Black Beans & Vice (27 page)

Ever the peacemaker, Lindy waved her hands to stave off Bennett's rejoinder. "Let's focus on the blackmail. What would someone have on Tia? Maybe she didn't always feel so passionate about
her cause," she mused. "She might have eaten a double cheeseburger every night and run over squirrels helter-skelter before she
had some kind of life-changing experience."

"Her parents were of no help as far as why Tia became so involved in animal rights," Lucy said, clearly disappointed. "Tia was
never allowed to have pets, and she had no contact with farmers or
livestock. Her brothers had nothing to add. According to them, she
left for college a self-centered, fashion-conscious girl, and came
back a raving hippie activist."

"Were you able to make contact with any of her college friends?"
James inquired.

Sullie consulted his notes. "We talked to the girl she roomed with
for two years. The roommate says Tia got involved with any group
that would allow her to yell as loud as she wanted or march in demonstrations. Defending animal rights was one of a dozen causes.
The lady said that Tia's family never paid her any mind so she joined
these movements as a way of getting attention and belonging to something. This girl was mighty surprised Tia didn't eventually
grow tired of it all."

"She didn't! She poured all of her energy into protecting innocent animals!" Gillian shouted. "Maybe the murderer raises cattle
or works for a big chicken company and wanted to shut her up!"

Knowing Gillian's unhappy history involving one of the region's chicken plants, the supper club members remained silent.
That is, except for Bennett. "Woman, not all the folks in this world
who breed, slaughter, or eat meat are devils. Take yours truly, for
instance. I don't lose any sleep thinkin' about where my bacon
comes from. I'm gonna buy it, I'm gonna eat it, and I'm gonna
enjoy it. Does that make me bad?" He touched her hand. "The guy
who killed Tia was after money. Sure, he might be a carnivore, but
this isn't about the animals, it's about the twenty-five grand."
"

I agree," Lindy added gently. "Now we need to figure out who
uncovered a secret she'd pay to keep hidden."

"Knowing the secret would help too," James said. "If only the
killer had left a single clue at the scene."

At that moment, his phone beeped and a text message appeared on the narrow screen. James flipped open the phone and
gasped.

His friends stared at him, concerned. "What is it?" Gillian and
Lindy spoke in unison.

"Jane sent a photo of the object obstructing Snickers' plumbing. According to the vet, he probably swallowed this the night Tia
was murdered. Look!" He placed the phone in the center of the
table and everyone leaned forward to examine the image.

"Is that a tree?" Gillian squinted at the photo.

"A gold fir tree pendant to be exact," James spoke quickly in his
excitement. "We finally have a tangible clue." When his friends exchanged puzzled looks, he jabbed his finger at the screen. "You've
all seen this tree before! This fir was on every landscaping T-shirt,
baseball cap, and truck owned by the late Ned Woodman."

"So Tia's killer might also be Ned's killer?" Lindy seemed dubious. "But they were nothing alike. A young female activist and a
middle-aged councilman?"

"There's a common thread," Lucy said, pushing back her chair.
"And starting tomorrow, we're going to find it."

WHEN JAMES GOT HOME after the supper club meeting, he found Jane riveted
to the television, her eyes fixed on the
foamy ocean waves surging across the
screen and her hands curled around a
steel mixing bowl filled with popcorn.
Miss Pickles and Snickers were asleep
at her feet. They both opened their eyes
when James entered the room, but seeing that he was no threat
nor did he bear any food offerings, both animals immediately
went back to sleep. James stooped down to pet their heads and was
delighted that Snickers didn't appear any the worse for wear after
the minor surgery that morning. The little schnauzer was simply sleepy, but James expected he'd be more active after a good night's
rest.

"It's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel," Jane whispered
and passed him a bowl of popcorn. "This episode is called `Blood
in the Water,' and it is deliciously scary!"

James glanced at an image of a Great White swimming through
the water with its mouth hanging open, displaying row after row
of terrifying teeth. The camera zoomed in on the shark's jaw as
the narrator described the damage these triangular, dagger-like
weapons could inflict on fish, seals, and humans. Nearly forgetting
what he was going to say, James forced his eyes away from the aweinspiring King of the Deep and helped himself to the cheesy, salty
popcorn. "Where's the tree? The one the vet took out of Snickers?"

Jane didn't even blink. Hugging a throw pillow tightly against
her chest, she gestured toward the kitchen. "In a cup next to the
sink. And don't worry, it's been cleaned."

The gold fir tree didn't seem to have been damaged by Snickers' digestive system. In fact, it shone beneath the overhead lights
as though it were brand new. James placed the pendant in his
palm and turned it over. There were no markings on the reverse
side other than the symbol denoting that it was made of fourteenkarat gold.

"Does this look like something a man would wear as a necklace?" James asked Jane during the commercial break. "Especially
Ned Woodman, a middle-aged town councilman who owned a
successful landscaping business?"

Jane's mouth dropped open. "The dead man you and Eliot discovered at the food festival? You think this was his?" James nodded
and she took the golden tree from him and examined it beneath the lamp light. "I highly doubt he wore this," she said. "After reading about him in the Star, I'd say he wasn't the jewelry-wearing
type. Anyway, I think it's some kind of charm, like the ones you
can attach to a woman's bracelet."

