Invitation to Murder (Book 1 in the Candlemaking Mysteries) (18 page)

“
I’ll see it sooner or
later,” she said. “It might as well be now.”

I grabbed one of the mock-ups from the
workroom, shuddering at the color choices and design. “Okay but
remember, I’m making these under protest.” I handed her the red,
silver and black card, dreading her reaction. After a few moments
of dead silence, she said, “They are certainly different, aren’t
they?”

“
Listen, I’m so sorry. I
was hoping she’d choose one of the other designs, I swear
it.”

Melinda shook her head
resolutely. “I understand Jennifer. Don’t blame yourself. If I
thought I had a prayer in the wind of changing her mind, I’d choose
this as my battleground.” Melinda thought about it a second, then
said, “I’ve got an even better idea.” She studied the two best
cards, then handed me the one with the brass fittings serving as
wedding rings, my original design. “How much trouble would it be to
make a hundred of these?”

“
I can do it,” I said,
“but Anne Albright is determined to use that version.”

“
And she shall, for all of
the guests on her side the family. My friends and loved ones will
receive this one. Now, what are you charging her?”

“
It’s not fair to quote
you that. Part of my fee is because she changed her mind after
commissioned the job. I can’t charge you that much.”

“
Of course you can.” She
whipped out her check book. “Give me the figure, and don’t you dare
sham a penny from it. Anne is parading her spending around as if it
rivals the national budget, so I’ll know if you try to charge me
less.”

I thought about fighting her, but Sara Lynn
had taught me long ago that when somebody is trying to force money
on you in your business, there are only two things you should do:
keep your mouth shut and your hand out. Melinda didn’t bat an
eyelash when I quoted her the fee I was charging. She wrote the
check with a flourish, and as she handed it to me, she said, “I
wouldn’t mention this to Anne if I were you. We’ll just keep it our
little secret.”

“
Believe me, I have no
desire to tell her. Thanks,” I said as I waved the check in the air
before putting it in my cash register.

“
No, I should be the one
thanking you,” Melinda said. “She may bollix up the entire wedding,
but at east my side of the family will receive suitable
invitations. Now that we have that settled, do you have time d
teach me to make cards?”

“
Absolutely.” With the
check she’d just written me, she’d more than paid for the
privilege. I grabbed a few tools and supplies and met her at the
desk in front. “Now there are lots of ways to do this. Why don’t
you choose a particular card and we’ll start with hat?” I’d laid
out a sampling of some of the more basic cards, including ones with
single folds, double folds, raised borders like I’d taught Lillian,
and cards with an open window on the front. “I always like to start
off with the simplest and work my way up,” she said.

I taught her how to fold a crisp edge; then
we started discussing the possibilities. Melinda finally decided to
make a card for her future daughter-in-law, something that I
thought was a lovely gesture. As she chose ribbons, rubber stamps
and paper flowers I’d made for sale, it was all I could do not to
include a baby rattle. I swear, one of these days my sense of humor
is going to be the death of me. Once she had the outside of the
card decorated, I asked, “So what would you like to say inside the
card?”

She didn’t even hesitate. “Welcome to Our
Family sounds about right to me. Does that sound okay to you?”

“
I think it’s perfect,” I
said, knowing that Donna was getting the better bargain when it
came to the mother-in-law derby. “We can use rub-on letters, or
print something out on the computer. If you’d like; you can
hand-letter it yourself. That’s what makes it so special, in my
opinion.”

She held up one of the
samples of fancy lettering. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to do
that. Would
you mind doing it for
me?”

“
I’d be delighted,” I
said. I grabbed one of my best calligraphy pens and copied down her
message inside the card. “That’s lovely.”

“
I agree. I think you’ve
done a great job.”

I took an envelope I’d
made of the same stock and slid her card into it. “There you
go.”

“
What do I owe
you?”

