With that cheery reminder, I headed back home to change and get to the store. It was show time.
I was so scared I was trembling as I pulled up outside. I knew the café side would do well—people need their coffee and cinnamon rolls—but it was the barkery side I worried about. It wasn’t exactly a small-town concept, so I’d be relying on tourists to find and like it. Not the easiest audience to court. A loyal customer is gold that keeps paying day after day, but I’d be trying to run a business based on drawing in new customers week after week. Not the best strategy.
At least we’d planned for all outcomes. If the barkery did fail, we’d just expand the café into the barkery side and I could still bring Fancy to work.
It just wouldn’t be the same, that’s all. Plus, I don’t like to fail. It’s not me.
Fancy cried in my ear, reminding me that we couldn’t sit in the car all day, we had to get inside and get open. Jamie was already there—probably had been since four or five—baking up all her daily goodies. I was lucky enough that all the dog treats could be made a day or two before, so I got to “sleep in” as much as Fancy ever allowed me to.
(You should know that as much as I make little comments here or there about Fancy, that I adore her more than the world. So don’t for one minute think that I don’t happily roll out of bed at an ungodly hour and schedule my entire day around my dog with anything less than absolute gratitude that I have her in my life. Truth be told, if it weren’t for Jamie and my grandpa I could honestly say that I like Fancy more than anyone in the world. But that crying to get out of the car thing? Pure misery.)
I led Fancy inside, flipped on the lights on my side of the store, let her out the back to run around in the dog run with Lulu, and then snuck across to see how Jamie was doing. She was elbow-deep in dough and I could see what looked like muffins baking in the nearest oven. A tray of cinnamon rolls was cooling on a tall rack nearby, the scent heavenly.
“You need me to do some taste testing?” I asked. “First day of business and all. We don’t want to put out an inferior product.”
She laughed. “I set one aside for you. Right there. Have at it.”
I took a bite and sighed in pleasure. It was still warm, the frosting all soft and gooey, melting on my tongue in that perfect way good cinnamon rolls have, the cinnamon blending with the sugar in a perfect ratio of spicy and sweet.
I would’ve been best friends with Jamie even if she couldn’t cook, but it certainly didn’t hurt things that she was magic when it came to baking. “I’m going to get so fat working here.”
“Haha. Hardly. You know all the running around we’ve been doing getting this place ready? Just wait until we’re open.”
“I hope you’re right.” I polished off the last of the cinnamon roll and stared out the back window where I could see trees swaying in a slight breeze as Lulu and Fancy rolled around on the grass. “Do you think we did the right thing, coming back to the valley and opening this store?”
“Yes. Without a doubt. And, remember, I’m the one who grew up here so I had no illusions about it being some idyllic mountain paradise.”
I threw a hand towel at her. “It is an idyllic mountain paradise.”
“You keep telling yourself that, Ms. I Found a Dead Body.” She threw the towel back at me with a laugh. “Something doesn’t have to be perfect to be worthwhile, you know.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Are you talking about Luke?”
“And what if I am?”
“He’s a player, Jamie. You have to see that.”
“Just because a man flirts doesn’t make him a player. He makes me laugh. You should be glad I’m getting out there again.”
I sighed. Jamie had been through a really ugly breakup six months ago and I’d worried about her. She’s a person who isn’t happy outside of a relationship. (Unlike me. Give me a good book and I’m just fine all alone, thank you very much.)
“Promise me two things,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“One, you won’t fall for him. You’ll keep in mind what I’ve told you about him and assume that he is probably flirting up half the county.”
She pursed her lips, but nodded. “Okay, fine. And two?”
“Two, you’ll keep an open mind about other men and try to find someone a little more worth your time.”
She grimaced.
“Jamie, please.” I heard the front door jangle and glanced out front to see Katie walking towards us. I turned back to Jamie. “Promise? That you’ll look for someone better than Luke?”
