Boo Buried Cupcakes (Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery Series Book 11) Page 4

  Annie felt pressure. In her bladder. As she reached Greta’s porch, she asked, “Can I use your bathroom before I completely embarrass myself?”

  Greta sank onto her porch and nodded. “Walk through that door, through the kitchen, and there’s a bathroom on the left.”

  Annie elbowed Leona. She jerked her head toward Greta and whispered, “Sit with her.”

  “Happy birthday, Greta,” Annie heard Leona say as she opened the kitchen door. Really? Was that the best she could come up with at a time like this? Greta would never be able to enjoy her birthday again after finding a body on her lawn. Or, worse, being the reason that body was there to begin with.

  Greta’s kitchen was dated but sparkling—lemon yellow walls, bright white appliances and cupboards, and dark red linoleum on the floor and a matching red Formica counter. Annie stood at the sink and looked out the window, directly to Kitty’s house across the lawn between their neighboring homes.

  As she turned around, another sight surprised her. The kitchen table was carefully set with two china teacups with saucers, two dessert plates, two forks, and two folded white napkins with dainty embroidery work around the edges. Who was Greta expecting to show up?

  She wandered from the kitchen, found the bathroom, and sighed with relief as she finally relieved her bladder.

  Footsteps whispered across the floor just outside the bathroom door.

  Annie froze.

  Was someone in the house with her?

  She was glad this happened after she found the toilet.

  She flushed, washed her hands, and made plenty of noise so as not to startle anyone before she opened the bathroom door.

  Lucky, Greta’s black cat sat outside the door and looked up at Annie. Mew?

  Annie laughed, a laugh to release the tension, when she realized her mind had moved to a much scarier situation of possibly surprising an intruder. She squatted down and stroked Lucky. “You’re probably wondering what’s going on, too.” Annie sat with her back against the wall and her legs stretched out in front of her. Lucky walked up her legs and curled into a ball on her lap, purring contentedly.

  Annie stroked the cat and her fingers hit a sticky gob of frosting stuck in his fur. “I bet if you could talk, you’d be able to tell us what happened. Right, Mr. Lucky?”

  Mew? He twisted his head to look at Annie before he began the tedious job of restoring his shiny black fur to its pre-frosting glory.

  “As much as I’d just like to stay here with you,” Annie cradled Lucky in her arms as she stood, “I need to get back outside. I don’t want Greta and Leona to end up in a fight over the birthday cake fiasco. There’s already enough drama to deal with.”

  Annie plopped Lucky onto an overstuffed chair in Greta’s living room before she retraced her steps and returned to the side porch. Detective Christy Crank’s tone, as she questioned Greta, came across more like nails-on-a-chalkboard than a soothing you-have-nothing-to-worry-about quality.

  “And where have you been?” Christy’s piercing gaze stabbed straight through to Annie’s thoughts. Or so it felt.

  “The bathroom?”

  “Is that a question or a statement?”

  “The bathroom.”

  “Did you touch anything inside?”

  “Only the cat. He was lonely and I gave him a bit of attention. Well, and the toilet and the sink and I dried my hands on a towel.” She scanned her memory, hoping she hadn’t touched anything else without realizing it.

  The police had lights set up with crime scene tape around the yard between Greta’s and Kitty’s houses. The forensic photographer was busy documenting the initial appearance of the crime scene from every possible angle and detail around the body, but all Annie could focus on was the glittery red walking stick in Brian’s chest. The walking stick that Jason had joked about being a good weapon before they even got to the party. The walking stick that Brian took from Leona and pretended to jab his brother with. She shook her head to try to dislodge the images that she was sure would stick around for much too long.

  Leona elbowed Annie. “Hey. Do you think, you know,” she raised her eyebrows and moved her eyes in Greta’s direction before she mouthed the words, “she killed Brian?”

  Greta sat at the edge of her porch, her elbows resting on her knees, her head hanging down. Somehow, Lucky found a way outside and wound himself around Greta, head-butting her arm until she acknowledged him.

