Creeps, Cache, & Corpses, page 23
She lowered Carlee’s arm to her side and held it straight and taut, as if it helped keep her upright. She took tentative steps toward CJ and scrutinized his face. “My letters came back. At first, I thought you didn’t want me, and then Reggie said you’d probably died. I had nothing left.”
CJ started to interrupt, but she cut him off with the wave of her hand.
“I know I had it all wrong, but I thought Edith saved me and I owed her everything. I didn’t know you searched for me then, and now. Will you ever forgive me?”
CJ blinked and bowed his head. He forced his stiff words past the set of his jaw. “Only if you pardon me for giving up.”
Her voice hitched. “Chantan.”
Delicious smells and banging came from the dining room. Kahula rose and led the way. The breakfast spread Lauren laid out filled the table.
“I have my work cut out for me. This isn’t the first time the flagship of a White Star line hit an obstacle.” Lauren frowned and gawked at her shoes.
We stared in contemplative silence, afraid to break the magic of the moment, and I found my heart beating in rhythm with the grandfather clock.
The doorbell rang and Lauren, Danica, and I turned to answer.
“Danica, you don’t work here anymore,” I said. “Sit down, relax.”
“Yes,” said Lauren. “You’re a guest now.”
Danica smiled demurely and lowered her eyes. “Thank you.”
With a gigantic smile, Lauren said, “But I do work here.” We chuckled. Danica and I followed her, awash with curiosity. She whipped open the door with a flourish and announced, “Welcome to Trnka Manor. What can I do for you?”
I beamed when I heard the words, then gasped and beamed again.
The concerned looks on the familiar twosome standing on the porch gave me a thrill. I glanced from one handsome man to the other and threw myself into Pete’s arms before he knew what hit him.
“Whoa,” Drew said and held out his hands to steady us.
I lost myself in Pete’s luscious brown eyes. My heart beat so hard and fast I was afraid it would fly out of my chest and the only words I could think of as I began to hyperventilate were, “You’re late.”
He wrapped his arms around me and held tight until I could breathe normally, and he kissed me. Then he leaned his head away so he could see my face and said, “Now, tell me all the trouble you’ve gotten into during our spring break.”
“First, let me introduce you to Lauren Trnka. Lauren, Dr. Pete Erickson and Agent Drew Kidd.” I pulled them inside and closed the door.
Lauren glowed. “How do you do?”
“And Danica Bluestone.” I stepped to one side to make the big reveal and noticed the confused look on her face. “What’s wrong, Danica?”
“I thought … When I saw you and Chantan this morning … I assumed—”
Maverick burst between Pete and me, vigorously wagging his tail, searching for the scratch only Dr. Erickson could provide. CJ appeared beside her, and with an animated voice said. “You thought what?”
Danica stammered, studying the faces in the room. “Chantan, we’ve been apart a very long time, and I thought you …” She glanced between CJ and me. “I thought you were together.”
He roared with laughter, clutching his side, and his total disbelief put me off for half a hot second, but we are what we are. He wiped his eyes. “Katie will always occupy a spot in my heart because she brought our daughter to me.”
Danica bowed her head and said, “I see.”
“But, Danica, you have always been and will continue to be the only love of my life.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she flew into his powerful arms.
Drew said, “I’m glad that’s settled.”
“What’s all the fuss?” Jane said, yawning and trudging down the steps followed closely by Patricia and Kindra. She ran her fingers through her curly, unkempt hair. “Oh, it’s you,” she said as if the presence of Pete Erickson and Drew Kidd was totally expected. After a beat, she flew down the steps and threw herself into Drew’s waiting arms.
Galen stood on the landing with his hand on his hips. “All’s right with the world.”
The doorbell rang again, and his face clouded. “Who can that be?”
Lauren arranged her collar and reached for the knob. She raised her chin and pulled on the door. “Welcome to Trnka Manor. How may … Oh.” She stepped back to admit Sheriff Zasko and Deputy Gray.
Hat in hand, the sheriff said, “I just came to put your minds at ease. You are free to leave at any time, and I’m sorry your stay was so manic.”
A small voice squeaked. “Me, too, Sheriff? Am I allowed to leave?”
“Yes, Ms. Bluestone. Reginald Chesterfield has been pretty close-lipped, but Ryker has no desire to be drawn any further into the murders. We know most of what happened.”
I was dying to know more, but only Kahula had the nerve to ask. “What did happen, Sheriff?”
When the sheriff gave the go-ahead, Deputy Gray burst with the news. “Reggie had this planned for years.”
Lauren raised one finger. “If this is going to take long, let’s sit at the table and eat while my feast is still hot.” She gestured to the dining room.
Gray continued with his tale after we were all seated, having helped ourselves to plenty, and the only sound he had to compete with was the clinking of the silverware on the breakfast dishes.
