Trouble in the Tarot (13 page)

I smiled warmly. The woman was infectious. “I’ve been better.”

Her eyes softened sympathetically. “You poor baby. I heard about those crazy rumors that your sweet granny killed Bernadette. Now, that Fiona, I wouldn’t put it past. But Granny? No way.”

“Thanks, Belle.”

“No problem, sugar. Would you look at all these people? Bernadette would be tickled pink. I’m surprised to see Sam. His bakeshop is right next door to BB’s Baked Goods, and they knew each other quite well. They used to get along, but for a few months now they have been at odds and competing over every bake job out there. I
was out front of their stores before Bernadette died and overheard them arguing over who was going to make the cake for your friend Jo’s wedding. And I even saw some of Bernadette’s employees asking him for a job.”

“I’m surprised to see Chuck Webb here,” I said. “Although, now that he’s married to Abby, she’s keeping him on the respectable path. Looks like they brought Mimi Pots. Unlike some, she looks upset,” I observed, figuring Belle would know why. She always had the latest scoop. “I guess she and Bernadette were closer than I realized.”

“Bernadette didn’t have many friends, and once Mimi had her makeover, she started coming to town more often. I think Bernadette was the first friend Mimi’s had in a long time, other than Abby.”

“Poor Mimi. I was hoping her makeover would finally help her come out of her shell. She looks like she’s doing well.”

“She’s getting involved more, even selling some of her canned fruits and vegetables in town, but she’s still an odd duck. Now that her only friend has died and Abby’s a newlywed, I’m afraid we won’t be seeing a lot of Mimi around town much longer. Although she has been talking to the widow Ida Ray. Ida has been a regular at BB’s Baked Goods for more years than I can count.”

“That’s good. I hope they become friends.” I knew exactly what if felt like to feel alone. Not to feel like you fit in. “Or maybe Mimi just needs to find a man of her own.”

“That’s true. Love can sure make the world a better place.” Belle stared at Don across the room and glowed with adoration.

“How’s Sissy?” Sissy was Don’s daughter and had just had a baby two months ago.

“She’s doing great now that the baby is over his colic. In fact, she’s back to work at the garage, so things are back to normal. Maybe Don and I can finally have some free time together.”

“That’s wonderful, Belle. I’m so happy for you.” The longing in my voice couldn’t be hidden.

“Don’t you worry, honey. Things will get better now that those Knitting Nanas are gone. They were something else, I’ll tell you,” Belle went on. “Can you believe that Ophelia saying she was in her room all night?” Belle snorted. “Yeah, right. Detective Fuller’s wife subbed at Bunco this week, and she let it slip that Ophelia’s prints were all over Fiona’s lemon meringue pie that was in Granny’s car when it ran over Bernadette.”

“Really, that’s interesting,” I said nonchalantly, squashing my anger. I felt like smacking Mitch. So much for keeping me in the loop.

“And get this. Ophelia’s not the only thing full of hot air. That pie was full of laxatives. Can you imagine if poor Captain Walker had eaten it? He’d have the runs for a week. But you probably already knew that, being that your handsome detective is back in town, and all.”

“Right,” I said with a stiff smile.

“You okay, honey? You look a little constipated.
Maybe you should have eaten some of that pie yourself. It’s not good to keep it all bottled up inside, you know.”

“Don’t you worry. I plan to let it all out just as soon as I get home,” I muttered as I ground my teeth.

“Would you lookie there? I never thought I’d see those two here. Maybe Quincy, since Bernadette started that petition to change the charity in his favor. But that Ozzie feller was dead set against it and angry as a stirred-up hornets’ nest, so why on earth did he come to her funeral? To gloat?”

“I have no idea.” I was about to excuse myself and walk over to introduce myself, when someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned around and blinked in surprise then smiled. “Harry, nice to see you again.”

“Likewise.” He smiled back.

“How’s the fishing?”

“Not so good. I gave up. Started spending more time in town, although, there’s not much to do now that the carnival is shut down.”

“Speaking of that, thanks so much for talking to Judge Navarra.”

“You’re very welcome. I’m glad to help. Your parents are very persuasive people.”

“Don’t even get me started.” I laughed, and then had a brilliant idea. “Since you’re here, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

“Sure. Lead the way.”

