Murder in Waiting - Lynn Cahoon Page 0,9
you need to do, do it quickly. I don’t even want to open my email program.” Jackie glance around the empty shop. “You go make your calls. I’ll watch the shop. I’m so worked up right now, I might as well be doing something productive.”
I grabbed the book and my coffee. I guessed I’d have to finish reading at home after my run. I dialed South Cove Bed and Breakfast as I walked. A recorded voice told me that although my call was very important, the staff was all working on making current customers’ stays amazing. The recording invited me to leave a message. Instead, I hung up and grabbed my tote. I paused at the counter where my aunt stood and checked the morning receipts. “Deek will be in at noon. If I take care of this sooner, I’ll be back and finish my shift. Just don’t worry.”
“I really didn’t need all this hostility today. Harrold’s trying to teach me to meditate, but every time I start, I get pulled into drama. Why is my life so complicated?” Aunt Jackie held up a hand. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know what I’m doing to keep the chaos going. Plausible deniability is a valid excuse, at least in my eyes.”
I was proud of myself when I didn’t even giggle as I left the office. I’d negotiate a new regular charge for the monthly costs and the Council would send out a new letter. I’d never seen them be so heavy-handed in their negotiation tactics before, but maybe Bill had just been in a bad mood when he wrote the letter.
Mary was in the kitchen when I knocked on the back door. She opened it wide and pulled me into a hug. “I’m so glad you came. It’s been crazy here and I haven’t even had a chance to call Jackie to tell her the news. How did you find out?”
“The Council sent a newsletter.” I extracted myself from Mary’s bear hug.
Mary’s face filled with confusion, but then the buzzer went off on the stove. “Hold on a minute, that’s my banana bread. I’m confused, though. The Council sent a letter about Bill’s father?”
Something else was going on and we were having totally different conversations. “No, about the Business-to-Business group’s dues. What happened to Bill’s father” I watched as she pulled out two loaves of bread that smelled like bakery heaven.
“Grab some coffee and sit down. I think we both need to start this conversation over.” She turned off the oven and returned to the table, where her own coffee sat with a large reservation book. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”
I went through the discussion with Aunt Jackie that morning and the comments she’d been getting from the business community. “I’ve never seen her this upset. I don’t understand why Bill would point fingers like that.”
“He wouldn’t. This had to be Alice Carroll’s doing. That woman hates Jackie and, by extension, your coffee shop. As part of the City Council, she’s always trying to get the meeting moved to Lille’s diner, but Lille refuses to take on the management of the group, so it never gets to the point where the group even votes.” Mary walked over and cut two slices of the still-warm bread, bringing them over on plates with a cube of butter.
“I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t Bill stop this?” I pointed to the letter. “Or at least warn us.”
“Bill’s been out of town trying to get his father set up in a nursing home. We’d bring him here, but the doctor says he’s too weak to travel. I knew we should have done something last summer, but you always hope it’s not the time, you know.” Mary bit into her bread, holding up one finger while she chewed. “I’ve been running the business since last Monday. He didn’t make the last Council meeting, so that must have been when Alice struck. He should be coming home this weekend, but until then, you’ll just have to deal with the comments. Besides, I’ve never seen either you or Jackie back down from a fight. What’s the difference in this one?”
“She’s tired, I think. This whole thing with the fake Uncle Ted has her questioning herself.” I sipped my coffee. “Do you think Bill will be able to fix it?”
Mary smiled, and I knew she was thinking of her husband. “Bill will fix this. He’s got a little touch of Superman gene. That’s why I miss him so