A Cup of Murder (10 page)

He led me to an empty table away from customers. I
hadn’t seen him since the day he gave me the ride home from Sam’s
Sandwiches in pouring rain. A relief swept over me when I realized he
was concerned. It was then that knowing he was someone I could trust
was reinforced. I told him something he was already aware of but it
was good to say it out loud.

"Jacob was arrested yesterday for Michael
Simms’ murder."

He nodded in sympathy and told me he had heard
that. I hadn’t seen a newspaper but I was sure it was headline
news. Usually, over my coffee in the morning I read news online
before coming to work. Since undertaking the care of a dog I didn’t
always have time to do that, or maybe I just didn’t want to read
about Jacob’s arrest.

"I want to tell you something I learned about
Michael Simms," said Daniel. "Did you know he had terminal
cancer?" The look on my face told him I did not. "He was in
stage four with lung cancer."

"I wonder if whoever killed him knew that,"
I said.

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. I doubted that,
since the murderer would have just waited for Michael to die of the
disease if he knew he was terminally ill. Daniel watched me in a way
that confused me.

"Is there something else you know about all
of this?" I asked him.

He shuffled in the chair and shook his head no. I
asked him if he had any ideas on where belladonna came from that was
found in Michael’s coffee cup. Again he indicated no idea. I
decided to tell him about my visit to see James Simms. Daniel voiced
surprised that I was getting so far into my quest to find the real
suspect.

"I know the two brothers parted ways,"
he said, "but I have no idea if they ever contacted each other
again or not. When John Andrews, James' campaign manager, died I knew
some rift developed but never found out why."

"How did John Andrews die?" I asked.

"I believe he had a severe asthma attack. I
never knew the whole story."

Could it be that whatever happened to John Andrews
caused the separation of the two brothers? If the Senator was to be
believed, they parted ways while John was still campaign manager.
There was no more time to discuss everything I wanted to talk about
with Daniel. Roasted Love was busier than ever as lunch time neared.

The paramedic ordered a Frappe this time. I guess
he figured it was better to start with something cold than to let a
hot drink cool down before finishing it. Lily took it to him. I
wondered what was going on across the street. When I looked up I saw
a familiar BMW parked in front. Senator James Simms got out and
walked around to open the door for someone. I presumed it was his
wife Sarah until I saw a woman step from the passenger side I did not
recognize. They both walked to the front door and I noted a frown on
the Senator’s face when he peeked through before using a key to
unlock the door. Seeing Jen Perry inside as if she owned the place
must have been the cause of the deep furrow that crossed his forehead
when he turned toward the stranger with him.

The door swung open. One of our customers opened
the door of Roasted Love at the same time when leaving and I heard a
loud voice that belonged to the woman across the street. The door to
Sunrise closed. A few minutes later I saw Jen Perry leaving. She
still wore an apron that belonged to Michael’s coffee house. She
left in a hurry and slung her purse strap over her shoulder, ignoring
the apron. At her car door contents from her purse spilled out and
she quickly bent to scoop them up before slamming her car door. I was
sure I would get a phone call from her later. After all, according to
Jen Perry I was her only friend.

All eyes in Roasted Love were glued to the actions
going on at Sunrise, including those of Daniel Jenkins. His look
shifted to me. I edged closer to his table and sat down.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"I don’t know any more than you do except
maybe you can tell me who that woman with the Senator is," I
said.

"It’s Michael’s wife, Leticia Simms,"
he said. His voice was matter of fact. I stared at him.

"Why are they over there?"

Once again the paramedic gave his trademark shrug.
"James was Michael’s brother and Leticia was his wife. They
are probably in there to see about the shop."

Finding Jen Perry there as if she owned the place
must have been a surprise to both of them. I strongly suspected Jen
Perry had just spent her last few hours at Sunrise.

Daniel stood and gave me a cocky grin. "Now
you have a little more information to clutter your journalistic mind.
Maybe you should go across and give your reporter act and learn
more."

