Chapter 7
7
Monday morning at the Indigo Tea Shop found Theodosia, Drayton, and Haley sipping cups of jade green Ambootia Estate organic tea and rehashing the bizarre events of Saturday before they opened for the day. Everyone seemed to have a different theory about what had happened and why, though they all shared the feeling of being upended by Celeste’s death and Jamie’s injuries.
“I didn’t really know Celeste all that well,” Haley said. “But I used to see her working out at Core Yoga, and she seemed super nice.”
“She was nice,” Theodosia said. In the few times she’d talked to Celeste, the girl had seemed smart, wickedly funny, and full of life.
“It kinda rocks your world when somebody is killed like that. Somebody you know ,” Haley said.
“It shows that life can turn on a dime,” Drayton said.
“But we’re not talking about life,” Haley said. “We’re talking about Celeste’s death .”
“It was merely a figure of speech. I meant no harm,” Drayton said. He touched a hand to Haley’s shoulder. “I feel as awful as you do.”
“And the wedding, that beautiful outdoor wedding, was completely ruined,” Theodosia said.
Haley bobbed her head. “I know. I’d never been to a wedding at a real-deal flower farm before. It would have been incredible. I mean, did you see Bettina’s dress?”
“Brand new but constructed of antique lace,” Theodosia said. “Custom designed just for her.”
“Gosh, I sure hope that sheriff guy is hard at work on this case,” Haley said.
“Sheriff Ambourn? I’m sure he is. He and his deputies seemed quite capable,” Theodosia said.
“Have you heard anything about that DNR trail camera?” Drayton asked.
“I’m still waiting to hear from Riley,” Theodosia said.
Haley looked suddenly interested. “What trail camera?”
So Theodosia told Haley about how she and Riley had gone to Kipley Park, walked down the trail, and found a camera.
“Do you think the killer’s face was caught on camera?” Haley asked. “That would be great if the police could identify him.”
“Fingers crossed,” Theodosia said.
“For sure,” Haley said. When she started to get up from the table, Drayton touched a hand to her arm. “Hang on a minute. There’s more.”
Haley looked flustered. “There’s more?”
“Tell her, Theo.”
So Theodosia told Haley about taking their trip to the hospital yesterday, talking to Jamie, and the skull being delivered on Jamie’s luncheon tray.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Haley cried, her baby blue eyes opening wide as she reared back in her chair. “A real skull? Like, dug up from a grave?”
“It turned out to be plastic,” Drayton said.
“How do you know that?” Haley liked to be scared, but not too scared.
“I got an expert opinion,” Theodosia said. “From a nurse.”
“That’s crazy. Who would sneak into a hospital and leave a skull like that?” Haley said. “You’re sure it was intended for Jamie? That it wasn’t just a Halloween prank?”
“I think it was definitely put there to frighten Jamie,” Theodosia said.
“So the killer is out there, waiting and watching,” Haley said. “That’s kinda scary.” She gave a little shiver as her Apple Watch suddenly chimed. “My scones!” she said, suddenly all business. “I gotta take my cinnamon scones out of the oven.”
Haley disappeared into the kitchen while Theodosia and Drayton lingered over a second cup of tea.
“I know you’ve pulled Riley into this murder, but are you going to get involved yourself?” Drayton asked Theodosia.
“I’d say I’m already involved.”
“You know what I’m talking about, I mean involved involved.”
“I don’t know. I have to admit it’s a strange case.”
“And right up your alley,” Drayton said. “The kind of thing that lets you do some amateur investigating.” He considered his words for a few moments, then frowned. “Although we do have a rather hectic week ahead of us.”
“Every week is busy,” Theodosia said.
“But this week is going to be even more hectic,” Drayton said as Haley wandered back into the tea room with a tray full of scones.
“You want me to stick these in the glass cake saver on the counter?” Haley asked Theodosia.
“Please,” Theodosia said. “And, Haley, they smell delicious.”
