Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Idrove through town in silence. It wasn’t a long trip, and I still didn’t know where I was going, so I made a left turn to do another loop. Millie sat quietly in the passenger seat, looking as miserable as I felt.
“I really screwed up, didn’t I?” I said as I drove down Main Street. “That’s the problem. I know Rob’s right. I shouldn’t have opened the bag.”
Millie put a comforting paw on my arm as I drove past the side street that held my shop. I glanced over, not able to help myself, and saw Rob standing outside, talking with a man dressed in a neon green vest and wearing a hard hat. I didn’t recognize him.
“You were just trying to make sense of it all. It’s my fault for finding the bag.”
I reached over and smoothed back the fur on the top of her head.
“Not at all. I’m glad you found it. I just wish I’d been able to make copies before Moorehead came back.
There’s something strange about that manuscript.
I can feel it. Do you think Rob even heard me about the dog hair you found?
We didn’t touch that, at least. But now... I’ve never seen him that angry.”
Even when I’d first come to town and discovered Trudy’s body, Rob hadn’t been this adversarial. He’d listened to Meg, who vouched for my arrival time, and he’d let me go.
“Well, what do we do now?”
“That’s a good question. I don’t want to go back to Rob’s house, and we can’t go back to ours. This is awful. I guess we could stop in and see Emma and the ladies. Maybe they’ll have some ideas.”
Millie perked up at that suggestion, and I felt the same way. There was something special about these friends of mine who’d taken me under their collective wings. I turned back around and decided to make a quick stop before heading to the quilt shop.
The bake shop was just three doors down from Emma’s, and the cheerful display in the window went a long way toward soothing my mood. One of her chocolate muffins wouldn’t hurt, either. I left Millie in the car and headed inside.
“Olivia!” Susie said as I walked in. “I heard about what happened yesterday. I’m so sorry. I planned to stop by, but I got caught up when a batch of muffins went wrong, and I couldn’t make it.”
I leaned against the counter, inhaling the sweet scents of cookies, muffins, and rolls.
“I’m glad you weren’t there. I couldn’t handle it if more people had been injured.”
Susie’s eyes rounded as she nodded.
“I heard. Are you going to see Naomi?”
“I’m headed there next.”
“I’ll throw in some cinnamon rolls for her. She loves those. They were Bill’s favorites. She comes in every Tuesday and orders one.”
That was the day Naomi visited his grave, without fail. My heart clenched a little.
“That would be great. Do you have any chocolate muffins?”
Susie’s face fell.
“No. I ran out of cocoa, and my supplier hasn’t sent any. I’m so sorry. I’ve got some dark chocolate croissants, though.”
“That sounds great.”
“I’ll throw in a few things for Jo, too. Eddie is crazy about my custard tarts, and Sandy loves a good bear claw. I’ve got some cherry ones that are almost done if you don’t mind waiting.”
“I’d be happy to wait. Thanks, Susie.”
It truly wasn’t a hardship to sit at one of the cozy little tables near the window. I waved at
Millie through the glass, hoping she’d understand. She stood, little paws propped on the armrest, watching me.
Rolly James pulled in next to my car, and his Labrador, Cooper, let out a joyous yip as he spotted Millie. The two of them were fast friends. Rolly grinned as he walked in and wiped his boots on the mat.
“Well, hello, Olivia! Bad business about what happened yesterday. I still can’t believe it. An explosion like that in Timber Falls.”
He swept off his ball cap, revealing his shiny scalp, and twisted the cap between his fingers.
“I know, Rolly. I feel the same.”
“Did Rob find out who did it yet?”
“Not yet, but he’s working on it.”
“There,” Susie said, putting a box on the counter. “All set.”
I stood to go pay, but she waved my card away.
“On the house, Olivia. There’s nothing better than baked goods in trying times.”
Rolly perked up and cleared his throat.
“Oh?”
Susie rolled her eyes.
“Did your shop get blown up, Rolly?”
“Well, no, but... it’s quite distressing to see that happen to a dear friend of mine. One of those orange cinnamon rolls would surely help me in my hour of need.”
She rolled her eyes again, grinning.
“Oh, you old badger. You’re in luck. I just pulled some out of the oven. I can never say no to you.”
I waved goodbye and backed out of the shop, cradling the warm box of goodies in my arms. The combined smells of the bakery followed me as I got into the car, and Millie took a hopeful sniff of the box.
“That smells amazing.”
“I’m pretty sure Susie put something in there for you, sweetheart. Ready to see the ladies?”
Millie only had eyes for the pink box between us as I backed out of my spot and headed down the street. It felt silly to do that when I could have just walked, but I didn’t want to take up one of Susie’s precious few parking spots.
As soon as I opened my door, Millie raced out and headed for Emma’s shop, waiting for me at the door. I took the bakery box and met up with her as Emma threw open the door. I hefted the box as I walked in.
“I come bearing gifts.”
“Oh, and the best kind, too,” Emma said, wrapping me in a one-armed hug. “Ladies, Olivia is here.”
Jo popped her head out of the back room, her bun listing a little with the movement.
“She’s here! Come on, girls. It’s time to solve a mystery.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as the women came streaming out of the back room. That laughter faded, though, when I saw the bandages on Naomi’s face. She looked a little wan as the others crossed the shop to greet me.
“Olivia! And dear Millie,” Sandy said, hurrying over. “It’s just so good to see the two of you. I felt terrible last night when I heard the shop was closed. You’re more than welcome to stay with me if you need a place. I’ve got plenty of room in my cabin.”
Considering how my morning had gone, I might have to take her up on that. I hoped not, but it was hard to tell.
