PoisonBuried Punch (Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery Series Book 6) Read online

  Annie headed her car to Christy’s house to find out what was wrong instead of having a text conversation. Christy’s car was in the driveway. Everything looked normal.

  Except, as Annie pulled into the driveway, Blue and Bella charged from the back of the house to greet her car. Annie’s senses jumped to high alert. Christy didn’t usually let both of the dogs out together unless she was with them. Where was Christy?

  Chapter 21

  Annie opened her car door and greeted the two dogs. She had a couple of dog treats in her pocket so she patted the dogs, made them sit, and rewarded each with a cookie. She kept the corner of her eye on Christy’s house, expecting to see her at any moment. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

  Bella and Blue danced around Annie’s legs once they were done cleaning up all the crumbs from their treat. “What should we do now?” Annie asked them. Tails wagged and dark brown eyes stared at her. They waited for Annie to make a decision for them all.

  “Okay, then, let’s go inside and see what we find.” Talking out loud gave Annie added confidence as if there was someone with her besides the two canines. She walked toward the front door, glancing through the big front window for any movement.

  Nothing. No birds singing, no cars driving by, just silence. The quiet felt eerie and unnatural.

  The front door was unlocked, so Annie let herself and the dogs in the house. More silence. Blue dashed into the kitchen, followed by Bella, and finally Annie.

  Annie gasped when she saw Christy sprawled on the floor. Blue licked her face. Christy moaned and tried to move away from the warm tongue. Her hand reached to her head as her eyes opened. “What happened?” she asked Annie.

  Annie knelt beside her friend. “Good question. I just got here. Do you remember anything?”

  Christy closed her eyes. “Something wasn’t right, but I can’t remember what. And now you’re here.”

  “You sent me a text.” Annie pulled Christy’s phone from under her leg and found the last text she sent to Annie. Annie showed her the message.

  Christy licked her lips and then bit the corner of her bottom lip. She pulled herself up onto one elbow. “I remember sending that, then nothing. Someone must have been in here. Waiting.”

  “Didn’t the dogs bark?” Annie asked. She put her hands under Christy’s armpits and helped her onto one of the kitchen chairs.

  “I let them out and I was tying my shoes. Whoever was here must have whacked me over the head.” She touched a spot on the back of her head. “Ouch.” She looked at blood on her fingers and took Annie’s hand, guiding it to her head. “Feel this.”

  Annie gently touched a huge bump. “I’ll get you some ice.” While she wrapped ice in a towel, she heard Christy talking to Tyler, telling him to come over.

  Christy grimaced when she held the ice on the bump. She tried to stand up but fell back into the chair. “Do you see anything out of place?”

  Annie looked around Christy’s kitchen. “Not really.” She opened the high cupboard where the computer was hidden. It was still there. She looked out the window at the raised bed. Nothing was disturbed. “Odd.”

  The dogs barked at the sound of tires in the driveway. “Now you bark,” Christy said with irritation in her voice. “Why didn’t you warn me when it was important?”

  “That’s a good question, Christy. Why didn’t they bark?” Annie wondered out loud.

  “Quick, Annie.” Christy said. “Put Eddie’s computer in my backpack. I want to keep it with me instead of leaving it here for someone else to get their hands on.”

  Annie stuffed the computer inside Christy’s backpack seconds before Tyler’s footsteps stomped toward the kitchen. He took one look at Christy and said, “I’m calling an ambulance.”

  “No!” Christy shouted. “I’m fine … well … I’ll be fine. It’s only a bump on my head. It’s more important to figure out who did this.”

  Tyler pulled a chair close to Christy. “Any ideas?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.

  “Someone connected to Eddie’s murder and the scam. They must think I’m getting closer to putting it all together, or at least, I’m not going to give up and disappear on my own.”

  Tyler sat quietly, studying the kitchen. “Nothing was taken?”

  Christy shook her head. “Not as far as I can tell.”

  “You could have been killed, you know. And yet, they only knocked you out.”

  “A warning?” Christy suggested.

  Annie went to the sink to wash her hands. “Come and take a look at this. I don’t want to touch it.”

