Lorna Barrett - Bookmarked For Death

Squish!

Tricia winced and looked down at her loafer and the gummy substance clinging to it. Not again! She hobbled to the edge of the curb to scrape the bottom of her shoe, cursing herself for not watching where she walked.

Mission accomplished, she started off again, but paused outside the Stoneham Patisserie. It was still crowded with customers; she’d have to thank Nikki for the cookies later.

Business was also brisk at the Cookery, and the air was laden with the heavenly aroma of fresh-baked peanut butter blondies. Nikki’s box of bakery cookies was conspicuous by its absence. A smiling Angelica flitted about the store, paper-doily-covered silver tray in hand, offering sample-size morsels—along with paper napkins—to the grateful browsers. Mr. Everett helped customers while Ginny manned the cash register. Her smile was forced, but somehow she managed not to convey to Angelica’s clientele her anger at being there, while exhibiting the helpful cookery knowledge she’d picked up while working for the former owner.

“Just a few more days,” Tricia whispered to her as she bagged an order.

“I never want to see another cookbook again,” Ginny hissed. “She is going to pay us, right? I mean, we haven’t even filled out any paperwork.”

“Angelica’s good for it,” Tricia assured her. “And you know I won’t let you down if she isn’t.”

For the first time that day, the tension eased from Ginny’s face. “Thanks, Tricia. You’re the world’s best boss.”

“No, I’m not. But I’ve been where you are—in a new house that needs a lot of work, and with limited funds.” Okay, that was a bit of a lie. Tricia had been extremely lucky and had never experienced a day of poverty or even strained finances in her life. But she had read Dickens, and that had to count for something.

“While you were gone, I sneaked a peek on Angelica’s computer. There are already signed copies of Zoë’s books, dated last night, for sale on eBay. With pictures and everything.”

“You’re kidding.”

Ginny shook her head. “It says right on the screen, ‘Item location: Milford, New Hampshire.’ ”

“Rats. I was hoping no one would try to cash in on her death. At least, not this soon.”

“Hey,” Ginny said, and shrugged. “It’s human nature. Or should I say human greed?”

Tricia frowned. Deborah would have competition selling her copies of the book.

The door flew open, the bell over it jangling loudly. Kimberly Peters stepped inside, her face flushed in anger. “Where do you get off telling people I killed my aunt?” she demanded.

Ginny pointed to herself. “Me?”

Kimberly glared at Tricia. “No, her.”

Several customers looked up from the books they were perusing, and Angelica turned so fast, she whipped her tray of blondies away from a woman who’d been about to sample one.

“Excuse me, but could you lower your voice?” Tricia asked.

Kimberly marched up to the sales counter. “No, I won’t.”

Tricia stood her ground, exhaled an angry breath. “For your information, I haven’t accused anyone of killing your aunt, least of all you. Unless I’m very much mistaken, and that’s always possible, I figured you were too smart to murder her after that display you put on last night.”

It was Kimberly’s turn to exhale loudly, although she did lower her voice. “I was a bit upset last night,” she admitted. “But you’re right. I’m not stupid enough to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. My aunt was very generous to me, and I’d be an idiot to exterminate my only relative and my employer. Now I’ll probably have to go out and get a real job.”

“You mean she didn’t leave you everything?”

Kimberly’s glare was blistering. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no. She left me only a tiny portion of her estate. The rest will be split up among various charities. Believe me, the last thing I wanted was for the old girl to die.”

So the bulk of Zoë’s estate was going to charity. Tricia itched to know the circumstances surrounding Zoë’s embezzlement conviction—if indeed she had been convicted. Embezzlers usually go to jail, as well as having to pay hefty fines. What about the investors who’d suffered losses when Trident Homes went under? Had Zoë’s eventual plan been to give away all her worldly wealth as a final act of atonement before exiting this life?

Too many pairs of eyes still stared at them, and Tricia decided this wasn’t the time to pursue Zoë’s past with Kimberly. “So who’s going around spreading vicious gossip about me?” Tricia asked, changing the subject.

“How do I know? I got an anonymous call on my voice mail. And they told me right where to find you.”

“They? Man or woman?”

“A man.”

Besides Mr. Everett and a couple of Angelica’s customers, the only man Tricia had spoken to that day was Russ Smith, and it wasn’t likely he’d be spreading that kind of gossip. Not if he ever hoped to woo her again.

Not knowing what else to say to that news, Tricia changed tack. “I’m very sorry about your loss, Kimberly. Your aunt’s work was loved by millions.”

“Yes,” she said, yanking down her suit jacket—brown, and just as wrinkled as the one she’d worn the day before.

“It was.”

“It.” Not “she.”

“Were you serious when you mentioned blackmail last night?”

“Sort of.”

“How can one ‘sort of’ be blackmailed?”

“There was no implicit threat. Just a strong suggestion that one should honor one’s debts,” Kimberly explained.

“And did your aunt owe someone a lot of money?”

Kimberly shrugged. “Not as far as I know. And anyhow, it’s not my problem.” And with that, she turned and stalked out of the store.

Not her problem? Only if the blackmailer gave up or Kimberly didn’t care about her aunt’s reputation, which was entirely possible.

Angelica hurried over to the sales desk. “What was that all about?”

“I don’t think we need to do a rerun in front of your customers,” Tricia whispered.

Angelica shoved the tray of blondies at Ginny. “Circulate the store, will you?”

“Please,” Tricia admonished her.

Angelica glowered. “Just do it,” she told Ginny, who followed Kimberly’s lead and stalked away from the register.

It was Tricia’s turn to get angry. “Ange, if this is how you treat your employees, it’s no wonder they quit after only a couple of days.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, sounding truly puzzled.

Tricia shook her head. “I would appreciate it if you would treat Ginny and Mr. Everett with respect. I don’t want either of them quitting on me because you’ve treated them badly.”

“How have I treated them badly? I treat them just the same as I treat all my help.”

“My point exactly.”

“What did Kimberly say? What did she say?” Angelica badgered. “Denied everything, right?”

“Well, of course she would. But I don’t think for a minute she killed Zoë,” Tricia said. “I don’t think she’d be that stupid.”

“Unless that’s what she wants you to think.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I think you’re discounting Kimberly far too easily.”

“I’m not saying she doesn’t have more to tell. But here in the Cookery wasn’t the place for a meaningful conversation. I’ll have to get her on her own—in a quiet setting. But first I need to find out more about both her and Zoë Carter.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“By talking to people.”

“Who?”

Tricia shrugged. “Townspeople. Her neighbors.”

“You think a local person killed her?”