By the time Red arrived on the scene, we had our hands full trying to keep people from leaving and still maintaining the integrity of the crime scene. Dixie, normally so calm cool and collected, was a nervous wreck. Not only was there a dead body blocking one of only two portable johns, but her big fundraising event was being ruined.
I looked at my friend’s face as she sat at her RV dining table. “I’m sure everything will turn out okay in the end.”
Dixie glanced in my direction. She was silent, but her face spoke volumes.
I reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze. “Surely, no one will blame you for this.”
She raised an eyebrow. “The buck stops here.” After a few seconds, she laughed. “Buck…get it? All of the bucks for the poodle rescue are stopping here.”
I squeezed her hand tighter. “No, they haven’t. Now, pull yourself together or I might have to smack some sense into you the same way you did for me once.”
She gave me a half-hearted smile. “Okay, Hercule. What do you have in mind?”
I didn’t have anything in mind, so I sat up and forced my gray cells to get busy. “We know B.J. thought Paul Carpenter might be planning to blackmail someone.” I turned to B.J. who nodded.
“Yeah, so what?” B.J. asked. “We don’t know who.”
I gave B.J. a sideways look that said you’re not helping.
“Sorry.” She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip.
Dixie sighed. “B.J.’s right. We don’t have any idea who he was going to blackmail. We don’t know anything.”
Even though the comments were defeatist, they stimulated something in my brain. “We may not know specifically who he was planning to blackmail, but we can definitely narrow things down.”
“How?” Dixie asked tentatively.
“B.J. said he mentioned he knew things about people.” I turned to B.J. who nodded. “Well, that eliminates the majority of the people here today.”
Monica Jill sat up straight in her chair. “That’s right. It would have to be someone that he had already come into contact with.”
I reached into my purse and pulled out a notepad and pen. “Let’s write down our suspects.”
B.J. leaned forward. “That shady looking butler would be at the top of my list.”
“Ivan Bradington.” I wrote his name on the paper.
Monica Jill glanced at Stephanie. “I’m not sure what was going on between him and that hunk of an attorney.”
“Eli Goldstein.” I resisted the urge to glance at Stephanie.
“I asked Eli about that,” Stephanie said. “He said Carpenter was angry because he had some idea that Lowry was going to leave him a legacy in his will.”
I glanced at Stephanie. “Did he?”
She shook her head. “Eli said Lowry left the chauffeur a couple thousand dollars, but apparently Carpenter was expecting more.”
“What about the Kilpatricks?” Monica Jill asked. “He would have driven them around and he might have heard something.” I added their names to the list. “He could have overheard them plotting to murder their cousin.” I tapped my pen on the table. “I wonder if they’re included in the will.” I glanced at Stephanie.
She shrugged. “I’ll know tomorrow. I don’t want to ask Eli.” She blushed. “You might as well go ahead and add his name to the list too.”
I hesitated a half second and then added the lawyer to the list. “You’re right. We can’t eliminate anyone at this point in the game.” I looked around and waited.
Dixie sighed. “We should put Mrs. Huntington on the list. I mean, she seems harmless enough, but…a little nervous.”
“Wouldn’t you be nervous if your boss and one of your coworkers were just murdered?” B.J. asked.
We looked at each other, but no one had a response to that. After a few moments, Dixie asked, “Who was that redheaded woman I saw you staring at before we went into the tent for lunch?”
“Fiona Darling.” I wrote the name with a flourish. I explained how I’d met Fiona at the cocktail party.
Monica Jill frowned. “Just because she found Archibald Lowry’s body doesn’t mean that she knew him.” She hesitated. “I mean, she might just be curious about dogs.”
“That woman doesn’t know a poodle from a Golden Retriever.” I ignored the voice whispering in my head that just a few months ago, I barely knew the difference between the two breeds myself. I glanced up at Dixie and noticed the corners of her mouth twitching. “Don’t even think about laughing at me.”
Dixie hesitated a few seconds but then burst out laughing. It wasn’t long before the others joined her. After a few seconds, I started laughing too. “Okay, I will admit that I might be just the tiniest bit jealous of her drop-dead gorgeous looks and mane of thick hair, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t kill Lowry and his chauffeur.”
I think the laughter worked its magic. Dixie’s cheeks had regained some of their color and her eyes were a little brighter.