  Tyler leaned around Annie’s bent head. “Arsenic. I found a container exactly like this at the Catfish Cove Pub.” He picked it up with a handkerchief and dropped it into a plastic evidence bag. “You’ll have to stay someplace else while we go over your house with a fine tooth comb. With any luck, we’ll find some fingerprints. Who’s been here so we know who to eliminate?”

  Christy looked up at the ceiling. “Me, Annie, Dusty, you, and maybe Jason. Did Jason come over with you the other day, Annie? I can’t really remember.”

  Annie nodded.

  “I can tell you whose fingerprints you shouldn’t find—Samantha, Dennis, Kyle or Eddie, unless they were in here up to no good.”

  Tyler scribbled in his notebook. “Great. Do you have someplace you can stay?”

  “Seriously? That’s such an inconvenience,” Christy’s voice whined.

  “You can stay at my apartment. Smokey will be glad for the company. Well, with your company, maybe not Bella and Blue, but he’ll adjust.”

  Tyler nodded. “I like that idea. You won’t be isolated with Jason and Annie right across the driveway. Pack up what you need to bring before the crew gets here to look for evidence. We’ll test all your food to see if anything is contaminated.”

  Christy threw the ice in the sink. “The ice helped a lot. It’s only sore if I touch it.”

  “So don’t touch it!” Tyler scolded her.

  She shot him a look as she walked by on her way to pack a few clothes.

  Annie touched Tyler’s arm. “What about the other arsenic bottle you found. At the pub?”

  “It was in the dumpster behind the pub. Dennis swore he didn’t know anything about it. No fingerprints, unfortunately. I suspect this bottle will be clean too, unless Christy surprised whoever was here and they made a careless mistake.”

  “Of course. But anyone walking by the dumpster could have thrown it in there. Finding this one in Christy’s house has more significance, don’t you think?”

  Tyler nodded. “Yes. But let’s hope my team finds more when they search the house.”

  Christy returned with her bulging backpack and she grabbed a cloth shopping bag for the dogs’ food and bowls. “This should do it.”

  Annie helped Christy carry her stuff to her car. The dogs were excited to be outside and did some happy runs through the yard before they headed in opposite directions, sniffing.

  “Come here Bella and Blue. Hop in the car.” Christy held her car door open, waiting for the two dogs to finish up with their business and jump in. Blue was first in, taking the spot by the open window. Bella finally returned from behind the house shaking a piece of material like she wanted to kill it.

  “What do you have?” Annie crouched down with her hand out. Bella held a chunk of denim in her mouth but she let Annie take it. “Any idea what this is from?” Annie held the material up so Christy could see it. “I hope she isn’t chewing up your clothes.”

  “I made a tug for her with an old pair of jeans. Don’t worry about it.”

  Annie tucked the fabric in her pocket. “Follow me,” she said to Christy as she climbed into her car.

  Annie got Christy and the two dogs settled in her apartment. Smokey disappeared out through his cat door as soon as the dogs bounded up the stairs.

  “Will he be okay?” Christy asked, concern lacing her voice. “He has more right to be here than these two goofballs.” She patted the dog
s’ heads.

  “I’ll see if I can find him and take him to Jason’s house. He’s not used to it over there, but he might decide it’s quieter with the ones he knows rather than trying to get used to your two brutes.” Annie started to walk out the door but turned around and said, “Come on over if you need company or food.”

  “I don’t want to disturb you newly engaged lovebirds,” Christy said with a laugh.

  When Annie finally made it into Jason’s house, her senses were rewarded with the crackling of burning wood in the fireplace, soft piano music playing, and a sweet cider smell.

  Jason stood up from his piano. “I thought you skedaddled out of the state, never to be seen again.” He wrapped his arms around Annie and pulled her close, whispering into her curls, “I missed you.”

  Her body relaxed and relished the comforting embrace. She felt lucky beyond words and safe in Jason’s arms. “Skedaddled? Is that even a word?” she teased.

  “Of course it is. A verb meaning to run away.” He lowered his gaze to look into her eyes. “You have been known to skedaddle in the past if I’m not mistaken.”

