Law and Author (7 page)

Molly looked a bit shocked and Teensy said, “I think maybe I'll have me some of that wine.” She stood and asked Lizzie if she wanted some. Lizzie shook her head and wondered what next to ask Darla. She was dying to ask about her argument with her mama but not with Molly around. Maybe she should offer to show Darla the maze and have a little talk out there.

Before she could, Sally-Jo came bounding around the corner of the house. She looked surprised to see them there but before anyone could say anything, Sally-Jo explained, “I am so fed up, Molly. I just needed a sane person to talk to. If I don't sort this out soon, I think I'm going to kill my mama.”

No. I needed a plan. Well. Two plans.

THE BUSY WOMAN'S GUIDE TO MURDER—
MARY JANE MAFFINI

T
eensy stopped as she came through the door. “I think you need a glass of wine, sugar. You just sit yourself right down and I'll get it.” She turned and went back into the house.

Sally-Jo looked around, a bit bewildered, and finally settled on Teensy's chair. Lizzie knew that something was really wrong for Sally-Jo to take the chair she knew that Teensy always chose. The one with the view of the kitchen door. Of course, the comment about her mama had been a clue, also.

“What's happened?” Lizzie asked.

Teensy came back and put a glass down in front of Sally-Jo. “I thought I might as well bring the whole bottle,” she said, holding it up for all to see. “And, here's a glass for you, Lizzie in case you change your mind. This sounds like it's going to be a heavy session.”

Lizzie accepted a glass of wine this time but set it down, waiting to hear what Sally-Jo had to say.

After downing half the glass, Sally-Jo took a deep breath and looked at her hands, clasped in front of her, on her lap. “Mama has put a deposit on that dress she so likes and has brought it home for me to try on as soon as I get down there next week.”

“Sounds like you'll have a busy Easter break,” Teensy said.

Sally-Jo nodded. “ I've told her two days was all the time I could take to visit, so I guess it's my own fault. Again. But she's really pushing me on this.” She finished the rest of her wine. “I really want it to be a wedding I'll remember with happiness.” She sounded almost in tears.

“Wow, and I thought my mama was meddling,” Darla said with a low whistle.

Lizzie shot her a glance hoping Darla would stop talking. She didn't get the message.

“Like, is she paying for this wedding or something? You're working at a good job, aren't you? Teachers must make big bucks, so you could pay for your own wedding, couldn't you and then she couldn't say a thing.”

Sally-Jo shook her head sadly. “That's not how it works. Jacob and I are paying for the wedding but she's still my mama and I'm her little girl, and next thing I know, she'll probably refuse to show up if I don't do it her way.”

“Well, my mama was all against me marrying John,” Teensy ventured, “so we just eloped. Of course, they never wanted us to visit them anytime we came back home, after that.”

Molly shot Teensy a stern look, which Teensy acknowledged with a shrug and questioning look.

“It's not the same thing,” Molly told Sally-Jo. “Your mama is a very strong-willed woman but I don't think there's anything you could do that would make her refuse to see you again.”

Sally-Jo let out a slow breath. “I'm sure you're right, Molly, but that doesn't really give me any clues as to how I'm supposed to deal with her next week.”

“You could agree to the dress,” Teensy suggested, “and then just accidentally set it on fire.”

Sally-Jo's jaw dropped and then, on seeing the look on Teensy's face, burst out laughing.

Lizzie was pleased the tension had broken, and took a sip of wine. She noticed that Darla's look of disdain hadn't changed.

“You really don't like me, do you?” Darla suddenly threw out at Teensy.

Lizzie heard a light gasp from Molly. It took Teensy a few seconds to compose herself. She sat forward at the edge of her chair and drew herself up to look as tall as her five feet would allow, chin at a slight tilt and fire in her eyes as she answered, “It's not that I dislike you, child. It's that I distrust you. And that silly Sue-Ann didn't do a whit when it came to instilling good manners in you.”

She held Darla's gaze and didn't flinch. Finally, Darla stood, although a bit unsteadily, making Lizzie wonder how many glasses of wine she'd had before joining them.

“I can take a hint.” She stomped toward the kitchen but paused when Teensy said in a loud voice, “I do apologize for speaking despairingly of your late grandmamma.”

The screen door slammed behind Darla, leaving Molly to look bewildered and Teensy to help herself to another cookie.

*   *   *

L
izzie was having a hard time concentrating on the book she was reading,
The Wolfe Widow
by Victoria Abbott. She decided to give it a pass at the moment, preferring to spend time with her favorite author when she could pay more
attention to what was going on between the covers of the book.

