Fat Cat Spreads Out (13 page)

C
hase picked up the money Detective Olson had left on the table and added it to their cash box.

“That was nice of him to pay, wasn't it, Charity, after I said I would give them to him?” Anna must have gotten over the parrot insults and the pat-down and search quickly. “So what are you thinking?”

“I think that it's very possible Karl Minsky is the one who killed Larry Oake.”

A shadow fell across the table. The bulky form of Karl Minsky inched into the booth.

“You'd better watch your mouth, young lady,” he snarled at Chase.

Her initial reaction was to cower, but she squashed the
impulse and stood as tall as her five-foot-five frame would let her.

He came closer and loomed over her, at least a foot taller. His menacing scowl hit her in her clenched stomach, but she wouldn't let him know that.

“You were eavesdropping on me and Mara?”

“No. But you were eavesdropping just now. Does the detective know you were there?”

“He never saw me.”

Chase wondered about that. The man was hard to miss. “If you didn't harm Mr. Oake, then you have nothing to worry about.”

“Except busybodies like you poking their noses into my affairs and stirring things up.” He shook his meaty fist inches from her nose. “I'm warning you.” Then he stomped off down the midway toward the butter sculpture building.

“I think you'd better tell Detective Olson about this, too,” Anna said. “That man is threatening you.”

“I think I will. But Karl Minsky has to get far, far away first.”

Chase waited until an influx of dessert bar buyers had bought their fill, then she poked her head out of the booth and looked up and down the midway to make sure Karl Minsky wasn't anywhere in sight. It would be hard to miss him if he were there. His daughter, though, would be easier to overlook. Chase looked carefully. No, Mara wasn't around. She stepped to the back of the booth and called Detective Olson. He didn't answer. All that preparation for nothing! She left a message that she had new information for him and went back to working the booth.

As the end of the day approached, Anna started fidgeting.

“Everything okay, Anna?” Chase asked.

“Sure. Hunky-dory.”

As she said it, though, the worry lines didn't leave her brow.

“Say, if you don't mind, I'll do the baking tonight,” Anna said.

“I don't mind, but I'll be happy to help out.”

“No, don't bother. I can do it.”

Chase knew she could, but why didn't she want help?

After they closed up and got everything packed to go, Anna took the leftovers and the cash box and rushed out. Chase was chatting with the travel agents next door when Anna left. The short one's mother hadn't had another crisis, and she was in a cheerful mood. Chase wondered what her relationship with her own mother would be like today if she hadn't died so young. A lot of time had gone by and the pain of losing her parents had faded. In fact, some days she didn't think about them at all. But when grown children didn't get along with their own parents, it made her sad, made her wish hers were still alive.

Chase stepped back into the booth to check that everything was wrapped up. There was Anna's cell phone on the table. Chase reached to pick it up just as it rang, nearly sending her through the roof of the tent. Her nerves were on edge all the time here, knowing a murderer might be lurking anywhere.

“Yes?” The light was too dim for her to check the number.

“Anna?” said the voice on the phone.

She was almost certain it was Bill Shandy. “No. Is this Bill?” He said it was. “Anna left her phone in our booth. I'll take it to her, since she's baking tonight.”

“That's what I'm calling about. Tell her I'll be a little late. Not too bad, maybe a half an hour.”

Late for what? Chase wondered. Was the pet shop owner helping her bake? Maybe the man had hidden talents. Bill had given Anna an engagement ring in September, thrilling Anna, Chase, and Julie. Chase thought he was a catch and a good match for Anna. Every time her eye caught the sparkle of Anna's diamond, it cheered her heart.

As Chase walked to her car, she pulled her jacket close. A colder front must be coming through, she thought. Fall was progressing toward winter in Minnesota.

The temperature kept dropping perceptibly from the time she left the tent to the time she reached her car, and the wind whipped her hair into her face. She spat out a strand, scooted into the driver's seat of her Ford Fusion, started the engine, and cranked up the heat.

Halfway to the dessert bar shop, Chase realized that she didn't know if Anna was going home first or to the shop. She called the shop, but there was no answer. Maybe Anna was going past her own house first. Chase would swing by there to make sure she had her phone. It wasn't that far out of her way. She took the next left and circled the block to turn around.

A few miles later, Anna's phone rang again. This time it was Julie.

“Jules? This is Chase. Anna forgot her phone. Is she home yet?”

“I don't think she's coming here. She told me she would go straight to the kitchen.” Julie's voice sounded strained.

“Are you cold?”