  “No skedaddling; just a tad bit of, um, exploring. Oh, and by the way, Christy’s staying in my apartment for a while,” she added quickly in one breath before she walked to the kitchen. She poured herself a mug of the hot cider that made her mouth water with expectations of its sweet and tangy taste.

  Jason remained leaning against the piano with his arms crossed and a half smile on his face. “I don’t suppose Christy staying in my apartment has anything to do with Eddie’s murder?”

  Annie sipped the hot cider. “As a matter of fact, there could be a connection. Someone knocked her out cold and I found her on her kitchen floor.”

  Jason sat on his couch and patted the cushion next to him. “Start from the beginning and tell me everything. Don’t leave one detail out,” he told Annie and reinforced his words with his finger wagging in her direction.

  Annie refilled her mug. “Do you want some cider too?”

  “Please.”

  She settled comfortably in the crook of his shoulder and filled him in on all the information. It felt good to share the drama with Jason. With any luck, he might even think of a new angle that everyone else overlooked.

  “Arsenic? Your poisoned punch theory was accurate?” Jason asked in awe of Annie’s imagination being spot-on.

  “I don’t know how the poison got into Eddie’s body, but Tyler found an arsenic bottle in the dumpster behind the pub and I found an arsenic bottle in Christy’s sink. Tyler is at her house searching for more evidence. And that’s the story in a nutshell, explaining why Christy and her dogs are now staying in my apartment.”

  “Eddie made some real nice friends at the bartender school,” Jason said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Uh huh. And, now, it appears that someone is after Christy.” She snuggled closer to Jason. “Should we invite her over for something to eat?”

  “Actually, I made other plans but she could tag along.”

  Annie stiffened. “We aren’t leaving the house, are we?”

  “Sort of. Leona invited us to the Catfish Cove Pub for a little engagement celebration.”

  Chapter 22

  For a Sunday night, the Catfish Cove Pub was loud and busy. Jason held the door for Annie and she scanned the room. It wasn’t hard to spot Leona. It never was. She let your eyes find the table with the most action.

  Leona busily walked around the table filling mugs from a pitcher of beer. She straightened after each mug was filled, talking while her free arm waved wildly. Leona always managed to make every story sound exciting.

  Annie waited until the pitcher was empty and sitting on the table before she poked Leona with two fingers on each side.

  Leona twirled around “Of course it’s you. You are the only one who manages to startle me.” Leona hugged Annie before ushering her to an empty chair between Camilla and Martha. “You don’t mind if Jason sits next to me, do you?”

  Annie rolled her eyes. “Why? So the two of you can do more scheming behind my back?”

  Leona’s laugh was her only response.

  Annie draped her jacket over the back of the chair but headed to the ladies’ room instead of making herself comfy at the table with her friends and family.

  Quiet settled around her once the bathroom door closed. Not exactly how I expected to spend my evening, she thought, but maybe Jason and I can eat and run. While she was in the stall, she heard the bathroom door open and close.

  “I thought you’d never finish up in there,” Samantha joked when Annie finally emerged.

  Annie washed her hands, watching Samantha’s reflection in the mirror. Oddly, Samantha remained leaning against the bathroom wall with her arms crossed. Annie could feel Samantha’s eyes staring at her back, like hot pokers burning holes.

  Icy fingers of fear worked their way up Annie’s spine but she forced her voice to be strong. “Something on your mind, Samantha?” Annie dried her hands, her back still to Samantha.

  Silence. Annie turned around.

  “You and that detective have gotten kind of chummy.” Samantha rubbed the earring dangling from her earlobe.

  “And what about your friends? They don’t strike me as a stellar bunch.” Annie couldn’t help digging for information about Dennis, Kyle, and Dusty.

  Samantha looked away. “They’re a bunch of fools. I had Eddie eating out of my hand. We were working on a plan but someone got greedy, and, well …”

  “Someone what, Samantha? Someone killed Eddie? Is that what you left unsaid?”

  A tear slid down her cheek. Her shoulders sagged. “Yes.” All the bravado was gone from her voice. “Yes, someone killed Eddie.”