  Annie shook her head. “No. I don’t think so.”

  The other image in Annie’s memory was when she got close to Greta hunched over Brian’s body and she lifted her head as tears streamed down her face. Was that the face of a murderer? Or the face of devastation as Greta watched the lifeblood drain away from her true love?

  Annie suspected it was the latter but as she watched Detective Christy Crank hurl questions at Greta, she knew Greta was in a hole bigger than what would be needed to bury Brian Springer.

  6

  The only good thing about Kitty Brown’s Halloween party was that the morning after was Sunday and the Black Cat Café didn’t open until ten.

  Annie could sleep in.

  But she didn’t.

  Instead, after tossing and turning all night, and Jason leaving to sleep on the couch, she gave up on sleep and decided a morning walk would help to clear her head.

  Jason was curled on his side with Smokey at his feet and Snowball’s enormous body draped on the pillow, leaving Jason only a tiny corner for his head. One eye opened as Annie’s foot hit the last step. “Did you get any sleep?”

  “Nothing meaningful. How about you?”

  “Let’s just say that the cats don’t share well.” He sat up and stretched his arms over his head. “Coffee?”

  “I think a gallon might help.”

  Jason patted the spot next to him. “Come here before one of the cats steals the spot and tell me what’s going through your head.”

  Annie dragged herself to the couch. Roxy lay her head on Annie’s lap, begging with her brown eyes for attention. Annie’s fingers stroked the terrier’s ears while her brain rewound to the previous night. Specifically, the part when she found Greta hunched over Brian’s bloody body.

  “I keep seeing Greta with tears streaming down her face when she said Brian was dead. It was not the look of a murderer.”

  “That’s ridiculous. You said she was kneeling next to him with her hands covered with the frosting and birthday cake that was smashed on his face. That’s a pretty incriminating scene.”

  “It is . . . but don’t you think she would flee the scene if she were the murderess? At least, after I started to approach?”

  “Maybe she stabbed him with your walking stick in a fit of passion. Brian admitted to us that she hung up on him when he called. Everyone warned him not to bother her, but apparently he didn’t listen to that advice.”

  Roxy put her front paws in Annie’s lap. She patted the cushion, inviting Roxy to sit next to her. “From the expression on Greta’s face, I think she was still in love with Brian. I don’t think it was a crime of passion, at least not her passion. She told me she heard arguing and by the time she found her shoes and went outside, Brian was dead on the ground.”

  Jason shook his head. “I don’t know. It just doesn’t leave much time for someone to spear him with that walking stick and get away.” He stood and walked into the kitchen. The coffee machine was all set, he only had to hit the start button.

  “It is kind of ironic, that he brought us those skeleton costumes and the walking stick accessory turned into a murder weapon.” Annie swiveled around so she faced Jason. “You knew him from way back when. Who might have held a grudge for long enough to kill him?”

  “Greta Grayley.”

  Annie felt the muscles in her face tighten.

  “I know that’s not what you want to hear, Annie, but Brian humiliated her and broke her heart at the same time. Don’t you think that could trigger enough anger to bubble over at the sight of him walking across her
yard? Even twenty years later?”

  Jason had a strong argument but there had to be other people who didn’t hold Brian Springer in high regard. It didn’t take long for him to rub her the wrong way when she saw him the day before. Sure, he was handsome, and those dimples probably melted plenty of hearts besides Greta Grayley’s, but his cockiness was a huge negative.

  “What about his girlfriend, Rachel? I heard they might be having problems. Do you know anything about her?”

  Jason filled two mugs with coffee and walked to the couch. He handed one to Annie and sat next to her with the other one for himself. “No. Brian wouldn’t share that kind of information, too big a blow to his ego. Who told you?”

  “Christy shared that tidbit. She and Cody are a bit of an item, apparently, and Cody said he thought his brother came back for some soul searching and an ego boost.”

  “Well, unless she followed him here, she couldn’t be the murderer.”

