Open for Murder, page 15
“It’s like time stood still.” Beth looked out the window. “It still feels like home, which is crazy but true. It couldn’t be more different from Chicago. I hope the girls feel the same way someday.”
The waiter appeared with water glasses and told them he’d be back in a few minutes to take their orders. Zo sipped her water. “How are they doing? Do they like Spirit Canyon?”
“Oh, they love it.” Beth flipped through the menu. “I just hope that doesn’t change when school starts and they have to make new friends. Meg is at a hard age. Middle school—ugh.”
Zo sympathized. Navigating the teen years was hard without a mother, but the girls had Beth, and she was a great mom. “Meg seems like she has a good head on her shoulders. I think she’ll do all right. Plus she has you. What about Vi? How is she doing?”
Beth put down her menu with a slap. “With everything going on, I almost forgot. Mom had another dream last night, about Aunt Lilly. It really bothered her. I’m starting to wonder if Lilly is sending a message.”
Vi might be unconvinced of the spirit world, but it looked as if Beth was turning into a believer. “The canyon is named Spirit Canyon for a reason,” said Zo. “What was this dream about?”
“It was about the blue dress. Well…no, not actually the dress. This time it was a blue outfit, a baby’s.”
Zo was puzzled. “A baby’s outfit?”
“Like a onesie,” Beth explained. “The thing babies sleep in?”
Zo smirked. “I may not have kids, but I know what a onesie is.”
“Anyway”—Beth shook her head—“she dreamed Lilly brought her a blue onesie, as a gift or something.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” said Zo. “Why?”
Beth placed her napkin on her lap. “Mom tried to make a joke, saying maybe I could expect a brother soon, but I know it bothered her. When I pressed her, she brushed me off, saying Lilly was always jealous. She couldn’t have kids, and my mom had three.”
“But girls, right?”
Beth nodded. “I have two sisters.”
“So why a blue onesie?” asked Zo.
“That’s what I want you to find out.”
* * * *
Zo had a dream dictionary in the store, as well as several other books she’d bought since joining the Zodiac Club. She first became a member to learn about the stars. A South Dakota native, she wanted to know more about what she was looking at, and the Badlands—only an hour away—provided some of the best stargazing in the nation. After hearing a talk about the constellations, she became interested in signs, dreams, and horoscopes. It was a fun hobby, and Max was right, she did wonder about her past. But she also considered herself a lifetime learner. She liked acquiring new knowledge about topics that interested her.
Zo scanned her small shelf of books on alternative health and healing. She had a few books on sleep and dreams and selected a thick book that organized dreams alphabetically. She turned to the letter B for blue, but the book said to turn to C for colors. In her mind, the thing that connected the two dreams was the color blue. The outfits didn’t match. One was for a woman, and one was for a baby. One Lilly was wearing, and the other was a gift. The color had to be the connecting detail.
She scanned the text. It discussed bright colors as well as individual colors and their meanings. Blue indicated relief from worry and/or help from an outside source. Zo scratched her head. Was Lilly the outside source of help? If so, what message was she trying to relay with the blue baby outfit? The only worry surrounding the lodge was the murder of Enid Barrett. Lilly had to be giving them a clue.
She reached for her cell phone to call Max. Who was she kidding? She couldn’t tell Max about a dream and expect him to take it seriously. She didn’t even know if she took it seriously, but it was the only new piece of information she had. She decided to talk to her good friend Julia Parker instead.
Jules was the owner of Spirits & Spirits, a liquor store that doubled as a psychic shop. Jules wouldn’t have agreed with the description, but that’s what it was. When she wasn’t selling booze, she read palms and tarot cards. She also sold spirit beads, mala beads, and dream catchers. Zo had bought her gorgeous mood ring there just last year. If Jules couldn’t help, Zo would be forced to ask her ex-boyfriend, Hunter, at the Zodiac meeting tonight. Jules would normally be there, too, as she was a founding member, but she’d emailed the group, explaining that she would be absent. She had a séance. Hunter had studied philosophy in college, though, so his knowledge would be useful. He considered himself an expert on dreams, especially his.
