Ginny Gold - Early Bird Café 04 - Croaked Wheat (8 page)

Kori let herself
into Nora’s house where the dogs came bounding down the stairs and charged outside before the door was closed. Kori glanced behind her and watched as Ibis joined them in their usual games. She started poking around the house to see if she could figure out where Nora had gone.

On the kitchen table, Kori found Nora’s laptop and moved the mouse to see if it was awake. The login screen came up and Kori entered the password. Nora was the worst at creating passwords and Kori knew it would the same as all of her others—Clover. Kori assumed that if Nora ever had kids, the first one would be
named Clover, regardless of its gender.

Once logged in,
Kori opened Nora’s email to see if she had any appointments this afternoon. It was unlikely but not impossible.

Before she even opened the calendar, Kori heard Nora’s clunker of a truck drive in and park. She closed the computer and headed out front.

Nora stepped down from the driver’s seat and said, “I thought I might find you here when I got home.”

“Where were you?
You hardly ever leave on the weekends.” Kori heard the concern in her voice and wished she could take it back. She didn’t want to be a worrier when Nora was an adult and could take care of herself.

“
I know. I went to talk to Ria and Seeds ‘n More. I was trying to get in touch with Peter but he wasn’t answering his phone.”

“They’re open on Saturdays?” Kori asked, heading back inside with Nora behind her.

“Yeah. Seven days a week. That’s one of the reasons I love them. I don’t have to wait for a weekday to talk to someone or get a delivery or pick something up if I need it on the weekend. A lot of the other places I’ve bought from are impossible to contact on weekends.”

Together they headed out back to the patio and saw the dogs briefly pause in their running to see who had come outside. “What did you find out from
Ria?” Kori asked.

“That’s the thing. She hasn’t heard from Peter since yesterday either and couldn’t get a hold of him even when I was in the office.”

“Do you think she even knows about Marty showing up in your wheat?”

Nora shrugged. “She didn’t let on that there was anything sketchy going on. I never even told Peter about Marty’s body. So he wouldn’t have come looking unless he knew something. And now he’s non-communicative?”

“Something sure doesn’t feel right. Do you have any idea where he might be?”

Nora shook her head. “And
Ria didn’t give me any clues. Maybe Karin or Joline is connected to him. Maybe they were working together to get rid of Marty.”

Kori considered this. “But why would Peter have wanted Marty gone?”

Nora didn’t answer right away. Clearly she didn’t have an answer either. “Maybe,” she started, “one of them is also involved with Marty. A love square instead of a love triangle. Or two love triangles.”

“And how do you suppose we can approach Karin or Joline about that? They already thin
k we’re insurance reps or newspaper reporters. And we didn’t exactly leave Joline on good terms.”

Nora chuckled at the memory. “We didn’t think that one through completely. Maybe we can still find Peter.”

“You know where he lives?”

“No. But I’m sure we can find it. The internet is good about things like that.”

Kori and Nora both pulled out their smart phones and started searching. Unfortunately Jones was an all too common last name and they had plenty of results to search through, but only three in Hermit Cove.

“Where do you want to start; Robin Way, Chickadee Circle or Cardinal Drive?” Nora asked, looking up from her phone.

“Let’s start with P. Jones on Chickadee Circle. If that’s not him, one of the others must be his wife.”

“You drive? He knows my truck.”

Kori grabbed her keys out of her pocket and headed toward her car. “Of course.”

Nora made a quick stop
to make sure the dog door was open and that they had plenty of water. Then she met Kori at her car and they left Red Clover Farm with a mission: find Peter Jones.

As Kori drove, Nora thought out loud, “I think our best advantage is going to be that he doesn’t know you.”

“But I have no reason to be approaching him,” Kori said.

“Sure you do. You’re a reporter again doing a story about Marty Rivers and you found out he used to work at Seeds ‘n More. Does Peter know him? Or why he left?”

“Wouldn’t any reporter worth her salt go to Ria, the owner?”

“Maybe
Ria wasn’t available. Turn here,” Nora said, pointing to the left.

Kori followed her directions and turned onto Chickadee Circle. “What was the number again?”

“Thirty-eight. Here, pull over. Let’s just sit here for a little while.”

Kori again did as instructed and parked down the street from P. Jones’ house. The area was very residential and they fit in perfectly—except that they were still sitting in the car. Both sides of the street were lined with parked cars and every lawn had exactly two trees. It was a planned area of town that had to be new.

Not long after they parked, a car pulled into the house they were watching and parked behind the car already in the short driveway. Its bumper stuck out into the road. Each driveway was meant to hold only one car, the overflow parallel parked on the street.

Nora’s mouth fell open when the driver emerged. “That’s
Ria.”

Kori did a double take at Nora. “I thought you said she couldn’t reach Peter either.”

Nora hadn’t taken her eyes off of Ria who was walking quickly to the front door. “That’s what she told me. What if they were in on this together?”

