Death by Coffee (16 page)

Mason looked longingly at his Tree Burger. If anyone should be accused of trying to kill people with their food, it was Judith.

“Go,” she snarled, her attention back to me. “Never come back.”

With a sigh Mason rose. “Let’s go,” he said. “I’ve lost my appetite, anyway.”

I took one last bite of my meal, tossed the remains onto my plate, and then hurried out of J&E’s before Judith could strangle me with her apron. She looked mean enough to do it.

“Is everyone in this town insane?” I muttered, walking back to Mason’s car.

To my surprise, right then, he laughed. “They might be.” He opened his car door and ducked inside. “They very well might be.”

19

Unpacking is a chore best left for someone else. I managed to unpack my clothes and Misfit’s kitty treats before I called it a night. I couldn’t focus on the job and, quite frankly, I was beginning to wonder if living out of boxes was really so bad. I could always get things out when I needed them and then put them away afterward.

Misfit was curled up on the couch, watching me with one eye as I sagged into my recliner. What I really wanted to do was talk to Heidi Lawyer to find out what man she’d been sleeping with. Once I had that bit of information, I was sure everything else would fall into place.

“What do you think?” I asked the half-comatose cat. He kicked out with one back foot and turned his head away from me.

“Fine,” I said, rising. I couldn’t sit there anymore, doing nothing. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

I made sure to fill Misfit’s bowl with fresh water and sprinkled a few treats onto the counter for when he woke up. If I didn’t, he’d tear into the box himself and I’d have a bigger mess to deal with later.

I was pretty sure Heidi would be home this time of night. It wasn’t so late that she would be in bed, but not so early that she’d be out working—though to do that so soon after her husband’s death would be pretty callous, if you asked me. It was odd how Pine Hills seemed to shut down earlier than the rest of the world. Is that what small-town living was all about?

I was about to get into my car when headlights from another vehicle came down the street. The car hesitated just in front of the Phan driveway before continuing down to my own, where the little car parked behind me. Jules Phan got out, wearing a startling pink suit with a polka-dotted tie.

“Hi, Krissy,” he said as he approached. “You looked like you needed someone to talk to.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “You could see that from all the way over there?” I indicated the end of his driveway with a nod of my head.

He chuckled. “Well, I’ve seen you around town and you’ve looked . . .
upset?
I’m not sure that’s the right word.”

I sighed and leaned against my car. “I suppose I have been. A lot has been going on lately.”

“About Brendon?”

I nodded. “I know I shouldn’t get involved, but I’m positive someone killed him. This wasn’t an accident. If I could just put all of the pieces together, I know I’d be able to crack this thing wide open.”

Jules was giving me a wide-eyed look. “So you are positive he’s been murdered? I haven’t heard anything about it.” He gave me an embarrassed smirk. “Well, I’ve heard things around town, but you know how some of the ladies gossip.” His gaze traveled to Eleanor’s house. A curtain swished closed.

My jaw tightened as I remembered all the nice things Eleanor Winthrow had been telling the Banyons about me. I forced a smile and pushed my anger away. There was no use getting bent out of shape about it. It would all work out okay in the end.

“I’m pretty sure he was,” I said. “He never would have forgotten his EpiPen.” I paused. “But I don’t have any proof, really.”

Jules nodded slowly. He looked mildly uncomfortable. He kept looking back at his house like he thought it might be the only place he’d be safe.

Finally he sighed and gave me a sad smile. “It is terrible, no matter what happened,” he said. He glanced once more at his house. “Well, I best get home. Maestro is probably having a fit right about now. He’ll need to be let out.”

“Sure,” I said. I could tell what he really wanted to do was walk away from the conversation, but I let his excuse slide. If I wasn’t so involved in the case already, I might feel the same.

Jules started to get into his car, but I stopped him as another thought hit me.

“Hey, Jules,” I said.

“Hmm?”

“Do you happen to know if Heidi Lawyer was seeing anyone outside of her husband?” It was a stab in the dark, but Jules Phan seemed pretty in touch with the pulse of the town. It might save me a trip.

