Deadline (25 page)

Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Deadline

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Toots swallowed the last of her coffee, rinsed her cup, and placed it on the top rack of the dishwasher. Upstairs, she took a quick shower, then crawled between the cool sheets. Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was,
I don't even want a cigarette.

Epilogue

Two weeks later

B
ernice sat at the kitchen table, delighted at the changes she'd made already. With Mavis and Goebel's help, she'd lost twelve pounds, her sugar cravings were all but gone, and she was going to the rehabilitation center every day for her physical therapy. Yes, she was sore, and yes, she wished she'd taken better care of herself, but it was what it was. She was doing everything in her power to make the best of the situation.

“You'll love this new herbal tea. It's full of antioxidants, plus it actually tastes good,” Jamie said as she served Bernice her breakfast. She'd let Lucy open the bakery today just so she could spend some quality time with her ladies.

The entire gang, as they'd recently started referring to themselves, gathered around the table for breakfast. All had agreed to let Mavis and Jamie prepare a healthy breakfast. Jamie wanted to start offering a healthy choice at The Sweetest Things, and today they were all going to act as guinea pigs.

“You all have to try one of everything,” Mavis insisted as she placed a large platter of breakfast meats in the center of the table. “Promise?”

“Yeah, we promise. Now let's get on with it,” Sophie said in her usual crass manner. She hadn't been allowed her normal dose of caffeine, and it showed. “It's one thing to do without coffee, but Toots and I are down to three cigarettes a day. Toots wants to hook up with Dr. Becker. That's why she's quitting.”

“Kiss my ass, Sophie. You know that's not true!” Toots flipped her the bird.

Sophie shot her one back.

“Talking about hooking up, have you heard anything from Abby about what's with her and Chris?” Sophie asked Toots.

“No, I have not. And, to answer your next question, No, I am not going to ask her. If there's anything to tell us, one way or the other, she'll do so when she thinks it's time. And don't you dare push her about this. She was feeling bad enough about the situation when Chris was missing. So there, Miss Psychic America.”

“It's okay, sweet thing. You're gonna like this stuff.” Goebel patted Sophie's hand.

“Sweet thing?” Toots said. “I, for one, would never refer to Sophie as âsweet thing.' ”

“Good, because I don't want to ever hear you calling me that either? Is that clear?”

“Jamie, let's hurry up so we can dose Soph with a pot of caffeine. She's anything but sweet.” Toots wanted a real cup of coffee, too, but they'd all promised to try herbal tea first.

“Patience, Toots, patience. Good things come to those who wait. I'm the perfect example,” Jamie said.

And she was. She'd turned The Sweetest Things into one of the hottest bakeries in Charleston. People stood in line for hours for a batch of her pralines. Toots was so proud of her. She'd continued to live in the guesthouse with Toots's blessing. She and Bernice were like two peas in a pod. Jamie was the daughter Bernice always wanted, and Bernice filled the void that Jamie's grandmother's passing had left.

“What is this?” Ida wrinkled her nose in distaste. “It's ... off-color.”

“We're not telling you until you try it. That was the deal. Now let me fill your plates.” Mavis was in her glory. Healthy living had truly become a way of life for her, which was ironic when you thought about it. She'd created a small dynasty with her line of clothing, Good Mourningâclothes you could wear
after the event.

“Come on, ladies, let's quit yakking and get to work. I, for one, am hungry,” Goebel said.

Mavis forked a slice of the off-color meat onto their plates. All but Goebel hesitated before biting into the strip of unknown meat product. They seemed surprised when they realized they weren't eating flavored rubber.

“This is really good. I'm surprised.” Ida reached for another slice.

“It's soy bacon,” Jamie said. “Not bad, huh?”

For the next hour, they tried all the delectables Jamie and Mavis plied them with. Though Sophie wasn't too thrilled with the gluten-free blueberry muffins, Ida loved them. Toots was impressed with the arrays of meat that weren't actually meat, but tasted like meat. Bernice liked it all, as did Goebel.

“So, there's something out there for everybody. Do we agree on that?” Jamie asked as she cleared the dishes.

“Yes, we do, but I for one will never give up real coffee. That herbal tea is nice, but I need that extra jolt of caffeine,” Sophie said for the umpteenth time.

The phone rang. None of them seemed to care, and let the answering machine pick up. When Toots heard Abby's voice on the answering machine, she hurried over to take the call before she hung up. “Abby, you still there?”

“Mom, thank God you're there. You're never going to believe what just happened.”

“Well, from the sound of your voice, I'd say it's exciting.”

“That crackpot doctor you wanted to hook Bernice up with has just been arrested for murder!”

“Ohmygod, are you serious? Never mind, of course you're serious. What and who and why?” Toots placed her hand over the phone and repeated what Abby had just relayed to her.

They had told Bernice about the doctor, the sÃ©ance, and the ghost box. She'd told them all she thought they were full of it, but was glad Dr. Becker had been around. She then accused Toots of trying to have her killed. They'd all laughed at the time, but now it was no laughing matter.

“It's who, what, when, where, why, and how. You'd never make it in the newspaper business, Mom.”

