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The next morning, Mitch stopped by the café as soon as they opened.
“Hi.” He leaned across the counter and kissed her.
“Hi.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you last night, but I finally cracked the croquet case.”
“You did?” Zoe joined them.
“Brrt?” Annie trotted over from her cat bed.
He chuckled at their attention.
“It turned out to be some senior citizens who were upset at the club raising their fees by thirty percent.”
“That’s a steep hike,” Zoe commented.
“Yeah.” He nodded.
“What did they do with all the mallets?” Lauren asked.
“Brrt!” Yes, what?
“They hid them in the woods nearby, along with the balls, pegs, and hoops.”
“Martha wasn’t involved, was she?” Lauren asked.
“No.” He chuckled. “But I could see her doing something like that.”
“Definitely.” Zoe nodded.
“Didn’t the club think to look for the equipment in the woods?” Lauren crinkled her brow.
“They did, but the members camouflaged them with broken branches and leaves. The club is short staffed at the moment, so the employees didn’t have a lot of time to do a thorough search.”
“What’s going to happen to the culprits?” Lauren wanted to know.
“Not much. Apparently, they’ve been members for years and management didn’t realize how the price increase would affect them. They’ve come to an arrangement with them – and all the other participants. They’ll increase the fees by ten percent this year, instead of thirty, but they might have to increase them by another ten percent next year, depending on their expenses. They’re also going to mark up the price of drinks and snacks by a small amount.”
“Is anyone going to be arrested?” Zoe asked.
“Brrt?”
“No.” Mitch chuckled. “They’ve apologized and shown management where they hid the equipment, in case anyone else tries this in the future. It’s all good.”
“That’s a relief,” Lauren said.
“Yeah, now you can help Detective Castern catch the killer,” Zoe said. “Before we do!”
***
LAUREN’S MOTHER CALLED that night.
“I’d love you and Annie to visit me tomorrow. Zoe, too. Why don’t the three of you come over for dinner?”
“Are you sure?” Lauren sat on the couch, Annie nestled beside her.
“Of course. Your father will be there as well, and you can update us in person with your wedding planning.”
“Have you received the invitation yet?” She’d posted them yesterday morning.
“Not yet. Hopefully tomorrow,” her mother replied.
“Okay.” Lauren nodded, although she knew her mom couldn’t see her. “I can bring Annie’s dinner with me.”
“That would be lovely, dear. Can Mitch make it?”
“No.” He’d already told her he’d been put on another case, this time involving petty thefts at the supermarket.
“Well, never mind. We can go over the wedding preparations with you and Zoe, as well as Annie.” She chuckled.
“Who were you talking to?” Zoe wandered into the living room and sat on the other side of Annie.
Lauren explained.
“Ooh, I like Aunt Celia’s cooking.” Her eyes lit up. “It sounds like a good idea.”
“I guess.”
Zoe reached over and patted Lauren’s arm. “I thought your mom was okay about you not having the wedding in the knot garden at Stately Vue Hall, especially after ... you know.”
“She is.”
“I know – you don’t want her to go dress shopping with you!” Zoe jumped up and pointed at Lauren.
“Mmm.” Lauren nodded. She loved her mom, but she’d already thought of buying her wedding gown as something special with just her and Zoe. Sometimes her mother noticed her figure flaws very easily.
“Don’t worry. We won’t mention our plans for Saturday. If she asks, you can say you’re thinking about it, which is true.”
“Okay.” Lauren felt happier. It would be good to see her parents. She looked down at Annie. “Want to visit Grandma tomorrow?”
“Brrt!”
***
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Lauren’s phone buzzed just as she bolted the glass and oak door to the café.
She answered, mystified when Elizabeth’s voice sounded on the other end.
“I don’t really think—” but Elizabeth cut her off.
“I have a proposition to put to you,” the other woman said persuasively. “I promise it will be worth your while. Can you make it this evening?”
“I’m having dinner in Sacramento tonight,” Lauren replied, making a face at Zoe, who looked at her curiously.
“That’s perfect! Stop in here on the way.”
Reluctantly agreeing, Lauren ended the call.
“Who was it?” Zoe wanted to know.
“Brrt?” Annie had left her basket and stood in front of Lauren, her green eyes expectant.
“Elizabeth. She wants me to stop by Stately Vue Hall for some reason. She said she has a proposition ‘worth my while’.”
“Ooh.” Zoe’s eyes lit up. “I wonder what it could be.”
