Chapter 14
Dear Sophie,
I have an ordinary navy-blue lamp that works fine and is a great size. But it doesn’t fit our décor and Hubby thinks it should go. I’m sort of sentimental about it, but that blue is so bold! It looks like it came from the 70s, which it did.
Stuck in the 70s in Blue Canyon, California
Dear Stuck in the 70s,
Paint it a neutral color like gray, cream, black, or gold, whatever fits your décor. Then buy a crystal finial for it. Hubby won’t even recognize it anymore and you’ll have a new lamp for next to nothing!
Sophie
“Thrown?” I gasped in horror. “Why would anyone throw a baby? Was it all right?”
“On the morning of our departure, we were all lining up outside of our hotel to board the bus for the airport. You know how it is, the bellmen are bringing down everyone’s luggage and people are buying last-minute gifts. A sickly looking woman in rather shabby clothes ambled toward us, carrying a baby. I expected her to ask for money, but she shocked the entire group by tossing her baby at us and taking off at a clip that let us know she was not at all ill. Of course, everyone’s attention was on the baby and the woman who had abandoned it.”
He cleared his throat. “I thought she hoped one of us might take it home. Maybe she couldn’t afford to feed it and believed it would have a better life elsewhere. All these notions just bombard you when something so odd happens. Well, it was Lark who caught the baby. She just stepped forward and reached out and that baby flew right into her arms. I’ve never seen anything like it. In fact, I remember wondering at the time if the woman had targeted Lark. A couple of the men in our group ran after the woman, but she disappeared fast.”
“What did you do with the baby?”
“It was a doll.”
“A doll? Why would anyone do that?”
“Apparently, it’s a common scam. A woman who looks somewhat ragged throws the doll at a group of tourists. The tourists think she has thrown a baby and they all rush to catch it. Meanwhile, she has an accomplice in the crowd who steals unattended purses and bags.”
“That’s awful. Were any purses missing?”
“Luckily not. I think something went wrong. Maybe the accomplice was waylaid. Thankfully, their scam didn’t work. But it was Lark who caught that baby when it flew through the air. Everyone talked about it on the flight home. What a way to end our trip!”
“I’ll say! I’ll have to tell Paisley about it. Did you notice Lark with anyone who wasn’t on the tour?”
“You should ask Dulci. She spent more time with Lark. While they were out touring on the bus, I was attending the symposium where Nina’s husband spoke.”
“Did anyone take a special interest in her?” I asked.
“Peter Chryssos often ate meals with her. They were the only two in our group traveling without spouses, so I don’t think one can read anything special into that.”
Dulci joined us, beaming and bursting with energy. “Look at all these requests I have. One woman said I’m like Alexandria’s Joanna Gaines! I consider that a compliment of the highest order. How much do you think I should charge?”
I had no idea. “How long does it take you to set one up?”
“There’s an idea,” said Emery. “Do it by the hour.”
“I think I’d rather set a fee,” mused Dulci.
I congratulated her on her success and excused myself.
As I walked away, Dulci called my name. She bounded after me, even though she was wearing high heels. I would have fallen flat on my face.
“I know how busy you are with the festival, and it’s going so well! But would you have time to stop by, maybe for coffee tomorrow morning?” She turned and looked at her husband, “After seven?”
“Sure. Is everything okay?”
Dulci chewed on her lower lip. “I’m not sure.”
“I usually walk the dogs in the morning. We could meet for coffee on the waterfront.”
“I’d rather talk at my house, if that’s okay. Bring the dogs with you. Come to the side door, through the gate. I’ll see you then!”
I watched her run back to her husband. How did she do that without falling? When I turned around, I quickly changed my planned route because I spied Greer looking my way. She undoubtedly had another complaint to register. Now that she was out of her tent, I headed directly there to see exactly what she was selling that she thought was so much better than anyone else’s.
A young woman sat in Greer’s tent, intently studying her phone. I was so stunned by what I saw that I double-checked my list to make sure I had the right place. Sure enough, it belonged to Greer. She was turning everything gold. And I mean everything. A white platter showed off golden Oreo cookies. Only the white in the middles had been spared gold spray. A small sign next to them said in an ornate script, EDIBLE!
There were gold action figures, gold picture frames, gold keychains, and a gigantic gold mantel. I had to admit that the before-and-after gold-colored jewelry was impressive. The silver bracelet that demonstrated how it looked before was tarnished so badly it looked like it had been in a fire. But the identical bracelet next to it gleamed like it was brand-new, except it was no longer silver. It was gold. I would have sworn it was the real thing. Next to it were assorted bracelets for sale, including ones with coin charms like the one Greer had been wearing.
For those who didn’t want their homes looking like Midas had decorated it, she offered a selection of modern shelves, lamps, clocks, and dishes with a simple, but trendy streak of gold. I did a double take as I walked out. Had that really been a gold dishwasher? I went back to check. It was!
I liked gold. But for the first time in my life, I realized that a little bit went a long way.
