Tea Cups and Carnage (25 page)

He was standing at the counter when I walked in. He’d already changed into his funeral director-style black suit and white shirt, but his face was still beet red. He grimaced as he saw me walk in. “Miss Gardner.”

“Don’t blow a gasket. I just came by to drop off the bank stuff.” I handed over the bag and slip.

He stared at the amount keyed onto the slip then hit a key on the cash register causing the drawer to come open. “Thank you for your assistance last week.”

I waited, but apparently that was all I was going to get. If I wanted to know more, I needed to ask. “Kyle did a great job while you were gone. He’s very sharp.”

“He’s coming along.” Josh muttered, like Kyle was a wild dog Josh was training.

Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. “So where did you go? No one heard from you. I was beginning to worry.”

He stared at me and for a minute, I didn’t think he was going to answer, just demand I leave his shop and him alone. Instead, he sighed. “I went to a fat farm.”

“Those things are real?” My mouth gaped open as I looked at the now smaller Josh.

“Close your mouth, you’ll attract flies.” He looked down at his ledger. “Yes, they’re real. David is one of their trainers and he told me about the program last week. He thought doing a quick and fast boot camp that had a doctor onsite where they could monitor me would be the best way to start.”

“Wow. That’s amazing.” I knew my aunt had worried about Josh’s weight affecting his health, but I hadn’t thought Josh had taken the doctors’ warnings very seriously.

“Jackie told me I should take care of myself, and for once in my life, I listened.” He raised his eyebrows. “Anything else you want to know? My shoe size? Where I was born? My social security number?”

“No, I mean, I’m just happy you’re okay. More than okay.” I turned toward the door but Kyle exploded out of one of the back hallways.

“It’s ready. I had to hurry up ‘cause I didn’t expect you until tomorrow, but come back, it’s ready now.” He waved at Josh to follow him into the back.

“What have you done?” A panicked look covered Josh’s face and he turned to me. “He hasn’t been using again, has he?”

I shook my head. “No. I mean, I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so.”

We followed Kyle into the first showing room. When I’d walk through last year looking for furniture for my guest room, the place had been stuffed with boxes and furniture. Now, it looked like a furniture store, staged in different setting arrangements with trinkets and books on the end tables.

“Kyle?” Josh wheezed. I turned to look at him and the man looked like he was about to faint. Both Kyle and I rushed to his side and lowered him onto one of the couches.

“It’s called staging. I’ve been reading about it on that antique dealers website I told you about. Dealers say once they’ve changed up their displays, their sales skyrocketed. I’ve started on a dining room setting in the next room, but it still needs a lot of work.” Kyle adjusted the stained glass lamp on the table next to Josh.

Josh looked around the room. “I can’t believe it.”

Both Kyle and I waited for the next shoe to drop. I figured Kyle might just get fired for messing with Josh’s system. We watched as Josh started to speak and my heart dropped for the kid.

“Thank you. It’s wonderful.” Josh coughed into his hands, clearly overwhelmed with emotion.

My eyes widened as I listened to Josh’s words. I don’t think I’d ever heard him say a kind word to anyone except Aunt Jackie in the entire time I’d known him.

The room was thick with emotion and I used the awkward silence to make my break. “Looks really good, Kyle. Well, I’ve got to go.”

I don’t think I ran out of the shop, but I probably could have described my pace as a power walk. I didn’t get far before the giggles came over me. Josh had a heart after all. As I composed myself, I saw Kathi going into the front door of Tea Hee.

Time to figure out what’s going on.
I crossed the street and made my way onto her wooden porch, just large enough for two rockers, that I’d assumed she’d add when the shop opened. A touch of Southern hospitality for South Cove.

Knocking on the door, I tried the knob and it swung open. “Kathi, are you in here?”

“Around back,” she called and I walked through the almost finished shop, pausing to look at a teacup and pot set with roses around the edges. The sign said the pattern was Old Country Rose and I fell in love with the idea of a set right there and then. Looked like Kathi would have at least one customer as soon as she opened. I could totally see people impulse-buying the china and having it shipped back to their homes. The room reminded me of a country kitchen, with each wall with a different type of finishing to bring out a mood. Country kitchen, classical china, and even modern with its clean lines and cool colors, they all had a place in the shop.

