Killer Party Read online

  I had a touch of a hangover from the margaritas last night. Sugar and alcohol were a bad mix, especially since I loved the darn things so much. As I walked in the door, Toby looked up and horror filled his face.

  My hands when instinctively up to smooth down my hair. “What? Do I have a bug in my curls? I know I didn’t put any makeup on, but I can’t look that bad.”

  “I told the vet not to call you; that I’d take care of it.” Toby walked over to meet me. “It’s really not as bad as they made it out to be. She’s just a little sick right now. I caught her before she ate the whole thing.”

  I stared at him, confused. Deek should have been working, right? I glanced at the clock, it was after ten. Deek must have just left. Then I realized who Toby was talking about: Emma. Something was wrong with Emma. That could get me out of this crazy couples’ weekend without a backlash. Greg knew my dog was important to me. Heck, it might be the excuse to get him out too. “What happened to Emma?”

  “She got into my bag of chocolate chips. Man, she had a mouthful before I could stop her. Sissy down at the vet’s in Bakerstown says Emma’s going to be fine in a day or so. They’re keeping her overnight for observation, just in case. And I told them I was covering the costs.” Toby threw the barista towel over his shoulder and then smiled at the women crowded around me. As soon as they’d seen him, they’d all come running to my side to meet the cutest member of my staff. At least in the male category. “Hello, ladies. Can I tempt you into a coffee and a treat?”

  “We’re not done talking about Emma. Why weren’t you watching her?” I wanted to kick him in the shins, but his next words made me pause.

  “Sasha called and we got to talking. Okay, maybe we were fighting. I’m really sorry Jill. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He nodded to the other women. “Let me get these orders done and then you can yell at me all you want.”

  “Jill, you can’t be mad at this hunk of perfect male flesh.” MaryAnne grinned at me. “Seriously, if guys like this worked for me, I would have divorced David years ago.”

  “I have to make a call.” I ignored the women who flooded around Toby and marched to the office. I used the land line to call the vet. After being assured Emma was fine after being given doggy ipecac to get the chocolate out of her system, I felt my shoulders relaxing. Toby stood in the doorway, watching me.

  “Jill, I really am sorry.”

  I wiped away the tears of relief now that I knew my dog was okay. I can be strong and detached during emergencies, but when they’re over, I’m a pile of mush. “I know. Sissy said you did the right thing, bringing her in so quickly. She said you were a mess.”

  “Emma threw up on me twice before I got her to Bakerstown.” Toby laughed. “I guess it was my fault since I’d been feeding her chicken strips from the diner before Sasha called. I really liked having the company. I thought maybe I’d get a dog, but now, I don’t know. Maybe I’m not responsible enough.”

  “Or maybe you are. Thank you for taking her into the vet so quickly. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

  He blushed and then looked out the doorway. “Looks like your group is getting antsy to leave. Are you staying here or going with them?”

  I sighed and stood up. Now that the emergency with Emma was taken care of, it was time to get back to the fun. Not. I was never part of a group of girls. I had my few friends in high school, but we did things in pairs of two, not five. “I’m going back to the fun.”

  “Don’t make it sound like it’s a death march. You could use some vacation time.” He glanced back toward the dining area. “They look like they could be interesting.”

  “I’d say I’d trade you places and I’d work your shift, but I’d never hear the end of it from Greg.”

  “She’s coming,” he called out to the group. Then he turned back to me. “Better go now, the kids are getting restless.”

  I gathered the group together and outlined my game plan. We’d hit one side of Main Street down to the diner, then work the other side when we came back to the winery. Our first stop was Antiques by Thomas, the store next door to my shop. Josh Thomas, the owner and former boyfriend of my aunt, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Kyle the intern turned full time associate, was manning the store.

  As the women walked from room to room, oohing and ahhing over the collection, I stayed in the front and talked to Kyle. “Where’s your boss this morning?”

