Open for Murder, page 19
“This is concerning, Zo,” said Cunningham, replacing his hat. Even from a distance, Zo could see he was worried.
“It is,” she agreed. “Keep your doors locked until we figure out what’s going on.”
“You didn’t tell me someone broke into your house.” Beth shut the door behind them. “What happened?”
Zo filled the teakettle with water. “I came home last night, and George was inside, which was odd. He stays outdoors—obviously.” She nodded toward the deck, where the fat cat perched. “There was also a muddy footprint. It was too big to be mine.”
Beth sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen island. “Did they steal anything?”
Zo took out her bluebird teapot and filled the infuser with loose-leaf tea. “Not that I can tell. I wasn’t in the store long when Vi called, but nothing looked out of place.” She joined Beth at the island as she waited for the kettle to whistle. “I just have this feeling it has something to do with the money, or the murder. Someone thinks I have something, but what?”
“Not the twenty thousand dollars,” said Beth, rolling her eyes. “That was neatly tucked under my staircase all along.”
Zo shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. Think about it. You would have seen it when you restocked supplies.”
“You’re right,” said Beth. “I restock every day. So, who put it there?”
“That’s the question. My bet is Sarah. She acted so weird after you left. And she’s the one who found the money.”
Beth wrinkled her forehead. “But she’s so nice.”
“Thieves can be nice.”
“I know,” Beth said. “I’ve worked in the hospitality business for years, but it doesn’t make it any easier to believe. Sarah’s a mom.”
“Of a very sick child,” added Zo. The kettle whistled, and she filled the teapot with water. “Life is hard for her. But maybe she couldn’t go through with it. Maybe that’s why she returned the money.”
“To my supply closet, thank you very much. But why, and what does it have to do with your break-in?”
Zo took out two colorful Happy Camper mugs. “That’s what we need to figure out.”
“And before my arraignment on Monday,” said Beth. “Otherwise Enid might get her wish after all, and I’ll have to close Spirit Canyon Lodge.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
After taking Beth home, Zo went back to the store. She needed to get some work done before going to Enid’s visitation at Tall Pines Funeral Home. Now that summer was in full swing, the front window needed a new display, and she had the perfect idea. Recently, she’d ordered a hammock chair and aqua pillow. She would hang the chair from the ceiling and add a side table stacked with the books she’d purchased at a going-out-of-business sale at the used bookstore. Some were hardcover and would complete the book nook. Maybe she would add the plastic iced tea set, too, which included a pitcher and glasses. It was an adorable set, yellow and aqua, and travelers appreciated its durability. She’d sold several sets last year.
After helping her hang the hammock chair, Harley returned to the computer, crunching sales numbers while Zo set up the display. It looked so inviting that Zo wanted to curl up in the seat and flip through the pages of one of the books. But now wasn’t the time for reading, stargazing, or any of the other hobbies that usually occupied her summers. Beth was counting on her to figure out who set her up, and she hoped Enid’s visitation would reveal more information. Family members would be there, and Zo hadn’t had time to talk to Griffin or Robyn. Tonight would give her the opportunity. They might divulge a detail about Enid or themselves that would give her another direction to explore.
She stood back and admired her work. It was lovely and so summery. She noticed the bar at the top of the hammock chair was tilting to the right. Dang. It would have to be fixed. She climbed up the ladder, still near the display, realizing too late she should have repositioned it closer to the chair. Thinking it was close enough, she reached for the bar and almost fell off the ladder. She let out a small yelp just as someone entered Happy Camper.
“Whoa, let me help you,” said a male voice.
Zo knew it was Max without turning around. “I got it.”
He put his hand on the ladder anyway. “I wanted to stop and say I’m sorry for the way Brady acted this morning.”
She straightened the hammock chair and stepped down the ladder. “I didn’t expect anything different.”
“Still, he didn’t have to be a jerk.”
There was that concern again. She could tell he felt bad about the encounter and appreciated his thoughtfulness. She returned to the display. One of the books had fallen off the side table. “It’s not your fault. He wasn’t exactly nice to you either.”
“I told you he doesn’t like me,” said Max. “It doesn’t matter that I’m a law enforcement officer. I’m a wannabe as far as he’s concerned.”
“What about the break-in?” Zo asked. “Does he really think we made it up?”
“I don’t know. He said he’s going to check with the businesses on Main Street.” Max shrugged. “He thought one of them might have a surveillance system.”
“That’s something at least.”
Max nodded. “True. What about Beth? How’s she doing? I suppose you took her home after you left.”
“I did,” said Zo. “She was pretty shaken up about the arraignment, and I don’t blame her. If she’s charged with a crime, it could mean the end of her business.”
“So, what’s your next move?” Max asked.
She gave him a smile, the first one all day. “How do you know I have a next move?”
“I just know.” Max returned the smile. “I can tell by your face.”
She didn’t deny it. She’d been planning her strategy ever since reading the morning’s newspaper. “I’m going to Enid’s visitation tonight. It was mentioned in the paper. Griffin will be there and probably Robyn. I’d like another chance to talk to both of them.”
“Good idea,” he said. “Brady hasn’t done enough investigating in that direction. He thinks Griffin’s a harmless mama’s boy.”
