Better Off Thread, page 4
Veronica raised an index finger. “Ah, but you didn’t know that at the time you went running at him.”
“That’s true.”
“I said, don’t encourage her!” Ted repeated.
“Oh, hush,” Veronica chided. “You love her spunk, too.”
Ted ran a hand over his face.
“Need a beer, buddy?” Mark asked.
“Not right now. I’m driving. But I might be back later for something even stronger,” Ted said.
“You’ve got it.”
Ted squeezed my shoulder. “Captain Moe’s at Riley’s house right now. I asked if we could come over, and she said it was fine.”
I leapt up from the chair. “Then let’s go.” I took another drink of my tea. “Veronica, this really is delicious, and I’d love to finish it, but—”
“Go.” She took the glass from my hand. “You two need to be with Captain Moe right now.”
I hugged her before Ted and I hurried out the door.
* * *
When we arrived at Riley’s house, her husband, Keith, ushered us into the living room. Their baby, Laura, was asleep—it must be a common naptime for little ones—so he raised his finger to his lips and asked us to keep our voices down.
Captain Moe was sitting on Riley’s burgundy leather sofa, looking tired and defeated. I went over and gave him a hug.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I’ve been better a time or two, Tink.”
“I can imagine. Detectives Bailey and Ray aren’t my favorite people, either.”
“Really? Because they asked me to give you their best,” he said.
I gaped. “They did?”
“No,” he said with a chuckle. “I just wanted to see your reaction. They asked me over and over again all about Sandra Vincent.”
Riley came in with a mug of coffee. Her long black hair was swept up into a bun, she wore a navy silk blouse and black dress slacks, and she was barefoot. “Thank goodness he had the good sense not to talk with them before calling me first. Would you guys like some coffee?”
Ted and I both declined.
“Obviously you’re a suspect because you found the body,” Ted said. “But what other reasons are they giving you?”
“They’re saying that someone saw me arguing with Ms. Vincent more than once over the course of the event,” said Captain Moe. “Granted, she and I didn’t see eye to eye on some things. We argued Friday and then again yesterday. Tink was there for that round.”
“I was. But there was nothing threatening or intimidating said. I can vouch for that.”
“I might ask you to,” Riley said.
“Who are their other suspects?” Ted asked.
“They aren’t saying—at least not to me.”
“They certainly didn’t clue me in,” Captain Moe added.
“I’ll see what I can find out,” Ted said. “I have a couple of connections with the Tallulah County PD, and Manu has even more.”
Chief Manu Singh . . . If Ted couldn’t find out who the suspects were, maybe Manu could.
Chapter Five
On the way back from Riley’s house, Ted and I stopped at a newspaper box and bought a few copies of the Tallulah Falls Examiner. There we were—Captain Moe and me—smiling from the front page. Who could’ve guessed that less than a day later, things would be such a mess?
When we got to my place, we fed Angus and then cuddled up on the sofa to read Paul’s article. It was a feel-good piece, to be sure. Paul had written about the magical way Captain Moe had with the children.
“And everyone was beguiled by his charming elf,” Ted read aloud.
“Oh, I’m sure.”
“Well, you beguiled me. You captivate and charm and enchant and mesmerize me every day.” He punctuated the verbs with kisses.
“Wow. You can almost make me forget that our friend’s fate rests in hands of detectives Heckle and Jeckle.”
“Detectives Ray and Bailey aren’t incompetent, you know. They’re simply doing their jobs. And they’ll do a good job.”
“But not as good as you and Manu would do. I so wish this case was in your jurisdiction.”
“So do I, sweetheart. But it isn’t. And there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“I know.”
“And if you go poking your nose into Tallulah County Police business, you’re going to get into trouble,” he said.
“I know that, too.”
He sighed. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t.”
“If I do any snooping at all, I’ll be extra careful about it. And I’ll keep you looped in every step of the way.” At the dubious look he gave me, I decided to change the subject. “Do you know what we should do? Put up our Christmas trees. We can do mine first and then go over to your house and decorate yours.”
“I don’t have a Christmas tree.”
My eyes widened. “Why not? I know you celebrate Christmas.”
“Yeah, but I don’t need a tree in an apartment by myself.”
“Of course you do!” I hopped up off the sofa. “Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“To get you a tree and some fabulous ornaments!”
* * *
Three hours later, we were back at my house with a pizza and a movie. We’d bought Ted a seven-foot-tall artificial tree and assembled it in front of his living room window. Then we’d decorated it with the ornaments we’d acquired. We’d gotten some things—lights, red satin balls, and garlands—at the nearest department store, but then I’d remembered seeing a Christmas specialty shop between Tallulah Falls and Depoe Bay.
At the specialty shop, we were able to find a snowman–police officer ornament, a tiny pair of handcuffs with a key, and an Irish wolfhound. We had to get two of those; they were so adorable, I wanted one for my tree as well. And Ted found a miniature blond fairy ornament. He got two of those, one for himself and one for Captain Moe.
