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Mitch and Chris groaned.
“You’d better put it back,” Chris advised.
“We will. This gives us an excuse to go back to Shirley’s house.” Zoe brightened.
“But I don’t think we should go inside again,” Lauren cautioned. And she wasn’t saying that because her police detective husband was right there beside her. She hadn’t felt as comfortable as Zoe had seemed, going over to Shirley’s house and looking for her lost sweater button – and for clues.
“Party pooper.”
“Lauren’s right,” Chris said. “You don’t want a neighbor spotting you and calling the police.”
“Castern would have a field day if that happened,” Mitch muttered.
“But no one seems to have spotted the killer entering Shirley’s house,” Zoe said.
“You’re right.” Mitch nodded. “I checked when I was on the case and nobody had reported suspicious activity or a burglar in the area on that day.”
“Hmm.” Zoe looked thoughtful.
The conversation turned to Annie’s upcoming playdates – AJ on Saturday, and with Molly and Kitty the following Saturday.
“You’re in demand.” Mitch smiled at the feline.
“Brrt!”
***
THE NEXT MORNING, THEY’D just opened up on the dot of nine-thirty. Joyce entered, heading straight to the counter.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I’m afraid I can’t get enough of your cupcakes.” She had an embarrassed look on her face.
“That’s what we like to hear.” Zoe giggled. “Lauren’s are the best.”
“I have lavender, triple chocolate ganache, Gold Rush, and Ed’s made honeyed walnut pastries today.” She gestured to the glass case containing all the goodies.
“Oh – they look tempting too, but I’m really craving a Gold Rush, although it’s not long since I’ve had breakfast.” Joyce shook her head.
She decided to have a latte as well, and chose a table for herself near the counter, before Annie could pick one out for her.
“I think we’ve got a new fan,” Zoe murmured as she plated the sweet treat.
“It appears so.” Lauren steamed the milk, the wand making a hissing noise.
A short while later, Bob came in. Annie greeted him.
“I bet you don’t know where I want to sit today.” There was a chuckle in his voice.
“Brrt.” This way. She led him to a table near Joyce’s.
He nodded to her on his way to his two-seater, then after scrutinizing the menu, walked to the counter and ordered a Gold Rush and a cappuccino.
“I see you can’t stay away from these cupcakes either,” he told Joyce as he sat back down at his table.
“Unfortunately,” she replied ruefully, sipping her latte.
A few more customers entered, the three of them busy with serving them.
When everyone was taken care of, Lauren looked up to see a newcomer enter.
“Brrt?” Annie trotted up to her.
The slim woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, and wearing taupe slacks and matching blouse, looked down at the cat.
“Oh, hello.” She smiled tentatively at Annie. “I’m looking for Lauren and Zoe.”
“That’s us.” Zoe zipped around the counter, a welcoming look on her face.
“How can we help you?” Lauren followed her cousin.
“I’m Tammy, Shirley’s daughter. I arrived in town Tuesday evening and the police ...” her voice faltered “... told me you found ... Mom.”
“We did,” Lauren said gently. “I’m sorry there wasn’t anything we could do.”
“We called for help right away,” Zoe tried to assure her, “but it was too late,” she ended regretfully.
“Brrt,” Annie added.
“Why don’t we sit at a table?” she suggested.
Annie led them to a table a short distance away from the other customers.
“Can we get you anything? On the house,” Lauren offered.
“Oh, that’s very kind, but I don’t think I could right now.” Tammy fished a tissue out of her purse and dabbed her eyes. “I just wanted to meet you in person and say thank you.”
“I’m sorry about what happened to your mom.” She hoped she was being tactful.
“I just can’t believe someone would kill her.” A tear tracked down her cheek. “She didn’t do anything! She was a widow who just went to the senior center and went shopping and spent time with her friends. Why did this happen?” She looked at them, as if expecting them to have an answer.
“She did tell everyone she had a gold nugget,” Zoe said slowly.
“Brrt,” Annie agreed.
“Oh, that.” Tammy waved a hand. “I thought that was common knowledge to any of the old-time locals here. Mom’s great-great-grandfather, Ambrose Bosworth, was one of the town’s founders, and he and the other men found gold here – that’s why they settled here, even when they couldn’t find any more – or at least not enough to make a decent living. They turned to farming or became store owners.”
“That’s what Howard, the historian, said when he was giving his talk about the gold rush at the senior center last week,” Zoe replied. “Something like that, anyway.”
“I’m sure some of the other descendants have their own gold nuggets stashed away somewhere. They just don’t mention them.”
Lauren, Zoe, and Annie shared a glance.
“What happens to the nugget now?” Zoe asked curiously.
“Zoe,” Lauren warned.
“It’s okay.” Tammy smiled wanly. “Mom left everything to me and my sister. She’s flying in on the weekend from Colorado. She’s an executive and had a big meeting this week with overseas investors, and her boss wouldn’t allow her to miss it.” She made a face. “They’re not very family friendly.”
“I’m sorry,” Lauren said awkwardly.
