Murder Ink

by Lorraine Bartlett

  “Now why on earth would anyone kill a man over a half run-down building that didn’t even belong to him?” Ray asked.

  “I don’t know—I’m grasping at straws.”

  “I don’t think you have anything to fear as long as you stay away from Paul and Mary. Let the Sheriff’s Office handle the case.”

  “If the Sheriff’s Office handles the case, you’ll wind up in prison,” Katie said.

  “Will you tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree for me?”

  “You won’t think this is so funny if Sadie and Sasha end up living with their grandparents while Sophie finishes school.”

  “Katie Bonner! You really don’t have any confidence in my sleuthing abilities at all, do you?”

  “I do . . . but I care about you and want to help.”

  “Ha! I knew you were sticking your neck out for me.”

  “We’re friends, Ray. Wouldn’t you help me under the same circumstances?”

  “You know I would. I . . .” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a customer coming in. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  * * *

  —

  Just before eleven o’clock, Katie walked over to Angelo’s Pizzeria to see if Andy—and Erikka—were ready to go to Sassy Sally’s for the luncheon.

  “Hey, Katie!” Roger called when she walked in. “I got your lamp fixed this morning before we started work. Andy said he’d bring it up to you when you get back from lunch.”

  “Thank you, Roger. How much do I owe you?”

  “Aw, you don’t owe me anything. Andy has done more than enough for me already.”

  “I appreciate that, but I want to pay you something for your work.”

  “We’ll talk about that later,” Andy said, walking up and draping an arm around Katie’s shoulders. “We need to head over to Nick’s place or we’re going to be late.”

  “Hi, there, Katie,” said Erikka, approaching Andy from the opposite side. “Don’t you look cute?”

  “Thank you.” She gritted her teeth to do it, but she managed to return the compliment. “You look nice, too.”

  “Oh, you’re sweet. I wasn’t sure I should go since I didn’t dress up or anything, but Andy said I never look bad.” Erikka giggled. “Isn’t he the sweetest thing?”

  “Just like sugar,” Katie said, trying desperately to keep an edge from her voice.

  “Roger, be sure to call me if you need me for anything,” Andy said.

  Katie wondered if he’d really felt the young man needed a reminder or if Andy simply wanted to break the growing tension between the women.

  “Everything will be fine, boss,” Roger said. “And, if it’s not, I know you’re only a phone call away. Go on and enjoy your lunch.”

  Andy rolled his eyes, and when he saw that Katie saw, he grinned sheepishly and kissed her temple.

  “It’ll be fun,” Katie said. “I really think you’ll like Brad.”

  “I’ve heard he’s model handsome,” Erikka said, with a sidelong glance at Andy. “But I’m sure he won’t be any competition for this one.”

  “Not at all,” Katie said and smiled sweetly.

  “Good to know.” Andy stepped out from between the two women and opened the door. “After you.”

  Erikka motioned for Katie to step through the door first. Katie did so. Again, Erikka put Andy between the two of them. This time, she took his arm as if he were her escort. “You’ll make everybody jealous, Andy . . . a striking man with his two best gals at his sides.”

  Katie ground her teeth together and firmly took Andy’s other arm. Erikka definitely needed a man in her life . . . just not hers. She hoped the floozy—ahem—the woman and Brad took one look at each other and fell head over heels in love.

  She wasn’t sure what she’d do if they didn’t.

  Eleven

  When Katie, Erikka, and Andy entered Sassy Sally’s beautifully restored foyer, Nick was there to greet them before giving Katie a kiss on the cheek.

  “Thank you so much for hiring Brad,” he said. “We love having him here—and you’re going to love working with him.” He turned and nodded toward the left corner of the room, where Don and Brad were engaged in conversation.

  Don waved to them, and Brad turned. Upon seeing Katie, he excused himself and hurried over to join the newcomers.

  “Katie, I’m so glad you brought your friends,” Brad said. “And what a lovely couple they are.” He extended a hand to Andy. “I’m Brad Andrews, the new chef and manager at Tealicious.”