I smiled at my friend. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…”
Dixie smiled. “Proverbs 17:22.”
We chatted a bit longer. “Why do I feel like I’m missing someone or something?”
Monica Jill gasped. “Oh my God.” She looked around with a sad expression. “We forgot Mai. Although I can’t believe that petite little thing had anything to do with killing either one of those men.” She shook her head. “Nope, I don’t believe it.”
“Petite doesn’t mean weak.” Dixie glanced around. “As a gamekeeper, I’m sure she’s had to deal with a lot of animals and that requires strength.”
I sighed and added Mai Nguyen to our list of suspects.
“Did you see the way Dr. Morgan blushed when he was talking about her?” Monica Jill asked.
We all nodded.
“It’s just so cute.”
“What’s cute?”
I was so engrossed in our conversation and didn’t hear Dr. Morgan enter the RV. I scrambled to cover the list of names with my arms without appearing to hide them. Based on the look his face, I knew I had failed.
He walked over to the table and slid the sheet of paper from under my arm. He looked at the sheet and I noticed a slight flush rise up the back of his neck. He placed the sheet back on the table, poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down without saying a word.
I tried to think of something to say to relieve the awkward silence, but nothing came to mind. I glanced at Dixie.
She picked up a sandwich and holding it like a carrot, she did a Bugs Bunny impersonation. “What’s up, doc?”
Once again, we all laughed and the mood lightened.
“What can you tell us about Paul Carpenter’s murder,” I asked when we had composed ourselves.
“He was stabbed with a thin, sharp object,” Dr. Morgan replied.
“Would a woman be able to do it?” I asked.
“I’ll know for sure when I get the body to the morgue, but I’d say yes. It looks like it was caused by a really sharp blade, like a scalpel.”
We talked for several minutes. When there was a lag in the conversation, Dr. Morgan cleared his throat. “Look, I know you’re all thinking that I’m too close to one of the suspects to be objective.” He colored. “However, I assure you that I am fully capable of doing my part to investigate this murder and will do everything in my power to bring the killer to justice.” He coughed. “No matter who it is.”
Everyone started talking at once in an effort to reassure him, but we stopped when he held up a hand.
“Thank you,” Dixie said and reached across the table to pat the doctor’s hand.
Each of us did a similar gesture of reassurance. After that was over, there was another awkward silence until B.J. broke it by asking, “Okay, now that the love fest is over, what’s the plan?”
Everyone turned to me.
“We all have our suspects. I say we continue on. We each will question someone on the list and then we’ll all meet after dog class on Tuesday and compare notes.” I glanced around.
Everyone nodded except B.J. “Wait, my suspect is dead. I need someone else.”
I looked down at the sheet. “I think you should tackle Fiona Darling. She’s a private investigator.” I looked at B.J. “Insurance companies hire private investigators sometimes, right?”
She nodded. “Oh yes. In fact, I have an arson claim that I need an investigator for now.”
“Great, then it all worked out perfectly.”
“What worked out perfectly?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at Red’s voice. “You scared me.”
He stared. “Guilty conscience?”
Monica Jill got up and walked over to the cabinet. “Can I pour you a cup of coffee?”
B.J. slid the papers we’d been writing on under the table, folded them and slipped them over to me.
I felt Stephanie’s hand touch my leg and I slid the papers to her.
“Please tell me I can have my silent auction?” Dixie pleaded.
Red shrugged. “You can have your auction.”
Dixie’s face lit up and she started to rise, but something in Red’s manner stopped her.
“You can have your auction next week.”
She flopped down.
His face softened. “I’m sorry, but we have an active crime scene here. Besides, I’m not sure it’s safe to hold the auction tonight.” He paused. “Give us some time to find this murderer. Just give me one week, okay?”
Dixie released a heavy sigh. “I don’t suppose I have much choice.”
Red smiled. “Actually, you don’t but I appreciate your cooperation.”
Addison and Beau entered the RV with the dogs. “We’re getting pretty good at this.” Beau smiled down at his new helper.
Addison held the two small poodles, Rex and Aggie, and gently placed them on the floor with the larger dogs.
The dogs crowded the water dishes that were placed in the kitchen area.
B.J and Dr. Morgan took their dogs and made a quick exit. Monica Jill, Addison and Jac were the next to leave and that reduced the noise and energy level in the RV instantly.
