Creamed at the Coffee Cabana: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) (5 page)

Chapter Eight

While the day before ended on a lighthearted note, the next morning Essie was back to being a nervous Nelly over the button deal.

“I just knew we should have given Eli that button!”

I filled up the coffee urn with fresh brewed hazelnut. “Really…I don’t seem to remember you saying anything of the sort. In fact, didn’t we agree to talk to Mildred first?”

Essie stuffed her muffins and cream horns into the bakery case. “I do believe you talked me into that.”

I turned to look at her. “Essie, what do you think is going to happen? That Eli will arrest us?”

Essie flopped a muffin onto the floor. “See what you made me do.” She bent over to pick it up and toss it into the trash. “My nerves are shot.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Hildie said as she walked out of the back room. “She drank four cups of coffee this morning.”

“I had to. I didn’t get a lick of sleep last night.”

“Your non-stop snoring says otherwise.”

Essie made a harrumph noise and headed to the back.

“Is she really that nervous over the button?” I asked Hildie.

“I believe this entire tragedy has taken a toll on Essie. Yes, she and Fannie had a tumultuous relationship, but to have her murdered right here in the shop…well it’s more than a body can handle.”

I always thought of Essie as the stronger of my two aunts, but now it seemed that it was Hildie who was more in control. Essie was brash, fly off the handle, no holds barred kind of gal. Whereas Hildie was even-tempered, softhearted, and at times a little clueless but loveable all the same. They couldn’t have been more different. And now I could see how their differences helped each other. When one was in a dark place, the other could help find a way out. Although they argued and fussed, I knew that was how they wanted it. It was their way of communicating.

But now Essie was struggling. She knew she was thought of as the leader. That people looked to her on how to behave in certain situations, but now, thrust into the unknown, she wasn’t sure how to react either. Frankly, none of us did. So we’d have to come together and support each other, just like we tried to do the evening before with Meghan. I felt a pang as I remembered the previous evening and my questioning Meghan about Mike. I felt bad. Why did I feel the need to harass her like that when we were supposed to make her feel better? I decided to go over later that morning and apologize.

After the morning rush, Harvey made his way into the shop at his normal time. Only this time he wasn’t alone. Once a week he’d bring Miss Pickles with him, on a leash no less. Good grief, I was humiliated for the cat. Harvey sat down at his usual table and Essie brought him his coffee and muffin. Essie gave Miss Pickles a wide berth, but the cat still hissed at her.

Essie walked back around the counter wiping her hands on her apron. “I’d like to kick that cat into next week.” I giggled, although I didn’t want to get near the she-devil feline either.

Toe came in for his morning break. “Morning ladies. Hildie, I’ll have my usual.”

“Coffee with cream, coming right up.” Hildie went to grab a mug.

“So what are you up to today?” I asked Toe.

“Fixing a leaky faucet over at the Methodist church. The preacher called this morning and said the faucet in their kitchen wouldn’t stop dripping. Easy fix. Next I’m headed out to the Jenkin’s place to install a new front door.”

“Sounds like you’re quite busy today.”

“Yes’m I am. Thank you Hildie.” Toe walked over and sat down with Harvey. Miss Pickles promptly jumped up into his lap. He stroked her fur and she took her paw and touched his face.

“My gosh that cat is a flirt,” Essie grumbled.

“Now you’re jealous of a cat?” I said teasingly.

Essie looked me square in the eye. “I’m not jealous of anyone, feline or otherwise.” With that, she marched into the back room. I rolled my eyes and looked at Hildie.

“Hildie would you mind if I went over to Meghan’s. I’ll only be gone for a little bit.”

“No problem dear. Essie and I can hold down the fort.”

I grabbed my keys under the counter and headed out. I still felt bad about last night and hoped I wouldn’t put my foot in my mouth again. As I drove to Meghan Barton’s house, I reflected on Mike and if it was possible that he really killed Fannie. Evidently, Eli had strong evidence against him, but unless Mike’s prints were on the iron skillet, it would only be circumstantial. I still hoped Mike was innocent, but at this moment, I wasn’t sure about anything.

I knocked on Meghan’s front door and after a few seconds, it opened. Meghan looked better than she did last night.

“Hi Lily…what’s going on? Oh where are my manners…come on in.”

I sat down on the couch and Meghan sat in one of the comfortable chairs adorning her lovely living room.

“I wanted to apologize for last night.”

“Why whatever for? You girls coming over with dinner was so thoughtful.”

“I shouldn’t have questioned you about Mike. That wasn’t thoughtful at all.”

Meghan waved her hand. “I didn’t think anything of it.”

I heard the shrill whistle of a teakettle. “Would you like a cup of tea? I have vanilla caramel and ginger peach.”

“The vanilla caramel sounds good,” I said as I got up and accompanied Meghan into the kitchen. I sat down at one of the stools that graced her island.

“Have you been able to see Mike yet?” What was wrong with me?! Lord, I couldn’t help myself. Meghan didn’t seem to mind as she poured the hot water over the vanilla caramel tea bag resting in my cup.

