Organize Your Corpses (14 page)

“Did you say yesterday? Right. Oh yeah, she was screeching her head off for a while. Did Icy Inez ask what happened?”

“No.”

The girl gently set the dogs on the ground. She jumped to her feet and brushed off the seat of her jeans. “You think they’d want to know what set her off. That poor Olivia’s like a volcano lately.”

“I think it has to do with her cousin’s death.”

“She’s not that stable at the best of times. Brain damage. Not as bad as Gabe, but bad enough.”

“I asked her about another cousin and that’s all it took. I didn’t intend any harm.”

“I know it’s superstitious to say, but maybe it’s the full moon. Or winter’s coming. Gabriel has been so agitated this past couple of days too. The usual tactics weren’t enough to soothe him.”

“All I know is, Olivia just got hysterical. Her caregiver was standing next to me. She blamed it all on me.”

“Francie? She’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She gets everything wrong. She had a couple of shifts with Gabriel before she got switched to Olivia. Never even got his name right. It always took me days to get him back to normal.”

“She seems kind enough.”

“She’s freakin’ useless. People like Gabriel and Olivia need attention. Someone to talk to them, help them to use their brains, make them laugh, treat them like human beings. They need to live lives, not just spend time cooped up with someone who’s no better than a sleepy . . . zookeeper.”

“I guess the main idea is to keep Olivia happy and alive.”

“Happy, yes. Alive, I’m not so sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think? Olivia’s an unpredictable, high-maintenance patient. Even though she pays through the nose, they have to work their buns off to keep her quiet and content. And she’s got a huge personal fortune that she’s supposed to be leaving a major chunk of to the Stone Wall Farm Foundation.”

“I’d heard that.”

“It will probably happen now that she doesn’t have any relatives left to keep an eye on her.”

“What do you mean?”

“That cousin, Helen, the one who was killed, she had a big argument with Inez about it. Called them gold-digging, money-grubbing thugs. I’m not kidding.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, and she told Inez not to count on getting her filthy hands on the money. Loud enough for everyone to hear.”

“And now Helen’s dead.”

“That’s what I’m getting at.”

“When did Inez and Helen have that argument?”

“Let me think. Last week. Tuesday? Maybe even Wednesday. One or the other, because those were the only days I was working. Does it matter?”

“It might. I’m sure you’ve heard that Helen died sometime last Wednesday night and the police think it was foul play.”

Her jaw dropped. “Foul play?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No one mentioned that at Stone Wall Farm. I’ve been so busy studying for my courses. I got exams coming up in December and I don’t even turn on the TV.”

“I wonder if the police know about this argument.”

She shook her head. “I think Inez is a miserable cold fish, like she fired me without a blink. But it’s just a job for her. It’s not personal. And she wouldn’t get the money herself anyhow. If you’re suggesting that she might have killed . . . Are you?”

“Okay, it sounds crazy. But some very strange things have happened and I’m trying to understand what’s going on. Now I’m worried about Olivia.”

She shook her purple head. “The poor lady’s so damaged. She’s like a great big old doll that likes to misbehave for attention. She’s a bit spoiled if you haven’t noticed. But I don’t think Inez would hurt Olivia. Nobody at Stone Wall Farm would.”

I did my best to gather up Truffle and Sweet Marie, who had developed a major crush on Lilith. “I’d better get home. I have plenty of work to do.”

“Thanks for talking to me. It’s pretty cool for a stranger to care a bit.”

I smiled at her. “You’ll be fine, Lilith.”

Her purple hair stood straight up and defiant. “Yeah, I can always get another job and continue my courses. But who the hell’s going to care for Gabriel?”

While she worried about that, I’d be worrying whether she was right about Inez Vanclief.

9

Jack wore his best little-boy grin. He held out the extra-large box of pizza from El Greco.

“It followed me home,” he said. “Can we eat it?”

Well, Truffle and Sweet Marie sure thought we could.

Jack headed straight for my kitchen without waiting for an answer. I noticed he had a bottle of wine precariously cradled in his arm.

“I know you prefer the nutritional properties of the all-chocolate evening meal,” he called back over his shoulder. “But real food won’t kill you for once.”

