Skein of the Crime (29 page)

Megan hitched her shoulder bag over her shoulder as she approached and fixed Kelly with a warning look. “Don’t even ask. I’ve been visiting caterers for the last four mornings. Do you have any idea how many things can be spread on a cracker?”

Kelly smiled as she beckoned her friend toward the café. “C’mon, let’s get some coffee while you lecture me on canapés.”

Kelly
selected from the variety of Colorado microbrews spread on Curt’s kitchen counter. Finding her favorite ale, she grabbed two—one for her and one for Steve—then made her way back outside again.

Curt’s ranch house and front yard were filled with Marty’s and Megan’s friends, relatives, and co-workers. There had to be nearly two hundred people there. Children of all ages ran and jumped and chased each other through the grass. The yard ran adjacent to a pasture that was empty of sheep at the time, so children gamboled there instead. The weather was late September perfect—warm and sunny with trees changing colors in the distance.

Kelly surveyed the crowd. Surely they weren’t all coming to the wedding, were they? Megan and Marty would be in debt for years trying to pay for the festivities. One year wouldn’t be enough to save. Judging from what Megan had been telling her, Kelly figured Megan and Marty’s budget was blown already.

She wandered toward the lawn chairs her friends had spread in a haphazard semicircle, handed Steve a beer, then settled into the chair beside him. Kelly savored the familiar ale’s flavor. “I won’t need to eat tomorrow,” she said, leaning back. “That was one fantastic meal.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to beat Curt’s steaks and Jayleen’s chili,” Lisa said as she sipped wine from a plastic glass.

Megan leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Why did I have that second piece of carrot cake?
Why?
”

“I’m waiting for your blueberry pie,” Steve said, then tipped back his beer.

Kelly glanced over at Steve. He was slouched in the lawn chair, looking more relaxed than she’d seen him in weeks. More important, he looked happy. He was clearly enjoying being in the midst of old friends, laughing and joking with Marty and Greg like before. Before his career went down the tubes.

Marty and Greg sauntered up, chocolate chip cookies in hand. “Boy, am I stuffed,” Greg said as he plopped into a chair.

“Me, too,” Marty said right before he took a huge bite of cookie.

“I can’t believe Jayleen grilled a whole salmon for you, Greg,” Kelly said.

“Ahhhh . . . delicious.” Greg patted his stomach.

“Why are you two still eating?” Megan asked, staring at the cookies.

“Force of habit,” Lisa answered. “They can’t help themselves. Wait’ll they turn forty. Then they’ll start to cut back.”

“Never,”
Greg protested, then munched his cookie. “I’ll just cycle more.”

“Everyone’s skinny in my family,” Marty declared as he started on the next cookie.

“Stop bragging,” Jennifer said as she and Pete sank into some chairs.

“Those steaks were too good,” Pete said after tasting his beer. “No way could the café afford to buy steaks like that. Curt’s are aged prime beef.”

“Why don’t you guys have a barbeque for your wedding? Maybe we could all do a potluck or something,” Greg suggested, from behind his beer bottle.

“Ohhhh, don’t even mention wedding food,” Megan said, shaking her head. “If I never see another caterer again, it’ll be too soon.”

Pete chuckled. “Starting to get to you, huh? Now you know why I don’t do weddings anymore.”

“Megan ran through the list of canapés the other day over coffee. It must have taken five minutes.” Kelly lifted her bottle.

“What’re canapés again?” Greg asked Lisa.

“All sorts of tasty things spread on crackers or toast points,” Megan answered instead. “I swear, I must have seen hundreds of samples. I can’t keep them all straight, let alone choose some.”

“Stuff spread on a cracker? That won’t do it for me, Megan. Nor the groom.” Greg wagged his head.

“Careful, don’t get her started,” Marty warned. “She’s got a short fuse on this.”

Instead, Megan leaned over and sank her head in her hands. “This is driving me crazy. The caterers are all too expensive. The hotels and banquet halls are already booked by other people. And the only rooms that are left are too small.” She looked up and gestured around the yard. “Look at all these people. Where are we going to put them? There’s no place that can hold us all. At least, none that we can a fford.”

“Are you seriously going to invite everyone here?” Kelly asked.

Megan gestured helplessly. “How can we
not
? Now that Curt’s invited them to this engagement party, they’ll all expect invitations to the wedding. How can we not invite them?”

