The Case of the Angry Auctioneer (Auction House Mystery Series Book 1) (10 page)

“Your sister. Mrs. Swanson.”

“Cookie.”

“Pardon me?”

“Cookie. That’s her name.”

No response this time.

Jasper said, “Why don’t you join us?”

“Miss Biggs, are you there? This phone’s beeping. Battery’s going.”

“Forester!” Jasper shouted. “Eleven o’clock!”

The phone garbled something at her.

“And call me Jasper!” she yelled. “Hello?”

Jasper got to her feet and smoothed the bears back into place. She quickly placed a call to Cookie. “Sis, I hope you’re hungry,” Jasper said. “I need you to be hungry.”

Inside the restaurant Jasper and Cookie hugged each other so tightly that their twin tummies growled hello. Jasper sniffled. Cookie too.

“Table for two?” a young man in black shirt and slacks asked.

The sisters pulled apart. Cookie followed the host; Jasper followed her. Today Cookie wore a turquoise cashmere sweater belted over a purple top and dark leggings. Jasper thought her sister was ruffle-less for a change, until Cookie’s sweater fell open to reveal a pleated frill running down one side of the top. Jasper smoothed the plain front of her own dust-colored sweatshirt. She licked her finger and rubbed away some kind of food spot on one sleeve.

They took their seats at a semi-private table near the plate glass window. The Forester backed on the Honey River, and the view at the back could be pretty spectacular. But that was at night and for diners and fancy martini drinkers. The less formal section looked out on the downtown. Not a big city. Not a lot of people-watching to be done. But lots of late morning light. Brightly colored abstract art on the walls.

“I’m glad we’re here early. It’s not busy,” Cookie said. “Sunshine! That makes one day in a row.”

“It’s weird, isn’t it, how last night Jimmy…” Jasper’s voice trailed away and she gripped the small laminated menu.

Cookie took Jasper’s cold hands into hers. “We’re in this together, Sis.”

Jasper began to cry. “It’s so much all at once.”

“Life and death and rain and sunshine. I know.”

Jasper squeezed her sister’s hands. “It’s more than that, I think. I feel afraid and I don’t understand.”

“It’s the body that fears its mortality. You know that the spirit lives on.” She picked up the discarded menu. “I don’t know about your body but mine’s pretty hungry.”

A woman in black waitress garb approached their table.

“Do you know what you want?” Cookie asked.

Jasper looked up past the waitress’ pregnant belly.              

“Molly!” It was Ted Phillips’ ex, the waitress of the broken down car. Jasper introduced her to Cookie.

“Are you hoping for a girl?” Cookie asked.

“W-e-l-l, as a matter of fact,” Molly began.

“You get your wish! It’s a girl.” Cookie lifted her water glass. “Cheers!”

Jasper studied her menu.

“Ready to order?” Molly asked. Her voice had iced over.

“I’ll have the chicken salad. Cookie, you want the crow?” Jasper asked

“What? I’ll have the same as my sister,” Cookie told Molly.

Molly scrawled ferociously on her pad.

“With extra cashews,” Cookie said. “If you don’t mind. Please.”

“Me, too, Molly. Thanks. And diet soda for both of us.”

After the waitress had stomped off, Cookie asked, “Did I say something wrong?”

“She already has a daughter. She wants a little boy.”

“She’ll forgive me after her little girl gets here. She’s gonna love this child!”

“Cookie!”

“What? I don’t make this stuff up, you know. I just call ‘em as I hear ‘em. And that’s what the guides are telling me. I wonder if she wants to know the baby’s name.”

A breeze from the front door blew their way.

“Cookie, you can’t go around telling people what they maybe don’t want to hear,” Jasper said. “Trust me on this. I’ve had a lot of practice with selective truth-telling.”

“Candace Jasper Biggs! I am here to help you stop messing with your karma.”

“My karma is just fine, thank you.” Jasper stuck her tongue out.

“Is not.”

“Is too!”

Cookie pointed over Jasper’s shoulder. “Sis, isn’t that the policeman from last night?”

Jasper turned to see Glenn Relerford. He wore civilian clothes, a deep blue shirt, patterned tie, and gray dress slacks. Jasper waved and he started toward them. She leaned toward her sister. “Cookie, listen up. No matter what the little voices in your head tell you about this guy, don’t say anything.”

