I followed her directions and picked up my own notebook to write down any last-minute assignments my aunt might shoot my way.

  We were halfway through the staffing times when she turned to me. “Is Deek leaving?”

  “Not that I know of. What did you hear?” Replacing Deek would be hard, if not impossible. He single-handedly had taken over the management and assignments for the book clubs. And the website and newsletters. I didn’t know how he got so much done during a shift, but he did. And I knew he wrote during shifts when the traffic was slow. Which happened to all of us.

  “Someone asked me to congratulate him on his book deal. I didn’t know he had one.”

  My stress level went down a tad. “He’s been talking to a publisher, but I’m hoping he’s going to try to get an agent and publish the book traditionally. For a first book, it’s really good.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know you’d read it.”

  “He asked me to read it a few days ago. He just wanted some feedback.”

  “Oh, well then, are we sure we don’t need a temp or two that day?” My aunt pushed past the conversation.

  “We have two. Or I think we have two. I haven’t heard back yet, but Sadie and Pastor Bill are coming to help chaperone the night session. So we’ll have plenty of adults around. You and Harrold should go home to sleep for a few hours. Napping in those chairs is going to be impossible.” I wrote down a note to call Sadie and confirm later today.

  “I’ll see how I’m feeling. Now, let’s talk about the readathon rules. Entrants can go home and read, but they have to check out with a bookstore employee who notes on their reading card the page and book they’re on. Then when they check back in, they can only have finished no more than that book and one more outside the staff area.” She read off the line we’d settled on earlier. “And a staff member has to validate that the amount of reading done outside the bookstore is obtainable.”

  “I don’t think we’re going to have many issues with that. But I know some of the kids who are going home to sleep will be reading long past their bedtime.” I smiled as I thought of my own bedtime sessions under the covers with a flashlight. “Are we sure we want to limit it to two books?”

  “The cards are already at the printer. We can change the rules next year if it’s an issue.” My aunt read off the rest of the rules, then went through the list of prizes starting with the participation prize of a book coupon and the bag of snacks.

  The grand prize was a combo from a lot of the local stores and a weekend for a family of four at the amusement park down the highway, including the room and tickets for the parks. I was adding five hundred to cover food and incidents but Mary Sullivan, Aunt Jackie’s best friend, had donated most of the grand prize. “Mary went all out on this one.”

  “She did, and we should make sure the winning family sends her a thank-you note.” My aunt pointed to my list. “Write up something that says thank-you notes for the grand prize can be sent to Mary’s address. Maybe that will remind them to be grateful.”

  I wasn’t quite sure that a “please send a thank-you note” reminder was the same thing as being grateful and doing it on their own, but I wasn’t going to argue with my aunt. Besides, I still had my own pile of thank-you notes to write, which I’d rather not remind her about. “So what else?”

  “Actually, I think we’re ready. You prepared better than I’d expected. Especially with this murder investigation going on. I would have thought you’d be too busy playing Nancy Drew to attend to your business duties.”

  Ouch. That stung. “I don’t neglect the store. Sometimes I have different priorities and timelines than you do.”

  My aunt closed her notebook and tucked her pen into the slot on the side. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have assumed you weren’t on top of things. I guess I’m just trying to convince myself that you still need me at the store.”

  “What are you talking about? Of course Coffee, Books, and More needs you. I need you. Maybe not to work a shift, especially a night one now that you have a life with Harrold to be concerned about. But you’re a vital part of the business. Especially the planning and administration. I’d be lost without you.” I pointed to the list. “The reason I’m on top of things is because you already planned out everything and gave me a list. Remember, you were the one who called me to remind me to go shopping. I’d planned a day in Bakerstown, and it hadn’t even occurred to me to do the store shopping too.”

  “I was looking at the books, and I think we could hire a part-time person to close several nights a week. It would have to be someone we trusted with the bank drop.” She tapped her fingers on the notebook. “Unless Evie wants to make some changes to her shifts. That might be better. Then we could hire a day person who could help Deek with covering Toby when conflicts occur.”

  “Let’s bring it up at this month’s staff meeting. That way, you could start working days like Harrold, and both of you would be off at the same time. You could work at the office or even just at your apartment.” I was liking this conversation more and more. I’d been trying to figure out a way to transition Aunt Jackie into less shift work and more management work. This was the perfect opportunity. “And if we do it soon, we could start applying for a food truck space at the local festivals. I don’t think we do that enough.”

  “That means more staff hours.” My aunt glanced at her watch. “Sorry, we’ll have to continue this later. My roast is probably done by now.”

  I walked her to the door, and she paused at the flowers. “These are beautiful. Did Greg send them?”

  “They didn’t come with a card. They came before the party, so I thought maybe someone sent them as an engagement gift. I need to follow up with the florist again. They were going to call me back.”

  “Bakerstown Florist is so busy, being the only florist around, you’re lucky to get them to pick up the phone.” She started her car with the key fob and rubbed Emma’s head. “Thank you for letting me go through this again.”