“Would you be okay closing the store today, Harley?” Zo asked. Harley was refilling the postcard display. “I want to run to Spirits & Spirits.”
“Not a problem,” said Harley. “It’s been slow since three.”
“Great,” said Zo, grabbing her helmet underneath the register. “I’m taking the bike.”
Zo used the red Kawasaki motorcycle more than she rented it, but it was available in case a tourist wanted to see the Black Hills via open road. She could have walked to the store, it was so close, but she loved riding the bike in the summer months.
Main Street was less busy than it was earlier in the day, but tourists carrying packages still dotted the sidewalks. They hauled colorful bags of saltwater taffy from the candy store and sacks of kettle corn from Pop and Shop’s, a neat place where customers could make their own gourmet popcorn. Zo smiled as she noticed a girl walk out with a bag of rainbow popcorn almost as big as she was, her accommodating parents holding the door.
The stoplight turned green, and Zo zipped down Main Street, still smiling. She loved the busyness of summer: the tourists, the bands, the bustle. She didn’t have to travel the whole world over to meet new people. Spirit Canyon was unique that way. But the nice weather and the motorcycle ride made her long for a road trip. Though she rarely had time off, a short getaway wasn’t out of the question. She might leave for a weekend after Enid’s murder was solved.
As she pulled into Spirits & Spirits’ parking lot, she repeated the word to herself: murder. As an ex-journalist, she was used to hearing the word. She just wasn’t used to hearing it in Spirit Canyon. But that’s exactly what had happened at the lodge. Someone killed Enid and stole her money. Or was it the other way around? She wasn’t convinced they were connected. Two separate crimes had been committed that night. She was almost certain of it.
Zo took off her helmet and shook out her hair. Entering the store, she noticed the swing of the curtain of ruby red beads. Jules had just finished with a client and was leading her to the cash register. Jules had blond hair, like Zo’s, but it was much longer, and the bottom layers were pink. Today she had it piled into a bun. It looked as if the pink bun came from a different head of hair.
“How about a nice merlot to take with you?” said Jules, pulling a bottle of wine from a circular rack of reds. It housed international varieties.
“Merlot is my favorite,” said the customer. “How’d you know?”
Jules tapped her forehead. “I have my ways.”
Zo tried not to laugh. Jules had a way, all right—with money. She’d been a rock-star entrepreneur since they were kids. She’d been capitalizing on the town’s name since their teenage years. First it was Spirit Snacks, akin to a lemonade stand with goodies. Then it was Spirit Pet Sitting, which lasted two years and would have lasted longer if Jules’s mother hadn’t tired of pet hair. The last idea, Spirits & Spirits, was Jules’s most successful venture yet. Hers wasn’t the only liquor store in town, but it was definitely the busiest. Filled with a good selection of wines, whiskeys, and local beers, it was a popular spot with young people and tourists staying near Main Street.
Zo glanced at a display of growlers with the Spirits & Spirits logo on them while Jules rang up the customer. A skull tipped back a bottle of wine above a quirky font. Zo checked the price on the bottom: twenty-five dollars. Yep, Jules knew a good idea when she saw one. Zo just hoped she knew as much about dreams as business.
After the customer left, Zo approached her friend.
“You like the new growlers?” asked Jules. “They’ve got a Day-of-the-Dead look, huh?”
“I love them,” said Zo. “I might take one to go.”
Jules came out from behind the counter. Like milk chocolate, her eyes were light but warm, an unusual color. “But that’s not why you’re here.”
“Try to remember we went to high school together.”
Jules crossed her arms. “You don’t believe in my abilities?”
“I believe you have the ability to make money wherever you go,” Zo teased.
“You want me to prove it to you?” Jules grabbed Zo’s hand. “I took an online class on palm reading. Paid a hundred bucks for it.” She squinted at Zo’s palm. “Oh, heck yes. This is bad.”
“What? Am I going to die?”
“Not your life line, your love line,” said Jules. “It’s not good.”
“I could have told you that—without the hundred bucks,” said Zo.