“She can be very persuasive.” Lauren grimaced. “Mitch and I have already chosen the bistro as our venue.”
“And you’re thrilled about it. I know.” Zoe nodded. “Maybe she wants to pay us to find out who killed her ex-husband!”
“Why would she do that?”
“Because she’s disgusted at the fact that Detective Castern hasn’t found the killer yet.”
“Don’t you mean you’re disgusted?”
“That too,” Zoe agreed.
“But how would she even know that we’ve done some digging around in other cases?”
“Maybe someone told her,” Zoe mused. “Another bride who’s getting married? Not Brooke, who’s doing our hair for your wedding, because she’s holding her reception somewhere else. Maybe our sleuthing success has spread past Gold Leaf Valley!” Zoe looked thrilled at the thought.
Lauren suspected the reason Elizabeth wanted to see her was more prosaic.
After cleaning the café, giving Annie a small snack, and freshening up, Lauren checked the time. Almost six.
“I hope we’re not going to be late,” she fretted as they got into the car, Annie sitting in her carrier in the back, something she wasn’t happy about.
“What time is your mom expecting us?”
“Seven for seven-thirty.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand if we’re a little tardy.”
“I’ll text her with an ETA after we talk to Elizabeth.”
When they arrived at Stately Vue Hall, the parking lot was empty.
“Park here,” Zoe ordered, pointing to the space closest to the front door.
Lauren did so, then helped Annie out of her carrier and attached the leash to her lavender harness.
As they approached the ornate door, it opened before them.
“Lauren, and Zoe.” Elizabeth gave them a welcoming smile, which dropped when she saw Annie. “Oh, dear, you’ve brought your cat.”
“We’re a package deal,” Lauren told her. The evening air was warm, and she wasn’t going to leave Annie in the car, even with the windows down.
“Where we go, Annie goes,” Zoe added.
“Well, I suppose.” Elizabeth ushered them into the large reception room where they’d had their first meeting.
Once they were seated, Annie sitting demurely on the polished wooden floor next to Lauren’s feet, Elizabeth tapped her pen on her clipboard.
“The reason I asked you here is because I have a wonderful proposal for you. I’d love you to have your wedding reception here, and I want to give you a huge discount.” She smiled, as if bestowing a great honor upon Lauren.
“Thank you, but—”
“You can even have a Saturday – this year!”
“Wow,” Zoe commented.
“Yes. You see—” Elizabeth leaned over the table toward them “—unfortunately we’ve had some cancellations, since Reginald’s death became public knowledge.” She frowned. “And that police detective still hasn’t caught the killer.” She tutted. “But since your fiancé is a detective, I’m sure you wouldn’t be fazed at having your wedding here. I’ll even upgrade you to a better menu package at no extra cost.” She sat back in her chair, as if expecting Lauren to thank her.
“That’s kind of you,” Lauren began awkwardly, “but we’ve already found another venue.”
“You have?” Elizabeth frowned. “Did I mention that I have connections with a bridal magazine, and I can get you and your groom featured? I think he would be very photogenic.”
“So would Lauren,” Zoe said indignantly.
“Brrt!”
“Of course, of course,” Elizabeth said hastily. “You’ll be a beautiful bride. But—”
“I’m sorry, but we’ve already booked the other venue,” Lauren said.
“And the menu is awesome, and Annie will be allowed.”
Lauren nodded. Joe, the owner of the bistro, had confirmed that earlier that week.
“That’s too bad.” A look of annoyance passed over Elizabeth’s face. “I was sure you would be happy to take my offer. Not many brides get featured in a magazine.”
“What about Brianna?” Zoe asked. “I bet she’d love to be in a magazine.”
“Yes, I’m already in talks with the editor about Brianna. She will be our deluxe high-end wedding. But the editor said she’d like a more ordinary couple to be in the feature as well, to inspire other brides-to-be.”
“Ordinary?” Zoe frowned. “Lauren is not ordinary. Neither is Annie. Or Mitch.”
“You aren’t, either. Or Chris.” Lauren replied. Zoe had always been her greatest cheerleader. She hoped she was Zoe’s.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Elizabeth replied. “In fact, just the opposite. Wouldn’t you like other brides to aspire to be like you?”
Lauren knew her mother would be more than pleased if she was featured in a magazine, but she didn’t know if she wanted her life to be available for public consumption like that. Besides ...
“I’m sorry, but Mitch and I are happy with keeping our reception local.” More than happy.
