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A customer and her granddaughter walked through the store in the mid-afternoon, and before you knew it, we’d sold another house. We knew Max was home because his truck was in the parking lot, but Aaron helped box and carry the house out instead my asking for Max’s assistance. I knew he had a lot of doll heads to finish. Afterwards, we no sooner cleaned the table for another display than we sold our next house of the day. Both models were of the historical White House. One sale featured Dolley Madison and the other President Monroe’s wife. Dolley was a better choice, in my opinion. Mrs. Monroe, who followed Dolley in residence, had redecorated the White House in French style rather than American.
We cleared the tables and Aaron helped me carry the new houses out to the respective tables for setting up. “I’m going to have to do this the other way around,” I told him. “They all say, ‘I want this one’, and I should have boxed houses ready for them.”
“Maybe Max could help with that?”
“Well, he is pretty busy carving, but that would certainly help.”
The remaining few hours were spent putting houses together and preparing the showroom for the following day. We were about ready to leave for the day when Aaron got a message asking him to work that evening.
“I’ll leave from here for work. I have a spare uniform in my locker.”
“I’m on my own?” I thought of the leftover chicken soup, and grinned. “More soup for me. I can taste it already.”
I had a few spare moments and went to sort through the furniture in preparation for the following day. I would have to dress the dolls tomorrow, as well. I was sure thankful that I’d spent the morning cleaning up and could concentrate on store work.
Aaron locked the front door, while I took care of the lights and then followed him out the back door. We kissed each other goodbye, and I jumped into my car. We first drove in the same direction, then waved at each other as he turned toward police headquarters. I kept driving toward home, but at the last minute decided to take a quick tour of Pracna’s parking lot. Out of curiosity, I wondered if I would recognize any of the cars parked there. I slowly circled the lot, and was about to give up, I noticed Ed Parsons, the John Muir impersonator, leave the building with the barmaid on his arm. I noted which car they entered, and recognized it as his. I hadn’t noticed it before, because it was parked down the block. As they drove from the curb, I decided to follow.
I waited for them to drive by, then pulled out. I kept one car between us. They turned at the corner and I followed, keeping my eyes peeled for their next turn. They were heading toward University Avenue, in the direction of the suburbs of Blaine and Spring Lake Park. I tried to keep up with them, but had trouble because of all the traffic and stop lights. Soon they got two blocks ahead and though I sped up, I lost them. Frustrated, I tried turning up and down a few streets with hopes of discovering their parked car, but didn’t spot it. I parked in an open lot and pulled out my phone to do a search for John Muir or Ed Parsons, but, of course, no sites appeared except for his website, which wasn’t of much use. However, I did a reverse search using his name in the white page directory and found an address near where I was parked. I drove toward it and saw the car parked outside. I saw movement in the house through the front window. I circled around and parked down the block. On my phone’s note-pad, I wrote down the address and his name. I wanted to take a close-up shot of the house but the more prudent choice was to remain down the street. It was a good choice, too, because soon he emerged, dressed in a jogging outfit, and headed up the street. I considered driving past the house to take a picture. Just as I was about to signal and drive away from the curb, I caught sight of a person in my rearview mirror. It was Ed. He had just stood up from behind my car and then jogged away.
I decided it was time to leave so I pulled away from the curb. I got about a block down the street when a back tire became completely flat. “Doggonit!” I shouted, after stopping and getting out of the car. It was flat as a pancake. I looked closer and found the little cap missing from the stem. Ed! “The dirty bugger!” I took a deep breath and stared back down the street toward his house and noticed the garage door quietly closing. I guess he had seen me.
I didn’t want to alert Aaron about my stupidity so I called Grandpa and asked him what to do. It took him close to an hour to come, because he brought a neighbor to help change the tire. Once it was changed, and he’d loaded the flat one in the trunk, I headed home. During the drive, I scolded myself for being so stupid as to be caught. I should’ve skipped it all and gone home.
The place that needed my snooping services was at Gina’s. It took a little while driving on the temporary tire, as I couldn’t drive very fast and seemed to hit every stoplight on University Avenue, but I finally reached home.