Kori pointed toward the front door that had just opened. “Is that Peter?”

Nora squinted at the man holding the door open. “Yeah.”

They watched as Peter followed
Ria back to her car, carrying a small duffel bag. Without having to be told, Kori started her car and got ready to follow them if they took off.

She didn’t have to wait long before
Ria backed out of the driveway and headed back the way she’d come. Kori stayed well behind her but kept her in her sights so she wouldn’t lose them.

“Where do you think they’re going?” Kori asked.

“Somewhere to hide Peter. He had a bag. And he left his car. So it’ll look like he’s still home.”

“Should we call Zach?”

Nora turned to look at Kori. “And tell him what? That we’re following a suspect but we’ve got nothing on him?”

“I think running away isn’t nothing,” Kori argued.

“But definitely not enough to turn him in.”

“Okay. You’re probably right.”

Kori kept driving, following Ria and Peter. Finally, they turned into the driveway of an old Victorian house far on the outskirts of Hermit Cove. “What is this place?” Kori asked, slowing down as she drove by.

Nora ducked down below the window in the passenger seat. “Are you crazy? What are you slowing down for? We know where they are, now get out of here before they see me.”

Kori did as she was told, then asked again, “What is this place?”

“Seeds ‘n More.”

“She’s hiding him at his place of employment? That doesn’t seem like it’s fool proof.”

“Then there must be something else going on that we don’t know about. And maybe don’t want to know about.”

Kori made a beeline back to Nora’s farm. They now had four suspects and not enough clues to figure out who was guilty. Each one of them seemed to have plenty of motive. But who had the most opportunity and no alibi?

Kori slept fitfully that night. Each of their four suspects showed up in various dreams, waking her with more questions. What was in Peter’s bag? Had Marty really planned to get a divorce? Why was
Ria trying to help Peter? Did Karin know about the grain delivery at Nora’s and use that to her advantage?

Finally, she gave up on sleep and got up with Ibis. They took a longer than usual walk before heading to the café’s kitchen to plan the menu for the day. The morning air helped clear Kori’s mind and she was ready to focus on food when they got back to The Early Bird Café just after four.

She got the coffee going immediately and then filled up a French press just for herself. After yesterday’s ambitious menu planning and adventurous afternoon, she decided on a more regular menu today. Sundays were busy and she had barely slept a wink.

She started with French toast. Not the fancier version from yesterday, but good old regular French toast. With
grilled peaches. Nothing special, but delicious when drenched in melted butter and maple syrup.

Next she added gluten free waffles. She paused in her planning to thoroughly clean the waffle maker so there was no cross contamination from the last gluten full waffles.

Her egg option became omelets with home fries and she started cutting up potatoes to be seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and oil. Then she stuck them in the oven so they’d be ready when she opened at five thirty.

Another easy item she added was granola and yogurt.
She had fresh fruit she needed to chop and put on top.

And finally, green smoothies went on the menu. With all the greens during the summer, it was hard not to offer smoothies. They weren’t nearly as delicious in winter when warm beverages were preferred and all of the greens she used were frozen. But she had at least another two months of fresh chard, kale and spinach
, if Nora planted a fall crop, with everything else she had going on.

With batters made and coffee brewing, Kori had an extra ten minutes that were usually spent working to get everything in order before opening. So today she took that
time to make her own breakfast—French toast with grilled peaches. She had them ready only two minutes before five thirty, so she opened the door and turned the sign to open before sitting down to eat them. She rarely let her customers see her take a bite, but today could be an exception.

The first bite was heavenly. She’d used thick bread she’d received in her delivery on Wednesday. Usually she took the time to make her own, but she always had a stash in the freezer for days like today when she hadn’t planned that far ahead.

The outside was crispy from the butter she’d used to fry it in, and the middle was soft and gooey. The peaches were extra sweet; the grilling caramelized their sugars and she closed her eyes for just a second to let herself fully get lost in the flavors.

Before she opened them she could hear footsteps coming her way and she knew her private moment was no longer. She opened her eyes and turned to see if she knew her first customers. She didn’t, so she took her plate in to the kitchen and would sneak bites throughout the morning. But none would be as good as that first decadent bite.

Kori got to work serving customers. Word must have gotten out that she now offered gluten free breakfasts because the waffles were flying off the waffle maker and she had to make more batter. Twice. Or maybe it was just the peaches on top that made them so popular.

Just before ten, Kori saw Jenna Rhodes come in and she expected to see Kyle right behind her. There was a lull in serving—everyone was contentedly eating—so she went to the door to chat while Jenna waited for a table.

“Morning, Jenna. Where’s Kyle?” she asked when she didn’t see him come in behind her.

Jenna looked around the café. Her eyes didn’t linger on anyone too long and Kori followed her gaze. Everyone was from out of town. “Kori, I don’t know what to do,” Jenna started.

Kori took her elbow and led her to the kitchen. Something was going on and she didn’t want to force Jenna to share it in public. Kori pulled a stool out from under a counter and offered it to Jenna, who happily sat.