His laugh was far from a derisive one. I knew he
would never let me live down my reporter ruse. He had a way of
lightening a very bad situation.

"At least I have enough imagination to get
information when I want it," I said.

For some reason he always left me in a way that
was impossible to resist his remarks. A night on the town with Daniel
Jenkins could prove to be refreshing to say the least. My mind was
behaving in a far-fetched way. It was comforting to know I could talk
openly with him about the case at hand and for now, that was enough.
I watched as he walked out the door with an ease that demonstrated
self-confidence. Concentrating on freeing Jacob brought me back to
the most important thing right now in my life.

Movement from across the street caught my eye
again. James Simms’ back was to me when he locked the door of
Sunrise. Leticia Simms walked toward the car. For the first time I
had a good look at Michael’s Simms’ wife. She was pretty but not
stunning. Her hair was shoulder length, auburn in color and she was
approximately my height. I noted a certain determination in her
countenance. When the Senator reached her door to close it he bent
toward her. I looked twice when I thought he leaned in and bent to
kiss her but I would never swear to that. That was something else to
write on my corkboard but a question mark would have to come after
that note.

When it was time to close down for the day, I once
again felt ill at ease thinking about walking home alone. I stopped
at the small pet store in the next block and bought a sturdy leash
for Thor. If I had to let him go after an assailant simply releasing
him would be enough. Besides, I couldn’t take the chance of him
wandering off and getting hit by a car. It interested me that the dog
had not returned to Sunrise to wait for Michael. It was as if he knew
his former master was gone forever. He took to the leash right away
and together we walked along as if our companionship was meant to be
that way.

Reaching my door, I couldn’t shake a sudden
apprehension. Once unlocked, I turned slightly to see if anyone was
watching me. A figure moved from behind a tree at the corner of the
yard next to my neighbor’s house. The retiree was nowhere in sight.
I quickly went inside and slammed the door securely behind me and
clicked the deadbolt. When I looked out the front window no one was
in sight. The person I had glimpsed was tall with an athletic build.
Other than that, shadows from the tree had hidden other significant
details.

Chapter Thirteen

I arrived at Roasted Love early to get things
going for the day. I planned to leave mid-morning and go to Michael’s
visitation and if time, his burial. My purpose was to look around at
everyone there. I made the mistake of telling Janie my plans to
attend.

"You’re up to something, Laila," said
Janie. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I just want to pay my respects,"
I said.

I shrugged off Janie’s prying eyes. She didn’t
have to know everything about me. Lately, she asked more questions
than I wanted to answer. I even found myself doubting her faith in
Jacob’s innocence.

"I don’t think Jacob would go," she
said.

"He probably wouldn’t now that he is in
jail. Besides, it’s my business what I do."

I knew I should let up on Janie. Sarcasm wasn’t
something I usually used in conversation. I wasn’t used to talking
to her like that but my irritation surfaced enough to get her to back
off. I left Roasted Love around 9:30 to take Thor back home and
change clothes. The visitation was at 10:30 and my plan was to stay
in the background and observe.

When I slipped into a spot in the back row, I felt
lucky I got the last chair. My heart sank for a moment when I
realized Daniel Jenkins sat next to me. I had hoped to remain
incognito like real private eyes did. At least I figured that was how
they acted. He focused his eyes on me and when I looked at him the
laughter was there.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"I could ask you the same question," I
said.

"I’m here to pay my respects," he
said. "I told you I knew Michael."

He didn’t get my answer. I was busy scanning the
crowd.

"I had no idea this many people would be
here," I said.

"Most are here for his family," said
Daniel. "As I look around, all of these people are friends of
the Senator and Michael’s father. So far I see only a handful of
Michael’s friends."

I had no idea who most of them were, but since
Daniel knew them better than I did I knew he was probably right. It
was sad to think that Michael Simms had ended a life friendless. Of
course, that was no one’s fault except his own doing. Sympathy from
me was hard to come by for the man who made lives miserable for
everyone around him.