I turned to Beau. “How on earth did you two manage eight dogs at once?”
He smiled. “I’ll have you know I’m a highly skilled dog wrangler.” He chuckled. After a few minutes he added, “Addison and I decided to divide and conquer. The larger dogs are all fairly well-behaved, plus Chyna and Leia clip together.” He held up a “Y” shaped leash. “They walked on one side, while Lucky walked on the other one. Addison took Jac and Snoball.”
I was about to speak when Beau held up a hand. “Don’t worry, we didn’t forget Aggie and Rex.” That’s when he held up a backpack looking harness which allowed the dogs to fit in a pouch on his chest. “It’s easier to wear the smaller dogs.”
I smiled. “That’s great, but what about Max?”
“Dr. Morgan took Max with him.”
“If Addison was able to handle Snoball and Jac, then she’s got some serious dog handling skills. That Jac is a handful,” Dixie said.
He smiled. “Jac was the challenge. That dog has unlimited energy. For him, I had something special.” He stepped outside. He hefted a large crate on a folding cart. There were bungee cords that secured the crate in place.
“That’s ingenious.” I stared.
Dixie smiled as she watched Beau fold the crate and cart flat and slide it into a closet. “I almost forgot we had that. There’s so much equipment that you have to bring to dog shows that most competitors have something like that. Wheeled crates, stackable crates, and all kinds of wagons and other contraptions to help reduce the number of trips.”
We chatted a bit longer. After a while, I turned to Red. “Are we free to go home?”
He nodded. “I know where to find you if I have questions.” He kissed me briefly. Before he pulled away, he leaned close and whispered, “Be careful with your sleuthing.”
I pulled away and tried to look as innocent as possible. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Look, I know I can’t stop you, but I would be remiss in my duties as a law enforcement officer if I didn’t at least warn you.” He held my chin and looked me in the eyes. “Please, be careful. There’s a murderer out there. He’s killed twice and gotten away with it.” He paused and caressed my cheek. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I nodded. “I’ll be careful.”
Dixie and Beau drove Stephanie and me home in the RV. I knew Dixie was disappointed that the auction had to be postponed. However, I had to admit it was nice to sit down and relax.
Stephanie and I ordered a pizza and ate it in on the back deck. It was getting dark, but I had bug lights and we burned a citronella candle to keep the mosquitos away. It was cool, but it felt nice to sit and enjoy each other’s company.
We sat quietly and just enjoyed the silence together. It was good to have my daughter here. Stephanie had lived on her own for years, but whenever she came to visit, it felt like a comfortable sweater. We were able to sit in peace without feeling the need to fill the silence with words. The dogs played and ate and eventually curled up together on the deck and rested.
I watched their chests rise and fall and tried to remember what my life had been like before Aggie. That little dog had wiggled her way into my heart. When she looked up at me with those big brown eyes filled with love and adoration, I knew what unconditional love must feel like. I thought about my life when I was married to Stephanie’s father, before he left me for an exotic dancer who was younger than our children. I couldn’t remember what that was like. I don’t mean I couldn’t remember Albert. I remembered the house where we lived in Lighthouse Dunes. I remembered what he looked like. I remembered being there, but I couldn’t recall peaceful moments like this where I was content and happy to sit and enjoy the silence. I couldn’t remember feeling useful apart from cooking, cleaning and taxiing kids from drama class to debate club or soccer practice. I couldn’t remember a time when I felt content and useful because of the work I was doing. I’m sure there must have been those moments, but I couldn’t remember them. My life before moving to Chattanooga felt more like a movie reel. It was something I endured, not something I enjoyed. I thought about Red and tried to remember when Albert had looked at me like a man looks at a woman he truly cares about, but those looks, if they had ever existed, had floated away like the smoke from a citronella candle.
Stephanie sighed several times. After the third or fourth sigh I asked, “Is something bothering you?”
She shook her head. “No, actually I was just thinking how peaceful this is.”
I smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“You seem so happy.” She looked at me. “You have friends and Aggie.” She glanced at the little dog sleeping on the deck and smiled. Then, she gave me a sly look. “And you’ve got Red.”
I felt the heat rise up my neck. I squelched the smile that threatened to break out on my face and looked intently at my daughter. “Are you okay with…Red and me?”
