by Laura Childs
Back inside, Theodosia set the tables with her favorite Villeroy & Boch French Garden place mats, then added small plates plus matching cups and saucers in Royal Albert’s American Beauty pattern. She was trying to decide between silver or brass candlesticks when the phone rang. Figuring it was an early morning take-out order, she skipped across the tea room, grabbed the receiver, and said, “Indigo Tea Shop, how may I help you?”
“Theodosia!” came a strangled cry.
Theodosia almost didn’t recognize the voice at first. Then, in a tentative, almost disbelieving tone, she said, “Meredith, is that you?”
“It’s . . .” There was a series of choking sounds, then, “Yes, it’s me.”
Meredith sounded so bad that Theodosia figured something terrible had happened.
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything!” Meredith wailed. “Fawn went out for a walk last night and never came home!”
That bit of news rocked Theodosia back on the heels of her Cole Haan loafers.
“You mean that Fawn never made it back to her and Alex’s house?”
“She did not. Now . . . like, five minutes ago, I received a call from the Coast Guard. They told me they discovered Alex’s sailboat—his J/22—floating in Charleston Harbor. It was bobbing around like some kind of crazy cork, practically heading out to sea!”
“Wait. What?” Theodosia was still trying to process this startling burst of information. “Are you saying . . . is the Coast Guard saying . . . that Fawn disappeared out of the sailboat?”
“Yes!” Meredith cried. “That’s exactly what the Coast Guard suspects! Because the really horrible thing is, Fawn’s purse and sweater were found in the sailboat’s small cabin. But there was no sign of her!”
“Dear Lord, I ran into Fawn last night on my way to Drayton’s house,” Theodosia said.
Meredith pounced on Theodosia’s words. “You did? Really? Did Fawn tell you where she was going?”
“Fawn told me she was simply out for a walk. Mulling things over, trying to clear her head.” Theodosia hesitated. “Actually, Fawn struck me as being somewhat despondent.”
“Oh no,” Meredith quavered. “That does not sound good at all.”
“Did you know that Fawn and Alex haven’t been getting along?” Theodosia asked. “That Alex has been verbally abusive to her?”
There was a long, drawn-out silence, and then Meredith said, “That can’t be true. They’re newlyweds. They adore each other.”
“Fawn stuck around after the tea yesterday and confided in me that she and Alex were having serious problems.”
“This is the absolute first I’ve ever heard about any kind of rift in their marriage,” Meredith said. Then, with renewed firmness in her voice, she said, “No, that simply isn’t possible. Fawn and Alex are completely in love.” She let loose a heart-wrenching sob. “And now Fawn’s gone!”
Theodosia decided a discussion about Fawn and Alex’s failing marriage wasn’t important right now. What was critical was finding Fawn.
“Tell me what’s being done to locate Fawn,” Theodosia said.
Overhearing Theodosia’s words, Drayton suddenly appeared at her shoulder.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Theodosia held up an index finger.
“Does Sheriff Burney know about this?” Theodosia asked. “That the sailboat was found floating in the harbor and that Fawn is missing?”
“Something happened to Fawn?” Drayton asked, the expression of concern on his face suddenly turned to genuine worry.
“I was about to call Sheriff Burney, but then the Charleston police intervened,” Meredith said. “Apparently, the Coast Guard called the police, which was why I got a call from one of their detectives. They’re going to notify Sheriff Burney and decide who’s got jurisdiction over this. Oh, and Alex is supposed to meet with someone, but I . . . oh, good heavenly days, I feel like my sanity is completely ripping apart.”
“Does Meredith want us to come over there?” Drayton asked.
“Do you want Drayton and me to come over there?” Theodosia asked. She’d just seen Miss Dimple walk through the front door and breathed a sigh of silent relief. If necessary, Miss Dimple could handle morning tea.
“Would you?” Meredith managed to choke out. “I’m at Divine Design right now. My shop on Royal Street.”
“Of course. Just let me tell—”
But Meredith had already hung up.