She still couldn't get over what had happened earlier at Molly's. That was quite the scene and while she silently was rooting for Teensy, she couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Darla. If she hadn't already felt unwelcome, that would surely do the trick. Molly had been horrified by the behavior of both of them. And fortunately, Teensy knew when to make a strategic exit, before any more words were said.

Was Darla merely a misunderstood young woman who knew it and had her back up? Or was there more to it? Her mind kept playing with the Darla conundrum.

She knew this was something stemming entirely from her own conjecturing. Aside from Teensy, everyone else seemed to be accepting Darla at face value, believing her motives to be pure.
Why can't I believe that, too?

Best to go through the encounter in the alley yet again, Lizzie decided. She told herself to sit back and relax, breathe deeply, picture a watch on a chain swinging in front of her eyes. Wasn't that what hypnotists did? After a couple of minutes, she decided she was spending too much time trying to relax and focus.
Just relax.

She pictured the alleyway, visualized Darla wearing her torn black denim jeans and green hoodie, with the man, now known as Rafe Shannon, dressed in dark leather jacket and jeans. He had hold of her upper right arm and pulled her along with him. So she was right about that. She hadn't wanted to go.

However, when Lizzie next visualized them in the alley standing next to a large green garbage can, Darla was leaning back against the wall facing Shannon. He looked frustrated more than threatening, until he grabbed her left arm and pulled his right back as if to punch her. It was Darla's
face that Lizzie focused on. She didn't look afraid; it looked like she was sneering. Taunting him even.

Lizzie opened her eyes and sat straight up on the love seat. Darla had lied. She did know Shannon. Otherwise, why would she dare provoke him like that?

She reached for the phone to share her insight with Mark but heard the familiar beep of a message waiting. It was Mark making his excuses. Okay, good excuses but still the bottom line was he couldn't come over. What she had to tell him would have to wait until morning, unless he called her later. He had said he would. But she also knew, after all this time, that she shouldn't really count on things like phone calls or even dates when he was on a case.

She made a face and picked up her book again, hoping she'd be able to spend the rest of the evening with Jordan and Vera and maybe even finish reading
The Wolfe Widow.
If she couldn't have Mark, at least she could enjoy a good read.

I'll let you know, Andie. Although I really hadn't thought the book club would get involved in a real murder.

A KILLER READ—
ERIKA CHASE

L
izzie had to be content with leaving Mark a message at his office the next morning since he didn't answer his phone. She rushed to get out the door to school. She'd overslept, something that rarely happened, especially since she usually had her clock radio set to switch on to her favorite NPR station and awaken her to the sound of classical music. Last night, she'd forgotten to set it.
How strange.

She made it through a morning of meetings, wondering where her brain was, and then finally settled into a routine while sitting in on two classes in the afternoon. She made notes as she listened in, aiming to turn them into constructive suggestions for the teachers in the morning.

Her iPhone rang as she walked to the car after the final school bell. Molly sounded breathless as she spoke quickly.

“Darla has just left with her boyfriend. You know, the
one her mama doesn't like? There wasn't anything I could do to stop her, although I'm not even sure that's my place to be doing that. Anyway, I was hoping you could stop by for a visit. I do need to talk this over with someone. In fact, I'll make you supper and you can just stay on for book club. Is that okay?”

“How about if I just stop by home first and feed the cats. I'll grab my copy of the book, too. I'd love to stay for supper.”

“All right. I'll see you shortly then.”

Lizzie wondered if Bob knew about this boyfriend incident. But what was the harm in it, as long as she didn't leave town? Maybe Mark was the one Molly should have phoned. She absentmindedly fed the cats, who wound around her legs in anticipation, even though it was early for them.

“My lovelies, I'm out tonight. We'll cuddle at bedtime,” she told them as she grabbed her necessities for the evening. She quickly pulled the door shut behind her and locked it.

Her neighbor and landlord, Nathaniel Creely, was locking his front door at the same time. “Hey, Lizzie. How are you doing?”

“Just great, Nathaniel. I haven't seen you around lately.”

“Been busy, young lady. You know that Lavenia is always on the go. I might stop by for a while on the weekend, though. Want to talk over something with you.”

“That's fine, Nathaniel. I'll be running errands on Saturday and seeing Mama on Sunday but mostly home.”

He nodded and gave her a big smile before getting into his car.