Now I’m as interested in making enough money
to keep my business going as the next gal, but there was no way in
the world I was going to take money for that lesson. I said, “Oh,
didn’t I tell you? I included that in the amount I quoted you
earlier for the invitations.”

“
Jennifer,” she said in a
stern voice that I was sure had served her well as a mother, “I
won’t hear of it. “Well, I suppose I could give you a refund if you
insist,” I said.

Her frown eased. “Very well, I give up. Let
me ask you something. Do you happen to have any books on basic
calligraphy? This will be the perfect time for me to learn.”

I led her to the proper aisle. “I’ve got
something even better. Here’s a kit with paper, pens and tip along
with the best beginning book I’ve been able to find. It makes a
perfect starter kit.”

“
I’ll take it,” she
said.

“
Is that all?” I asked as
I moved to the register.

“
Oh, no, I’d like to look
around more, if that’s all right with you.”

There was no way I’d ever ask a customer
with an open checkbook to leave my store. “Take your time. I’m just
about ready to open.”

I flipped the sign
from
closed
to
open
and
unlocked the door. Then I filled the cash register and started
sorting through the mail. Lillian arrived a few minutes before we
were officially due to open, and she looked startled to find
Melinda there ahead of her. I just smiled and went back to my mail.
There was a load of junk, a few bills and a card without a return
address. My hands started to shake as I opened it, wondering if
this was going to be another warning from the killer. Instead, to
my delight I found a hand-made card welcoming me to Oakmont from
Hilda, my customer from a few days before who had expressed
interest in joining the card club. She was really very good. I
admired the card, then put it on the bulletin board behind the cash
register. Finally, Lillian couldn’t contain herself any longer.
“Did we change our opening hours? And if we did, why didn’t you
tell me?”

“
We’re on the same
schedule as always,” I said.

Lillian didn’t like my answer, but I wasn’t
about to go into any more detail with Melinda standing right
here.

“
There, that should do it
for now,” she said as she put the basket on the checkout counter.
“Are you sure you got everything you’d like?” I asked, staring down
at the collection of supplies, enough to keep a dozen card makers
busy for a month.

Melinda laughed. “Whenever I start a new
hobby, I tend to go a little overboard. Ring it up, Jennifer, I‘m
so excited about this.”

As I started entering amounts into the
register, I said, “Now remember, any time you have questions, I‘m
right here.”

Lillian bagged each item as I handed it to
her, and by the time we were finished, there was a substantial
amount on the register display. As Melinda started to write the
check, she tucked some of her luxurious silver hair behind one ear.
It was all I could do not to scream.

The earring she wore was an exact duplicate
of the one I’d found on the floor of the house where Tina Mast had
been murdered.

Chapter 13

That’s quite an unusual earring,” I said,
fighting to keep my voice from becoming shrill. “I suppose,” she
said. “They were a gift.”

“
Do you mind if I see both
of them together? I might like to get some, but I can’t tell if I
like them or not until I see them balanced.” That was complete and
utter balderdash, but I didn’t have a clue how else I could get
Melinda to show me that she still had two earrings and hadn’t left
one behind at a crime scene.

Melinda looked a little puzzled, but she
pulled the hair back behind her other ear as well, and I saw that
she did indeed have two that matched perfectly. “What do you think?
They’re a little too gaudy for my taste.”

“
I don’t know, I like
them,” I said. “Melinda, I hate to ask you this, but do you have
any idea where they were purchased? I’d love to have a pair for
myself.” Melinda said, “I’d give you these if I didn’t have to wear
them again. I can ask, though, if you’re really
interested.”

“
I am,” I said.

Melinda finished writing the check; then as
she handed it to me, she said, “You know, you could ask her
yourself the next time you see her. I know she’d be flattered by
the request coming from you. Anne bought them for the entire
wedding party. Any woman even remotely associated with the wedding
received a pair just like them earlier this week. It wouldn’t
surprise me if you end up getting a pair yourself.”