“We have to leave,” Theodosia said to Miss Dimple before the poor dear had even slipped out of her coat. “Can you mind the tea shop for an hour or so?”
Drayton had already taken off his apron and was buttoning up his tweed jacket. “Maybe not even that long,” he said. “And it shouldn’t be that busy.”
Haley came wandering out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel and looking curious. “You guys are leaving?”
“Just for an hour at most,” Drayton said. “Can you handle things?”
“Um . . . sure,” Haley said. “Is this about Meredith?”
“It’s about Fawn,” Theodosia explained. “She’s gone missing.”
Haley’s eyes went wide. “Then I guess you’d better hurry!”
* * *
* * *
“I knew it,” Theodosia said as they bumped down the back alley in her Jeep, then turned onto Church Street. “I knew that poor girl was despondent. If only I’d said something . . . or done something last night. Interceded somehow.”
“You couldn’t have known Fawn was going to jump in a sailboat and . . .”
“And what?” Theodosia asked as she gunned her engine to run a yellow light and ended up clipping a red one. The fact that Fawn might have thrown herself overboard into the harbor was too horrible to even contemplate.
“I don’t know.” Drayton shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Divine Design was located in a tall redbrick building with white shutters and large windows that faced the street. The window display featured a contemporary group of swoopy chairs, an ostrich leather footstool, a silver floor lamp with a geometric lampshade, and a tall cylindrical clay vase that looked like it had straw stuck to the outside.
“This doesn’t look like the refined taste of an Anglophile,” Theodosia remarked to Drayton as they peered in the window.
“Yes, it’s mostly contemporary,” Drayton said. His lack of enthusiasm spoke volumes.
A bell over the door ding-dinged as they pushed their way into a store that was filled with leather accent chairs, sleek lacquered console tables, faux fur ottomans, and Barcelona chair wannabes. An array of bold, contemporary art hung on crisp-white walls.
“Drayton! Theodosia!” Meredith sang out when she saw them.
She was seated at the back of the store on a dusty rose–pink chair that looked almost like an old-fashioned settee that a Chinese empress might ride in. Only this one was updated and sleek.
“Bless you folks for coming,” Meredith said. Rather than get up, she held out both hands in greeting as Theodosia and Drayton approached.
Drayton reached out and clasped one of Meredith’s hands. Theodosia hung back, studying the two men who stood on either side of Meredith, flanking her like a pair of palace guards. One was her son, Alex; the other was a man she recognized but didn’t really know.
“Dear Drayton, dear Theodosia,” Meredith cooed. “Thank you for coming. Alex didn’t believe me when I said you’d come rushing over.”
Theodosia glanced at Alex. “Really,” she said.
“And this other wonderful man here is Bill Jacoby, Reginald’s business partner at Celantis Pharmaceuticals.”
“Nice to meet you,” Theodosia said, shaking Jacoby’s hand. He had a pleasant hangdog face and an extra twenty pounds hanging over his belt. Jacoby was ambling, loquacious, and friendly, in the manner of a Southern politician.
“Actually, we crossed paths this past Sunday,” Jacoby said.
Theodosia snapped her fingers and pointed at him. �
�You were the man in the tan Carhartt jacket.” She’d warmed to him instantly that day. He’d been both sensible and caring.
“I’m the one who didn’t actually hunt,” Jacoby said. “I’m what you might call a gentleman farmer. I was there more for the food and spectacle than anything else.”
“It certainly did turn into a spectacle,” Meredith said in a crabby voice. “Didn’t it?”
“Is there any word on Fawn?” Theodosia asked. She had to remind herself why they’d come rushing over.
“Nothing!” Meredith cried.
“Only the sailboat was found and towed in,” Jacoby said. He leaned down and patted Meredith’s hand gently, trying to be solicitous, hoping to help keep her calm.
“Was Fawn a good sailor?” Theodosia asked.
“She was terrible!” Alex cried. “Never learned how to swim, scared to death of the water. That’s why we’re so crazed about our boat being found.”