“Yes. I'm in the backyard so those women won't hear me.”

“Elsa and her sister?”

“Yes, Elsie and Ellie. Stupid, confusing nicknames. I can't ever remember which is which. Chase, I'm not sure I want to be alone with them. Can you come over and keep me company?”

“Well, Inger is at my place right now.”

“Oh, right. I forgot. Why don't you bring her? Pick up Chinese or something.”

“Why don't you want to be alone with them?”

“I don't know. It's a feeling I get. For one thing, they're expecting me to cook for them.”

“Really? They should be taking Anna out to dinner.”

This time Chase slowed, let traffic pass her by, then swung out and made a U-turn, heading back to her place.

Anna wasn't in the kitchen downstairs, but Inger was pacing the living room floor in the apartment upstairs. Quincy crouched at the edge of the seat on the stuffed chair, swiveling his head to keep track of Inger's movements, looking uneasy about this unsettled person in his space.

“Where have you been?” Inger demanded when she saw Chase.

“I've been at the fair, you know that. I'm not that much later than usual. I had to . . . make a few turns on my way home.”

“Turns?”

“We're going to Anna's house for dinner. You need to get your coat on.”

“I'm awfully hungry.” The woman was whining. Chase wondered if her parents had been looking for a reason to kick her out. No, that was extremely uncharitable. The poor gal was probably beside herself with worry about her future. And was probably also pretty darn hungry.

Chase put a cheese sandwich together and slipped some carrot sticks in a plastic bag.

“Here, eat this on the way. It'll tide you over.”

Inger regarded the offering in Chase's outstretched hand with suspicion, or maybe distaste, pursing her small mouth like a pouting child.

“Do you like cheese? Carrots?”

“I guess so.”

Chase swallowed a retort that had to do with thanking people and being gracious. Her situation must be getting to her, Chase thought. Or maybe there's a bit of her parents in her? Did pregnancy give women mood swings? This wasn't like her, at all, but Chase didn't know how much more of the bad behavior she wanted to take. After giving Quincy his din dins, they trundled down the stairs and headed for Chase's car to drive to Anna's house. She still hadn't shown up at the Bar None.

C
hase sat back in the kitchen chair and wondered why the two sisters didn't dry up and blow away. They had hardly touched the Chinese food she had picked up . . . and paid for. The parrot, however, should soon be waddling like a penguin. They fed tidbits, almost nonstop, to Lady Jane Grey, who perched on a corner of the table, chattering with Elsa.

“Who's your baby?” rasped the bird. “Hello. Hello. Grey hungry. Grey hungry.”

Elsa laughed every time the parrot opened her beak, then she pushed another morsel across the table to her.

Chase eyed the trails of sauce and grease this was leaving on Anna's table. At least it was the rustic, scarred kitchen table and not her nice maple dining room one.
And the parrot did make her smile, she had to admit. Such a silly bird!

Julie said the twin sisters had told her they hadn't eaten all day. Then they asked her to cook for them, and after Julie had come from a long day at work.

Inger made up for the sparse appetites of Elsa and Eleanor and cleaned out two cartons by herself.

“Eating for two.” Julie smiled at Inger and held out the egg rolls to her.

“Eating for two, eating for two,” echoed Grey.

Chase laughed out loud. That bird was cute.

“No, I think that's it,” Inger said. “I'm stuffed.” She turned to Chase. “Thanks for getting this. Sorry I was snippy before. I was so hungry.”

“Hungry, hungry,” cawed the bird, who flew to the kitchen counter.

“You can feel free to help yourself to anything in my kitchen during the day,” Chase said.

Inger got a pained look on her face. “There's not much there that I like.”

Chase decided to help clean up so she wouldn't say something to Inger she would regret. She jumped up to carry the plates to Anna's sink.

“I wonder if Anna ever made it to the shop,” Julie said.

Chase winced. “I should have left her phone there. I wish I had thought of that.” She got out her own phone and called the office at the Bar None.

Bill Shandy answered on the fifth ring. “Bar None. Best little shop in Minneapolis, bar none.”

Chase chuckled. “I wanted to check that Anna made it okay. I still have her phone.”

“I'll put her on,” he said.

“Hi there.” Anna sounded much more relaxed than she had been when she'd left the fair.

“Everything okay? I have your cell. I guess Bill told you?”

“Yes, he did. Where are you and Inger?”

“We're at your place. We had dinner with Julie and your houseguests.”