“Abby, before you tell me about Dr. Lowery, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. I've wanted to for a very, very long time, but suddenly I find the time is right. You just said I would never make it in the newspaper business, right?”

Abby laughed. “Yes. So?”

Toots looked at Abby's godmothers, Bernice, and Goebel. If Abby rejected her, she would need them, need a shoulder to cry on, someone to tell her she wasn't the most wicked mother alive. They would be there, she knew that. She just hoped she wouldn't need them for that particular reason.

“Remember when your old boss sold the paper and ran off with the money?”

“How could I forget? Of course I remember. He hasn't been found to this day. Actually, I was going to talk to Goebel about him. I'd like to find him and tell him exactly what I think of him. So, what's that have to do with anything?”

“It was me, Abby.” There! After two long years, she'd finally come clean, told Abby the truth, come out of the closet.

“What was you, Mom? You're talking in circles.”

Toots guessed she was really going to have to spell it out for Abby. Taking a deep breath and offering up a quick prayer, Toots lowered her voice, then spoke into the phone. “It's me Abby. I'm the face behind
The Informer.
”

Silence.

More silence.

“Abby? Are you there?”

Still more silence.

“Say that again, Mom, because I'm sure I didn't hear you,” Abby said slowly.

“I said I'm the face behind
The Informer.
It's me, Abby. I bought the paper so you could have a job. When I heard what that traitor did, I had to do something. I knew you didn't want to go back to work at the
Los Angeles Times,
and you didn't want to move back to Charleston, so I did what any decent mother would do.” Toots looked at the group gathered around the table. All of them, even Goebel, gave her a thumbs-up.

Encouraged, she went on. “I knew if you found out I bought the paper, you'd quit, and end up with a job you didn't like. I had to do this, Abby.”

“Wow.” Abby's voice was barely a whisper.

“Abby, talk to me. Tell me you don't hate me. Tell me you understand,” Toots pleaded with her daughter.

“Mom, it's okay. Truly. I'm just shocked. Hell I'm floored, but not in a bad way. I can't believe I didn't find out. All this time, and you never once let on. Do the three Gs know? Shit, of course they know, what I am thinking. They know, right?”

“Of course. They've known since day one. It's part of the reason they came with me to California.”

“It is?”

“Yes. We thought we might have to work there. I really don't know what I thought except I didn't want you to be unhappy. That was my main motivation. Can you forgive me?”

Tears were rolling down Toots's face. If her relationship with Abby was seriously damaged, she would totally lose it.

“Mom, come on! I'm not three years old! I can't believe you'd go to such lengths. Oh, what am I saying. Of course you would go to whatever length necessary to see that I was happy. Oh, Mom, I'm not angry at all. I'm honored that you would do something so phenomenally, fabulously, off the wall just to make me happy. There isn't another mother in the world who would do something so gigantically crazy. Why should I be angry? I'm humbled and bowled over, but angry? No way.”

Toots had been worried for nothing. Abby truly was her father's daughter.

“Abby Simpson, you're the absolute best daughter a mother could ever ask for. Have I told you that lately?”

“Tell me again,” Abby said.

“You're the absolute best daughter a mother could ever ask for.”

“Thanks, Mom. I know you did it because you love me, truly.”

“You've got that right, Abby,” Toots said, her eyes filling with tears.

“So you still want to know the who, what, when, where and why?” Abby asked her.

“I'm all ears,” Toots said.

“It seems Dr. Lowery and Maximillian Jorgenson's personal physician had something in common. They both had a thing for the same woman, who just happens to be dead. She was found in her apartment by a neighbor last night. Seems the good Dr. Lowery's fingerprints were all over the place.”

“Oh my God! Sophie did it again!” Toots said.

“What did I do this time? Please, tell me. I want to know,” Sophie asked.

“Abby, can you hold on? I've got to tell the others.”

“Sure.”

“Dr. Bruce Lowery, our own
DBL,
has just been arrested for murder, Sophie. That's what you did, old girl. You used your God-given talent to identify a killer. Again,” Toots said.

Sophie was all smiles. Without waiting for him to make the first move, Sophie wrapped her arms around Goebel. “You want to see what color my toothbrush is?”

Goebel actually blushed. “I thought you'd never ask.” “Wait, not yet. Don't go anywhere, Sophie. Abby, I'm going to put the phone down, but I want you to listen, imagine that you're here, okay?”

“Okay, I'm there,” Abby said.

“I think this calls for the old high-school handshake.” Toots positioned the phone so Abby wouldn't miss a sound.

Without another word, Toots placed a hand on the table. Sophie laid hers on top, followed by Mavis, then Ida. Then without being asked but knowing it was the right moment, Bernice placed her hand on the top of the pile.

“On the count of three ... one ... two ... three ... When you're good, you're good!”

Goebel's Quick Strawberry Jam

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
4Â½ cups of white sugar
Â¼ cup of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berries. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to four hot, sterile jars, leaving Â¼ to Â½ inch head space, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing and just refrigerate.

KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.

119 West 40
^thStreet

New York, NY 10018

Fern Michaels is a Registered Trademark of First Draft, Inc.

Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011937863

ISBN: 978-0-7582-7890-6