“With her sweater and handbag on board,” Meredith added. She started to sniffle, so Jacoby dug into his jacket pocket and offered her his handkerchief. Meredith wiped at her nose, then poked a finger in Theodosia’s direction. “You were the last one to see her.”
“You were?” Jacoby gaped at Theodosia.
“I was walking my dog, heading over to Drayton’s house last night for dinner,” Theodosia explained. “And I ran into Fawn in Longitude Lane.”
“You said she looked all mopey and sad?” Meredith asked.
“I knew it,” Alex said. “Fawn falls into these downer moods once in a while. She gets very melancholy.”
“When I talked to Fawn yesterday afternoon, she was beyond melancholy,” Theodosia said to Alex. “She was angry and upset.”
Alex frowned. “Upset about what?”
“About you,” Theodosia said.
“I can hardly believe that,” Alex said. “Fawn was actually fairly upbeat yesterday.” He was downplaying Theodosia’s words, trying to blow her off.
But Theodosia stuck to her guns.
“Fawn told me that the two of you had been fighting a lot. Arguing,” Theodosia said.
“That’s absolute nonsense,” Alex said.
“Jack Grimes told me the same thing,” Theodosia said.
Two red blobs of color rose on Alex’s cheeks, and his eyes transformed into a pair of hard, dark marbles. “You’re going to take the word of a murder suspect?” he sputtered.
“Actually,” Theodosia said, “you’re all suspects at this point.”
Alex gasped. “You can’t mean that!”
“Miss Browning is right,” Jacoby said, nodding thoughtfully. “It’s not only reasonable; it’s logical thinking.”
“We are not suspects!” Alex shouted at Theodosia. “How dare you come in here and toss out these wild, unfounded accusations.”
“They’re not really that wild,” Drayton said.
Alex glared at Drayton. “Go ahead, take her side.”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side,” Drayton explained. “Meredith asked Theodosia to look into things, and that’s pretty much what she’s been doing. The fact of the matter is, everyone who was at Creekmore Plantation on Sunday remains a suspect until they can be safely eliminated.”
“Makes sense to me,” Jacoby said. He glanced at Meredith. “Meredith? What do you think?”
Meredith gave a faint nod. “I suppose I can see the logic in that.”
“Thank you,” Theodosia said. She turned to face Alex. “Where were you last night?”
Alex fixed her with a murderous glare. “This is unbelievable. You’re asking about me?”
“Alex was with me last night,” Meredith said quickly. “He stayed at the Lady Goodwood Inn. In a room adjacent to my suite.”
“He was there all night?” Theodosia asked. She glanced at Drayton, who flashed her a dubious look. He thought it sounded strange, too.
“Alex dropped by to see me around seven,” Meredith said. “We ordered room service . . .”
Theodosia did a quick calculation in her head. She’d run into Fawn around seven fifteen. So it looked as if Alex was in the clear. In this instance anyway. That’s if they were both telling the truth.
“Go on,” Theodosia said to Meredith.
“The thing is, we started talking about Reginald, about the damage to the house, and I got extremely upset,” Meredith said. “Alex saw right away that I needed a shoulder to cry on, so he stayed with me.” Tears dribbled from her eyes. “Maybe if I hadn’t been so emotional . . . so needy . . . none of this would have happened. Alex would have been home, taking care of Fawn like a good and loving husband.”
“I’ve always been there for Fawn,” Alex said.
Theodosia studied Alex. “So you called Fawn early on and told her you were going to stay with your mother?”
“Of course I did.”
“And what was Fawn’s reaction?”
Alex projected an air of absolute innocence. “She was perfectly fine with it. She knew that Mother’s been feeling incredibly vulnerable.”
“Perhaps Fawn was kidnapped,” Meredith said. “And then forced into the sailboat.”
“That sounds a bit far-fetched to me,” Bill Jacoby said.
“But it could have happened that way,” Meredith said.
“It sounds as if there might have been foul play,” Theodosia said. “Now we need to track down the sequence of events and figure out what happened.” She wondered if she could call Riley and pump him for information? It might be worth a shot.