  “Andy Rust.” He shook Brad’s hand. “I’m with Katie.” He jerked his head toward Erikka. “This is Erikka Wiley, the assistant manager at my pizzeria.”

  Brad smiled. “Ah, so the two of you are in the restaurant business as well. I’m sure we’ll have lots to talk about.”

  “I’m sure we will.” Erikka shook Brad’s hand, covering his with her free hand as she did so. “I’d love to hear all about your work.” She shot Andy a venomous glance, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  Andy kissed Katie’s cheek. “Nick, what do we have to drink?”

  “Talk to Don. He’s the bartender.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  As Andy strode toward Don, Nick took Katie’s arm. “Come with me.”

  Katie allowed Nick to propel her toward an older woman with snowy white hair wearing a dove-gray waist-shirt dress and several strands of pearls.

  “Fiona, I’d like you to meet Katie Bonner. Katie, this is Fiona Lancaster.”

  “Mrs. Lancaster, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Katie gently shook the woman’s delicate hand.

  “Please call me Fiona.” The woman had a scratchy voice that suggested she’d once been—perhaps still was—a smoker. She wore a flowery scent, possibly because she’d once wanted to mask the odor of cigarette smoke. Fiona frowned. “Dear Nick said you were in the building with Ken Fenton when he was electrocuted.”

  “That’s right,” Katie said.

  “How dreadful for you! Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, thank you.”

  “You’re lucky, darling. I was acquainted with Ken Fenton, and he had a lot of enemies. I’m surprised one of them was clever enough to make the man’s death look like an accident.”

  “You talk as if you might know who some of these enemies were,” Katie said innocently.

  Fiona shrugged. “I hired Ken to renovate an apartment building I own in Rochester. One evening while Ken was working, someone drove by and threw one of those homemade explosives—you know, where they put a cloth in the top of a liquor bottle—”

  “A Molotov cocktail,” Nick interjected.

  “Yes, right. Anyway, someone threw one of them at the apartment building. The bottle broke a window and set one of the apartments ablaze. Despite my having good insurance, the repairs cost me a fortune . . . and that was on top of the planned renovations.”

  “Were the police sure the perpetrators were targeting Ken Fenton?” Katie asked. “They didn’t think it was random?”

  “I’m not sure whether they’re sure or not, but I was absolutely positive. I’d overheard Ken on the phone telling someone he’d make sure they got their money by Thursday. It was on a Friday that the explosive was thrown at the apartment building.” Fiona raised her carefully filled-in eyebrows and spread her hands. “And I certainly don’t have any enemies.”

  “Was anyone hurt in the fire?” Katie asked.

  “Fortunately, no.”

  Katie started as a large hand landed on her shoulder. She turned to see that it belonged to Brad.

  “May I please steal Katie away? I want to show her some dishes I’ve prepared. I hope she’ll like them enough to feature them at Tealicious.”

  “Of course.” Fiona smiled up at Brad. “I’m utterly and completely charmed by this man,” she told Katie. �
��I can hardly wait to visit Tealicious and see what he’ll be serving.”

  “It was a pleasure meeting you, Fiona. I hope we’ll have time to chat some more.” Boy did she ever, but Katie allowed Brad to lead her to the kitchen. There he presented her with an assortment of beautifully prepared goodies: champagne cookies, a charlotte russe, and peach marmalade.

  “Naturally, I can’t give you a taste of the charlotte russe until lunch is served,” he said. “But, here, try this.” He handed her a champagne cookie.

  She bit into the cookie and closed her eyes as the sweet, slightly tart flavor engulfed her taste buds. She moaned.

  “What’s going on?”

  Katie’s eyes popped open at the sound of Andy’s voice. “Oh, Andy, you have to taste these cookies. They’re wonderful.”

  Brad proudly offered Andy the cookie tray. Andy looked at Brad and then back at Katie before selecting a cookie. He tasted it and proclaimed that it was really good.

  “Thank you,” Brad said. “Katie and I are going to make a great team, don’t you think? Hopefully as good a team as you and Erikka.”