“So, we’ll have to decide whether to keep the house and rent it, or sell it. After we find the nugget, of course.”
“You don’t know where it is?” Zoe asked, her eyes wide.
“Not exactly. Mom said it would be better this way. I grew up hearing the story about how her great-great-grandfather left clues as to its location, but—”
Lauren and Zoe stared at each other.
“Brrt,” Annie urged them.
“What?” Tammy looked mystified.
“We might be able to help you,” Lauren said slowly.
“Yeah, we found some clues when we discovered—” Zoe lowered her voice “—your mom.”
“What sort of clues?” Tammy’s eyes rounded.
“Scraps of paper with old-fashioned writing – three of them,” Lauren replied. “‘It’s knot in here.’ Then, ‘You’re knot getting warmer.’ And, ‘Too many cookies are not good for you.’”
“Annie found the first one under the desk drawer in the living room,” Zoe added. “Then later—” she darted a glance at Lauren, “—we found the second clue in a knot at the bottom of a wooden kitchen cabinet.”
“And the third clue, about too many cookies not being good for you, was back in the living room on the mantel of the fireplace,” Lauren finished.
“But we think someone ...” Zoe lowered her voice again, “maybe the killer ... found a clue in the cookie jar that was used to—” She stopped abruptly.
“It’s okay.” Tammy blinked furiously for a second. “The police told me how the cookie jar was used to kill Mom.”
“I’m sorry,” Lauren said again.
“Brrt.” Annie gently laid a paw on Tammy’s arm, and patted.
“Thank you.” Tammy gave the feline a watery smile.
“I can get the clues for you.” Lauren rose.
“Oh, no.” Tammy waved her back down. “I don’t think I could deal with that right now. But definitely another time. I’ll be here in town until next week, then I have to get back to my family. My husband managed to get some time off work to look after the kids while I flew here from Oregon.”
“Of course.” She nodded.
They spoke to her for a few more minutes, Lauren managing to tempt her with a cappuccino and a honeyed walnut pastry. Annie continued to sit with Tammy but they both noticed that she only picked at the treat.
“Poor Tammy.” Zoe said when they were behind the counter.
“I know.” Lauren nodded.
When Tammy scraped her chair back and walked past Joyce’s table, she noticed the older woman beckon to her. They spoke for a second, Tammy nodding, before she came to the register.
“Do you know Joyce?” Zoe asked curiously.
“Zoe.”
“It’s okay,” Tammy replied. “Our families go back years. They even founded this town together. She was expressing her condolences.”
“That’s nice,” Zoe replied.
Tammy offered to pay but Lauren insisted it was on the house.
“Let us know when we can give you the actual clues,” she told Tammy.
“I will.” Tammy nodded, giving them a watery smile, before leaving the café.
“I think I need a latte after that.” Zoe began steaming milk. “It’s not fair that nice people get murdered. Hey.” She stared at Lauren. “Do you think it was Tammy who entered the house when we were there Tuesday finding my button?”
Lauren’s eyes widened. “It must be!” She’d been caught up with Tammy’s grief and hadn’t even thought about that. “I definitely need a latte, too. I hope we were able to help her.” Now she felt guiltier about searching Shirley’s house for Zoe’s button – and clues.
“I think Annie definitely made her feel better.”
Lauren glanced over at her fur baby, who was visiting Bob. He’d polished off his treats and was now just sitting at his table, saying something to Annie.
She’d finished half her coffee when Joyce came over to pay.
“Your cupcakes are just as delicious today.” She opened her wallet.
“Thank you.”
“I’m glad Shirley’s daughter, Tammy, is in town. But I haven’t heard if her sister is coming.”
“On the weekend,” Zoe replied.
“That will be of comfort to her. I know they live in different states.”
Joyce took her change and said goodbye.
Bob came to the register not long after. “You cat is cute.” He chuckled, giving them a card.
Lauren winced when DECLINED flashed across the small machine. “Do you have another?” she asked tactfully.
“I know I paid that credit card bill.” He shook his head and thumbed through his wallet. “Here’s some cash.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a small amount of change.
He waved goodbye to them, not looking very worried about his declined card.
Mrs. Finch came in just before the lunch rush, and Hans after. It was lovely to see both of them, and it was great for business that they were so busy, but by the time five o’clock arrived, all Lauren wanted to do was relax on her sofa.
“I hope Mitch wants to cook tonight,” she joked as she helped to stack the chairs on top of the tables. “Otherwise it might be a can of soup for dinner.”
“I hear you.” Zoe nodded. “And everything sold out today so we can’t even have cupcakes for dinner.”
“Mm.” She sounded regretful. A treat would definitely hit the spot right now.
They finished cleaning the café and getting it ready for the morning. Annie prowled around the corners, but didn’t seem to find anything.
“Maybe Annie won’t find a clue this time to help us catch the killer,” Zoe joked.
“She did find the first clue in Shirley’s house – the one in the living room under the desk.”
“True.” Zoe nodded. “Can you find another clue for us, Annie?”
“Brrt.” Annie sounded thoughtful.