Zo straightened the stack of books and stood back from the display, admiring her work. “Mama’s boy, yes. Harmless, I’m not so sure.”
“Mind if I join you?” asked Max.
“Not at all,” she said. “Far be it from me to prevent you from paying your last respects.
* * * *
At five o’clock, Zo left the store in Harley’s capable hands and went upstairs to change. Most of her clothes were casual, but like most women, she had a nice black dress that suited every occasion. It was dressy but not too dressy and looked good paired with sandals. Now if I could just do something with my hair, she thought as she looked in the mirror. The motorcycle ride through the canyon hadn’t done her any favors. Her blond hair was all over the place. Normally she didn’t mind the messy look, but tonight required something dressier. She grabbed a black barrette and clipped her long bangs to the side. That was better. The backpack couldn’t be helped. It was the only purse that held her notebook, and she didn’t want to be without paper tonight. Something might need to be jotted down. She tossed the bag over her shoulder and walked out the door.
Tall Pines was a funeral home on the east side of town, and Zo drove her Outback so as not to cause any more hair problems. From a block away, she could see the place was packed. It didn’t surprise her. Enid was an important person in town, and now, so was her son. She’d lived here her entire life and made lots of friends, or if not friends, acquaintances. People in Spirit Canyon were accustomed to doing the right thing, especially when it came to weddings or funerals. They wouldn’t miss the visitation just because Enid could be hard to get along with.
Zo signed a sympathy card on the wheel of her car and headed inside. The reception area was full of people waiting to extend their condolences to Griffin, who was standing near the casket with Robyn. Enid would have been horrified at that arrangement, thought Zo. Enid didn’t like Robyn, and Robyn didn’t like her. But as Griffin’s fiancée, she had every right to be there, despite the damning review she had written on Serenity Hills.
As long as the line was, Zo wouldn’t be entering the room anytime soon, so she meandered toward a table filled with cookies. Since she hadn’t eaten before she left, she grabbed two treats to tide her over. She was thankful to see A.J. pouring a glass of water. At least she knew one person and could talk to him while she waited.
“Hey, A.J. How’s it going?”
A.J. was dressed up. A clean-shaven face and a button-down shirt replaced his usual stubble and t-shirt. “Hi, Zo. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I wanted to pay my respects,” said Zo. Even to her ears, the words sounded false. She turned the attention to him. “How about you? Are you here for KRSO?” He didn’t have his camera, but then again, Zo didn’t think this was the type of story that required pictures.
He shook his head. “My dad worked for Enid. I’m here because of him.”
She puzzled over his answer. “Your dad?”
“Henry Miller,” said A.J. “He’s my dad.”
“I had no idea,” said Zo. She knew they had the same last name, Miller, but Miller was so common she didn’t consider they might be related. Now that she knew, though, she could see a resemblance. They both had the same hair color, red-brown, but Henry’s was mostly gray. And A.J. was quiet, like Henry. He had the same unobtrusive manner and easy ways.
“I talked to your dad a few days ago,” Zo continued. “He seemed pretty upset by Enid’s death. I suppose they were close after working together all those years.”
“Everyone else thought she was cruel.” He looked in his dad’s direction. Henry was talking to a townsperson. “But he didn’t. He was loyal to her until the end.” A.J. shrugged. “She left him Serenity Hills, so maybe he was right. Maybe there was more to her than people knew.”
“I read about that in the paper,” said Zo. “I was surprised, to say the least. Do you know why she left him the resort?”
“My dad’s taken care of the property for years. I’m sure it seemed natural for him to have it. I don’t think Griffin had anything to do with the place, or if he did, I didn’t see him around.”
His comment reminded Zo of a question. “Do you think Enid knew about Griffin’s engagement to Robyn? Before the chuck wagon?”
A.J. shook his head. “No way. She was blindsided by his announcement that night at the lodge. Don’t you think?”
Zo tossed her napkin in the trash. She was finished with her cookies. “It seemed that way to me.”
“Who knows?” A.J. said. “Maybe it was the news that gave her the heart attack.”
“Maybe.” She kept her answer noncommittal. Obviously, he didn’t know about the digoxin found in Enid’s water bottle. The longer the news was kept out of the press, the better.
Zo heard a noise at the door and turned to see Justin Castle. She knew reporters like him, making an entrance wherever they went. It made her glad to be out of media. He gave A.J. a vague wave before turning to a woman in a short brown dress.
“I thought KRSO wasn’t here for a story?” said Zo. With Justin tracking Enid’s memorial, word was certain to get out about Beth’s arraignment.
“We’re not,” said A.J. “Not officially, anyway. Justin likes to keep tabs on what’s going on in the community.”
Is that what you call it? Justin’s tabs were more like talons. “Will the station do another story on Spirit Canyon Lodge?”
He shook his head. “Probably not. Justin has his other pet projects to cover.”
Zo heard the disgust in his voice loud and clear. She decided it was safe to be candid with him. “Like Jennifer Greene?”
He smiled. “You don’t know the half of it. He leaves behind a lot of loose ends. I’m just glad Jennifer wasn’t the clingy type.”