I knew real food wouldn’t kill me. I had a freezer full of the stuff: broccoli, cauliflower, crunchy green beans, corn, okra, and spinach. That’s all fine until a pizza prances through your front door. The veggies were already frozen. They’d keep.

“I got extra anchovies, because I know you love them. They’ll be good for your brain. You just relax. I’ll do
everything
,” Jack said, meaning he’d cut the pizza wedges.

Truffle and Sweet Marie joined him in the kitchen. I stayed on the sofa with no intention of moving. “Do I hear the crash of crockery?”

“I know it’s fancy, but you’re worth it. Maybe we should even use napkins.”

“What a catch you turned out to be,” I said. “I hope word doesn’t get out to the single female community. You’ll be chased through town by women in white dresses and veils. Watch out for any that say, ‘Tick, tick, tick.’”

“How about some wine?” Jack said. “Your choice: red or red?”

“I’ll go with the red.”

“Your wish is my et cetera.”

As we made ourselves comfortable in the living room, I had to ask, “What exactly is it we’re celebrating?”

“We’re just having dinner together. But I suppose we could celebrate. What did you have in mind?”

“Maybe how lucky we are.”

Jack raised his glass. “To lucky us.”

I raised mine.

He said, “I’m glad you’re feeling cheerful again, Charlotte. You’ve been pretty glum since, well . . .”

“That was before I saw firsthand how much worse off some people are.”

Jack nodded. “We’re warm and dry with plenty to eat—in fact, way too many anchovies. We have cuddly creatures and a choice of wine, within limits.”

“And we don’t need to rely on caregivers. We’re not in pain. Our minds are working more or less clearly.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jack said, refilling the glasses.

“We haven’t just been fired.”

“Whoa. Back up, lady. I must have missed a chapter.”

“I guess I didn’t tell you about Lilith. She was working at Stone Wall Farm, caring for a wheelchair-bound man. She got the axe for no reason.”

“How do you know it was for no reason?”

“Personal experience. I might have had my doubts, except remember how I was treated.”

“Right. But you don’t really know why this Lilith lost her job. Maybe she didn’t take good care of her patient.”

I thought back to Lilith’s face as she talked to Gabriel. The gentle way she’d pushed the hair from his eyes. How she’d listened to him, found the meaning in his garbled words. And smiled like she meant it.

“She really cares about Gabriel. She’s probably the only person in Stone Wall Farm who does.”

“Did you say Gabriel? Huh. I wonder if that was Gabe Young.”

“Who’s Gabe Young?”

“Don’t you remember? Tall, dark-haired kid. Very intense. He was a year behind us at St. Jude’s.”

I shook my head.

“He lived over in the Forest Glen area on one of those eternal crescents.”

“I think I remember him, vaguely. I don’t have any recollection of the accident. I must have been on tour with my mother.”

“And you weren’t into basketball anyway. I knew Gabe from the team,” Jack said. “He was amazing. He would have ended up with a sports scholarship, no question about it. He was working hard to make sure it happened. Then his car got hit by a trucker who’d been on the road for twenty-six hours. Two other kids died, and Gabe was in a coma for a long time. I didn’t even realize he was still alive.”

“Maybe it’s the same guy. Except, if his family has enough money to keep him in Stone Wall Farm with private care, he wouldn’t have needed a scholarship.”

Jack said, “I think that money came from the lawsuit over his injuries. Serious money in that settlement with the trucking company. You going to eat the rest of that pizza? No, not you, Truffle. You’ve had enough. Oh all right, just one more anchovy. So Gabe Young is at Stone Wall Farm.”

“Go ahead, Jack. Take the last three pieces. I have an idea about how you can earn them.”

“What do you mean earn them? I brought this pizza and that wine you’re swilling.”

“Please don’t introduce the word ‘swill’ into the conversation.” I smiled and slipped an anchovy each to Truffle and Sweet Marie.

Jack sniffed his glass. “What are you getting at? There’s nothing the matter with this. It was on special. Two for one. What?”

“It’s definitely time for you to pay a visit to Gabriel Young at Stone Wall Farm.”

