Tempest in the Tea Leaves (23 page)

At first a lot of static filled the line, and then Pendleton’s voice came in and out, telling me more than I wanted to know about the man. He sang Beatles songs with a voice that wasn’t actually half bad. He cursed out other drivers, having a bit of a temper and not much patience at all. He had a surprising fast-food addiction and loved to listen to talk radio.

I yawned, getting bored and thinking bugging his car had been a waste of time. I reached forward to shut off the device when his phone rang.

“Pendleton here,” he said. “Are you sure?” A pause. “Maybe we should drop this project and move on to another location in another town. They’re getting too close.” Another pause. “I know we’ve got a lot invested in this one, but I’m telling you, something doesn’t feel right.” A loud bang sounded like he had slammed his fist on the dashboard. “Okay, we’ll wait awhile longer, but if this deal doesn’t go through soon, I’m out.”

He disconnected, and then a sound like keys dropping echoed through the device really close. There was some shuffling, and then I heard, “What the hell is this?” followed by a curse. Then the sound went dead.

I choked on a piece of my pizza, and Morty appeared at my feet, staring up at me with what looked like concern. I took a sip of my tea and reassured him. “I’m fine, my little hero.”

He flipped his tail and lay down at my feet, apparently not moving until he deemed everything was okay. Physically, I was okay. Mentally, not so much. I’d worn gloves when I planted that bug, but I wasn’t sure I’d done everything else right. What if Pendleton figured out I was behind the bug somehow?

Detective Stone wasn’t going to be happy with me.

To take my mind off that little mess-up, I decided to turn on the video device. Carolyn Hanes wandered in and out a couple more times, doing normal office-type work. But she paced, looking worried about something.

Next, Holly Smith and Lucinda Griswold III came in together to join Carolyn and locked the door behind them.

“How are you holding up?” Lucinda asked Carolyn.

She took a shaky breath. “I’m doing okay, considering.”

“It won’t be much longer. Everything will work out, it always does,” Holly added.

I didn’t understand any of this. Holly had taken the position meant for Carolyn, and Carolyn had acted like she despised her in public. Yet here they were chummychummy. And what about Lucinda? Carolyn had told Gladys and Alex she was with them in trying to get the deal to turn the library into a bookstore to go through. Then why did she seem to be in cahoots with Lucinda as well?

Maybe it was like
Survivor.
Carolyn was playing both sides to see which ally would get her further in the game.

Lucinda’s phone vibrated on the desk, and she answered it. A moment later, she looked straight at the nanny cam and then said, “Got it,” and hung up. She tipped her head to the side and asked Carolyn, “Cute bear. Where’d you get it?”

“Sunny Meadows brought it in as a tribute to Amanda. Wasn’t that sweet?”

Holly and Lucinda locked eyes, and then Holly said, “Very.” Two seconds later, the bear all but forgotten, she said, “Speaking of Amanda, did you hear the latest?”

Lucinda paused a beat. “Okay, I’ll bite. What?”

“Right before Amanda died, she was seen out on the town talking to Alex Pendleton.” Holly shrugged. “It might mean nothing, but don’t you find it odd they would meet in public together? Everyone knew they despised each other.”

“Really,” Lucinda said. “I wonder what they were talking about?”

“Where did they go?” Carolyn asked, looking confused.

“That new karaoke bar.”

“Karaoke?” Carolyn frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Amanda at all.”

Holly lifted her hands, palms up. “Hey, that’s what I heard. I think Pendleton likes to hang out there.”

“That would be a good place to talk in private considering most of the locals prefer Smokey Jo’s,” Carolyn said.

“Hmmm. I wonder if the police are aware of the rumors,” Lucinda speculated.

“Well, I’m sure the detective is looking into every lead.” Carolyn stood, twisting her purse string in her hands. “If we’re done here, I really need to go home now.”

“Almost. We need to go over one more thing,” Holly said.

