Cut to the Corpse (10 page)

So much for trying to loosen her up with small talk. Bonnie was as direct as a hammer on a thumb.

“Or I could just be here to buy stamps,” Brenna said.

“Stamps, right.”

She opened a drawer in the desk in front of her. She began sorting her stamps. She laid a few sheets out on the counter for Brenna to look over.

“He slept with my mother,” Bonnie said. “He was an immoral tomcat who destroyed anyone who got close to him.”

“I’m sorry,” Brenna said.

Red splotches bloomed in Bonnie’s cheeks, and Brenna couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger.

“It’s been three years since I’ve spoken to either him or my mother. Did he deserve to die? Yeah. Did I do it? I only wish.”

“So, you haven’t spoken to him?” Brenna asked.

“No,” Bonnie said. “And I told Chief Barker the same thing.”

“Do you know anyone else who was angry with him?” Brenna asked. She picked up a sheet of the mother and child stamps and studied them. They would make a lovely accent on some of the Italian papers Tenley had bought for the store.

“Any woman he took to bed and then dumped,” Bonnie said. “Which is probably what happened with little Miss Moneybags.”

Brenna met Bonnie’s gaze and asked, “What do you mean?”

Bonnie let out a pent-up sigh. “Simply that if Clue got it in his head that he was going to have her, she didn’t stand a chance.”

“But she’s marrying his best friend,” Brenna protested.

Bonnie gave her a look that said she was too dumb to cross the street without parental supervision.

“Jake and Clue have been attached at the hip since first grade. Jake has always looked out for Clue and kept him out of trouble. How do you think Clue felt about losing his wingman to the spoiled princess?”

Brenna was again reminded of the look she’d seen on Clue’s face when he looked at Tara on the night of the bachelorette party. He hated her.

“Not happy,” Brenna said.

“Yeah,” Bonnie agreed. “Clue was a master manipulator, and I’m guessing he maneuvered her into bed, convincing her that he was really the man for her, not Jake. Then when she found out that he did it just to ruin her marriage to Jake, she stabbed him.”

“Whoa,” Brenna said.

The door opened and Mr. Portnoy rushed in.

“Bonnie, I thought about it, and I want to put tracking on that package to my sister,” he said. “I can’t have two pounds of cheese going astray.”

“Certainly, Mr. Portnoy,” Bonnie said and then looked back at Brenna. “Are we finished here?”

“For now,” Brenna said. She handed Bonnie the cash for the stamps and put them in her purse. “Have a good day.”

“Yeah, right.”

Brenna stepped out of the post office into the bright morning light. The air was warm already and promised to be steamy by midday. The post office was on the opposite side of the town green from Vintage Papers, and Brenna could see that Tenley had already turned the Closed sign to Open on the front door. It was time to get to work.

She’d have to track down Clue’s other girlfriend, the stalker, later. She had a sinking feeling, though, that the information would be the same. And it made sense. If Clue was a womanizer, why wouldn’t he use his prowess on Tara and wreck her marriage to Jake, thus saving his friendship?

Because Jake would never forgive him, she thought. So, he wouldn’t be saving his friendship at all but destroying it for good. Why would he do that? Unless he was angry with Jake and feeling abandoned by him and figured he had nothing to lose.

Ugh.
Her head was beginning to hurt. Brenna crossed the street and took one of the cobbled walkways that led across the green. She inhaled the scent of the freshly mowed grass and tried to calm her mind. She could hear the tweet and twitter of the songbirds up in the trees, and the flower beds around the gazebo were a profusion of purple, pink, and white petunias.

It was a lovely day. Too bad Clue Parker wasn’t here to enjoy it, and if Tara was locked up for his murder, she wouldn’t be enjoying it either.

“Did you talk to Bonnie?” Tenley asked as soon as she stepped through the front door.

“Yep,” Brenna said. “She thinks Clue wooed Tara to break up the marriage and then when she found out the truth, she stabbed him.”

“Grisly,” Tenley said.

“Too grisly,” Brenna said. “I just don’t see it.”

“Me either,” Tenley agreed. “So, what next?”

“You tell me how dinner went with Matt,” Brenna said.