He thought about it a moment, tapping a finger on his chin. I noted the nail was polished pink, with little yellow smiley faces.

“Sorry,” he said with a shake of his head. “If she was, then she’s kept it pretty secret. I’ve heard nothing of the sort.”

“Thanks.”

Jules got into his car as I slid into my own. He backed out, honked once, and then headed for his own driveway.

I sat there a moment longer, thinking. Heidi had done a pretty good job of concealing her relationship, which seemed to be a hard thing to do in a town like this. It was a wonder a memo hadn’t been sent to the local gossip club. She’d been far more careful with her indiscretion than her husband had been.

I started up the car and backed down the drive. If the rumor mill didn’t know whom she’d cheated with, then I’d just have to go and ask her.

Apprehension for what I was about to do built up as I got closer to the Lawyer residence. Heidi was a wreck—which was totally understandable—and I hated having to ask her more questions, but it seemed like I was the only person asking them. Sure, it would probably be best if I let the police handle it, but I’d seen nothing that led me to believe they would do anything about my theories.

By the time I pulled up in front of the Lawyer house, it was starting to get dark. A light was on inside and the driveway was clear. I got out of the car, mentally prepping myself to ask the hard questions as I strode toward the door. This was going to be difficult, to say the least.

I rapped on the door, forgoing the doorbell. A moment later the door opened and Regina Harper appeared. Her face instantly turned a deep shade of purple.

“I thought I told you to leave us alone,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I just need to talk to Heidi for one second.” I tried to look past her, but Regina moved to stand in my way.

“Go,” she said. “If you ever come back here, I’ll have you arrested.”

It seemed like a lot of people were saying that lately. How could Raymond Lawyer hate this woman as much as he did when the two of them thought so much alike? Maybe getting the both of them together would be like an anger time bomb that increased in power the closer they were to one another.

“Please,” I said. Then on a whim I shouted past her, “Heidi! Are you there?”

“Get out!” Regina shouted. She actually pushed me hard on the shoulder, which surprised me, considering how it could have damaged one of her nails.
“Now.”

“Mom . . . let her in. It’s okay.” Heidi sounded like she’d been crying. Again. With a mother like Regina Harper, I’d probably cry a lot, too.

Despite her daughter’s words, Regina steadfastly refused to move. She lowered her voice and gave me a glare I was sure she’d used on her daughter a million times. It could have scared the bear Mason talked out right back into its cave, but I refused to be swayed.

“You’ve done enough,” she hissed at me. “I’m tired of you snooping around, making my daughter’s life miserable. Can’t you just let it go?”

“No,” I said. “I can’t.”

And then I went for broke.

Regina was wearing heels and wasn’t a big woman by any stretch of the imagination. I might not be in the best shape in the world, but I was wearing tennis shoes and was determined. I rushed forward and pushed past the older woman before she could stop me. She grabbed my arm with an insulted gasp. I jerked away, earning myself a couple of scrapes from her nails, though only one of them bled.

“Heidi?” I called, hurrying into the house. I found her sitting in the living room, red-faced. She looked so weary, I felt guilty for disturbing her, but I had to know.

“Get out! Get out! Get out!” Regina stormed into the room, took one look at the pleading eyes of her daughter, and then threw up her hands before storming right back out.

“I’m sorry about my mom,” Heidi said. Her voice was husky from all of the crying. And probably some of the shouting she’d more than likely done lately. I couldn’t imagine she’d sit back and let her mom treat her like that without ever fighting back. “She’s only trying to look out for me.”

I immediately wondered how far Regina would go to protect her daughter, but I didn’t voice the thought. I didn’t need to be pointing fingers when I didn’t have any proof, especially while Heidi was so miserable. She didn’t need to think her mother might have killed her husband, even if it was true.

“Heidi, I have to know. Who did you cheat on your husband with?” I spit it out fast, hoping the bluntness of the question would cause her to answer automatically.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The look she gave me was one of a wild animal, trapped in a corner with no way out. Her eyes brimmed over with tears and she buried her face in her hands.

“I can’t. Brendon . . . I’m so sorry.” Sobs wracked her body.

