Sandie James Mysteries Box Set

by Tessa Kelly

  Caroline beamed and hopped off her high stool to give Josh a kiss on the cheek. Glancing over at me, she backed off half a step, though that still put her in the too-close-for-friendship zone. The smile she gave me looked more plastered than genuine.

  “Oh, hi! It’s Sandie, right? Josh told me you’d be coming along.”

  I returned her smile, doing my best to look relaxed. “Hi, Caroline. Yeah...we wanted to talk to you. It’s about—”

  “Oh, my gosh!” Her eyes strayed away from me, lighting on Marlowe at my feet. “What a cute puppy! It’s so quaint how you can just bring a dog into a bar around here. They’d never let this slide in Manhattan, right? This is so Cobble Hill!”

  Bending, she tried to pet Marlowe, but he shied away from her, flattening his ears with a low growl.

  “Marlowe, be nice!” I chided. “Let the lady pet you.”

  His eyes darted up to me. He backed even further away from Caroline to hide behind my knees.

  I kept the grin off my face with sheer willpower.

  You just earned yourself a dog biscuit when we get home.

  Strange, though. Marlowe didn’t usually shy away from people. He was the kind of friendly dog owners liked to boast about.

  Caroline straightened with an embarrassed laugh. “It’s okay, he’s just nervous in a new place.” She flipped her hair and perched on the stool again, patting the one next to her for Josh. I took a seat on Josh’s other side, keeping my hand wound tightly around Marlowe’s leash. Just in case.

  Liam put Josh’s Guinness in front of him and took out a champagne flute. He filled it to two-thirds full with sparkling white wine, then added a splash of dark liquor from the bottle on the glass rack behind him. He put the bubbling drink in front of me.

  “Here you go, gorgeous. One Kir Royale on the house.” He gave me a wink that made me grin despite myself.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Josh’s mouth twitch in a suppressed frown.

  As Liam went to take other orders, Caroline leaned forward on the counter and put her hand on Josh’s wrist. He didn’t pull it away.

  “Isn’t it just awful what happened last night?” she whispered. “I can’t believe the police would ever suspect you. How’re you doing with all that?”

  “Hanging in there.” He gave her a humorless smile. “Hope my family doesn’t find out. Dad would just love this. He’s never approved of my moving to the East coast. This would just be the perfect chance for him to say ‘I told you so.”

  “You don’t think he’d leave you without support, do you?” I asked, vaguely horrified by this new revelation.

  Josh shook his head. “He won’t. He’ll pay for the best lawyers in town, and when it’s all over—if I’m not in prison—he’ll have the leverage to make me move back home and work for him. I’d rather pass.” He scowled into his beer. “All I can hope for is the police finds another suspect before my family hears about this.”

  His words sent a shiver down my spine. I looked away and took a big gulp of my drink, the bubbles going straight to my head.

  Would Josh's dad make him give up on his dream? Not to mention, I’d probably never see him again if he left. The thought gave me a nasty shock. Deciding it was time to change the subject, I leaned forward to face Caroline.

  “So, now that Alexa is gone, what will happen at the gallery? Is that guy Dan Cobbs I saw yesterday a good candidate to take over her job?”

  Caroline rolled her eyes. “Maybe as a temporary solution, until the owner finds a better replacement. Dan just doesn’t cut it. He's got no instinct for this job. I totally think he’s in the wrong profession. He’d do well as an accountant or something like that, but not as an art curator.”

  “Hasn’t he been doing this most of his life?” I asked.

  “Well, yeah. He puts the hours in. And he’s loyal like a dog.” She laughed. “You should’ve seen the way he used to follow Alexa around. It was kind of creepy. She even saw him driving past her house a few times.”

  “Really?” Josh and I said together.

  Now, this was something. It sounded like Dan had been stalking Alexa.

  Maybe professional jealousy had nothing to do with the murder. It could all be a question of unrequited love.

  A love obsession. Definitely a motive for murder, if ever there was one. We were finally getting somewhere.