  “Mandy took him to a wine tasting up in Napa. I’m in charge of the store all weekend.” Kyle puffed his chest out. “And I even get to make the deposit tonight.”

  The last time Josh had left town, he’d asked me to make his store’s deposits so Kyle wouldn’t have to. Now it looked like he was trusting his employee more and more. “It just takes time to win Josh’s trust. You’ve been doing a great job.”

  He blushed, then looked over my shoulder. “Something I can show you?” Jessica stood at the counter next to me.

  “No, something you can sell me. I’d love that old wooden bedroom set you have in showroom number five.”

  “Good choice. It’s eastern European and our records show it was brought over to the states a few years ago when an immigrant family settled nearby. I have several items from that estate sale if you’d like to look at more.” He opened a large notebook, scanning the pages until he found his notes. “Can I show you the rest?”

  “Don’t bother. I’ll buy all of it.” She handed him a black credit card and then took out what looked like a business card and scribbled on the back. “This is my home address. Have it all shipped to me there.”

  “Don’t you want to know what pieces you are buying?” Kyle asked, but instead of answering, Jessica grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number as she walked out the door. He looked at me. “She has money.”

  He didn’t ask it as a question, but instead, stated a fact. I nodded. “Her husband to be is a tech millionaire. I’d say don’t look a gift buyer in the mouth.”

  Kyle took a photocopy of the card and then started ringing up the items on the list he’d found in the book. “I’m going to charge this and then maybe you can get her to come back to sign the receipt?”

  “Hurry, up. The group is getting ready to move on to the next shop.”

  I watched as Jessica finished up her call. I didn’t think the guys would have cell service out on the ocean but I guess Levi’s phone was more advanced. She came back into the store and waited by the counter.

  “Nice furniture?”

  Jessica looked at me. “What?”

  “The furniture you bought. It must be nice to purchase so many items.” I didn’t say sight unseen, but the implication was there. It had taken me months to buy the just right antique bed for my guest room, and even longer to find the right quilt to cover the bed. I guess I was picky, or basically couldn’t make up my mind.

  “The set reminds me of one I had when I was a child. Besides, it’s a piece of history. You can’t put a value on that.” She took the photocopied list of items and her copy of the receipt from Kyle, signing her name with a swoosh. She tapped the pen on the counter. “I’m serious. If anything else comes in from that source, I want it. You kept a copy of my card, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll call if something else comes in.”

  She waved away his words. “Don’t bother about calling. Just send me the stuff.”

  As we walked out of the store, Lois pointed to Dustin Austin’s bike rental shop. “If we had another day, we should talk the boys into taking a trail ride with us. I hear there’s a trail that runs most of the coast.”

  “You’re right, it’s called the Mission Trail and there’s a trail head here near the beach. It’s a great riding and walking path.” I fell in step with Lois as we window shopped Main Street. By the time we’d eaten lunch and then started back up Main, I’d forgotten about Jessica’s over-the-top purchase at the antique store.

  The new Russian Collectibles was next and the group gathered around the window display
, pointing out the stacking dolls they loved. I fell in love with a blue and silver doll who looked like she was a princess. As we talked, a little girl, about four, ran out of the store and wrapped her arms around Jessica’s legs.

  “Cectpa,” the little blond-haired girl said over and over.

  Jessica kneeled down at the girl’s level and as she accepted a hug, I saw her whisper in the girl’s ear. As she stood, a man came out of the door.

  “Alana, come here and stop bothering the women.” The little girl ran to her father and clung to his leg.

  She looked up at him. “Cectpa, Papa, cectpa.”

  He smiled and stroked her hair, mimicking the motion I’d seen Jessica just perform. “My daughter says you look like her sister.”

  Jessica smiled, meeting the man’s gaze. “I’m afraid I’m an only child.”

  “Alana’s sister is back in the home country with her mother. I brought Alana with me to help set up the store. She loves dolls.”