It was already close to seven and I was starved. I heated a bowl of soup, got a cold glass of milk, and went to sit out on the steps and stare across the street. I saw a shadow cast by the light in Gina’s hallway. I knew it wasn’t Sunflower at the house, as the driveway was empty. I decided to find out who was there. I quickly finished and took my bowl and cup inside, grabbed my keys and cellphone, and slipped out my house by the back door.
Not wanting to be seen, I crossed a little way down the street, and then circled back, hoping not to be seen. Slowly I crept along the side of the house, mindful not to step in the flowerbed, and cupped my eyes against the window. I winced when the bump touched the glass, but I didn’t see any movement or a light in the kitchen. I climbed the deck in the back and walked quietly over toward a bedroom window. The back door squeaked open, and I froze, holding my breath and praying that whoever was there wouldn’t look in my direction.
My heart pounded and palms became sweaty as I held my breath. A woman stepped out, but never glanced in my direction as she pulled the door shut, and then fled down the stairs and across the backyard lawn. Something was familiar about her, but I couldn’t lay my finger on it. I waited until my breath evened out before going to the backdoor. It was locked.
This was enough excitement for the evening. I went home and filled a glass of wine and sunk into the sofa. I turned on the TV, and flipped through the stations, settling on the old movie, The Sound of Music. Aaron hated watching musicals, so I was happy.
I didn’t remember falling asleep or going to bed, but I woke with him beside me and the sun shining. I had slept in the nude. “Hmm.” I wondered what else had happened in the night. I rolled over and gave Aaron a kiss and watched him grin. It took but a few minutes before I’d jumped into the shower and got ready for the day.
A note on the table read: “Wrap up meeting at the ‘X’ at three. Get Max to watch the store. Pick you up at two.” I wrote back, “Okay.” I grabbed my bag from the kitchen and headed out to the car. In a matter of minutes, I was on Main Street and turning toward the neighborhood car fix-it shop. Bill was already working on an engine, but when he saw me, he came right over.
“What’s up?” He glanced down at where I pointed. “Ahh. A tire.”
“Yep. Someone let out the air. The cap is missing.” I opened the trunk. “Can you fix it right away?”
“Sure. Almost done here.” Checking the coffeepot, he offered, “Help yourself, little lady.”
“Got it.” I’d known Bill for ages. My grandpa went to him with all car troubles and now, I did, too. With a Styrofoam cup filled with steaming coffee, I sat down and made a call. “Max?”
“What’s up?” I heard crunching. Max was probably having his morning cereal.
“I’m getting my tire fixed. Long story.”
“Want me downstairs?” He chewed. I covered my other ear because of the noise of the car shop.
“Please. Oh. Aaron’s picking me up at two for a meeting. Can you watch the store this afternoon?”
“Sure.” We disconnected. Max was of few words on the phone, which I liked, as I finding texting more efficient. I watched Bill as he backed the other car from the inside of the garage and drove mine in. He hefted my tire out of the trunk with his meaty arms and soon had it pumped with the correct air poundage, then raised my car on the lift. Within minutes the tire was mounted and tested. He checked the other three tires before lowering the car and backing it out of the repair bay.
“All set.”“What’s the charge?”“Forget it. I’ll charge your grandpa extra next time.” He chuckled. “Now, tell me why someone’d do this to you?”“Sorry, but it’s a secret. If I told you—.”“I know.” He laughed. “Get on with you!”
“Thanks!” I laughed, and jumped into my car. The parking lot for the restaurant next door to my store was filled with cars, but it seemed too early in the day for that to happen. So, instead of going right inside after parking, I went into the restaurant via the rear entrance. To my surprise, I found the place was full of knitting women.
“My gosh. I wondered why all the cars.”
“We’re knitting baby blankets for local charities.” A woman smiled at me. “Pretty clever, eh?”
“And, they’re quilting down below. Cutting fabric and sewing baby quilts.” She cocked her head, and said, “The owner is my brother-in-law. Neat, eh?”
“Excellent idea.” I grinned. This answered my question about all the noise I’d heard from below. I wondered if the detectives already knew, or if they had even gotten around to looking into it. “I thought I’d heard noise. Keep up the good work.” I started to back out, then stopped. “I’m the owner of the dollhouse store next door. If you need a donation for yarn or thread, let me know.”