She shrugged one shoulder.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
I grinned at Katie as she joined us. “And you can help, Katie.”
“Help with what?” She glanced at us, emotionless as always.
“Help me find Jamie someone better to like than Lucas Dean.”
Katie stared at me like a deer caught in headlights.
“Maggie! You are not going to start enlisting people to find me someone better to like. If someone comes along, fine. Until then, I am just fine with Luke, thank you very much. Katie, can you get started putting out the fruit cups? I hadn’t had a chance to do that yet.”
“Sure.” Katie pushed past me towards the big walk-in, her steps stiff and robotic.
Resisting the urge to check her neck for an off switch, I left them to their prep work. I’d have enough time later to keep working on Jamie. I just wanted to see my best friend happy, that’s all.
Chapter Nine
The weekend went by in a whirl. We’d planned the grand opening to coincide with a big dog show that was being held in the resort event center nearby so we’d had non-stop customers in both the barkery and the café from when we opened on Friday all the way through Monday.
It was great. And exhausting. So I was very happy to have my day off on Tuesday. We’d agreed when we opened the store that as much as it might be good for the business for us to both work seven days a week that that just wasn’t sustainable. No point in opening your dream store and burning out in the first six months.
We wanted to love what we were doing, not hate it. And anyone who tells you that when you really love something it isn’t work hasn’t had to be on their feet for ten hours straight while keeping a smile on their face under all circumstances.
So Tuesday morning—after a nice walk around the neighborhood where I saw Katie doing her running thing once more, but no sign of Mr. Jackson hiking up the mountain—I settled down in the backyard for a little peace and quiet. At least I knew I wasn’t going to have some weird man barking at me or Fancy this time.
(I know. A man was dead. I should be more respectful. But he barked at me. I mean, really. How torn up was I supposed to be over a man like that?)
We stayed out there until the sun was high enough in the sky to take away all the good shade spots. I love that space, but there are no trees, so after about 10 am it’s not a pleasant place to sit. Walking back into the house, I heard my grandpa talking softly and paused by the laundry room, wondering if he was so far gone already that he was talking to himself.
I crept forward, trying to figure out what he was saying—to see just how crazy he’d become—when a woman’s laughter rang out. I let out the breath I’d been holding and walked down the rest of the hall towards the kitchen.
A woman I didn’t recognize was sitting at the kitchen table with my grandpa. She was well put together, her white hair tied back in a bun, her clothes neatly pressed and tidy, earrings on her ears, rings on her fingers (lots of rings), and bright red lipstick. I looked her up and down with a touch of disapproval. My grandparents had been married forty years and would’ve stayed married forever if my grandma hadn’t died. I wasn’t sure I liked the thought of some well-put-together woman honing in on my vulnerable widower of a grandpa.
I stepped forward. “Hi. I’m Maggie. Lou’s granddaughter. Who are you?”
It’s possible I was a little forceful with my question, b
ecause she laughed. “I’m Lesley Pope. But we’ve met before.”
“When?”
“At the library. Your grandparents used to bring you in when you were visiting. Always had a book in hand. Some things never change.” She nodded towards the book I was currently holding.
I’ll admit that hearing that she was or had been a librarian made me soften towards her. Just a bit, though. She was still honing in on my grandma’s turf.
“Are you still a librarian? Don’t you need to get to work?” I set my book down on the table so I could cross my arms as I glared down at her.
“Maggie May. You leave Lesley alone. I had friends before you decided to become my live-in nursemaid, and if I have to choose between those friends and having you stay here, I’ll choose them. So scoot along now.”
I looked back and forth between them. “Is that all you are? Friends?”
“Maggie May. I am eighty-two-years-old. My mother has been gone a long, long time and I don’t need you stepping up to take her place. Now if you don’t mind?” He nodded towards the living room.
“Fine. Nice to meet you Lesley.” I stomped away, noting that he hadn’t actually answered my question.
“And you, Maggie,” Lesley called after me. She actually meant it, too.
