Beware the Orchids (A Shady Acres Mystery Book 1) (7 page)

12

A
fter making sure Heath wasn’t going to be hauled to the local jail on suspicion of murder, I packed an overnight bag, gathered up Cheryl, and headed to Mom’s house. Grandma promised to meet us there later after her date. The most important thing was…I would be away from Shady Acres for a night.

“Girls.” Mom greeted us with open arms. “I’ve movies, popcorn, pizza, you name it.”

I gave her a hug. “Sounds like just what I need.”

She immediately ushered us inside and ordered Cheryl to spread out on the sofa. “We’ll have your head as good as new in no time.”

“Impossible,” I said, reaching for a slice of mega-meat pizza. “It’s been damaged for years.”

“Very funny.” Cheryl did as ordered, claiming the entire sofa, leaving the two easy chairs to me and Mom. Grandma would have to fend for herself when she arrived.

“Sit.” Mom waved her hand. “Tell me all about your job and these deaths. Yes, I know about the second one. Grandma texted me.”

“She spreads news faster than a twister.” I plopped into a chair and toed off my shoes. “There isn’t a lot to tell. I’m no longer a suspect, but the handyman seems to be the primary person of interest. One of the residents has asked that I help find out who killed her friend, but I’ve come up against dead ends so far.”

“Poor choice of words, dear.” Mom shook her head. “I’m not sure I like you getting involved.”

I shrugged. “Until Cheryl got hit, there hadn’t been any danger. I’ve thought about pulling back.”

“No!” Cheryl sat up. “We can’t stop now. Whoever hit me thinks we know something. We need to find out what that something is before they come after us again.”

“Fine. Let’s spend our eating time trying to figure out just what in the world is going on?” I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Maybelle was killed by rat poison with someone else’s teeth in her mouth. Dave Mason had his throat slit after stealing Bob’s bank information, then tossed in the algae-filled koi pond.” I grabbed another slice of pizza. “Other than Maybelle being a snoop, and Dave a lazy thief, we have no motive.”

“Two different methods of death,” Mom said. “Are you sure it’s the same killer?”

“I don’t want to contemplate two killers at Shady Acres.” I shuddered. One was one too many.

“You can’t discount the possibility.”

“Your Mom’s right.” Cheryl sat up and reached for a slice. “What if?”

“We still need motives.” Whether one killer or two, people didn’t tend to kill without reason, unless they were a serial killer or something. Holy Cow! Shady Acres didn’t have a serial killer, did they? The pizza sat like a congealed lump in my stomach. I reached for a glass of Moscato.

“What if…” Mom put a finger to her lips. “You have an unsavory character living there and Maybelle in her snooping, and Dave in his stealing, came across information best kept hidden.”

“Makes sense, I suppose. Dave could have found out whatever Maybelle knew while he was stealing. Funny thing is, Maybelle was a thief, too. Petty things like jewelry, prescription meds, and watches. Mom, I think you hit it on the head.” I winked at Cheryl.

“You’re a regular standup comedian today,” Cheryl said. “Now, we need to figure out just what our thieving little friends saw that they shouldn’t have.”

“I know the answer to that question.” Grandma sailed through the front door and smacked Cheryl’s legs until she moved them. “Someone at Shady Acres is not who they say they are.”

The rest of us stared at her as if she’d turned blue. “How do you know that?” I asked.

“Lawrence let it slip during a rather heated make-out session.”

Eew. Too much information, as usual. “I don’t suppose he told you who the person is?”

“No. Once he realized what he’d said, he clammed up and left. That’s why I’m here early.” She poured herself a glass of wine. “I hope you have another bottle, Sue Ellen. This won’t last long with four of us.”

“Of course, I do, Mother.” Mom sighed and moved to the kitchen, returning a moment later with an ice bucket and sparkling almond champagne.

“I said wine, not that sissy stuff.” Grandma frowned.

“Then you should have brought your own.”

“I have some in the car. Now, where were we?”

“An imposter at Shady Acres.” I said. “Do we know whether it’s a man or a woman? There are thirty cottages and I haven’t met everyone yet.”