On the other side of the aisle sat Jen Perry. She
dabbed at her eyes and sat next to a man and woman I didn’t know
who did the same. So Michael had three true mourners that I could
see. While craning my neck to find the Senator up front, my clutch
purse slid to the floor. Bending to pick it up from the soft carpet
my head bumped the chair in front of me. I whispered an apology to
the lady who sat there. She turned with a light scowl on her face as
if to scold a child for bad behavior on a solemn occasion.

Daniel hid a wide grin behind his hand. "Don’t
tell me you are here playing detective still," he whispered in
my ear.

I nodded a yes. This was no place to discuss my
actions. Even whispers could carry across the room that had grown
silent as the Minister stood to speak. His prayers were lifted in a
pleading voice. Everyone bowed their heads in prayer. Then the
Minister asked if anyone wanted to speak a word about the deceased.

A slight shuffling could be heard as most fidgeted
with whatever they could find. At last Senator James Simms stood and
came forward.

"Michael was my brother. In his youth he was
one of the most generous people I’ve ever known," said the
Senator.

He went on to laud his brother’s generosity to
the less fortunate. Noting reactions among the crowd I didn’t miss
how some looked with surprise at each other. Obviously, only a few
had seen this side of Michael. I watched James as he spoke.

"Though we had not spoken for several years,
I regret that very much. But I will hold on to the good memories for
many years to come. Our boyhoods were ones of close brothers. I am
sure he has found peace again."

Daniel looked at me and raised his eyebrows. It
was as much as James had to come up with and he returned to sit down
next to Sarah who sat next to his father. I didn’t know the Analyst
but who else could it be? A brief silence ensued until someone I did
not know went to the podium.

"That’s John Andrews’ brother, Thomas,"
said Daniel. His voice was once again a whisper. "You remember.
James’ campaign manager and good friend?"

I remembered.

Thomas Andrews gazed into the mourners faces. I
wondered how he fit into the Simms’ lives.

"Michael was a very good friend with my
brother, John. In the past when we were all much younger I begged to
tag along with the two older boys. Sometimes they let me come along
but most of the time they didn’t want a little kid along with them.
My brother died of an extreme asthma attack several years ago. I
remember how hard it hit Michael. They were very close, almost like
brothers."

Thomas wiped his brow and then dabbed at his nose
with a white handkerchief. Even from where I sat I could tell he
still grieved.

"I wonder if he is sad about his brother’s
death or Michael’s," I said to Daniel, under my breath.

Daniel peered at the man speaking. "Maybe
both," he said.

"As I said, when John died, Michael took it
very hard. It was a sudden death and the tragedy took its toll on
Michael," said Thomas. "He changed after that. I personally
have only good memories of Michael. I used to watch him play poker.
He could beat anyone who came against him. He was expert at the game
in his early teens. And what did he do with his winnings? All of it
went to the poor. That’s why he played. That gives you an idea of
the real Michael."

His muscular hand touched the coffin and he
returned to his seat.

The service ended and while the family remained to
say their last good-byes the rest of us walked out of the mortuary.
Daniel and I stood apart from the others.

"That must have been what made Michael so
bitter," I said. "His childhood friend dying so suddenly
must have done it."

"It could have been the cause of his
bitterness," said Daniel.

He didn’t sound convincing to me. Who knew why
the man changed so drastically? My eyes were on individuals in the
group now heading for their cars.

"Should we go to the cemetery?" asked
Daniel.

"Why not?" I said. "We may as well
see it to the end."

"Come on then," said Daniel, "you
can ride with me and we’ll get your car when it’s over."

My day wouldn’t be over once Michael went to his
final resting place. Roasted Love would have to hold its own most of
the day. Jacob Weaver, my boss, still sat behind bars. He was next on
my list to see before I went back to work. The police must have
something on him or he would be out by now.