“Ryker and Reggie have the same father. He spent most of their childhoods behind bars. But Reggie played an important role in one of his dad’s simplest cons. He played the part of a widow’s husband’s estranged sister’s son …” Gray nodded his head as he checked off each of the possessives. “And was rewarded with a bequest when she passed away. I think it stuck with him. When his mother died, he explored successful widowed women and hit on a few of them up until he came across Edith. He’d consulted records and had names and dates and even photos to show her. Apparently, Edith’s husband had been estranged from his family when his older sister died. Reggie claimed to be her son, looking for family. Edith fell for it hook line and sinker. Of course, Ms. Bluestone, you were already here. He knew how she felt about you, and pardon my saying so, but he thought he’d have his cake and eat it too. He’d get his bequest, marry someone he thought he loved, and get your bequest too.”
“Take a breath, man,” Drew said.
Gray tucked into Lauren’s tasty egg dish and rolled his eyes in bliss before continuing. “He’d seen an early will where the two of them had it all. He begged her to fund this …” Gray circled the room with his fork. “But then Edith fell for Lauren’s son Davy. His poisoning was accidental. Davy never should have eaten with Edith. Reggie hoped she would get a little sick from the glyphosate herbicide, and he’d be her superman by saving the inn. Then Ryker showed up and introduced himself. He knew all about Reggie and wanted in on the action. Reggie felt he had to act. Edith had to go.”
When Gray stopped to take another bite, Sheriff Zasko broke in. “Willy’s always been the curious sort. After you, Dr. Bluestone, explained why you’d come, Edith prepared to reunite you and Danica. She rewrote the will one last time, but Willy had raised enough questions for Edith to cut Reggie’s inheritance down to a token. She figured Danica would be taken care of, so there was just Davy. Ryker took over Reggie’s volunteer shift at the hospital desk early Friday morning, and he had a pretty good idea what Reggie had done so he’s not off the hook. Luckily, he kept his guys close. He didn’t trust Reggie and for good reason. Ostensibly, Reggie wanted to talk to Edith, but he’d already decided on an offensive confrontation and came prepared with the awl.
“You can thank Katie for being a royal pain or we might not be having this conversation.” Pete cleared his throat. CJ nodded. Deputy Gray smiled and took one look at the sheriff. He cocked his head and continued, “That’s what you said at the station, Sheriff.”
The smallest smile graced Sheriff Zasko’s lips.
FORTY-FIVE
We packed up and made a heartfelt farewell, wishing Lauren and Davy the best. Kahula and Paul planned to spend time in Columbia with their newish family and their truck rolled out after CJ, Danica, Carlee, and Galen. Drew took my place with Jane and after losing an arm-wrestling bet with Patricia, pretended to pout about having to drive the Edge home.
Maverick sat in the back seat, and I rode shotgun in Pete’s Ram truck. “You never said how you were able to get out of the ER.”
“We really were running ragged, and the nurses demanded the hospital hire locums so there wouldn’t be any screw ups. They threatened to go to the paper. I guess all of the administrators were gone somewhere for spring break.”
“Are you good?”
“I have to work tomorrow, but call is every fourth night. I came to rescue you, as if you needed it.” I loved his low rumble when he chuckled.
I really wanted to ask about ZaZa, but instead I said, “Did you see the way Gray looked at Lauren?”
However, Pete read my mind. “That Frenchwoman.” Maverick whined. “ZaZa sparks more drama than any five other females I’ve ever known, combined. After her last visit, Susie stuffed her in her taxi and told ZaZa she couldn’t come back to the ER without a note from her primary care practitioner.” He shook his head. “If you ever leave again without giving me a get-out-of-jail card to get away from her, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
On the road, I texted but ended up calling Dad to check-in. He’d slipped on some ice and turned his knee, so they were on their way home, and I couldn’t wait to see him. I saved the more critical info about the memorial trip for our face-to-face conversation.
Ida didn’t answer a call but texted her curious response.
Can’t talk now. Be home Saturday. Some serious issues to discuss soon.
I had no time to wonder what her cryptic message meant.
The second half of our spring break was spent recovering from the first half—reading, walking, talking, resting, helping Dad, dinners with Pete, and tiptoeing around the topic of Ellen. She’d taken a room at the motel, and I still didn’t know how I felt.
Ida slept most of Saturday, recuperating from her week away too.
We met Pete, the Bluestones, and Danica’s parents after Mass on Sunday, and Ida invited them to supper.
“Four thirty,” she said. “For lasagna, and Katie’s going to help.” I think Carlee’s wide eyes and open mouth duplicated my own. “I’m getting too old to do it alone.”
Without turning our heads, we both glanced sideways to see if she was kidding. She wasn’t, and suspicion clouded her good cheer.
Danica took a step forward and hugged her. “We’ll be there ready to celebrate. What can we bring?”
