Chapter 11
After their talk, Darby agreed to keep her houseguests around for a few more days while Drew researched Talia and her current boyfriend, Bret.
If Bret was upset that Talia was hanging around Mason again, it could explain the problems that Darby was having.
Especially if Bret thought Talia had rented Darby’s house for a getaway with her old boyfriend.
Rarity thought that he’d looked confused when he saw Darby on Wednesday night.
On Friday, Rarity still thought she was missing something. She decided to let it marinate a bit. Maybe when the sleuthing group talked on Tuesday night it would come to her. Katie showed up at three that afternoon.
Rarity greeted her as she came in the door. “Hey, you’re not scheduled until tomorrow morning.”
Katie looked around. “I told Darby I’d stay at her house tonight through Sunday. So I thought I’d come in and set up, but you guys have already taken care of that.”
“We had a slow day and I was angsty. Shirley asked why you weren’t doing a movie-themed activity.” Rarity smiled at the look now on Katie’s face. “And, there’s the answer, you didn’t think about it.”
“It would have been so easy. Especially since all the kids will want to talk about tomorrow is either the bike race or the film festival. I have the perfect activity. Do we still have Mason’s film?” Katie grabbed a piece of paper as she wrote down her thoughts.
“Yes. His assistant, Jane Carey, was supposed to pick it up on Sunday, but she hasn’t come by.
I reminded her of it Wednesday night at the memorial.
” Rarity thought about their short conversation.
“Maybe she thought it was this Sunday. Anyway, if she comes in, I’ll tell her we need it for tomorrow morning.
Then she can come get it or I’ll send it over to her hotel. ”
“Thanks. I need to do some work to make this mesh with the book, but it will be fun.” Katie nodded to the back. “Coffee in there?”
“Of course.” Rarity felt Killer by her foot. He was looking up at her, a sign that he needed something. “Shirley, can you watch the front? I need to take Killer out. It won’t be long. I think it’s still hot out there.”
“It is hot,” Katie called out from the back room.
Rarity clicked Killer’s leash on and headed to the front door.
The sun would have crossed the point where Killer’s little fake yard of grass would be in the shade.
She always kept water out for the local dogs that walked by the bookstore.
She even had a sign on the window telling people that the store was a pet-friendly environment.
She didn’t want dogs to be overcome in the heat.
Especially if their owners weren’t smart enough to keep them inside during the worst of the day.
She dumped the warm water and refilled the bowl with cold water from the bottle she’d brought out with them. Darby came out and stood by her as they waited for Killer.
“This is going to go away someday, right?” Darby asked as she scanned the street and the area around the buildings.
Rarity pulled her into a side hug. “We hover because we care. Yes, you will have your life back. And, according to Drew, it should be sooner than later. As long as the stalker doesn’t find a new way to torture you.”
“Rarity, that’s almost comforting.” Darby hugged her back, then went to the door. “Sorry, it’s too hot for me. Scotland is a lot cooler.”
As she waited for Killer to finish so she could clean up his mess using a pet bag, Rarity saw Jane Carey standing across the street.
She waved at her and prepared to tell her that she couldn’t have the movie.
At least not until tomorrow afternoon. She knew that someone would come by to pick up the film, but she hoped they’d allow her to honor her promise to Katie.
To her surprise, Jane didn’t acknowledge the wave and instead got back into the car she’d just parked. Rarity watched her drive away until she heard Killer barking. Telling her to hurry since it was hot out there.
She cleaned up his mess then headed inside. After taking the bag out to the alley where the dumpsters had been returned after Friday’s outdoor movie theater had been broken down, she went back and sat near Jonathon.
He looked up from his writing. “Yes?”
“Maybe nothing, but definitely in the weird category.” Rarity told him about seeing Jane.
He glanced toward the door then shrugged.
“Maybe she got a phone call. All those film people are wearing the earpieces for their phones. I thought I was having a conversation with someone at the memorial when they stood up and walked away. My discussion was one sided and I didn’t even realize it.
He probably thought I was a crazy old man. ”
“That could be true.” Rarity hadn’t seen Jane closely. She could have had a call and realized she needed to be somewhere else. She might not have even seen Rarity wave.
