Chapter Five

“Oh, no!” I cried as the man’s phone flew in an arc.

We both lunged toward it, but Amber leaped and caught it in her mouth, just like she did when Eric and I tossed a soft disk for her to catch. Except the phone was heavier.

“Good girl,” I said quickly, “but don’t bite down and don’t drop it.”

She sat on her haunches looking proud.

“Okay, Amber, give me the phone,” I said as I reached for it. She didn’t run off with it as she sometimes did with the play disk but delicately laid it in my hand and happily panted.

I peered at the screen looking for damage. It wasn’t cracked, but a photo of Cornell feeding the critters, with me off to the side, showed on the display. I turned it over but didn’t see teeth marks on the black plastic cover.

“Here you go,” I said after wiping the phone on my emporium shirt. “I don’t think my dog’s teeth scratched the screen or the case, but I am sorry I knocked into you. I hope I didn’t make you drop a call.”

“Better a dropped call than a shattered screen,” he replied. His tone was reserved, but without heat. The average-looking guy was dressed in jeans, a red Arkansas Razorbacks polo shirt, and work boots. “Your dog saved the day.”

“Glad she could help, and I hope you aren’t allergic to dogs or cats.”

He shook his head but didn’t extend a hand to my critters as most people did, and while they were perfectly calm, they didn’t seek his attention either.

I gestured at the cell. “What I mean is I’m sure there’s a bit of hair and slobber on that.”

“It’s fine, really.”

“I’m Nixy,” I said to make conversation. “Are you enjoying the festival?”

“Lee Durley, and I am, but I’ve lost my sister.”

“She’s not a small child, is she?” I asked anxiously.

“Oh, no. I had her on the phone, but the reception isn’t great here.”

“I’m all too aware of that. You can try Great Buns Bakery or Gaskin’s Business Center. They recently installed signal boosters that might help.”

“Thanks for the tip,” he said affably. “So you live here?”

“Since about six months ago. I’m in charge of the festival.”

“Really? You’ve done a good job.”

“Thank you. It’s our first time holding it on the square, so I was a bit nervous.”

He smiled. “I’m only nervous about how much money my sister is spending. Her husband will have my head.”

“Then duck,” I advised with a grin.

He laughed. “I’ll remember. If you’ll excuse me?”

“Of course, enjoy the rest of your day. Oh, and pig sooie.”

He gave me a blank look, so I waved a hand at his chest. “Your shirt.”

He glanced down. “Oh, yeah. Go, Razorbacks. Excuse me, I need to get a couple of hot dogs.”

I watched as he strode toward the hot dog stand, wondering why he hadn’t picked up on my Razorbacks reference until I prompted him.

Okay, so maybe football wasn’t the religion here that it was in Texas, but why wear a team shirt if you weren’t a fan?

•   •   •

After returning the critters to Fred’s workroom, where they fawned all over him, I found I wasn’t needed in the store, so I went up the block to Great Buns. I hadn’t forgotten my vow to get some pie and cake for Bernice Gilroy, so I grabbed some cash from my apartment and sped on my way. Now was as good a time as any to see what kinds of desserts Judy and Grant had available.

I glanced over the crowd of shoppers, looking to see if Durley had found his sister, but didn’t see him. I must’ve worn an odd expression as I entered the empty bakery because Judy looked up from wiping a table and said, “What’s wrong?”

Since the store was empty, I told her, “I met a guy at the festival.”

“Does Eric have competition?”

“Nowhere near. This man struck me as weird.”

“Dex Hamlin and Cornell Lewis weird or regular weird?”

Earlier, when I’d seen her between the breakfast and lunch rushes, I’d told her all about the ex–apartment manager’s visit to the emporium. Appalled at his nerve, and especially concerned for Eleanor and Kathy, she’d promised to text or call me if she saw Cornell Lewis so much as headed toward the emporium.

“Regular weird. His name is Lee Durley. Does that ring a bell?”

