Read Going Organic Can Kill You Online
Authors: Staci McLaughlin
Going Organic Can Kill You (29 page)
30
The next morning, I heard my bedroom door open and felt the mattress sink as someone sat down on the bed. I opened my eyes, winced at the brightness of the room, and lowered my lids again.
“Dana, how are you feeling?” Mom asked.
I tried to sit up, fighting the sheet wrapped around me. “Like I got chased through the woods by a crazy guy.”
“Promise me you’ll never do something so dangerous again, especially not when your sister tags along.”
“Trust me, if I’d known Christian murdered Maxwell and Queenie, we never would have walked into the woods with him.” I shuddered at the memory. “At least, we’ve caught the killer. People should feel safe enough to stay at the spa.”
Mom patted my knee through the sheet. “When I encouraged you to help Esther, I never for a moment believed it might put you at risk. To think I almost lost you both makes me sick.”
“I’m glad I could help.” I took a deep breath, feeling the tears gathering at my eyes, and tugged on the sheet. “I know I failed you when Dad died. You needed me, and I only thought about myself.”
Mom kissed my forehead. “You didn’t fail me. You had your own grief to deal with.” She stood. “But I’m glad you’re here. And I hope you stay a long while.” She walked out.
I lay back down and pulled the sheet up to my chin, warm from my head to my feet. My moving back home had actually helped. Mom was rejoining her clubs, enjoying life again. Maybe that dream job in San Jose would have turned out to be a nightmare. Perhaps my place was here at home, with family.
Ashlee barged in without knocking.
Then again, I might need to rethink this whole staying in Blossom Valley thing.
“Jason’s here,” she sang.
I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head. In my bruised and battered condition, even talking to Jason sounded like too much work. “How can you possibly be so perky after what happened last night? Go away.”
“Dana, you have to talk to him. I already gave him my side of the story, but I still don’t know what happened at the hot springs.” She tried to lift the pillow, but I held on with both hands. “You have to get up. We’re famous now. When I went to pick up donuts this morning, all these people practically attacked me, asking questions, wanting to know what had happened.”
I lifted a corner of the pillow. “Did you say donuts?”
“Yep. Mom wasn’t too thrilled, but she figures we almost died, so we deserve a donut.”
“Yum, old-fashioned glazed.”
“I ate that one. Sorry. But there’s a maple bar and a bear claw.” She slapped my foot under the covers. “Never mind the donuts, go talk to Jason.”
I sat up and glanced in the mirror over my dresser. My hair looked like squirrels had tried to build a nest and given up. “You’re nuts. I can’t talk to him looking like this.”
Ashlee studied my face. “So run a brush through your hair, slap on some makeup. I’ll keep him entertained with stories about your prom while he’s waiting.” She ran out as I threw my pillow at her. It landed in the hall.
Oh, no, Ashlee wouldn’t really tell Jason about my attending prom with a guy all the kids called Dancer Dave, would she? I’d better get out there.
With a groan, I tossed off the covers and stood, wincing as pain coursed through my arms. The scratches and bruises stood out against my pale skin, the bandage I’d slapped on the deeper scratch itching as I moved. Why wasn’t Ashlee stiff and sore? I donned the first long-sleeved ironed T-shirt and pair of clean jeans I could find, then headed to the bathroom for a quick face washing and hair brushing.
When I walked into the living room, Ashlee had hit the part of the story where Dancer Dave had tried to flip me over his back and instead dropped me on the floor. In front of the entire senior class.
Jason laughed. I told myself he was just being polite.
The moment he saw me, he jumped up from the couch and rushed over. “Dana, you okay?”
“I’ll live.” And so would Christian, according to the paramedics who’d treated him at the scene last night. News I was happy to hear. I didn’t want to be responsible for taking a life, even if he had killed two people.
Ashlee cleared her throat. “Well, guess I’ll go tidy the kitchen.”
My sister had never volunteered to clean in her life, but I appreciated the gesture. I smiled as she walked past, and she winked in return.
“You’re sure you’re all right?” Jason asked. “Christian didn’t hurt you, did he?”
I touched my sleeve, where the bandage still itched under the fabric. “Nothing serious.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.” He paused for a moment, clearly torn. “As long as you’re okay, you know I have to ask you about what happened. Feel up to it?”
Thinking about last night got my heart rate up and I paced a bit. “Sure, but there’s not much to tell. Christian offered to walk Ashlee and me out to the hot springs to retrieve my cell phone.” At the mention of the phone, I remembered Jason was the reason I’d gone out there, and I felt myself blush.
“And?” Jason prompted.
“When we got to the springs, I realized that Christian was dating both Tiffany and Sheila. That must have been what Tiffany meant when she’d said she’d enjoyed her stay, even with two murders and a failed attempt at a movie role. Not only that, but Christian lied about studying with a swami in India. Maxwell must have figured it out from his yoga book and confronted Christian.”
Jason pulled out his notebook. He probably slept with that pad under his pillow. “Exactly what he told the cops.”
I stopped pacing. “What else did he say?”
“Everything. Confessed to killing both Maxwell and Queenie. He’s wanted in four states back east for swindling rich women out of their fortunes. One of those women also died in a mysterious accident, and the police are checking to see if Christian helped her death along. Things were getting too hot for him so he moved out here.”
Four swindles and a possible murder? Yikes. “So he came to Blossom Valley under the guise of being a yoga expert to pick his next con victim,” I said. “You know, Ashlee mentioned hearing some gossip about Christian liking rich, older ladies, but I totally blew her off.” I should really pay more attention when my sister spoke.
