Red Letter Slay (A Mail Carrier Cozy Mystery Book 8), page 8
“Don’t even bring it up again. Julia doesn’t need the ‘I told you so,’ and Grady will just ignore it too.” Mom was good at making sure everyone knew she was right all along, and it didn’t go well when Grady had as big a head as she did.
“I won’t.” She shrugged and put the wreath down on the table. “Are those freshly baked?”
“Yes.” I smiled and ran my finger along her wreath. “This is really good, Mom.”
“Thank you, honey.” She picked it up and looked at it one more time. “I think I’ll make another one so I can put them on the front door of the diner. Our fall menu will start this weekend with chili for the big game.”
“Big weekend for you.” Sara Rammond walked up when she noticed I’d sat down. “You are going to love the flowers Larry insists on having on the tables for your big day.”
She pulled her phone from the pocket of her apron and tapped the screen a few times before turning the phone around to show me the photos.
“He insisted on this garland-style spray.” The photo she was showing me was nothing I’d ever seen. It certainly was not at all what I expected my second wedding to even look like.
“He has used the dahlia as the main flower, accented with avalanche rose, Vendela rose, rosebud, fluffy mini pampas grass, and amber eucalyptus leaves. Something about creating a unique and rustic wedding dinner table for the awesome couple.” Her words even sounded pretty as she spouted off the flowers’ names while pointing at the respective images.
“I don’t have any words.” The images were so gorgeous my eyes welled. “They are.” I gulped back the lump forming in my throat. “Amazing,” I whispered and felt her and my mom put a hand on me.
“You deserve amazing. You deserve gorgeous. You deserve so much more.” Sara’s words touched my heart. “You are going to be so happy, and we are so grateful you’re letting Leaf and Petal be part of it.”
“I’m honored you even said yes. If they are this gorgeous in photos, I can’t imagine what they will look like in person.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her phone. This was the first time I’d even pictured what the day would look like. I’d been so busy trying to figure out who killed Horace and attempted to kill Vince, but now that I’d seen the photos of the flowers, the images of my wedding day were starting to pop into my head.
My heart swelled.
“Speaking of the big day...” I knew I had to shift to why I’d come so I could get to my lunch with Mac on time. “I was wondering if I could speak to you?”
“Is something wrong?” Mom asked, her frown lines creasing.
“No. Nothing like that.” I laid to rest the idea that anything was wrong with the wedding and got up to follow Sara over to the little bar the Elks kept in the back for the men.
“Is everything okay with the flowers?” I detected a gnawing at Sara’s confidence.
“They are great,” I gushed. “I know I should be focusing on the wedding, but my problem is Vince and his safety. I’m sure you heard about Horace LeLand.” She nodded. “He was killed with a letter opener to the brain. Like someone did to Vince. I was resistant to Vince’s theory he was stabbed, since it just didn’t make sense that someone would want to kill him. Without going into detail, I’ve traced a line between Vince and Horace. Millie told me Sandra, Horace’s mother-in-law, did the wreath class and stayed after sometimes for you to help her because of her arthritis.” I took another look around the room to see if I’d missed seeing Sandra. “I was going to ask her a few questions and noticed she’s not here. Which I’m sure is because of what happened to Horace last night.”
“I’m sure that’s it.” Sara blinked a few times. “But I’m not sure how I can help.”
“I’m looking for anything. Did she ever mention Melissa and Horace having problems?” I asked.
“She never said it directly, but I think she felt like a burden to them.” My mind took hold of the word “burden.”
Wanting to get rid of a burden would be a good reason for Horace to have tried to kill Sandra, like my newest theory had laid out. Melissa would have an excellent motive to have killed Horace if she’d put two and two together.
“I also know he and Melissa had some sort of arrangement for payment for Sandra so she didn’t live in their home. I’m not sure what it was, and don’t hold me to it, but I do remember her saying something when we were alone after class working on the bow of her wreath. She’d gotten a call from Horace. He was upset she’d used the salon a couple of times in a month. Vivian adds salon use on to your monthly bill. Then he mentioned a steak dinner for two and…” She stopped talking, drew in her brows, and pressed her lips together. “Something about Vince Caldwell.”
“Vince?” I asked, not remembering Vince even mentioning anything about Sandra or a steak dinner.
“I’m sorry to be the one to even tell you this because I know you and Vince are tight, but Sandra told me they are dating.” Sara looked down at her phone and then put it back in her apron.
“Wait.” I blinked and quickly shook my head a couple of times. “What?”
“They are an item, and if what you are saying is true about the tie between Vince and Horace, do you think someone is going to hurt Sandra?” Sara asked a great question I’d been toying with, only on my end I was thinking Vince was mistaken. Now I wasn’t so sure. Someone might want anyone who might come between Sandra and Melissa dead.
The only someone who would be threatened was Melissa LeLand.
But why?
Chapter 10
“You look hurt.” Mac shoved a big spoonful of macaroni and cheese in his mouth.
“I am hurt. Vince is dating Sandra, and someone tried to kill him. He left that out?” I was leaning over on my forearms and whispering across the table at the Wallflower Diner just in case someone was trying to listen in. “His girlfriend’s son-in-law is murdered, and he didn’t think to have any reason to tell me, since that’s the tie I’m following to help him figure out who tried to kill him.”
