Chapter 13
Ireturned home to Cosmo with more questions than answers. Ms. Vine had again been doing book maintenance in the library, so I decided to swing by Sweet Surprise, our local café, and select a few goodies that we could enjoy over a cup of coffee and a chat.
My mouth watered at the sight of a black forest gateau, with its rich creamy filling and thick chocolate shavings. Alas, something less rich was better suited to both the hour and a library environment.
Vonda, the senior waitress, waited patiently for me to pick something. She’d served the tables and now stood behind the glass counter with its pies, and cakes, cream-filled meringues, cookies, and sandwiches.
I noticed a tray with cocoa-dusted brown balls in mini cupcake wrappers. “What are those?”
“Rum-soaked mini truffle cakes. It’s an old recipe that we discovered in a treasure box that used to belong to the chef’s grandmother.
It had slipped behind the lining of the bottom.
Would you like to try a bite?” Without waiting for my response, she cut one of the balls into quarters and popped one into her mouth.
I did the same. To my surprise, there were no crumbs sticking to my fingers, and the dense sponge base carried only a hint of the rum it had been soaked in, with chocolate and almond the main flavors.
“That’s good,” I said, reaching for another quarter. “Give me four of those and two rose water and pistachio macarons each.”
“Sure thing.” Vonda filled a small pink cardboard box matching her pink uniform with my treats. “Here you go. And if you see Bert, tell him, if he and his missus need anything, I can get it dropped off.”
“Bert and his wife? Is anything wrong with them?”
“Oh, sweetie, haven’t you heard? They’ve taken it mighty hard to have their barn become a crime scene.” Vonda leaned a little closer. “Chopped into pieces, the dead man, from what I’ve been told.”
She obviously knew that I’d been on the scene. It would have been a miracle otherwise. Cosmo was right. All the town’s grapevine ran together in a small hub and spread out from there again. Sweet Surprise was a big part of the gossip distribution system.
Shutting down that route would be churlish.
The same went for pointing out that Vonda was obviously angling for information.
I decided on a dramatic shudder. “That’s exaggerated, but it was horrible to find him stabbed to death.
I hope you’ll never have to go through anything like it. ” Another shudder ended my performance.
Vonda gave me a concerned pat on the hand. “I’m so sorry, sweetie, I’m sure you want to forget everything.”
“I’m trying.” I didn’t have to pretend to feel awful; I’d been so caught up in Candice’s trouble that I’d forgotten to think about how Bert was coping. Maybe I should go and see him later, with my special cookies and healing tea.
Ms. Vine waved at me with a roll of adhesive book wrap. The stack of romance novels she’d dug out was now cleaned, labeled, catalogued and ready to entertain the residents of Serenity Springs.
“One more to go,” she said with obvious satisfaction. The white cotton gloves in use for this sort of operation needed a good wash, and the bottle with the spirit cleaner was half empty.
“You could have left that to me,” I protested.
“Nonsense. It’s good to feel useful.” She shot me a quizzing glance. “I don’t mind taking over this shift, if you want to go somewhere else.”
For a proclaimed non-witch, she had impressive skills of deduction. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I’d like to see how Bert is coping.”
“That’s an excellent idea, exactly what your aunt would have done in this situation. I’d planned to go through another box or two with donated books anyway.” She practically shooed me away.
“Let’s have a coffee break first,” I said.
I switched on the coffee maker, put the treats from Sweet Surprise in a bowl, added two plates, and carried them to the table in the reading nook.
Ms. Vine removed her gloves and took two cups while I filled the thermos. “I’ve been thinking about the children’s section.”
“I’ve built it up as much as possible, with the limited income from the subscription,” I said.
“I don’t doubt that. I was thinking more of how to fill more needs.
So many parents work full time and families become smaller.
One of the projects Violet and I had discussed was a story-book hour, connecting the youngest with some of our seniors.
I’m sure having honorary grandparents or aunties could fill a gap for both generations. ”
Noah’s image came to mind, and my own, when all I had left in the world was my aunt. My grandparents lived too far away to figure even remotely in my upbringing. “That’s an interesting idea.” It should also help with turning the library into gossip central.
“I’ll be happy to work with you on the concept, once you’re less busy with other important matters.” She nibbled a rum ball. “Delicious. You should take some for Bert and his wife, in addition to your own cookies.” She winked at me.
“I will, and I’ll take Cosmo too, in case they’re in need of emotional support.”
He’d stayed upstairs. Ms. Vine only had a spare key to the library, not to our private rooms. Only my coven had access to the apartment, in case of an emergency.
I devoured a rum ball, left two macarons on the plate, and boxed the rest up again. Taking Cosmo with me gave me a chance to brief him on the investigation and fulfill his cherished role as guardian cat of Willowmere.
He sauntered across the hallway to greet me. “I thought you’d never come home.”
“I wasn’t gone that long.” I peered into the jars. I had only three stress and pain reducing anise cookies left. “How’s that possible?”
“What do you expect if you drop everything to go on a fun trip and next thing there’s another crime for us to solve?” He stretched his back. “I’ll wake you a little earlier tomorrow to do the baking.”
“Not too early, please.”
“Have I ever neglected your creature comforts?” He raised a paw as I opened my mouth to list the occasions when he’d insisted on rousing me long before the crack of dawn. “Unless there was a very good reason.”
“That’s true,” I admitted. I took a fresh tin, scooped in three tablespoons full of shredded tea leaves, and added the label with the instructions for dosage and brew times. This one didn’t take the exactitude of other of Aunt Violet’s recipes, but it would ease distress. It also tasted delicious.
I’d considered adding a spell to help Bert cope with his nicotine withdrawal but decided against it. There was a limit to safe meddling with someone’s body and mind.
Cosmo darted ahead of me in the erratic weave I’d learned to anticipate. Sometimes I suspected that he exaggerated his feline traits to prove to the world that he was nothing but an especially beautiful sleek black cat.
In the car, I recounted everything I’d heard, seen, said, and thought. He listened attentively, sitting upright in his stroller on the backseat, with his face pressed against the plastic bubble. Our gaze met in the mirror.
“You’re sure both women lied to you?” he asked when I had finished my report.
“I’m positive. I didn’t sense anything too bad, other than an understandable grudge against the late Tim Boyd.”
“If they didn’t lie about him as well. What a pity you’ve never met him in a social situation.”
“He didn’t raise my witchy hackles during the few occasions I saw him at the fair. He seemed to be an ordinary guy thinking a bit too high of himself. That is, until we spotted him with Candice. That felt off, even from a distance.”
“Then it’s overdue that we take a closer look at him.”
I had parked my car and was fastening Cosmo’s harness when my phone buzzed twice.
“One second.” I let him jump out of the car while I checked.
“Rick has responded to my text,” I told him.
Instead of an answer, Cosmo bumped his head against my leg. Of course; we were in public now. He wouldn’t utter another word until we were secluded again.
“A thumbs up and a crying emoji,” I said, ostensibly talking to myself.
The other text was from Alex.
Dad told me you’re riding to C’s rescue. And that you laid down the law for him to act like a grown-up. (Don’t worry, my interpretation, not his words.) Good on you!
I put away my phone, secretly pleased with both reactions. Standing up for myself felt twice as good if my daughter approved.