Girls' Night Out Murder (Ryli Sinclair 2) (9 page)

I’d actually gotten around the next morning before Aunt
Shirley had a chance to pound on the door to tell us to get up. I’d rather eat
my toe than listen to her quote something lame about the early bird getting the
worm or some other whacked saying she loves to spout.

I tried calling Julie, but it went straight to voicemail. I
texted her and asked her to call or text me immediately.

Deciding to see who was up, I slipped on sweats, sweatshirt,
and house slippers and traipsed up the stairs. The living room was nice and bright.
Aunt Shirley was standing on the back deck. I went into the kitchen and made a
cup of coffee from the Keurig. Paige and Megan were sitting at the table
writing out a list and talking about the wedding.

Taking my coffee with me to keep my hands warm, I opened the
French doors and stepped out into the brisk morning.

“It’s so cold that I can see your breath even though you
aren’t talking,” I said.

Aunt Shirley turned to me, e-cigarette in hand and a guilty
look on her face.

“Dammit, Aunt Shirley, I thought you’d given that stupid
thing up!”

Aunt Shirley shrugged. “I’ve cut back a lot. This is the
first time you’ve seen me smoking, ain’t it?

I narrowed my eyes at her. “No, this is the first time I’ve
caught
you smoking. Big difference.”

Aunt Shirley waved her hand in the hair. “Whatever. Same
thing.”

Not wanting to get into an argument, I counted to five.
“Megan, Paige, and I are going into town to the flower shop to check on
everything there. We need to get the time narrowed down when the flowers will
be available to pick up. Then I was thinking about stopping by the bakery, see
if Susie has heard anything more about Jim’s murder. You wanna go?”

“Of course. Someone’s gotta ask the pertinent questions.”

I rolled my eyes and told her she had ten minutes to get her
ass out to the car or we’d leave without her. She was ready in five minutes.
Guess she knew I meant business.

I went into Mom’s room to let her know what we were doing.
“We’re heading into town to run some errands. We need to see about the flowers
and check on the wedding cake. Do you need anything?”

“No. We may run to the grocery store later, but I’m not sure
yet. You guys take care…and please don’t get into trouble.”

I gave Mom a kiss and promised we’d be home later. I didn’t
promise we wouldn’t get into trouble. Mainly because I’ve learned not to
promise things that aren’t certain.

Aunt Shirley, Paige, Megan, and I piled into the Falcon and
headed into town.

Like Susie’s bakery, the flower shop was located in the
heart of downtown Cavern Beach. The building was an old, brick building with a
solid green awning covering the front of the shop.

“Good morning,” a petite, brown-haired woman smiled at us
from behind a counter loaded with flowers. “How may I help you?”

“I’m Paige Hanson. You guys are doing the flowers for my
wedding on Sunday.”

The small woman lit up. “Oh, yes, Ms. Hanson. It’s so nice
to finally meet you in person. We’ve done so much talking through e-mails and
texts, I feel I already know you.” She came over to us and shook our hands. She
had a nice, firm grip. I hate people who give limp-noodle handshakes.

“I was just stopping by,” Paige said, “to see what time the
flowers will be ready on Sunday.”

“I can open the store after church. Say around eleven? Is
that soon enough?”

Paige looked at me. “Since you’re the one picking them up,
is that okay?”

I smiled reassuringly at her. “Of course. I’ll already have
my hair done, so all I’ll have to do is slip on my amazing bridesmaid dress
when I get home. Megan, can you help Mom and Bea make sure the flowers get set
up where they need to be?”

Megan patted Paige’s arm. “Don’t worry…I’ll help make sure
everything is perfect.”

“Then I guess eleven works,” Paige said.

As Paige and the shop owner finished up, a middle-aged woman
with short, curly brown hair rushed in, clutching her coat tight against her
frail body.

“Good morning.” Her weak, nasally voice went straight to my
brain.

“Good morning,” Aunt Shirley said.

She looked around to find the owner. Seeing her with Paige,
Ms. Nasal walked toward them.

“I’ll be right with you,” the flower shop owner said.

“No hurry, I guess,” Ms. Nasal said. “It seems that’s the
word around these parts, at least.”

I lifted a brow and gave Aunt Shirley “the look.” Rude
people piss me off.

“Are you here for flowers?” Aunt Shirley asked.