I brought him to the front of the room and stopped by the picture board of Bernadette, surrounded by a
wall full of floral bouquets. “Mimi, I’d like to introduce you to my new friend, Harry…” I suddenly realized I’d never gotten his last name.

“Dingleburg,” he finished for me.

My eyebrows shot up. Well, that was different. “Harry Dingleburg,” I repeated.

Mimi turned around with red-rimmed misty eyes and glanced at Harry then looked at me in confusion. “Why?”

She might look better on the outside, but she still had a lot of work to do on the inside. And she was still jumpy around men. “Well, I thought since you were retired, and Harry is new here, that maybe you could show him around town.”

Mimi’s face puckered like a pickle.

“Oh, I—” Harry started to say.

“He’s with me,” Hazel said louder than normal as she miraculously appeared by his side and looped her arm through his. She kept glancing over at Captain Walker, who, as usual, paid no attention to her.

“Whoopdidoo.” Mimi twirled her finger through the air, gave me a look as though I’d lost my mind, and then wandered over to the open casket muttering, “Crazy dang fool,” beneath her breath.

“Sorry,” Harry said. “I met Hazel in town at the coffee shop today and offered to escort her here tonight. She looked like she could use a friendly ear.”

“No problem. That’s all I was trying to give Mimi, but I guess she’s not ready for that. Maybe another time.”

“If he’s not busy,” Hazel jumped in again. “Come
along, Harry. I have someone I want to introduce you to, as well.” She tugged him away and made a beeline for the far side of the room.

Straight in Captain Walker’s direction.

*    *    *

“She broke the washer,” Granny uttered indignantly. “Today is Tuesday. How am I supposed to do laundry?”

“You and your stupid schedule.” Fiona rolled her eyes. The lights flickered, and her eyes grew wary as she said more to the room than to Granny, “It’s not my fault your apron was all tangled up in there. Now I have nothing to wear because of you.”

“After you shrunk the rest of my aprons, I can’t blame this sucker for holding on tight and fighting for its life.” Granny huffed out a breath, trying to tug an apron down that looked more like a bib. “What a waste of good material.”

“What happened to your truce?” I asked, exhausted.

“She doesn’t know how to bite her tongue
or
how to solve a case.” Granny gave up on the apron, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to look at Fiona.

“Me? First Einstein here comes up with the idea of the gardener and his hearty appetite stealing our baked goods. And now she thinks the car salesman purposely sold her a lemon just to get her into trouble. I tried to break it to her that her car is not the lemon.
She
is. She can’t drive worth a hoot.”

“I can drive just fine. My car has to be a
lemon. Why, it hasn’t worked right since the day I got it. And my idea is for darn sure better than yours. First you pick the butler, when Trixie has no need for a butler of any sort. And now you say Gremlins did it. Just because you watched the movie with your grandkids doesn’t mean it’s true. Your brain is a lemon.”

“I’ll call someone to fix the washer,” I said. “In the meantime try not to kill each other until Mom gets here. She needs to go over a few things regarding your case. I have a dress fitting with Jo.”

Both their faces brightened into wistful smiles, as they chattered on about weddings and young love. I walked out the door, deciding they both had gone as cuckoo as the clock in my sanctuary.

Five minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of Ursula’s Boutique, a quaint little dress store in the shopping district. This was the type of place my mother shopped at. I, on the other hand, adored unique artsy and retro shops. Unfortunately, Jo was more like my mother in this regard, and it was her wedding, after all.

I took a deep, calming breath and pasted a smile on my face as I walked through the front door. The aroma of jasmine with a slight hint of starch and a smidgen of someone’s perfume welcomed me.

Jo turned around and clapped her hands, looking like a teenager going to her first dance. “You made it,” she squealed, hopping up and down and then giving me a bear hug. Her mass of curls was piled high on her head, and her face glowed with happiness.

“Barely. I love my house, but lately, I can’t stand being home. My readings are on hold. There is no concentrating with the Dynamic Duo in residence.”

“You poor thing,” Zoe said, handing me a glass of iced tea with lemon. Her sleek strands of auburn hair were pulled back into a low bun, the freckles on her face standing out as she looked at me with sympathy.

“Well snap out of it. We have work to do.” Jo grabbed a couple of dresses and stepped into the fitting room.

“Speaking of work, what’s Sean up to?” I asked Zoe.

“I have no idea,” she said nonchalantly while looking through the dress racks for bridesmaids’ dresses. “Why ask me?”