I sat forward, my eyes glued to the screen, and then the screen went all fuzzy like a snowy white blizzard. The bugger flicked off. Unbelievable. I never thought to check the battery. I blew out a breath, still processing everything I’d heard.

Not only were these women allies, but Carolyn had still acted nervous when they’d mentioned the case. Especially the part about Pendleton. The detective wasn’t the only one following leads. I’d been given a new one myself.

Maybe it was time to do a little singing of my own.

 

 

The Song Bird was a new Japanese karaoke bar on the edge of town. I’d changed out of my jammies and had decided to check out the place, maybe ask around and see if anyone might have seen Amanda and Pendleton. Possibly overheard their conversation.

I asked Jo to come along, but she refused to step foot in her competitor’s door. Besides, she had to work. They were swamped, so Sean had to work as well. That meant I would have to go solo. I was used to going solo, and I loved karaoke. Everything would be fine.

Then why was I shaking in my knee-high suede boots?

I pulled my rental car into the parking lot, missing my bug. Hopefully Big Don would call soon, saying she was fixed. Stepping inside the bar, I didn’t see anyone I knew. I recognized some people from town but no one I knew personally. Not like at Smokey Jo’s, anyway.

Jo had
nothing
to worry about.

This place was filled with eclectic people with bizarre tastes in music, strange clothes, and weird food I didn’t even recognize. It kind of reminded me of being back in the city. Not in a good way. I agreed with Carolyn Hanes’s statement: this place did not seem like the sort of bar Amanda Robbins would visit, so Pendleton must have made it worth her while.

I made my way over to the bar, tucking my skirt beneath my legs as I sat on a stool barely big enough to fit beneath my bottom. I ordered a club soda with lime. That way I could keep my wits about me, yet no one would know I wasn’t drinking. I needed to keep a clear head and find some answers.

“Hi there, I’m Sunny,” I said to the bartender. “I’m new in town. Someone I met at the library recommended this place.”

The bartender was a petite Asian woman with long black hair twisted in a knot at the base of her neck. “That’s nice. I’m Kim.” She looked me over curiously. “You don’t look like our usual crowd. We get more outsiders than we do locals.”

“Really? That’s odd. My friend said her coworker, Amanda Robbins, used to come here a lot.”

“I heard about that poor librarian. That’s awful what happened to her.” She shook her head. “I don’t ever remember her coming in here.”

I sipped more of my club soda, completely baffled now. “Are you sure you’ve never seen her in here with some man?”

“I’m here a lot, and I’ve never seen Amanda Robbins in here by herself or with anyone else. Why don’t you ask Cole?”

“Who’s Cole?”

“The big guy at the end of the bar with the leather jacket and tattoos. He’s one of the few locals we have. Works as a carpenter and did a few jobs for us when we first opened. He’s been here every night since.”

“Thanks,” I said, and slid off my stool.

“Careful now, he doesn’t mix well with strangers,” were her departing words, but I kept walking.

Taking a deep breath, I plastered on a smile, shook my spiky hair out, and sashayed over to this Cole character. “Hey there, big guy. Come here often?”

“Seriously?” He looked at me as though I had three heads. He was intimidating as hell with his five o’clock shadow, buzz cut, and muscles to spare. No wonder he sat alone. His look said step back or die.

“Lame, I know. Sorry. I don’t do the whole bar scene.”

“Then why are you here?”

I snorted. I tended to do that when I was nervous. “To practice my karaoke, of course. I can sing, you know.”

“If your songs are anything like your pickup lines, you’d better keep practicing.” He sipped his longneck.

“Like you could do better?” I challenged him, hoping to get him to sing like a canary in more ways than one. Besides, I was good, darnit.

His eyes were orbs of steel, but I didn’t so much as flinch. He grunted, stood up without a word, and then climbed the stage and took the mic from the man who was singing. The man scurried off the stage without a single protest.