  Annie walked closer to Samantha. “Who? Do you know who killed Eddie?”

  She shook her head. “I thought it was Christy.” She spit out the name. “Eddie didn’t trust her so I kept my eyes on what she was up to before her meeting with Eddie.”

  Annie’s hand rested on Samantha’s arm. “What do you mean?”

  “I followed her on Halloween eve. She was on the Lake Trail, walking so fast I had trouble keeping up. I was watching when she met Eddie in that parking lot and stabbed him.” Her tear-filled eyes stared at Annie. “He fell and she left.” Samantha brushed the tears away. “When I rushed to his side, he was moaning and in bad shape, but he wasn’t dead so I ran to get my car to take him home and patch him up.”

  “Are you sure he wasn’t dead?” Annie asked.

  Samantha nodded. “But when I got back, he was gone. I didn’t know what to do so I left too. I went back to work and kept to the plan Eddie and I made. I was supposed to meet him in front of the cafe with Blue at eight o’clock to make the switch. Blue for the money.”

  “Did you see anyone else?”

  She shook her head. “Not until I came back with Blue and all of you were looking for Eddie still.” She covered her face with her hands. “I should have paid more attention, but I guess I panicked.”

  Annie held Samantha by both arms and shook her roughly. “Look at me. This is important. You said you went back to work but no one remembers seeing you at the pub the night Eddie was murdered.”

  “I had a costume on. We all rotated on and off behind the bar. It was so hectic, I don’t think anyone paid attention to who was making the drinks.”

  “Who did you rotate with?

  “Dennis, Dusty, and Kyle. We all took turns serving or mixing drinks. When it was my turn for a break, I got Blue and went to find Eddie.”

  “Everyone took breaks?”

  “Yeah.”

  The bathroom door opened and three drunk girls stumbled in, laughing and gossiping about their dates. Annie and Samantha stood at the sinks waiting for privacy. The girls used the stalls, combed their hair, freshened their makeup, and didn’t act like they were in any hurry to leave.

  Samantha dried her hands and whispered to Annie, “I’ve got to get back to work, but ther
e is something else I need to tell you.” Then she turned and left, leaving Annie wondering what else Samantha knew.

  Jason raised one eyebrow when Annie slid into her chair between Martha and Camilla. She avoided his look, at the moment, glad to be on the opposite side of the table.

  Camilla whispered to Annie, “Dusty’s working tonight. He keeps staring at me. Do you think I should talk to him?”

  “Sure. What’s the harm? But let him do all the talking and don’t forgive him too quickly. Let him squirm and grovel for your forgiveness.”

  Camilla’s lips turned up at the edges. “I don’t know if I can do that but I’ll give it my best shot. You know how words just flop out of my mouth when I’m around handsome men, and with the first sexy grin he offers, I’ll be putty in his hands.”

  Annie squeezed Camilla’s arm. “You can do it. Smile and say yes or no. He’ll pick up the slack, and besides he’s working, so there will be lots of interruptions.”

  Camilla put her shoulders back, which, of course, forced her best features forward, and she sashayed to the far end of the bar. Annie could see that Dusty had his eyes on the prize as he made his way to meet Camilla.

  Jason stood up, working his way to Camilla’s empty chair. “You were in the bathroom for an awfully long time; are you feeling okay?”

  Annie leaned close, kissing his cheek before whispering in Jason’s ear, “Samantha decided to share some information with me, but we were interrupted before she got to the interesting part.”

  Jason put his arm around her shoulder. “Be careful.”

  Samantha arrived with two large steaming pizzas fresh from the oven. Leona quickly moved empty pitchers and mugs to the edge of the table to make room.

  Leona returned with a full pitcher and refilled all the empty mugs. “Listen up. One is the meat lover’s pizza and the other is pesto, broccoli, tomato. Mozzarella sticks are on the way, too. Eat up before everything gets cold.”

  Jason slid a veggie slice onto his plate. “Which one do you want?” he asked Annie.

  “They both look delicious. Probably one of each.” She saw Jason’s surprised look. “What? I’m hungry.”