I didn’t. I was too busy wondering if she was taking advantage of my poor, bereaved grandfather.
As I walked across the living room I heard her say, “24 Down is INGRATE. I-N-G-R-A-T-E.” My grandpa thanked her, his voice soft and warm.
So she could help with his crosswords, could she? Harrumph.
I couldn’t figure out what to do with myself while she was there. Lock myself away in my bedroom like I was twelve? Sit in the living room and pretend I couldn’t hear them talking softly in the kitchen? I’d already taken Fancy for her walk, and I was forbidden to set foot in the barkery on my day off.
Fortunately, she didn’t stay for much longer. I wandered into the kitchen to make Fancy’s lunch and casually said, “Lesley seems nice” as I wet and microwaved Fancy’s food for her.
“Mmhm. She is.” My grandpa didn’t even look up from his paper. Stubborn old man.
“How do you know her?” I asked, leaning against the counter in as unassuming a pose as I could manage.
He chuckled. “Maggie May.”
“Maggie.”
“Maggie. I have lived in this town for forty-one years. I know everyone who lives in Creek who’s over the age of twenty.”
I set Fancy’s food in her bowl and turned to look at him. “You loved Grandma.”
“I did.”
“But…”
He leaned his elbows on the table. “But your grandma is gone. And I’ve been alone. And it’s nice to have an attractive woman who knows crosswords to talk to on occasion. She also plays a mean game of Scrabble if you’re ever up for it.”
I frowned. “Do you think…I mean, would you ever…I don’t know, get married again?”
He shook his head. “Lesley’s already married.”
“What? Grandpa!”
“It’s not like that, Maggie. We enjoy each other’s company and her husband…well, he’s…he’s not well. He’s still at home, but he needs a lot of care. And sometimes Lesley just needs to get away from it all for a bit. So she comes here and we talk. That’s all we do. Talk. And I’d appreciate it if you kept that to yourself. No one else knows and no one needs to know.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you, that’s all. I don’t want her taking advantage of you when you’re vulnerable.”
He snorted. “I’ve never been vulnerable a day in my life. You should worry more about yourself and less about me. What did you think of Matt? He’s grown into a good man despite some hard times. Found himself in the military. It’s good to see.”
I gave Fancy her after-lunch treat and sat down across from him. “I have big plans, Grandpa. And they don’t involve falling in love. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
He pressed his lips together and looked at me for a long, long moment. “I’m sorry to hear that, Maggie. I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like without your grandma. I hope you find what we had someday. And I hope when you do, you don’t let it pass you by because of those plans of yours.”
I grimaced. Just like he didn’t want to have to explain Lesley to me, I didn’t want to have to explain all my twisted feelings around what he’d just said to him. “Love you, Grandpa. You up for a game of Scrabble? Or you only play when Lesley’s around?”
“I think I have time for a game or two. But you better be prepared to be beat. I don’t lose, even when my opponents are pretty.”
I laughed. “That sounds like a challenge. And I’ll have you know I don’t lose even when my opponents are old and crafty.”
Chapter Ten
I’d just played a seven-letter word on a triple word score when someone banged on the front door loud enough to send Fancy into a barking frenzy. “You get the door, I’ll shoo Fancy outside,” I told my grandpa and ran to herd her out the back.
She doesn’t wear a collar at home and is too big to grab and move, but I can usually step in front of her until I get her going in the right direction. Plus, a good treat or two works wonders once she’s calmed down enough to realize what I’m holding.
So while Fancy and I did the treat and two-step shuffle out the back door, my grandpa answered the front door. “Matt, good to see you again. You got my gun?”
I could just barely hear them from the laundry room as I blocked Fancy outside.
“I’m afraid it has to be Office Barnes today, Mr. Carver.”
Hearing that, I ran back to the front of the house as Fancy howled in protest—I almost never lock her out alone—but I couldn’t worry about her right then.
