4 Cupids Curse (8 page)

“For one thing, I’m certain she recognized the guy in the café, in spite of the fact that she flat-out lied about it.”

“I don’t know,” Pappy countered. “T
hese things happen. There are a surprisingly large number of people walking around who look like people we know.”

“I suppose.” I had to admit I’d had similar experiences
, when I’d thought I recognized someone I knew but it had turned out the two individuals simply had similar features.

“Wha
t happened after the man called Blythe Adriana?” Pappy asked.

“
Dad made a comment about the guy interrupting our meal, and he apologized and left.”

“And Blythe?”

“She said she was ready to go. She didn’t want to be late for the movie they planned to see, even though it didn’t start for another two hours. She got up, and Dad followed her out of the door.”

“The encounter doesn’t really sound all that suspicious to me.”

“What about the button I found? What if the guy from the diner is mixed up in Trent’s death? Oh God.” I paled. “What if Blythe is somehow mixed up in Trent’s death? I have to call Dad.”

“Why would Blythe kill Trent
?” Pappy asked.

“
I don’t know, but what if the guy in the restaurant wasn’t mistaken? The witch only recently moved to Ashton Falls. What if her real name is Adriana and she changed her name when she moved? What if she’s really a serial killer or a foreign spy?”

“Foreign spy?” Pappy raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, she’s probably not a spy, but the fact that this random guy spoke to her in the restaurant and then I found a button from his shirt at the scene of a murder can’t be a coincidence. I need to warn Dad that he might be shacking up with a killer or, at the very least, a killer assistant.”

“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Pappy warned me. “If you start throwing around unsubstantiated allegations
, you’re only going to make your dad mad. He’s already pretty exasperated about the fact that you don’t like the woman he seems to have fallen for.”

“But what if she ax murders him in his sleep?”

“You’ve been watching too many movies.”

“Re
ally? My contractor is shot at a facility I run and partially own and the man I saw approach Blythe just happened to lose a button at that very site on the very day I ran into him?”

“Okay, how about this,” Pappy suggested. “I’ll stop by your dad’s house after book club. I’ll
tell him about the button, then let him draw his own conclusions.”

I really would have preferred to talk to my dad myself
, but Pappy’s plan wasn’t a bad one. My dad would just think I was being Jealous Zoe if I brought it up, but if Pappy approached him with the information, he might be more apt to take it into consideration.

“Okay,” I finally conceded
. “But be sure to mention that I found a brass button. The shirt the guy wore was so far out of style, I’m certain Dad must have noticed.”

After book club, I called Zak, who informed me that he was still working and would see me in the morning. I told him about the encounter in the restaurant, and he promised to do some snooping if he had the chance. I then called Ellie, who was out with Rob and some of the other single parents. So I tried Levi, who agreed to meet me at Mulligan’s for a drink.

“I’m glad you called
,” Levi said as I slipped into the booth next to him. “I decided to have
the talk
with Barbie tonight.”

“You broke up with her?”

“I did.” Levi took a swig of his beer.

“How did she take it?”

Levi frowned. “Not well. And when I say
not well
,
what I mean is that she turned into a total lunatic who started crying and throwing things at me.”

“Oh no.” I laughed. I knew laughter was an inappropriate response
, given the circumstances, but I couldn’t help it.

Levi started laughing in return. “At least I broke the news to her at her apartment and not mine
, so it was her stuff that was damaged.”

“Sounds like that was a
smart move.”

“I really didn’t expect her to get quite so upset
.” Levi shook his head. “She’s such a flirt, the way she comes on to every guy she sees. I figured when I told her I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, she’d blow if off and go find some other guy to shack up with.”

“Maybe she really cared about you
,” I suggested.

“I don’t think it’s that. If I had to guess
, I’d be willing to bet that no guy has ever broken up with her before.”

“Really? Never?”

“You’ve seen her.”

Levi had a point. Barbie was the spitting image of every guy
’s fantasy. Big top, shapely bottom, tiny middle, long blond hair, blue eyes, and a killer smile.