By the time we got back to Ted’s apartment and finished his tree, we were both happily exhausted. We’d decided that decorating one tree was enough for today and that we’d do mine tomorrow evening.
Angus was thrilled that we’d brought home pizza. Feeling happy and generous, I cut a slice of the thin-crust cheese pizza into bite-size pieces and put them in Angus’s dish. He was in the living room, wanting more before we could get the movie put into the DVD player.
“You had yours, Mr. Pig,” I told him.
He sat by the sofa and waited expectantly, knowing one of us would cave sooner or later. And, of course, he was right.
* * *
On Monday morning, Angus and I got to work just in time to tidy up a little and put on a pot of coffee before unlocking the doors to the Stitch. I retrieved my laptop from my office and looked up more Christmas-ornament patterns. Of course, I still had plenty to make, but now I wanted to make a couple of special ones for Ted’s tree.
The bells over the door alerted me to Vera’s arrival. Angus got up from his spot by the window to greet her.
“Good morning,” I said. “Would you like some coffee? It should be finished brewing by now.”
“No, thanks.” She sat on a red club chair. “I can’t stay long. I just came by so we could brainstorm about Captain Moe. What’re we going to do?”
“Well, Ted told me yesterday that detectives Ray and Bailey are very good at their jobs and that we can trust them to find Sandra Vincent’s killer.”
She inclined her head. “We’re just supposed to trust those two yahoos with Captain Moe’s life?”
“I don’t like it any better than you do.” I bit my lower lip. “I read in Paul’s article that he’d spoken with Ms. Vincent. Is it possible that he picked up any clues as to who might have wanted to harm her?”
“No. I’ve asked him already. And he’s no more thrilled about our investigating than Ted is. But we have to do something.”
“Agreed.” I thought a second. “You know, for November and December, I’ve cut my classes back to one night a week—Wednesday—so that gives me some extra time. I could offer to volunteer at the hospital.”
“I’m way ahead of you on that one. I called the hospital this morning and said I’d like to come around today with some magazines and stuff. I even have a little collapsible cart in the trunk of my car to carry the magazines, books, newspapers, and snacks.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said.
“I know. I’ll nose around and see what I can find out.” She stood. “I guess I’d better be on my way.”
“Just don’t get yourself thrown out.”
She smiled. “I’ll try.”
“And keep me posted,” I called as she left.
I was working on a Christmas ornament—not for Ted; just one I’d started and needed to finish before beginning a new one—when a young mom walked in with a toddler in a stroller. I put my work aside and hurried to help her.
“Hi,” I said. “Welcome to the Seven-Year Stitch. I’m Marcy.”
“Hi, Marcy. I’m Dani and this is Nicole.” She looked at me closely and then spotted Angus ambling in from my office, where he’d been getting a drink from his water bowl. “Wait, I know you. You’re the elf! From Saturday night.”
“I am. Are you all right with Angus around Nicole, or would you rather I put him up?”
“He’s fine,” said Dani. “She loved him the other night.”
As if on cue, Nicole stretched out her hand toward Angus. “Doggie!”
He walked over to the stroller and sat down. Nicole patted his fur.
Nicole appeared to be the picture of health. I hoped she was one of the children who’d simply come to visit after the patients had seen Santa, like Jackson had been. “Do you work at the hospital, Dani?”
“No. We were actually visiting my mom when we heard about Santa visiting on the third floor. I thought it was really nice of the hospital to allow nonpatients to participate. And that guy was the best Santa I’d ever seen.”
“Isn’t he though? His name is Maurice Patrick, and he owns Captain Moe’s diner in Lincoln City.”
“Well, how about that? We’ll have to go have lunch with Santa sometime, Nicole.”
Nicole was paying too much attention to Angus to listen to what her mother was saying.
“I’m sorry about your mother,” I said. “Is her condition serious?”
Dani nodded. “She’s waiting on a liver transplant. We thought we had a donor last week, but somehow it fell through at the last minute. I even went to the hospital administrator about it.”
“What did she say?” I asked.
“Ms. Vincent said there was a mix-up and that someone was higher up on the list than she’d originally thought—someone even sicker than Mom.” She sighed. “Mom has been on that list for so long. I even offered to be a living donor, but my tissue was incompatible with hers.”
“I’m very sorry. I hope she gets a donor soon.”
“So do I. I just want her to see Nicole grow up. . . . At least be around long enough for Nicole to be able to remember her.”
“Of course,” I said. “May I get you some coffee or water?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine. I’m actually here looking for some Swedish weaving or huck-embroidery patterns,” Dani said. “Mom used to love to stitch, and although she’s too weak to do it herself now, I thought she might enjoy it if I stitch while I’m sitting with her at the hospital.”
I had some huck-embroidery snowflake ornament kits and a couple of tea towel kits. Dani took both the tea towel kits and one of the snowflakes.
“I enjoyed seeing you again,” I told Dani. “And I hope we can meet again under happier circumstances.”
