Dandelion Dead (23 page)

“Thanks.” He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. “That thing was pretty bad, but you handled it like a trouper.”

“Thank you, honey.”

“Guess what?
Murder, She Wrote
is on, just for you. In fact, it's a marathon.”

I took a bite of pizza. “Sounds just about perfect. Love you.”

“I love you, too.”

•  •  •

Jackson set the alarm for
seven o'clock, since the annual Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast at Nature's Way was Saturday morning. He also needed to get up early to help his two morning volunteers, who came at 6:00 a.m., tend to the rescues.

When I arrived at Nature's Way, at seven forty-five, I found Merrily in the kitchen, busily prepping for the breakfast with Lily's help. We'd been doing this event on Halloween morning for the past two years—it had been Merrily's idea—and it always drew a good crowd.

Given that it was North Fork UnCorked! week, we would probably be serving even more this year. The breakfast also inspired new and repeat customers to do some shopping, so it was guaranteed to be a busy morning. Although I was concerned that the police might ruin everything by arresting Lily in the middle of the event.

On my way into the kitchen, I stopped first at the coffeepot. “Rough night, Willow?” Merrily said, smiling. “Where d'ya go, what did you do?”

“Jackson and I went to hear David's talk at Pure about how wines are made, and the barrel tasting afterward. Lily was there, too.”

“Yes, but I didn't stay long,” Lily said, opening the refrigerator door and blocking my view of her face.

“Lily, are you okay?” I wondered if I should tell her about what had happened to David. Perhaps it could wait.

She closed the door and put a dozen eggs on the counter. “I'm fine. What else do you need, Merrily?”

“Let me think while I whip up the first batch for us.” In a bowl, Merrily mixed together milk, pumpkin puree, egg, oil, and vinegar. In a separate bowl she combined flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, then added it to the first bowl and mixed it all together.

“That smells so good, Merrily,” I said. “And I am hungry.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Oh, I thought of a few things we need from the storeroom, Lily. More brown sugar, and more allspice, cinnamon, and ginger, okay?”

“Sure, I'll get it.”

“Thank you.” Merrily moved over to the griddle, which was lightly oiled, and scooped one-quarter cup of batter for each pancake onto the surface. “Now we just need to brown on both sides and serve hot with lots of butter, and of course maple syrup.”

“Yummy. I can't wait.”

“Me either.”

I leaned on the counter that faced the stove. “How does Lily seem this morning to you?”

“Like she's very close to breaking down. The thing with David, and the police hassling her, has been a lot to take. Wallace has also been very upset for her. I'm worried about both of them. Have you and Jackson and Simon figured anything out yet?”

“It's a
complicated case. And we're still trying to figure out whether it was David's brother or father, or his wife, and/or his wife's lover, or his assistant winemaker, or some disgruntled vineyard owners who might have tried to kill David and killed Amy instead.”

Merrily flipped the pancakes over. “That's quite a list.”

“Yes, it is, but the police are, unfortunately, closing in on Lily.”

“No, really? But I just can't see her doing it.”

“Me either,” I said. “But it doesn't mean they won't arrest her.”

“Well, then, you have to stop them, like you usually do.” Merrily flipped the pancake again. “You know, fix it.”

“Believe me, we're trying. Once the breakfast is over, I'm back on the case.”

•  •  •

By ten o'clock, the Pumpkin
Pancake Breakfast was in full swing, with every table full and people lining up to buy staples. It couldn't have been a worse time for Detective Koren and Detective Coyle to walk into Nature's Way. So, of course, that's when they did.

But Lily was back in the storeroom and Wallace saw them first. “What are they doing here?”

Quickly I pulled him to the side. “Wallace, I think they are here to arrest Lily for Amy's murder. But it doesn't mean that Jackson, Simon, and I are going to stop looking for the real killer. We've pulled it out before. So I know it's difficult, but please, please, try
to remain calm.” I was especially concerned about his reaction since he'd told me a few weeks ago that he'd seen his doctor and he had high blood pressure and a blockage in one of his arteries that would need to be addressed soon.