“I get your point. Still
, I think it was the right thing to do.”

“Yeah, me too
,” Levi agreed. “So what’s going on in Zoeland?”

“Why do you think something is going on?”

“Because you called me at nine o’clock on a weeknight and insisted that we go for a drink, even though I just saw you this morning and you didn’t say a word about getting together.”

Levi always ha
s been pretty perceptive.

“Well
, for starters, I’m pretty sure my dad is dating a murdering witch and no one but me seems overly concerned about it. Add to that the fact that I’m also sure Zak is having a steamy affair with some skank who he’s hiding in his house. It really wasn’t my best day. I guess I just needed a friend’s shoulder to cry on.”

“
Zak isn’t having an affair,” Levi said with certainty.

“How do you know?”

“Because I know Zak. He adores the ground you walk on. Trust me: the guy is totally in love with you. I don’t know what’s going on to make you suspect him of an affair, but I can assure you you’re dead wrong.”

“And
Mommystein?”

“I doubt she’s a killer
, but I wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t at least ask why you think she is.”

I explained about the man from
Rosie’s and the case of mistaken identity. Then I explained how Blythe got uncomfortable when he came over to the table, and how she left shortly after. And I explained about his out-of-style shirt and the brass button I’d found in the bear cage. I was certain Blythe
had
known the man in the café, and I was equally sure the man was the stranger Pack Rat had seen at the Zoo. The same stranger, I was convinced, who had killed poor, innocent Trent. If the man had killed Trent and Blythe had lied about knowing him, the only conclusion was that Blythe was somehow in on the whole thing.

“And then
. . .” I was saying as my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. It was Pappy.

“Did you talk to him?” I jumped right in as soon as I answered
.

“I did.”

“And?”

“I
t seems Salinger traced the button back to a man by the name of Anthony Martucci.”

“They can use a button to identify the person who wore it?”

“Sort of. I guess once you brought the button in, Salinger rechecked the fingerprints that were found. He ran them again, and they matched Martucci’s. I forwarded you a photo of the man I got from your dad.”

“My dad ha
d a photo of him?”

“Salinger showed up at his door a while ago with the photo. I scanned it and e
-mailed it to you.”

“Okay, hang on.”

I checked my e-mail and gasped. When I got back onto the phone, I said, “That’s him. That’s definitely the man in Rosie’s.”

“Well
, apparently, Blythe and your dad aren’t as certain. According to the conversation I had with the pair, Blythe is insisting the man who came in was shorter, with a slighter build and lighter hair, and your dad said he couldn’t really remember.”

“What?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I half expected Blythe to continue to deny knowing the guy
, but I didn’t think both
Dad and Blythe would deny the man in the café and the man in the photo were one and the same.

“Listen
, Zoe, I know you think your dad’s new friend is part of some big conspiracy, but don’t you think you might be seeing a connection where one doesn’t really exist? I mean, you’ve made it abundantly clear you aren’t a fan of Blythe, and now she’s campaigning to make herself an even bigger part of your dad’s life than she already is. Isn’t it a teensy bit possible that the guy in the photo looks like the guy in Rosie’s because you want him to?”

“No
, it’s not a teensy bit possible I’m mistaken. I’m telling you that the guy who most likely killed Trent and the guy who talked to Blythe are one and the same, and I’m going to prove it.”

I hung up the phone without saying good
-bye and was immediately sorry. It wasn’t Pappy’s fault that Blythe was somehow hypnotizing everyone except me into seeing what she wanted them to see. The woman was evil. She’d probably cast some reality-altering spell over everyone, and seething hatred, which I happened to possess, was the only antidote.

“Wrong guy?” Levi asked
.

“No
, it’s the right guy. Blythe has just somehow managed to convince everyone that I didn’t see what I know I saw. There were other people in the restaurant. Someone else has to remember the guy.”

“What about Ellie?” Levi asked.

“She was getting Stepwitch
her tea. I’m pretty sure she was in the kitchen the entire time.”

