Six Sweets Under, page 9
Blake put an arm around me and pulled me to his side. I slid an arm around his back and leaned against him.
“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he said. “I know that’s not how you wanted things to play out.”
“Gareth was right. He didn’t think Justin would want to move here.”
“He won’t take any pleasure from being right. Trust me. He wants you to be happy.”
“I know.” And I did. As much as we could annoy each other at times, Gareth wanted what was best for me, and I wanted the same for him.
“Are you going to be okay?” Blake asked as Gareth and his competitors maneuvered their gondolas to the start line.
“Yes,” I said, knowing that was the truth. I didn’t feel great now, but in time I’d figure things out and get back to feeling more like myself.
Blake gave me an affectionate squeeze before releasing me.
I was happy to let the race distract me. When the starting horn sounded, the racers charged forward. Blake and I cheered Gareth on as he took an early lead. He passed us with three other racers on his tail. As the pack left the canal for the lake, I could no longer tell if my brother was still ahead of the others.
Blake had come prepared with a small pair of binoculars. After taking a look through them himself, he passed them to me as he said, “He’s still in the lead.”
I could hear the pride in his voice.
I watched through the binoculars as Gareth rowed out toward the buoy and navigated his way around it. I handed the binoculars back to Blake. Gareth still had a lead of several feet on the second-place racer. When he reentered the canal, Blake and I cheered him on again.
There was a tense moment when the third- and fourth-place racers nearly crashed into each other on their way back into the canal. The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief when the two men managed to avoid a collision by the skin of their teeth.
The racer behind Gareth was giving him a run for his money now, his muscles straining as he tried to overtake my brother.
Blake and I yelled and cheered as Gareth passed us. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought hearing us gave him an extra boost of energy. He surged ahead, crossing the finish line half a boat length ahead of the next guy.
Blake and I cheered like crazy. It felt good, after the day I’d had.
With the race over, we left our prime viewing spot and set off toward the dock to congratulate Gareth. On our way there, I noticed a man staring at me. At least, I thought he was staring. He wore sunglasses and a baseball cap, and he was too far away for me to see his eyes anyway, but I had an eerie sense that he was watching me.
He took a few steps in my direction, but then Gareth climbed up from the dock to meet Blake and me. I gave my brother a congratulatory hug, and when I glanced the other man’s way again, he was gone. I shook off the incident and listened to Gareth talk about the race. Before his elation wore off, I slipped away through the crowd.
As soon as he realized Justin wasn’t with me, Gareth would ask me all the same questions Blake had already asked. I really didn’t want to answer them twice. Blake would fill him in.
The farther I walked from the cheering crowds, the more my spirits drooped. Watching my brother win the semifinals had improved my mood, but only temporarily.
My mind kept going in circles. I was still trying to process the fact that Justin had left after only two days in Larch Haven. One moment I was nearly overcome with disappointment, thinking that I wasn’t important enough for him to move here. Then I reminded myself that I’d chosen to move away from him and Los Angeles. Did that mean that neither of us was important enough to the other to keep our relationship going?
I didn’t want to dwell on that question, even though I knew it was one I would need to find an answer to soon.
Justin had asked me if I missed acting.
I did.
But when I was in Los Angeles, I missed living in Larch Haven.
Why did life have to be so complicated?
Although I didn’t make a conscious plan to go to my grandparents’ house, that’s where I ended up. As usual, I went around to the back, where I found Lolly in her flower garden, picking some gladioli.
“Those are gorgeous,” I said, admiring the spikes of flowers in purple, yellow, and white.
Lolly set the flowers in a bucket of water. I knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth.
“Where’s Justin?”
To my relief, I didn’t cry. But I did pour out the whole story to her.
Lolly gathered me in her arms and hugged me tight. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“What should I do, Lolly?”
She patted my cheek. “You’ll figure that out.”
“But I’m so muddled.”
“It’ll take some time, but you’ll find clarity.”
I wished I felt as confident about that as she sounded.
“I’m having Lois and Carol over for dinner tonight,” Lolly said. “Why don’t you join us?”
“Thank you, but I’m going to head home. I think I want a quiet evening.”
Lolly gave my hand a squeeze. “At least take some tomatoes with you. We have far more than we can use.”
“I’m happy to.” Store-bought tomatoes never tasted anywhere as good as homegrown ones. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about working at the shop tomorrow. I don’t need the time off anymore.”
“Maybe you should take the time off anyway,” my grandmother suggested.
“I’d rather work,” I said. “I miss being there when I’m away for more than a day.”
Lolly smiled at that. “It’s in your blood.” She used her clippers to snip off another gladiolus spike. “The piña colada bonbons and those new peanut butter truffles have been flying off the shelves. And we need more of those cute gondolas. The tourists can’t get enough of them.”
“I’ll get on it first thing in the morning,” I assured her. “Thanks for stepping in for me today.”
“I enjoyed it. Retirement is nice, but I like to feel useful now and then.”