“Easy. Just tell ’em, ‘Dude, you’re out!’ ” Greg jerked his thumb to the side.

Megan ignored him. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, guys. We’re saving up for this, but we want to save for the down payment on a house, too. And we don’t want to blow it all on a wedding.”

“That’s smart thinking,” Jennifer said.

“You know, you don’t have to have a big splashy reception, Megan,” Lisa suggested. “Seriously. Why don’t you scale down? Have it simpler. Greg can eat canapés and like it.”

“I can?” Greg looked incredulous. Lisa gave him a swat.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Steve weighed in. “That way you’ll be able to get a good deal on a house, especially in today’s market.”

“Yeah, and we’re gonna buy one of yours,” Marty announced. “There’s one next to Greg and Lisa that we’ve been keeping an eye on.”

“
What!
Who said you could be neighbors?” Greg protested.

Steve laughed softly. “Well, I’ll guarantee you get a good deal, guys.”

“Fantastic!” Lisa said. “That’s a great house. I’ve peeked in the windows.”

“Jennifer took us in for a look around last week. It’s got a different layout than Greg and Lisa’s next door. And four bedrooms instead of three.” Marty grinned. “We need separate offices.”

“I can understand that,” Kelly said. “Some of us like quiet.” She noticed Burt approach their half circle. “Hey, Burt. Quite a spread, wasn’t it?”

Burt patted his stomach. “You bet. I think I ate my ration of heart-attack food for the entire week.”

“Heart-attack food? I don’t even want to know what that is,” Jennifer shuddered. “It’s probably my normal diet.”

“Mimi keeps me eating healthy.” Burt grinned. “Kelly, you got a minute? I wanted to update you after my talk with Dan.”

Kelly immediately set her beer aside and rose from the chair. “Sure. Let’s go over where it’s quieter.”

“What’ve you been up to, Kelly?” Greg asked.

“Sleuthing again,” Megan answered. “She’s been poking around for a while now.”

“Poking around in what?” Marty asked, eyebrow cocked.

Kelly decided to downplay her recent activities. “Oh, I was simply following up Tommy’s concerns after Holly’s death, that’s all.” She made a dismissive gesture.

“She did a lot more than that,” Burt added. “Holly’s death was thought to be accidental, but Kelly kept digging and asking questions until she found the person responsible for giving Holly those pills. And it appears she deliberately gave Holly an overdose of opiate painkillers.”

Jennifer’s eyes went wide. “Are you talking about who I think you are?”

Kelly nodded. “Yes, we are. Other people saw Patty stealing pill bottles, too. And regularly giving Holly pills.”

“Wow . . .” Jennifer said softly.

“After Kelly got through questioning her, Patty was glad to talk with my old partner Dan.” Burt smiled. “I swear, Kelly’s a natural interrogator.”

“She’s a Rottweiler. I’ve seen her in action,” Lisa decreed.

“I like her innocent routine best,” Jennifer weighed in. “That works well, too.”

Kelly shrugged, holding up both hands. “Hey, whatever works.”

“What worked with this Patty girl?” Greg asked.

“Patty was a challenge. I’d learned that she was a thief and an accomplished liar. So I had to sneak up on her.”

Burt chuckled. “It was fascinating to watch. Kelly chatted her up for a while and waited for an opening, then she pounced. Grabbed hold and didn’t let go.”

“That’s not a Rottweiler. That’s a pit bull,” Pete said.

“Hey, my uncle has a pit bull. He’s a nice dog,” Greg added.

“Kelly’s nice, too,” Lisa joked.

Kelly noticed Steve observing her as laughter rippled around the half circle. He hadn’t said a word. Kelly decided to make her exit before someone asked her another question. She and Burt walked over to one of the few places in the yard that wasn’t filled with people.

“So what’s happening?” she asked. “Yesterday afternoon you said Patty admitted to Dan that she picked up Holly from the apartment, gave her the pills, then dropped her off on the river trail.”

“That’s right. She’s got a court-appointed lawyer and will be brought before a judge on Monday. Meanwhile, she’s been charged and is in custody now. There may be additional charges, too, because Dan got a search warrant for Patty’s apartment. Patty’s roommate let them in, and Dan found a whole stash of other people’s pill bottles. All of them prescription painkillers, obviously stolen. Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin, everything you’d find on the street. Plus, they also found a scale and plastic Baggies, which shows intent to distribute. All of that strengthens the case and leads to a longer sentence.”