“Then, you’d best get busy, girlie.” Grandma grinned. “Meet them all and weed out the least likely suspects.”

How in the world was I supposed to do that short of knocking on thirty doors? I’d tried mingling at a social event, but not everyone attended. The koi pond! I could go door-to-door for donations to fix the beautiful structure. I explained my idea.

“I’m sure there’s money in the budget, maybe, but this would get the citizens involved and give me a reason to knock on doors. The only problem is, I’ll have to use my off time to do it.”

“What else are you going to do in your evenings?” Grandma asked. “It isn’t as if you have a gentleman friend.”

“Thanks for pointing that out.” I narrowed my eyes. “Am I not allowed time to grieve over my canceled wedding?”

“Pshaw! That’s the best thing that could have happened to you. Marrying that pompous donkey would have made you miserable.”

She was right, but it still rankled when she pointed out my single status. “Cheryl, you’ll have to go with me when I do this. I’m not doing any investigating alone.”

“Agreed.” She gulped back her wine and laid back, putting her legs in Grandma’s lap. “Look what happened to me. If someone were to hit your skinny little self, you’d break.”

I glared at her. “Let’s go over the people we do know and see if they should be added to a suspect list. Mom, do you have a notepad we can use?”

“Yep.” She moved some magazines from the top of the coffee table and retrieved a notebook with fluorescent flowers. Inside the notebook was a matching ink pen. “I was going to journal, then found it too much trouble.”

“Here are the names I’m familiar with. Heath McLeroy—”

“He’s too handsome to kill anyone,” Grandma argued.

I gave her a look to hush. “Alice Johnson, the manager, Birdie, I still don’t know her last name—”

“It’s Sorenson,” Grandma said, refilling her glass.

“Birdie Sorenson, Harold Ball, the cleaning girls, Amber and Becky, who could easily have found out the same information Maybelle and Dave did. Maybe we should warn them?” When no one answered, I continued. “Myrna Smith, Bob Satchett, Harry Weasley, and Ann Wilson, who I know little to nothing about.”

“No one by the name of Weasley ever worked at Cooper Elementary,” Cheryl said. “I meant to tell you this morning, but forgot. Head injury, you know? Now, why lie about something like that?”

“He had his reasons, I suspect. I have some names for you.” Grandma leaned forward. “Ann Wilson is a former mistress of a US Senator. That might give her motive. Then, there’s Leroy Manning. He’s a recluse who never comes to any of the meals or socials and only walks the grounds at night. Maybe he’s a vampire.”

I wasn’t sure if she was serious or kidding so I let her comment slide.

“Then, there’s Hattie Black, the most rude, sharp-tongued woman you’ll ever meet this side of hell.”

“Are you listing her because she might be a suspect or because you don’t like her?” My pen poised over the paper.

“Both. But I’d give my last bottle of wine that if anyone knows anything about the residents of Shady Acres, it would be her.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so? Not buying it? Fine.” She huffed. “I caught her sneaking out of Bob’s cottage the other night with a grocery bag of items. The man wasn’t home at the time.”

“Perhaps her reason for being there was legit,” Mom said.

“He is the resident Casanova,” Cheryl added. “Maybe she carried a change of clothing.”

Grandma shrugged one shoulder in an elegant gesture I’d love to master. “Perhaps she did do the walk of shame. Still, I say you keep a close eye on that woman.”

“It sounds to me as if that place you work, Shelby, is nothing more than a den of iniquity.” Mom glanced at a paint-by-number picture of Jesus on the wall. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. My sweet mother and my fun-loving grandmother were so different it was difficult to know they shared the same DNA.

“It does look that way, Mom, but don’t worry, I won’t fall into that trap.” I closed the notebook. “We have a good list of suspects. It’s a beginning anyway.”

“You have thirty cottages full of suspects,” Grandma said. “Those are only the ones you know.”

“Thanks for pointing that out.” I could become overwhelmed very quickly. Tears sprang to my eyes as was customary when I was feeling sorry for myself. If I could find a way to get out of this promise to Birdie, I would. I wasn’t a detective. All I wanted to do was dig in the dirt and care for my plants.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Mom gave me a concerned look. “Tummy hurt?”