  “Yeah,” Andy said, his voice flat.

  “Now, you must both taste this peach marmalade. Katie, it will be wonderful with scones.”

  At that moment, Nick stuck his head through the kitchen door. “Are you guys ready? Because lunch is.”

  “I’m starving,” Andy said, placing his hand on the small of Katie’s back and directing her toward the door. “Let’s go.”

  Nick had placed Katie between Andy and Brad with Erikka on Brad’s other side. Directly across from Katie was Seth Landers, Katie’s lawyer but also her friend, who was more like a brother to her. On one side of Seth sat his partner, Jaime, a broad-shouldered young man with chestnut-colored hair, green eyes, and an open smile. Seth and Jaime had been together for a little over six months now, and Katie had never seen Seth happier. Fiona Lancaster sat on the other side of Seth, and the seat beside her was empty. Nick and Don sat at either end of the huge Neo-Renaissance table.

  “Fiona, where’s your husband?” Katie asked.

  The older woman waved her hand dismissively. “Phil tied one on last night and is still sleeping it off. Hopefully, he’ll be down before you leave.”

  As a waiter served their drinks, Nick explained that he’d met Brad while living in an apartment on the Upper West Side.

  “I had three roommates,” Nick said, “but they were all out when I decided to heat up a chicken casserole my aunt Sally made for me on her last visit.”

  Don smiled slightly and shook his head. He’d undoubtedly heard this story before.

  Brad picked up the thread. “Apparently, poor Nick didn’t realize he needed to allow the dish to thaw before placing it in the preheated oven.”

  “Oh no,” Katie said, squeezing her eyes shut in dread.

  “Oh yes. That casserole dish exploded! And I went screaming into the hallway.” Nick dissolved into laughter.

  “He nearly ran over me!” Brad said, grinning at the memory. “I took him by the shoulders and asked him what was wrong. He said he thought he’d just blown up his kitchen.”

  “I really thought that!” Nick said as everyone laughed. “You should’ve heard that sound!”

  “We went inside, where I went to the kitchen and turned off the oven,” Brad said. “There was, of course, no way he was having a chicken casserole for dinner—at least, not that one—so I invited him to have dinner with me and my . . . well, the woman who was my girlfriend at that time.”

  “It was the best meal I’d ever eaten.” Nick looked at Don. “But I never told Aunt Sally that. Best of all, Brad even came back to my apartment with me and helped me clean up the oven. I knew right then we’d be friends for life.”

  Brad raised his glass to Nick. “And I knew I’d never let you cook in my kitchen!”

  * * *

  —

  It was lucky Nick had prepared the feast, and everyone was generous with their compliments. After the dishes had been cleared away, Katie took Brad aside.

  “That charlotte russe was delicious,” she said.

  He inclined his head. “Thank you. Do I hear a ‘but’ coming?”

  “Certainly not. I think you’re going to bring a lot of variety and poise to Tealicious. Janine, the former manager, did very little in the way of baking.” Katie shrugged. “I’ve been used to going to the tea shop every morning to make some sandwich spreads, scones, and tea cakes.”

  “And you’ve continued working another job as well?” He shook his head. “How on earth have you managed it all?”

  She laughed slightly. “Not terribly well, I’m afraid.”

  Nick overheard Katie’s comment and came to drape an arm around her neck. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a real dynamo. But, I’m glad you’re here now so she won’t have to run herself ragged anymore.” He backed away. “Feel free to resume your private conversation now.”

  Brad chuckled. “You gotta love that guy.”

  “Yes, you do,” Katie said. “Anyway, I was wondering . . . actually, I’d like to still come into the kitchen in the mornings. I don’t want to get in your way or anything, but if I can help . . .”

  “You’re welcome anytime,” Brad said. “After all, it is your kitchen.”

  “Well, yes, but I don’t want you to think I’m looking over your shoulder.”

  “You could never do that—you aren’t tall enough.”

  Katie looked at him with mock umbrage. “I could get a stepstool!”