“Sounds like a plan. I should go check up and see how he is doing. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Definitely tomorrow.”

 
Kristee smothered a yawn as I pushed open the door to Kristee’s Kandees at ten the next morning. The bell jingled, and she straightened up and attempted a smile.

“Well, Charlotte Adams. Twice in one week. You plan on gaining more weight?”

What did she mean
more
weight? I made a mental note to find another chocolate shop with a more congenial owner, even if I had to drive to Poughkeepsie.

“Just stocking up on gifts,” I said evenly.

She yawned again. “Excuse me, Charlotte. I’m just bushed lately. Can’t wait to get to bed, but that’ll be past midnight. What can I get you today?”

She did have circles under her eyes. And a bit of icing sugar in her hair. It drew attention to the fact her roots were showing, I was pleased to note.

“I’ll start with your black and white fudge,” I said. “A dozen pieces.”

“Fresh out of it, I’m afraid. I can’t keep up with demand.”

“People love that stuff.”

“Lucky for me. But Thanksgiving’s coming and people are stocking up for that. Then Christmas will be right behind it. Another six weeks of this. That’s why I’m so tired. I’ve been up half the night catching up.”

“All right. I’ll have a couple of gift packs of your special truffles, dark, white and milk chocolate. So business must be going well.”

“Yes and no. Some people don’t want to come uptown after that shooting on the road last week. How dumb is that? So I have to run around delivering orders to my good customers. I am putting a ton of mileage on my van. I don’t know how much longer I can keep that up. I charge ’em for delivery but it takes my time.”

Kristee reached for her tongs and began to pick up the chocolates and pop them into the open boxes. She might be mean and petty, but I loved to see the reverent way she handled each piece. Kristee stood for quality. “Not just that, but I’ve had a couple of setbacks. The memorial reception just about cleaned me out.”

“That’s good news, isn’t it?”

“Yes and no. Good for cash flow. But I have to have stock for my other customers if I want to hang onto them.”

My mind had begun to race. An organizational problem. The type I like to sink my teeth into. “You said a couple of setbacks. What else happened?”

“I had this dumb prank call last week. It cost me half a day’s business.” She snapped the tops on the boxes with a bit more emphasis than necessary.

“You’re kidding. How?”

“They said my mom was taken to the hospital. So I’m here by myself, and I had to close up and race all the way up to Troy. It was hours before I figured out Ma wasn’t in the hospital at all. I found her home watching her stupid afternoon soaps. She won’t answer the phone when they’re on. How nuts is that? What a horrible day that was.”

“I’ve been getting crank calls too, but that’s horrible. Who would play such a rotten trick?”

“You got me there. Could have been worse. At least my mom was okay. That’s all I need is another funeral to deal with at this time of year.”

I guess I stood there with my mouth hanging open. Kristee interpreted it to mean that I was drooling over the fudge.

“I’ll get it for you in a second. Yeah, that prank call set me right back. Ah heck, I messed up that bow. I’m still that upset I guess.” She tossed the botched bow into the wastebasket and started again. This time she got it right.

I said, “I’m glad your mom wasn’t really in the hospital, but you have to wonder who would think that was funny.”

Kristee shrugged. “I’d blame it on the competition, but I really don’t have any. The homemade fudge and dessert business is not exactly on the radar of any corporation.”

“I guess you need some extra help to get you over the hump.”

“You volunteering?” Kristee smirked.

“Not me. I’ve got a new business to run,” I said with a weak grin.

“No man in your life, right? I heard your fiancé left you high and dry.”

I didn’t rise to the bait. How could I have forgotten how bitchy Kristee was? How could someone with that kind of tongue make confections that were fit for the gods?

“I have plenty to do. And
lots and lots
of friends,” I said.

Kristee yawned again.

I said, “But you should be able to find someone to help you.”

“I don’t let anybody but me make the product.” She gestured toward the back from where the smell of chocolate was wafting seductively. “Just need someone to work the counter with the public. But who wants to be on call for a couple of weeks during the busy season? Anyone who works here has to be nice with people and flexible and really reliable. The kids prefer to work at the mall. They like the fashions.”