“I need to learn to say no.”

“To three slices of pizza?”

“That and people wanting things I’m not qualified to do.” I sighed. “Who am I to think I can solve a murder?”

“A single gal looking for excitement,” Grandma said. “If you had a man, you wouldn’t have to look at death to spice things up.”

I rolled my eyes. “You have a man but that doesn’t stop you from snooping.”

“I’m an old lady. The rules are different.”

“I’m going to bed.” I stood and set my glass on the coffee table. “Good night, everyone. Cheryl?”

“Yeah, I’m coming. Not exactly the chick flick kind of night I’d hoped for, but we did get a suspect list going. At least the evening wasn’t a total waste of time.”

“Let’s go to the pancake house for breakfast,” Grandma called.

I lifted a hand to let her know I’d heard and headed to my childhood bedroom on the second floor. Mom really did need to sell this old place. It was too big for her to upkeep on her own.

Cheryl and I climbed into the full size bed we’d slept in so many times as children. “I seem to remember my bed being bigger.”

“We’ve grown since then.” Cheryl flipped to her side.

“
You’ve
grown since then.” I’ve been the same size since seventh grade. The only changes were some boobs and a little roundness in the hips. In the right clothes, I’d look like a twelve-year-old boy.

“Measure yourself on the doorpost in the kitchen. I bet your two inches taller.” Cheryl laughed, shaking the bed. “You’re a garden gnome now, instead of a sprite.”

I slammed my pillow into her gut. Before I could take a breath, she landed hers upside my head, knocking me from the bed. “You always could get the best of me in a pillow fight.” I laughed so hard, I couldn’t get to my feet. Perhaps the evening was exactly what I needed after all.

“Get up.” She held out her hand and pulled me back onto the bed. “Don’t despair over this whole murder thing. You’ll be rewarded for helping someone receive justice.”

“If I don’t die.”

“If you die, you go to heaven. No biggie.”

“I’d like to get married and have children first.”

“With someone like Heath?” She elbowed me.

“Perhaps.” I giggled into my pillow. Amazing how this pink and purple room reverted us back to our youth in both actions and minds. “He is dreamy.”

She roared with laughter. “I haven’t heard that phrase in a long time.”

A knock on the wall signaled that Mom was tired of our noise. Instead of quieting us, we laughed harder. I had my mother, my grandmother, and my best friend. What more did I need?

At that moment, I felt as if I could tackle anything the world threw at me.

13

T
he next morning the four of us girls went to The Pancake House and crowded into a corner booth. We ordered coffee immediately and studied the menu although nothing had changed in the months since I’d been there. Donald hadn’t liked the country atmosphere or the simple fare.

“What’s first on the agenda when we go back?” Grandma closed her menu.

I decided on Belgian waffles with strawberries. “I’ll start going door-to-door on the pretense of asking for donations for the koi pond. I mean, I’ll actually ask for the donations, but I’ll ask some questions, too. Cheryl, you come with me. Your height might intimidate people into giving money.”

“Great. Use the giant to scare old people into giving money.” Grandma slapped the table. “Outrage!”

“May I take your order?” A smiling, middle-aged waitress stopped at our table.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll take the two eggs, bacon and hash browns.” Grandma patted her stomach. “I may be little, but I have a mighty big appetite.”

We all placed our orders, then the moment the waitress left, Grandma attacked me again. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

“Fine. You go with me, then.”

“Nah, Cheryl can go. I’ve got plans.” She dug into her purse and pulled out a tube of bright pink lipstick.

I swore she would drive me insane before the month was out. “Do you mind, Cheryl?”

“No. I did come to help, and it’ll beat sitting in the cottage all day. Of course, you are still officially off duty today, so let’s make some time to soak up sun by the pool.”

“Agreed.”

“Don’t look now but Mr. Handsome just limped in with Officer Lawrence.” Cheryl elbowed me.

“Stop doing that. You’re going to leave bruises.” I glanced toward the door.

“I told you not to look.”

“How can I not look when you tell me not to look?” My gaze locked with Heath’s troubled one. “You don’t think he’s about to be arrested, do you?”