She smiled and leaned across to squeeze my hand. “Absolutely. I like Red. He seems really nice and I love the way he looks at you.”
I smiled. “I love that too. He makes me feel…special.”
“You are special. Every woman should have someone that looks at them that way.” She sighed.
“Does Joe make you feel special?”
She hesitated, but then she nodded. “He does.” She laughed. “Sometimes, he’s so serious and then he’ll say or do something really sweet.” She paused for a few moments and smiled as she obviously recalled a pleasant memory. “I had a really big case I was preparing for court and I’d been working all weekend on it. Joe was up visiting, but I didn’t have a lot of time to spend with him. No complaints. He took Turbo and Lucky out to the park and cooked all of the meals. He even brought my meals in on trays to make sure I ate.” She smiled. “I love strawberry shortcake and he tried several times to make it, but he kept forgetting ingredients. Something always seemed to go wrong. After the third failed attempt he left and took three trains and a bus to Schaumburg to my favorite bakery and bought a shortcake.” She smiled at the memory.
“That’s so sweet.”
“He has his moments.” She shook off the memory. “Then, there are other times when I want to strangle him.”
I didn’t want to ruin the memory, but I had to ask. “What about Eli Goldstein?”
She chuckled. “I don’t know him well enough to strangle him.”
“You know what I mean.”
She took a sip of her wine and shrugged. “I just met him. He’s very handsome, but…I don’t know. There’s something about him that’s just too….well, too…”
“He’s too handsome.”
She nodded. “Yeah. I know it’s wrong, but he just doesn’t seem real to me. I enjoy looking at him, but I can’t imagine life with him. I can’t picture him in his designer suits and fifteen-hundred-dollar Italian leather shoes cleaning up dog poop or rolling on the floor playing with two huge dogs so I can prepare for court…or…”
“Or taking three trains and a bus to the suburbs to get strawberry shortcake?”
She nodded. “Exactly.”
We sat outside a bit longer until the candle began to burn out and then we gathered our plates and glasses, roused the dogs and went inside.
Monday morning was a workday for me. I had been tempted to take the day off and spend it with Stephanie, but I had some work I needed to do in preparation for our taxes, an upcoming audit and the board meeting. The previous night we agreed that Stephanie would drop me off at work so she could keep the car and then she would meet me downtown for lunch.
Neither of us was keen on letting the dogs out alone so when I awoke, I waited on the deck while the three dogs took care of their business before I finished getting dressed.
It seemed like a month since I’d been to the museum, even though it was only two days. I knew deep down inside that I wasn’t to blame for Archibald Lowry’s murder, but I still felt guilty for talking Linda Kay into allowing the Chattanooga Museum to host the event. I really enjoyed working at the museum and didn’t want to cause trouble. Guilt often translated into food in my mind. So, I had Stephanie take me to DaVinci’s, a bakery located about one block from the museum.
“Bakery?” Stephanie glanced at the treats strategically placed in the shop window to entice passersby.
I glanced at my watch. “Why don’t you park, and we’ll go inside and see if we can snag a table and have a pastry and a coffee.”
She glanced at the coffee in the cup holder she’d made at home and then turned the wheel and pulled into the lot beside the building. DaVinci’s was a European style café located in the arts district of Chattanooga. In addition to house-roasted coffees, they offered an assortment of artisan breads, hand-dipped chocolates and delicious, hand-made pastries.
Inside, the smell of fresh brewed coffee, buttery pastries and sugary deliciousness crept into our noses and pulled us deeper into the bakery’s lair. I watched Stephanie take a deep breath and inhale the glorious scent of sugar and coffee. She was hooked.
“Good morning, Mrs. Echosby. What can I get for you today?” Brad greeted me as he did most mornings. I discovered the bakery when I started working at the museum and had become a regular, stopping in practically every day.
I smiled. This must be what the regulars from the television show Cheers felt at a place where everybody knew your name. “Hello, Brad. I’ll take a pastry box for work and how about a croissant and large coffee.” I turned to Stephanie. “This is my daughter, Stephanie.”
“You must be the lawyer from Chicago.” Brad smiled. “Are you here visiting your mom?”
Stephanie nodded, but I could tell she was surprised this stranger knew so much about her. She quickly ordered a coffee and a pastry.
We were fortunate and found a seat at one of the small bistro tables near the window. When we were seated, Stephanie took a sip of her coffee. “Hmmm. This is delicious.”