At two in the afternoon, I wanted to check on Mochie and the dogs. And I needed a little break for lunch, but I was worried that Alex might be at my house. And then, in a moment of total panic, I realized I hadn’t arranged for anything to serve Alex when he came to talk to Humphrey. I had been so busy with the DIY Festival that I hadn’t baked a thing.
There hadn’t been a reason to bake, of course. I hadn’t anticipated houseguests, or meetings with lawyers, or the possibility I would be hiding fugitives from the law.
I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, doing a mental inventory of my freezer. We had finished my supply of chocolate chip cookies the night Nina had an intruder. But I was fairly certain I had some bourbon blondies with chocolate chips just waiting to be thawed. I realized suddenly that I was blocking the sidewalk, so I stepped aside, next to a show window, and pulled out my phone. I texted Mars: Please take bourbon blondies out of the freezer to thaw. Serve with coffee when Alex comes.
No sooner had I pressed the arrow to send the text than I felt someone standing in front of me. I looked up from my phone. It was Alex. I could feel a flush of red rushing into my face and hoped my makeup would hide it, but I didn’t think I would be that lucky.
“Hi, Sophie.” He leaned over to kiss me on the cheek.
I was startled at first, but then I thought maybe that was a good sign. If he was angry with me for the way I abruptly broke up with him, he probably wouldn’t have kissed me. “Alex!” I smiled, a little unsure of just how this would go. “You look great!”
That wasn’t just empty flattery. The last time I had seen him, he had been released from the hospital and was recovering from a nasty beating and broken bones. I felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn’t as though I had beaten him, but he probably wouldn’t have gone through that if I hadn’t insisted on delving into a crime that had already been solved. To my credit they had convicted the wrong person, but Alex had warned me to stop pursuing the case. He had every right to hate me.
“Good as new, well, mostly,” he said.
He’d been in the military and it had showed in his posture, the way he wore his hair, and even extended to his rather bland choices in the way he dressed. He’d let his hair grow out. Not a lot, just enough to see some waves and a few curls at the nape of his neck. He seemed softer somehow.
“I like your hair,” I said.
Self-consciously, he ran his fingers through the loose curls. “I, uh, had a lot of time to think when I was recuperating. It sort of reset my way of thinking. My assistant says I’m not as rigid anymore, that it took a good knock to the head for me to learn to go with the flow. I guess that means it wasn’t all bad.”
It was unbelievably awkward even though Alex was being very sweet. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”
He nodded. “I’m heading over to your house right now to speak with Humphrey.”
“I think he’s going to need you.”
Alex took a deep breath. “I expected he would. Good seeing you, Sophie.”
I tried not to show the relief I felt that the horrible first encounter was over. I wanted to tell him to remind Mars to put out the blondies and serve the coffee, and I wanted to beg his forgiveness for having caused him to be in a coma and beaten to a pulp. So I said, “Good seeing you, too, Alex.”
He managed a wan smile and walked away.
Only then, as I watched him grow smaller and disappear among the people on the sidewalk, did it occur to me that he was doing it again! What had he said? He expected Humphrey would need him. Why? How? Alex German knew something! It had to involve Lark. No, no, no. I was not going to let him hold some kind of confidence again. Did he know who murdered her?
I had been so upset about facing him that the tips on my ears still burned. The festival could roll on without me for an hour.
I hurried down the street, planning to go home, and realized that it wasn’t my day. Greer was heading straight toward me. There was an unmistakable glint of determination in her eyes. I forced a smile at her.
She did not smile back. She came at me with fury. “You know I never complain about anything. It’s just not me. I believe in live and let live. But Natasha is putting on a show in her tent that’s blocking traffic and distracting everyone.”
Natasha had a tendency to try to steal the show, so I couldn’t say that came as a surprise. I gazed at Greer for a moment. She was as beautiful as Natasha. A different type with her blond hair and upscale casual look that seemed as though she’d just thrown it on, but everyone knew she had carefully pieced it together. Could she be competing with Natasha for something?
“Then why don’t you do the same? Show people how you dye everything gold?”
She looked as though I had slapped her. “I don’t dye,” she said snottily.
“Sorry.” I wasn’t, but it was the polite thing to say. “I’ll go check on Natasha.” I glanced at my watch on the way. I was going to miss Alex’s discussion with Humphrey.
Greer was right about one thing, there was a huge group of people clustered around Natasha’s tent. She had decorated one side with beautiful summer baskets, wreaths, and garlands. The other side featured Christmas. She couldn’t have wedged in one more ornament. Although the clutter was overwhelming, I had to hand it to her. There was DIY eye candy from the bottom of her tent to the very top where a chandelier was decorated for Christmas.
In the front, she had set up a table, and was demonstrating how to make a wreath. Her half-sister worked behind her, selling people decorative items that filled the tent.
I watched as she explained which ribbons and glues to use.
Suddenly, panicked screaming began.