“Other diners?”

“There weren’t a lot of people eating at the time.”

Levi took my hand. “You know I love you
, but isn’t there a chance you’re remembering what you saw just a little bit wrong? You have the tendency to go kind of crazy when anyone
messes with your relationships, and Blythe has been doing a hatchet job on your relationship with your dad.”

I looked Levi directly in the eye. “I’m not crazy.”

“I never said you were.”

“No, but you insinuated it.”

“I didn’t. I just think you should think things through a bit. Maybe the guy in the photo and the guy in the café are the same person. It still wouldn’t mean Blythe had anything to do with killing Trent.”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“No.” Levi squeezed my hand. “It isn’t. If you start accusing Blythe of being a killer without more proof, it isn’t going to end well.”

“So what do I do?”

Levi scooted around and put his arm around me. I laid my head on his shoulder. “We,” he assured me, “will investigate. But,” he qualified, “we’re going to approach our investigation in a logical and unemotional manner. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“No more Zoe the Crazy?”

“No more Zoe the Crazy.”

I woke up the next morning to sheets of snow hitting the windows overlooking the lake. I
t seemed Ernie Young from the general store had been right about the blizzard. I momentarily considered going back to bed—after all, the Zoo didn’t actually have any animals that needed to be cared for—but then I looked out of the front window and realized that someone, probably Zak, had been by to plow out my drive. Have I mentioned what a fantastic boyfriend I have? I know I’m often jealous and petty where my relationship with the man who tends to send my emotions into overdrive is concerned, but when I looked out of the window and saw the cleared drive . . . well, suffice it to say that diamonds wouldn’t have been half as appreciated.

“How about we treat ourselves to muffins from Rosie’s?” I asked Charlie
, who barked his assent. Warm muffins from Rosie’s, coffee to go, a depressingly empty shelter . . . I could do worse.

I fed Charlie and the cats, poured coffee into a tall white mug with a large red hear
t, then headed toward the shower. I figured that even though we didn’t have residents quite yet, it would be a good idea to keep the outside runs shoveled and the walkways cleared, just in case someone did come by.

When I arrived at the Zoo, I was greeted by the most wonderful and surprising sight. Not only were there two cats sitting on the front counter but the unmistakable sound of dogs moving about in the back of the building could be heard as well.

“Where did all the animals come from?” I asked Jeremy as I
took off my coat.

“Zak picked them
up from the Bryton Lake shelter.” Jeremy bent down to pet Charlie. “He left a note that indicated that you were feeling depressed about the fact that we had an empty house.”

“Zak went to Bryton Lake? This morning? In the middle of a blizzard? Is he nuts?”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure he went last night. When I got here this morning, I found seven dogs, three cats, two kittens, and a note saying that he’d worked out a deal with the county. I guess Commissioner Cromwell agreed to reassign the patrol they’ve been sending to cover Ashton Falls since the shelter closed and allow us to handle our own domestic animal-control issues.”

So that was the work that had him so occupied
, I realized. “I wonder why he didn’t tell me what he was doing.”

“He probably didn’t want you to be disappointed if things didn’t work out. Not only did he drop off the animals but he plowed the lot
, saving me the trouble. That’s one pretty great guy you’ve got yourself.”

“Tell me about it. I should call him
.”

“The note says he’s tied up this morning
, but he’ll pick you up for lunch.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Here,” Jeremy handed me the handwritten note, “read it for yourself.”

The note outlined pretty much everything Jeremy had already told me. “So how’s Squeaky? I noticed you didn’t bring him back today.”

“I think I’m going to keep him. He has a lot of personality, and he makes for a quiet and low-maintenance roommate. Last night I was watching TV and the little guy sat on my lap for over an hour. When he got tired of the movie, he climbed down the front of the sofa and took himself to bed.”

“Took himself to bed?”

“I’d left the cage door open and he went right in. Of course, I’d also left a full bowl of food as well as some fresh veggies, but it was really pretty cute. I think he’ll be a perfect pet with a baby in the house.”

