Something wicked, p.19
Something Wicked, page 19
They certainly were.
“She also told me how cheap rent was up and down the block, and I’ve got to admit that it was the big reason I was so willing to take this on if you weren’t. I’m not sure it’s polite to call a business foolish, but Mountain View does not seem to be aware of what lease rates are like in most places in Washington.”
Or, perhaps, there was someone else, behind the scene, making decisions about those rental rates.
“How long have you lived here?” I asked.
“Six years. Came for Christmas one year, fell in love. I’m basically a Hallmark heroine, except my true love is the town instead of a Christmas tree farmer or a cute handyman. Though, if you bump into any single ones, let me know.” She winked.
Six years. Definitely not long enough that she’d know about the Bullocks, so I didn’t bother bringing up George, but she had been around in 2019, when Carl took that photo with Eudora.
“The police showed you a picture of the victim, right?” I asked.
“Yeah, pretty gnarly mugshot.”
“And you didn’t recognize him?”
Imogen shook her head. “No. I mean he has the kind of face you probably wouldn’t spend a ton of time memorizing, though.”
“You’d never seen him in the store before? Rich mentioned that Eudora often let ex-cons work in the shop to get some job experience after release.”
“Oh yeah. She’s had two or three different guys in here since I started. They were all really shy, honestly. Soft spoken, kept to themselves. I know she didn’t hire anyone with a history of violent crime, but she believed people deserved a chance to land on their feet again, which I really liked. Did you think the victim might have been one of those guys?”
I knew who the victim was, but Imogen clearly didn’t, meaning whatever time Carl had spent here, it hadn’t been long.
“I’m not sure.”
“Might be worth mentioning to Detective Martin. I’m sure Eudora has records of all former employees on her computer.”
That was a good point. I’d do a quick search on Carl’s name in the computer, but based on what Imogen was telling me, I didn’t think it was very likely I was going to find anything.
I yawned, the very idea of more sleuthing making me want to lie down and have a nap. How did real detectives do this every single day? It was just so many clues and threads to keep straight.
Imogen chuckled. “Look, why don’t you head home a bit early? I’ve got things taken care of here. Maybe you and Rich could get a bite to eat later.” She waggled her brows at me in an all-too-knowing way, like she was either aware that I’d stopped here last night, or knew I had developed a pretty school-girl crush on my upstairs tenant. Busted.
“He works weird hours” was all I could think to reply. Another thought sprang to mind then, completely unrelated to Rich and whatever was happening between us.
“Hey, Imogen?”
She had picked up her book again but hadn’t gotten lost in the pages just yet. “Mm-hmm?”
“Would it be weird if I brought Bob to work tomorrow?”
“Bob?” She put the book down, briefly mystified. Then she understood what I was asking. “Eudora’s cat?”
I nodded. With Detective Martin planning to have officers in my house tomorrow, I didn’t want to worry about Bob’s safety and well-being. Having him in the shop with us for the long day would give me peace of mind. I also suspected the customers would get a real kick out of having the tubby tabby around.
“Oh gosh, yes. How fun. You know, Eudora was playing with the idea of bringing in a cage or two and working with the shelter over in Barneswood to see if we could host a rotating bunch of adoptable cats. I don’t know if she ever mentioned that to you?”
I shook my head. “No, but what a lovely idea. Do you think that would be a problem with the café?”
“I think she looked into that, and because we’re not an actual restaurant and technically there’s a divide between the shops, it wasn’t going to be an issue. I think it would be a lot of fun, plus maybe we can help some kitties find homes.” Her eyes lit up, and I was starting to think perhaps Imogen wanted to help a cat find a home with her.
“Let me think about the logistics. We’ll start out with just Bob for now. I’ll bring him in with me tomorrow.” Now that I’d settled on this plan, I figured I’d make a quick run to the pet shop on Harper, one block north of Main, back in the direction of Lane End House. It was not one of the buildings I might now own, but I’d noticed it driving around on my way back from getting gas a few days earlier. “You know what, Imogen? I think you’re right. I’m going to go early, do a bit of exploring. You sure you’ve got everything under control here?”