I slid the check in the cash drawer, then
handed Melinda her bags. It was all I could do to limit myself to,
“Thanks again. I’ll have those cards for you in a few days.”

“
Wonderful. That will give
me a perfect excuse to come by and restock my supplies.”

Before the door could even close, Lillian
said, “Okay, Jennifer, what gives? Why the fuss about those gaudy
earrings? They are completely not your style.’’’

There was no way I couldn’t tell her, though
I would have preferred to discuss it with Bradford first. “Those
earrings were identical to the one I found at the house where Tina
Mast was murdered.”

Lillian applauded. “Now aren’t you clever?
Call your brother and tell him.”

“
That was my plan,” I said
as I grabbed the phone.

He answered on the second ring. “Bradford,
it’s Jennifer.”

“
Hey, Jen. I had fun last
night.”

“
So did I. Listen, I think
I may have uncovered another clue.”

He paused, then said, “Have you been digging
around again, even after that warning you got last night?”

“
If I’m going to be
threatened at my own apartment, I might as well earn it,” I said.
Lillian’s eyebrows lifted instantly, and I knew I’d have to recount
what had happened the night before to her. “Besides, this clue
walked straight into my shop.”

“
Okay, don’t keep me
hanging. What did you find out?”

Trying to keep a hint of triumph out of my
voice, I said, “I found out where that earring came from we found
at the house with Tina. Anne Albright gave every woman associated
with the wedding party a pair. All you have to do is see who has
just one.”

Bradford let out a burst of breath. “That’s
all, huh!

So let me get this straight. You want me to
go to this woman and demand she give me a list of who all she gave
earrings to, then visit them one at a time to see who lost one? Let
me ask you something, Sis. Is there any chance these earrings were
a custom job, made just for the wedding?” “I doubt it,” I said.

“
So they’re for sale in
probably two or three places in Oakmont Avenue alone. Should I get
a list from them, too, just in case I get bored with all of the
regular police work I have to do?” I didn’t appreciate his tone at
all, especially since he was my brother. “I’m sorry. I thought you
wanted solve the murder.”

“
Of course I do,” he
snapped at me. “Give me something more concrete to go on and I’ll
follow up on it. As it is, I can’t burn the manpower to track down
a dozen women and check their earring trees.”

“
You might not be able to,
but I can,” I said. “Jennifer, stay out of this.”

“
Sorry, you’re breaking
up,” I said. “I’m going to—” and then I hung up. Lillian was
shaking her head. “What?” I said. “That’s the way to kill a
conversation believably. Hang up on yourself while you’re talking,
and nobody will ever believe it was deliberate.” “I seem to
remember a few conversations with you that were terminated exactly
like that.”

“
Hey, those were
legitimate. You know cell phone reception is terrible in these
mountains.” Lillian let that slide. Instead, she asked, “So what
happened at your apartment last night?” I wished I could avoid
telling her, but I didn’t see how. After I relayed the news of the
wig and its accompanying warning, Lillian said, “So you’ve managed
to poke the bear. Any idea who she might be?” “Not a clue, but my
list just narrowed. How would you like to run the shop by yourself
today?” “Let me guess. You’re going to try to find the murderer. Do
you honestly think that’s wise?”

I grabbed my purse. ““Do yen think it’s
better if I wait for her to some after me?” I started for the door,
then grabbed the invitation Mrs. Albright had commissioned. “Where
are you going with that?”

“
It gives me a perfect
excuse to butt into these people’s lives. I’m going to ask their
opinions about the invitation. Then I’m going to find out if they
each have a complete set of earrings. When I find the one who’s
short, I’ll tell Bradford.”

“
And what happens if she
discovers what you at a doing, and decides to stop you once and for
all?”

I wasn’t willing to admit that possibility.
“Don’t worry. I know how to be subtle about it.”

“
I need to go with you,’
Lillian said. “She won’t try anything if there are two of
us.”