| |
I JUST COULDN’T UNDERSTAND how I had missed it!
“Julie, we didn’t look at the names of the performers!” I gasped, shoving a draft copy of the recital program under her nose.
“What is it?” She was trying to look, but I think I was waving it around so much, I was making her seasick.
“Second violin, the Cantabile Trio. Donald Owens. Donald! It starts with D!” I burrowed back into my big black bag for my phone.
“You need to call Detective Winn!” Julie declared, as if I hadn’t already figured that on out.
“Found it!” I waved my phone above my head in triumph. I quickly pushed the Fairview Police number, which was, sadly, listed in my favorites.
“Hello, Fairview Police. How can I direct your call?” A very calm sounding voice answered the phone.
“Hell, may I please speak to Detective Winn?”
“Yes, may I tell him who is calling?”
“This is Lisa Todd, and could you please tell him it is urgent?” I was literally shaking.
“One moment please,” I heard a click. Almost immediately, Detective Winn answered.
“Lisa, what is it?” Detective Winn asked immediately, dispensing with the usual formalities.
“One of the performers in the festival, his name is Donald Owens. He plays with the Cantabile Trio. Second violin. His name starts with a D.” I knew I had just spat out more information than Detective Winn cared to know.
“Ok, slow down. What is his name again?” Detective Winn asked. He had picked up the phone so fast, he had neglected to have a pencil at the ready.
“Donald. Donald Owens.” I fussed with all my paperwork to find his contact information. Clearly, I did not prepare well for this phone call either.
“Address and phone number?” Detective Winn asked, just as I found the sheet I was looking for. I gave Detective Winn the information.
“Now what do I do?” I didn’t know if I’d be invited to a stakeout or something. That would be so cool!
“Were there any other D names you came across?“ Not the stakeout invite I was hoping for.
“Yes, several orchestra teachers and such. Should I email you the list?” I turned on my computer to put the list together.
“Yes, please. If you could also include all the information you have about each of them, that would be helpful. Address, phone number, school where they teach, and so forth.” Detective Winn asked.
“Alright. I’m putting it together right now. Then what do I do?” I had lots of adrenaline pumping right now. I really needed something else to do.
“Get me the list as soon as you can. I will get a hold of Donald Owens and get an officer assigned to him in his home jurisdiction. The department will follow up with the others. If you think of anyone or anything else, please let me know.”
“Ugh, ok. That’s it?” This was frankly a bit of a letdown.
“That’s it. And Lisa?” Detective Winn paused.
“Yes?” I was still hoping for that stake out.
“Thank you so much for all your help, but please let the police and professionals take it from here. It could get dangerous. Alright?” Detective Winn had a genuine concern in his voice.
“I will. Don’t worry.” Sigh.
“I will let you know if anything changes. Bye, Lisa.”
“Goodbye.” I hung up the phone dejectedly.
“Why so glum? Hopefully, you just saved Donald Owens!” Julie asked.
“I just wanted to be included in the man hunt or whatever is going to happen next.” I set my computer on Julie’s glass top coffee table.
“What is going to happen next is you are going to finish that list for Detective Winn, and I will start a batch of my mini-quiches. Then we are off to play Bunco!” Julie jumped off the couch and headed into the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and started the list. Suddenly, an evening of Bunco at Mother’s didn’t seem so exciting.
Julie and I took my car to Mother’s. I still really didn’t want to go and was brooding about it. Julie sat like a proud mother hen in the passenger seat, holding two pans of mini quiches. I must admit, they smelled good. Truth be told, anything with bacon smells good!
We had decided to leave Henry at home. Keeping an eye on him in the midst of all of Mother’s friends, when they all had plates of food, seemed like way more work than I was up to.
“We are going to play Bunco and forget all our troubles!” Julie all but sang. “And eat many quiches!”
“I would have preferred to stay home and help Detective Winn.” I turn the car left at the stoplight.
“Lisa, he’s a professional. Let him do his job. You gave him Donald Owen’s contact information and got him the list of the other people whose names started with D. You helped him!” Julie peeked under the tinfoil and made sure her quiches were safe.
“Are they ok?” I asked, half joking. They are quiches. For Pete’s sake, what was going to happen to them?
“I was just checking.” Julie smiled at me. “I am very proud of them.”
“When did you become such a gourmet?” Julie had no interest in culinary pursuits when we were in high school and college.