“I don’t know, Bernie. I guess you’ll have to ask him flat out.” He dug the spoon back in the small crock Mom used to pack the single-serve gooey, cheesy deliciousness in when she put it in the oven. The crock created the little bit of brown crust with parmesan cheese when placed in the oven’s heat. “I do know we need to talk about our living arrangements.”
“I know.” I pushed back from the table and wiggled around in the vinyl seat to get comfy before I dug into my BLT, another favorite with the customers. I picked up the top piece of toast and slathered more of the mayonnaise across it before I replaced it.
I took a big bite.
“What are you thinking?” I asked through a mouthful of food but covered my mouth up with my napkin for some semblance of good manners.
“I know my house is bigger, but your house is homier, and Clara knows your house.” He was so sweet to even think about her comfort. “I wouldn’t want her to have to get used to staying somewhere new. Plus, the animals are at home.”
“Mac Tabor, I couldn’t love you any more than I do right this minute.” For the second time today, my eyes welled with tears. “I don’t know why I’m so weepy today.” I used the edge of the napkin to dab the corner of my eyes. “Good thing Mom is still at the Elks’, or she’d be rushing over to see why I’m crying.”
“I guess I just want you to finally be happy. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted for you since the day I met you. Then when you and Richard had Grady, I only wanted the best for you and Grady. Now I get to make sure you are happy. Before, I wasn’t able to give you happiness.” Gently he smiled.
My eyes clouded over from the tears.
He got up from his side of the booth, slid in next to me, and put his arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder.
“It wasn’t my place to give you happiness. Now I get to make you happy. It’s a mission I’ve wanted for so long. You being happy gives me great joy, and I couldn’t imagine not spending the rest of my life even thinking differently. That’s why I want you not to have any stress over where we live and how you do things daily. A seamless transition, only you get to share a bed with Rowena and Buster and me.” Cradling me more closely, he rubbed my arm, comforting me with not only his words but his embrace. “Don’t you want that for Vince?”
I jerked my head off his shoulder.
“Was that entire speech for me to see Vince’s point of view?” My tears dried up quickly.
Mac laughed.
“No. But if you took it that way, maybe it’s a sign. I will tell you that I’m excited to move into your house. We can put mine on the market. Now back to Vince.” He reached across the table and dragged his plate of food over to him. “Is it possible Sandra has it mixed up? Vince was kind to her, and she took it as him wanting to date her?”
“I never thought about it that way, but I guess it could be a possibility.” I picked up my sandwich and took a bite. “But I do know Horace was upset Sandra had spent the money for her hair and this now-infamous steak dinner for Vince. That makes me think Sandra told Melissa about the call, and really there’s no easy solution other than to ask Melissa herself.”
“How are you going to do that? At this time?” Mac asked.
“I’m going to take her some cookies.” I still had some from Iris and planned to drop them off for the repast. Also, the funeral home wasn’t too far from my third loop, and I was in the LLV, so it wouldn’t take that long to stop by. “Now back to the wedding. I tasted the cakes, and your red velvet is going to be a hit.”
“Iris always knocks it out of the park.” He wiggled his brows. “I can’t wait to have a piece after you become my wife.”
Then Mac said something that I’d never even considered.
“Mrs. Bernadette Tabor.” The words rolled out of his mouth.
My mouth dried. Suddenly an echo formed around me, like I was in a tunnel and a different zone.
“I’ve been dying to call you that for so long, and now it’s going to come true.” He tilted his head and looked at me. “Bernadette Tabor. It has a nice ring to it.”
My hand shook as I went to pick up the glass of iced tea and tried to wet my whistle.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked.
I had to disguise my involuntary reaction to how he’d changed my name by giving him a gentle, loving look.
“Yeah. Just a little tired.” I held the glass between both hands to stop the shaking. “That’s all.”
Over the course of the rest of lunch, I brought up everything under the sun to change the subject.
My mind was split down the middle with two separate thoughts, and I was getting a headache thinking about them.
There was no good way to tell Mac I’d not even considered changing my name to his, so instead of worrying about that, I decided to make a pit stop after my third loop. I would go to the funeral home to see if the layout time for Horace LeLand had been planned or where Baron Long planned to release his body.
“Did you happen to get in touch with Levi?” I asked.
“I left him a message, so I’m hoping he’ll call back soon.” Mac touched my leg. I glanced up, feeling an odd sensation traveling through me from his touch. “I want you to be careful. I know you’re trying to really figure out Horace’s murder and why someone would hurt Vince, and you know I don’t care if you gossip here and there, but I do want you to be safe. Sheriff Hafley hasn’t brought anyone in for questioning, which tells me they don’t have a good suspect.”
“Maybe she’s not looking at all possibilities.” I picked up my glass and took a drink. “It could be anyone. Even Dad.” I threw my dad a look.
He was behind the counter while Mom was still at the Elks’ making her wreath.
“Your dad?” Mac wrinkled his nose in confusion.