“No I haven’t. He was to see the judge this morning who was going to set bail.”

That’s odd. She didn’t want to go down to the courthouse and support him.

“Maybe the bail amount won’t be too high.” I was trying to be reassuring.

“It doesn’t matter,” Meghan said as she poured the hot water into her cup and set the teapot on a potholder. She stood on the other side of the island facing me.

It doesn’t matter? What am I missing?

Meghan saw my curious look and sighed. “I didn’t want to believe it, but last night I came to the realization that Mike must have done it.”

Huh? Wait…now the wife thinks he did it?

“Why do you think that? Was it something you remembered that he said or did?”

Meghan shrugged and took a sip of her tea. “Nothing in particular. I figured if Eli arrested him then he must have good evidence.”

She had a point. Still, this was her husband. How could she give up on him that fast?

Then again, maybe it was the shock and stress. I decided to change the subject.

“You’ll have to come into the Coffee Cabana soon and try our new tea flavors since you like exotic flavors. I’m getting new ones all the time.”

Meghan took another sip of her tea. “Yes I saw you had Vanilla Almond and Blackberry Sage.”

I started to nod my head and then froze. Yes, I had those flavors, but I hadn’t introduced them to the public yet. They were still in boxes in the back room. I wanted to launch my tea slowly, especially since the name of the shop was the Coffee Cabana. But how did she know I had those flavors….unless she’d been in the back room.

I lifted my teacup to take another sip and my eyes peered over at Meghan. She was staring straight at me, and I’m sure my obviously non-poker face told her she slipped up.

She launched herself across the island and I reacted with only self-preservation on my mind. I grabbed the teapot and slung it against her head as her hands grabbed for my throat. The sudden hit to her head sent her reeling and I bolted for the front door. Before I could grab the handle, the door opened and I rushed straight into Eli. He hurriedly handed me off to Essie who was behind him and we ran behind his cruiser. My heart was pounding, not so much for myself, but for Eli.

When I finally found my voice I said, “How did you know to bring Eli here?”

“I didn’t,” she whispered. Crimony, she was back to loud whispering again.

“Okay….what am I missing?”

“Eli came in right after you left and said told his Dad he was heading over to Meghan’s. Hildie spoke up and said that you were already here. Eli’s face turned pale and he started for the door. I told him he wasn’t going anywhere without me. He was about to argue, then just told me to get in the cruiser.”

We peeked over the hood of the cruiser towards the house. “I’m surprised he let you come with him to the front door.”

“He told me to stay in the car. I didn’t listen.”

Of course she didn’t. She was Esther Selby after all.

Finally, the front door of the Barton house opened and Meghan stepped out. She was handcuffed with Eli holding her by the arm. He marched her to the cruiser, opened the back door, and put her in the backseat. He reached across and put the seatbelt on her while she starred daggers at Essie and me.

Eli walked over to us. “Lily are you alright? Do you need to see a doctor?”

I shook my head. “No I’m alright.”

“I’m gonna sue you!” Meghan wasn’t about to go quietly.

I looked at Essie who wanted to reply. “Don’t,” I said.

“When you feel like it, I’ll need you to come down to the station and make a statement about what happened here today,” Eli told me.

“I don’t understand,” I said. “How did you know?”

He put his hand on my arm and I felt that twinge again. “Your aunt will explain everything. I need to take my prisoner into the station.”

We watched as Eli drove away. I turned to Essie. She opened her arms and I fell into a hug. It felt good and I think for her too. I drove us back to the Coffee Cabana where she told Harvey, Toe, Hildie and I what Eli told her on the way over to Meghan’s home.

As Eli questioned Mike more about his phone call, he finally opened up, especially when faced with Fannie’s confiscated newspaper. The paper held a teaser about a landscaper who was having an affair under his wife’s nose. Come to find out, Mike was having an affair and that’s who he was calling that day at the parade. However, he didn’t know it was going to be in Fannie’s paper, at least that’s what he told Eli.

Eli asked if his wife knew about the affair, and Mike said no. Evidently, money problems had taken a toll on their marriage. Meghan liked to spend and Mike couldn’t make it fast enough. Now with Fannie’s interference with her paper about a certain landscaper killing shrubs, Mike was at his wit’s end. So he started seeing a woman over in Sabina who worked for a home improvement store. They’d only been seeing each other for about a month, but it turns out Fannie shopped in Sabina all the time. Eli figured that as snoopy as she is, she might have caught the two in a tryst while Mike was at the home improvement store picking up supplies.

“But how did he realize it was Meghan that killed Fannie?” I asked as we all sat at a table discussing what occurred that day. Miss Pickles curled up on Harvey’s lap asleep, purring gently. At that moment, Eli walked into the shop. He’d changed out of his uniform and looked quite handsome in a pair of tan slacks and a pink polo shirt. Not many men can pull off pink and remain masculine, but Eli could.

Essie ushered him over to sit down. “Here, he can tell you the rest.”

Eli brought an extra chair over and sat down at the table with all of us. “Well Mike’s been released and he should be home now with his son. Meghan’s been booked and will see the judge tomorrow.”