Hope Callaghan - Garden Girls 04 - Death by Dumplings (12 page)

The customer grabbed his screen and sidestepped Gloria as he passed her on the way out. 

She studied the young man as she moved closer.  He didn’t look like a cold-blooded killer.  His cropped, jet black hair stuck straight up – like he jelled it that way.  It reminded her of the stuff her mom used to use when she rolled her hair.  What was it called?  Dippity Do.  That’s what it was! 

His intense blue eyes were striking. If she had to guess, she’d say he was in his early 30’s.  “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I need a propane tank for my gas grill,” Gloria explained.

“Yes, ma’am.  I can take care of that for you.  Do you need anything else?” he asked.

Before she could change her mind, Gloria blurted out.  “You’re the one trying to buy Dot’s restaurant.”

Brian Sellers leaned forward on the counter, his gaze met Gloria’s.  “Yes ma’am.  I am,” he admitted.

“You heard about the poisoning.” It was a statement.  Not a question.

“An unfortunate accident,” he said.

“Say.  You look familiar.” He snapped his fingers.  “You’re the one that’s a bit of a legend around here.  The lady detective that catches the criminal every time.”  His eyes narrowed.  “Gloria…something.”

“Rutherford,” she said.  “Gloria Rutherford.”

“Oh…now I see.” He straightened back up.  “You’re here because you think
I’m
a suspect.”

Brian Sellers shoved his hands in his front pockets and rocked back on his heels.  “Do I look like a killer?” he asked.

“No,” she admitted. 

“Are you sure?” His eyes twinkled as he choked back a laugh.  “Don’t you want to interrogate me?”

He leaned his elbows on the counter again and crossed this arms. “Ask me anything.  Anything at all.”

Gloria could’ve been offended.  Maybe she should’ve been offended but she wasn’t.  Instead, he was entertaining her.

She plopped her purse on the counter and hopped up on the barstool at the edge of the counter.  “Since you offered…”

He held up a finger.  “Can I get you a cup of coffee before we get started?”  He didn’t wait for an answer as he grabbed two cups off the shelf behind him. 

He poured the coffee and slid one across the counter towards Gloria.  “Cream or sugar?”

Gloria grabbed that handle.  “Thanks.  I like mine black.”

“Me, too,” he agreed.  “So back to my interrogation.  Do you want to know where I was the morning of the murder?”

He took a sip of coffee, set it down and tapped his lip, as if in deep thought.  “I walked my dog early.  Around 6 a.m., I think.  Then I came here to work.  I opened around 8, I guess.” 

“What kind of dog?” Gloria interrupted.

“Is he a suspect, too?” Brian shot back.

Gloria grinned.  “No!”  The man had a way of putting others at ease.  He was teasing her.  But in a good way. 

“Finn’s a Great Dane and a big baby.  Sometimes I let him come to work with me,” he confided.

He went on.  “I took a lunch break somewhere between 11:30 and noon.  I went home to let Finn out.  I warmed up some leftovers and then came back here.” 

“I heard you have a beautiful home,” she said.

“Stop by sometime.  I’ll give you a tour,” he offered. 

Gloria took a sip of coffee and changed the subject.  “What did you do before coming to Belhaven and start buying up our small town?”

Mr. Sellers wrapped his hands around the cup.  He took a drink as he studied Gloria over the rim.  “I was a circuit court judge.”

“A judge?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.  He looked too young to have been a judge.  It was as if he read her mind.

“One of the youngest judges in the State of Michigan,” he said. “And I’m not as young as I look.”

Well I’ll be darned.” She sighed.  “I guess I’ll have to rule you out as suspect.”

“Judges can be killers, too,” he pointed out. 

He almost seemed disappointed.  “Does that mean you don’t have any more questions for me?” 

Gloria swallowed the last drop of coffee and set the cup on his side of the counter.  “No.  It appears you’re off the hook.  But I still need that tank of propane.”

He grabbed her cup and set it in the sink along with his before he turned back around to ring up her purchase.  “I’ll meet you out front.”

She wandered back through the door and waited on the sidewalk.  She opened the rear car door as Brian slid the heavy metal tank onto the floor.  He straightened his back.  “I was serious about the tour.  If you want to stop by sometime.”

Gloria nodded.  “I would like that.”

She stood still for a moment and gazed into the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen. Her heart fluttered.  If she were decades younger – several decades - he would be on her radar. 

She narrowed her eyes.  Attractive.  Single.  She glanced down to confirm the lack of a wedding ring.  Hardworking.  He would be a real catch for the right girl… “Say, what are you doing Saturday night?”

“This Saturday?”

Gloria nodded. 

“Finn and I haven’t made any plans yet.”  That confirmed his single status.

Gloria opened the driver’s side door.  “I’m having a cookout at my place Saturday around 6.  Would you like to come?”

“As long as you don’t pressure Dot and her husband Ray to sell their place,” she warned.

Brian grinned.  He made an “X” across his chest and then held up three fingers.  “Scout’s honor.”

She recited her address.  “Do you want to write the address down?”