I gave her a quick hug. “You’re always useful, Lolly. And always needed.”
She kissed my cheek and picked up her bucket of flowers. “We’ve got some pails and baskets in the shed. Why don’t you grab one and I’ll fill it with tomatoes and beans.”
While Lolly took her flowers into the house, I crossed the lawn to the shed at the back of the garden. Talking with my grandmother had helped to make me feel a little better, although my mind was no less jumbled. I really hoped she was right about me finding clarity. At the moment, that seemed a long way off.
My thoughts were still spinning in circles, but when I opened the shed door, they screeched to a halt.
Parked right in the middle of the shed was Pops’s vintage scooter.
The one he claimed Archie Smith had stolen.
Chapter Twelve
“Oh, Pops, what have you done?”
I stood staring at the scooter, my own troubles suddenly overshadowed by my grandfather’s predicament.
Pops wouldn’t have lied about the scooter going missing, and he wouldn’t have accused Archie of stealing it if he didn’t truly believe that was what had happened. If Pops was right, then either Archie had returned the scooter before his death, or Pops had taken it back, probably from Archie’s property. Knowing what I did about Archie’s personality, I figured the latter scenario was more likely, and I had a sinking feeling that I now knew why Pops wouldn’t go into detail about the walk he took on the night of Archie’s death.
Before, I thought it would be a good thing if someone had seen my grandfather out walking, so they could confirm his alibi. Now I worried that any such witness could drop Pops in hotter water than he was already in. If someone told the police that they’d seen Pops heading to or from Archie’s place, that wouldn’t look good.
My stomach swirled with worry. I really needed to find a way to clear my grandfather’s name, and quickly. I had a few suspects in mind, but beyond that I really hadn’t made any progress. My problems would have to take a back seat until I knew Pops wasn’t in danger of getting arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
I grabbed a basket from a shelf and shut the shed door. Hopefully no one else would happen upon the scooter before I had a chance to talk to Pops. He needed to tell the police what he’d done—if he really had done what I thought—before they found out some other way.
“Lolly,” I said as I opened the screen door to get into the kitchen, “is Pops around?”
My grandmother stood at the counter, sprinkling some chopped chives over the top of a potato salad. I almost regretted declining her dinner invitation. Lolly made the best potato salad. I still wanted to head home, though.
“He’s gone bowling, dear. I’m not expecting him home for a couple of hours.”
I was about to bring up the subject of the scooter when I heard female voices outside. Lolly’s friends Lois and Carol appeared on the other side of the screen door. I let them into the kitchen and exchanged pleasantries before making my escape. In time, the conversation might have turned to Justin’s absence. Even though I hadn’t talked to Lolly’s friends any time recently, they probably knew my boyfriend had arrived in town for a visit. That’s the way it was in a small town like Larch Haven.
The gondola races had finished for the day by the time I crossed Venice Avenue and headed home. Most of the shops would be closing soon, but tourists still streamed in and out of their doors while others flocked to the local restaurants for dinner. The closer I got to home, the thinner the crowds of tourists grew, but I still passed three or four couples and two families out for a stroll.
When I reached my cottage, I sank down on the front step and texted Dizzy, letting her know about the whole Justin situation. Her response came almost immediately.
OMG!!! Coming right over!
I smiled despite my low spirits. I loved being back in the same town as my best friend.
My smile faded and my stomach gave an unpleasant twist. That was another thing I’d miss if I moved back to Los Angeles.
I tried not to think about anything as I let myself into my cottage.
Binx came careening around the corner from the kitchen, almost skidding sideways before giving a funny hop and running to greet me. I couldn’t help but laugh. He was such a goofball. I scooped him up into my arms and pressed my face into his fur. He purred and snuggled closer to me. Truffles came into the hall in a far more sedate manner, padding along at an unhurried pace until she reached me. Then she wound her way around my ankles.
I set Binx down and picked up Truffles for a cuddle. When I set her down next to her brother, they led the way to the kitchen, Binx letting out a series of loud meows, letting me know it was time for their dinner. I fed the cats and poured myself a tall glass of ice water. After drinking down half of it, I got out the ingredients I’d need to make smoked tofu tacos. I nearly had everything ready when Dizzy appeared at the back door and let herself in.
I barely got my hands wiped on a towel before Dizzy launched herself at me, hugging me fiercely.
“Oh my gosh, Becca! I’m so sorry!”
“Thanks,” I said as she released me. “And thanks for coming. Do you want tacos?”
“Definitely, but not yet.” She took all the food I’d prepared and tucked it away in the fridge. “First we’re going to talk.”
I poured us each a glass of lemonade and we took our drinks out to the patio. Binx and Truffles had finished eating and now lounged in their catio, lazily watching the world around them. I wished my life were as uncomplicated as theirs.
I told Dizzy about the entire day, even though I’d already given her the basics via text message.