  He laughed again. “Join me in the kitchen anytime. It’ll be fun.”

  “Then I’ll see you first thing tomorrow morning,” Katie said.

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Katie turned back around to where the other guests were standing and noticed Andy glaring toward her and Brad. She smiled and winked at him.

  Was he actually jealous of Brad? If so, good. Maybe now he could understand how she felt about Erikka.

  She’d intended on walking over to where Andy was talking with Seth and Jaime, but Fiona Lancaster intercepted her.

  Taking Katie by the arm, Fiona said, “Phil has finally decided to join us. Come meet him.”

  Phil looked as if someone had magically transformed an English bulldog into a human. His hair was white and spiky, his hooded brown eyes were slightly bloodshot at the moment, and his jowls nearly hung to his collar.

  “Phil, I’d like you to meet Katie Bonner. Katie, this is my hungover husband.”

  “Woman, I told you to tell these people I had a headache, not a hangover!” He flattened his lips and shook his head at his wife before offering his hand to Katie. “Nice to meet you, young lady.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lancaster. I hope your headache is waning.”

  “It is, thank you. What do you do, Katie?”

  “She owns that fabulous tea shop, Tealicious,” Fiona said. “I was telling you about it last night. See that dapper young man right over there?” She pointed to where Brad was standing with Don and Nick. “He’s the new chef there. I can hardly wait to try his food.”

  “How wonderful,” he said. “Katie, that was an excellent ventriloquist act you did with my wife. I’m sure she wouldn’t be so rude as to answer your questions.”

  Katie laughed. “She wasn’t being rude at all. I’m delighted Fiona is excited about Tealicious.”

  “Katie also runs Artisans Alley,” Fiona said. “It’s an arts-and-crafts arcade.”

  “Hmm. Are the artisans all painters, or are there other kinds of artists there?” Phil asked.

  “We have dollmakers, woodworkers . . . we just added a leather goods artisan.”

  “Leather goods?”

  “Yes, sir. The artisan’s name is Hugh McKinney, and he has some beautiful things on display at his booth.”
<
br />   “McKinney, eh? I wondered where he’d land after the post office made him take early retirement. It’s good he had a backup plan.”

  Katie frowned at Phil’s words. “I didn’t realize the post office made him retire. That’s too bad.”

  “Well, it would’ve been worse if they could’ve proven what they believed about him,” Phil said.

  Fiona placed a hand on her husband’s arm. “Phil, darling, stop. I don’t want Katie to think we’re criticizing her artisans.”

  Phil shrugged. “I’m not criticizing anyone.”

  “Well, it rather sounds that way,” Fiona said. “If you’ll recall, Katie is the one who was with Ken Fenton when he was electrocuted.”

  Katie hated that Fiona had changed the subject. She was rather curious to know why the post office had made Hugh McKinney take early retirement and what it was they believed Hugh had done. She’d hate to think that the first vendor Vance had signed up on his own turned out to have a shady past.

  “Ken Fenton.” Phil’s voice boomed, and Katie resisted the urge to look around to see if anyone else had heard him. “That one certainly was a piece of work. I’m surprised he lasted as long as he did.”

  “Phil shares my low opinion of the man,” Fiona said.

  “He was nothing but trouble,” Phil continued. “He did shoddy work, he was into loan sharks for money, and it was rumored that he was a drug dealer.”

  “Wow . . . I had no idea.” Okay, she had some idea but she didn’t realize Ken had been in so much trouble. “What about his brother, Paul? Do you know anything about him?”

  “Big guy? Runs a tattoo parlor?” Phil asked.

  Katie nodded.

  “I don’t know the man personally, but I’d stay away from him if I were you. He and Ken seemed to be closer than two front teeth. When Ken was working on our apartment building—”

  “Before he nearly burned the place down, and we threw him out,” Fiona interrupted her husband.

  “—Paul came to see him sometimes twice in the same day,” Phil continued. “I’d imagine that whatever Ken was involved in, Paul was, too.”