Tenley flushed a deep pink and Brenna clapped her hands.

“It went great, didn’t it? Are you going to see him again? Did you kiss him? Come on, dish!”

“He was a perfect gentleman,” Tenley said. She sounded annoyed by it. “But he did ask me if I’d like to do it again sometime.”

“And you said . . .”

“Yes. I said yes,” Tenley said.

“Good girl!” Brenna cheered.

A chime sounded from her purse. She flipped the top of her black backpack purse open and fished around for her cell phone.

“Hello?” she answered.

“So, how much obedience school is Hank going to need when I get back?”

“Hi,” Brenna said. She felt her own face grow warm at the sound of Nate’s voice. “I’ll have you know, I’ve been working on his table manners and other than his resistance to using a fork, he’s doing quite well.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep, the lack of an opposable thumb is a disadvantage, but he’s got the napkin on the lap thing down and even asks, well barks, to be excused.”

“Next you’ll have him doing dishes.”

“And if I succeed, you can’t have him back.”

“Is that Nate?” Tenley asked loud enough to be heard on the phone.

“Tell Tenley I said hi,” he said.

“He says hi,” Brenna said.

“Don’t forget to tell him about the murder,” Tenley said, leaning over the table and yelling into the receiver.

“Murder?” Nate asked. “What murder?”

“And that you found the body,” Tenley added.

“Brenna, what’s going on?” he asked. “What’s Tenley talking about?”

“It’s been a busy few days here in Morse Point,” she said.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine, better than Tara Montgomery in any event,” she said. She tried to ignore the fluttery feeling she got at the sound of concern in his voice. Of course he was concerned. She was his tenant. There had been a murder in town. He’d have to be a rock not to be concerned.

“Tara? The girl we saw holding hands with Jake Haywood on the green?” he asked.

Brenna was surprised he remembered, but then she realized not much got by Nate Williams and those piercing gray eyes of his.

“Yes, I found her in bed with Jake’s best friend Clue Parker, who was dead, stabbed in the chest. She was holding a knife.”

“Whoa,” Nate said. “Did Chief Barker take her in?”

“I believe she’s been questioned but not officially charged,” Brenna said.

“Oh, no,” he said.

“What?” she asked.

“You’ve got that tone of voice again,” he said.

“What tone of voice?”

Tenley broke out in a grin as if she knew Brenna was about to get lectured. She turned her back on Tenley to lean against the table and stare at the wall.

“That tone of voice that says you don’t think Tara did it and you’re going to prove it.”

“I don’t think you can get all of that out of a tone of voice,” she said.

“It’s the same voice you used on me when you decided I was innocent and you were going to help me whether I liked it or not.”

There was a pause while Brenna considered her words.

“I was right about you,” she said.

“You almost got yourself killed,” he countered.

She was silent. He was right, but she wasn’t about to admit it.

“I’ll be home the day after tomorrow,” he said. “Promise me you won’t do anything until I get back. I’ll even help you.”

“Where are you?” she asked. She didn’t mean to be intrusive: it just slipped out. To her surprise he answered right away, “Connecticut.”

“Oh,” she said. Now, of course, she had a million more questions, but no idea how to get them out without being rude. Sadly, Nate didn’t give her the chance.

“Remember,” he said. “You’re not to do anything until I get back.”

“Uh-huh, I’ll give Hank your love,” she said, and hung up. She was relieved that she hadn’t actually promised and couldn’t be held accountable for anything that might come up.

“You’re blushing,” Tenley said.

“It’s just hot in here,” Brenna argued.

“It’s seventy-four degrees.”

“Well, it feels like ninety,” Brenna said. “Now where were we?”

“Prepping for your class tonight,” Tenley said.

“Right,” Brenna said.

She dug into the bottom of the armoire and pulled out a bucket full of two-inch wooden blocks. They were going to make picture puzzles. She took several four-by-six-inch pictures of Hank and put them on the table. She needed six and she had one extra in case of an error. She laid out six blocks and then began cutting the pictures into two-by-six-inch strips.

“Block puzzles,” Tenley cried. “I love those.”