Frowning, James stared at a commercial for room freshener.
He watched the woman gleefully spraying the curtains in her teenage son's room, her face lit with joy because the boy's room now
smelled like oranges instead of dirty socks. "Could it belong to
Ned's wife then?"

"Maybe" Jane plucked the gold tree from his palm. "But then
how did it end up inside Snickers? Mrs. Woodman would have to
have been-"

"In Tia's house." James completed the thought and then his
shoulders sagged in dejection. "But why? What connection would
Donna Woodman have to Tia? And how could we find out for certain? It's not as though we can invite her for dinner and the third
degree." He absently munched on popcorn and watched in horror as a shark began to swim toward a lone swimmer at the Jersey Shore. As soon as he set the popcorn bowl aside, Miss Pickles
jumped up onto his lap and began to knead his thighs with her
prickly claws.

The shark circled once, twice, and then sank its serrated teeth
into the man's thigh. "Look at all the blood!" Jane said in delighted
revulsion. As the shark continued to attack his victim, she put her
finger to her mouth and tapped her closed lips. "You know, there
is a way to extract information from Donna. Remember the article
that ran in the Star showing the funeral photos?"

Tearing his eyes from the carnage on the screen, James nodded.

"Well, I remember Donna being quoted as saying she and Ned
met while attending JMU. I could always call her and ask for help
in forming a Quincy's Gap alumni chapter."

James stared at her in amazement. "You would do that?"

"Of course, if you think it would be beneficial. Lucy is trying
her best to find who's been messing with our family, so I'd like to
repay the favor." Jane hit the mute button on the remote control.
"I'll have to give Donna some notice, but I'll see if she's free for
lunch this weekend. You can eavesdrop while you and Eliot construct the next phase of his Lego city"

Gently removing Miss Pickles from his lap, James got down
on one knee and grasped Jane's left hand. The light from the television painted her face with a soft, white glow and James' heart
swelled inside his chest as he looked at her. Words bubbled up his
throat, nearly catching there before launching themselves into the
air. "Will you marry me, Jane?" he asked breathlessly. "Will you be
my wife again?"

The remote slid from Jane's right hand and clattered onto the
floor. "Goodness! What's brought this on?"

James scrambled over to the television set and turned it off.
Turning back to Jane, he reclaimed her hand and said, "It's been
building up since the day I spotted you in the crowd at that party
celebrating Bennett's Jeopardy! appearance." He paused, forcing
himself to slow down and speak clearly. "There was a time I believed that I never wanted to see you again, but even when I was
boiling over with hurt and anger, part of me longed for the chance
to make things right again. To go back in time and stop us from
breaking apart."

Jane looked down in shame and James squeezed her hand until
she met his gaze once more. "I'm not trying to open old wounds,
sweetheart. I'm trying, in my own awkward way, to tell you that
you're the one who made things right. You and I are better now
than we ever were. We are a family. You, me, and Eliot. I want us to
be like this from now on."

"He would love that!" she whispered, her eyes shimmering.

He gripped her hand tightly. "But this is about more than our
son or us living under one roof. I want you, Jane. Today and tomorrow and the day after that. Only you. Be my wife again. Grow
old with me."

He waited while Jane sniffed back tears, too moved to speak.
Finally, she slid her hand out of his, threw both arms around his
neck, and cried, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Jane's tears of happiness moistened James' cheeks and her
fervent whispers of assent were stilled by his hungry kisses. She
pulled James down to her on the sofa, forcing Miss Pickles to relocate. She glared at the entangled pair in annoyance and sauntered
off to the kitchen.

Later, as Jane and James did their best to cover their bare flesh
with throw blankets, the newly engaged couple sipped glasses of
wine and discussed the future. Their faces flushed from their lovemaking, they twined their hands together and shared whispered
laughter as they recalled some of the minor disasters from the first
walk down the aisle.

"I still say the organist was drunk!" Jane giggled.

James recalled the wobbly notes and the congregation's startled
looks. "Possibly. But there's no doubt we had the feistiest flower girl. Do you remember how she kicked her brother in the shin as
she passed by his pew?"

"The highlight of the wedding video," Jane said with a smile.
She then sat up on one elbow. "We've had a big church wedding
with the fancy reception and the four-tiered cake. Why don't we
go the Town Hall route this time? Keep things simple. Just between
you and me. Quincy's Gap can marry us. I say the sooner the better too."

James considered her suggestion in a state of drowsy contentment. "How soon?"

"We can get the ball rolling during your Friday lunch break.
We'll need to drive down to the courthouse complex and apply for
a marriage license."

He kissed her in reply. "We need a witness for that, if I recall.
How do we choose just one person? Someone is going to feel
snubbed."

"I know just who to ask," Jane murmured sleepily. "Just meet
me there at high noon, okay, cowboy?"

Sighing in utter happiness, James murmured, "I could get used
to your calling me that."

Stretching, James stood, hastily tied the blanket around his
waist and helped Jane up from the sofa. Wrapping a blanket
around her shoulders, he pulled her against him and the pair
walked slowly down the hall, heads bent toward one another as
they headed for bed and a night filled with blissful dreams.