“Why? And who’s this?” my grandpa demanded as I slid around the corner and ran through the kitchen.
“This is Officer Clark. He’s here to…well, to help me if you decide not to cooperate.”
“Cooperate? That’s all I’ve done so far. What’s this about, Matt?” My grandpa was almost shouting.
I put a hand on his elbow to calm him down, silently hoping he’d let me step in before he said something he shouldn’t. “Officer Barnes. If you could just explain what’s going on, I think we’d both really appreciate it.”
Matt nodded, lips pressed tight. This wasn’t the warm man I’d met the other day, but someone doing a duty he didn’t like. “Ballistics on the gun came back. It was the one used to kill Jack Dunner. And all the prints we could find on it came back to you, sir.”
“Well it’s my gun, ain’t it? It should have my prints. That all you’re going on?”
Officer Clark moved his tobacco around in his mouth as he leaned forward. “There’s also the fact that you’re a known killer. Did it before, why wouldn’t you do it again.”
“That doesn’t count.”
I stared at my grandpa. “What’s he talking about? I thought you’d done time for robbing banks not murder.”
“It wasn’t murder, it was manslaughter. And if I hadn’t shot the man he would’ve shot his wife and who knew who else. If I had it to do all over again, I would, but that doesn’t mean I killed Jack Dunner.”
“Grandpa,” I muttered. “You’re not helping things.”
He held my gaze. “Maggie May, I’ve done a lot wrong in my life, but the one thing I haven’t done is lied to people about who I was or why I did it. Was robbing those banks a mistake? Yes, it was. But when you’re young and poor it’s hard to see other paths you can take. I broke the law and I did my time, but I ain’t never been a liar and I ain’t going to start being one now. That man I shot was like a rabid dog and he needed to be put down. If I hadn’t done it, he’da hurt a lot of people that day.”
He turned back to the officers. “I’m telling you, Matt, I didn’t do this.”
Matt nodded. “I hear what you’re saying, sir. I do. But I need you to come in for questioning. You’re not under arrest.
Not…yet. And hopefully we can clear all this right up and you can be home in just an hour or two. But I do have to take you in. This is my job, sir. Somedays I don’t like to do it, but it has to be done.”
My grandpa thought about it for a long moment and then nodded. “Fine. Let me get my hat.”
“I’ll come with you,” I said. Fancy could handle herself for an hour or two just fine.
Matt stopped me. “Sorry, Maggie, but you might as well stay here. You won’t be allowed into the interrogation room with him.”
“Should I call him a lawyer?”
My grandpa came back, settling a stained old ballcap with a John Deere logo onto his head. “I don’t need no lawyer, Maggie. We’ll sit down, we’ll talk this through, and we’ll get it all cleared up in no time. You just stay here and enjoy your day off.”
He gave me a kiss on the cheek before stepping out the door, Officer Clark following after, his hand on his gun like he really believed my grandpa was going to make a run for it.
I looked at Matt. “Should I call him a lawyer?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. If…If we end up arresting him, I’ll let you know. And if we’re gone more than two hours, swing by the station, that’ll mean we weren’t able to clear things up easily.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
I watched him walk down the path and slide into the driver’s seat of his police cruiser, my grandpa seated in the back like a common criminal.
Only after they’d pulled away did I step back into the house. I had a lot to think about. Not the least of which was the fact that my grandpa had actually killed someone and I’d never even known about it.
I texted Jamie to ask how busy the store was, desperate to tell her what had happened and get her advice, but she didn’t even text me back for ten minutes and when she did it was a one-word text.
Slammed.
So I paced the house, tried to read my book, watched some horrible reality dating show that made me cringe so much I finally had to turn it off, and then paced some more. I finally got so desperate I started cleaning. I dusted all the bookshelves in the front room, washed all the dishes that were in the sink even though I could’ve just thrown them in the dishwasher, and even mopped the kitchen floor.
A Dead Man and Doggie Delights Page 5