The Quick and the Thread (19 page)

Riley arrived at the shop about forty-five minutes after we’d spoken. She carried a white bag bearing Captain Moe’s logo: a likeness that reminded me not so much of Santa Claus as of Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper on
Gilligan’s Island
, only with a beard. Captain Moe was tipping his hat and smiling jovially from the bag.

The contents of the bag smelled divine, and Angus loped over with his nose in the air to greet Riley as soon as she walked in.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Let me put him in the bathroom while we have lunch.” I snapped his leash onto his collar.

“Here,” Riley said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a small sack. “I told Uncle Moe about Angus, and he sent a ham bone. I thought you might want to give it to the poor pup before shutting him away from us.” She grinned. “Might make it a bit more palatable for him.”

I agreed and thanked her for her thoughtfulness. Angus went far more willingly into the bathroom with the promise of his treat.

When I came back, I found that Riley had arranged our lunch on the coffee table and was sitting in front of it cross-legged on the floor. She’d taken a pillow from one of the navy sofas to prop against her back.

“I thought we could eat Japanese style, if that’s okay. Or is it Chinese? I always forget.”

“I know the Vietnamese sit on the floor while they eat.”

“Either way, I figure I’d better take advantage of doing this while I still can.” She smiled. “I found out yesterday that I’m having a girl.”

“Congratulations! I didn’t even know you were pregnant.”

“Thank you, but I’m sure I won’t be able to hide my burgeoning tummy for much longer. Now, let’s eat, and you can tell my why you asked me to come by.”

I sat on the floor on the other side of the table. “I got a strange . . . gift . . . in the mail today.” I unwrapped my sandwich but kept my eyes on Riley’s face. “It was a hornets’ nest.”

She frowned. “A hornets’ nest? At least there weren’t any hornets in it. Were there?”

“No. How did you know?”

“Because hornets are usually dead by this time of year. Entomology—along with apiology—”

At my blank expression, she explained, “The study of bees. It was my minor in college.” She shrugged. “I’ve always been a bug girl. Do you know who might’ve sent it?” Realization dawned on her face. “Oh, I get it. Because Dad told you not to stir up any hornets’ nests, right?”

“Right. I know your dad didn’t send it—he couldn’t have. But”—I bit my lower lip—“it had to be someone who knows he said that to me.”

“There’s more to this than you’re telling me.” She put down her sandwich. “Put some money on the table.”

“Excuse me?”

“A twenty, a five, a one . . . whatever you have on you. Put it on the table.”

I went to the office, took a twenty from my purse and sat it on the table beside Riley. “Now what?”

“Now you’ve hired me to act as your attorney. We have attorney-client confidentiality. Spill.”

I closed my eyes.

“Can’t help you if you won’t let me, Marcy.”

“If it wasn’t your dad and it wasn’t you, doesn’t it stand to reason that it was Todd, Blake, or Sadie?” I asked. “They were the only ones with me at the prison.”

“Maybe so. But anyone who knows Dad knows he uses that expression fairly often. What makes you think it was one of your friends? Are you going mondo paranoid on me?”

“Both Blake and Todd were on a list kept by Mr. Trelawney. My name was on that list, as well, and I found out my identity was stolen.”

“Ooh, too bad.” She wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Want me to look into that for you?”

“Thanks, but my mom’s attorney is handling it. Anyway, I called Blake to warn him that he, too, may be a victim of identity theft. He said not to tell the police or Sadie but that he’d allowed Mr. Trelawney to use his financial information in lieu of three months’ rent.”

Riley swallowed and wiped her mouth again. “That was dumb.”

“I know. But get this: Before he called me and confided all that—”

“I thought you called him.”

“I did, but he was noncommittal during that conversation and called me back later when he was out running errands.”

“Ah, didn’t want to talk in front of the wife. Gotcha.”

“So before Blake called, I got two spooky calls asking me about what Margaret Trelawney knows.”

Riley barked out a laugh. “That call shouldn’t have taken long. I’m sorry. It’s just that Mrs. T strikes me as a tad dotty. Why would someone call you to find out what she knows, anyhow?” She took another bite of her sandwich.