“Your heart line has all these branches.” She flicked her finger in different directions. Her fingernails were long and painted blue. “Here, here, and here. Either you’ve dated a lot or you’ve made great demands on your partners.” She glanced up. “I’d say both.”
“I’m not demanding, but I have dated a lot,” said Zo. “Which you already knew.”
Jules ignored her, bringing Zo’s hand closer to her face. “But you have strong intuition lines. I guess they don’t apply to boyfriends.”
Zo jerked back her hand. “Okay, Nostradamus. That’s enough for one day. I’m here about something else. Dreams. Do you know anything about them?”
“Everything,” said Jules. “I did a camp with a bona fide dharma. What do you want to know?”
Zo had to admire her confidence. “A friend of mine keeps having the same color pop up in her dreams. Do you think it’s important?”
She shrugged her shoulders, which were large like her personality. She was six feet tall. “Sure. Colors have meanings just like images. Snakes, bears, birds—they all signify something. What color is it?”
“Blue.”
“Blue is a spiritual color.” Jules walked toward the growlers and selected one for Zo. “It could represent spirits or heaven or the dreamer herself. By the way, I’m giving you a discount on this.”
Zo rubbed her brow. “You think a spirit could be sending a message?”
Jules tipped her head toward her spirit beads, dolls, and other paraphernalia before placing the growler under the tap. “You know what I think. What do you think?”
“I think you need to come over to my house and share a beer with me.”
Jules twisted the cap on as a customer entered the store. “Call me.”
Zoe promised she would as she walked out, glad to have another opportunity to talk to Jules. Zo agreed with her theory and liked the idea of Lilly sending a message. Spirit Canyon Lodge had been Lilly’s home for over forty years. If anyone knew what happened the night of Enid’s death, it was Lilly.
Chapter Eighteen
Later that night, Zo took the Kawasaki to Black Mountain College. The weather was perfect for a short drive, and the campus was beautiful this time of year—and nearly deserted. Nestled in the heart of the hills, Black Mountain College was small but sought after because of its location. Plus it was cheaper than most of Colorado’s universities, providing a nice alternative to those students looking to supplement their college experience with outdoor recreation. Zo hadn’t gone to Black Mountain; she’d gone to a less expensive state school. Even then, money was tight, but she knew she’d need an education if she wanted to stay in the area. Everyone wanted to live in Spirit Canyon, including her. Without a college degree, she would have never found a job.
She inhaled the scent of pine as she curved around the mountain. It was a lovely night for stargazing, and the college’s observatory was located high on a hill. One of the oldest buildings on campus, the observatory was built in the late nineteenth century out of red sandstone. It had a twenty-inch telescope that the university made available to the club once a month and more during the summer. Though students and professors still used the facility, the astronomy and physics department had newer equipment that they utilized more frequently. But Zo liked that it was old. She felt like a real astronomer as she approached the building.
Someone pulled in behind her, and in an instant, she knew it was Max. There was no mistaking his Ford pickup truck, a green-and-white classic from the 1960s. She paused while she waited for him to park, glad he’d shown up. If he hadn’t, she would’ve tracked him down and grilled him about what happened when he and Brady collected Enid’s prescription vial at the lodge. They might have discovered something else about her death.
Wearing dark jeans and a dark shirt, he blended in with the night. He pointed at the helmet hooked to the back of the Kawasaki. “I’m glad to see you wear a helmet.”
She nodded. “Safety first.”
“Somehow I see safety about halfway down on your list of priorities.”
“Not true,” she said. “It always makes the top five.”
Crickets chirped in the distance as they walked up the path. It was no wonder students paid hefty tuition prices to attend Black Mountain. It was serene, picturesque, and secluded. Encircled by towering spruce trees and native wildlife, the college was a sanctuary for nature lovers. The grounds blended in with their natural surroundings, and cobblestone pathways guided visitors to the observatory and the rest of the campus.
“Tell me what happened at Spirit Canyon Lodge,” said Zo. “I haven’t talked to Beth since we went to lunch, but she was pretty shaken up. She couldn’t believe Enid’s medicine was in Allison’s room.”