“At a pancake house?” Grandma shook her head. “Maybe you aren’t as bright as I thought you were.”

“Hey. Alright, now.” No need to get mean.

The two men were seated at a table too far away for us to hear their conversation, and so close that I was on the edge of my seat, literally, straining to hear. I almost slipped off the slippery vinyl seat. Catching myself before I made a scene, my arm knocked over my glass of water. Liquid ran across the table and into Cheryl’s lap.

“Great. It looks like I wet my pants.” She dabbed at her lap with a napkin.

Officer Lawrence glared our way, then said something to Heath. They stared at us as if we were little green martians, then resumed their conversation.

“Way to be inconspicuous. Sue Ellen, do something with your daughter.” Grandma pulled a mirror from her bag and applied the lipstick.

“She takes after you. There’s no help for her.” Mom’s remark was so deadpan that we were all silent for a second, before bursting into laughter.

I really needed to come home more often. “You’re killing me, Grandma.”

The waitress brought our breakfast. For a few minutes, the only sound at our table was the clink of silverware against cheap porcelain dishes.

I snuck a peek at Heath’s table. He and Lawrence had pie and coffee in front of them. I should have had pie for breakfast. What a great idea. I’d try to remember that next time.

“I taught you better than to stare,” Mom said, tapping the back of my hand with her spoon.

“I can’t help it. I want to know what they’re talking about.”

“Find out later.”

Shrugging, I turned back to my meal. When we’d finished, Heath and Officer Lawrence were also preparing to leave. I grabbed Heath’s arm. “Fill me in later,” I whispered.

He nodded and followed the cop out the door. From the look on his face, whatever had transpired between the two of them wasn’t good.

Back at Mom’s I repacked my overnight bag, kissed her goodbye, and invited her to come to dinner one night that week. With Cheryl and Grandma flanking me, we headed to my pretty little Mustang, then back to Shady Acres.

“I hope knocking on thirty doors accomplishes something,” I said, emptying my bag into the laundry basket. “If not, it will be an awful waste of time.”

“Whatever money you lack for the pond, ask your grandmother. You told me your grandfather left her well off. She can use it as a tax deduction,” Cheryl said on the way to her room. “Hurry up and let’s get going.”

I eyed a pair of rain boots in the corner, then decided against wearing them. I wasn’t on the clock that day. What I did was on my own time. “I’m ready.” I’d brought the colorful suspect notebook home with me from Mom’s and, tucking it under my arm, waited outside the cottage for Cheryl.

Heath came down the walkway at a fast clip, grabbed my arm, and pulled me behind a bush. “I don’t have much time. Officer Lawrence is talking to Alice.”

“What’s happening?” I searched his face.

“They found my other glove in the pond with Dave.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would one glove be by Maybelle and one by Dave? Only an idiot would make that mistake twice.”

“It still doesn’t look good for me.”

“Are they arresting you?”

He shrugged. “Lawrence hinted at such. It all depends on Alice’s endorsement.”

I stepped back. “Why?”

“Didn’t you know? She’s Lawrence’s niece. They’re close. If she’ll vouch for me, then he’s agreed to not lock me up on her say so.”

What kind of police force did this town have? “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“I have to go.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Keep trying to clear my name, okay? I’ll catch up with you at lunch, if I’m still a free man.” He whirled and jog-limped back to the main building.

When I stepped around the corner, Cheryl was waiting, arms crossed, a scowl on her face. “I was about to give up on you.”

I told her what Heath had said. “Isn’t that strange? I didn’t know cops worked that way.”

“They work however they want. Let’s start knocking. Maybe we’ll find out something to help your boyfriend.”

My face heated, remembering the sweet kiss on the cheek and the steamier one from a couple of nights ago. “He isn’t my boyfriend.”

“Then why is your face all red?” She giggled. “Let’s start at cottage number one and work that way so we don’t lose our place.”

“Spoken like a teacher.”

