The Sweet Taste of Murder: An Angel Lake Mystery (14 page)

Two hours later, Elise arrived home to an excited Herman springing from a pile of fluff that had once been her couch cushion. A piece of the cotton still remained trapped between his two front teeth.

Max stared angrily from atop of the china cabinet, tail lashing.

She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a whimper. After a second to digest the situation, she squared her shoulders. “Right. Calling Brad, STAT.”

She reached for the cell and nearly dropped it when it began to ring.

“Hello?”

“Elise! Are you free?” Lavina’s voice over the phone was shrill with panic.

“What’s going on?” The hair on the back of Elise’s neck prickled at her friend’s tone. She sunk onto the couch, inciting Max to jump down from the cabinet at the lap invitation. “You okay?”

“Can you come down here. Like right now?”

Lavina didn’t need to use the code word. Elise could hear panic threaded through her voice. “On my way!” Elise stood, dumping the cat unceremoniously from her lap. Max meowed and stalked off to the corner to bathe his face. Herman bounced over to comfort his new friend, sending Max racing back to the top of the cabinet.

After freeing the dog from his cotton floss, Elise let him out into the backyard while she changed her clothes. After he returned inside, she darted a look around the living room and sighed. “I’ll sort this all out later after I talk to Brad. Please be good,” she begged.

Elise drove down the street toward Sweet Sandwiches, looking for an empty parking stall. Her mind spun with the crazy direction Lavina’s life had taken recently. Every spot was taken except for a few tight ones near the ally. She pulled into one with a grimace, hating to parallel park.

The bell rang as Elise opened the door to the deli shop. The spicy scent of salami greeted her, and she couldn’t help but inhale deeply.

Inside was crowded with people. She wiggled her way towards the back where she knew she’d find Lavina.

Her friend looked completely exhausted with her red hair shooting out like hayseeds from a scarecrow’s hat around the silk bandana. She was nodding at an irate woman in front of her. Elise joggled up next to the customer.

The dark haired woman waved her hands in dramatic fashion. “But, Ms. Lavina, we were sick! It happened last week, right after we ate your sandwiches.”

“I can assure you, Mrs. Burgen, we only use the finest meats here. Everything is refrigerated per regulation as required. Our business is up to every code and passes a yearly inspection. There is nothing here that would have caused your family to be sick.”

“Oh, no, no, no. Ms. Lavina, please. We went on a picnic. Drove all day down to Flowing lake. And, I’m telling you, my poor Ralph threw up all afternoon. He had to sit in the passenger seat on the way home. With a bucket! And he hates to sit there. He hates my driving. But he was sick, so sick. Sick because of you.” A knobby finger pointed under Lavina’s eyes.

Her friend drew in a deep breath, then answered patiently. “Did you eat some of the sandwiches too?”

Ms. Burgen seemed reluctant to reply. “I don’t like liverwurst. That was for him. I had the turkey.”

“Last Saturday was 102 degrees outside. How long after you made the sandwiches did you eat them?”

Ms. Burgen opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Her curls shook as she squeezed her hands together in anger. Finally, she blurted, “Don’t you turn this around on me, Missy! I’m not the poisoner here in this town! You! You did this!” She stomped one of her thick heels and spun around pushing the other customers out of her way as she rushed for the door.

“Well,” Lavina swallowed and wiped her brow. “That was unpleasant.”

“What was that all about?”

“You haven’t heard?” Lavina’s carefully painted eyebrows drew up. “My goodness. I clearly have the juicy gossip this time.” She indicated the door as another customer came in and called to her employee. “David? Could you take care of them?” Then, back to Elise. “Let’s go to my office, shall we?”

They maneuvered down the white hallway and into the small back room. There were employee table and chairs, a counter filled with coffee making items, a sink, and a microwave.

Lavina grabbed a chipped white mug and filled it with water. Her hands were trembling.

“Whats going on?” Elise asked, as a knot tightened in her stomach. She’d never seen her friend this upset before.

“Apparently, the toxicity report on Cameron is everyone’s number one topic of discussion lately. Along with me being in the will.” She set the cup in the microwave with a clatter and shut the door. “My lucky day.” After punching in the time, she drooped into the metal chair with her forehead in her hands.

Elise closed her eyes. This changed everything. She dragged her attention back to her friend. “I’m sorry.”