“I can see you’ve made up your mind.” Elizabeth handed her a card. “If anything changes in the next week, please call me. That’s when the magazine editor needs a definite answer.”
They rose.
“By the way,” Zoe said innocently, “we bumped into Myrna this week at George’s real estate office. She said she was looking for a condo.”
“Oh, yes.” Elizabeth nodded. “She asked for some time off, and since it’s quiet here right now—” she grimaced, “—I agreed. Her aunt left her some money.” She checked her watch. “She’s out looking for a condo again right now. Apparently, there’s a new development she found out about today and she might be able to get a good deal if she buys before they’re built.”
“Is George giving her a big discount?” Zoe asked innocently.
Elizabeth looked taken aback. “I wouldn’t know anything about that. You’d have to ask him.” She glanced at her watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I have another appointment I need to prepare for.”
She ushered them out of the building and went back inside.
“I don’t think Elizabeth is the killer,” Zoe muttered. “If she killed Reginald because George bribed her, it mustn’t have been a lot of money, or else she wouldn’t be worried about a few cancellations, would she?”
“Unless there are a lot more cancellations than she let on,” Lauren murmured. “Didn’t Myrna tell us that this place is expensive to run?”
“I didn’t see any flowers just now like the ones in Reginald’s nose and mouth,” Zoe continued.
“I didn’t, either.”
“Has Mitch said anything about the rose petal Annie found here the day Reginald was killed?”
“Just that it’s from an ordinary red rose, like the ones in the knot garden.” He’d told her over the phone.
“Brrt!”
The roar of a sports car alerted Lauren and Annie. A fancy black car parked next to Lauren’s, and George, Brianna’s dad, clambered out. He wore dark gray slacks, and a matching shirt.
“I know you.” He nodded genially to Lauren, glanced at Zoe, and then down at Annie. “You’re getting married here.”
“No,” Lauren replied.
“We’re – Lauren – is getting married in Gold Leaf Valley, and she’s having the reception at the bistro there,” Zoe said. “It’s going to be amazing!”
“Good, good.” He nodded. “Bobby said you came in this week to find a new home. Here’s my card. Call me anytime and I’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.” He tried to pull a card case out of his pants’ pocket, but it got stuck.
“Darn thing. I need to get the lining fixed on this pocket,” he grumbled. “I can get you a good deal on a new condo development. Just say the word.” He tugged the case free. A couple of dried red rose petals came with it and fell on the ground.
“Brrt!” Annie pounced on them.
Lauren froze, then looked carefully at Zoe. Her cousin looked as shocked as she did. The petals matched the one Annie had found on the day of Reginald’s death.
“We’ve been wrong all along,” Zoe said. She pointed at George. “You killed Reginald!”
“What? Of course I didn’t,” he blustered.
“Then why did you have rose petals in your pocket?” Lauren asked.
“The same ones that were stuffed in Reginald’s mouth and nose.” Zoe shuddered. “I saw them up close.”
“And they look just like the one Annie found later that day inside,” Lauren added.
“You girls are crazy.” He shook his head and attempted to walk past them. “Forget about me giving you a good deal on a condo. You’re on your own.”
“How much did you bribe Elizabeth or Myrna so Brianna could have her dream date on Saturday, August fourteenth?” Lauren asked, too angry to be scared at confronting a killer.
“Brrt!”
“That cat.” He scowled at Annie. “All Brianna can talk about is getting a cat just like yours. On, and on, and on. First she wanted to marry Bobby and be the first girl in her sorority to get married, and now she wants a cat. I’ll be glad when this wedding is over.”
“It won’t be long,” Zoe told him. “August fourteenth is only a few weeks away.”
“You might be featured in a magazine article,” Lauren commented. “Elizabeth was just telling us about it.”
“Everything would have been fine if Reginald had given me what I wanted.” His eyes narrowed. “No one gets away with crossing me.”
Lauren, Annie, and Zoe exchanged a glance.
“Exactly how did he cross you?” Zoe asked.
“I had an agreement with Elizabeth. He found out about it and tried to cancel it. Ha!” He pointed a finger at them. “I got the better of him!”
“How?” Zoe persisted.
“By killing him?” Lauren guessed.
He scowled. “Never you mind.”
Another car pulled up with a spurt of gravel – a white sports car with only room for two. Brianna was driving, and Bobby accompanied her.
She got out of the car, dressed in a cute but no doubt expensive gold and white sundress, Bobby following in office attire.