She looked at the faux-tin ceiling in thought, then eyed me. “I can’t place anyone by that name, so he’s not a regular customer. What’s twitching your antenna about him?”

“He’s wearing a Razorbacks polo shirt, but when I said ‘pig sooie,’ he didn’t immediately come back with ‘Go, Razorbacks.’ He looked completely bumfuzzled, like I’d spoken Martian.”

Judy frowned. “That is odd, especially considering the team is doing well this year. But men don’t pay as much attention to their clothes as we do. Not until they have to dress up.”

“I never thought about it like that.” I paused. “Is it odd that he had a photo of the critters and me with Cornell Lewis on his cell?”

“Explain.”

I gave her the highlights of the cell sailing through the air, Amber snatching it, and me looking for damage.

“Nixy, you know how many people here are taking pictures to post on every social media site on the planet?”

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that. He could be an amateur photographer. From the glance I had, it was rather a nice human-interest sort of photo.”

“There you go.” She gave me an evil grin. “Or he could be a spy for another festival. Maybe you should tail him.”

I rolled my eyes. Judy had provided some key information last June when a woman was murdered, and she’d caught the let’s-investigate bug.

“I’m too busy.”

“Too busy to be Nixy Drew?”

Nixy Drew was Eric’s not-so-fond nickname for me. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you about that.”

“Hey, what are friends for if not to throw these little things in your face? Now, do you want a chocolate croissant today?”

“Believe it or not, I’m passing on the pastry for myself, but I’m shopping for Mrs. Gilroy.”

“Old Lady Gilroy? The woman who lives next door to Sherry Mae?”

I chuckled. “That’s her.”

Judy gaped. “She’s still letting you in her house?”

“She won’t for long if I don’t feed her sweet tooth. What kinds of pies and cakes do you have today?”

“Lorna is the one you need to see about pies. Remember my deal with her? We aren’t in that much competition to begin with, but we decided she’ll serve hot breakfasts, salads, and full lunches instead of sandwiches, and limit the dessert menu to pies.”

“So you’re doing breakfast biscuits and lunch sandwiches. Hot and cold?”

“In this weather, most customers are ordering cold. I do have cake, though. The bake sale lured a lot of my regular cake customers,” she said, walking to the display case. “What did you have in mind?”

“I know she likes white cake with chocolate icing,” I said, keeping my drool in check with supreme effort.

“Will this do?” she asked, pointing to a plate of two-layer Nirvana.

I almost got two slices but settled for one large one. That ought to keep Bernice happy in case Lorna Tyler at the Lilies Café had already closed or was out of pie.

I dropped the cake off at the emporium. Maise wasn’t thrilled I’d bought cake at Great Buns instead of asking her to make one, but I told her I didn’t want to add to her to-do list right now. She could bake whatever she liked for Mrs. Gilroy later. I did warn her I was after pie at Lorna’s place, but she merely waved me away. I didn’t know what I could do to—pardon the pun—turn her up sweet later, but I’d think on it. Fortunately, none of the Silver Six held grudges.

Except maybe in Eleanor’s and Kathy’s cases against Cornell Lewis. And, really, who could blame them?

I liked Lorna Tyler. Her husband, Clark, not so much. I rushed into the café, steeling myself to see him, and was delighted when I found only Lorna there. I crossed the original pine floors to where she stood at the bar, a huge stretch of oak with a beautiful patina. The bar was one of the two original fixtures dating from the late 1800s, when the building had been a saloon downstairs and a boardinghouse upstairs. Or maybe “boardinghouse” was too polite a word. The back staircase was also original, though I’m sure it had been repaired from time to time. I could easily imagine cowboys taking their ladies of the evening to a room for a little female comfort. Now the downstairs housed the Lilies Café, and the upstairs was known as the Inn on the Square.

Lorna smiled as I approached.

“You’ll be happy to know that all four of my rooms are rented to lovely families. Not a troublemaker in sight.”