She raised a brow at me and gestured to the almost-empty store. Only old Mr. Loughery was here, and he was completely asleep beside the fire, his Sue Grafton novel almost finished.
“Point taken.”
I figured since I was only going a block and a bit, I would walk, but I didn’t want to bring the valuable paperwork with me, so I stopped in the office and locked it up in the small safe under Eudora’s desk. It wasn’t the perfect place, and obviously some people were willing to break into the store to look for it, but with Imogen in the shop, I had to assume it would be okay for a couple hours. I’d stop by on my way home and grab them.
The air was crisp when I stepped out, but it was a beautiful fall afternoon, with a clear, bright sky and loose orange and yellow leaves skittering across the sidewalk. For the time being, I pushed aside all the stress and worry that had been pressing down on my shoulders and headed in the direction of Harper Street.
The shops down here were similar to the ones on Lark, where Honey’s new age store and the diner were. These stores were built primarily on the main floor of charming, brightly colored Victorian mansions, with wooden signs on their lawns announcing the shop names.
One was an antique store, which I’d definitely have to explore on a day off. I could get completely lost looking through a good antique store, and this place had a warm, welcoming vibe that suggested it would keep me busy a long time. Next door was Perky Pets, with a cat and a dog engraved on the wooden sign out front.
The store was on the ground floor of a house that was painted a soft lilac, with a pretty deep plum trim. The front interior door was open in spite of the fall chill. I stepped through the screen door, and a man behind the counter looked up from the magazine he was reading.
See? I really did need to learn to relax and do nothing sometimes.
“Hello!” he said brightly.
“Hi there. I’m looking for your cat stuff.” Boy, I sure sounded like a seasoned pet owner.
“Anything in particular? New addition to the family?” He was probably in his early forties and was Native American, his dark hair pulled back into a long braid. He wore a button-down flannel shirt and nice indigo jeans.
“No,” I said, then quickly back-pedaled. “Well, new to me, I suppose. But he’s firmly established in the house. I’m the new one.” I sighed, realizing how bonkers I must sound. “I’m Phoebe Winchester, Eudora Black’s niece?”
“Oh, of course.” He nodded. “I’m Charlie Bravebird. I was really sorry to hear about your aunt—lovely lady. That means you’ve taken over her shop?”
“Yes. And her cat.”
“Ahh, it all makes sense now. So you probably have most of the basics? I’m assuming Eudora had things like dishes, a litter box, all that good stuff?”
“Yes, we’re all set at home, but what I actually need is a few bonus things so I can bring him to work with me sometimes. I’m thinking a cat bed, a few new dishes, some toys?”
Charlie clapped his hands together excitedly. “Yes, let’s get you what you need. I assume you have food at home and won’t need extra?”
“Yeah, he’s got plenty of that for the time being.”
With his mission locked in, Charlie came around the counter and started collecting items. He asked a few more questions, and by the time he was done, there was an impressive mound of items next to the till. A fluffy cat bed, new metal dishes for food and water, a pet carrier (I hadn’t even considered needing one of those), and a few toys that might help make Bob feel more welcome at the shop, including an adorable, catnip-stuffed pink pterodactyl.
When it was all said and done, I’d spent well over a hundred dollars just to bring Bob to work for one day, but if he liked the experience, I’d probably make it a regular occurrence. At least now I had a proper carrier for future vet visits.
I mentally added where is the vet? to my never-ending list of things to figure out in my new hometown. Come to think of it, Charlie would probably know.
“Hey, is there a vet in town?” I asked, then quickly added, “He’s perfectly fine, but just in case.”
Charlie grabbed a business card from in front of the cash register. “Not in Raven Creek, but over in Barneswood. The vet comes out every spring to do a vaccination clinic, though, so keep an eye on the town bulletin board, and you can plan to get your cat’s annual shots without having to make a special trip.”