The comment gave Zo pause. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. Jennifer seems anything but clingy.”
A.J. looked in Justin’s direction. “I’d better check if he needs anything.”
“I’ll see you later.” Zo turned toward the casket room. Fewer people were in line now, and while waiting, she glanced at a large poster board surrounded by a heart bouquet. Zo didn’t know Enid when she was young: tall, slender, her curly hair untouched by the flat iron. She looked innocent, nice even. Then she met her husband, who was older than she was. It looked as if Enid’s transformation took place the moment she married him. She went from girl to woman to mother in the series of a dozen pictures. Zo glanced at Griffin. He had his dad’s good looks, sleek and sophisticated. No wonder Robyn was willing to put up with Enid. But now she didn’t have to, and Zo wondered if that could have been the plan all along.
Approaching the casket, Zo shook Robyn’s hand while Griffin finished speaking to a relative. “How are you doing?”
“I’ll be better when this is over,” said Robyn. Dressed in a simple black dress, she was plain but confident. Her straight shoulders were thrust back, ready to face whatever came her way. “Who knew Enid Barrett had so many friends?”
“A lot of business people from Spirit Canyon are here,” said Zo.
“I guess that’s why you’re here,” said Robyn.
Zo nodded. It was as good of an excuse as any other. An older man joined the men talking to Griffin, and Zo took the opportunity to mention the money. “They found Enid’s money at the lodge. They’re trying to stick the theft on Beth.”
Robyn’s brow wrinkled. “Was any of the cash missing?”
“No, it was all accounted for.”
Robyn looked confused. “So, how is that theft?”
Zo thought it was a good question, one that she was going to bring up to Brady. Could Beth eventually be charged with theft if all the money had been returned to its rightful owner? “A guest found the money in the supply closet and called the police. Since Beth owns the property, she was charged with possession.”
“What’s this about the money?” Griffin asked. He’d overheard the last bit of the conversation. Robyn repeated the rest.
“Why haven’t the police returned it, then?” asked Griffin. “It belongs to me. Us,” he added, glancing at Robyn.
“I’m sure they will,” said Zo. The woman behind her cleared her throat. She wanted to keep the line moving, and the previous gentlemen had already caused a delay. “It probably has to go through the proper channels first.”
“I guess one thing turned out the way Mom wanted,” said Griffin with a shrug. “If Beth is arrested, Spirit Canyon Lodge will be forced to close after all.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” said Zo, but as she passed the closed casket, she realized it was true. Despite her death, Enid had gotten her way—like she always did. If Beth was charged, she would be forced to shut down the lodge.
She looked back at Griffin and Robyn, the new power couple in Spirit Canyon. Could they have gotten rid of Enid for love, money, or both? They were the first ones in the room when Zo awoke Saturday morning. They’d had words the night before, and as her son, Griffin would know all her medications. He had to be embarrassed to find her checking up on him, and Robyn was furious he hadn’t told his mom about their upcoming nuptials. It all added up.
Still, it was hard to believe Griffin could murder his own mother. But she wasn’t Robyn’s mother, Zo thought. And Robyn had guts. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind; maybe she wasn’t afraid to commit murder either.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Leaving Tall Pines, Zo ran into Max in the parking lot. She remembered he said he’d see her there but had forgotten he was coming until just now. He was dressed in a black suit jacket and hiking boots. No matter what he wore, though, he always looked ready to do battle with a rogue tent pole or stray animal. As he got closer, she noticed he was frowning. She doubted it was out of sadness for Enid’s passing. Something was wrong.
She didn’t bother with a greeting. “What’s up?”
“I’m glad I caught you,” he said. “You’ve been inside?”
She nodded.
“Enid’s bottle of water tested positive for digoxin,” said Max. “No surprise there. We sort of guessed it when we found the bottle. Still, it’s another strike against Beth.”
“Great.” Zo leaned against a car.
“First Enid’s prescription, then the money, now this?” said Max. “It doesn’t look good.”
Zo could feel her shoulders tense. “What are you saying? You think she’s guilty?”
“No,” said Max.
A couple got out of a nearby car, and Zo waited for them to pass before she continued. “Good, because the more I think about it, the more I realize any one of the guests might have killed Enid. Justin Castle, for instance. He keeps hanging around. Why? He’s inside right now. He seems to have taken a personal interest in this story.”
“You don’t have to convince me,” said Max. “I’m on your side.”
“Sometimes I wonder about that,” Zo shot back. It was a stupid retort, and she regretted it the moment it flew out of her mouth. The hurt look on his face reminded her of Beth’s.
Max shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. “I didn’t have to tell you, you know. I didn’t have to come here at all. I thought you’d want to know.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I appreciate you telling me. This thing with Beth is driving me crazy. She moved her entire family here, even her mom, and she doesn’t know a soul in town. I feel responsible for what happens to her.”
They stood in silence as the wind crept up a nearby maple tree, rustling its leaves. On a top branch, a cardinal tweeted, the voice loud and certain. Zo wished she was as certain about the future. Beth was one step closer to going to jail, and Zo had taken one step back from the only man who could help her. She needed to get a grip and fast.