“Excellent, Lorna!” After some unfortunate incidents with—shall I say—some unruly guests, she had finally installed some much-needed security cameras. Clark didn’t like it, but I’m not sure he liked anything but golf these days. The cameras might never be crucial again, but better safe than sorry, right?

“So what brings you here? If you’re checking on how business is doing, it’s booming in spite of the bake sale. I made omelets this morning until I was clucking. At one point, we had a line out the door.”

“Lorna, that’s fantastic.”

“It is. Clark didn’t once complain about us hiring extra help for the weekend, and Lamar, Jasmine’s boyfriend, was a godsend.” She paused and beamed a smile. “And get this. I caught Clark humming while he loaded the dishwasher.”

“Humming?”

“He didn’t even complain when I sent him to the store for more provisions. Between the omelets for breakfast and the quiches I made for lunch, we ran out of eggs.”

When she paused for a breath, I blurted, “How about pie? Judy said you might still have some.”

She tilted her head. “You have a hankering?”

“Not me. Mrs. Gilroy. She has an unbelievable sweet tooth.”

Lorna looked momentarily startled, then smiled. “Now that you mention it, I remember she used to come in here when I was a girl and my parents ran the café. That woman loved my mother’s chocolate meringue pie with graham cracker crust.”

“I don’t suppose you have that, do you?”

“Sorry, but I do have one slice of apple pecan. I made it in honor of Halloween and the other holidays coming soon, but the plain apple and cherry pies were more popular today. Wait here, and I’ll box it for you.”

I plopped on a bar stool with a sigh. Lorna could talk about as fast as anyone I knew, and sometimes just listening was enough exercise for an entire day. Not that Lorna gossiped. She shared news her customers imparted. Granted, some news was on the titillating side, but she was never catty.

She bustled back from the kitchen with a paper take-out sack, the Lilies Café logo printed on the front.

“Here you go, all boxed up, and I added the half can of whipped cream I had left over. Clark will get more, and I’m making cream pies for tomorrow, so there won’t be as much call for this. I doubt Mrs. Gilroy will remember me, but give her my best.”

“Done,” I said, and paid for the pie, though Lorna didn’t want to charge me.

Not wanting the canned whipped cream to get warm, I hoofed it back to the emporium again, put the sack in the dorm-sized fridge we kept in the tiny kitchenette, and went to see how our sales were going for the day.

At the festivals held on the farmhouse grounds, Sherry, Aster, and Eleanor had routinely sold two-thirds to three-fourths of their stock. And those were one-day events. Granted, we wanted our vendors to do a brisk business all day long, but I wanted us to do our share, too. The Silver Six might be family and part owners of the emporium, but I insisted they be paid something for each of their items we sold. We paid the other artisans. Only fair to pay the Silver Six.

Fred and Dab weren’t in the store, but one glance at the depleted shelves and display tables, and I didn’t have to hope the Six had done well. I could see they had.

“Y’all will have to work double time to make new products,” I said.

Eleanor gave me her gentle smile. “I do believe you’re correct, Nixy.”

“It was wonderful,” Aster said. “Why, we had to rotate two at a time to wolf down our lunches.”

Kathy was wide-eyed. “I had no idea the store would be so busy.”

Sherry chuckled. “And here you thought we hired you to make Jasmine happy.”

“You earned your stripes today,” Maise declared.

“Are Dab and Fred in the back?” I asked.

Sherry shook her head. “Nope. They sold out of the Razorback metal-art pieces, so they went out to Big George’s hardware store for supplies.”

“Sold out of the cannons, too,” Maise put in.

“So they’re aiming to make more tonight,” Aster said.

I stared. “They aren’t watching football?”

Eleanor laughed. “I do believe your innocent suggestion to them back in May has created two metal-art monsters.”

“But it’s keeping them even younger,” Sherry said. “It’s good to see.”

