Designed to Death Page 8

  Cheryl smiled. “A splendid idea. Let’s go see what we can rustle up in your kitchen.”

  I mentally went through my cupboards and refrigerator. Cheese. Eggs. Bread. Peanut butter. Frozen chicken.

  Grandma Cheryl linked her arm through mine and pulled me from the office. “Don’t worry, honey. Grandmas got themselves a feast just waiting to be prepared at their house. A nice lasagna, salad, and apple cobbler is just what that man needs.”

  NINE

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. The blinker clicked and clacked as I waited for a green light. I should have snuck through the red light so I wouldn’t be facing this choice. I had intended on taking Steve dinner. The lasagna, salad and dessert were in matching containers snuggled inside a wicker picnic basket. The smell of toasted, melted cheese, oregano, and garlic bread rumbled my stomach.

  My grandmothers had decided Steve needed company so they packed up my share also and sent me on the way. I had wanted to eat first but they insisted I get the food straight from the oven to Steve.

  Now, I sat at the intersection contemplating a little detour. Turn left and I’d be heading toward the courthouse and Steve. Turn right and I’d be at the store.

  Steve or store? Store or Steve?

  My head and heart warred with each other. My head said Steve. Less chance of danger. Less chance of getting in trouble. Less chance of being accused of interfering in a police investigation. My heart said the store. I missed something last night. Something important. Something the police needed to know...before I once again became a prime suspect.

  A horn tooted. I should drop it. Really I should. But I couldn’t. Someone murdered Belinda at the back door of my grandmothers’ store.

  The horn behind me sounded again.

  I turned right. My heart cheered. My head groaned. The last time I ventured into amateur sleuthing it hadn’t worked out quite the way I planned. And that time I had a good reason for doing a little detecting work on the side.

  This time, the reason was plain and simple nosiness coupled with anger of someone using our store as the place to commit the heinous crime. Not that I wanted Belinda murdered anywhere, it’s just that I didn’t like it literally at our back door. I had no indication anyone suspected me of the crime beside a cryptic message on a chat board made by someone who named themselves after a creature who followed Mary to school.

  We opened tomorrow. I had to make sure the police hadn’t missed anything. It’s not that I believed Ted didn’t know how to do his job, or I knew how to do it better, it’s just I’d know what was out of place.

  Of course, searching in the dark wasn’t the best time but there was no way I’d come out in daylight. Police officers were still out gathering evidence this afternoon and there was no way I’d let them know what I was up to. Especially Ted, who despite my words to the contrary, probably thought I was looking for a way to involve myself into his case.

  He didn’t understand I had no interest in detecting, but just in finding an answer that pointed away from Scrap This and my family as the reason for Belinda being there. Also, I didn’t want a murderer showing up to reclaim something they left behind. If I found it first, I could hand it over to Ted and make sure the word got out about the discovery. I wanted my grandmothers safe. Who could fault me for that?

  A name popped into my head and I kept it in there. I didn’t really care what Ted thought. I’m sure he’d change his mind if it was his brother or mother in possible danger.

  I dimmed my lights as I pulled into the back lot of the shopping complex where Scrap This, Home Brewed, and a nail place scheduled to open after the new year were located. Some of the guys in town started referring to our small area as gossip row.

  I eased the car behind the stores. The quietness of the night unnerved me a little. I heard the tires crunching over some of the loose gravel and the low hum of the security lights. Every noise, including the thudding of my heart, seemed magnified. I swallowed and tried shutting off the Halloween images that popped into my head. Witches. Werewolves. Zombies.

  I knew those things didn’t exist, but a killer did. Women usually got murdered in movies by forgetting their brains at home and venturing out into dark places at night by themselves. Kind of what I was doing right now.

  Sweat coated my hands. I clenched the steering wheel tighter and parked the car at the corner of Home Brewed.

