Corpse in the Crystal Ball (21 page)

Tuesday night I headed into Smokey Jo’s for takeout. Morty had made a mess of Granny Gert’s laundry, so it was taking her twice as long. She put Morty in a time-out and actually agreed to takeout. Of course Morty didn’t stay. He jumped right back into the pile of clothes and chewed a hole right through his new yellow polka-dot bow tie.

Needless to say, Granny was in a tizzy.

So takeout it was. I was saddling up to the bar to place my order when I looked to the right and my jaw fell wide open.

Carpenter Cole West sat staring at Jo with a hungry look on his face. The more she ignored him, the more amused he became. Finally, Sean slid a Guinness in front of him and slapped him on the shoulder in a hard squeeze. “Good luck with that one, lad.” He chuckled. “She’ll come around. It’s just gonna take a while.”

Cole took a hearty sip. “Always was a patient man,” was all he said as he went back to watching her every move.

Jo scowled at him. “Quit staring at me, Meathead.” She pranced over to me. “And just what do you think you’re smirking at?”

I pressed my lips together. “Not a thing.”

“Good,” she snapped. “Just good. Because I truly can’t take any more of this.”

“How about an order? Can you take that?” I asked teasingly.

She rolled her eyes and blew an auburn hair out of her face, pulling out a pad of paper and pen. “Fire away.”

I gave her my order for takeout and then filled her in on what had happened today.

“See, I told you that outfit would work. And now maybe Mitch will come to his senses.”

“Speaking of coming to his senses, I really do think Cole is trying,” I pointed out gently.

“Yeah, well, he can try all he wants. I’d rather grow warts on my bum than forgive him. Let me go place your order, and I’ll be right back.”

“Hey, Jo,” Cole said as she walked by him.

She kept walking, ignoring him.

“I’m sorry,” he said in barely more than a whisper, tracing his finger around the rim of his beer glass and not looking at her.

Her steps faltered and she stopped, still looking straight ahead. “For what?” she asked hesitantly.

“Faith, me, you—everything,” he added in a quiet, sincere voice.

“Dammit, Cole, I hate warts.” She whirled around, her cheeks red and fire blazing from her eyes. “Why’d you have to go and do that?”

“Do what?” He looked startled and confused.

“Be you.”

“Be me?” He puckered his wide brow. “Who else would I be? What does that even mean, anyway?”

“Be all big and strong and stubborn and pigheaded,” she paused, and he arched a brow, but she groaned and kept going on a frustrated, tormented rant, “and loyal and noble and sweet and adorable …” Now
she
looked startled.

He kept his eyes lowered to his glass, but the smile that spread across his whiskered cheeks was soft and tender.

Jo thrust her finger in his face and yanked his chin up so he could look into her eyes. “Just so you know, this doesn’t mean I forgive you”—her gaze traced his features—“yet.”

He reached up and took her hand into his own. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“I-I gotta go fill this order,” she stammered, and slipped her hand from his, looking flustered.

“You go do what you gotta do.” He stared hard at her. “Just so you know …I’m not going anywhere.”

Jo turned and fled into the kitchen, and I sighed dreamily as I thought,
Well played, Sasquatch. Well played.

The bells over Smokey Jo’s front door chimed. I looked in that direction and saw Mitch and Selena walk through. They strode up to the counter right next to me.

“Hey, guys. What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Same thing as you is my guess,” Mitch answered. “Granny not up to cooking tonight?”

“Morty’s not allowing her to,” I answered.

Mitch grunted. “Figures.” He glanced at my hair. “I see the red is gone.”

“Yeah. Everything is back to normal today.”

“Good. I like it better that way.” His eyes locked on mine.

“Mitch, I—”

Selena touched his hand, and he immediately turned in her direction. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing. I just know what I want to order now,” she said sweetly.

“Here comes Jo. Tell her what you want and order a burger for me, okay?”

“Sure thing.”

He faced me again. “You were saying?”

“It’s not important. Just, um, that you were right. Ted Baxter is not a guy to mess around with. I think he knew Isabel had money and he killed her for it. He has no alibi. Says he was out looking for her at the time she was killed.”

“Be careful, okay? I wouldn’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”

I looked from him to Selena, then back to him. “Don’t worry. I’m used to being on my own and taking care of myself. You’ve got enough to worry about.”

