my seat and say, “Let’s hit it.”

  “Hang on!” Madge grins as she guns the engine.

  I grab the leather handle and hope we make it in one piece. I’ve only driven with Madge around town, never on PCH. Especially going way over the speed limit on windy roads with solid rock formations on one side and the Pacific Ocean hundreds of feet below on the other. I turn around to check on my dog, and he’s huddled on the floorboard in the back where I wish I could be too. Then I wouldn’t have to see the rocks in my face or the angry churning waves before we crash into them.

  We really should’ve taken my car.

  To make matters worse, Madge cranks up the radio and starts singing Beach Boys songs I’m pretty sure were written in my parents’ childhood days. That’s all we need. More distraction on what could be mistaken for a theme park ride—one without tracks and safety bars across our laps.

  But then, it’s the Beach Boys, so the dormant words buried somewhere deep in my brain come out too. It’s either join in and hope for the best or have a nervous breakdown, so before long, I’m also singing. And having fun for the first time in days.

  What is it about doing risky things that makes a person feel so alive?

  Madge takes a hand off the wheel, and my euphoric bubble explodes.

  “There.” She waves her pointed finger in front of my face. “See that?”

  “What am I looking for?” I study the hillside whizzing past us. “All I see is a crash in our future if you don’t put your hand back on the wheel.”

  Laughing, Madge says, “Hemlock. It grows wild along the highways. All the plants we talked about last night do. If someone knew what they were looking for, they’d have their choice of poisons.”

  “Really?” I look again and still don’t see anything unusual, but then, it’s probably always been there. “You’d think they’d do something about that.”

  Madge hitches a shoulder. “Cavemen used rocks to kill their enemies. Can’t confiscate all of those. If someone is going to commit murder, they’ll find a way. But there must be something unique about what killed Tina because Dylan is going to great lengths to hide the type of poison from the record.”

  “Probably so you won’t snoop and find it,” I bark out over the loud music and road noise.

  She laughs. “Of course, that’s why. But this time, there’s something different. I hate to say this, but I think he’s being so secretive because of you.”

  “Me?” I take my eyes off the curvy road and face Madge.

  She nods. “Because of your family. Maybe he doesn’t want us to be tempted if we find something incriminating.”

  My stomach sinks. “He must think there could be something for us to find.” I mull this over for a few moments. “What would I do if I found out my father was responsible for Tina’s death? It’d be a huge temptation to bury what we find. Is this trip a mistake?” I stare out the windshield in an oddly calm state. Suddenly, a car crash doesn’t seem as scary as finding something that could send my father to jail for the rest of his life.

  “Earth to Sawyer.” Madge snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Knock it off. Now is not the time to doubt. Instead, now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Or party, as it was originally written. But in this case, we can substitute father.”

  I can’t help the ghost of a smile that’s threatening. “Thanks for the middle school typing flashback. I hated that class.”

  “Really? I loved it.” Madge grins. “And hasn’t it occurred to you that you are also related to another prime suspect? Your uncle? Maybe Dylan is making sure any evidence collected is done by the book so Frank won’t slip out of this one.”

  That makes my stomach feel a whole lot better. “Excellent point.”

  Madge rolls her eyes. “Now pull it together, because we’re almost there. What’s our plan?”

  Happy for the distraction, I grab the phone from my purse. “I found profile pictures to show around The Blue Hippo and the B and B next door. Hopefully, someone will be willing to spill.”

  Madge pats her purse. “I brought a few twenties to help with that in the event we need to grease some palms. And you know I’m always packing, so we should be good.”

  “If we make it there alive,” I mumble under my breath and hang on tighter.

  “I heard that,” Madge says and steps on the gas.

  “Let’s be clear about one thing. There will be no pulling out guns.” The last thing we need is to be thrown in jail too.

  “It could be a last resort.” Madge slows the car to the posted speed limit for a change. “The real problem is Pattie could be lying. We need to verify both relationships if we can. Pattie and the mystery man, who we have to hope has a limp or something identifiable, and your uncle and Tina’s alleged affair.”

  “Alleged affair? Who are you? Judge Judy? It’s not alleged. Dylan was the one who told me about it, remember?”

  “Yes.” Madge raises a finger to make her point. “But the conversation Pattie says she overheard hasn’t been proven. She could have made that up to make the mayor look bad because we all know she can’t stand him.”

  “Speaking of that, how does my uncle get reelected mayor all the time if no one likes him?”

  Madge laughs. “It’s not about liking him. It’s more about not making him angry. Owning so many buildings and surrounding land means he has a hand in most things. But the real reason is that no one else wants to be mayor. It’s a thankless job that doesn’t pay well. Woo-Woo Beth makes more than the mayor does.”

  I didn’t know that. “Maybe if the job paid more, someone else would run against him.”

  “Maybe.” Madge slides into a space and yanks on the parking brake. “But it’s really a part-time position, to begin with. One we might need to fill soon if we find out anything useful today.”

  I grab Cooper’s leash, and the three of us head up the sidewalk toward The Blue Hippo. “If you ran for mayor, I’d be first in line to vote for you.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. Flattery will get you nowhere with me. Besides, I’m content in my current position, thank you very much.”

  “It wasn’t flattery. You’d be a good mayor.” I throw an arm around Madge’s shoulder and give her a squeeze. “On the other hand, you’re far too valuable as the head snoop at the police station. Forget I mentioned it.”

  “Already forgotten. Let’s try the B and B first.” Madge hops up the steps of a converted Victorian home and barges through the shiny wood and wavy-glass front door.

  I start to follow and then stop. I have Cooper, and he might not
be welcome. But it’s just for a few minutes, so we follow behind. “Be a gentleman, Cooper.”

  Coop wags his tail and walks right beside me into the small lobby as if he were a puppy school valedictorian. Which he has never attended, but that’s on me, not him.

  There’s just one clerk who’s helping a man, so we have to wait. I whisper to Madge, “Should we say our friends said they were staying at a B and B in town, but we can’t remember which one? Then we could give the woman their names.”

  “That won’t work. They have privacy rules.” Madge digs out a little black leather wallet and opens it. “Got this on the internet. Looks kinda real, right?”

  It looks just like a real police badge. “Isn’t that called impersonating a cop? Which is illegal!” I’m struggling to keep my voice down.

  “Not if I don’t say I’m a cop.” Madge throws her elbow into my ribs. “Watch and learn, grasshopper.”

  “This isn’t a good—” I’m interrupted by a hard tug on the leash. High-pitch squealing makes Cooper’s body jerk to full alert mode. When a family with three kids appears at the bottom of the stairs, Coop’s manners fly right out the window. He nearly tugs my arm out of the socket in his attempt to join their fun. Cooper loves children, so there’s no stopping my bundle of fur.

  The squealing becomes deafening when three little girls start toward my dog at a full run.

  “Girls! Stop this instant!” Their mother has to scream to be heard. “You have to ask if it’s okay first. Remember?”

  The woman’s stern tone has Cooper stopping in his tracks too. How is it all mothers know how to do this?

  In unison, three sets of adorable big brown eyes meet mine, silently asking permission until the oldest kid finally says, “Can we play with your dog? Please?”

  “Absolutely.” I let Coop go, and he’s instantly inundated by three sets of loving arms.

  I’m watching them play when Madge flies by me.

  “Fun’s over, girls. We have to go.” Madge jumps into the pile and fishes out Cooper’s leash. Then she hands the kids a twenty each. “There’s a toy shop three doors down. I bet you can find something fun for yourselves. Bye!”