I took the card and slipped it into my bag, grateful I’d asked.
Once I had paid, Charlie leaned over the counter, as if he had something important to tell me. “I know this might sound like an overstep, so forgive me, but I just want you to know I hope you don’t sell the business. That shop is such a fixture in this town.”
I blinked at him. “Who told you I was going to sell the business?”
“Well, she didn’t say it like it was a done deal, but Dierdre—”
“Dierdre Miller. Of course. What is her deal? Like what does she even do in this town?”
“Oh, you don’t know?” Leon chuckled. “She’s a real estate agent. I think she was hoping you’d hate small-town life and cut and run. She probably has some ideas for a space that big.”
“I bet.”
Too bad for Dierdre I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.
Chapter Forty
Dierdre Miller, real estate agent.
Well, at least that made a lot of sense for her. She was always wandering around town, and she did seem aggressively dedicated to trying to get property from me.
I wasn’t sure which rumor of hers made me more annoyed: that I had accused her of murder or that I was planning to sell the business. If I ever did sell, which I had no plans to do, I wouldn’t let her anywhere near that deal.
I didn’t care if she was the only agent in Raven Creek, I’d pay extra for someone to come from another town.
As I lugged my new goodies for Bob back to The Earl’s Study, now feeling like a true cat mom, I noticed that Owen’s shop was still open. My throbbing feet were a good reminder that I still needed to pop in and get him to help me with new work shoes.
Ugh. I wasn’t a huge fan of Owen, given our brief encounters, and he certainly hadn’t been that inviting this morning, but now would be as good a time as any to pay him a visit and save my soles all in one shopping trip. I made a quick stop at my own store first, Imogen letting out an appreciative whistle when she saw me come through the door, my arms loaded with parcels.
“Maybe I shouldn’t encourage you to take time off. It looks like it could be dangerous for your credit card balance.”
I let out a quick laugh. “I want to make sure Bob has what he needs. I might have gone a bit overboard.”
“A bit? Your cat is never going to want to go home.”
“And miss out on being the only cat in an entire mansion? I think not.” I dumped all Bob’s goodies in the office and headed back out again. “Off to do a bit more damage to ye olde MasterCard,” I announced on my way out.
Imogen’s laughter followed me through the door.
I bypassed The Green Thumb next door, not daring to look in the window and be tempted by a new houseplant I didn’t need and would probably kill, even though Sumiko’s gift from that morning had only succeeded in making me want some new plants for home. Instead, I made a beeline for Owen’s store, Talbot and Son. I wondered briefly if he was the “Talbot” or the “Son.”
As soon as I stepped inside, an electronic chime announced my presence. Owen appeared from a back room immediately, a fake smile plastered on his face that faltered immediately as soon as he realized who I was.
“Ah. Ms. Winchester. We meet again.”
“Owen, you can just call me Phoebe. And I don’t know if it’s intentional, but I get the sense you don’t really like me very much.” Maybe it was too bold of me to come right out and say it, but I also couldn’t stand the idea of tiptoeing around him for years to come. Better to get things worked out now.
“Now, Ms. Winchester—Phoebe—I wouldn’t say that.”
He clearly had no idea how obvious his looks of disdain were. “I know things between us started off on the wrong, uh, foot.” I chuckled at my own joke, gesturing around the store.
Owen did not laugh.
“Anyway,” I continued, “I really appreciated your sharing your insights with me this morning, and I also just wanted to clarify that I didn’t actually accuse Dierdre of murder. So, I was hoping you and I could maybe start over? Our shops are so close together, and I want to have a good relationship with my neighbors.” Not to mention, they might also all be my tenants.
His mouth formed a thin line, and I briefly thought he might dismiss me outright, but after an agonizingly long silence, his shoulders eased slightly, and his smile became warmer. “You’re right, Phoebe. If we’re going to be neighbors, we should give it a proper try, shouldn’t we? And I’m sure Dierdre may have, shall we say, embellished her encounter with you. I’m sorry I didn’t give you the opportunity to share your version of events. I should learn to be more open.”