“Not really but a business owner.” I glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot of me because I certainly didn’t need it all over town that I was pointing fingers at innocent people for murder. “According to Lucy Drake, when Vick hired Horace LeLand, everyone’s bonuses and airtime had been cut. Having your income cut really does mess with someone’s livelihood, right?”
“Yeah. I’d guess that’s right.” Mac nodded, his eyes lowered.
“Lucy said the advertising also tripled. Now I know my parents don’t advertise the diner, but I do know a lot of businesses around here do. They rely on the advertising to bring in customers but not at the higher cost.”
“Vick stopped by the office the week he hired Horace. He was bragging about how the station was going to go up in rank with Horace joining.” The corner of Mac’s lip ticked up as he recalled the memory. “He gave me a price sheet for advertising, saying they’d just completed their quarterly review, and they did raise their advertising, but the return was going to be at least double if not triple because of Horace joining the team.”
“He did?” I knew I had to talk to Vick Morris about advertisers who’d pulled their ads or even complained.
“Yeah. I told him I was a one-man show, and though it sounded like a winning strategy, I wouldn’t even be able to take on new clients, but I’d let him know.” Mac didn’t need to spend any money to promote Tabor Architects. Everyone in town already knew him, and word of mouth was his greatest source of advertising. He didn’t need the radio.
“You are the best.” I fluttered my lashes. “Especially with everyone in town wanting to remodel. You’re the best with those.” I grabbed his chin with my fingers and gave him a peck. “You have a brilliant mind when it comes to what walls need to be knocked down or built up.”
“And if I want to get my plate cleared for our honeymoon, I’ve got to get back to work.” He pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket and put some money on the table to cover the tab, though Dad would be so mad.
My parents never wanted us to pay to eat there. They claimed it was no different than them having us over for supper. Like advertising, though, they didn’t do it for free.
Vick Morris certainly wasn’t giving anyone free advertising.
“I’ll see you later.” Mac and I gave each other one more goodbye hug and kiss before he took a left out of the diner to go back to the office. I jumped in the LLV parked in front of the diner.
As the LLV rattled down Main Street toward the neighborhood for the third loop, it was hard not to notice the fall banners the Beautification Committee had hung off the posts of the carriage lights. I was impressed with how they’d incorporated the image of a football intwined with the fall leaf design, showcasing the two things the residents of Sugar Creek Gap loved most about the fall.
The woods surrounding our little town in the hollow were starting to turn brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red mixed in with varying colors of green. As the bright sun hung high in the sky, it raised the autumn temperature just enough for me to have to peel off my sweatshirt.
The Sugar Creek Gap Golf Course lay on the right, and no matter how hard I tried to keep driving past it, telling myself I had to get the third loop delivered, I sure didn’t listen.
It was like my foot and my hands took over, swinging the LLV into the entrance of the golf course. My eyes took in the one hundred twenty-seven acres of golf course, restaurant, and pool. I knew it took a lot to run the place. Advertising was a big deal to them, and well, if they used WSCG like they used to, then they had a say in the higher cost of taking out a thirty-second ad.
Too bad I didn’t have the country-club neighborhood on my route. I’d be able to kill two birds with one stone, I thought as I drove past the expensive homes. Their homeowner’s fee was more than a monthly house payment, which gave an advertiser another reason to be so mad that they’d do just about anything to keep the country club running.
It wasn’t too long ago when the country club almost went under because of the price of staying open. They would stop short of nothing to keep the country club going, and it was a huge debate at many town council meetings. If I recalled correctly Kenneth Simpson was even at the forefront of that murder investigation.
Luckily, it turned out Kenneth had nothing to do with it, but that didn’t mean he was innocent of what had happened to Horace.
There was a small putt-putt golf area outside of the clubhouse closest to the first tee. Though families could use the area to play putt-putt, most golfers used it to work on their putt before starting a golf game.
“Don’t these men work?” I asked when I got out of the LLV and noticed just how many cars were in the parking lot. Furthermore, the golf carts that were usually lined up underneath the garage awning were all gone.
It dawned on me that I should’ve called ahead to see if Kenneth was even available, but I took my chance and headed into the pro shop where his office was located.
“Hey, Bernie!” Kenneth and a couple of other men were standing next to a cardboard box. “What about giving Mac one of these as a wedding gift?” He picked up a shirt from the box and held it up. “It’s got the new logo on it.”
“The country club has a new logo?” I asked.
“Yeah. Thanks to Mac. He designed it.” This was yet another previously unknown project of Mac’s, and I had no idea what he had done. “Pretty great.”
“You should be giving him one.” I shrugged.
The men snickered.
“Yeah. With the price it cost me to hire him, he could buy one.” Kenneth tossed the shirt back into the box. “Are you filling in today?”
That was a standard question I got when I was on someone else’s route instead of my own.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you.” I looked between the two men standing with Kenneth. “Do you have a minute?”
“I sure do.” He tilted his head, indicating for me to follow him. “You hungry? Can I buy you lunch?”
We headed outside, where the buzz of golf carts whirled by, the sound of golf clubs smacking golf balls echoed, and the chatter of laughter from players and the hint of a cigar smell floated past us.
