The Root of All Evil (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 4) (17 page)

“So it’s possible she was working on her art.”

“Sure.”

Cooper turned to Trish. “That still doesn’t tell us why she was in the pastor’s office.”

Abbi cocked her head to the side. “Is it all that strange that she was in an office?”

“The pastor locks his office at night,” Cooper explained. “That means either Sylvia broke into the office and entered, or her killer broke in and she entered.”

Abbi nodded. “I see. Is it possible the door was unlocked?”

Trish answered, “Sure. But that still doesn’t explain what Sylvia was doing there. We’re hoping that if we can learn what she was doing at the school in the office, we’ll have a better picture of what happened and why.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Abbi said slowly. “If she was doing something she shouldn’t have been doing . . . she didn’t tell me. I didn’t know she was there at all that night.”

“Did Sylvia have problems with anyone?” Trish asked. “Was there anyone who may have been angry with her or may have had some kind of grudge against her?”

“Harry Wintersteen comes to mind.”

Cooper took a few steps to the wall and leaned against it. “I thought Harry
liked
Sylvia.”

“He did. A lot. But she didn’t like him back.”

“According to Harry Wintersteen, she didn’t realize he was making romantic overtures. He said that Sylvia’s obliviousness to his feelings was your fault.”

Abbi let out a loud and incredulous “Ha!” Then she composed herself. “Sylvia confided in me about Harry’s behavior. He was in that gray area between admirer and stalker. Sylvia said he was always dropping hints about their future relationship, as if it were a foregone conclusion. We’re not talking, ‘I’d like to go out next Friday.’ No. Harry was more along the lines of, ‘What should we name our third child?’”

Cooper grimaced. “Creepy.”

“That’s what I said. I told Sylvia she ought to report him, but Sylvia didn’t like causing problems. She didn’t want to get him fired. I told her that if she wasn’t going to file a report, she ought to ignore him, pretend she didn’t hear the hints. She did.”

“And did that work?”

“It kept Sylvia sane and didn’t encourage old Harry, if that’s what you mean. It didn’t stop him, but it didn’t make matters worse. If Harry wants to blame me for their lack of a relationship, that’s fine, as long as it got him away from Sylvia. I never saw him enough to care if he had a bad opinion of me.”

“Is there anyone other than Harry?” Cooper asked. “Anyone who had a problem with Sylvia or vice versa?”

“She didn’t have the best relationship with her ex-husband,” Abbi answered. “But really, who does?”

An ex-husband,
Cooper thought.
I hadn’t heard of that.
“I didn’t realize she was married.”

Abbi nodded. “He’s a real piece of work, too. Gambler. Sylvia said he wanted to move here from her old home—Detroit—so they could patch up their relationship away from the old haunts.”

“I take it that didn’t work.”

“For a while it did. Once they moved, they had money in the bank. They were happy. But it didn’t take long for old Lewis to fall off the wagon and onto a horse track. I met Sylvia right after their divorce, and she was barely scraping by. She came from money, too, but when her parents died, Lewis squandered most of it away.”

“That’s his name?” Cooper asked. “Lewis?”

“Lewis Wilburson.”

Trish perked up. “Coop, it looks like we have another person to talk to.”

Cooper nodded. “I don’t suppose you know what part of town he lives in. We can probably track him down, but it’d be easier if we had some idea where to start.”

“I’ll do you one better,” Abbi replied. “I went with Sylvia once to his house to pick up a box of her things, because she didn’t want to go alone. I can give you his address.”

• • •

While Trish went home and did some research on Lewis Wilburson’s neighborhood, Cooper had a plan to share with her family. Lincoln was expecting Cooper to go and entertain her sister, but Cooper was thinking of something even better. By the time she got home from the Parham Road Campus, dinner was done and put away. Cooper dug leftover casserole out of the fridge and waved her mama over to the table as she ate.

Maggie sat beside her, wiping her hands on an apron. “Ashley called. She said you’re going over to visit tomorrow evening.”

Cooper swallowed an oversized bite. “Lincoln said he’d be running late, and the nurse he hired can’t stay after five. I told him I’d keep Ash company.”

“Very nice of you.”

“Actually, I was thinking maybe we could do something—all of us. You, Daddy, Grammy, me. What if we all went over and surprised her? She hasn’t been able to come to a family gathering for a while.”