“Fake flowers,” Ms. Nasal corrected. “I’m tired of sitting
around and waiting for our contractor to get out to our place. He was supposed
to be done with our house last week. But it seems no one is in a hurry around
here. So I decided to come to town and pick up the arrangement for the front
room.”

“You’re building a house?” I asked.

“Yes. Worst decision ever!” Ms. Nasal whined. “Our
contractor is constantly not showing up. Just this morning he was supposed to
be over…and no surprise, he’s a no show!”

My heart dropped to my stomach. While I’m sure there were
lots of contractors in town, I had to wonder about those that didn’t show up
when they were supposed to.

“Who’s your contractor?” I asked Ms. Nasal.

“Jim Cleary,” she spat. “I swear, if we weren’t so close to
finishing, my husband and I would fire him in an instant! He doesn’t know how
to keep customers happy.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Jim is dead, you heartless
bitch. Maybe you should watch your—”

Aunt Shirley coughed beside me.

“Dead!” Ms. Nasal cried. “Who’s going to finish my house
now?”

Obviously realizing I was about to reach over and snatch out
the rest of Ms. Nasal’s hair, the flower shop owner rushed over to us. “What
can I get for you?” she asked Ms. Nasal.

“A personality would be great!” I said.

Aunt Shirley chuckled. “I taught you right,” she said,
pulling me out of the shop.

“Can you believe she said that?” I asked incredulously.

“It was horrid,” Paige agreed.

“I have to wonder if we shouldn’t be looking at either his sub-contractors
or unhappy homeowners,” Aunt Shirley said. “It seems there were a lot of people
unhappy with Jim’s speed.”

I’m not sure why, but it annoyed me that Jim was suddenly
the bad guy. Mainly because he wasn’t able to defend himself.

“Well, on a happier note, I totally love my flowers. The
bouquets are going to be beautiful. Now for the cake!” Paige said.

“That means our next stop—”

“Hey, you!” A sudden jerk on the back of my arm had me
spinning around. There stood Larry Blackwell in all his sexist glory. “I don’t
appreciate being questioned by the police.”

“I don’t appreciate being manhandled by a pig…so we’re
even,” I said, yanking my arm out of his grasp.

Aunt Shirley, Megan, and Paige circled Larry.

He was trapped…surrounded by a bunch of women who’d rather
string him up than look at him.

“Larry…Larry…Larry,” my aunt taunted. “Two truths you should
always remember…never turn your back on an ocean wave, and never turn your back
on a woman. Both can kill you!”

Blackwell’s face turned three different colors. “Now look
here,” he said, pointing his finger in Aunt Shirley’s face. “I don’t take
kindly to a bunch of
nosey
broads
sticking their
noses
in where it
don’t belong.”

“Seems to me it’s noses you don’t take kindly to,” Aunt
Shirley said without missing a beat.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Blackwell sputtered.

We all laughed at Larry’s expense. “C’mon girls, let’s go,”
Aunt Shirley said. “Larry…can’t say it’s been a pleasure.”

“Get back here. I ain’t done with you yet,” Larry cried.

We left Larry sputtering to himself and headed toward the
Falcon. “I say we eat the goodies at Susie’s bakery,” Paige said.

“As long as she don’t try feedin’ us that health food crap,”
Aunt Shirley said. “If she does, I’m out!”

I gave her my best stink eye. “You’ll eat whatever she has
there. Don’t go insulting her.”

“Humph!” Aunt Shirley muttered, crossing her arms and
glaring out the window.

It only took a few minutes to drive to Susie’s bakery. I walked
in behind Aunt Shirley, and my mouth immediately began watering at the smells.

“One second, please,” Susie called out from behind the
curtain.

“No hurry, Susie. It’s just Paige and the rest of us,” I
yelled out.

A few seconds later the curtain opened and Susie hurried out
carrying a tray of scones. I could tell from her swollen eyes she’d been
crying.

“You’re here just before the lunch hour rush,” she said as
she set the scones on the counter.

I glanced at Aunt Shirley. I wanted to be careful how I
approached Susie. We’d all changed so much since we were young girls, so I
wasn’t sure what would set her off.

“These look delicious, dear,” Aunt Shirley said as she
approached the counter. “Oh, are you okay? You look upset.”

Tears filled Susie’s eyes. “Of course I’m upset. My sister
is using again—I found syringes in her purse—and Jim has been murdered!” Susie
covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

Paige and I ran around the counter and embraced her. “I’m so
sorry,” Paige said, patting Susie’s back. “You must be devastated.”