His lips parted, and he just stared at me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just—”

The bells over the door chimed again, and this time a Grizzly Adams–type guy waltzed through the door, pulling a dolly full of liquor cases behind him. “Hey, Jo, where would you like these?”

“Hi, Jack. You can put them in the back, and have Sean pay you. As always, thanks so much.”

“Anytime.” He winked and then disappeared in the back.

“Mitch, I’m not that hungry,” Selena said, pulling on his arm. “Let’s just go. I don’t feel that well.”

Mitch looked at her with concern. “Are you going to get sick? Jo has a bathroom in the back.”

“No, I just want to go. Now, please. Can we go now?” Her skin paled.

“Sure. Let me cancel our order with Jo first.”

“Sunny can cancel it for us. I need to go now.”

He took her hand in his own. “Selena, what’s going on? Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No, I, oh God …” She trailed off and stared at the deliveryman as he emerged from the kitchen.

The man stopped, stared, and then smiled wide. “Hey, there. I’m so glad to see you made it. I was worried about you.”

“I-I’m fine. Thanks,” Selena said quietly, refusing to look at Mitch.

“You know this guy?” Mitch asked. “How?”

“Well, we don’t really know each other,” Jack said. “I just gave her a ride into town a few nights back. I have a daughter her age, so I got a little concerned when I saw her hitchhiking.”

“Hitchhiking?” Mitch’s face hardened as he turned to Selena. “I thought you took the bus into town in the morning. I saw you.”

“I’m so sorry,” Selena said quietly, still looking at the floor. “You saw me standing there the next morning, but you didn’t see me actually get off the bus.” She finally met his eyes with a pleading look.

“When Isabel called me the day before her murder, I was
so worried that I wanted to get to her right away. I couldn’t afford a bus ticket, and I knew you would be furious with me for hitchhiking. But I could tell from her voice that something was wrong. I got into town around five thirty and then she called me at six in a panic. I looked for her all night long, but I couldn’t find her. That’s when I showed up the next morning and pretended to get off the bus. I’m so sorry, Mitchie. You have to believe me.”

“That’s why there was no record of you at the bus station,” I mumbled.

“You knew about this?” Mitch asked me with accusing eyes.

“Excuse me? I knew there was no record, but I assumed it was a mistake.” I set my jaw angrily. I was doing all of this for him. Couldn’t he see that? “This new information, however, puts her on my suspect list. She has no alibi, Mitch. And she herself has admitted to not getting along with her sister, as well as knowing about the money. I’m only stating what the police are going to say. What
you
would say if you weren’t so close to her.” I pointed my finger at him.

He swiped it away, looking confused and angry.

“Maybe her sister told her about the money,” I continued logically. “Then never helped her out after all she did for her and finally left her high and dry. Maybe Selena had had enough. Maybe she was the one following her sister when her sister called her at six, and then her sister screamed and dropped her phone. Isabel never did identify who was after her. Selena could have easily killed her, stolen the money out of greed, and is now playing the innocent grieving sister. It makes perfect sense.”

“I-I-I don’t know what to say,” Selena said, looking
stunned. “It’s not true. I would never do something like that.” She turned to the detective and put her palms on his chest. “Am I in trouble, Mitch?”

“No, Selena, you’re not.” Mitch squeezed her hands, and then turned to me with a furious gleam in his eye. “You’re insane,” he growled. “I can’t believe you would even consider it. I’m furious she hitchhiked, yes. But I don’t believe for a second that Selena could be capable of killing her sister.”

“I’m just saying what the police are going to say. It’s a possibility, and she needs to be prepared for them questioning her.” My heart felt his piercing blow. I couldn’t believe he could be so blind. Not to mention he was once again jumping to this woman’s defense over siding with me. Did jealousy play a part in my suspicion? Absolutely. I was human. So shoot me.

“I’m not saying I believe it. I’m just saying I’m looking into all angles to try to clear your name, yet you don’t appreciate a thing,” I went on angrily. “You can rot for all I care.” I grabbed my takeout, slapped my money down on the bar, and fled Smokey Jo’s without looking back.