The big guy opened his mouth, and I fell off my stool. The most amazing voice poured out of his vocal cords as he crooned a beautiful love song, staring off into space. It was like he was in his own world, singing to someone specific who wasn’t there to hear it anymore. Pain and sorrow flashed across his face for the briefest of moments.

I sucked in a breath.

When the song ended, he turned back into the unapproachable intimidating beast at the end of the bar. He took his seat and chugged his beer once more, ignoring the roar of applause and requests for more from the crowd.

“That was incredible,” I said in awe.

He jerked his head at me. “Your turn.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. How am I supposed to follow that?”

“Doesn’t matter. You said you were better. Prove it.”

“But—”

“Look, you’ve got balls. We both know this isn’t your scene. You’re obviously here to ask me something.” He stared me down, but I didn’t deny it. “If you want answers, then sing. It’s as simple as that. Unless you’re chicken . . .”

“I’m gonna make you eat those words,” I grumbled.

His eyes twinkled and lips wobbled as though trying not to laugh. “You can try.”

I marched up onstage and grabbed the mic from some other guy, who grabbed it back and yelled, “Hey.”

Cole stood up, growled with clenched fists, and suddenly the mic was back in my hands. I saluted Cole with it, told the woman what song I wanted, and then closed my eyes and began to sing a beautiful love song like Cole had. I poured all I had into that song and really felt the emotion. The song ended, and I felt really good . . .

Until I opened my eyes!

The entire room was speechless. Mouths gone slack, ears plugged, painful facial expressions, and no clapping to be had. I felt my face flood with heat and bit my lip, handing the mic back to the man, who refused it as if it was now tainted.

“Oh, come on, I wasn’t that bad,” I said.

“No, Tink, you were worse,” came a deep voice that never failed to rattle my insides. “Care to tell me what the hell you’re doing?”

“No, pal.” Cole surged to his massive feet and barked. “The question is, just what the hell do you think
you’re
doing? I suggest you get your hands off my woman now before I remove them permanently.”

“Your woman?” Detective Stone and I sputtered simultaneously, and then we stared at each other.

Cole shot me a knowing wink and nodded his head slightly.

“That’s right, you heard the man,” I said, yanking my wrist out of Mitch’s hand and sliding my palm into Cole the Carpenter’s meaty paw. I smiled up at him and fluttered my lashes.

He looked down at me and raised a thick brow much like the detective would have.

Ugh. What was it with these herculean men?

Mitch started laughing from deep in his chest, which wasn’t as large as Cole’s but was impressive just the same, I had to admit. “You expect me to believe you and Sasquatch here are an item? Since when?”

“Watch it, buddy.” Cole took a step toward Mitch.

I put my arms around the big guy’s waist since it was all I could reach. “Now now, honey. Just ignore him. He’s just a big hairy ape.”

“No, you watch it,” Mitch said back to Cole, ignoring me as he put his hands on his hips making his gun clearly visible. “Do you know who I am?”

“I know who you are, Detective, but I don’t really care. No one treats a lady like that.” The carpenter’s arm draped over me, and I could barely breathe from his hug.

“Easy there, big fella. This lady must have air,” I wheezed, patting his tree trunk of an arm until he lifted it slightly.

“Trust me, she’s not a lady, she’s a pain in my”—Cole’s warning glare caused the detective to change course midsentence—“unmentionables. Now step aside. I’m taking her in for obstruction of justice.”

“Whaaat?” I shrieked, stepping out from under Cole’s humongous arm. “You’re the one who is obstructing justice. I was just about to . . . to . . .” Oh shoot, I hadn’t meant to say that much.

Both men paused, looked at me, and then crossed their arms and waited.

Finally, Sasquatch turned to Detective Stone and said, “She’s all yours, pal. She’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

“You have no idea,” Detective Stone said, and then proceeded to hoist me over his shoulder and haul me out of the bar, much to the delight of the patrons based on all the hoots and hollers.