  I didn’t want anyone spotting my car near Scrap This. No sense tipping off the cops or the person responsible for murdering Belinda. All I wanted was to find why Belinda found it necessary to come to the store, or anything the killer might have left that the police didn’t realize didn’t belong.

  Time to get this over with. I took in a deep, steadying breath. The aroma of melted cheese and garlic filled me. My stomach rumbled again. A tiny taste wouldn’t be so bad. If someone else showed up and I needed to hide, I sure didn’t want my hunger to give me away. Fortunately, my grandmas put my dinner and Steve’s into separate containers so I could nibble on my lasagna without Steve knowing I took a little detour.

  Before I knew it, my little snack turned into a full meal. I wiped my mouth and crumbled up the napkin, depositing it into the picnic basket. I’d have dessert with Steve. Hopefully he wouldn’t ask me why I brought myself dessert and not dinner. I didn’t want to lie to him nor tell him the truth.

  If I delayed any longer, he might find out what I’d been up to. Someone would spot my car in the parking lot and call the cops, especially since a crime recently occurred here. This area of town wasn’t hopping on Sunday. Usually, the only reason for parking behind stores was teenagers engaging in an activity they didn’t want their parents catching them doing.

  My poor grandmothers would be so disappointed that I parked behind Home Brewed. My being up to no good wasn’t the steamy kind of no good. They’d been rooting for Steve and me to move our flirting friendship to the next level, hoping they could “force” a marriage because of a “scandal.” My grandmothers, and others in Eden, still had some old-fashioned traditions and standards.

  Pocketing my keys, I slowly opened the door and left the safety of my car. I stood outside for a few moments and listened. Stillness. The night sky was clear and the stars created a soft glow around the area. It looked like the quintessential perfect night but I wasn’t going to take any chances.

  I popped open the trunk and retrieved a large, metal flashlight. The moon and stars gave me enough light to see without tripping so I kept it off. Clutching the flashlight to my chest, I made my way toward Scrap This. The flashlight was bulky and a little awkward to carry but if anyone tried anything, it would leave them with a heck of a headache.

  The dumpster loomed ahead of me. Even up close and almost personal, the dumpster was a dark shape. There was no way I’d find a clue just using nature’s light. Here went everything. I clicked on the flashlight and shined the bright beam onto the dumpster. Yellow crime scene taped winked at me. The tape stretched from one side to the other, right over the door. I wouldn’t be looking in there tonight.

  While I bent rules on occasions, I would never completely break them. It made me a little too antsy and my long-held guilt complex would eat me alive. I’d end up snitching on myself before anyone else did just to quiet the voice in my head.

  Besides, having found the magazine in the dumpster, I’m sure Ted hauled away everything in there.

  Hunching over, I moved the beam of light to the ground and moved it inch by inch. I hoped to find some clue easily overlooked in the daylight. It was easy to miss something when your eye focused on everything. If someone lost an earring, a button, anything small and easily overlooked, I’d be able to see it.

  A hum of an engine broke the stillness. I bolted upright and turned toward the sound. A car pulled into the back lot. I couldn’t make out the make and model. I clicked off the flashlight.

  Too late! The car aimed right toward me, or at least in my general direction. I had no idea if the driver was gunning for m
e and I didn’t plan on staying still and finding out. I gauged the distance of me to my car and the other car to me. I’d never make it. I could blind the driver with the flashlight. But, I didn’t know who it was. It could be my grandmothers sent Steve looking for me. I couldn’t risk it. I’d have to hide out until I knew if the person was friend or foe.

  Frantically, I looked around for a place to hide. I shouldn’t have parked my car behind Home Brewed. Like an idiot, I worried so much about Ted catching me poking around my own store, I never thought for a second the murderer might come back tonight. If it was the best time for me to snoop it sure was the best time for them also.

  Reason one hundred and one I should never consider detective work as a way of making my livelihood.