“Brady confiscated the evidence,” said Max. “He also questioned Allison. She denied taking the medication, but Brady will have it tested for prints. She claims someone planted the bottle in her room, and you can guess who she thinks that someone is.”
Zo stopped on the path. “Beth?”
Max nodded. “She’s the only one who has access to all the rooms.”
“Any one of them could have been in Allison’s room,” Zo said. “They all hang out together. And the rooms are locked with an old-fashioned key, nothing fancy.”
Max stuck a hand in his pocket. “I said the same thing, but Allison was pretty convincing. She lives here, and Brady trusts her.”
“In my mind, it was a local who did it,” said Zo. “Everyone who knew Enid hated her.”
Max raised his eyebrows.
“Disliked for sure,” Zo continued. “Beth would have needed more time to get to know her before she wanted to kill her.”
Max chuckled. “Speak your mind, why don’t you. Alison said Beth offered everyone a discount on their stay.”
“Beth is so nice—too nice, maybe.” Zo sighed. “This investigation is costing her, and she’s too polite to say so.”
“Brady thinks she has another reason for cooperating,” Max said. “The longer they stay, the longer she can plant evidence on them.”
“Beth isn’t a thief, and she’s certainly not a murderer.” She started walking toward the observatory again.
“I’m telling you what Brady said. I’m not saying I believe it.”
The front door swung open, and Hunter stood at the top of the stairs. Dressed in a leather jacket and jeans, he was as gorgeous as ever. His beach-blond hair gave him a punkish look that Zo used to think was sexy. Okay, she still thought it was sexy. It was his personality that was the problem. He was an egomaniac. At least that’s why she guessed he talked about himself so much. He wanted her to nod and smile. But she wasn’t the nodding and smiling type.
“Hey,” said Hunter, shaking Max’s hand. “You’re new. But you”—he turned to Zo—“look familiar.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “How are you?”
As if you really care, Zo thought. Still the kiss was nice. “Good. I’m looking forward to tonight. I have a question for you about dreams. I’ll catch you later, after the talk.”
“Your dreams have always fascinated me, Zo,” Hunter said softly. “I see so many similarities to my own.”
Zo almost laughed. He’d already found the perfect segue to talk about himself. “Not my dreams, someone else’s.” Max was five steps ahead of her. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Max was signing the guest book. Zo didn’t even know there was a guest book until she saw him scrawling his name across the page.
“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” Max said as he added his email address. “You could have told me.”
“I don’t.” Zo didn’t owe him an explanation.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Max tossed the pen and stood straighter. “I thought I saw that guy’s lips on your face just now.”
The way he said it made it sound so much less appealing than it was. Was he irritated by Hunter, or nervous to be there? The kiss was just Hunter’s way of saying hello. “Hunter and I used to date.”
“Used to?” said Max. “You still look close to me.”
“We’re not,” Zo replied flatly. “The only person Hunter is interested in is Hunter.” She motioned ahead. “Let’s go. The dome is open.”
Above, stars beckoned like fireflies. They seemed close enough to touch but were millions of miles away and just as old. Zo liked to think of them as storybooks, the history spanning the sky, and wondered what story they would tell about her. She’d grown up like a weed, fast and unguided, clinging to the land out of sheer preservation. She smiled. Even weeds could grow and bloom, though.
Professor Linwood, the chair of the astronomy department, asked for the group’s attention. Linwood was a tall man with a beard that made his face look like an oval. He spoke in a hushed voice, as if he didn’t want the stars to know he was watching them. The constellation they would be viewing tonight, he explained, was Leo. Leo was associated with the Nemean Lion, and its brightest star, Regulus, was easily spotted overhead. Hercules, the Greek hero, was said to have battled the lion in his first of twelve labors. Because the beast’s coat was so rugged, it couldn’t be pierced with a sword, so Hercules had to strangle the lion with his own hands. He’s often depicted wearing the pelt of the Nemean Lion, which functions as his armor, Linwood said.