  Caroline stared at us, probably taken aback by our reaction. At that moment, the phone lying next to her elbow gave a soft chime. She picked it up, her eyebrows pinching as she read the text. She gave Josh an apologetic look.

  “It’s my sister, she’s not feeling well. I guess I have to go now.”

  “Really? I’m sorry.” He hastened to put down a twenty on the counter and made a sign to Liam, letting him know it was there. “Keep the change, man.” His eyes lingered on me for a moment too long. “Your drink’s all paid for, right?”

  “I guess so.” I gave Liam a smile and a wave as I hopped down from my stool.

  He returned the smile with another one of his winks. “See you later, gorgeous.”

  Caroline’s eyes darted between us as she pulled up the Uber app on her phone, and I thought she looked impressed. As the three of us left the bar, she sidled up to me.

  “Are you and the bartender an item or something?”

  I shrugged and bent down to help Marlowe who decided to pick that moment to get tangled up in his leash. It kept my eyes from straying over to Josh.

  “I’m not sure yet what we are,” I said.

  “Well, don’t take too long to decide. That guy’s not going to stay on the market forever. He’s hot!” She fanned herself with her hand to accentuate Liam’s degree of hotness.

  I straightened and glanced behind me through the window of Luce della Vita. Inside the dim space, Liam watched me from behind the bar, looking like a California surfer dude with that longish hair and the tight t-shirt hugging him in all the right places.

  Feeling bold, I returned his wink. Nothing wrong with California surfer dudes, now that I thought about it.

  He looked down for a moment, then back up again. His face broke out in a big smile, showing perfect white teeth.

  I wished I had nothing to do for the rest of the evening. No murders to solve, no heartsick roommate at home to worry about. Just spend a little more time sipping Kir Royales at the bar with him.

  I sighed. What was it people said about wishes and horses?

  Caroline glanced around anxiously, tapping her heel on the pavement. “Where’s that stupid car? I really have to go.”

  It pulled up to the curb just as she said it. She gave Josh a tight hug which he eagerly returned, then kissed him on the cheek. She waved at me with another overly-broad smile.

  “It was great seeing you again! Let’s get together sometime.”

  I nodded, knowing as well as she did the getting-together would never happen. “Sure, let’s do that.”

  We watched her cab round the corner and disappear.

  Josh turned to me, looking a little embarrassed for some reason. “I gotta go, too. See you at work tomorrow?”

  “Umm. You bet,” I said, a little disappointed. For some reason, I’d assumed we were going to walk back together.

  He unlocked his bike and gave me a hurried hug before pedaling off.

  I headed down the street with a tightness in my chest. As I passed my sister’s bakery, I saw Mrs. O’Hara sitting by the window with her usual slice of Kathy’s carrot cake in front of her.

  A friendly chat with the old widow was just what I needed to erase the memory of my meeting with Josh and Caroline. Deciding Marlowe and I would make a quick detour, I went in.

  There were two other customers besides her, having coffees and sandwiches and chatting in low voices. They looked up when I came in but otherwise paid me no attention.

  I made a beeline to Mrs. O’Hara’s table. She smiled brightly as I approached.

  “Hello, dear. Come for some dessert?”

  “Y
o, gansta!” From behind the counter, Valeria, my sister’s long-time employee, grinned as she pointed her thumb at the espresso machine. “Want anything before I turn this off?”

  “I’ll have a vanilla latte,” I said. “And a cheesecake brownie, if there’s any left over.”

  “There sure is!” She placed one on a paper plate on the counter and turned away to steam the milk for the latte.

  “Giving away food again?”

  I spun around at the voice. Jeff, my sister’s husband, stood in the doorway that led from the café into the back room. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Valeria, making as if I wasn’t there. Valeria glanced at him over her shoulder with a noncommittal shrug.

  “Doesn’t take long to ruin a business when you start giving away food left and right,” Jeff said, talking as if to no one in particular. “Kathy’s already being too generous with the salaries this year.”