“Because Mrs. Trelawney thinks I’m the only one who agrees that her husband’s murder and Timothy Enright’s murder are connected, and she may have been spreading that all over town, for all I know.”

“Oh yeah. Heard about the break-in. What then?”

I took a drink of my soda. “After receiving the call, I did a star-six-nine on my phone to see where the call had originated. I was told that the number wasn’t known. I got the same message after doing a star-six-nine after Blake called.”

Riley shook her head. “That’s no big deal. Might just be a coincidence.”

“I’m hearing the words
coincidence
and
misunderstanding
all over the place today. Isn’t that a little too coincidental?”

“Not necessarily. Maybe you are just being a little paranoid. Heck, if a guy died in my storeroom one week and my landlord was shot to death the next, I’d probably be freaked myself.”

Since Riley was halfway through her sandwich and I hadn’t even tasted mine, I took a bite. It was quite good. There was a spicy honey mustard on the sandwich that gave it some zip.

“Do you still have that hornets’ nest?” she asked.

I shook my head.

“You threw it away?”

I swallowed. “No. The police took it.”

“If they give it back, can I have it?”

I grinned. “By all means. Do you think that’s coincidental, too?”

“No. I think that one means something. I’m going up to visit Dad later. I’ll get his input.”

“Congratulate him for me on the granddaughter.”

She smiled. “I will.” Her smile faded. “In the meantime, watch your back.”

 

 

Long after Riley had left, I sat at the counter, looking out the window at the rain. I smiled slightly when I saw Detective Nash drive up. Hopefully, he’d learned something about my mysterious box. I noticed he wasn’t carrying it.

He entered the shop and immediately rubbed his arms. “That’s a cold rain.”

“Don’t make me dread leaving any more than I already do.”

He arched a brow as a raindrop rolled down his cheek. “You dread leaving work? Are you afraid to go home?”

“No. Not really. I’m dreading going out in the rain, that’s all.”

“You said ‘not
really
.’ Are you afraid?”

“No,” I said.

“Well, the hornets’ nest came from a nature center in northern California. There was a tag underneath the nest and the return address turned out to be theirs, as well.”

“So it
is
a coincidence? It was sent to me by mistake?”

“Hardly,” Detective Nash said. “Someone claiming to be you—or to be calling on your behalf—called, ordered, and paid for the nest.”

“Then you have a credit card receipt?”

“Yes, yours. But Manu told me about the identity theft. So, we’ve got nothing.”

“There were no prints?”

He shook his head.

“I didn’t really think there would be. But a girl can hope.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “Someday your prints will come.”

I closed my eyes. “That was terrible.”

“I know it was lame, but it’s the best I can do today.” He smiled.

The shop bell jingled, and Todd Calloway walked in. “Hope I’m not interrupting official police business.”

“Hi, Todd,” I said.

“Calloway.” The irritation in Detective Nash’s voice was evident. I wondered if he resented the interruption or if he knew something about Todd that I didn’t.

“I can go over here and look at embroidery thread or play with Angus, if you guys still have business to discuss,” Todd said.

“It’s all right,” Detective Nash said. “I was on my way out. Marcy, you have my number.”

“Right.”

Detective Nash left, and a grinning Todd sidled up next to me. “I don’t think he cares for me. At least, not as much as he cares for you.”

I scoffed. “It truly was police business.”

“Oh yeah? What’s up?”

“I got a hornets’ nest in the mail today.”

“That’s weird.”

“Yeah, I know. So, what brings you by?”

“I took the evening off and wanted to know if I could hang out with you and Angus, provided I bring a video, some popcorn, and a rawhide chew. That is, unless you have other plans . . . or some more official police business.”

“No,” I said after a pause. “Angus and I would be delighted to have you join us for the evening.” I still wasn’t quite sure what to think about the fact that his name was in the ledger, but I thought that this at least would give me an opportunity to feel him out on the subject. Plus, having a handsome, likable guy over for a movie wasn’t much of a sacrifice.