While Detective Koren and Detective Coyle scanned the room, I headed to the back room to alert Lily, to give her a moment to deal with it on her own. But when I opened the door to the storeroom, she was sitting on a box, crying. Quickly I went into the downstairs bathroom and grabbed a few tissues and gave them to her. “Here, sweetie—what is it?”

“Everything is a mess. David called me last night and told me he loved me but said we needed to spend time apart. I'm so confused, I don't know what to do, or think.”

“I hate to do this to you, Lily, but the police are here, and I think they are going to arrest you.”

Her eyes opened wide, and her face went white. “No! No!” She started crying again. “But I didn't do it. I wouldn't hurt David! Never!”

I looked out the door and the detectives were heading toward us. “Lily, listen, we don't have much time. They're coming right now. All of us believe that you are innocent, and like I just told your uncle, Jackson, Simon, and I will continue to work on this and find the real killer. We've done it before and we can do it again. Your lawyer, Shawn, is one of the best. I'm asking you to trust us—you just have to keep the faith for a little while longer.” I hugged her tightly as the detectives pushed their way in like storm troopers.

“Ms. Bryan?” Detective Koren said. She stepped
away from me and blew her nose. “You are under arrest.” Detective Coyle snapped the cuffs on. She sniffled, but didn't cry. He read her the Miranda warning, the one we all knew from TV shows but not in real life. When it was real, it was so ominous and otherworldly and, really, so terrifying.

“Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice trembling.

“Stay strong, Lily, stay strong,” I said.

She lifted her head and looked directly at me. In that moment, it was just the two of us. She said, “I will,” and I felt the weight of my responsibility to her and her future. Then I watched as the two detectives marched her out of the storeroom, down the aisle, and out of Nature's Way. I sat down on the same box she'd been sitting on and started to cry.

•  •  •

Ten minutes later, Merrily came
to find me because, of course, the crowds kept coming. It was one of the most difficult things I'd ever had to do—stay and take care of the business, my business, rather than run out the door and try to find answers to free Lily.

After I alerted Simon, who called Shawn Thompson, her lawyer, and left a message for Jackson, I put my body and brain on autopilot and went through the motions. Although the inquiring glances from customers who had been there for the arrest or heard about it afterward were difficult to ignore. Wallace, too, was on autopilot and walked around like one of those zombies
in the Halloween maze. I became worried again about his health, especially his heart.

Finally, at around eleven thirty, things slowed down. But there still was plenty to do. Eventually, the tables emptied and the customers left with their purchases, and we had Nature's Way back to ourselves. I suggested that Merrily brew a pot of chamomile tea and that we all take a break and sit down together to discuss what had happened.

I kept watching the door, but no one came in. Wallace, meanwhile, was busy putting new place settings on the last two tables. But when Merrily brought the tea and shortbread cookies out on a tray, I said, “Wallace, that can wait. Please come and sit down.”

He blew out a breath, put down the rest of a setting, came over, and flopped, exhausted, in a chair. Merrily put the tray down, sat, and began to pour tea for all of us.

“I know that we're all upset, so I want to fill you in on what I've done so far. I let Simon know what happened and he has alerted Shawn Thompson, Lily's lawyer, in New York. I'm sure he will be out here today. Simon already told me that he will post the bail for Lily, so, Wallace, that is something that you and your family don't need to worry about.”

Wallace nodded. “Thank you, Willow. I'll let her parents know what you've done. They're coming from Boston on the three o'clock ferry. They'll be staying with all of us in Peconic.”

“I've left a message for Jackson, too,” I said. “And now that things have calmed down a bit, I think the best thing for me to do is to continue my investigation. Is
that okay with you two? Or would you like me to call in some of our high school and college help? Maybe Tad?”