Maise clapped her hands. “Ladies, we still have to get this place shipshape for tomorrow morning. Speaking of which, Nixy, it’s almost five. You need to make another run through the festival. See how things went today for everyone else.”

Since I couldn’t execute a salute that met Maise’s standards, I simply said, “Aye-aye, ma’am. I’m gone.”

•   •   •

The artisans were pleased with their day’s sales and looked for many browsers to return and buy. They told me they were tired but psyched for Sunday.

Cornell Lewis was in the process of shutting down Gone to the Dogs. Dex was there somewhere. I heard him shouting orders but didn’t see him. Good deal.

I also spotted Lee Durley with a brown-haired woman who appeared to be talking a mile a minute. Both held multiple bags, and I silently thanked Lee’s sister for spending money at the festival. They crossed the street and continued down Magnolia, and I quickly lost sight of them.

Back at the emporium, I declined dining with the Silver Six, begging off because I was tired and I had the leftovers Maise had sent home with me for the past two evenings. Since I was having dinner with Eric on Sunday night, I wanted to eat all the food I had in the fridge before it went to waste.

I did, however, take Bernice her desserts an hour later.

When the door didn’t fly open, I frowned. Was she okay? I heard noise inside. It sounded like a commercial on TV. Maybe she hadn’t heard me arrive. I knocked.

“Go away, Sissy. I’m watching a show.”

If she was busy watching TV, she was fine. “Okay,” I hollered. “I’ll just leave your cake and pie on the porch.”

I counted to three before I heard her little feet hit the floorboards. In another count of three, she opened the door and jerked me inside. Since I hadn’t stopped by the farmhouse for my handy-dandy food delivery basket, I had the forethought to hold the goodies in a death grip.

“Hurry up and put those in the kitchen,” she snapped. “I’ve got the game paused, but I want to get back to it.”

“Game? Are you watching college football?”

“Soccer,” she said absently as she eyed the goodies and cackled with glee.

“You watch soccer?”

“Men in shorts and tight shirts? A’course I watch soccer. Besides, once the game starts, they don’t show commercials except at halftime. I don’t get bored. Halftime is almost over, so scoot.”

I stood on the porch a moment after she kicked me out. I knew my mouth was hanging open, but I couldn’t help it. Soccer? Bernice? Good grief, she must have more than regular cable TV. She must have a special sports package. Who’da thunk?

The woman really was a puzzlement.

•   •   •

At my apartment, I stayed awake long enough to eat while I watched a rerun of The Big Bang Theory. Yes, I’d finally broken down and bought a TV when Huff’s Fine Furniture ran a Fourth of July sale. Eric and I had been seeing just enough of each other that I didn’t have all that much time to get attached to any particular programs, but I did watch NCIS so I could converse about it with Bernice, the Mark Harmon nut. I accidentally found that Amber and T.C. liked Animal Planet and had begun leaving it on when Eric and I went out.

The fur babies had dined on their regular kibble, of course, but I gave them a few bites of grilled chicken breast and one morsel of macaroni and cheese. That finished off my leftovers from two days ago. And, yes, I know I wasn’t supposed to feed them people food, but at least I didn’t conveniently drop French fries on the floor for them like Eric did.

After showering, I donned a sleep shirt with a big bluebonnet bouquet on the front and curled up in bed with the book I was reading. The romantic comedy with its snappy dialogue reminded me of the old screwball comedies I’d watched with a guy I’d dated. We’d quickly become just pals, but I’d enjoyed the movies he’d introduced me to.

Eric called before I finished the chapter.

“Hey, Nixy, how was day one of the festival? Any more problems?”

“No, and the vendors were happy.”

“That’s most of the battle, isn’t it?”

“Yep. How did your day go?”

“I took Charlene through some old cases, and the one open robbery case we have.”

“She’ll be bored in a month.”

“Nah. I’ll talk you into taking a little trip with me and leave the law enforcement to her for a few days. Maybe something exciting will happen while we’re gone.”