“Thanks.”
But Drayton was still in deep worry mode. “We’ve got our Under the Tuscan Sun Tea tomorrow, our Victorian Halloween Tea on Wednesday, and our Harvest Tea on Friday.”
“Don’t forget we’re supposed to serve tea, scones, and cookies at the cemetery crawl on Wednesday night,” Haley said. “Although I think the historical people are calling the event something else.”
“The official title is A Walk Among the Tombstones,” Drayton said. “And it’s happening citywide. There’ll be guided candlelight tours through all of Charleston’s historic cemeteries. Magnolia Cemetery, St. Philips, St. Michael’s, St. Lawrence, and the Unitarian Church Graveyard.”
“Which cemetery are we going to?” Haley asked.
“St. Philips,” Theodosia said.
“So just down the block from us,” Haley said. “Should be easy-peasy.” She stopped short and added, “Unless something weird happens.”
“We’re serving tea and scones in what’s been called one of the most haunted places on earth,” Drayton said. “What could possibly go wrong?”
* * *
They got ready for morning tea then. Drayton stepped behind the front counter to survey his floor-to-ceiling shelves of tea tins while Theodosia bustled about the tea room, readying her tables.
“I’m thinking Grand Keemun and Earl Grey for morning offerings,” Drayton said as he deftly plucked tea tins off the shelf. “Unless you have an opinion otherwise.”
“You know I always leave tea choices up to you,” Theodosia said. In the six or so years they’d worked together, Drayton had never had a misstep when it came to tea. No, he was a true expert and aficionado, able to discern between Goomtee Garden Assam and Namring Garden Assam, as well as between China’s Mao Jiang and traditional Gunpowder green teas. And should a tea exhibit a hint of bakiness or the smallest loss of flavor, it was tossed out immediately.
Theodosia placed woven bamboo place mats on all the tables, then opened one of her antique highboys to study her various sets of dishes. Because it was kind of a down day, she chose Apple Blossom by Haviland. It was a lovely pattern that always brought a smile to her face. And the teacups were particularly cute with their small round handles.
For Theodosia it was a joy to work in her tea room. She placed cups, saucers, butter knives, spoons, pitchers of cream, and bowls of sugar on the tables.
Let’s see, what else?
Candles. Another peek in one of her cupboards and she pulled out tall silver candleholders with white tapers. Perfect and elegant. That done, she gazed around her tea room with a renewed sense of pride. The French crystal chandelier that hung overhead imparted a sort of warm Rembrandt lighting, as Drayton liked to call it. The pegged heart pine floors were covered with slightly faded Oriental rugs, the leaded windows were swagged with blue toile curtains, and a small stone fireplace added an extra touch of coziness. The brick walls held framed etchings of Charleston Harbor as well as grapevine wreaths that Theodosia had decorated with ribbons and small, colorful teacups. All told, the Indigo Tea Shop was a quasi-British, semi-country-French affair that drew locals as well as tourists who flocked to the elegant B and Bs in the surrounding Historic District.
* * *
At precisely nine o’clock Theodosia hung out her hand-painted, curlicued sign that said Open for Tea and Light Lunches . And at nine oh two customers began to arrive. Theodosia greeted her guests, seated them, and gave a quick rundown on the day’s baked offerings, which included cinnamon scones, lemon tea bread, and British-style crumpets. Then Theodosia ran the orders into the kitchen while Drayton prepped tea orders.
Business remained steady this morning, and Theodosia was so caught up in answering questions about tea—and how to properly slice a scone (lengthwise, of course)—that she almost forgot about Saturday’s tragedy.
Until a woman walked through her front door, looked around the tea room with a certain amount of intensity, then rested her gaze on Theodosia. A woman that was the spitting image of Celeste!
Theodosia felt as if she’d been jolted by a bolt of lightning. What was going on? This couldn’t be Celeste, could it? Unless Celeste had somehow pulled off a miracle and risen from the dead!