Kori waited for Jenna to continue, not wanting to push her into sharing something she wasn’t ready for. Before she said anything else, she burst into tears, her hands flying to her face and covering her eyes.

Kori quickly wrapped Jenna in her arms and asked, “What happened?” She glanced through the window into the dining area and didn’t see anyone in need of immediate assistance so she stayed right where she was.

“I don’t know. Kyle has been gone a lot at night. I’m just worried—”

Kori didn’t need her to finish her thought, which she didn’t. “Why do you think he would do that?”

“I don’t know,” Jenna sobbed onto Kori’s shoulder.

“Do you really think he would … cheat on you?” Kori didn’t want to be the one to say it out loud and make it more real, but if Jenna truly thought he was cheating—with their first baby on the way—then she had to face the music and figure out what she was going to do about it.

Jenna remained silent and Kori could feel her shoulder becoming soaked with tears.

“I’ll be right back,” Kori said and gently removed Jenna from her embrace. “I have to go check on everyone.”

Jenna nodded and stayed seated.

Kori made the rounds quickly, refilling coffees and teas, clearing plates for the one empty table and checking to see if anyone was waiting outside. Then she returned to Jenna who hadn’t moved a muscle while Kori had been gone.

Without looking up, Jenna said, “No, I don’t think he’d cheat on me. But I don’t know what else it could be. His job doesn’t take him out at night but he’s been gone almost every night for a week.”

Kori nodded. “Have you asked him where he goes?”

Jenna nodded, still not looking at Kori. “But he’s always evasive and his answers change without him even realizing it.”

Kori had to agree with Jenna that things didn’t look good. But she knew Kyle and didn’t think he’d have it in him to cheat on his wife.

Jenna finally made eye contact with her red, swollen eyes that had been crying
for far too long. “Will you look into it for me? I can’t do it. I just need you to follow him tonight and tell me where he goes.”

“Are you sure?” Kori asked.

Jenna nodded. “I trust you. And I know you won’t go spreading it around town like some people I could ask. I’ll text you when he leaves but it’s usually around seven. Can you do that?”

Kori didn’t want to but she would. “Of course.”

“Thanks.”

Jenna got up to leave and gave Kori a hug before she walked out of the kitchen. Then Kori was left alone to wonder if her friends would be breaking up. She’d be the first to know for sure if he was cheating or not and she wasn’t thrilled about being in that position.

Finally at one, Kori was able to close the door and lock it. She was exhausted. She’d finished three cups of coffee and should have been wide awake. She sat down at a clean table, Ibis under it, with the rest of her unfinished breakfast. It was cold now, but the flavors were still a memory in the food.

Instead of going upstairs to take the nap she so desperately wanted, she went upstairs to change and then headed to her car with Ibis. They had to go to Nora’s to figure out who had killed Marty.

Kori parked and was immediately surrounded by Milo and Otis who jumped on her and tried to lick her face. Once Ibis jumped out of the car, though, the three dogs ran off together and Kori headed toward the house.

Normally, the dogs would alert Nora to Kori’s—or anyone’s—arrival and she’d come outside to let her know where she was. But today no one emerged.
She wasn’t sure if Nora would be inside or out working in one of her garden beds or greenhouses, but she decided to start in the house.

“Hello?” Kori called into the kitchen. “Hello?” she called louder at the foot of the stair
s. There was no answer so she headed out the back door toward the barn.

“Nora?” she called but still go no answer.

Then she walked into the first greenhouse but didn’t see Nora’s head above any of the beds. The same result started to worry Kori in the second greenhouse.

Finally, Kori walked to the outdoor garden and started shouting Nora’s name again. But she still received no answer, only dogs barking and running around the yard, oblivious to Kori’s rising panic.

Kori pulled her phone out of her pocket and called Nora as she walked back toward the house. There was a chance that she’d hear the phone ringing inside, but when she reached the house—on her second call—it was still silent and Kori felt her stomach drop in fear.

Where was Nora?

Kori sat down at the table, head in her hands, trying to think of where Nora might be. She checked the driveway quickly and saw Nora’s truck parked there. Had she hurt herself somewhere and was lying unconscious in a greenhouse?

Kori started running for the barn and checked every crevice she could think of, including the closet that had spooked her earlier in the summer when it was full of raccoons. There were no
animals now, and no Nora either.

Next she checked each greenhouse more closely, and then around every in-ground bed outside. Some of them were full of such large plants—the zucchini and peas seemed to grow like weeds—that she could have easily not seen Nora lying on the ground before.

But she didn’t find Nora now either. She resigned herself to go back to the house where she checked every room for an injured Nora. But nothing showed up.

Sitting at the table again, Kori mentally retraced her steps through the barn and gardens. Was anything out of place? Were there any clues that could lead Kori to where Nora might be?

That was when it hit her: the back door she’d walked through multiple times had come off its hinges like someone had knocked it in.