“And you thought I was exaggerating yesterday.” She yanked the microwave door open before it dinged and retrieved the cup. Rifling through her teabags, she selected Easy Now and popped it in the water. “She hasn’t been the only one. It’s been unseasonably hot, and people aren’t properly taking care of the food they’re eating outside. Suddenly, people think I’m poisoning them.” Her forehead wrinkled as she fought back tears. She swallowed a hiccup, shook her head, and smiled brightly. “I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to let them affect me.”

“Oh, Lavina.” Elise felt her heart squeeze with sympathy. “What are they thinking? They’ve known you forever!”

“What can I say, one minute they love you, and the next,” she drew her finger across her throat. “Something about murder makes everyone jumpy.”

“I’m with you. I have your back.” Elise grabbed Lavina into a hug. “I won’t let anyone be mean to you. They’ll have to come through me first.”

Lavina clung to her for a moment before pushing away. She dabbed under her eyes. “Great. Make me a sappy ol’ mess while I’m trying to talk tough.” She fished in her purse for a tiny mirror and flipped it open to inspect her makeup. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of her hair. In a well-practiced movement, she had the scarf off and hair smoothed before retying the scarf again. She peeked into the mirror again. This time satisfied, she slid the silver compact away and took a long drink of her tea. “Anyway. So that’s how my day is going. Yours?”

“Well, I ran the 3k around the lake for the first time.”

“Really? Congratulations.” Lavina sipped again. “You’re going for the half-marathon after all, eh?”

“I’m determined. I’m doing life differently now. And, the best part is, today, I came home to discover I get to redecorate.”

Lavina smiled. “Sounds like a good story coming up.”

“Want to guess?”

“After a day like this, don’t make me guess.”

Elise lifted a finger. “One word. Herman.”

Her friend chuckled. “What are you going to do about him?”

“Well, after I leave here, assuming I don’t have to take him to the vets for cushion overeating, I’m going to call Brad. Hopefully, we’ll return him tonight.”

“Brad,” Lavina said in a light sing-song.

Elise shrugged, still bothered at how Brad had focused his investigation on Lavina. But she didn’t want to tell her friend that and worry her. “Just friends. For a long time. In fact, the way this is going, I’ll probably die a cat lady.”

“I may deny you were a wallflower, but a cat lady, I can see that.” She winced as Elise fake-punched her arm. “All these years, I called it right.”

“Whatever. This cat lady is trying to save your butt.”

Lavina smiled again before stretching her arms. She rubbed her face with her hands, sighed, then stood up. “Well, I guess I need to get to it. Thanks for being my back up.”

“You bet. No one calls out my best friend.” Elise’s voice was filled with determination. “I mean no one.”

CHAPTER 24

E
lise opened her door to a frowning Brad standing in full police gear with a dog kennel balanced against his hip.

“Hi.” She smiled. Max scurried over, fatter now, and did his characteristic body-stretch on Brad’s leg. Brad’s eyes widened at the sting of Max’ claws. “Oh. You naughty cat! Shoo!” Max slinked off with satisfaction, his tail curled in the air like a question mark.

“Where’s the dog?” he said in a monotone.

“He’s over there.” She pointed to a pile of blankets in the corner of the room. A dark muzzle poked out from the center, nostrils flaring at the newcomer.

Brad walked in, his leathers squeaking, and squatted down. He held out his hand. The muzzle grew into a little face with liquid brown eyes staring up. “Hey, little guy. You’re okay.” Slowly, Herman emerged from his bed. His tail wagged as Brad petted him.

“So.” Brad looked up from the dog, his eyebrow arched. He began his patented —I’m not saying anything— interrogation style.

The silence grew between them. Finally, Elise cleared her voice and began. “It’s like I said. I’ve just been so curious about where this dog disappeared to. I spent some time searching on google, and boom! Up he popped.”

“Up he popped, huh?” He lifted his chin as Herman tried to lick his face. “And no thought to calling me? Your ol’ buddy? An actual detective?”

Elise shrugged and tossed a half-smile in his direction. “We weren’t sure it was him until we drove down there.”

“Who?”

“Lavina and I.”

“She thinks she’s a detective. Doesn’t she, Herman?” This time, the dog got a few excited licks in. “But she’s going to get her butt in trouble. Mmhmmm.” He stood with the dog in his arms. “So, you ready to return him?”