“Me, too. I just pray that Mom gets a liver before . . . well, soon.”
“So do I.”
“Tell the doggie bye, Nicole.”
“Bye, doggie!”
I opened the door for them. “Thank you for stopping in.”
“We’ll probably be back,” Dani said before heading off down the street.
I went back to the sit-and-stitch square and resumed work on the cross-stitch teddy bear holding a red-and-white gift box. I felt terrible for Dani and her mom and for the rest of their family, as well. To be that close to a cure and then have it fall through at the last minute. How sad.
* * *
It wasn’t long before Todd came striding into the Stitch, sporting a smile a mile wide.
Angus trotted over to him happily, but I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
“What’re you up to?” I asked.
“Nothing. Can’t a guy just come over and visit his best gal pal without raising suspicion?”
“Not with a smile like that on your face.”
When I’d first moved to Tallulah Falls, it had been Sadie’s hope that Todd and I would make a love connection. We had hit it off, but as friends. He was tall, athletic, and had wavy brown hair and chocolate eyes, and he seesawed back and forth between being a terrific friend and an obnoxious big brother.
He plopped onto the sofa beside me and pulled out his phone. “Take a look.”
I’d forgotten how ridiculous I’d felt when I’d first put on the elf costume. Not anymore. Todd scrolled through photo after photo of me making one goofy expression after another.
“Thank you so much for taking these. Now delete them.”
“No way! I’m thinking of making this one”—he pointed out a particularly crazy photo where a child appeared to be trying to look up my nose—“my Christmas card.”
“I will kill you.”
He laughed. “Help me come up with a clever caption. You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose. Or what about Have your elf a boogie little Christmas?”
“I do not have a booger in that photograph!”
“That kid will see about that, Missy.”
“Todd!” I wailed.
Angus didn’t know what game we were playing, but he was in. He barked, ran, and got a Kodiak-bear squeeze toy, threw it into the air, and barked some more.
Amid the cacophony, my cell phone rang. Todd and I were able to persuade Angus to hush so I could answer the phone. I didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello and thank you for calling the Seven-Year Stitch. This is Marcy. How may I help you?”
“Hi, Marcy, it’s Veronica.”
Of course it was. I’d recognize that cultured voice anywhere.
“I was wondering if you’d have lunch with Tiffany and me today,” she continued. “Could you maybe close up shop for a few minutes and meet us at that coffee shop down the street from you at around one?”
“Sure. Will Ted be there?”
“No, I called and asked him to make other plans.”
“Um . . . all right.”
Todd caught my eye and mouthed, Is everything okay?
I shrugged.
“I thought it would be nice to visit—you know, just us girls.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see you at one.”
As I ended the call, Todd said, “You look pale.”
“That was Ted’s mom. She wants me to have lunch with her and Tiffany, Ted’s sister, today.”
“And I take it that Marshall Dillon won’t be in Dodge City at the time?”
“No. Veronica said she called and asked him to make other plans. She said she wanted just us girls to visit.”
“Why does that have you freaked out?” he asked. “I thought you liked Ted’s mom.”
“I do. And though I’ve tried my best to be friendly toward Tiffany, she shuts me out.”
“Then maybe this is Veronica’s way of allowing the two of you to get to know each other better.”
“Maybe,” I agreed.
My phone buzzed. I’d received a text from Ted.
Hey, babe. Mom wants you to herself today, so I’m heading to Tallulah County for lunch.
And he’d told me not to poke my nose into the investigation. I smiled.
“Good news?” Todd asked.
“Yeah. Ted’s going to Tallulah County for lunch. I take it that means he’s going to be seeing what, if anything, he can learn about Captain Moe’s case.”
“Captain Moe’s case? What’re you talking about?”
I explained how the Santa Claus event was canceled yesterday after Captain Moe had found the hospital administrator dead in his sleigh.
“That’s terrible. Who’d want to kill a hospital administrator?”
“That’s what we need to find out.”
“You mean, that’s what the police need to find out,” Todd said.
“Of course that’s what I meant.”
“You need to stay over here in your oak tree and make cookies.”
“I know,” I said.
“And I know you won’t.” He looked at Angus. “You know as well as I do that she never listens to anyone.”
Angus woofed.
“Does Audrey have any friends at the Tallulah County Police Department?” I asked sweetly—very sweetly, with a smile and batting lashes and everything.
He groaned. “I’ll ask.”
Chapter Six
I looked down at what I’d decided to wear today—dark jeans, a black-and-white striped sweater, and black espadrilles. Darn! I probably looked like either a criminal or a referee . . . or a criminal referee. Normally, I loved this outfit—the sweater was roomy and had a cowl neck, and the shoes were comfortable but still gave me some extra height—but I hadn’t realized I’d be meeting Ted’s mom and sister for lunch today!
I wished I could hurry home and change into something elegant and classy. I couldn’t very well close the shop to do that, though. Besides, I knew there was nothing I could put on that would make Tiffany say, “Oh, that’s a great outfit. I like you now.”