“I'm glad you came over. I think those women are driving Julie nuts. Just leave my phone at the house. I'll get it tonight. We'll talk later. I have some news.”

The three retired to Anna's pastel living room while Julie and Chase finished cleaning up. When the two younger women joined the sisters and Inger, Elsa asked if there was any coffee.

Chase thought she could see steam rising from the top of Julie's head. “That's a great idea,” she said. “Would you like to go out and get some?”

“It's late,” Eleanor said. “You'd better stay in, Elsie.”

“I suppose so.” She had the nerve to look put-upon because Chase and Julie weren't acting as her minions. “Oh, Chase. I almost forgot to ask you if you saw that other sculptor today.”

“Which one? Most of them are still there, working on their pieces for the contest on Sunday.”

“That Cardiman person. I couldn't help but wonder if he had the nerve to show up.”

“I don't think he's still around. I heard he quit the competition and left town.”

Elsa straightened in her chair. “I knew it. He's fled, running from the police.”

“Not exactly.” But was he? Did they know where he was? “He decided not to compete.”

“And why would he decide that? No, he has run away because he murdered my husband. And now I suppose the police won't be able to track him down.”

Driving home with Inger, Chase pondered Elsa's accusation. It seemed to come out of the blue. As if she was trying to incriminate him. And why would she do that? To throw suspicion off herself?

The sound of Inger softly snoring in the passenger seat came to her. Was there a bit of a bump under the seat belt? Maybe not. It should be too early to show. Chase tried to put herself in Inger's position.

It wasn't a crime to fall in love. It wasn't a crime to love the guy without protection, although it wasn't very smart. Everything would have worked out for the best if he hadn't been sent overseas. Even then, things could have turned out well if he hadn't been killed. Chase reflected that the real bad actors here were Inger's hard-hearted parents. How could they abandon their daughter at a time like this? Chase felt a swelling of protectiveness. She glanced over at Inger's pretty face, slack in her sleep, her small mouth slightly parted, her gray eyes hidden behind her pale eyelids. She determined to find out what Inger's favorite foods were and make sure the apartment was stocked with them. It was the least she could do.

Inger awoke when the car stopped behind the shop. She stretched and yawned.

“That was a good idea. The food was great. Thanks so much, Ms. Oliver.”

“You can call me Chase.”

They walked toward the back door, and Chase noticed that the light was on in the kitchen. She saw that both Anna's blue Volvo and Bill's SUV were parked near the door.

Inger went straight up the stairs, pleading exhaustion. It was after eleven, heading toward midnight, and she would open the shop alone tomorrow morning. Chase knocked on the door to the kitchen, unsure of what the newly engaged couple would be doing.

Bill's hearty voice told her to come in. He was perched on a stool at the granite counter, and Anna was up to her elbows in soap suds at the sink.

“Come here and help me dry these and put them away,” Anna said. “Bill, you'd better go. It's late.”

Bill tried to hide his yawn behind his fist but failed.

“Go, Bill,” Chase said. “I'll help Anna finish up here.”

He gave Anna a peck on the cheek as he passed. She answered him with a radiant smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.

“What's up?” Chase asked, grabbing a towel. “Why were you so antsy all day?”

“I was nervous because, well, yesterday I saw this great deal for a space for the wedding and reception. So last night I went ahead and booked it without consulting Bill. I guess I'm so used to making my own decisions, I completely forgot that he might like to have some input.”

“Anna! You've set a date? And you didn't tell me?”

“I haven't told anyone. We had some tentative dates, but they depended on what we could book and when.”

“And when is the date?”

“December. I got the hall for Christmas Eve.”

Chase gave Anna a fierce hug. “I'm so happy for you. Does Julie know?”

“I told you. No. All day I've dreaded telling Bill about it. What if he got upset with me?”

“My married guy friends hate that sort of thing,” Chase said. “They would rather let their brides deal with it.”

“That's Bill. He's fine with whatever I want, he said.” Anna gave the ceiling a dreamy look. “I love that man.”

“You'd better. You're marrying him. I'm relieved nothing is wrong. I was afraid something had happened between you two. Or, worse, something bad happened with Detective Olson.”

Anna gave her a blank look. “Why would you think that? I'm not involved in any of the drama at the fair.”

“I know, but it made me nervous when he talked to you earlier today. I wonder if he thinks you're consorting with Elsa because, well, because maybe you're helping her conceal her guilt.”

“What guilt? She didn't kill her husband.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Anna shrugged. “I don't know. I just am.”

Chase wasn't sure at all.