I expected Ida’s usual, “Absolutely, nothing,” and was chagrined to hear her say, “How about a green salad?” She’d never let me make a green salad. I unclenched my teeth. Ida was finally releasing her grip on doing everything herself and sharing responsibility. The visit with her cousin had done wonders.
When Ida said we she’d meant me. She lounged on the chair in her kitchen with a cup of tea, giving orders. Fortunately, she kept her eyes peeled for my disastrous cooking calamities. Pete arrived and her concentration wavered. I avoided all other mistakes but charring the Italian sausage. Pete saved it from complete ruination.
We finished a fine supper, even if I do say so myself, and retired to Ida’s living room. Danica sat at Ida’s grand piano, and she tentatively noodled the keys, playing the song written especially for her seventeen years earlier—the song she’d performed the night Carlee was born. Carlee had grown up playing a version of the song and sat next to her. When she joined in, the piece swelled with love.
I looked at Pete, checking on my dad and Ida. CJ smiled from the tip of his nose to his toes. Even Ellen hadn’t brought up our complicated background. “Family,” I said.
Ellen heard me. She stepped close and laid her head on my shoulder. I tensed for a moment before I inhaled, wrapped my arm around her, and drew her close.
Family.
PINK LEMONADE MARTINI
Five raspberries
2 oz vodka
½ oz Cointreau
1 oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
Muddle the raspberries in a shaker with ice. Add the remaining ingredients. Shake to chill. Pour through a sieve. Garnish with a cherry and/or mint leaf.
Thank you for taking the time to read Creeps, Cache, & Corpses. If you enjoyed it please tell your friends, and I would be so grateful if you would consider posting a review.
Word of mouth is an author’s best friend, and very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Mary Seifert
What’s coming up next in Katie’s life?
Months ago, Katie Wilk discovered she has a younger half-sister, Ellen, which means her mother had not died, as Katie had always believed; she’d left and started a new family. Ellen has not seen their mother in almost a decade, and Katie is struggling to reconcile this new definition of family. But meanwhile, her dear landlady, Ida Clemashevski, confesses to bouts of melancholia and forgetfulness, and Katie worries the symptoms are a prelude to dementia. With so much to occupy her time, Katie finds it easy to avoid her half-sister. But when Ellen begins a search for their long-lost mother and then is arrested for murder, Katie knows she can’t sit idly by. It will be up to her to find the real killer.
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Rescues, Rogues, & Renegade
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Diamonds, Diesel, & Doom
Creeps, Cache, & Corpses
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ACKNOWLEGDMENTS
Thank you to Stephanie Dewey and Lee Ellison, the driving force that keeps me heading in the right direction, on track, on time, and in line, with insight, wisdom, and guidance.
Even though New Prague is very real, if you’ve been there, you probably won’t remember it as portrayed here, but even though this is a work of fiction, fiction won’t make any sense if everything is made up. I have so many people to thank for keeping my fiction as true as it can be. My niece, Rachel Jarzombek, is a speech pathologist who helped me discover the capabilities of my character, Patricia, reminiscent of a former deaf student in one of my classes. Kids are truly amazing and resilient. Darlene Witt checked the accuracy of my description of the beautiful Catholic church in New Prague.
During the process of writing this book, there were readers who made comments about inconsistencies and unknowns, faulty descriptions, and possibilities. For advice along the way, thank you Dennis Oakland, Colleen Okland, Anne Eischens Bisek, Patty Gehlen, John Seifert, Tim Ellington, Kate Michaelson, Judy Jones, and L.C. Hayden, and our marvelous team of beta readers.
Note, the mistakes made under the guise of artistic license are all mine.
Friends never cease to amaze with their caring support and by sharing their views of the world. Thanks to Sandi Unger, Amy Ellingson, Joan Christianson, Eve Blomquist, Maria Hughes, and Deb Van Buren.
As always, my family gave terrific insight, comfort, encouragement, and unconditional love. Thank you, John, Kindra, Adam, Danica, Mitch, CJ, Emely, Thomas, Jack, and Leo. I couldn’t do this without you.
Creeps, Cache, & Corpses
Published by Secret Staircase Books, an imprint of
Columbine Publishing Group, LLC
PO Box 416, Angel Fire, NM 87710
Copyright © 2024 Mary Gehlen Seifert
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places or organizations are unintentional.
Book layout and design by Secret Staircase Books
Cover images © Marcel Pelz, Svetolk, Miruna Niculescu, Dmitry Kalinovsky
First trade paperback edition: March, 2024
First e-book edition: March, 2024
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Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Seifert, Mary
Creeps, Cache, & Corpses / by Mary Seifert.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1649141712 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1649141729 (e-book)
1. Katie Wilk (Fictitious character). 2. Minnesota—Fiction. 3. Amateur sleuths—Fiction. 4. Women sleuths—Fiction. 5. Dogs in fiction. I. Title
