Chapter Nineteen

“Are you happy, Alison?”

“Yeah, sure. I mean, I just got engaged to a great guy. Mom loves him.” She was defensive, twisted the ring round and round her finger.

“But do you? I think that might be a tad more important.”

She wouldn’t look me in the eyes. “He’s promised me a life far away from here. That’s good enough. I never want to live here ever again. Once we’re married, I’m gone for good.” The words were accompanied with a side of bitterness.

“I’m sorry your life growing up was so hard.”

“Well, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?”

“Maybe. Have you ever thought of therapy? Talking it out with someone can help. If you ever need an ear, I’d be happy to help.”

“Mom would kill me if I ever let loose any family secrets. You know her, no dirty laundry in public.”

“It wouldn’t be public knowledge. A therapist is sworn to confidentiality and I never tell secrets.”

She snorted. “Well, tell that to your sister.”

“Excuse me?” I was taken aback, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, so Star doesn’t share her secrets with you, either.”

“Star. What did she ever do to you?”

“Nothing. You want to know, ask her.”

“I’m asking you.” I stopped walking and turned to her. “Why are you angry with Star?”

She bit her lip. “You remember when we used to sing duets together in junior high?”

“Sure. You were good. I never understood why you stopped.”

She grimaced. “There was this radio program we had been practicing to sing on for weeks. JCAT. Then I got caught cheating on a test off your sister. She was partially to blame because she let me do it. I was grounded for a month and Star went on to sing on the program alone. She got all the kudos, won the grand prize. While I was left in the dust. We never sang together again. And I was just as good as her.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that. What did your mother say about it?” I had vague recollections of the event, mostly remembering how proud we had all been of Star to have won such a big contest so young.

“She’s not too fond of Star, if you get my meaning. She thinks she stole my big chance. She even thinks Star set me up to get caught cheating, but I told her that’s just crazy. No way she did that.”

“No. Star would never set anyone up. It always bothered her you know, that you broke up. She loved singing with you.” I told the white fib with fingers crossed behind my back, praying it was true.

“Really?” She grinned shyly. “Maybe we’ll sing a duet together one day, eh.” Her tone was filled with so much longing that I had to swallow over the sudden lump in my throat.

“Sure. Why not?”

We’d reached the alley that led to the café’s kitchen door. “You can get go back now if you like, I’m feeling much better, thanks.”

She frowned, hesitating.

“Really, I got this. The fresh air cleared my brain.”

“Okay.” She smiled. “Nice talking with you, Charm.”

“You too.”

I turned and hurried toward the Tea & Tarot, praying no one had taken note of my absence. Like that would ever happen.

I opened the back door against my better judgement, suspecting what awaited me. And there stood Granny, Star, Tulip, Mountie Jim and Mr. Hot Stuff, the latter glaring at me with enough energy to electrify the whole town during an ice storm power outage.

“Where have you been?” Ace demanded. “We were just about to send out a search party for you.”

“I’m obviously fine and here now. I needed to see someone.” I held my chin up high.

“And pray tell what was so important that you defied my orders to stay with your family safe and sound?”

“What is this, the inquisition? I just stepped out for a sec.”

My sisters rallied round me, giving me looks of concern and support.

“Consider yourself in protective custody for your own good, Miss McCall. I’m taking you down to the station for questioning.”

“What? No way.” I crossed my arms over my chest, widening my stance.

“Sweeting, you need to listen to Constable Collins,” Granny said. I glanced over at her and she was watching me, her expression serious. “You were told to stay here. I think it best you tell the constable all you know. You can be a lot of help when you want to be.”

What could I say?

I marched along beside Ace as he walked me out of the café, head held high. If you’re innocent, you’ll be set free, right? I got a twinge of doubt I tried to ignore. But I’d followed wrongful convictions in Canada, and, truthfully, they did happen.

He remained silent for the short trip while I chewed off a couple of fingernails. He turned into the police station’s driveway. I tried to think of delaying tactics, really not wanting to go inside, innocent or not.

“Did you know that Mrs. Smith has it in for Star?” I quickly explained what Alison had told me. “And have you had any luck with discovering what was going on with all the bank deposits? Anyone else being blackmailed?”

“You just had to go and do it, right, Charm? You didn’t have the faith that I had your best interests at heart.” He groaned, shaking his head. My heart fell into my shoes.

“I just couldn’t sit around twirling my thumbs,” I sputtered. The freakin’ injustice of it all.

“Like that’s ever going to happen. Now we’ve got more problems. The murderer is busy entrenching themselves. While I have been carefully collecting testimony and facts to find out the full story, you’ve been undermining the investigation with all your interference.”

“But you do believe I had nothing to do with all this, right?” Though he had said so once before, my insecurity rose at being taken into the police station, adding a frisson of worry.

He gave a huge Mountie sigh. “Of course. But you played right into their hands, darlin’. And my guess is next someone will plant a container of cyanide in your apartment, if they haven’t already done so.”

“Then I need to help fix it! Get a search warrant for Mrs. Smith’s place. I think you might find evidence in her pantry. She’s locked it, which is really weird.” My voice came out louder than I intended.

Thunderclouds were less threatening.

“I was only trying to help.” I faltered.

“Right. And the sun’s not coming up tomorrow.”

“It could miss a day,” I muttered.

I hazarded a glance at him. His lips were pressed so tightly together they were in peril of vanishing. Not to mention the tic flicking to its own rhythm under his right eye.

“Charm, I hate that you’ve left me no choice in the matter.”