I heard a noise and saw Kathi leaning against the doorframe to the back storage area. She smiled. “I thought you got lost.”

I slowly turned in a circle. “I did. Lost in this shop. You’ve really done a great job. It’s magical.”

She looked around at the store and sighed. “I know.” Then she burst into tears.

I hurried over and grabbed tissues off the counter next to an old-fashioned cash register. “Don’t cry. It will all work out. You’ll open and people with fall in love with this shop.”

“You don’t understand. I can’t open.” Kathi sank into a bench that lined the wall. I sat next to her, holding the tissue box.

“You have to open. It’s a great concept and just what South Cove needs.” I held out the tissue box. “Believe me, I was scared too. What I knew about running a business could fill a single sheet. But I learned.”

“I know how to run a business. Uncle taught me well.” She looked around. “The problem is if I open, Ivy goes to jail. He’ll see to that.”

“Greg?” Now I was totally confused.

Kathi looked at me and even with her tear-stained face and swollen eyes, she was beautiful. I tended to look like those DUI mug shots they post on Facebook when I cried. “Your Greg is such a lovely man. Kind and thoughtful. You’re a lucky girl.”

“Thanks, but who won’t let you open the shop?” I wasn’t following her conversation. Maybe it was her father, maybe she had to go home and take care of him if Ivy was going to jail, but that didn’t make sense either.

A shadow fell over us and my heart sank.

“I won’t let her. No wife of mine is going to sell trinkets to rich snobs spending their money on trash.” The man’s voice was calm, but I could hear the tinge of madness in his tone.

I looked up and there was the motorcycle rider who had caused so much havoc over the last few days. I looked him square in the eye and said, “So you must be Bobby Marshall.”

A slow grin came over his face. “Aren’t you the smart one?” He poked Kathi with the revolver he held in his right hand. “Ain’t she just a rocket scientist? Or have you been talking out of school again?”

Kathi didn’t respond, even when he placed the gun under her chin and lifted her head.

“Answer me.” His voice was a little louder now, and firmer, like he was talking to a wayward child.

“She didn’t tell me anything about being engaged or about you.” I put my hand over Kathi’s, hoping to comfort her. It was ice cold.

He dropped the gun and focused on me. “She should have told people about us, especially that music man. He might not be in the hospital right now if she had.”

“So you beat up Blake?” That was obvious, now. Who else besides the crazy man who thought Kathi was his property would have beaten the guy up and left all the expensive equipment, not to mention over five hundred dollars in Blake’s wallet. That was a piece of information Esmeralda had let slip a few days ago when I called to see if Greg was coming over for dinner.

Today, I had no plans, no one to miss me until Toby came to relieve me at the shop tomorrow at noon. I could be dead behind one of Kathi’s beautiful table settings for days before they thought to look just across the street. My only hope was to keep him talking while I thought of something.

“Is that what the worm’s name is? Blake?” He pushed Kathi’s hair back with the gun. “Honey, you never did have good taste in men. Present company excepted.”

“We never dated.” Kathi’s words came out strong, surprising me. Maybe she was keying into my thought wave to keep him talking.

Bobby just shook his head. Then he turned to me. “Where are your folks from? Around here?”

I nodded, wondering where he was going with this question. “Sacramento.”

He squatted down, putting his face closer to us and taking Kathi’s other hand in his. “You may not understand this then. You all out here might not be Yankees, but you sure act like them sometimes.”

“I think I can manage.” I puffed out bravado I didn’t feel.

He chuckled. “I do love your spunk.” He slapped Kathi’s leg. “Ain’t she a spunky one, honey?”

Kathi didn’t respond, but he didn’t seem to notice. He turned to me. “In the south, we have traditions. And when I was born, my mama knew I would be a great man. So she went hunting for a suitable bride. When Kathi was born to her folks, my mama made a deal and we were betrothed.”

“As babies? How can you expect her to even honor that? Kathi has a choice in who she’ll marry. Haven’t you heard of a little thing called love? Not to mention free will?” I couldn’t believe this was the reason I was probably not going to see tomorrow. An arranged marriage.