“You really don’t know?”

“Know what?” She looked at me curiously.

“Wow, I would have thought he would have succeeded by now. It never takes him this long.”

“Succeeded at what?” Zoe looked completely baffled.

Jo stuck her head out from the fitting room. “In convincing you to go out with him.”

Zoe blinked. “Me? Why on earth would he want to go out with me? I am definitely not his type, nor is he mine.”

“Double wow,” I muttered. “I’ve never met anyone who didn’t fall under Sean’s charm, myself included.”

“Yes, he’s charming. And yes, he’s more handsome than a man has a right to be,” Zoe said, and Jo and I eyed each other knowingly. “I’m just a one-man type of woman and not in the market for a playboy.”

“Maybe you’re just the woman to tame him,” Jo said dreamily. “Love can be pretty miraculous. I never thought I’d speak to Cole again, let alone marry him, yet here I am shopping for a wedding dress.”

“Touché.” I laughed, raising my glass of tea to them both. “Cheers to believing that there’s hope for us all.” Even though I wanted to smack Mitch at the moment for not leveling with me.

We all clinked glasses and drank, then Jo disappeared back into the fitting room. I glanced outside the window and caught sight of Ophelia as she headed across the street toward Eddy’s Gun Emporium.

“Pick me out a winner, Zoe,” I said, heading toward the door.

“Where on earth are you going?” she asked in a low voice, running after me. “Jo will kill us both if she comes out of that fitting room and finds you gone. You have no idea the kind of bridezilla women turn into after getting engaged.”

“This is Jo we’re talking about.”

“Exactly,” Zoe said. “Fiery, redheaded, hot-tempered Jo. Do you really want to mess with that?”

“Just cover for me.” I glanced at the fitting room door. “I’ll be back in a jiffy, I promise. I need to do something that can’t wait.” I bolted out the door and hurried across the street before Zoe could argue further.

“Ms. Edwards,” I said, catching Ophelia before she could enter the gun shop. Lord knew what she would come out with.

“I collect throwing knives,” she said as though
reading my mind. “Since I’m stuck here, I thought I’d get in a little target practice.” Her eyes narrowed on my face.

“Oh. That’s interesting.” I swallowed hard and tried to erase the image of my face as her target. “Do you mind if I ask you a couple more questions?”

“Yeah, I do mind.” She leaned back and looked me over with indecision. “I heard you weren’t helping the police with this case.”

“That’s true. I’m not helping…officially.” I glanced up and down both sides of the street, but the coast was still clear. “Look, Ophelia. It’s my granny we’re talking about. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what happened. That’s all.”

She studied me closely and then seemed to make up her mind about something. “Like I said before. I got no beef with your granny. It’s Fiona I have a problem with. I’m not a killer. I might not have an alibi, but it doesn’t matter. The police aren’t going to find anything on me.”

“Actually, they found your prints on Fiona’s pie plate. The one that was in Granny’s car when it ran over Bernadette.”

Ophelia flinched. “They did?” She sat down heavily on a bench by a streetlamp. “I didn’t think I’d get caught.”

That’s what they all say,
I thought. I sat beside her and gave her a minute to absorb everything I’d just said before asking, “What exactly did you get caught at?”

“Like I said, I don’t much care for Fiona. I can’t stand her being so bossy and running everything. She ruined our vacation. That’s why I was trying to ruin the
carnival. I figured if it ended, then we could leave and salvage what was left of our vacation.”

“Quincy’s knife?” I asked, floored. I hadn’t seen that one coming.

She nodded guiltily. “There was no way I wanted her to win the bakeoff, too.” Ophelia lifted her troubled eyes to mine. “I snuck into her hotel room before she left for Trixie’s and sabotaged her pie.”

“I heard about the laxatives. How on earth did you get them in there?”

“I’m a diabetic. I used one of my insulin syringes and filled it with liquid laxatives. Then I injected her pie. And that’s all I did. I just wanted her to lose. I swear to you I never left the hotel that night, and I saw Fiona carry that pie herself. The rest of the Knitting Nanas can verify that.”

“I believe you, but you don’t exactly have proof that you didn’t leave the hotel. The police might think you snuck into Trixie’s while everyone was distracted, stole Granny’s cookies and Fiona’s pie, put them in the Grannymobile, and then ran over Bernadette.”