Lizzie thought about the exchange on her drive over to Molly's. He was right about his special friend, Lavenia Ellis. She seemed to be involved in a lot of things around town, involving him right along with her. Lizzie was happy to see him so active and cheerful. She knew Lavenia was like a tonic
for him. But, she was dying to know what he wanted to talk about.

She pulled into Molly's driveway and was surprised to see Mark's Jeep there. Maybe Molly had alerted him after all. She found them out on the back patio, enjoying the late-afternoon rays of sun. It had been unusually warm for mid-March this year but it was welcome after an odd winter of colder-than-usual temperatures. In fact, they'd even had a couple of days of light snow, much to Lizzie's delight.

Mark saw her approaching and smiled, then looked back at Molly, who was talking. “That's about all I can tell you about him,” she said, then turned around to greet Lizzie.

“Mark just stopped by to talk to Darla. I was telling him all about her boyfriend.”

Lizzie glanced at Mark, whose face remained passive. No telling what he thought of this latest development.

“She hasn't left town, has she?” Lizzie asked.

“No, fortunately. He's staying at the Mountain View Motel and she's gone back to stay with him. I don't think Bob's going to be too pleased at this turn of events.”

“That's tricky, but I think he'd be wise not to object since he's just getting to know her.”

“So true. But you know Bob. I wonder if she'll remember about book club tonight and come by.”

Lizzie looked at Molly incredulously.
Why would she do that?
She hadn't been too keen on the idea to start with. Molly didn't notice the look but jumped out of her seat and headed for the back door. “Where are my manners? I'll just get us all some nice freshly made tea, shall I?”

Lizzie sat next to Molly's chair. “What are you thinking?” she asked Mark.

“That there goes my theory the murder victim might have
been her boyfriend. There was the possibility she'd been running away from him.”

“Don't you think she would have said that since he was dead and she wouldn't have to run anymore?”

“Not if it gave her a motive to murder him.”

“Huh. There is that. Any new theories?”

“Not at hand.” He leaned back in his seat and shoved his notebook into his shirt pocket as Molly came back out with a tray.

Lizzie leapt up to help her.

“Oh, do sit down, honey. I can manage this just fine.” Molly placed the tray on the wicker table and poured a glassful for each of them. “I heard Lizzie's question. You don't have any information about what the dead man was doing here?”

Mark took a long drink of the tea before answering. “Nothing more than since the last time I questioned Darla.”

“Excuse me if I'm asking what I shouldn't, but she hasn't told me anything about what's going on and I do want to know, as much for Bob's sake as my own.”

Oh-oh. That's her persuasive stare. Mark's gotta tell her all
.

Mark shifted in his seat. “What I can tell you is that he was from Atlanta as I said before, and had a police record, also some connections to some thugs who are tied into one of the casinos. I'm waiting to hear more, which may give us a clue as to what he was doing here.”

“What on earth could a man like that have to do with Darla? It doesn't make sense. It must be as she stated, he just accosted her on the street. Maybe he was thinking of something, you know, intimate in nature.”

“Anything's possible at this point.” Mark quickly finished
his tea and grabbed his hat as he stood. “I've got to be going. Thank you for the tea.” He touched Lizzie's shoulder as he left.

“That was totally unhelpful,” Molly said after a few minutes. “Do you think he's going over to the motel to question Darla?”

“Probably. Well, at some point, anyway. What's her boyfriend like?”

Molly gathered her thoughts before answering. “I don't think he has much money, especially since he's staying at the Mountain View Motel. But he was concerned enough about Darla to follow her here so I guess that says a lot in his favor. I just hope Bob sees it that way.”

Lizzie nodded but didn't say anything.

“I can see you're in deep thought, honey. Where are you going with all this?”

“I'm just back at the thought of a big-city thug being here in Ashton Corners. It seems coincidental that three visitors appear within a few days of each other.”

“We do have visitors to this city all the time,” Molly said with a smile. “Just playing the devil's advocate.”

“Okay. But these three have a connection. Atlanta. And the incident in the alley, so that's two. And, Darla obviously is connected to her boyfriend. So, three. She's tied into both guys.”

“What are you suggesting?'

Lizzie shook her head. “I don't know if I'm suggesting anything. Just pointing it all out.”

“Well, I really don't see how this means anything other than the obvious. Coincidences do happen. And I'm not ready to believe there's a big conspiracy going on here.” Molly sighed. “I was so hoping we wouldn't get involved in another murder. At least not quite so soon.”