“He really is a cute little guy
, and a hamster
would
be a good pet for a baby. You never know how a dog or cat will respond to an infant. Of course, Charlie loves babies.”

“
It looks like Charlie’s a fan of babies of all kinds.” Jeremy nodded to where Charlie and one of the kittens that had been dropped off were cuddled together on the floor. “I thought I’d call Hazel to see if she’s interested in adopting that little guy. She mentioned wanting a kitten a while back.”

“Hazel would be perfect. The kitten seems pretty calm
, and he’s obviously been around dogs. If she isn’t interested, you might try Willa.”

“
I thought about her. Zak dropped off an older cat that I originally considered for her, but he’s a bit of a grouch, so I put him in the back for the time being. He seems to get along okay with people, but I don’t think he’s been raised around other animals, and Willa has a dog. Maybe we can ask around at the senior center. He’s pretty chill, so an older person who doesn’t have other animals and is home to pay adequate attention to him would be just right.”

“Call
Janice. I bet she’d be interested. So tell me about the dogs.”

“Four male, three female, all mutts. There
’s a golden mix that appears to be no more than a year old. The others are well into adulthood.”

“Size?”

“Four under thirty pounds, two I’d guess to be sixty-five or seventy pounds, and one over a hundred and fifty.”

“Over
a hundred and fifty?”

“L
ooks to be a Saint Bernard mix. He’s a real sweetie. I’d take him myself, but Squeaky and I don’t really have the room. You interested in another dog?”

“No, and
I wouldn’t have the room for a large dog if I did. I’m sure we can find the big guy a good home with a large yard to run in. Have you called Scott?”

Scott Walden i
s the local vet and a shelter volunteer. We make it a policy to make certain that all animals are neutered or spayed, current on shots, and in good health before we adopt them out.

“Not yet
, but I will.”

“Now that we have customers
, I guess we should get to work. I’ll start by cleaning the pens.” I know that most people don’t get a thrill out of scooping dog droppings, but at that moment I couldn’t have been happier if I was lounging on the deck of a cruise ship.

The storm must have chased most of the town’s citizens indoors because Rosie’s was uncharacteristically empty for a Friday afternoon. Zak, who looked fantastic in his bright red sweater and faded jeans, was waiting for Charlie and me at a table near the wall of windows overlooking the lake. Most of the time the view was breathtaking, but today all that could be seen was a wall of white. Originally, Zak was going to pick me up, but I needed to buy supplies for our new doggy guests, so I arranged to meet Zak at the café instead.

“It’s really coming down out there,” I commented.

“The National Weather Service is calling for snow through the weekend.”

“Before I forget,” I began, “I really want to thank you for the dogs and cats. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to arrive at the Zoo to the sound of dogs barking in the background.”

“I figured it was a good idea to prime the pump, remind folks that we’re open again.”

“Jeremy already has half the animals adopted. If they
had stayed in Bryton Lake, who knows what would have become of them?”

“I was happy to help.”

I sat quietly staring out of the window, wondering exactly what was on Zak’s mind. Our conversation was perfectly polite, if not somewhat mechanical, but once the pleasantries had been taken care of, we seemed to have nothing to talk about. A stranger observing our exchange would think us casual acquaintances at best.

“I was thinking it might be nice to have dinner at your place tonight,” I suggested. “We could light some candles, open a bottle of champagne, soak in the hot tub, and watch it snow.”

One of the coolest things about the house Zak had bought was that it had an indoor/outdoor pool and spa with a roof that retracted as the weather dictated. The room was made of glass walls, which brought the outdoors inside during the colder winter months. An indoor/outdoor fireplace and natural stone floor made for a romantic setting year round.

“I
was thinking we could go out tonight,” Zak countered.

“In a blizzard?”

“I’ve been craving a thick, juicy steak and some of those stuffed mushrooms from the Wharf.”

The Wharf
is an upscale restaurant that serves seafood and steaks that are flown in fresh every day. While the food there is fabulous, my idea sounded a bit more romantic.