I showered, changed clothes at least twice, and took extra time with my hair and makeup before Todd’s arrival. Since we were having a casual evening, I wore jeans and a long-sleeved pale blue blouse. Though I longed to go barefoot, I slipped on black mules that I could easily step into or out of, making them the next best thing to being barefoot. I wore the diamond stud earrings Mom had given me for my twenty-first birthday. And I curled my hair so it would fall in tousled waves around my face.

After getting myself ready, I went to the kitchen to see what I could throw together in the way of appetizers. I studied the freezer, because that’s where I keep most of my Unexpected Company Is Coming foodstuffs.

I had some mini bacon-and-cheddar quiches, which have the flakiest crusts ever. Plus, they have bits of onion that really enhance the flavor of the eggs. I was nearly drooling in anticipation as I preheated the oven.

I found a box of cheesecake bites that required nothing but thawing. I took them out and arranged them on a decorative plate. There were three flavors: key lime, strawberry, and triple chocolate. With Todd bringing the popcorn, I decided the cheesecakes and quiches would be plenty.

I was taking the quiches out of the oven when the doorbell rang. “Coming,” I called, setting the cookie sheet with the mini quiches on a trivet.

I hurried to the living room and opened the door. And to think I’d been drooling over quiches. Todd looked way better than the quiches and the cheesecakes combined.

He wore jeans and a black henley open at the throat. His dark hair glistened, and his eyes were that mixture of good-boy sweetness and bad-boy charm that makes a woman’s heart drop to her knees. And he was carrying a bouquet of roses, daisies, and chrysanthemums. Now I ask you: Does it get any better than that?

He held out a rawhide bone. “This is for you.” He inclined his head toward the flowers. “These are for Angus. Unless you two would prefer to swap.”

“I believe we would,” I said, taking the flowers.

Todd followed me into the kitchen. “Where is Angus?”

“He’s in the backyard at the moment. I thought it would be best to let him in after we’ve had our fill of snacks.”

“That’s not a bad idea. I’d imagine our boy could take care of those quiches in about one gulp.”

“Two, if he took time to chew. What movie did you bring?”

“I didn’t. I did bring the popcorn, though.”

I took a white vase from beneath the sink, filled it three-quarters of the way full of water, and arranged the bouquet in the vase.

“You take pains with everything you do, don’t you?” Todd asked.

“I think if you’re going to do something, you should do it right.”

“Oh, I agree.” A lazy smile played across his lips. “I agree wholeheartedly.”

Something in the way he said that made me blush. I turned away so he couldn’t see. He laughed softly. Darn it; he’d seen.

I finished arranging the flowers, washed my hands, and put the quiches on a platter. I nodded toward the cheesecakes. “Can you get those?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

We set the food on the coffee table and still had room for the tub of popcorn Todd had brought. I returned to the kitchen for plates, silverware, napkins, and drinks.

“You didn’t bring any home brew tonight?” I asked with a grin as I handed Todd a soda.

“Not tonight. I wanted us to have clear heads.” His voice turned serious. “I want to get to know you, Marcy.”

“I want to get to know you, too.”

“And I don’t want either of us to have fuzzy tongues or fuzzy memories in the morning.”

I burst out laughing, and so did he.

I waved my hand toward the food. “What will you have first?”

“This.” He leaned toward me, raked his fingers through my hair, and pulled me to him for a deep, thorough kiss. Then he looked into my half-closed eyes for a moment before saying, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time. And now I think I’d better try a quiche.”

At least, I think that’s what he said. My mind had drifted back to the fantasy I’d ascribed to Vera in the store the other day where Todd had marched back into the shop, bent me over his arm, kissed me, and said, “You need to be kissed . . . often . . . and by someone who knows how.” Boy, did he know how.

We made general small talk while we ate. But finally we were down to nibbling on the popcorn, and Angus was chewing on his rawhide at our feet. Unfortunately, our discussion was about to take a serious turn.

“
H
ow long have you known Blake and Sadie?” Todd asked.

“Sadie and I were roommates in college.” I smiled. “Two nerdy girls. I was earning a bachelor’s in business administration, with an emphasis in accounting, and Sadie was working toward her bachelor’s in radiology.”