Susie wiped the tears from her face. “I am. I haven’t spoken
to Julie yet. She’s not taking my calls.” Tears threatened to spill again. “But
I do have comfort in knowing an arrest should be eminent.”

My breath caught in my throat. I sent a panicked look to
Aunt Shirley. “What do you mean,” I asked.

Susie stepped back from our embrace. “Well, I probably
shouldn’t tell you this,” she said, pulling a Kleenex from her apron and wiping
her eyes, “but Officer Dillon stopped by this morning to get some coffee and
scones. He knows Jim stops by…” her voice trailed off and the tears started
flowing again. “I’m sorry. I guess I should say he knows Jim
stopped
by
here all the time. He said the Chief had already fingered someone. It was just
a matter of putting the pieces together.”

The spit in my mouth dried up. Had Garrett not called the
Chief? Did Chief Taggart really think I had something to do with this?

“Those look mighty good,” Aunt Shirley said eyeing the
scones.

“Do you want one?” Susie asked.

“Sure do,” Aunt Shirley said.

“How about coffee for everyone?” Susie suggested.

Susie busied herself by making coffee and dishing out a
scone to Aunt Shirley. “Are you still going ahead with your bachelorette party
tonight?” she asked.

This was awkward. “Yes,” I said. “We all discussed it, and
we think it’s the distraction we need. Plus, I’d talked with Jim about it and
the wedding, and he was excited. I don’t think he’d want us to cancel.”

“I understand. And don’t worry…I’ll still be there with my
chocolate goodies. I couldn’t sleep last night so I came to the bakery and
baked all night. I haven’t been home in ages.”

Aunt Shirley took a huge bite of her scone. “This is
delicious. Much better than that healthy thing you tried to serve me the other
day.”

My mouth dropped open. She had promised to be on her best
behavior!

Susie laughed. “Thanks,” she said. She started putting the
rest of the scones in the display case next to the éclairs, muffins, donuts,
and quiches. My mouth watered even more and my stomach grumbled.

“Can I get you guys something, too?”

“Not right now. Maybe before we leave,” I said. “Look, I
think I need to tell you who it is the Chief is looking at for the murder, and
who found Jim’s body.”

“I tried to ask about that, but Officer Dillon said he
couldn’t tell me right now who discovered the body. I figured that meant it was
the same person they were thinking killed Jim.”

My knees went weak and I stumbled to one of the tables to
sit down. “Ryli,” Susie said rushing over to my side. “Are you okay?”

I looked up at her puffy face, red nose, and swollen eyes.
Despite all that, she still looked good. She must take after Paige. Paige was
the only person I knew who could cry and still look attractive.

“It was me,” I blurted. “I was the one that found him. Well,
Aunt Shirley and I did. But I was the one that actually discovered the body and
called the police.”

Susie inhaled sharply. “I don’t understand.”

Megan and Paige walked over to the table and pulled out
chairs. Aunt Shirley ambled over to the tray of scones and snatched another.

I sighed. “I heard someone pounding on Jim’s door and
yelling yesterday morning, so I went over to see what was going on. The guy was
angry because Jim was supposed to be working on something for him and Jim never
showed up. After he left,” I said, conveniently leaving out the part where Aunt
Shirley pulled a gun on the guy, “Aunt Shirley and I went inside the workshop.
That’s where I found him.”

I didn’t tell her
exactly
how I found him, and she didn’t ask. She simply nodded her head and cried
some more.

“I wish Julie would call me back,” Susie said.

Seemed Julie wasn’t returning anyone’s calls.

“Whitney stopped by a few minutes ago to tell me Julie hasn’t
been in the office since yesterday. I guess someone from Julie’s office called
Whitney to tell her this bit of juicy gossip. It seems the police came to
Julie’s office yesterday to tell her about Jim. She left shortly after the
police did. Said she was going home, but no one has been able to reach her.”

“How did Whitney seem?” I asked as casually as I could.

“Heartbroken. I think she always thought her and Jim would
get together, ya know? Whitney told me that she’s already called Amber Leigh over
at Jim’s office. I guess she’s
 
taking it
hard, too.” Susie’s hollow laugh echoed in the bakery. “Why all these women are
so upset over a guy who was seeing someone else, I don’t know.”