  Still sore over the one-dollar raise Kathy had given me last month. It irked me that he assumed I didn’t intend to pay for my food.

  “Don’t think Valeria gives away a lot of stuff,” I said, getting out my wallet. “I haven’t seen her do that anyway. How much do I owe you?”

  She gave me an eye roll, both of us knowing it was meant for Jeff. “Five dollars.”

  I took out a five and put it on the counter.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Kathy said, stepping out of the back room with a stern look at Jeff. “My sister doesn’t have to pay for coffee in my bakery.”

  She went past him behind the counter and slid the five back toward me.

  Jeff’s mouth tightened. “Your bakery. Yeah.”

  He gave her a dark look, then pivoted on his heels and disappeared into the back. I watched the spot where he’d stood. Jeff had always resented the fact that the bakery belonged to Kathy alone, and that resentment only grew stronger over the years. My sister’s remark tonight was just another reminder, one more knock at the already shaky foundation of their marriage.

  I looked at Kathy. “Is it just me, or has he been in a bad mood since you gave me that raise?”

  She sighed. “It’s not you. I mean, yes he’s been in a bad mood, but that’s got nothing to do with your raise.”

  I frowned. Come to think of it, my sister seemed more stressed out than usual, too. Maybe it was more than just Jeff’s bad mood affecting her.

  I slid my hand across the counter and placed it on top of hers to give it a light squeeze.

  “You’d tell me if you were having problems, right?”

  She smiled a distracted smile and shook her head. “Sandie, don’t you worry. Everything’s fine.”

  Turning away, she hurried into the back room after Jeff before I could ask any more questions.

  I stared after her, worry winding like a coil around my heart. What was going on with my sister?

  “You going to drink that, or should I just pour it out?” Valeria said, pointing at my latte with her chin.

  “Definitely drink it.” I slid the money back across the counter. “And take the five. I don’t want to give Jeff any more reasons to grumble.”

  Taking the latte and the brownie, I joined Mrs. O’Hara at her table. She gave me a look of understanding. “Don’t mind him, dear. I know it’s not my place to say so, but your sister is too nice a person for that old sourpuss.”

  I snorted into my cup. If it had been anyone else talking about my sister’s husband like that, I would’ve taken offense. Coming from Mrs. O’Hara, it sounded almost funny.

  Especially since I’d never heard her gossip or speak ill of anyone.

  And she was right. Kathy deserved the best from her husband, all the love and respect, and it often angered me that Jeff continuously failed to give her either.

  Still, it wasn’t my place to interfere. Or discuss my sister’s marriage with others.

  “Have you seen Jeremiah today?” I asked to change the subject.

  She beamed. “Oh, yes! We went to a tailor in the city and had one of my late husband’s suits fitted for him. Come the weekend, he’ll be so dashing you won’t recognize him.”

  I grinned. She was actually gushing. Like a teenage girl about a first crush.

  “The two of you are going to have an amazing time together. And if it sparks another memory, even better.”

  “He is a wonderful man,” she said, smiling softly. “Always...”

  Her voice trailed off as Jeff stomped out of the back room with a stack of pastry boxes in plastic bags.

  My sister’s clients included a variety of cafes and specialty stores around the city and nightly deliveries were a regular part of her operation. As I glanced at Jeff, though he was carrying less than usual.

  He marched out without a word, pretending not to see me. I turned back to Mrs. O’Hara who watched me somberly. “You’re worried about your sister’s business, aren’t you?”

  There was no hiding the truth from her. Reluctantly, I nodded.

  She tilted her head sideways. “Perhaps, there’s something we can do to help.”

  “Really? Like what?”

  She narrowed her eyes, looking off into space. “Let me give it some thought and I’ll get back to you.”

  She finished her carrot cake and rose to her feet. “It’s getting late, dear. I should be heading home. Do have a nice evening and try not to fret. When you get to be my age you realize how much of your youth you’ve wasted on useless worrying. It’s a real shame. And, one way or another, things always work out. You’ll see.” Passing my chair on her way to the door, she gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze.