Maggie clapped her hands together. “We could have a picnic!”

“That’d be perfect!”

“I’m free all tomorrow afternoon. I’ll make fried chicken and those cheddar cheese biscuits she loves. Oh! And I bought some nice-looking butternut squash at the store today . . .” Maggie jumped up, crossed the kitchen and retrieved a pad of paper from beside the phone. She made notes as she spoke. “We’ll need a few warm dishes and a few cool ones—some variety so we’re sure to have something that tastes good to her. And of course, I’ll make a dessert . . . or two. A pie and some cookies. Maybe two pies. We’ll see.”

Cooper smiled to herself. She was glad Maggie was so excited, and she was even more glad Maggie loved to cook. While her mama continued to plan and check the pantry for ingredients, Cooper headed up to her apartment.

Just as she was falling asleep, her phone rang.

“Hello?” she answered groggily.

“Hello, Cooper? This is Harry Wintersteen. Just checking to see if you have any updates.”

Instantly, Cooper was wide awake. “Harry? I don’t remember giving you my number.”

“You didn’t. I got it from Pastor Matthews.”

“Pastor Matthews just gave you my number?”

There was a pause. “Not exactly. He left his phone on his desk, and so I looked in his contacts. I hope you don’t mind.”

“To be honest, Harry, I’d rather you’d asked for it. And I don’t have any updates.”

“Did you talk to Abbi?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

Cooper sighed. “Harry, I don’t have anything useful to share. I’ll let you know if I do, provided you don’t keep calling me.”

There was another pause. “All right. I can do that. You have a good night, Cooper.”

Cooper stared at her cell for a good thirty seconds, praying that this wasn’t the beginning of her own stalker-like experience. When she finally calmed down, she changed into her pajamas. Her head barely touched the pillow before she fell fast asleep.

• • •

The next day was long and uncomfortable, as Cooper looked for a good time to talk to her other employee, Josh Whitaker. Part of her wanted to get it over with; another part wanted to put it off for as long as possible. Since Josh was out on repairs most of the day and Cooper was on the phone whenever he was around, the second part won.

Cooper was out the door that evening as soon as the clock over Angela’s desk read 4:00 p.m. She got home just as Maggie and Grammy were packing picnic baskets.

“Did you get the pecan pie?” Grammy asked, licking her lips.

“And the English crème pie, and the cookies,” Maggie replied. She peered into one of the baskets, double-checked for desserts, and then set it aside. She picked up an empty basket and set it up on the counter. “We’ll put the hot foods in here, so they’ll keep each other warm.” She gestured to the third basket, empty on the floor. “And that’ll hold the cold food.”

Maggie looked over her shoulder at Cooper, who stood in the kitchen doorway, watching the proceedings with interest. “You’re here right on time!”

“I thought I’d help pack the food,” Cooper replied, amazed at the amount of food her mother was able to make in a single afternoon. “But it looks like you’ve got it under control.”

“Enough food to feed an army,” Grammy commented, snatching a cheddar biscuit off the cooling rack. “Ought to be enough for my pregnant granddaughter.”

Cooper laughed. “She’s eating for
two,
Grammy, not for an army.”

“Sometimes when you’ve got a kiddo in you, you might as well be eating for an army.” Grammy wiggled a boney finger in Cooper’s face. “One of these days you’ll see what I mean.”

Cooper made no response. What would she say?
Maybe I’ll never see what you mean. Maybe I’ll be living in the apartment over my parents’ garage forever.
Instead of saying anything, Cooper moved the rest of the biscuits off the cooling rack and into a bag, but not before Grammy snagged one more.

“Apparently Ashley isn’t the only one who likes those biscuits,” Cooper teased.

Grammy wiped a crumb off her chin. “I figure I’ll have to leave most of ’em for Ashley once we get there. I’m just eating my share beforehand.”

Cooper ran up to change, and at five o’clock the whole family arrived at the Love house, just as Rhonda was ready to walk out the door.

“Oh, my! You brought a whole restaurant with you!” the nurse exclaimed, eyeing the baskets brimming over with food. “I’m sorry I have to leave or I’d crash your party! You have a good time with Mrs. Love.”

“We will,” Cooper assured her. “And if there are any leftovers, we’ll stick ’em in the fridge for you.”