“My dear friend, while you were out basking in the California sunshine...”
“I never basked!”
“I was taking cooking classes. Hannah had been doing classes in her home before she expanded to The Caffeine Machine, in case you didn’t know. I also have watched a good deal of the cooking channel while working from home. It’s pleasant background noise, but some of it sinks in!” Julie tightened the tin foil around her quiche pans.
“Wow! You think you know someone....” I began.
“Right? I know! I’m a superb cook!” Julie laughed.
“I’m not!”
“Right? I know!” Julie and I both dissolved in laughter. “Seriously, though, I really like working at home, while having the smells of something yummy baking in the oven or simmering in the crackpot wafting through my condo. Makes it cozy!”
“Maybe you will have to give me some pointers! I’ve never had much wafting going on at my place, unless, of course, Henry did something he shouldn’t have!” Once again, Julie and I cracked up laughing. If the fun we were having on this drive was any sign, the evening might not be so bad after all.
I pulled my car up to Mom’s house. I had to park on the street, as several other people had parked in her driveway. Julie and I got out. I grabbed both my bag and Julie’s, as she was clinging protectively to her quiche pans. I could hear noise and laughter coming from inside the house as soon as I got out of the car. Mom loved to entertain, and I could already tell that she was in her glory already.
We went up to the front door and went on in. Nobody knocked to enter one of Mom’s parties! All were always welcome, or at least, that is what Mom hoped everyone would think.
“Lisa, Julie, you made it!” Mom made her way over to Julie and me. We both received hugs. “Everyone is about here! This is wonderful! Julie, are these your famous quiches?”
“They are!” Julie smiled like the Cheshire cat as Mom gestured toward the quiche pans.
“Famous?” I began, but was immediately cut off as Mom took Julie’s arm and lead her toward the kitchen to put the quiches wherever they needed to go.
“Lisa! I was hoping you would be here!” Mom’s friend, Gina Miller, greeted me with a hug. Gina was one of Mom’s many friends that I knew by name only, not much more. There was an entire contingent of ladies in Mom’s demographic that had moved to Fairview to retire or to just moved here, when working remotely became a thing. Fairview is a quiet, quaint town with lots of pine trees and hiking trails. Anyway, this new circle of women that Mom was currently socializing with did not raise their families in Fairview. They are not the parents of my childhood friends, which was her social circle when I was in school.
“Gina! Very nice to see you! Your jacket is beautiful!” Gina was wearing a colorful jacket over a black top and black pants. The jacket made it looklike a peacock was giving her a hug.
“Thank you, Lisa! I saw it and thought it was fabulous. Then I told Wayne that I just had to have it!” Gina gushed. I presumed Wayne is her husband. Really, didn’t know for sure. Gina continued to tell me the specifics of her jacket when a very well-groomed woman in a red wool coat came up to us. “Oh, Evie!!! This is Lisa, this is who I was telling you about!” Gina grabbed hold of Evie’s red sleeve.
“Hi, I’m Lisa Todd.” I extended my hand toward the woman. I did not know who she was, any more than I knew who Wayne was, but shaking hands seemed to be the polite thing to do.
“Hello, Lisa. Gina and several others have been telling me all about you!” Great. Now, who are you?
“Lisa, Evie was so excited to hear all that you have done with Fairview Music, the new recital hall and all.” Gina filled me in. Still no clue who this Evie was.
“Yes, Patsy was telling me you are having a Chamber Music Festival this weekend. That is so delightful!” Evie took a sip from the wineglass she was holding. I was racking my brain to remember if Mom had ever mentioned someone named Evie. I was coming up blank.
“Yes, we are really looking forward to it. Hopefully, it will become an annual thing,” I smiled. Evie didn’t seem at all shaken or indicate that she was thinking that the murders might become an annual thing. As that was not at all what I meant.
“When Evie said that she could come out and visit this week, I was so excited! I told her we would have to be sure to attend the recitals that are happening with your festival, Lisa. Sure enough, Evie was thrilled! We already have our tickets and are so looking forward to it!”
“Where are you visiting from, Evie?” Since no one seemed to offer me the information, I decided to just jump in and ask.
“Spokane. Didn’t your mother tell you?” Gina looked truly baffled that I didn’t know who Evie was.
“No, she said nothing. I’ve been a little busy with the festival....”
“Then please let me introduce you to Dr. Evangeline Tate, Professor of Violin at the Northwest Music Conservatory.”