Tad Williams had worked in Nature's Way this summer and was efficient, fun, and positive. He attended Juilliard in the city, where he studied voice and opera, so he might be around. I could check.

“Tad would be a big help,” Merrily said. “Especially tonight with the Halloween party and the trick-or-treaters. You might not get back here to help us.”

“I plan to. But you're right. At this point, I don't know where the day will take me.” I pulled out my phone and called Tad. He answered on the first ring.

“Hey, Willow, what's up?”

“Hi, Tad, I know it's late notice and you may have plans, but we could really use your help. Are you home in Greenport?”

“I am, and I'm super-bored. My plans fell through for the day so just tell me when you need me and I'll be there.”

“That's really great, Tad, thank you. Can you hold on for a moment?”

“Sure thing.”

I turned to Merrily and Wallace. “What time do you need Tad?”

“The sooner, the better,” Merrily said.

Wallace didn't respond, just sipped his tea.

“When can you get here, Tad? We could use you today and tomorrow.”

“I'm on my way. Thanks for thinking of me.”

“Thank you, Tad. I'm going out, but I'll see you later. You'll be a big help to Merrily and Wallace.” We said good-bye and ended the call.

“Thanks for the extra help, Willow,” Wallace said. “It will make things easier here.” But when he took another sip of tea, suddenly he dropped the cup. It landed on the saucer and cracked it in half. Gasping for air, he put his hand to his chest and managed to say, “I think I need to go to the hospital.”

I put my hand on his. “Breathe, Wallace, and try to stay calm.” On my phone I punched 911 for the second time in twenty-four hours.

On the drive over to
Eastern Long Island Hospital following the ambulance, I had to remind myself to stay calm. Only with a clear head would I be able to help Wallace, and his niece, Lily. I'd just turned left on the corner from Front Street to Main Street next to the Coronet restaurant when Jackson called me back. Quickly I put the phone in the holder on the dash and pushed the speaker button.

“Hi, honey, are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't pick up. I had an animal come into the rescue, and now I'm on my way to David's, but I can come to you.”

“They arrested Lily. We were in the storeroom talking and she was upset over David because she said he called her last night and said he thought they should take a break, and then they came in and arrested her. It was awful. But then it got so much worse because Wallace had a heart attack, at least the paramedics think so.”

“Oh, jeez. Is he okay?”

“I don't know. I'm following the ambulance now to ELIH. Can you meet me there?”

“Of course. Turning around right now, and I'll call David and Simon. Maybe you and I can go see David and Ivy afterward. He broke his arm in two places and had another mild concussion and they sent him home. Maybe in a different environment we can finally get some answers to help Lily.”

“Wait a minute. Why are you going to David and Ivy's house?”

“Because he just hired me to be his new bodyguard.”

“What?”

“He needed someone and he called me, and I couldn't say no. It's just until the competition is over, and then I'll find him someone else if necessary. But I feel like this thing is coming to a head, and hopefully we can nail the real killer by then.” Jackson paused for a moment. “It's a good thing we watched those
Murder, She Wrote
episodes last night.”

“Ha, ha, Jackson. Very funny.”

“Just trying to lighten the mood, hon.”

“I know. Actually, she is a good detective, or her writers were. Now we need to be just as good.” I turned down the street that led to the hospital.

“Greenport is a lot like Cabot Cove,” Jackson said. “The bodies are piling up. We've solved quite a few ourselves.”

“And we can do it again.” I took a right at the
EMERGENCY
sign and headed around back to the ER. “You, Simon, and me.” I pulled into a spot and parked. “Okay, I'm here. Can you meet me in the ER? How long will you be?”

“Ten minutes, hon, stay strong, I'm coming. Love you.”

“I love you, too, and thanks for coming to my rescue. I can take care of myself, but it's also nice to have you there when things go really wrong.”

“Back atcha, hon. See you in a few.”

•  •  •

Jackson and I didn't sit
in the ER waiting room long. Within an hour, the nurse came out and told us that we could go back and see Wallace.