As Rhonda walked out the door, locking it behind her, Ashley shouted from her room. “Cooper, is that you? Lincoln said you were coming over.”

Cooper put her finger to her lips to keep her family quiet. “Yep, it’s me. I brought some food and entertainment. I hope that’s all right.” She started up the stairs, followed silently by Maggie, Earl and Grammy.

“Oh, Cooper, I’ve been watching TV all day,” Ashley said. “I can’t stand another movie. Can’t we just talk?”

Cooper turned into the master bedroom carrying a basket. Ashley smiled through her exhaustion. “You brought me a picnic?”

Maggie stepped in beside her. “She brought more than that!” Then Earl and Grammy joined them. Ashley’s face lit up.

Cooper hurried to her bedside and gave her a hug. “In answer to your earlier question, I don’t think talking will be a problem.”

Ashley’s eyes welled with happy tears. “Lincoln just said you were coming, Coop! I didn’t know you were all gonna be here!”

“We wanted to surprise you,” Maggie said. She went to Ashley’s side, brushed her daughter’s hair back and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Grammy was right behind her. “Your sister thought you might enjoy a family picnic, so your mama brought fifty pounds of food.”

Cooper sat on the bed on Ashley’s other side. “Hope you don’t mind the surprise.”

“Mind?” Ashley repeated, pulling her sister into a hearty embrace. “I’m
so
glad you’re my sister.”

Cooper hugged her right back. “Well, I’m glad you’re mine.”

Cooper could feel her sister’s uneven breaths as she cried. She just held Ashley close, until her little sister finally pulled away.

“Oh, you two,” Grammy snapped. Her eyes were wet. “Stop that blathering, and let’s eat.”

Cooper turned to the baskets, ready to unpack the food, only to see that Earl had already taken care of it. He’d brought TV trays from the den and set up the food buffet-style at the foot of the bed. While everyone else had been talking, he’d been putting together a sampler plate for Ashley.

He handed her a plate and a glass and kissed her on the cheek.

Ashley gave his hand a squeeze. “Thank you, Daddy.”

His smile was subtle, but his daughters knew it well. “I’ll let your mama give you the dinner tour. If you want seconds, you just give a holler.”

Maggie rubbed her hands together excitedly and identified each course. “Fried chicken, cheddar cheese biscuits and some roasted butternut squash. The glass is peach soup—nice and cool. And there’s macaroni salad and some wilted spinach.”

Grammy poked Maggie with an elbow. “Tell her about dessert.”

Maggie did as she was told. “For dessert, there’s English crème pie—made from my mama’s secret family recipe—along with my special pecan pie. And dessert just wouldn’t be complete without some blackberry cheesecake bars.”

Ashley wasn’t even trying to control her crying. She probably couldn’t. “You did all this for me?” she asked.

Cooper patted Ashley on the head, a grin on her face. “Of course. We
kind of
like you, sis.”

“Thanks. Thanks so much.”

Once everyone had their food and had found a place to sit, the room fell silent as they ate the wonderful dinner cooked with love. The chicken was perfectly fried and the biscuits still warm. The peach soup was sweet and icy cold. The courses were a perfect combination.

At least twenty minutes passed before anyone spoke, and it was Grammy who broke the silence while she waited for Earl to fetch her dessert.

“So, Granddaughter,” Grammy began. “You still don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“No, Grammy,” Ashley answered. “We’ve had enough to worry about with the high-risk pregnancy, and not knowing the gender gives us both something to think about without being worried. We thought it would be fun to be surprised. Plus, if I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, I can’t worry about decorating a nursery, which is nice, since I really can’t right now. I can barely get to the bathroom on my own.”

“Well, you won’t have time to redecorate
after
the baby comes,” Grammy shot back.

“Oh, Grammy,” Maggie said, laughing. “They can hire someone to design and decorate if they want to. Better Ashley takes this time to rest.”

“What about names?” Grammy asked. “You gonna wait to think of names until after the baby comes, too? What’ll it say on the birth certificate? ‘Unnamed Love’? Sounds like a rock ’n roll song about fornication.”

Ashley laughed. “Actually we’ve been thinking about some names. Do you want to hear them?”

“Of course we do!” Cooper exclaimed, delivering a plate of dessert to her sister. “And might I put Cooper into the running?”

Ashley exchanged her empty plate for the full one. “We actually considered that, but we figured it’d get confusing at family events.”