  Annie sipped her coffee and tapped her fingers on the mug. “Brian came back to town because of Kitty’s invitation to her Halloween party,” Annie stated. “Is there anything else going on here, maybe something with his family?”

  “As far as I know, Brian and Cody inherited the family farm. Cody lives there. Brian never had any interest in it. He was more of a glamour guy than a muck-out-the-stalls person. He didn’t like to get his hands dirty.”

  “So, there could be something going on between Cody and Brian connected to the property.”

  “There could be, if Brian wanted out of his share and Cody didn’t have the money to buy him out. But, as far as I know, Brian was loaded and didn’t need the money.”

  “Or maybe Brian wasn’t as loaded as you think and did need some cash for something.” Annie set her mug on the coffee table. “I’m taking Roxy for a walk before I head to the café. I’m hoping the crisp air will freshen my brain.”

  “Okay. I’ll be in my office getting work done today. And, Annie?”

  She stopped on her way upstairs to get dressed.

  “Don’t do anything crazy, okay?”

  “Crazy? Like what, Jason? Are you suggesting that thinking about who might have had a motive to stab Brian with my glittery walking stick is crazy? I can’t get the sight out of my head. I need this solved before I can feel better.”

  “No, that’s not what I meant. Just be careful, okay?”

  Annie smiled. “That, I can do.” She dashed up the stairs and pulled on her comfy jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a warm ivory wool sweater. The weather on the first of November in New Hampshire could range from unseasonable warmth to below freezing. This morning’s air was crisp and fresh with the promise that the sun would warm things up as the day progressed.

  Roxy waited at the porch door with her tail wagging. She dashed to the Lake Trail as soon as the door opened, leaving Annie to catch up at her own speed. The wind whipped across the open water, creating small waves, and the recently fallen leaves crunched under Annie’s footsteps.

  She let her mind wander over what she knew about Brian. The latest information from Jason about the co-ownership of the family farm with his brother, Cody, did create some suspicions. Cody was at the party. She didn’t get the impression from Christy that he cared too much about Brian’s return to town to revive his old glory days. There were probably more interesting conflicts hidden in their background if she could find someone who was close to Cody. A definite possibility.

  The mysterious girlfriend, Rachel, who dumped Brian. Jason had a good point about her, though. If she wasn’t in town, there was no possibility of her being the killer. A slight possibility until her identity and whereabouts were revealed.

  There were plenty of people at Kitty’s party but Annie didn’t know many of them. Detective Crank would have that list and would do the background checking. Maybe Kitty would be willing to come up with some suggestions, except she most likely had Greta accused, convicted, and in a jail cell for life since Kitty hated Greta and she was close to Brian. Kitty was probably a dead end for information.

  Roxy woofed, startling Annie out of her thoughts.

  An attractive woman in a dazzling orange jacket jogged toward Annie but slowed to reach down to pat Roxy. “Aren’t you a sweet girl?”

  “Good morning,” Annie said. She didn’t recognize the woman but with many second homes on Heron Lake, she could be visiting for the weekend.

  “Good morning, it’s perfect weather for running and this trail is amazing.” She jogged in place as she talked. “Do you live here?”

  “Yes.” Annie turned and pointed to her home, just barely visible through the trees. “How about you?”

  The woman shook her head. “I’m here for the weekend, trying to patch up with my boyfriend but he’s not even answering his phone.” She shrugged. “I royally blew it and he took off in a big huff, saying he wanted to reconnect with his old pals from high school.”

  Annie froze when she heard those words. “What pals?”

  “Did you grow up around here?” She stopped her jogging and held her hand out. “Rachel.”

  “Annie, and yes, I grew up here.” She shook Rachel’s hand.

  “You look younger than my boyfriend. His name’s Brian. Brian Springer.”

  Annie couldn’t believe what she heard. What was she supposed to do now? She didn’t want to blurt out that Brian had been murdered. “Um . . . would you like to come in with me for some coffee or tea? My husband knew Brian.”

  “Oh, are you sure it’s no trouble?”

  Trouble? It was freaking Annie out but she had to do something. “Come on.”