  Wait. I was smart enough to keep my car keys with me. I’d go inside the store. If it was a foe, I’d call the police. I was willing to give up an explanation for protection. I fumbled with my keys, nearly dropping them twice, before I got the door open. I stumbled inside and slammed the door shut just as a fist pounded on the door.

  I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the door. Made it. Unless the person had a gun. I scrambled away from the door, heading toward the left side of the storage area and behind a few boxes. Better protection.

  “Open up.” An angry woman’s voice drifted through the closed door.

  For some reason, knowing it was a woman made my heart rate slow. I also wasn’t quite as anxious to call the police. Not that I didn’t think a woman wasn’t capable of violence, just I’d have a little better chance going up against another woman and winning.

  The voice was familiar. Very much so.

  The woman pounded again. “I know you’re in there, Faith.”

  Darlene? What was she doing here? On second thought, I would rather not know. I remained quiet, hoping she would get the message and go away. Real soon. Like before someone spotted her and called the police. I did not want to have to explain this visit to Ted.

  “I know you’re in there.”

  So?

  “Or maybe I don’t...” she trailed off.

  Whatever she planned on saying next, I wasn’t going to like it. There was too much glee in her voice. Darlene wasn’t known for her helpfulness and thoughtfulness toward others. She was the biggest pain in pretty much everyone in Eden’s derrière, except for those residents who listed the Hooligans in that particular spot.

  “You could be a prowler.” Darlene tapped on the door. “Or the murderer returning to the scene of the crime.”

  Yeah right. If she believed that she wouldn’t be knocking on the door begging to be let in.

  “I think I should—”

  My patience left right along with common sense. I walked over to the door so Darlene could hear me better. “You’re right. I’m in here. You can leave now.”

  “Not a chance. You’re up to something.” She banged on the door. “Let me in.”

  “I’m working.”

  “On a Sunday. At eight o’clock at night. And your car isn’t parked here. Sounds suspicious to me. Maybe you’re not Faith.”

  I snorted. “Right. You know it’s me. That’s not going to work.”

  “I know, I know. But will the police believe I’m calling to annoy you or because something is up?”

  “If you call them, you’re going to have to explain to them why you’re here.”

  “And so will you.” Triumph echoed in her voice.

  Okay, she had me there. I didn’t want to explain my presence here anymore than she wanted to explain hers.

  Ugh! I was going to have to let her in. I opened the door a crack. “Fine. But keep it down.”

  Darlene squeezed inside. “What did you find?”

  She wasted no time. “Nothing yet. What did you find?”

  “Why do you think I’m here looking for something?”

  “Because you don’t work here. How did you plan on getting inside?”

  “Who says I wanted to come inside?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. How about we stop the games and just agree to get on with what we both had planned to do? Find whatever Belinda came here to look for.”

  She heaved out a huge sigh and stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

  We shook.

  “Let’s split up.” I flipped the lights on, glad we had thick blinds to block any light from showing through the slats. “Chances are someone is going to notice your car and call the police.”

  “Don’t worry.” Darlene headed into the main part of the store. “I parked my car by yours.”

  “Like we’re not going to have to explain that.”

  “I have one.” Darlene threw a know-it-all grin at me over her shoulder. “I broke down and I called you to pick me up.”

  “And why would I do that?” I might as well find out from her, because I couldn’t come up with a good reason.

  “Because you wanted to know why I was here in the middle of the night.”

  In a weird way, it made total sense. “Okay. The second question would be why were you here in the middle of the night. Detective Roget is going to ask. I can guarantee you he’d be the one showing up.”

  “I’m sure you can.”

  I frowned. I didn’t like that smug, high-pitched tone she used. Then again, there wasn’t much I did like when it came to Darlene.

  “I’ll search around the table Belinda used and also check the class kits left behind. You can look on the tables the students used and also on the floor.”

  “Why do I have to crawl around?” Darlene smacked her hands onto her hips. She tapped her foot, the toe of her black leather boots making a soft clicking sound on the linoleum.