  “I’m just glad I only have two items added to my to-do list. Let me know if you think of anything else. We still have a couple of days.” I watched as she carefully made her way to her car. My aunt looked smaller somehow. I was glad she was taking a step back from working in the shop, but having her as full-time manager was going to increase my headaches as we worked through her transition. But it was all worth it. She and Harrold deserved some couple time where one of them wasn’t working. “Come on, Emma. Let’s see what we can stir up for dinner. I don’t think Greg’s going to be here.”

  I didn’t think he’d be in a good mood with me anyway, so having him out of the house for a night probably wasn’t a bad idea.

  My mind went to Alicia’s husband. How had their relationship been? Did Scott have a bad temper as Evie had guessed? Or was he just bad at expressing his grief at the loss of his wife? Looking inside a relationship was hard. A lot of times, the truth was hidden, and even their best friends didn’t know what was really going on behind closed doors.

  Honestly, I was stuck in this investigation. The people who were the best suspects were all turning out to be poor choices. Sherry, well, she didn’t kill the woman. If she’d done anything against Exquisite Gowns for You, it would have been to ruin Harper’s reputation or try to stop a fabric shipment. Or worse, try to steal her customers. Pat had only confessed because she was afraid Sherry had gone off the deep end. And now, Scott, the best suspect in Evie’s mind, seemed to be what he was, a grieving widower. Maybe I should try to see what I could find out about Harper and her relationships.

  I’d done all the online research I could do. I wondered if I knew anyone who knew anyone in the fashion design business. I grabbed my address book I used to send Christmas cards every year and flipped through the names. A lot of them were from years ago when I’d been a lawyer in a large firm in the city. I’d been stuck in family law because of my gender as well as the fact that I didn’t like to argue. Yeah, being an attorney was probably not the best choice in careers, but I’d been young and ambitious.

  I was almost at the end when I found a name from the past. A designer who had used our firm to help her with a divorce and a property settlement that protected her business. The good news was her ex-husband-to-be was dismissive of her work and didn’t realize the gold mine she was sitting on. I just didn’t disclose my opinion that I thought this woman was one of the up-and-coming designers of the area. The divorce was final for over a year when she got a call from a large department store who wanted to feature her new spring line with a hefty payment attached. The ex-husband found out and tried to reopen the case, asking for alimony, but with the testimony he’d provided in the first case, the judge refused to reopen it. And I’d gotten flowers along with the payment for my fees. I dialed the phone number I had listed.

  “Mahogany Designs, this is Lara Gunn. How can I help you?”

  “Hi, Lara, this is Jill Gardner. I was your divorce attorney?” I spun the pen on my notebook, hoping she’d remember me.

  “Jill. You weren’t just my divorce attorney. You were my guardian angel during that horrible time. Boy, this is a blast from the past. I get your Christmas card every year and tell myself I really have to visit your cute little shop. I have been having my assistant buy all my corporate gifts from you. I hope you’re doing okay. I know how hard running a small business can be.”

  I heard office sounds behind her and realized she was still working. “We’re doing well, thanks for asking. And your fashion line! I love everything you put out.”

  “It’s been a fun ride. What can I do for you?”

  Okay, so the reminiscing was done. “Hey, just a quick question. Do you know a designer named Harper Sanchez?”

  “Harper? Wow, this is old home week. Yes, I went to school with her. She was—is incredibly talented. I heard she opened a shop up your way. Is that in the same town as your bookstore?”

  “Yes. This is going to sound weird, but do you know anyone who didn’t like her? I mean, any fights or bad blood in the fashion community?”

  The line was quiet for a minute. “Jill, hold on a second. Carol, I’m taking this call in my office.”

  When she came back on the line, the background noise was quieter. “That’s better. I don’t like to bad-mouth anyone, especially when others can overhear. I take it she’s gotten herself in trouble again.”

  “Kind of. Her sister was killed in Harper’s shop.” I tried to leave all my preconceived notions out of the information I gave her. I didn’t want to be accused of leading a witness. Just in case.

  “Oh no, Alicia? She was so nice. I met her during one of our family day fashion shows. The teachers just wanted to fill the seats so it felt like a real fashion show to the models and the designers. Alicia volunteered to be one of my models. She was amazing. I told her she could make a living with it, but she just laughed. She was getting married that summer. Harper didn’t like the fiancé, not at all. It became an issue between the two of them.” A knock sounded in the distance. “And they found me. Sorry, I’m working on a big project. Anything else you need to know?”

  “No, that helps. Thanks Lara, and don’t be a stranger. I’d love to see you soon.”

  A laugh tinkled on the other end of the line. “I’m hoping you do. I hear you got engaged. Anyway, I can be your wedding designer? I’ve always seen you in a certain design.”

  “Maybe. We don’t have a date yet. I’ll let you know. How long of a lead time do I need to get a dress from Mahogany Designs?” My aunt would be happy if I got one thing off my to-do list.

  “Six months minimum. I’m pretty busy, but I’d work you in as long as it isn’t next week. Then I’d just take you shopping at one of the off-the-rack places. You’re going to be beautiful, no matter what.”

  “No way will it be next week. I’ll give you a call in a month or so and let you know what we’re doing. I appreciate it.”