*   *   *

L
izzie was tucking the last of the supper dishes into Molly's dishwasher when the front doorbell rang. She yelled out to Molly, who was upstairs getting changed, that she'd answer it. She was surprised to find Sally-Jo on the porch.

“Are we late in eating or are you early in arriving?” Lizzie asked, holding the door open for Sally-Jo.

“Oh, I'm early. I grabbed a quick bite and then ran away from my computer and phone. I didn't even bring my cell phone along. All I ask is just one evening without having to do verbal jousting with my mama.” She led the way back to the kitchen and plopped down onto a red wooden chair. Molly's eclectic mix of chairs, each one painted a different color, and a banquette newly upholstered in a paisley pattern that captured all the colors, made it a cozy setting that drew everyone into it.

“What's the latest or would you rather not talk about it?”

Sally-Jo gave a weak smile. “My head is bursting with all the back-and-forthing we've been doing about that dreaded dress. And now, she's trying to convince me to have a chocolate fountain, pouring out of a peacock no less, at the reception. You can understand now why we wanted to have a small, intimate wedding.”

Lizzie just about burst into laughter.
Not good.
“That's really too bad. This should be a happy, exciting time for you.”

“Yes, it should be. But in order to make it so, I have to get all this out of my system before I go down next week with her, otherwise we'll be butting heads all the time. So, I hope you don't mind, but you may be hearing a lot more of my troubles in the next few days.”

“Anytime.”

“I'll second that,” Molly said as she joined them. She gave Sally-Jo a quick hug. “But for tonight, try to put all that business out of your head and just enjoy being with your friends and talking about Janet Evanovich.”

Molly looked so expectant and cheerful that Sally-Jo nodded and followed up with a smile. “Tonight belongs to Evanovich.”

They heard some voices in the foyer. “It sounds like we have company,” Molly said.

The three of them left the kitchen and found Stephanie and Andie followed by Bob, who was just closing the front door.

“It's such a pleasure to escort two beautiful young gals to our book club meeting,” Bob said.

Andie grinned from ear to ear while Stephanie blushed a bright pink.
She's still not used to getting compliments
, Lizzie thought, remembering how quiet Stephanie had been at that first meeting of the book club a year and a half ago. As a newcomer to town, Stephanie had taken a while to make new friends, especially difficult since at nineteen, she was already several months pregnant with her first child. Lizzie had met her first at her job as a waitress in the Oasis Diner and then when Stephanie joined her literacy class. And the book club members had enveloped her, making her part of the family of friends. Now she was the mother of fifteen-month-old Wendy, manager of A Novel Plot, and an independent young woman.

“I'm so excited to have it be my book tonight,” Andie said, hugging Molly and then Lizzie.

“Yes, I'm so excited, also,” Bob said in a droll voice and everyone laughed.

“You're so cool to read Janet Evanovich, Bob. You know, I think it makes you more of a stand-up kind of guy.”

Bob's coloring verged on pink, but he shucked off the
comment with a grumpy noise. “I'm here mainly for the cheese straws, as y'all know.”

Jacob was the last to arrive.

“Are we going to have to move the talking into the kitchen? I don't think so,” Molly said as she shooed everyone into the library. Lizzie grabbed a plate of shrimp and one filled with an assortment of crackers and cheese. And Sally-Jo followed with a plate of cheese straws and a two-tiered server featuring chocolate shortbread on top and an assortment of cookies on the bottom.

Lizzie noticed Molly lingered along with Bob in the kitchen for a few minutes before joining the others. She'd bet they were discussing Darla. When they did join them, Bob was carrying the tray with a pitcher of iced tea and the glasses.

After everyone had settled with a full glass and plate of sweets, Molly turned the floor over to Andie, who'd been shifting about on the love seat she shared with Stephanie.

“All right, then. I'm just dying, so to speak, to get into talking about this, because
Top Secret Twenty-One
is so awesome
.
Okay, so I'm totally blown away by every one of her books. But this one just hit the right spot. Y'all know what I mean?” She looked around the room hopefully.

“Blown away? That's very appropriate for a Janet Evanovich book,” Lizzie said with a laugh. “But I do know what you mean. Sometimes a book talks to you like it was written especially for you.”

“That's it! I mean, in a way. It's not like I get into all the messes she does. But I sure think her life is cool. In this one here”—Andie pointed to her copy of the book on the coffee table—“Stephanie Plum is hot on the trail of a skip—she's a skip tracer y'all know that, I'm sure—and he's on the trail of this guy Briggs, who used to be his accountant. And the bad guy's aiming fire bombs at Briggs all over the place.”