“Okay.” I exited and walked to my store. Round and round the words, ‘brother-in-law’ went in my head. I knew that I was missing something, but wasn’t sure what it was as I entered my store.
“Hey you!” I called out. I looked in the workroom, leaving my purse behind and strolled out to the show room. Max was busy talking to a customer.
“Here she is. Just in time.” Max smiled at me. “She’s interested in Laura Bush. This lady said, Bully.” “Great! You get a discount. Wasn’t Laura beautiful? And so serene looking? She was such a nice First Lady. So steady during a time of crisis in our country. She was wonderful.” I smiled. “How can I help you?”We chatted some more about Laura Bush, and about the White House models before she decided.
“I’d like to buy this house. This one not another one out in the back boxed up.”
“No problem at all,” I assured her. Max was already going toward the backroom, presumably to get the needed tools for disassembling it. By now, we knew the exact steps and it wouldn’t take long. “Let me begin to remove the furnishings and dolls to the counter,” I asked her. “And then we’ll ring the sale with the discount.”
Max and I worked in tandem, getting the house ready for removal, and the items wrapped and boxed. The woman was parked in front, so it was easy to carry the items out to her car. Less than an hour later, we’d finished carrying the last box to her car. I was sure happy to have Max around.
“Thanks.” I said to the woman and handed her a business card. “If you need help with assembly, call.” I watched her drive away before going back inside.
The morning was spent setting up more houses for display. “Max. We really must have more houses boxed up and ready. I keep having to take models from the showroom.”
“I know. I’ve just been so busy and find it hard to keep up.”
“You saying we need to hire someone?”
“Maybe—if you can afford it.” He looked my way. “It’d be helpful.”
“I’ll consider it.” I’d been reluctant to hire anyone since the last employee’s husband had tried to murder me, more incredibly she had been an old classmate. I could see that I needed to have someone else around to at least watch the store so I could get my other work completed in a timely manner.
“Ladies, I hope your night went well. It looks like it did,” I said. I meandered among the tables. I smiled at each before walking to the sales counter.
I got the computer humming and soon logged in, going right to the local paper website and placed a help wanted ad, to appear next week. At the moment, I didn’t want to take the time to check my accounts, so I shut down the computer and went to help Max assemble new houses and carry pieces out to the display tables.
The morning went by quickly.
Aaron called instead of messaging. “Hey baby,” I answered. “Liv. August called and asked about the tire. You’re busted. It’s time to fess up. What on earth were you doing in that neighborhood when you should’ve been at home slurping soup?”
“Traitor! It’s like this-,” I went ahead and told him the whole story. “Bill fixed it this morning. No charge.”
“Nice guy.” Aaron hesitated. “The two left together?”“See? I’m not the only one who thought it odd.” I smiled.“Doesn’t make it right, though.”“I know.” I knew he wouldn’t yell at me.“I’ll be there in a little while. I just woke. Is Max around?”“Yep. Just sold a house, too.”“I’ll be there soon.” We disconnected and I glanced over to Max. “He’ll be here in a jiffy.”I went back out to the showroom after all my extra chores were completed, and sat behind the computer. I had to wait while ten new messages were loaded. My heart pounded in anticipation of another cruel answer from Bunny, or maybe from someone unknown.
The first email seemed innocent enough, and from a local grocery chain. The second was from an upcoming ice-cream social, but the third... Someone unknown did leave a message, and it too, was cruel.
She’s dead. Join her.
I saved the message to a folder to show Aaron later.
The next message wasn’t menacing, but it was certainly perplexing.
It’s safe, and where it belongs.
I sent this message to the same folder. I logged out of the store’s webmail, and sorted through my personal messages, responding to a few. Earlier in the day I had invited Maggie to swing by that evening so I could fill her in on what had been happening. I also mentioned the soup, knowing that for sure she’d come by. She loved Grandma’s soup.After tending to the messages, I started another search on each impersonator, trying to cast a wider net for information about them. I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. With my phone notepad handy, I jotted down names I found for each of them. The next search was for any addresses associated with those names, never an easy task, made worse if the subject of the search was avoiding attention. I immersed myself in an online world of search engines, switching quickly from one to another to find them. Time had flown during my search, and my eyes were tired from staring at the screen. I started to shut the computer down, when a thought made me sit upright. A moment later I continued my search.