  I stepped closer. I’d be able to knock out this favor for Tina and Marvin while I was doing the tour. Multitasking at its finest. I should write a book about my techniques. “I’m Jill Gardner, and I own the coffee shop down the street. Tuesday is our monthly business meeting and we’d love to have you visit.”

  He looked at her gravely. “The mayor said you would be coming by. I will be at this meeting.”

  “It’s kind of casual, we have treats and coffee and typically start at nine before the stores open. Besides, Tuesday is kind of slow, unless we have a tour bus scheduled to arrive. But mostly, it’s slow midweek here.” I felt like I was rambling. The man’s deep blue eyes searched my face for the truth in my words. I ended with another invite, even though he’d already said he’d come. “We’d love to have you.”

  “Then I will be there.” He pointed to the window display. “Have you all seen the stacking dolls? Alana can demonstrate one for you.”

  The group left after purchasing five stacking dolls. I bought a smaller one than the one I’d wanted. The price tag on the one I’d loved at first glance had given me sticker shock. But no one could turn down the child’s soft-sell tactics. I needed to rent the little girl for the children’s side of the book store. Alana was going to be an excellent business owner or salesman someday.

  As we reached the winery, the men piled out of the van and joined us for a drink before dinner. Stories of the ones that got away circled the table and had us all laughing. Riding in the back seat of the van back to The Castle, I told Greg about Emma.

  “Are you sure she’s okay? Do you need to cut this short?” He held my hand as we talked.

  I shook my head. “Sissy says she’s fine, they are just keeping her overnight to make sure she doesn’t react to the chocolate. They gave her an IV and they want to make sure it doesn’t cause any problems. Toby’s a mess.” I smiled at the way his face had looked that morning. “I think he about had a heart attack when I walked inside the store.”

  “He should have called us.” Greg settled into the seat next to me for the short ride.

  I kind of liked the way he said us. Maybe this cohabitation wasn’t so bad after all.

  Dinner was wonderful, a fresh-caught salmon as the main course that Brenda had purchased from a local fisherman since the guy’s trip had been unproductive. The group seemed to be enjoying the company along with the meal. I saw Brenda study Lois and remembered I’d never asked if she was all right, but from the night’s activities, it looked like the storm had passed, if there had been one between her and Butch.

  As we retired to our room, forgoing the invitations to drinks poolside, I sank into Greg’s arms. “Today was crazy. How was fishing?”

  “We always have fun together, at least at first. Of course, the fishing was incidental. We didn’t even get a bite all day. It’s when the alcohol flows a little too freely that people start talking about things they should leave private.” He yawned as he opened the door. “Sorry, I’m beat. You can go down and talk to the women if you want.”

  “I’d rather stay here with you.” I picked up my bag and pulled out a mystery I hadn’t even cracked the spine yet. “You don’t mind if I keep the light on and read a little before bed, right?”

  “Do I ever?” He got ready for bed, then threw an arm over my leg. “Love you.”

  He was so tired; his words were almost unintelligible. But I’d heard them. “I love you too, Greg.”

  A series of frantic knocks on our door woke us the next morning. Greg groaned and looked at his watch. “Four a.m. If that’s Levi, I’m going to shoot him. He wanted me to run with him this morning, but I’d told him no.”

  He threw a T-shirt over his boxers and opened the door a crack. Brenda pushed the door inward and almost fell as it swung open. Greg grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. “Are you okay?”

  Her eyes wild, she shook her head. “You’ve got to come down. I’ve called 911 but you have to come down now.”

  Fear crept over the back of my neck. I’d never seen Brenda this upset. Had it been vandals? Or something worse?

  “What happened, Brenda?” Greg had on his police voice now. Calm, but demanding. “Take a breath, and tell me.”

  She sank onto the edge of the bed. “In the pool. There’s a body in the pool.”

  Greg grabbed his jeans and headed to the bathroom to change. When he came out, he had turned from my boyfriend on vacation to the chief detective for South Cove. He looked harder somehow, the jut of his jawline completing the look. “Show me what you found.”