“We can make steaks at your place,” I suggested.

“Seems like a lot of work. Besides, I’ve been dying to try the burgundy sauce everyone’s been raving about. If the sauce is as good as I’ve heard, I thought I’d take some home to see if Ellie can figure out the recipe. How about I pick you up at seven?”

“Yeah, okay,” I agreed with more enthusiasm than I felt.

It wasn’t like Zak to choose going out over staying in. I know I’m probably just being Zoe, but I couldn’t help but feel that he was intentionally trying to divert my attention from romance to recipes.

“Hey
, guys,” Ellie greeted us. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll have a club sandwich,” I
said.

“Make that two,” Zak agreed.

“Mom made clam chowder, if you want a cup to go with your sandwiches.”

“Sounds good,” I replied. Rosie
made the best clam chowder.

“I’ll take a cup of coffee as well,” Zak
added.

“Zoe?” Ellie asked.

“Water is fine.”

“By the way,” Zak continued
after Ellie had returned to the kitchen, “I wanted to fill you in on the information I managed to dig up on Anthony Martucci. I know you think Blythe is involved with him in some way, but I couldn’t find a connection between the two of them.”

“What about the fact that he
seemed to recognize her?” I asked. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I can pretty much guarantee you that the man in the restaurant and the man who we suspect killed Trent are the same person. I think Blythe has hypnotized my dad into thinking he didn’t see what he saw.”

“You’re right,” Zak responded.

“I am?”

“It does sound crazy.” Zak reached across the table and took my hand. “You know I care about you and I’ll always be on your side
, but in this instance, I think your feelings toward Blythe, while justified,” he assured me, “might be coloring your judgment.”

“My judgment is fine.”
I pulled my hand away just as Ellie arrived with our soup.

“
The sandwiches are on their way,” she told us as she gave me a look that questioned my obvious annoyance with Zak.

“Okay, assume that you’
re right,” Zak continued after Ellie left to greet two men who’d just walked in. “Assume that the man whose button you found and the man you saw here are the same. What could be the possible connection between Blythe and this man, who simply appears to have been passing through town?”

I stared out
of the window at the snow blowing down from the summit as I tried to wrap my head around everything Zak was sharing with me. What he was saying made sense, but I was certain Blythe knew the killer. I know it seems like I believe the woman guilty of wrongdoing because I
want
her to be guilty, but my instinct was telling me that I was right and everyone else was wrong. I thought about what I
really
knew about the woman who was out to ruin my life by seducing my poor, helpless father. I remembered that when my dad introduced me to her over Christmas, he’d mentioned that she’d just moved to the area after retiring from teaching. I don’t think he mentioned where exactly it was that she’d taught, but since she’d mentioned a hairdresser in Bryton Lake, I assumed she was from there. But what if she wasn’t? I couldn’t help but wonder where Anthony Martucci was from, or an even better question, where he was now.

“Here are
your sandwiches.” Ellie was back. “Anything else?”

“Remember when I was in the other day with my dad?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Blythe came in and joined us. She ordered tea
, and shortly after that a man came over and spoke to us. I know you were in the kitchen, but did you happen to see him?”

“Sorry
.” Ellie shook her head.

“I’m certain the guy
who came in that day is the same guy the sheriff suspects of killing Trent, but I’m having a hard time convincing anyone else of it.” I held up my phone so Ellie could see the photo Pappy had forwarded to me. “Does he look familiar at all?”

Ellie shook her head
. “Connie was working the cash register that day,” she pointed out. “Maybe she remembers something. I’m pretty sure Gage Wheeler was still here as well. He was sitting at the counter.”

“Is Connie working today?” I asked.

“No. I’ll call her at home to see if she saw anything,” Ellie offered.

“I’ve got some errands to
run, so I can talk to Gage,” Zak said as the familiar
ding
associated with his cell phone’s text chimed from his pocket. Zak pulled out his phone, looked at it, and frowned. “I have a million things to do before our date tonight. I really should get going. Go ahead and finish your sandwich.”