“Oh-h, I see!” Cookie said. “Well, Officer. Fancy meeting you here. Have you had lunch?”

“Thanks.” Relerford set Jimmy’s cell on the table and took a seat between them. “Detective,” he said. “Call me Glenn.” He and Cookie shook hands.

Jasper smelled just a hint of sandalwood emanating from his wrists and neck. She liked the look of that neck, its muscles showing beneath his coppery skin, set off nicely against his royal blue shirt. She’d liked to see him without a shirt. Something hot and bothersome was stirring in her and she had not felt anything close to it in much too long a time.

“It’s too bad about your dad,” he said.

Blood rushed back up to Jasper’s brain. “Step-dad,” she and Cookie said in unison.

The detective’s eyes cut from Cookie to Jasper and back again. “Twins, huh? I don’t see it.”

“That’s what they all say,” Cookie said. She tilted her head sideways and batted her lively green eyes.

Jasper sent her telepathic
tone-it-down
messages. “Thanks for bringing the phone.” She reached for it, but Cookie beat her to it.

“I’ll clear it,” Cookie said and dropped it in her purple hobo bag.

“Once you get it recharged, you might want to save his contacts. For business. Or his funeral,” Glenn said.

“What I meant was – “Cookie began.

Jasper interrupted her. “That’s a great idea, isn’t it, Cookie?”

Molly delivered their salads, setting down Cookie’s with a clatter. “Hiya, Glenn,” she said sweetly. “The usual?”

“Molly, maybe I oughta get what these ladies are having. Those salads look loaded with vitamins.”

“Naw, take the advice of a mother-to-be and get what you want,” Molly said. She patted her tummy and shot Cookie a look. She said, “Not another word, Glenn. You’re getting the A-B-and C burger. Medium-well, right?”

“Mama knows best. Thanks, Moll.”

“A-B-and C?” Jasper asked.

“All Beef and Cheddar.” This time Glenn and Cookie spoke as one.

“Bread and butter!” Cookie said. She laughed and raised her glass.

“Bread and butter, yes ma’am!” Glenn clinked glasses with Cookie, then Jasper. She found herself crying. “We shouldn’t be so happy with Jimmy so – ”

“Dead?” Cookie asked. “I’ve told you, Sis, every time you mention him he shows up.”

“What?” Glenn swiveled to look over his shoulder.

“Not there. There.” Cookie pointed with her fork.

Glenn looked to Jasper who shrugged. “She sees dead people.”

“Uh-huh.” I guess I’ve heard that,” Glenn said.

Welcome to my world
, Jasper thought.
So much for fantasy boyfriends.

Glenn took a big swig of water. “I’ve seen a few in my time too,” he said.

That broke the ice. They chatted, sipped and chewed until they were all three well into their lunches.

Jasper pushed aside her salad bowl.

“You’re not eating enough to keep a baby bunny alive, Sis!” Cookie waved her fork toward the window. A small hare hopped across the parking lot.

“I can’t stop thinking,” Jasper said.

“It’s a family trait,” Cookie said.

“I can see that.” Relerford took another big bite of his burger. “Brains and beauty. You two ladies got it goin’ on.”

Jasper giggled. She had always been a giggler. She hoped one day to be a stronger woman who could either laugh graciously or smile like the Mona Lisa. Strong women didn’t giggle.

Cookie snorted.

Jasper relaxed. “No, listen. I know it was an accident and all – last night. Jimmy. You know.”

“Right. A really unfortunate accident. No signs of foul play. We’re not investigating this as a criminal matter.” Relerford spoke with burger in his mouth. A drop of mustard wormed down his chin.

Jasper stared.

“What? You think there’s something hinky?”

“Hinky?” Jasper fixated on the bright yellow glob. Somebody ought to warn him before he stained his nice blue shirt. She didn’t want to be the one. She switched her gaze to Cookie and tapped her own chin. Cookie automatically brought her napkin to her face. Jasper nodded her head slightly toward Relerford.

He laughed and wiped his chin clean. “You two crack me up.” Then he went back to stern cop. “Hinky –odd, funny, suspicious.”