  “Like I said, I owe you one. Or many ones. Gotta go.”

  I started to say goodbye, but she’d hung up. No one said goodbye anymore. Including my aunt. As I started writing down the information I’d learned about Alicia, something Lara had said popped into my mind. “Is she in trouble again?”

  I couldn’t call her back—Lara was busy, I knew that—but I texted her a quick note: When you have a minute later, call me, please. One follow-up question.

  I finished my dinner, then cuddled on the couch with Emma. Greg found me there much later than I’d planned on staying up. I looked up from the movie that was just finishing as he opened the front door. “I know, I should be in bed, but I found this movie when I was surfing, and I couldn’t pass it up.”

  “You’re a romantic. That’s all there is to it. Did you eat?” He sank to the couch and leaned his head on my shoulder.

  “Hours ago. Do you need me to warm something up?” I rubbed the top of his hand.

  “No, we ordered pizza from Lille’s.” He yawned. “I can’t believe after all that time I didn’t find one reason for our victim to be killed. Her husband is the most likely suspect, but he was working a shift at the station house in Idaho at time of death. Either Doc is totally off, or Scott has an alibi.”

  “That’s too bad. He was my preferred suspect too. Even though he didn’t seem like the killer type when I talked to him.”

  “I’m too tired to fight about why that was such a bad idea on your part.” He squeezed my hand. “Can I hope that you did the thank-you notes this afternoon when you were bored?”

  “Bored? Never. I have movies.” I turned off the television and tossed the remote onto the coffee table. “Anyway, I really didn’t have much time. Aunt Jackie came over after my run with Emma, and we went over the plans for this weekend. I’m assuming Toby will be on your service most of the weekend?”

  “Sorry, yeah. I’m not getting much support from Bakerstown for this festival. They have their own going on, so there wasn’t a lot of extra hours to give me.” He yawned again. “I wish Darla would check with me before scheduling these events.”

  “You could ask her.”

  He stood and shook his head. “Not now. Maybe after the investigation is over. She’d just see it as open season to ask me about the murder.”

  Emma whined.

  “I’ll let her out. Then I’ve got to get some sleep.” He stood and kissed me on the head. “I’ll be gone before you get up. Another fun trip to Bakerstown in the morning.”

  “Hey, before you go. Did you send the flowers? I was going to call the florist, but I got sidelined today.”

  He shook his head. I could see the confusion fighting with the fatigue in his eyes. “Was I supposed to send flowers? Did I miss something? Can’t be first date.”

  “No.” I pointed to the flowers by the door. “Those flowers. They came last week with no card. I thought maybe you just hadn’t found the time to ask me how I liked them.”

  “They’re pretty, but I thought they came from someone who couldn’t attend the party.” He moved toward the kitchen. “I’ll send you flowers just as soon as this investigation is over.”

  “Not my point,” I called after him. Then I went back to the slowly dying arrangement and pulled out a couple of stems where the flower had died. I studied the flowers that were left. “Who sent you?”

  When the flowers didn’t answer and I heard Greg heading upstairs behind me, I checked the door lock and turned off the living room lights. I moved through the downstairs, starting the dishwasher after locking the back door. Then I turned off the last light and went upstairs and to bed.

  Chapter 15

  Wednesday morning was usually a strong morning for commuters, and today was no different, so I didn’t even have time to finish my opening chores until Evie showed up at eleven. “Good to see you. I need to ask you something.”

  Evie paused as she was putting on her apron. She looked cute with her hair all pulled back into a bun and an African-print scarf wrapped around it. “Did I do something wrong last shift?”

  “What? No. Not that I know about anyway.” I sat on one of the stools. We were alone in the shop but not for long. The lunch crowd would be here in just a few minutes. “I wanted to ask you if you were interested in the closing shift? Maybe not totally if you didn’t want all of them, but Jackie is stepping away from direct customer work, and we need someone to move into that slot. Deek’s already said he would rather not work nights, so if it’s not you, we’ll need to hire someone.”

  “You want me to close? Already? Isn’t that a pretty important shift?” Evie turned away and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Are you sure I’m ready?”

  “You’re kidding, right? You’ve been amazing since you started. Of course, you can close. We haven’t asked you before because my aunt loves closing. She’s a bit of a control freak, so you can expect some close scrutiny the first couple of weeks, but she’ll calm down, eventually.” I grabbed my to-do list for the shift. “And you’ll have to do the nightly deposit, but the bank’s just down the street. If you don’t feel comfortable walking there, we can have one of the boys on shift escort you. Neither Toby nor Tim would mind. They’re usually pretty bored on nights.”

  Evie came around and sat next to me. She sipped on her coffee, then set it down. Before I could react, she reached out and hugged me. “Thank you.”

  Laughing, I dropped the clipboard and the pen. “You’re welcome. But I’m not sure why. You earned your spot here. You’ve been amazing.”

  She wiped her eyes and then laughed. “You have to understand my history. I came from a place where I was told no one would ever trust me or even hire me. I was lucky he was taking care of me. Of course, I knew that was wrong, but when you’re told that, over and over, you start to believe it. Even a little. Thank you for having trust in me.”