Elise nodded. “Like yesterday. And, I wasn’t trying to do this behind your back. It just happened to work out that way.”

Brad snorted as he placed the dog in the kennel and carefully hefted it. “Okay. Let’s go, you little trouble maker.”

Ten minutes later, they pulled up outside the McMahon’s house. Manicured bushes hedged in the stately front portico. Elise could scarcely see the front entryway as it was blocked with people; housekeepers, gardeners, and personal drivers. Several of them clapped when Brad lifted the plastic carrier out. Elise was taken aback by the happiness on their faces.

“They’ve truly missed this dog,” she whispered over to Brad.

In the back of the crowd hovered Mrs. McMahon. She wore no makeup, and her face was drawn from grieving. She took a few uncertain steps forward to meet them. “You’ve found our Herman?”

Brad placed the kennel down at the base of the steps. Everyone leaned to look in. “I believe so.” He fiddled with the latch for a moment and opened the carrier.

Cautiously, the little dachshund peeked out. At the sight of the star on his forehead, several of the workers cried out, “Herman! Oh, Herman!” The dog sprang forward at their voices, his tail wagging ferociously. He leaped from the outstretched arms of one person to another, licking faces and barking excitedly.

“Awww.” Elise smiled, feeling happy warmth in her chest.

“Good job, Detective.” Brad grabbed her around the shoulders in a one-armed hug.

Mrs. McMahon wobbled down the stairs in her house slippers. She bent down and reached a hand towards the little dog. “Herman?”

His response was instantaneous. The hair rose on his back as a low growl rose from his throat. Mrs. McMahon’s eyebrows raised as she stepped back. Loud barks erupted from Herman as he pranced back and forth before her.

The crowd of people reacted with stunned silence. Finally, the gardener scooped up the angry dog. “Shh,” he scolded. “Why are you barking at the lady like that? You’re okay. You’re home now.”

The dog settled down in his arms. The gardener shot a look at Mrs. McMahon. “I’m sorry about that. Must be upset about the Mister.”

She nodded and made a small dismissive movement with her hand. “Keep him with you today, Jerry. Maybe that will help.”

The gardener nodded and hugged the dachshund close. “I sure did miss you, little man.” That seemed to release the other workers who gathered back around him to pet Herman.

Brad was silent as he watched. Mrs. McMahon raised her hand in goodbye before she slowly and painfully went back into her house. The rest of the house staff filed in behind her.

“You ready?” he asked Elise. She nodded and returned to the car.

“Do you think that was odd?” Elise buckled the seatbelt.

“More than odd.” Brad’s mouth was tight as he looked over his shoulder to back up.

Elise thought for a minute. Something someone had told her once about Herman.…

“You okay if I make a stop on the way home?” Brad interrupted her thoughts. She nodded.

After fifteen minutes of driving, Brad turned down Old Farm Road. Yellow scotch broom growing on the side of the road swayed like hula dancers in the car’s passing breeze.

Elise looked at the run-down houses and then back to Brad. “Where are we going?”

“Thought I might check in with my friend, Frank. It’s been a while since I’ve talked with him.”

“With me with you? You really going to do this?” Elise asked.

He pulled into the driveway and yanked the emergency brake. “We’re here, aren’t we? Just do me a favor and be like a broken headset.”

“What does that mean?”

“Silent.”

Elise rolled her eyes and climbed out of the car. Together, they walked up the driveway.

The house was in serious disarray. Gray paint peeled from the siding in flakes. Shrubbery in desperate need of water sagged against the house. Elise felt a flicker of panic when the porch groaned under their weight and carefully avoided the rotting boards.

Brad knocked on the door firmly. A calico cat skittered from behind a bush and ran hell-bent at the noise.

The face meeting them on the other side of the screen door was anything but friendly.

“What do you want, Brad?”

Elise looked up at Brad nervously. He didn’t flinch at Frank’s tone. If anything, he seemed even more self-assured than just a moment earlier.

“Nothing big. Just some standard questions we’ve been asking a few people in your neighborhood.”

Frank opened the door an inch, and Brad linked his fingers in the crack. He opened it all the way as Frank took a few steps back.

“You going to make this quick? I’ve got to get to the gym.” Frank didn’t seem to notice he was clad in tight jeans and bare feet.