  I stood to follow them but he glanced back at me. “Go change. If you have to come downstairs, stay away from the pool area. We don’t want to contaminate the scene.”

  I could see the unspoken mantra in his eyes. Don’t be someone he knew. Finding a dead body was hard. It was impossible to deal with if that body used to be one of your best friends. So far, I’d only stumbled onto dead people who I’d hadn’t cared for. Except for Miss Emily of course. And that had been a few years ago. Before Greg and I were even dating.

  When I arrived downstairs and saw Greg slumped in a chair, trying to process what he’d seen, I knew it was bad. Looking around, I’d found everyone from the dining table last night, including a sobbing Jessica. Brenda must have gotten everyone out of bed. Except for one person. Levi Wallace. And from what I could see in Greg’s eyes when he looked up at me, I knew who had been floating in the pool.

  Levi.

  CHAPTER 5

  “This is total crap.” Greg paced the small hotel room, running a hand through his hair. “I should be out there, trying to figure out what happened to Levi.” The Bakerstown police department had been asked by Mayor Baylor to step in to investigate the death, effectively taking it out of Greg’s hands. For once, I agreed with the mayor’s decision. Greg needed to be a friend of the victim, not the cop investigating his friend’s death. Terrance Duskant had arrived on scene a few hours ago with Doc Ames and sent us all up to our rooms while the crime techs investigated the scene and they removed Levi’s body.

  “You know that’s a bad idea. You are—I mean, were, too close. You need to let Terrance deal with the investigation. Anything you’d do would be suspect.” I sat on the edge of the bed, watching him pace back and forth. “Besides, you need to grieve.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Just because you like to meddle in things that don’t concern you doesn’t mean I couldn’t be objective. I am trained in law enforcement, remember? Besides, sometimes doing something is better than just sitting.” I just stared up at him until he sank next to me on the bed. “I’m sorry. Levi was my first real friend in middle school. We rode our bikes everywhere. And when we stopped, Levi always had a story to tell about the rocks, or the area, or even the haunted house down the street.”

  “You had a real haunted house?” Now I was intrigued. I’d never heard this story before. Maybe keeping him talking about their good days would keep his mind off Levi’s death.

  Greg ran a pie
ce of fabric from his shirt back and forth through his fingers. “Probably not. It was an old abandoned farmhouse. No one had lived in it for years. We told our folks we were staying at Butch’s house even though we knew they were out of town on a summer trip to the beach. Then we took our sleeping bags and sat in the living room and told ghost stories until we fell asleep.”

  “Any ghosts show up to liven up the party?”

  Greg grinned. “Not a one. And we even stole his sister’s Ouija board to call on the spirits. When Angelia found out we’d taken it, she was so pissed. She said we’d probably scared away all the spirits because we were just dumb boys.”

  “Do his parents still live in Iowa?” I could see Greg growing up wild in a small town. No rules except everyone was watching and would report bad behavior back to parents, so kids stayed in line. “His sister?”

  “His folks died a few years after Sherry and I broke up. One right after the other. Some sort of cancer, but I figured the one didn’t want to live in the world without the other. They were a super tight family. Their deaths hit Levi and Angelia hard.” He grabbed for his phone. “I should be the one to tell Angelia, not some stranger.”

  I put a hand over the screen. “You know you can’t. Let Terrance do the hard part then you can call with support. I assume they’ll bury him in Iowa?”

  Greg shrugged. “Not sure what plans he’d made, if any. Who plans for their death at thirty-seven? And Jessica. I don’t know if they will even consider her part of the family. What’s going to happen to her? They’ve been living together for years. Will she lose the house?”

  The same questions had run through my head. Especially when they came to Greg and me. If something happened to him, at least I wouldn’t be left without a place to live. We hadn’t comingled any funds. But if there were medical decisions to be made, I wasn’t his next of kin. His brother was and that guy would do anything to keep me out of Greg’s life.