I smiled. It was nice to get to spend a few minutes with my daughter. I was very proud of her success, but I missed having time to just talk and enjoy each other’s company.
“What?” She looked at me over her coffee.
“Nothing. I was just thinking how nice it is to spend time with you.” I smiled. “I love Chattanooga, but I do miss you and David.”
She reached out a hand and squeezed mine.
I shook off the mood and smiled. “But, you’re here now and I’m going to enjoy as much time with you as possible.” I stared. “You don’t mind me going into the museum do you, because I’m sure Linda Kay—”
“Mom, of course I don’t mind. You have work to do. My decision to come down for a visit at the last minute was unexpected. We’ll have plenty of time to spend together.”
“I plan to take off a few days later this week, but with the auditors coming to work on the financial statement and the upcoming board meeting, I just want to make sure that everything is done and ready.”
She smiled. “Trust me, I completely understand about work and deadlines.” She glanced out the window at the flowering trees and shrubs and sighed. “This is such a wonderful place. I can see why you like Chattanooga so much.”
Something in her voice made me ask, “Are you considering leaving Chicago?” I tried to make sure my voice was neutral. Perhaps she was considering moving back to Light House Dunes to be with Joe.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I love what I do. I love the energy of Chicago. I just hate the traffic and the cold weather.” She stared down into her coffee. “I want to have a family…someday, but I don’t want to give up my career. I worked hard to get where I am and I’m not ready to just toss it aside to be a full-time wife and mother.”
I listened carefully and when she finished, I took a deep breath. “I wish I knew the right words to say. I know women’s magazines tell us we can have it all. They say you can have a career and a family. You can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.” I chuckled. “I’m sure there are plenty of women who have found the magic formula that allows them to achieve everything.” I sighed. “I wasn’t one of them. Your father didn’t want his wife working. He wanted me home, raising the children and taking care of the family.” I paused. “It was a choice I agreed to.”
“Do you regret giving up your career to be a stay-at-home mom?”
I thought for a few minutes, but then smiled and shook my head. “I don’t. It may have been your father’s idea initially, but it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to be there for you and David. It was my choice.” I smiled. “I think there are tradeoffs with everything in life. Only you can decide what is most important to you.”
She looked up. “Thank you.”
I looked puzzled. “For what?”
“For choosing to always be there for us.”
I came very close to tearing up, so I swallowed hard and took a sip of my coffee.
We sat in a companionable silence for a few more minutes and then I said goodbye and took my box of pastries and walked the short distance to the museum.
Jacob was, as usual, already at his desk when I arrived. I placed the box on his desk as I passed. I brought pastries from DaVinci’s at least two times per week, so he wasn’t surprised by my edible offering and merely rose and took the pastries into Linda Kay’s office.
Jacob had opened my office door and pulled the curtains in the window that looked out on the Tennessee River. I dropped my purse in the drawer and spent a couple of minutes enjoying the view and the peace and quiet of the early morning. After a few moments, there was a knock on my door.
“Linda Kay is here, if you’d care to join us,” Jacob said.
I took a deep breath and prepared to face my boss.
Linda Kay Weyman’s office was next to mine and enjoyed the same wonderful view of the Tennessee River. Her office was massive with room not only for a large desk but also a conference table and six chairs. “Hello, there. It sounds like you’ve had a busy weekend.” Linda Kay smiled big. “Take a seat and tell me what happened.”
Linda Kay Weyman was a middle-aged Southern Belle with thick red hair, bright eyes and a smile that came from the heart. She had one leg but never let that stop her from doing anything she set her mind to, whether it was career success or kick-boxing classes. At some point I would get up the courage to ask her how she managed that. However, today I was busy trying to gauge how much trouble Archibald Lowry’s murder had caused.
“I’m so sorry about everything. I hope the board—”
Linda Kay held up a hand. “Now, you just let me worry about the board. I want to know what you’ve discovered.” She gave me a sly smile. “I’m sure you’ve been investigating and I want to hear all of the juicy details.”
Jacob poured tea into the tea cups he’d set out while Linda Kay helped herself to a strawberry tart and placed it on the blue and white porcelain plate.