  I finished my brownie and my coffee, then said goodnight to Valeria who was wrapping up sandwich ingredients and cleaning the counters for the night.

  My talk with Mrs. O’Hara made me feel better. Leaving the bakery, I headed home, determined to take her advice and not to worry anymore. That determination lasted all of three minutes.

  I turned the corner and stopped dead.

  On the other side of the street, striding with swagger in his gait, was Tyrone.

  His tall slim figure and the dreadlocks tied together down the back were hard to miss. Even harder to miss was his left arm, draped over the shoulders of a shapely young woman in a tight red dress. A woman who was definitely not Felisha.

  The two of them laughed as they walked, too wrapped up in each other to see me standing there, rooted to the spot.

  Chapter 11

  Felisha was bustling about in the kitchen when I got home.

  “Just in time!” she called. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”

  “Baked salmon and asparagus?” The tantalizing smells made my stomach rumble.

  “With my famous garlic lemon butter sauce!”

  She sounded happy: cooking always relaxed her.

  How could I tell her about Tyrone and the other woman? The news would crush her.

  Next to me, Marlowe sniffed the air and whined softly. I gave him the dog biscuit I’d promised.

  “Sorry, pal. I know you’re hungry, too. I should’ve taken you back to Dad’s. Guess you’ll have to spend the night now. Dad won’t be happy about that.”

  “How’d your meeting with Caroline go?” Felisha called over the clanking of dishes. “Did you find out anything new?”

  “We did, though I’m not sure how it all fits together yet. I’ll have to think about it for a while.” I swallowed, doing my best to ignore the hunger gnawing on my insides. “You know, I’m not that hungry right now. Could you save me some food so I can eat it later?”

  “Uh... okay. If you’re sure.”

  She sounded disappointed, but not nearly as much as she would be if I told her about Tyrone. If I sat down to dinner with her, I’d have no choice but to deliver the blow.

  “I had a bunch of new ideas for my novel while I was walking home,” I lied. “I want to write them down while they’re still fresh in my head. Also, Marlowe’s here for the night. Will you give him some dog food?”

/>   “Sure. But does your dad know?”

  “Not yet. I’ll call and tell him.”

  “Won’t he be mad?”

  “Yeah. Probably.” I held back a sigh. Telling Dad about Marlowe was the least of my worries.

  I kicked off my shoes and let Marlowe off the leash, then made a beeline for my room, feeling like a traitor for keeping the truth from my best friend. Behind the closed door, I paced the floor, my mind full of disjointed thoughts, unable to concentrate on any one thing.

  Alexa’s body inside Marcel Bright’s sculpture stood up before me, succeeded by Josh’s pleading eyes when he came to ask for my help. Immediately, Will’s angry stare took his place, warning me away from the case while Tyrone swaggered through the scene, his arm around the woman in a skimpy dress. Behind them all, Jeremiah’s sad, patient eyes watched me with hopeful expectancy, like a ghost in a forgotten picture frame.

  I rubbed my eyes, trying to chase them all away. They weren’t helping me think.

  Maybe trying to write was just the thing to clear my head. The laptop stood open on my desk, ready for action. I sat down, pulled up the file with my novel, and stared at it.

  Twenty minutes later, no new inspiration. My mind too full of other things, I closed the laptop and sat back, then glanced at my phone. There was a new text from Liam.

  ‘Great seeing you at the bar tonight, but too many extras. When do I get to be alone with you?’

  I read the text again, but all it did was bring up an acrid taste in my mouth. I just couldn’t stop thinking about Tyrone and the other girl. The whole thing was too much like my college boyfriend whose cheating had sent me backpacking around the world.

  In spite of myself, I wondered if Josh was seeing Caroline, and the thought drilled a small hole in my stomach.

  From the bed, Hemingway lay watching me with a steady gaze. He had taken to camping out in my room as Felisha’s frequent sneezing made him irritable.

  “You and Asimov should go back to live with Dad,” I told him. “We’ve got enough trouble with guys around here as it is.”