A tension I hadn’t realized I was carrying lifted from my shoulders, and I let out a tiny sigh of relief. I had really been very nervous about having to either avoid Owen or deal with years of him giving me the evil eye whenever he walked by.
“Thank you. Honestly, that really means the world to me. And as we talked about this morning, I’m hoping you can help me.”
“Oh?” He raised a brow. He really was very handsome for a man his age. His silver hair was perfectly styled, and his clothes looked freshly ironed, even though he’d been working all day.
I pointed down to my boots. “These aren’t going to cut it anymore. I need something to work in every day.”
Owen let out a quick, genuine laugh and came around from behind the cash desk. “Yes, of course. I’m so relieved you’re coming to your senses and getting something more … appropriate. I have just what you need.”
He led me over to an area with cute low heels and ballet flats, where he immediately took a pair of black loafers off the display stand and held them out to me. “Size eight?”
“How …?”
“Side effect of being in the business my whole life. Trust me, after wearing those boots all week, these are going to feel like you’re wearing slippers.”
I sat down and undid my boots, and as I slipped the loafers on, Owen asked, “Say, I’ve been curious about something. After we spoke this morning, you really got me thinking. Have the police officers indicated they know why that man tried to break into your store? He was such an unsavory-looking man, and clearly a criminal if that mugshot is an indication. I’m simply wondering if I might need to increase my own security here.”
I paused with the loafer halfway onto my foot. This was the risky side effect of asking too many questions. People started getting curious themselves. I obviously knew a lot more about the case than I wanted to share with anyone other than the police, but I didn’t want Owen to think anyone was going to break into his place next.
“I don’t think you need to worry about anyone coming for your stuff.”
“Do you think they have a lead on who killed him, then?”
With the shoes completely on, I stood up and took a few test steps. He was right—these were absolute heaven. I’d thought the loafer style might look a bit old ladyish for me, but they were actually really cute.
“These are perfect,” I declared. “Do you have any other colors?”
“They come in a nice brown as well.”
“I’ll take both.” I slipped them off and handed them back to him since I didn’t have the box. “And I don’t know if the detective has any suspects, to be honest. I’m sure they’re working hard on it, though. Why? Do you have an idea who it might be?”
Owen’s cheeks flushed. “Oh goodness, no. I guess it just isn’t all that often something so … exciting happens at your own back door, you know?”
I nodded and followed him to the counter. Now that we were on friendly terms, it was interesting to have him open up. But was he really just curious, or was he doing a little investigating of his own?
Now that I had Owen all to myself and we weren’t standing in the middle of the street, I figured it might be a good idea to ask him something else that had been bothering me.
“Owen, I hope this isn’t too forward, but I heard that after Auntie Eudora passed you had expressed some interest in taking over the space where my shop is.”
He paused in ringing up my shoes and gave me a long, assessing look. “Who told you that?”
I didn’t want to throw Amy under the bus, so I just said, “A few people told me there’d been some interest in the space.”
“Are you thinking of leaving?”
I shook my head, not wanting to give him false expectations. “No, I’m here for the long haul. But I was just curious if it was true. The way I heard it, I was told you were pretty upset the space wasn’t going to be for lease.”
Owen laughed, but it rang hollow. “You know how small-town gossip is, Phoebe. Or I’m sure you’re learning very quickly. Yes, I did inquire about the plans for that space after your aunt died. I’ve long wanted to expand my shop so I can bring in a cobbler and offer on-site repairs, but this suite is much too small to allow for that. I have a small workroom upstairs, but your aunt’s unit would be really ideal. When I learned the shop was being kept in the family, I let the matter drop. There was nothing dramatic about it. A little disappointment at the time, perhaps, but I’m just as thrilled as everyone else that The Earl’s Study will stay open.”