“No.  I think I’ve got it.” A small frown shadowed his face.  “Are you sure you want me there?  Dot and Ray won’t mind?”

“Yes.  I think you’ll fit in quite well with our group.” She slid into the driver’s seat and gave a small wave as she backed out of the parking spot. 

He seemed like such a nice, young man.  Ambitious, funny, handsome.  Her eyebrows furrowed briefly.  Paul would think she was double-matchmaking.  First Liz and now Andrea.  Oh well.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

She made a mental note to stop inviting people for the cookout.  The list was getting out of hand!

The rest of the week flew by.  She spent Thursday morning with Jill and the boys.  They wandered up and down the aisles at the flea market.  Most of the stuff was just junk but there were also a few treasures, including an old metal milk carton.  Gloria decided it was perfect for a turning into a flower pot for her porch. 

There was one brief mishap when Ryan, her youngest grandson, came up missing.  They spent a good hour searching the crowded aisles for the stinker. 

On her second trip ‘round the entire place Gloria paused. 
If I were a young boy, where would I go?
She wondered. She headed for the animal auction building.  There was no sign of him. 

Her eyes scanned the rows of sellers, peddling their wares.  Off in the far corner was a small cluster of Amish buggies.  The Amish came every Thursday to sell baked goods and homemade quilts.  They did a brisk business.  After all, who can resist homemade baked goods?  Her eyes narrowed. 
Not a young boy!

Gloria made a beeline for the buggies.  She spied a pair of sneakers – familiar sneakers – poking out next to a large, spoked wheel. She thrust a hand on her hip.  “Ryan Adams.  Come out here this instant!”

The feet disappeared and a blonde head peeked out from the black frame.  “Hi Grams.”  She knelt down.  On closer inspection, she noticed his face was covered with chunks of chocolate and dried vanilla icing.  An empty wrapper was on the ground next to him.  “Where did you get that?”

His blonde head twisted wildly.  “They gave it to me.”

“Who gave it to you?”

“One of the ladies with a white hat.”  Gloria glanced up.  All of the Amish women wore white hair coverings!

She made her way around the side of the buggy where a small cluster of women stood.  Ryan followed behind.  A sticky hand reached for hers and her heart melted.  She looked down.  Large green eyes met hers. 
How could she stay mad at a face like that
?  She squeezed his hand. 

“My grandson, here, seems to have enjoyed one of your baked goods.  He said someone gave it to him.”

A young Amish girl who couldn’t have been more than 12 years old stepped forward.  “I-I hope you don’t mind.” She glanced down at Ryan who still had Gloria’s hand in a tight grip.  “He said he was hungry. And lost.”

Gloria shook her head.  “That’s fine, dear.  I just wanted to thank you and make sure we didn’t owe you for the treats.”  She opened her purse and pulled out her wallet. 

The girl reached out her hand to stop her.  “No, ma’am.  No charge.”  Gloria closed her purse.  “Thank you.”

She ruffled Ryan’s hair as they walked off in search of Jill and Tyler, who were headed their way.

The rest of the afternoon flew by and before she knew it, Jill and the boys were gone. 

By the time Saturday – the day of the cookout - rolled around – Gloria was in a semi-state of panic.  She was feverishly working on her Oreo Cookie Cream dessert when she heard a light tap on the porch door.  Gloria flung the door open.  It was Andrea.  “I’m here to help.”

Her eyes shot heavenward. “Thank God!”

Gloria wasted no time.  She grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.  “How did you know?”

She dropped an apron over her head and promptly put her to work slicing tomatoes, chopping onions, assembling hamburger patties. 

Andrea frowned at the tower of hamburger patties.  “How many people did you invite?”

Gloria wiped her hands on her own apron.  She grabbed a head of cabbage and a sharp knife from the wooden knife block.  With expert precision, she chopped the cabbage down the center.  “I lost count.”

Paul arrived next.  She sent him back outside to set up tables and folding chairs under the big oak tree on the back side of the yard. 

Margaret and Don arrived, followed by Dot and Ray.  Lucy and Bill were close behind.  By the time Gloria hung up her apron, she had a full house and Paul was doing an excellent job entertaining the guests. 

She peeked through the edge of the curtains and smiled with pride.  Even though he’d never met half of the guests that were there, he acted as if he’d known them for years.  Yes, he fit in the small town of Belhaven quite nicely.

Slick Steve was next.  He stood off to the side uncertainly.  Gloria was just about to head out and greet him when Liz wandered over.  She watched as Liz pulled him into the crowd.

The last to arrive to the party was Brian Sellers.  He parked his sleek blue SUV at the end of the row of cars, near the road.  He was getting a good bit of attention, especially from Dot and Ray.  With everything going on, she hadn’t had a chance to tell them he was coming.

She weaved her way around her guests and came up next to him.  “I’m glad you could make it, Brian.”

His blue eyes crinkled at the corner.  “You sure know how to throw a shin-dig!”

“Just a few friends from town.”  She reached for his arm.  “Come on.  What would you like to drink – iced tea or lemonade?”

“Lemonade please.”