“He wants me to move back to LA,” I said to finish. “I promised him I’d think about it.”
“You don’t sound thrilled about the prospect of moving again,” Dizzy observed.
“I’m confused,” I said.
“Before Justin told you he won’t be moving to Larch Haven, did you have any desire to move back to LA?”
“No.” Sometimes I missed my acting career, but I didn’t want to move back there.
“So, basically, if you did go back, it would be one hundred percent for Justin.”
“I guess you could put it that way,” I said. “I could go back to acting, though.” But I’d have to leave True Confections, my family and friends, and this town that I loved so much. I didn’t say that out loud, but from the way Dizzy was watching me, I figured she knew exactly what I was thinking.
“Do you love Justin?”
I took a second to think about the question. “I really care for him. A lot.”
Dizzy took a sip of lemonade, her gaze never leaving my face.
Her silence left me searching for more words. “I think I was on the verge of falling in love with him when I moved home.”
“Becca, I’m not going to tell you what you should do, but you came back to Larch Haven because this was where you wanted to be. Do you want to give up everything you’ve got here for a man you’re not truly in love with?”
“When you put it like that, it sounds like a no-brainer.”
“And yet you’re hesitating. Because you don’t want to hurt Justin?”
“I don’t know,” I hedged. “Dizzy, he was so good to me when I was in the hospital. He visited me nearly every day, even though he was crazy busy with work.”
“Becca, you can’t stay with a guy just because he was good to you when you were sick.”
I dropped my head into my hands. I knew she was right.
“Maybe we should eat now,” Dizzy said. “You need to let your thoughts simmer.”
She was right again.
* * *
• • •
I woke up the next morning with dread sitting heavily in the middle of my chest. Then I remembered I was going back to work at True Confections. That gave me the motivation I needed to roll out of bed and get ready for the day. Not that Binx and Truffles would have let me laze about in bed for long. They liked getting their breakfast right on schedule, or early. Late, even by a few minutes, wasn’t acceptable.
Outside, another gorgeous morning greeted me. This was my favorite time of day in Larch Haven during the summer. Soon, the walking paths and shops would be crowded with tourists, but at this early hour, I had the town almost to myself. The placid water of the canals reflected the morning light, blooming flowers scented the air, and birds twittered in the trees. In my mind, it was pretty much paradise.
The only people I saw were off in the distance, until I reached the bridge that would take me across the last canal to Venice Avenue. Jolene Doyle-Brodsky stood in the middle of the bridge, going through a series of stretches. She wore running shorts and a tank top and had wireless earbuds in her ears.
“Good morning!” I called out when I reached the bridge, making sure to speak loudly enough to be heard over any music she might be listening to. “It’s Jolene, right?”
She slipped her phone out of her armband and tapped the screen. “That’s right.”
I joined her in the middle of the bridge. “I’m Becca Ransom. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“My loss?” she said with confusion. “No, I won my race yesterday. I’m competing in the finals today.”
“Oh,” I said, momentarily taken aback by her misunderstanding. “I meant the loss of your father.”
Realization of her mistake dawned on her face, followed by a quick succession of emotions. They appeared and disappeared so quickly that I couldn’t pin any of them down for certain. I thought maybe anger and wariness were among them, but by the time that thought occurred to me, she had a neutral expression again.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice neutral too.
“Although,” I continued, “I heard the two of you weren’t close and I know he wasn’t easy to get along with. I didn’t mean to upset you by raising the subject.”
The set of her mouth hardened, just slightly. “I’m not upset. We weren’t close. It’s no secret he wasn’t a father to me in any sense other than biological, but I made my peace with him before he died.”
That took me by surprise. I didn’t think Archie was the type to make peace with anyone.
“That’s good to hear,” I said instead of sharing my thoughts. “Anyway, good luck with your race today.”
“Thanks.” Almost before she even had the word out, she jogged off, heading in the direction I’d come from.
If Jolene had made peace with Archie, that made her an unlikely suspect in his murder. I wasn’t sure if I should simply take her at her word, though. Maybe someone else could confirm what she’d told me.
I didn’t think I was getting any closer to identifying the real killer. I needed to find out more about my suspects, including Maria Vasquez. She harbored a good deal of anger where Archie was concerned. I needed to find out why.
First, however, I needed to make some chocolates so we’d have enough stock for all the tourists. Then I’d get on with clearing my grandfather’s name.
Chapter Thirteen
On my way down Venice Avenue, I waved to a couple of neighboring shop owners. As I slipped my key into the lock of True Confections’s front door, a familiar voice called my name.
Sawyer walked along the avenue toward me, two takeout cups in his hands. I tugged my key out of the lock.
“I was hoping I’d catch you before you got to work,” Sawyer said. “Do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure.”
He held out one of the cups. “Orange pekoe with one cream and one sugar. Is that okay?”
His thoughtfulness brought a smile to my face and sent warmth spreading through my chest. “That’s perfect. Thank you.”