“Oh, thank you, Sandy. I ended up staying at Rob’s last night.”
“Oooo,” said Naomi, perking up. “That’s promising. How did it go?”
“Did Tammy come over? I swear she watches Rob like a hawk. She’s been trying to set him up with her daughter for an age, but her daughter wasn’t keen.
She ended up marrying a welder and moving to Texas.
Can’t say I blame her. I’d move to Texas, too, if Tammy were my mother,” Jo said, crossing her arms.
A smile quirked my lips at this story. These women always knew how to cheer me up.
“As a matter of fact, I ran into Tammy as I was leaving the house this morning. She was worried someone had broken into Rob’s house, I think. I put her at ease.”
“Oh, honey, I don’t know about that,” Naomi said. “I can only imagine the gossip mill is cranking over this new intel. It will be all over town that you and the Chief are shacking up. We’ll have to set them straight.”
I blinked a few times before Emma took my arm, steering me toward the back, where there were comfortable chairs and, more importantly, tea and sympathy.
“Come on. You’ve had quite a fright, and I can tell just by looking at you there’s more to the story. Sit, and I’ll go make some tea.”
“Already got the water going,” Jo said, joining us. “Should be about ready. Now, spill it, Olivia. I can tell something’s bothering you.”
I settled onto the soft couch, and Millie joined me, waiting for Naomi to sit. She cuddled next to the tiny woman’s lap, purring loudly while Naomi stroked her fur.
“Well, it just seems like everything has gone wrong since Moorehead showed up.”
I told them about our early morning discovery and the manuscript, and Naomi scooted forward.
“Oh, I wish you’d nabbed that manuscript. I’ve read everything Moorehead’s written. I’d be able to tell if something hinky was going on. Do you think he uses a ghostwriter? I’ve heard some writers do that. Especially that one guy, the one with all the books.”
I knew who she meant, but shook my head.
“I guess. I never really thought about that. It’s entirely possible. I guess I’m just overreacting, aren’t I? There’s probably a completely plausible explanation for it, and I’m grasping at straws because I can’t stand the man.”
“Well, that doesn’t explain away the nose candy,” Jo said with a harrumph. “I knew something was off about that guy.”
“Oh, Jo,” Naomi said, shaking her head. “He seemed perfectly lovely. Until after the explosion. Did you know he offered me money if I’d do an interview with him? I turned him down flat.”
“What?” Jo said. “Now I would’ve fleeced him. The nerve of that man. I can’t wait until he leaves town.”
“Do you think he’s going to stick around?” Sandy asked.
“I doubt it. He made his feelings about this place known to me, at least. But I don’t know how he plans to leave. His rental car is kaput.”
“Hmph. I’d buy him a one-way ticket to anywhere but here, but the bus line doesn’t come through here anymore. I bet his fancy publicist is working something out. Probably a private plane or something.”
I shrugged, suddenly sick to death of talking about Jackson Moorehead.
“But I skipped something earlier. Someone broke into my shop, and I’m pretty sure it was Declan and his terrible dog. Millie was sniffing all over the place, and she found this tuft of brown hair. It looks the same color as Fang’s coat.”
Emma returned and nearly dropped the tea tray.
“What?”
She took a seat, and while I relayed everything she’d missed, Sandy handed out the teacups and cracked open the box of baked goods. Naomi’s face lit up when she spotted her cinnamon roll.
“That Susie is a dear. Oh look, Emma, she got all of our favorites.”
Emma leaned over and grabbed a donut with sprinkles.
“So, what are we going to do about it? Did you tell Rob?”
I winced as I took a sip of my tea. Oolong. One of my favorites.
“I did, but... Unfortunately, I’m not sure he heard me. He was too mad about what I’d done. We had, gosh, I think that was our first real fight.”
The women scooted to the edges of their chairs, and an outcry ensued. Luckily, for my ego, anyway, they took my side. But in my heart, I knew I’d been wrong. That made it even worse.
“Well, you’re the owner. So anything left behind becomes your property as far as I’m concerned.”
Sandy patted my hand.
“Don’t worry about it too much, dear. I’m sure he was just frustrated. Everything will be fine.”
A scream sounded just outside the shop, and my teacup clanked as I put it down on the table.
“What was that?”
Jo spun toward the door and held up a hand for quiet. Another scream. Two more.
“Something’s going on out there.”
In a flash, there was a mad rush to the door, with Millie bounding ahead of us. She scrabbled her paws on the door until Emma wrenched it open. We streamed out onto the sidewalk, and I saw dozens of other townsfolk all doing the same thing. Another scream.
I clasped the neck of my coat and walked forward into the street, spotting Susie as she came out of her shop.
“Olivia! What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I think the scream is coming from the park over there.”
I scooped up Millie and began walking, my friends right on my heels. As I got to the edge of the park, I spotted two women sobbing hysterically. They stood next to a bench where a man sat, unmoving. My pulse flickered as I started their way.
“Marcie, what’s going on?” Jo boomed from behind me, startling everyone.
Marcie turned toward us, and I recognized Dorcie standing next to her. Tears streamed down their faces as they pointed toward the man on the bench.
“I just wanted to ask him for an autograph. I thought maybe he was asleep, but... he’s dead!”
My mind reeled as I got close enough to see the man’s face. It was Jackson Moorehead. My hands shook as I passed Millie over to Sandy and approached the bench.
“Mr. Moorehead?”
My fingers shook as I reached for his neck to test his pulse. His skin was faintly warm, but there was no reassuring beat under my fingertips. Marcie was right. Jackson Moorehead was dead.