“Maxwell apparently realized that Christian was a fraud, even figured out his real name and did some Googling. Once he found the newspaper articles and knew Christian’s story, Maxwell called him to his cabin after yoga class and threatened to tell the cops if Christian didn’t agree to help Maxwell write a screenplay about the cons. Christian killed him instead.”
“Shame on Maxwell for not going straight to the police. Christian mentioned that Maxwell wanted an Oscar. I guess his quest for fame overrode common sense.” I shook my head at such an idiotic move. If Maxwell had told the police about Christian at the start, he and Queenie would still be alive. “Did you say Christian isn’t even his real name?”
Jason tapped his pen on his notebook. “Right. His name’s Bruce Collins. That’s why he attacked you when you found his money clip.”
The big shove at the chicken coop. “What does his money clip have to do with the murders?”
“He claims it was a gift from his most recent victim. Engraved with his real name. He knew he’d dropped it somewhere by the animals and got there just as you picked it up.”
“But I never saw the engraving. And I wouldn’t have realized that Christian was really Bruce Collins.” I shivered. “Guess I should be thankful he didn’t decide to kill me right there with only the chickens for witnesses.”
“Apparently he never saw you as much of a threat. Until last night, that is.”
I pictured my plunge into the hot springs and shivered again. “What exactly did Queenie see that made him kill her?”
“She caught him in the woods, burying the bloody knife he used to kill Maxwell. She ran off before he could do anything about her, but then he heard you talking to Esther about the crazy honey lady. That’s when he found out she’d also been spying on him and Tiffany at the bench. He had to kill her before she exposed him.”
“So I helped get a woman killed.”
Jason placed a hand on my arm. “You can’t blame yourself. Christian did all the killing. He felt Queenie was too much of a threat, once she saw him hide the knife like that. And you know, he couldn’t steal Sheila’s fortune if she found out he was two-timing her with a young hottie.”
“Young actresses do it for you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jason looked me in the eye. “I prefer marketing girls.”
I broke eye contact and wondered why my face felt so enflamed. Little young for a hot flash.
“Which reminds me,” Jason said. “I don’t know if Ashlee mentioned the film festival to you.”
I stepped forward. “Yes?”
“That’s out now.”
“Oh.” Well, he’d probably decided he didn’t want to date me anyway.
“With your mad dash through the woods and catching a killer, I’ve got to prepare another extra edition. It needs to be done tonight.” At least he’d come up with a plausible excuse. “But when my work’s done, I’d love to take you out. We could make a day of it, wine tasting, hot air ballooning.”
I felt like my feet were already off the ground. “Why, sir, are you trying to get me alone in a balloon basket?” I asked, complete with Southern drawl. Good grief, I was channeling Scarlett O’Hara.
He ignored my accent and took my hand. “When I heard you’d been in danger, I was almost out of my mind. I’m glad you’re okay.”
I leaned toward him, my eyelids starting to close.
The doorbell rang.
Oh, for crying out loud. I pulled my head back and Jason dropped my hand.
“Guess I’d better get that,” I said. I walked to the front door and yanked it open a little harder than necessary.
Esther and Gordon stood on the porch, Esther beaming in a floral dress and clutching a white purse. Gordon was dressed in his usual suit, making me wonder if he even owned a pair of jeans.
“Dana, thank goodness you’re all right. I was so worried,” Esther said.
“Yeah,” Gordon said. “Glad you weren’t killed or anything.” He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, and I pushed the door a bit wider so Esther could walk in, too.
She caught sight of Jason, and the beam widened. “Oops, didn’t know you had company. I just wanted to stop by real quick and let you know the good news.”
“What good news?” I asked.
“The bank okayed the loan,” Esther said, clasping her hands together and raising them up in a victory gesture, purse swinging. “With Christian in jail, the loan officer felt the spa might be a success after all.”
“Even though Christian was an employee at the spa? That doesn’t worry them?” Surely that would have some negative impact to business.
“Apparently not,” Gordon said. “The police have their man. The guests can feel safe again. Once we line more up, of course.”
“Fantastic,” I said.
“And I should point out that having an employee of the farm catch the killer is great for advertising. What could be safer than staying at a place with its very own Nancy Drew?”
Guess he was talking about me. I’d have to buy a magnifying glass and find some friends named Bess and George.
Esther patted Gordon’s arm and he brushed at the fabric of his sleeve.
“We wouldn’t have gotten the loan without Gordon’s help,” she said. “I wasn’t feeling too good about how the meeting went yesterday, so once I heard what happened last night, I dragged Gordon down to the bank first thing this morning and had him go over the numbers with the officer. That made all the difference.”
Gordon gave a dismissive wave, but he couldn’t quite keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upward. My God, was he about to smile?
“Enough about that,” he said, regaining his usual serious expression. “Dana, just make sure you’re at work tomorrow by nine. We have lots to do.”
Esther whipped her head around to look at Gordon. “Mercy me, aren’t you the slave driver.” She turned to me. “Monday morning is fine. You need extra rest after such a frightful experience.”
“Really, Esther, we don’t have time,” Gordon started, but Esther turned on him with a swift glare. He stopped, then shrugged. “You’re the boss.”
Glad he’d finally realized that. If I didn’t watch out, I might start to like Gordon.
Esther reached up and pinched his cheek. His face turned crimson while I choked back a laugh. “And you’re my right-hand man.” She walked toward the door, calling over her shoulder, “See you Monday.”
I watched as Gordon pulled the door closed behind them. The killer was in jail. And with the loan, my job was secure for a while. Not bad for a night’s work.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to look into Jason’s green, green eyes.
“I thought they’d never leave.” He leaned in and laid his lips on mine in a firm yet tender kiss.
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