  Roxy led the way with Rachel chatting as she and Annie followed. Annie didn’t hear one word that Rachel said, though, since her mind was spinning out of control.

  7

  Annie pulled her sweater off when the blast of heat inside her living room hit her cold cheeks. Rachel wore a thin running jacket that she dumped next to her sneakers near the door.

  Rachel rubbed her hands together. “Wow. This place is gorgeous. I’m staying with friends but their house is about the size of this whole room. I’m not complaining. The view is fantastic and, well, it’s a bed until I track down Brian. He must be really mad. He hasn’t even read the text messages I sent him.” She shrugged. “It’s not the first time.”

  “Tea or coffee?” Annie asked.

  “I hate to be any trouble, but do you have any herbal tea? I gave up caffeine.” She said the word, caffeine, like it was a type of deadly poison. “If not, a glass of water will be fine.”

  “No trouble. I have lemon and very berry herbal tea.”

  “Lemon, please.” Rachel walked around the room, looking at everything. There wasn’t a shy bone in her body. “Oh. Two cats. I love cats.” She plopped on the couch between Smokey and Snowball. Without waiting for the cats to approach on their own, she scooped up each one and pulled them onto her lap. Surprisingly, they tolerated Rachel—and each other—and made themselves comfortable while she stroked and cooed to them. They purred like two little motors while Annie moved to the kitchen to make tea and reheat her coffee.

  Annie returned, setting Rachel’s tea in front of her on the coffee table. “I’d let it cool a bit, if I were you,” she warned before she settled in a chair across from Rachel with her coffee. Jason’s office door was closed. Annie decided not to disturb him but deal with delivering the news about Brian on her own.

  “I need to tell you something, Rachel,” Annie began, wrapping her hands around her coffee mug, trying to find strength from something.

  “I see bad news written all over your face. Are you going to tell me he reconnected with his old girlfriend and I’m out of the picture?” Rachel stared at Annie without blinking. “To be honest, I’ve been afraid of this but I need to see her with my own eyes. Find out who stole his heart.”

  “I don’t know about that; there’s something else.”

  “So, he’s not with that Greta person?” Rachel laughed. “I overreacted when he s
aid he was going home for a Halloween party. As if that could be more important than spending the weekend with me.”

  Greta? Brian talked to Rachel about a girl from high school twenty years ago? Was he planning more than a visit with her? “No. He . . . I don’t know how to say this.” Annie drank some coffee to give herself time to figure out how to gently tell Rachel what happened. There really was no gentle way.

  “Rachel? Brian is dead. You probably should go to the police station and get the details there.” It all came out in one whoosh of words—not gentle, not sympathetic, but dumped out in a pile that oozed across the room.

  “What? Did he have a car crash? An allergic reaction?” Her voice took on a frantic tone. She slid to the edge of the couch, causing Smokey and Snowball to flee for a quieter spot. “How could he be dead? I talked to him, I don’t know, like, three or four days ago.”

  “I know this is a shock for you.”

  “A shock? I’m overwhelmed . . . blindsided . . . I don’t know . . . horrified . . . dazed.” Her arms flew in the air. She stood, scattering the two cats with angry yowls, and paced back and forth. “I can’t even get my head wrapped around what you just told me.” Annie glanced at the untouched tea and was thankful that Rachel hadn’t picked it up yet or it would be splashed all over something.

  Finally, Rachel sank back onto the couch. “Just tell me what happened. I have to know.” She buried her face in her hands.

  “Someone murdered Brian,” Annie said. She watched Rachel. There wasn’t much of a reaction. Was that because Rachel already knew or because the initial shock of hearing that Brian was dead drained all her emotions?

  “Murdered?” she mumbled into her hands. “Who would murder Brian?”

  Annie moved to the couch next to Rachel. She handed her the tea. “Drink a little.”

  Rachel’s trembling hands took the cup and she sipped the lemon tea.

  “You’ve know Brian for how long?”

  “Going on two years.”

  “Do you have any idea who might murder him?” Annie asked.