Linda Kay had acquired a number of beautiful, and expensive, collections over the decades that she’d worked at the museum. Surprising to me, she believed in using rare china, crystal vases and art rather than putting them behind glass protective cases. In fact, the paintings on the walls of her office were authentic. I was still adjusting to someone who actually used her best items rather than storing them away. I grew up in a home where the good china, which wasn’t even close in price to the plate I was eating from today, was kept locked up and only used once or twice per year, if at all. However, Linda Kay believed in using objects as their creator intended and enjoyed surrounding herself with beautiful things.
With care, I placed my teacup in its saucer and told Linda Kay and Jacob everything I knew about Archibald Lowry.
They listened with rapt attention. Jacob added a few bits from his experience on Friday night, but was silent when I discussed Saturday and Sunday. When I was finished, I waited.
Linda Kay smiled. “Well, that’s fascinating. I can’t wait to meet everyone on Saturday when the police have cleared the auction to be rescheduled.”
I stared at her with wide eyes and an open mouth.
Linda Kay laughed. “Now, you can just close your mouth and stop looking surprised.”
I complied, at least with closing my mouth. “You mean to say you’re going to let Dixie have the auction here?”
She nodded.
“But what about the board?”
“Pshaw.” She waved her hand as if flinging away an annoying gnat. “Dixon Vannover is an arrogant, pompous social climber who is just using the museum board as a stepping stone to advance his political career.” She took a deep breath. “He’s just a young pup who wants to bark all the time.” She shook her head. “He likes to think he’s a big shot.” She sat tall and puffed out her chest, but then relaxed and smiled. “Well, I may not have a string of degrees, but I’m a lot smarter than he thinks.” She leaned forward and winked at me.
“Well, how? What? I don’t understand.” I sputtered and stared from her to Jacob who was struggling to keep from laughing.
“Honey, I just phoned up a couple of my friends.” She smiled. “They ran newspaper, radio and television ads that were incredibly favorable about the museum and our charitable work to help the poodle rescue.”
Jacob smiled. “Linda Kay knows everyone. She’s even friends with the governor.”
I wasn’t into politics, but I couldn’t help being impressed. “You run in some impressive circles.”
“I went to college in Alabama with his wife.” She smiled. “We’re sorority sisters, but I’m not showing Dixon all of my cards. I’m keeping that one up my sleeve for now.” She gazed off as though she was seeing something in the future. After a few seconds, she nodded. “No, I think Dixon will try something and I want to be ready for him. Anyway, I didn’t have to play my entire hand. Even though Archibald Lowry was murdered here, the publicity for the museum was all very positive. So, we’re fine.”
I leaned forward. “Are you sure? I was prepared to turn in my resignation if necessary.”
She swatted away my response with a wave of her hand. “Oh no you won’t. We have an audit and the annual report coming up.” She smiled. “Don’t think you’re going to get away with leaving Jacob and me to handle all that financial mumbo jumbo.”
I knew Linda Kay understood more about finances than she was letting on, but I appreciated her support and leaned across and hugged her.
We sat and talked a bit longer. She was excited about the auction and was planning to come on Saturday to support the poodle rescue. I don’t know why, but just knowing that Linda Kay would be present this time made me feel at ease.
When Linda Kay learned my daughter was here visiting, she was excited to meet her. I promised to introduce her when she picked me up for lunch.
We chatted a bit longer and then Jacob reminded Linda Kay she had a meeting in fifteen minutes. I left and Jacob cleared Linda Kay’s office of all traces of our breakfast.
I spent the next few hours engrossed in spreadsheets and numbers. I’d gone over the figures so many times, I was sure I’d see them in my sleep. I was just about to check them once again when my phone started to vibrate.
It was a message from Stephanie letting me know she was downstairs.
I checked the time. I quickly responded that she should come up.
In less than five minutes, there was a light tap on my door. Jacob stuck his head in. “I found this young woman wandering the halls. She claims she is related to you?” He grinned, stepped aside and welcomed Stephanie into my office.
Stephanie entered and I made the introductions.
“I’ve heard my mom talk about you so much, I feel like I know you.” She shook hands.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but I’m going to go with good.” He smiled. “How long are you visiting?”
“Just a week. I leave Sunday.”
“Well, we need to make sure you see all of the sights. Now, what did you see last time you were here?”
Stephanie and Jacob talked about the obvious attractions and then he provided a list of sights which he recommended that were off the typical tourist path. After a few moments, he checked his watch. “I think Linda Kay should be finishing her meeting now and I know she’d love to meet you.”