My mouth suddenly went dry. Was he suggesting that—as Bernice would say—we kick our relationship up a notch? Except for the one real romance I’d had in grad school, my dating forays that might have promised sizzle had fizzled.

“Nixy, are you there?”

“I’m here,” I choked out, and went for humor. “Are you asking me to run away with you, Mr. Shoar?”

“More like meander up to Eureka Springs.”

“Any special reason why that spot?”

I could picture him shrugging. “It’s historic and quaint, and the fall color in the hills is beautiful.”

“That’s what Sherry and the gang told me,” I said softly.

“A buddy from college has opened some cabins up on Beaver Lake, and I’d like to support his business.”

I wondered if that meant he could get a good rate on the cabins, but I wasn’t offended. Nothing wrong with saving money. I knew that firsthand.

“Are you thinking about it?”

“You know I am, but it’s a big step.”

“The sex or the trip?”

“Both, but mainly the trip. What if I snore?”

He snorted a laugh. “Nixy, you’re overthinking this. Get some sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow at some point, I’m sure.”

We disconnected, but I forgot about reading my book. Instead I gazed into the alert faces of my critters. “Am I ready for this?”

Amber waggled her tan eyebrows. T.C. kneaded her paws on my leg.

I wondered if their antics translated to mean Whatever you want, human, or simply Whatever.

•   •   •

Sunday morning, I bounced out of bed wearing a big grin and, eventually, a pair of royal-blue cropped pants and a trusty Handcraft Emporium tee. The grin was, of course, because I was still thinking about Eric’s phone call.

I carried my socks and tennis shoes to the living room. I’d put them on when I was ready to walk Amber and T.C. and then get on with my day. The critters waited patiently while I poured their kibble and refreshed their water bowls. I sat at the kitchen counter eating a piece of toast and drinking hot tea. I’d be downing icy water the rest of the day because, though the weather would be nice, it was likely to be warmer than yesterday.

While I ate, I mentally went through my closet for date clothes. Lilyvale was a great small town but wasn’t overflowing with fine restaurants or swanky nightlife spots. My gussy-up-for-gallery-opening clothes had pretty much hung in the closet until I’d asked Eleanor for a fashion consultation. Between us, we’d reimagined and re-paired my suit pieces. Now I had combinations that worked for every kind of event I might attend in Lilyvale . . . and beyond.

The only question was, how sexy did I want to look for my dinner date with Eric? I did have a flirty black skirt to wear with a black lacy camisole and a red jacket, the red for that touch of zing. I’d even kept three pairs of Houston work heels in basic dark colors for special occasions. Considering that Eric had asked me to take a trip with him, dinner tonight should count as very special. I just hoped I could still walk in the darned shoes. I’d gone barefoot or worn sandals, ballet flats, or my trusty tennies for months now.

My dinner date duds decided, I took T.C. and Amber downstairs and clipped on their leashes, and off we went. Today Amber was less intent on sniffing every blade of grass for signs of other dogs, or of squirrels, rabbits, or other animals she loved to track. Today she pranced along the sidewalk, and as she always did, T.C. stayed right with her.

We were headed home on Lee Street when Amber suddenly stopped in her tracks, nose high and twitching as she smelled the air. T.C.’s ears perked and she stared intensely in the direction Amber sniffed. Then I heard shouts and curses coming from the square. What the heck?

I sprinted toward the ruckus, my critters leading the way to a crowd of vendors in a loose circle near Gone to the Dogs. With their attention riveted on whatever was happening, and their cell phones up and capturing the moment, I squeezed my way through. I arrived just in time to see Cornell Lewis attempting to rise from the pavement, Dex Hamlin standing over him. When Cornell was nearly on his feet, Horrible Hamlin drove a beefy fist into the man’s jaw. This time Cornell didn’t get up.

Amber rumbled a fierce growl, T.C. hissed like a deranged steam valve, and, without thinking, I charged into the fray.