I bit my lip. The right thing to do would be to go over and comfort her and then leave without asking any more painful questions. If I hadn’t already dismissed Heidi as a suspect, I would have now. Sure, it could be guilt that was causing her to act like this, but I didn’t believe it. She genuinely missed her husband.

“Heidi,” I said, forcing myself to go on. Sometimes you just have to press forward, even if you don’t want to. It might be the only chance I’d get. “Who was it? Could he have hurt Brendon?”

She shook her head and continued to sob. The woman was a total mess and I was only making it worse. I wasn’t even sure she was shaking her head because she didn’t think the guy could have hurt her husband or if she was simply refusing to answer. As far as I knew, she was no longer hearing anything I said.

I knelt in front of her and squeezed her knee. “I know it’s hard,” I said. “But if there is even a chance this person could have killed Brendon, I need to know.” I paused. “The police need to know,” I amended.

As if on cue, I heard sirens in the distance. Regina entered the room with a smile.

“I estimate you have about two minutes.”

I shot her a glare and then turned back to Heidi. “Please,” I said, “just tell me.”

“Leave her alone. You’ve done enough.”

Heidi covered her ears and continued to shake her head. There was no way I was going to get anything out of her, so I turned to her mother, instead.

“Who did she cheat on Brendon with?”

Regina showed me her teeth in a feral snarl. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“And if it solves the murder?”

“I don’t care. Whoever killed the man deserves a medal.”

“Mom!” Heidi sobbed even harder.

It was then I began to wonder what Regina had been saying to her daughter before I’d gotten there. The poor woman had already been in tears when I arrived, as if her mom had been doing or saying something Heidi didn’t want to hear. Could she have been confessing to the murder? Had she been trying to force her daughter to forget about Brendon and run off and marry some rich guy who could support the both of them? I had no way of knowing, and asking would get me nowhere.

“I’ll find out,” I said. “Either from you or from someone else.”

“It’ll be hard from your jail cell.” Regina glanced at the gold watch on her wrist. “Less than a minute.”

I cursed silently and took one last imploring glance at Heidi. She was in no condition to acknowledge my presence anymore.

I started for the door, figuring I best cut my losses before the police arrived, but Regina stood in my way.

“I don’t think so,” she said.

The sirens were getting closer and were moving fast. I’m not sure what she’d told the cops to get them to hurry so much, but I imagine it couldn’t have been good for my image. Despite the fact I was the one who was bleeding, I was pretty sure Regina would say I’d attacked her on my way in.

“Let me go,” I said. I took a step to go past her and she moved to stand in my way. I could easily shove her over, what with her small size and heels, but that would only put me in more hot water.

“No.”

“Mom!”

The sirens reached a crescendo and a cruiser tore into the driveway like the place was on fire. The car door opened and footsteps hurried to the door. I could hear the jangling of keys. I prayed the officer on duty would be Paul Dalton. He’d defuse the situation without arresting me for something I didn’t do.

“Mrs. Harper? Mrs. Lawyer? Are you okay?”

I recognized the voice. It was definitely not Paul.

“She’s still in here,” Regina called. “The door’s open. Hurry before she escapes.”

“Escapes?”
I gasped. I was just standing there, without a weapon, without any attempt to run. She was acting as if she’d caught me in the middle of ransacking the place.

The door opened and Officer Buchannan came in. He took one look at me and his face erupted into a savage grin.

“Well, well, well,” he said. “Looks like you can’t seem to stay out of trouble.” He reached into a pocket and came out with a zip strip. “Please turn around.” His smile was as victorious as Regina’s.

I wanted to argue, to tell him what had really happened, but then again, what really happened was that I’d arrived uninvited, forced my way into the house, past the older woman, to ask Heidi painful questions about an active police case. Was there any possible way I could spin this and
not
make myself look like an idiot?

I turned and put my hands behind my back. Officer Buchannan read me my rights as he grabbed my wrists a little harder than he needed to and zipped me up. He leaned forward so that when he spoke, I could feel his hot breath on my neck. It smelled vaguely of tacos.

“Let’s go,” he said, spinning me around. And then, to himself more than me, he added. “Oh, I am
so
going to love this.”