“Daddy, the wedding cake has been cancelled! The baker said he was only doing it as a favor to Reginald, but since Reginald is dead, he said he’s too busy to make it for me! He says he’s an artist and he can’t deal with me!” She looked indignant. “Daddy, I need you to go and tell him to make me the best cake ever! And then I need you to—”
“Go inside with Bobby.” George appeared to be holding on to his temper.
“But Daddy,” there was a whine in Brianna’s voice, “I need you to—”
“Go. Inside.” He bit off each word.
“Fine.” She flounced off. Bobby trailed behind her awkwardly.
“You see what I have to deal with?” George pointed a finger at them. “It never stops. She never stops. Daddy, fix this. Daddy, fix that. I thought she’d be so busy planning her wedding she’d leave me alone for a while, but no. Now there are problems with the wedding. First, she had to have her dream date in August – I have no idea why, except it’s a date she’s been fixated on since she was twelve and started making her first bridal scrap book. Now the baker has cancelled on her and I have to fix that. Tomorrow it will be some other problem that only I can deal with. ARGGH!” He looked like he wanted to pull out his short tufts of hair by the roots.
“So you killed Reginald,” Zoe said, “because he was standing in your way.”
“Yeah,” he confessed after a second. “I needed to get some peace. I’d done a secret deal with Elizabeth to get that stupid dream date in August. But Reginald found out and cancelled it! Can you believe that? I even offered him the same amount I gave to Elizabeth – ten thousand – but he refused!” He snorted. “Reginald said it was unethical and Stately Vue Hall did not partake in such conduct. Partake!” George looked like he wanted to spit. “That’s the word he used.”
“So you killed Reginald and the deal with Elizabeth went ahead?” Lauren guessed.
“Yeah. I think she was so grateful for the money she didn’t ask any awkward questions, and didn’t want to suspect me, either.”
“How did you kill him?” Lauren asked, holding her breath. Elizabeth, and Brianna and Bobby hadn’t come outside. Did they even suspect what was going on?
“After he told me I couldn’t have that dream date in August – and it was just the two of us at that meeting – he said he had to go out to the knot garden and pick some flowers as he wasn’t happy with the ones Elizabeth had chosen that morning. Said they weren’t balanced correctly or some garbage. If you ask me, I’ve done Elizabeth a favor by killing him.”
“So Reginald went out to the garden,” Zoe prompted.
“Yeah. I followed him, trying to reason with him, but he refused to listen. He just said there would be no deal and that was final. So I decided to show him what was final! I pushed him up against that statue, banged his head against it a couple of times, grabbed some of the flowers he’d just picked, and crammed them into his nose and mouth so he’d be good and dead, then stuffed him upside down into the hedge.”
“What about the rose petals in your pocket, and the one Annie found inside?” Lauren asked.
“When I was walking back to the hall, I noticed a few petals on my shirt, so I stuffed them into my pants’ pocket.” He grimaced. “When I got home, I forgot that the inside lining was frayed and there could be some hiding in there. I pulled out the petals from my pocket, flushed them, and thought I’d got rid of them all – it’s not like I counted them. I had no idea there were still some stuck in the lining. I thought I was being smart, not leaving a trail of petals leading back to the house.”
“And the rose petal Annie found inside?” Zoe probed.
“Brrt!”
“I guess it must have been stuck on my shoe. The ground was damp out there.”
“And it dropped off onto the carpet inside,” Lauren surmised.
“I guess.” He shrugged. “So, now that you know, how much to keep you quiet?” He pulled out his checkbook. “One hundred, two hundred?”
“Dollars?” Zoe wrinkled her nose. “We don’t take bribes.”
“I’m talking six figures.”
“Brrt?”
“That’s right. Two hundred thou for the three of you – you can share it.” He chuckled. “I bet that’s more than you make in five years – all of you.”
“We are not for sale.” Lauren straightened her shoulders.
“Yeah.” Zoe nodded. “We put people like you away!”
“Brrt!” That’s right!
“If you’re not going to be sensible, then I’ll have to deal with you just like I dealt with Reginald.” He glanced down at Annie. “Except for the cat. I’ll give her to Brianna and then she’ll stop yacking about getting one.”
“There are three people just inside.” Lauren pointed behind her to the ornate front door, hoping her hand wasn’t shaking.
“And they haven’t come out, have they? My daughter is probably telling Elizabeth all about the nasty baker who’s cancelled the cake. Well, let Elizabeth earn her money tonight.”