He walked to Linda Kay’s door, knocked and then entered.
Linda Kay had just finished a conference call and had a short window before her next meeting started. She waved Stephanie inside. She was gracious and complimented Stephanie on her beauty, welcomed her to Chattanooga and then encouraged me to take my laptop home and work from home the rest of the week so I could spend more time with my daughter.
I thanked her and promised we would spend as much time together as the work allowed. Her phone rang signaling her next meeting and we slipped out quietly.
There are a lot of wonderful restaurants in downtown Chattanooga, but when I asked if she had a taste for anything special, Stephanie requested a hamburger and milkshake from the dive Dixie had introduced us to on her last visit. So, we headed to the small diner.
The first time we’d eaten here, we thought Dixie was out of her mind. After we tasted the hamburgers and incredible shakes, we understood the attraction.
She’d proclaimed them the “Best greasy burgers and shakes you’ll ever eat,” and she was right.
There were only about ten tables in the entire restaurant, so we counted ourselves lucky when a couple left as we arrived. We hurried and secured our seats. A middle-aged man with a bald head and long beard and mustache came to the table to take our orders. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in tattoos. He placed napkins and a knife down for each of us.
“What can I get you ladies?” He smiled big.
We ordered fried cauliflower, hamburgers and milkshakes. It didn’t take long before he returned and we were able to tuck into our food with zeal.
Stephanie sucked on her chocolate Shock-o-matic and squeezed her eyes and shivered as the brain freeze hit. After a few seconds, when she was able to talk, she said, “That has to be the best thing I’ve ever tried in my life.”
I smiled. “You haven’t tried the Cat-man-du.” I slid my glass over and allowed her to taste the cashew and Himalayan pink salt burger, which was my personal favorite.
She took a sip and her eyes widened. “That’s amazing.”
I nodded.
We enjoyed our food in silence and once our appetites were sated, we sat back and allowed the grease and ice cream to settle.
There was a large envelope sticking out of the top of Stephanie’s bag.
“What’s that?” I pointed.
“I almost forgot.” She picked up the envelope and pulled out the papers inside. “Archibald Lowry’s last will and testament.” She slid it across to me.
I glanced at the document and tried to make sense of the legal language, but after a bit, I handed it back. “Maybe you could give me the Cliff Notes version.”
She chuckled as she took the document. “He’s left small legacies to his staff.” She glanced through the document. “However, after his debts have been paid, the bulk of his estate and holdings are to be sold. The proceeds are to be distributed among various charitable organizations.”
Something in her eyes made me suspicious. “I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong with that. Dixie mentioned he was interviewing various charities, which is why she met with him.”
“I’m not saying there’s anything suspicious about his decision to leave his money to charity. Lots of philanthropic minded people do that.” She hesitated. “Did Archibald Lowry mention to Aunt Dixie that he planned to leave the bulk of his wealth to the Eastern Tennessee Poodle Rescue?”
I stared. “You’re joking?”
She shook her head.
“How much is it?”
Stephanie looked around to make sure we weren’t overheard and then leaned across the table and whispered, “I did a little research at the library while I was waiting, and we’re looking at close to a half-billion.”
I nearly choked. “Did you say, billion, with a B?”
She nodded.
“Good gracious.” I stared at Stephanie. “I wonder if anyone has told Dixie.”
We stared at each other for several seconds while I tried to get my mind around figures that large.
“Is it legal?” I asked.
Stephanie nodded. “It all appears to be in order.”
There was something in her voice that worried me. “What’s bothering you?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s just a bit…odd.” She passed the document back to me. “Archibald Lowry intended to leave the bulk of his estate to the Scottish Heritage Foundation until a week ago. Look at the date.” She pointed. “Something happened in the last week that made him change his mind.”
“I wonder what happened?” I asked.
She shrugged. “No idea, but whatever it was, it must have been major because it cost the Scottish Foundation a fortune.”
I stared at the will and then at my daughter. “That much money could make someone desperate.”
She stared. “I’d love to know what happened to make Archibald Lowry withdraw such a large donation to a cause that was very close to his heart.”
I sighed. “And, I wonder….”
She must have read my mind because she finished my thought by saying, “If losing that much money made someone angry enough to kill.”