“Now, see, I knew you wouldn’t understand. You just don’t understand tradition.” He looked around the shop waving his gun from one table to the next. “Now, Kathi, she understands tradition. Look at how beautiful these tea parties are. She’ll be an amazing mother, especially if we’re lucky enough to get at least one little girl.”

He had a dreamy look on his face and I wondered if he was seeing their little family in his mind. Kathi, baby, and crazy daddy.

“You won’t have any future if you don’t let me go.” I needed to state the obvious, even if it was going to tick him off.

He stared at me. “See, you’re an outlier. I wasn’t expecting to have to deal with a nosy neighbor, at least not here. Back home, sure. But here, you all are too self-absorbed to notice anyone but yourself.” He paused and turned his attention to Kathi. “What do you think, darling? Kill her, tie her up and leave her here, or should we take her with us? I’m pretty sure we could have some fun with her, don’t you think?”

My blood ran cold as I realized what he was saying. Now I was thinking my best chance was to be tied up and left here. Someone would come, eventually. The other two alternatives only ended one way, in my own pine box. While I was considering the alternatives, a noise sounded from the back. Bobby turned the gun toward the open doorway, putting his finger on his lips.

“Kathi? Are you in here? I need to talk to you.” Blake’s voice echoed through the empty room and as I watched the wheels turn in Bobby’s head, even I knew where this was going.

Kathi must have seen the writing on the wall as well because she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Get out of here, Blake! Go to the police station and stay there.”

Bobby backhanded her, his hand a fast flash. “Shut up. If you talk again, I’ll shoot her and then your boyfriend.” He stood and inched toward the doorway. Another bang sounded closer, not farther away. I saw the fear in Kathi’s eyes.

“Don’t move,” Bobby demanded. Then he went into the storage room.

I grabbed Kathi’s hand and pulled. She tried to twist away. “He said not to move.” Her words hissed out of her.

“He’s crazy and we’re not staying here.” I pulled her to her feet and we ran to the front door. A shot rang out and Kathi tried to turn back.

“Blake,” she cried, but the fight had gone out of her and I dragged her out into the open air. Glancing around I knew we’d never make the police station before Bobby caught us. Knowing that Bobby must know I ran the coffee shop, I aimed for Antiques by Thomas and flew into the building shutting the door after us. Josh stared at me, but I shook my head. “Call 911 now.” I pulled Kathi into the next room. With the new setup, there was nowhere to hide. I moved to the next.

“Where are we going?” She kept her voice low, but I knew she didn’t think this would work.

I listened for the door to open and Bobby to come roaring in, but all I heard was Josh quietly asking for police involvement and listing off his address. Then I heard the click of the phone. Josh had hung up.

“Crap,” I whispered as I pulled us behind a table and lowered to the ground. I reached for my cell and realized I’d left it and my tote in Kathi’s shop. I looked at Kathi, but she didn’t have pockets in the flower dress that hugged her curves.

Kathi looked at me like I was crazy. “What the hell?”

But as the bell chimed and the door slammed against the wall, her face paled.

“What can I help you find today?” Josh asked, his sales voice sounding calm and cool.

“Where are they?” Bobby roared.

I closed my eyes for a second, wondering if I’d just gotten my portly neighbor killed as well as trapped Kathi and I under a table. She might live long enough to be dragged back to Texas, but this would be my last resting place.

“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what you’re looking for. Is it a dining set? Or maybe something unusual for your man cave?” Josh sounded reasonable, just wanting to help out his new customer.

Then the bell over the door rang.

“Hey boss. Sorry it took so long, but they messed up your salad by putting the dressing on top and I made them redo it. You should have seen how much they poured on.”

“Get out of here, now. Run, Kyle. Run!”

Great, now Josh had blown his cover and Bobby knew he’d chosen the right store.

The door chimed again and I hoped that was an indicator that Kyle was out of harm’s way.

“That wasn’t too smart, old man.” Bobby’s voice was as calm as if he’d just told Josh he needed to replace his shirt as he’d dribbled coffee on the front. Not really caring if the other person followed his advice or not. “Now, where are the women before I shoot off one of those fat toes of yours?”