He lunged toward them.
Lauren, Annie, and Zoe shared a panicked look, then at the same time, noticed a coil of garden hose nearby. As George reached for Lauren, Zoe zipped to the right, and Lauren and Annie sprang to the left.
Zoe uncurled the hose and shook it out across the gravel, right in front of George. Lauren bent down and held it tight, noticing Zoe doing the same.
“Brrt!” Annie darted out in front of him, on the other side of the hose, as if daring him to come after her. He took the bait.
“ARRGH!”
George didn’t notice the hose acting as a tripwire, and fell to the ground. “My knee, my knee!” He sprawled on his back, one of his knees in the air at an awkward angle.
“Daddy!” Brianna rushed out of the house, followed by Bobby and Elizabeth. She glared at Zoe and Lauren. “What have you done?”
“He tried to kill us.” Zoe placed her hands on her hips and returned her glare – with interest.
“That’s right.” Lauren’s legs felt a little wobbly. She reached down and stroked Annie, immediately feeling better. “Thank you,” she murmured to her fur baby, glad she was unharmed.
“Brrt.” You’re welcome. She licked Lauren’s hand, her tongue sandpapery rough, but comforting.
“I’m calling the police.” Elizabeth held a cell phone.
“Good idea,” Lauren told her.
“Yeah, you can also tell them how you accepted a bribe from him so Brianna could have her dream date on August fourteenth,” Zoe added.
“What happened with the couple who originally booked that date?” Lauren asked curiously.
“I offered them an excellent deal if they took that vacant Tuesday in October,” Elizabeth replied. “And I don’t regret doing so. It was just business. Do you have any idea how much this place costs to run?”
“So you didn’t care you did a deal with a murderer?” Zoe demanded.
“Brrt!”
“What?” Elizabeth looked shocked. “What are you talking about?”
“George—” Zoe pointed to him, still sprawled on the ground “—killed Reginald because he found out about your secret deal and was going to cancel it.”
Elizabeth paled. “No! That can’t be!”
“Daddy?” Brianna’s blue eyes rounded. “Tell them it isn’t true!”
“Sir?” Bobby asked. “Can I help you get up?”
“It might be best if we leave him like that until the paramedics arrive,” Zoe said.
“Yes,” Lauren agreed. She glanced at Elizabeth. “Have you made that call?”
“Oh.” Elizabeth’s fingers shook as she dialed.
While they waited for help to arrive, George roared at his daughter to stay away from him. Brianna looked hurt.
“I know you couldn’t kill anyone, Daddy. Tell them it isn’t true!”
When he remained silent, she added, “But Daddy, what about my wedding? Who’s going to attend if you’re in jail?”
“Arggh!” George pressed his hands against his ears. “Make her stop – please!”
“But Daddy—”
Elizabeth led her inside, Bobby looking bewildered, but obediently following.
“You see?” George removed his hands from his ears. “All my life that’s what I’ve had to put up with. Daddy this, Daddy that. No wonder my wife left!”
“When was that?” Zoe asked, as the roar of sirens grew near.
“When she was just a baby. I tried to make up for it by giving Brianna whatever she wanted, but I just turned her into a spoiled brat instead. And now I’m stuck with her! No wonder her Mom left! Maybe she knew how Brianna would turn out and that’s why she ran away.”
Squad cars pulled up, along with an ambulance. The trio stepped aside so the paramedics could check George over before loading him onto a stretcher.
A uniformed officer approached them, and they told him that Detective Castern was in charge of the case, although Lauren wished it was Mitch. It would be good to see him right now.
After they gave their statements, they were allowed to go home. Just as they were about to get into their car, Brianna ran outside.
“Daddy!” The ambulance stopped reversing.
Brianna rushed to the back doors and banged on them. They opened slowly.
“Daddy, what am I going to do? Daddy, what about the wedding? Daddy—”
The ambulance doors closed, shutting her out.
“Brianna?” Bobby approached her tentatively. “What can I do to help? I could—”
“Shut up, Bobby. I need to think. Daddy’s not here anymore.” She angrily wiped her eyes.
Lauren settled Annie into her carrier, not wanting to see any more of that scene
“Brrt?” Annie asked softly.
“We’re going to Grandma’s house for dinner,” she replied, feeling a rush of gratitude for her own parents.
“Yeah. A totally normal dinner with my normal aunt and uncle. I can’t wait!”