I approached cottage number one which looked as if it had recently received a new coat of paint and knocked. Good for Heath. Thinking about him made me want to run to the main building and see whether he’d been carted away in handcuffs. Why was someone framing him? It’s obvious that’s what was happening. No one would kill an old woman, drop a glove, then drop the partner to the glove next to a different dead body. It didn’t make any sense.

“Yeah.” A woman with coal black hair and piercing gray eyes opened the door.

“Good morning. I’m Shelby—”

“I know who you are.” She crossed her arms over a bony chest. “What do you want?”

I blinked rapidly, then gained my composure. “We’re taking donations for repairs to the koi pond and was wondering—”

“I pay enough rent to cover those kinds of things.” She slammed the door in our faces.

“Well, I have no idea who that rude woman was, nor did we gain any information.”

“We need a master list of who lives where,” Cheryl said. “Do you think the receptionist will give us one?”

“It’s worth a try.” Maybe I could get a peek as to whether Heath was still around.

We hurried to the main building where the receptionist had changed up her daily chore. Instead of filing her nails, she painted them a turquoise blue. I cleared my throat twice before she glanced up.

“Sorry,” she said. “But, I didn’t want to mess up.” She blew on her nails. “What do you need?”

“A list of which residents live in which cottages.” I leaned on the counter.

“Well, I guess that’s okay, since you work here and all. My nails are wet. The list is on the computer under resident list. It also has their phone numbers.” She rolled her chair back to give me access.

“Have you seen the handyman, Heath, lately?” I asked, searching her computer documents.

“Yeah, some old cop took him out of here.”

My heart dropped to my knees and tears stung my eyes. “In handcuffs?”

“No. They headed to the dining room.”

Relief flooded through me in such a wave my knees almost buckled. I quickly found the file, printed two copies, and almost ran to the dining room with Cheryl right behind me. I’d forgotten to tell Teresa thank you. I’d do it later.

In the dining room, Heath sat alone at a table. At another, Officer Lawrence sat with Grandma. I made a beeline for Heath.

“You’re here.” I gave him an impulsive hug.

He grinned. “If that’s the reception I’ll get, I’ll try to almost get arrested more often.”

“Stop.” I sat in the chair next to him, Cheryl taking the other side. “I guess Alice vouched for you?”

“Yeah.” His brow furrowed. “Vouched for me quite heatedly. It was embarrassing. I think she has a crush on me.”

“Oh.” A niggle of jealousy pricked me. “You had no idea?”

He shook his head. “We usually get into an argument because she has an unreasonable demand.”

That sounded familiar. “Well, the main thing is you aren’t going to jail.”

“At least not today. I’m still the primary suspect.”

“We’re trying to clear your name.” I explained how we would be going door-to-door. “We only got as far as cottage one when we realized we had no idea who she was.”

“That’s Hattie Black. She isn’t very nice.”

“We figured that out real quick.”

He laughed. “What did you say to her?”

“That we’re collecting to repair the koi pond.” I held up a hand at his protest. “It’s all I could think of.”

“Alice will have a fit. You need to come up with a better plan. If she finds out, she’ll think you’re criticizing her job.”

“Seriously?” I was determined to ask her as soon as lunch was finished. If we could get donations, she could use the budget elsewhere. With all the small things that needed doing, and the weekly social functions she wanted me to plan, money saved was a good thing.

I spotted her entering the room and excused myself to catch her before someone caught her in a conversation. “Alice.”

“Shelby.” She tilted her head.

“I was wondering whether you would have a problem if I asked the residents for donations to repair the koi pond.”

“Why?” Her eyes narrowed. “Heath is working on that.”

“I know, but, I thought if the residents had a hand in its restoration, they might feel a sense of pride. We could have an unveiling party.”

She wrinkled her nose in thought. “As long as no one thinks it’s because we’re short on funds. We aren’t. It’s just that repairs take time and if anything, we’re short staffed. Corporation won’t let me hire anyone else.”

“I’m sure no one will think that. Remember…a penny saved is a penny earned, my grandfather always said.” I grinned and turned.

“Oh, and, Shelby?”

“Yes, ma’am?” I glanced over my shoulder.

“Hurry and clear Heath’s name, please. I can’t move forward in a relationship with him as long as he’s a murder suspect.”