  “I know what I put in the class kits, including Belinda’s, so if anything extra is in there I’d know.”

  “What if Belinda came to put something back rather than take something?”

  Interesting theory. “I’d know that also. Stop arguing and look. Someone is going to be knocking on that back door soon.”

  “Aren’t you the bossy one?” Darlene tugged up the hem of her pants and slowly knelt on the ground.

  I refrained from answering her question. Getting into a verbal war with Darlene kept us here longer. I, for one, did not want to be here any longer than necessary. And I had a bad feeling I was already pushing those proverbial moments. I went over to the table Belinda used and started going through the box of supplies. We never got around to doing the class so nothing should be gone.

  There were pieces of the kit missing. A few of the tins, distressing ink pens, and also the special hammer Belinda insisted we have on hand. She didn’t want to bring hers to the store, but had no problem taking any of the store’s items home. Had Belinda been trying to return the items? Being accused of stealing product wouldn’t look good for her on top of the accusation of stealing layouts.

  No. Steve and I would have found something on her, unless the murderer took the items when they left. But why? Belinda stealing, or returning stolen merchandise, was a good reason for her to come in the middle of the night. She wouldn’t want to walk into the store during business hours and give us the stuff she pilfered. Though I’m sure she’d have done it by accident, I mean it had gotten wild and crazy.

  How did Belinda expect to get into the store? Did she plan on breaking and entering or had she borrowed a key from someone? I had mine. I doubted my grandmothers would’ve loaned out theirs.

  Sierra? Possible.

  I shuddered, envisioning how that conversation would turn out. Maybe I’d get Darlene to ask her. She wanted to do more than just crawl around on the ground.

  No. Absolutely not. Asking Darlene to question Sierra meant we were working together on Belinda’s murder. Partnering with Darlene wasn’t on my agenda.

  I glanced over at Darlene who crawled around on the ground, shining a small flashlight she had attached to her key ring. The only person I knew who’d been angry enough to attack Belinda was currently in the store with me.

 
Was Darlene looking for something that would prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt? Or had she planned on leaving something to give the police another suspect?

  Darlene must have felt my suspicious gaze because she stopped scuttling around and turned her head to look at me. She frowned. “I didn’t do it.”

  My famous words to Ted repeated back to me. “I didn’t accuse you.”

  “You’re not saying it but I can see it.”

  “You can see it?” I was intrigued. “Really? How?”

  Darlene rolled her eyes. “Because you aren’t as unreadable as you believe you are. Everyone knows how you feel about Steve...and Detective Roget.”

  “I like them so what.”

  “Give it up, Faith. It’s more than like. You have the hots for both of them.” Darlene stood and grinned at me. “Have to say I’m kind of surprised. I didn’t think you had it in you to lust over one guy much less two.”

  “And what does that mean?” I crossed my arms. “I’m not lusting, as you so elegantly put it, over Steve or Ted.”

  A sharp pound on the front door had me yelping and Darlene squealing. Caught. I’d rather deal with the police than Darlene’s interest in my possible romantic choices.

  Not that I was looking...who was I kidding I was seriously thinking about breaking my vow of singlehood. Though, it wasn’t a choice between Steve and Ted. It was a decision of actually wanting to start dating, have a real relationship rather than a heated flirtation with Steve.

  The pounded sounded again. “Police.”

  It was Ted. I hoped Darlene’s excuse worked. “It’s show time.”

  I lifted up the corner of the blind and peered out, double checking that it was in fact Ted. I mean, I could be mistaken about who I heard and I should be safety conscious.

  Ted narrowed his eyes and pointed at the lock. “Open up.”

  “I’m finishing up.”

  “Faith...”

  Ugh...the warning tone. I wasn’t a child needing a good scolding. Just for that, I wouldn’t let him in. “Everything is fine here. You can go about your business.”