Kelly nodded. “That makes sense.” She was about to say something else when her attention was drawn to Megan’s frantic gesturing.

“Kelly, Burt, come over here!” Megan beckoned, clearly excited about something. Kelly noticed Jayleen had joined her friends.

“Looks like our presence is required,” Burt said as they rejoined the group.

“You’ll never guess what Jayleen has done!” Megan cried, face flushed. “She’s offered to let Marty and me have our ceremony and reception at her ranch next year! In that gorgeous meadow! Isn’t that
wonderful
?”

“Whoa! That’s fantastic news!” Kelly enthused, giving her excited friend a hug. “Those views are gorgeous from that pasture.”

“That is really generous of you, Jayleen,” Burt said.

Jayleen gave a dismissive gesture and smiled. “It’s my pleasure, believe me. I’d been hearing from Curt about the hard luck these kids were having trying to nail down a pretty place for their wedding. So I decided I’d give Megan and Marty their wedding gift early. Besides, you know how I love to have folks over.”

“Well, you’re surely going to have a whole bunch coming for that occasion,” Kelly said. “Judging from how many are here now, even your big pasture will be full.”

Jayleen gave her trademark hearty laugh. “The more the merrier, Kelly.”

“Pasture means animals. Does that mean we’ll be stepping around alpaca piles while we’re there?” Greg teased.

“Thanks for mentioning that, Greg. I’ll put you on poop patrol,” Jayleen said with a wicked grin. “You can be Head Pooper-Scooper.”

 

 

 

Kelly stepped inside the darkened cottage and flipped on the lights. Steve followed after her and tossed his keys to the entry table beside the front door.

“I’m thirsty. Do you want some milk?” Kelly asked as she headed to the kitchen.

“No, I’m fine,” Steve said, walking to the patio door. He slid open the glass. “Hey, Carl, c’mon in, big guy.” Carl raced inside the cottage and immediately jumped around for pats and doggy rubs, which Steve provided—complete with doggy noises.

Kelly brought out a mug filled with milk and settled into the easy chair across from the sofa. Her favorite sitting spot. Carl raced up to Kelly for a head and ear scratch, and she obliged.

“That was so much fun,” she said as Carl thrust his head onto her lap for more. More, more. There was never enough.

Steve sank into the sofa. “Yeah, it was. Marty and Megan make a perfect couple. They’re made for each other.”

“I know. Nobody but Marty could have gotten past Megan’s shy barrier. He sneaked up on her.” Kelly slipped off her shoes and put her feet on the coffee table between them.

Steve did the same. “It was fun to watch. I almost couldn’t believe he had a strategy. He was such a total klutz, he made it look completely natural. Megan never saw him coming.” Steve relaxed against the sofa cushions and took a turn stroking Carl’s head.

Carl was clearly in doggy heaven. He had his beloved owner Kelly and his beloved Steve in the same room again. Consequently, Carl was ping-ponging back and forth between both “beloveds” in an orgy of doggy rubs and pats.

“Boy, I hope they put a lid on those wedding expenses,” Kelly said in between sips. “It makes much more sense to save up money for a down payment on their first house. Especially now when prices have dropped.”

“Oh, yeah,” Steve agreed, rubbing an ecstatic Carl’s belly. “I’ll definitely give them a great deal. I’ll even shave off some bare-bones costs.”

“Can you afford that?” Kelly peered at him.

He smiled at her. “Not really, Ms. CPA. But I want to do it anyway. It can be my wedding present.”

“That’s nice of you, Steve. Financially crazy, but nice,” she teased.

“Hey, I’m a nice guy.”

He certainly was, Kelly agreed. That would be a very generous wedding present, given that Steve was holding on by his fingernails right now. Maybe by next year, though, the housing market would pick up. One could only hope.

Carl rested his chin on Steve’s knee, and Steve continued to stroke his shiny black head. After another minute of quiet patting, Steve looked across at Kelly. “So, what do say, Kelly? Why don’t
we
get married? We’ve been seeing each other longer than Megan and Marty.”

Kelly was about to take another sip of milk, but Steve’s question stopped the mug halfway to her lips. She stared at Steve, stunned by the question. It came out of nowhere.