“Me, too,” Brenna agreed. She’d been making these for years and they were always a hit. If this one of Hank turned out well, she might just give it to Nate for his birthday; then again, she wasn’t sure when his birthday was. Maybe it could be a Christmas gift.

This picture of Hank featured him with his tongue hanging out while he begged for treats. Then again, maybe she’d keep it. After all, Nate got to keep Hank.

“How do you keep all of them straight?” Tenley asked.

“The key is to finish one picture, then turn the cubes to work on another picture. That way they don’t get mixed up and every picture is solvable.”

“So, with each side of the cubes being used, it’s six puzzles in one,” Tenley said.

“Exactly,” Brenna said.

“The class will love it.”

“I hope so,” Brenna said. “It’s going to take a couple of weeks to complete. I did tell everyone to bring pictures on thick paper—thin paper won’t work. If they don’t have enough, we could always use the old greeting cards we’ve collected.”

“I’m going to use my collection of daylily photos,” Tenley said. “A different-colored lily for each side, perfect for spring.”

“Oh, I like it,” Brenna said. “You know, if we made a bunch of them, we could sell them in the store.”

“I like the way you’re thinking.”

They worked quietly for the rest of the afternoon. Brenna ran home for an early dinner and decided to bring Hank back with her. She hoped Tenley wouldn’t mind, but she really felt Hank could use some company.

She brought his favorite chew toy, a squeaky duck, and his bed. As if aware that he was to be on his best behavior, Hank licked Tenley’s hand, took his duck, and retired to his bed in front of the window.

The bells jangled on the front door and in trooped Brenna’s first students, Marie and Ella Porter. She smiled at the two ladies as they made their way to the refreshment cart.

“Any news?” Ella asked. Her look was sly, and Brenna wondered what she was thinking.

“Meaning?” Brenna asked.

“Are you making any progress asking questions about Clue Parker?” Marie asked as she loaded a plate with cheese and crackers and took a seat at the table.

“What makes you think I’m asking questions about him?”

Ella raised her eyebrows in a smug look. “Elijah Portnoy saw you talking to Bonnie in the post office when he was mailing that big block of cheese to his sister. Everyone knows that Clue broke her heart by sleeping with her mother. If you weren’t asking her about Clue what were you doing?”

“Buying stamps,” Brenna said.

Marie made a clucking sound. “Of course you were.”

Luckily, Sarah Buttercomb from the bakery chose that moment to arrive, bearing a big pink box full of goodies.

The ladies crowded around the refreshment tray while she unloaded macaroons, éclairs, and an assortment of petit fours.

Brenna gave Sarah a one-armed hug. “Have I told you lately how much I love that you’re taking my class?”

Sarah laughed and Lillian Page, who had just arrived, teased, “Teacher’s pet!”

“Bring me chocolate,” Brenna said. “I have enough love for everyone.”

The bells on the door jangled again and in walked Margie Haywood, Jake’s mother. An unnatural hush fell over the group as if no one knew quite what to say.

“You’re just in time, Margie,” Brenna said. She was determined to treat her as if nothing was different. “Sarah brought éclairs. I know how much you like those.”

Margie smiled her thanks at Brenna. Meanwhile, Tenley loaded a plate for her and helped her to her seat.

“I hope you all remembered to bring in some photos,” Brenna said. “If not, I have pictures you can use. But here is what we’re going to be working on.”

It had taken her all afternoon, and she still had to put the finish on the cubes, but in essence the project was done. She put the pieces on the table and demonstrated how the block puzzles worked. A buzz of interest filled the room, and Brenna was grateful. She knew this was a project her students could use again and again.

They spent the next two hours happily cutting and pasting and snacking their way through the evening. Even Margie managed a small smile or two. The class was just cleaning up after themselves when Ella called from the refreshment table, “Hey, who finished off the macaroons?”

“Not me,” Marie said. “I don’t like coconut.”

“Well, I could have sworn there was a whole plateful here a minute ago and now they’re all gone,” Ella said. “You know there’s no need to go making a pig out of yourself, ladies.”

A belch sounded.

Everyone glanced around the room to catch the culprit with the bad manners. Another belch sounded, and this time, Brenna knew it came from the shaggy blond sitting by the window.