I didn’t get it. I knew Selena was Isabel’s sister, but what kind of power did she hold over him? It just didn’t make any sense.

Why would he risk it all for her?

Wednesday morning Jo and I went to Zumba. Jo said I needed to relieve stress, and quite frankly, so did she. She was the love-’em-and-leave-’em type, not the settle-down type. Cole showing up and apologizing and making it clear
he was definitely into loving her and sticking around with no leaving involved had thrown Jo for a loop.

That was
not
in her life plan.

But how on earth could she say no to Sasquatch? He was her perfect match. Much the same as I suspected Mitch was mine. Although he wasn’t chasing after me like Cole was Jo. In fact, he seemed to be running the other way. Why? I didn’t get it.

I was so confused.

Zumba was probably the best thing for me. Jo and I walked into the room, ready to sweat off our worries, when it was déjà vu all over again. Only this time, Selena stood in the front of the room with her non-jiggly parts instead of Isabel. I held up my hands to Jo, indicating I was out, and then slipped through the door before anyone saw me.

Wally started to speak as I walked by and Sean asked if I needed any help, but I waved them both off. I wanted to be alone. To have a good workout and not have to talk to anyone right now.

Entering the weight room, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Man, had I ever gained a few pounds. My T-shirt clung to my hips like never before, and my cotton shorts felt shorter than ever. I grabbed the hem and tugged forward and then to the sides and finally to the back.

“What’s that supposed to be? Your stretching routine?” came a deep male voice from behind me, tinged with a hint of sarcasm.

I ground my teeth and turned around reluctantly. “Detective Stone. Surprise, surprise.”

He wore a tank top and nylon shorts, revealing bulging muscles and no fat whatsoever. Great. That made me feel
even more insecure. “I thought that Zumba thing was your scene?” he continued.

“I’m not feeling it today.” I crossed my arms over my
PEACE, LOVE, AND HARMONY
T-shirt.

“What are you feeling exactly?” He stood with his hands on his hips, looking frustrated and confused and angry still. “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. You left so quickly last night before I could—”

“I’m feeling like pumping some iron. That’s all you need to know,” I said defensively, not about to give him a chance to hurt me anymore.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, then blew out a breath of air. “Need any help?”

“From you? No. Sean’s here if I need any help. But you might want to check on your girlfriend, Selena. I’m sure she could use lots of help, especially given she doesn’t have an alibi and all.” I set my jaw.

The muscle in his cheeked pulsed. “She’s not my girlfriend, Sunny. But she is in trouble. I owe it to Isabel to make sure she’s okay. You can’t seriously believe Selena killed her own sister.”

I locked eyes on his. “I don’t know what I believe anymore. All I know is I have a case to solve, and I plan to follow every lead.”

“Then we have nothing more to talk about, do we?”

“I guess not. Have a good workout, Detective.”

“Same to you, Miss Meadows.”

He walked away and I turned to the nearest machine, hopping on and pushing levers and pedals furiously. I caught Mitch looking at me in a bizarre way and just shaking his head. Stubborn, stubborn man!

“You’re doing that the wrong way, you know,” said a voice from beside me.

“I know,” I said. “I just prefer to use it this way.” The truth was I had no idea what the heck I was doing, but I would be damned if I’d let Detective Grump Butt know that.

“I like your style,” the voice replied. “I don’t like him. Never did like cops. I can smell them a mile away.”

I turned to the woman and blinked. She was freakishly big, with short black hair, glasses, and a spooky intense look on her face. “Thanks,” I said. “Right now I don’t particularly like him, either.”

“Good. Wanna spot me?” she asked.

“Sure,” I responded, like I knew what I was doing. Mitch was still watching, after all. But in reality, I just hoped I wouldn’t maim the woman for life.

I followed her to the bench press machine and watched her add a scary amount of weight. She lay down and adjusted her grip, then nodded when she was ready. I placed my hands on either side of hers and held on lightly as she lifted the weight as though it weighed nothing at all.

“Wow, you’re really strong,” I said for lack of anything better to say.

“Thanks. I’ve been lifting for a long time. Not much else to do where I come from.” She grunted as the weight grew heavier.

“Oh, cool. I just started to lift. I’m, uh, not that strong yet myself, but I hope to get that way one day. So what brings you to Divinity?”