“We must focus our efforts on getting Fawn back,” Drayton said.
“There are people out there who wish great harm to our family,” Alex said. “People like Carl Clewis, maybe even Jack Grimes.”
“I suppose that’s possible,” Jacoby said.
“Or even the Lavender Lady,” Alex said.
Drayton glanced at Theodosia, then said, “What about Guy Thorne? At the restaurant.”
Meredith looked shocked. “You think Guy could have had a hand in any of this?”
“I suppose we can’t rule anyone out,” Alex said.
Theodosia focused on Meredith. “Did you know that Carl Clewis opened a restaurant called Mr. Toad’s? And that it’s only a block away from Trollope’s?”
This time Meredith was totally gobsmacked. “What?”
“That lousy scumbag!” Alex cried. “He’s moving into our territory?” He looked like he was ready to spit a mouthful of tacks.
Theodosia thought about all the suspects they’d named so far, and she knew that both Meredith and Alex had to be tossed into the mix as well. One of them might not be telling the truth.
“Oh dear,” Meredith fussed. “You have no idea how much this has disrupted my life. I used to host my book club, I used to garden . . .”
“And you used to shoot,” Theodosia said. She wanted Meredith to know that she was well aware of her unique talent.
“I did,” Meredith said without missing a beat. “But now it’s all gone—poof!—everything’s been rendered meaningless now.”
“Not everything,” Alex said. “You still have your decorating business.”
“As if that’s supposed to sustain me.”
Alex glanced at his watch and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Mother,” he said, “but I need to leave.” He glanced at Theodosia, Drayton, and Jacoby and said, “I’ve got a meeting with the police. They want me to try and help fill in some of the blanks for them concerning Fawn.”
“You go do that,” Meredith said. “But call me later, will you?”
Alex nodded. “Of course.”
“He’s such a good boy,” Meredith said, once Alex had left.
Jacoby pulled his mouth into a sharp grimace. “Still . . . I remember how upset Alex was when he thought Reginald might be leaving Creekmore Plantation to the Heritage Society.”
“That’s a moot point now,” Meredith said. “Water over the dam. Now Alex is poised to eventually inherit Creekmore.”
“I su
ppose a son generally does inherit from his father,” Drayton said.
“Oh, Alex isn’t Reginald’s son,” Meredith said.
The three of them gaped at Meredith in surprise.
“He’s not?” Theodosia said. “Then what . . . ? Who . . . ?” She stopped abruptly, truly at a loss for words.
14
“Alex is from my first marriage,” Meredith said. “Alex’s father is deceased. He died while playing golf at Turtle Point Golf Club. Got struck by lightning on the seventh hole and was fried to a crisp.”
“How awful,” Theodosia said, trying to block that image. Still, with this startling new information, her mind was suddenly exploring all sorts of possibilities. Not all of them good.
“Tragic,” Drayton said. “But when you remarried, Alex and Reginald got along well?”
“I always thought they did,” Meredith said. “Yes, there were some minor squabbles along the way. When Alex flirted with dropping out of Charleston Southern University and becoming a tattoo artist. And then, when he decided to marry Fawn, Reginald thought Alex might be marrying beneath himself . . .”
“Did Reginald actually say that to Alex’s face?” Theodosia asked. She was incredulous. How could anyone be so mean and hurtful?
“I’m afraid he did,” Meredith said. “But then it all seemed to work out fine and dandy. Until . . . well . . . until now. Now Reginald is gone and our dear Fawn is missing.” Meredith’s face sagged again. “My whole family seems to be crumbling around me, and there isn’t a single thing I can do!” She started to cry softly.
“Now, now,” Jacoby said. “You’ve got your family at Celantis Pharmaceuticals. We’re always going to be there for you.”
“But what if something changes?” Meredith held a hankie to her nose and blew into it. “What if the company goes public? What if that IPO you people have been talking about really happens?”
“That’s basically pie in the sky and not going to happen for a very long time. Now don’t worry, Meredith, you know you’ll be taken care of. There’s no reason to be so upset.”