But she thought she’d seen recognition on the woman’s face.
“Anyway, I wanted to let you know I’ll be heading into Flagstaff tonight to meet up with my writers’ group. They moved the meeting from Wednesday so I could read from my chapter this week.” He glanced at the computer. “Can I use your copier? I’ll pay you for the copies.”
“Consider it a part of your benefit package for being here. I know you only write here to please Drew. It’s not like we’re going out to scan the streets for drug dealers to ask them questions about local murders.
” She held up her hand when he started to say something.
“Wait, let me rephrase that. I’m sounding a little grumpy.
Thank you for being part of the Next Chapter’s unofficial staffing. The copies are on me.”
He chuckled, then said, “You’re welcome and all I was going to say before is I like being here.
I know you don’t need me, but I need all of you.
It’s been tougher than I thought changing my life where my job had life-and-death choices.
Now, I write and, sometimes, get to think about why a murderer would kill.
Although my years of law enforcement experience doesn’t seem to be helping with this murder.
I feel like I’m missing something important. ”
Rarity’s eyes widened. “I feel exactly the same way. There’s something I should be seeing but I’m not. Anyway, make as many copies as you want. And thank you again. I will be fine walking home alone. I have Killer.”
Jonathon snorted. “And with that image, I’m back to work. Romeo would probably think less of me if I pointed out Killer’s size and threat level.”
She glanced at her watch. “Another hour and I’m kicking you out of here. I’ve got a pool waiting for me at home. As well as leftover shrimp fajitas.”
At the house, after she’d closed the bookstore and seen off Darby and Katie as well as Jonathon, Romeo, and Shirley, she checked her fridge to make sure she did have enough leftovers for dinner, then hit the pool.
Tomorrow night there would be the mid-festival ceremonies, and she’d already told Archer she’d go with him.
Still, she was beginning to feel grateful that this festival was only once a year.
For their small town, the festival committee had made the event feel like they were living in Hollywood and seeing premieres on a nightly basis.
Darby and Katie were dressing up for tonight’s showing and had offered to lend Rarity one of their theater dresses for tomorrow’s event.
She had another little black dress that should be fine.
And since they were walking into town, she’d throw on some flats rather than the heels.
She’d pull her hair into a fancy updo, which had two benefits.
One, it looked great. And two, getting the hair off her neck would be cooler.
She’d have a shawl to cover her from the sun on the walk over and from the chill on the walk home.
She had Arizona clothing down to a science now after a few years.
As she swam, she let the lists and worries of the day seep out of her head and into the pool water.
Killer was on the deck, lying where he could be in the path of the cooling fan as well as still be able to see her in the pool.
Rarity blamed his needy nature on losing his first mommy to a violent crime.
Even though Killer hadn’t been at the scene of her death.
Maybe she spent too much time alone with her dog?
She pushed the idea out of her head and concentrated on the next stroke.
One after another. Until she’d reached her lap count and her shoulders were no longer tense.
They’d be screaming at her tomorrow, but today, she was loose.
She climbed out of the pool and heard raised voices. Then a door slammed.
She looked out the fence gate and saw Shirley getting into her car that was parked at Terrance’s house. The gate from his backyard opened and he saw her standing there.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t know anyone was home or we would have taken our disagreement into the house before we started yelling.” He watched Shirley’s car back out. “I’m a fool.”
“Same argument?”
Terrance nodded. “I need to stop pushing. She gives me what she can. I just love her.”
“Shirley’s in a hard spot right now. You need to be patient.”
He sighed. “I’m trying. I’ve got to get dressed.
I’m meeting some friends at the movie thing tonight.
Which is why she was mad at me. She doesn’t want anyone to misconstrue our friendship as anything but just friends.
Which is why I told her that we needed to be out in public now.
People notice secrets. If you’re just open as friends, people let it be. ”
“I think people decide what they want to think, no matter what you do. All you can do is what you feel comfortable with. I think with Shirley, she’s doing the best she can.” Rarity met his gaze, trying to help her friend. Both her friends.