“I’m kind of wondering why Jimmy tumbled down those stairs,” Jasper said.

Relerford’s spine straightened. “You have serious suspicions?”

Weren’t his dark eyes more toffee than black coffee a moment ago? Jasper switched her gaze to his necktie. “Oh not hinky that way. Oh no.”

Molly approached the table and refilled their water glasses. “You guys want anything else?” She directed her question mostly to Relerford.

He smiled and waved her off. “Clarify,” he said to Jasper.

“Yes, Sis, clarify.
Now
please.” Cookie’s perfectly applied makeup suddenly looked a shade too pale.

“All I meant was that maybe if I had gone with him, I could have been the one to walk downstairs and Jimmy would still be here.” Jasper started blubbering again.

“Oh, honey, no. It wasn’t your time. It was his.” Cookie went to her sister and wrapped her up in a hug. She held a napkin over her sister’s nose. “Now blow.”

Jasper honked into the cloth.

Molly hurried back to their table. “What is it, sweetie?” she asked Jasper. She pulled a chair up to the table and scooted in close.

“It’s our stepfather.”

“Jimmy.”

“Yeah? The auctioneer,” Molly said.

Jasper blew her nose again. “I’ll wash it,” she said.

“Naw. We have industrial machines. Your step-dad, huh? Jeez. What happened?”

Jasper’s voice was all phlegmy. She tilted her head heavenward and pointed up.

Customers coming in the front door drew Molly’s attention. “Dammit. Must be noon.”

“Torry,” Jasper blubbered.

“He got sent up?” Molly asked. She turned to Relerford.

His trouser pocket buzzed. He pulled out his phone. “Retail theft,” he said. “Just around the corner. Small towns, you gotta love ‘em,” he grumbled. He pulled his wallet out and handed Molly some bills. “Ladies,” he said. He headed for the door.

“Your stepfather got arrested for shoplifting?” Molly yelled to be heard above the gathering lunch hour crowd. People stared their direction.

“He went to that big auction house in the sky,” Cookie said.

“Yeah. He’s really taking ghost bids now!” Jasper said. She felt the giggles returning. Cookie joined in. This kind of hysteria was a lot easier to take than the waves of sorrow and guilt that had been washing over her since the discovery of Jimmy’s body. Laughter was good for the soul.

Molly looked from one sister to the other. “I guess it’s a pretty good deal to have each other at a time like this, huh?”

“You work here?” a man yelled to Molly.

“Only on Tuesdays," Molly said low. "Be right with you.” She struggled to get up from her chair.

Cookie hurried around and hoisted her upright. “Been there myself,” she said.

“Oh yeah? You’re a mom?”

“Got two of my own,” Cookie said.

Jasper, still seated, took a nice deep breath and sipped some cold water. She noticed a familiar-looking man adjusting the angle of one of the pictures near the bar. Sandy colored hair, medium height, nice shoulders. He turned her direction. She had seen him at the auction. He held up both hands in a questioning gesture and pointed back at the picture. Jasper gave him a thumbs- up. The handsome man made a little bow. Above her head, Cookie and Molly were chatting away about the joys and difficulties of motherhood.

Jasper had to get out of here soon. She couldn’t handle the guilt of close proximity to two attractive men in one afternoon. She was supposed to be in mourning. She was supposed to be married. Both were true, more or less.

“Hey,” Molly said to Cookie. “Before you had your kids, did you know whether they were girls or boys?”

Cookie said, “I was wrong – both times. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was going to love both of them no matter who they turned out to be.”

“Food for thought,” Molly said. “Hugs.”

She and Cookie leaned in and included Jasper’s head in a group hug. When she broke free, Jasper asked, “Do we owe you for lunch?”

“Nope. If Glenn didn’t leave enough, it’s on me. If he left enough, then I owe
you.
See ya.” She waved bye-bye.

“This was fun,” Cookie said. “We’ll have to come here more often.”

“Yeah, fun,” Jasper said. Tears streamed down her face.

“Jasper? Miss Biggs?” the artist called to her. His artwork was avant garde but he had a voice like velvet.

Jasper headed for the door. Cookie said, “That man wants to speak to you.”

Jasper, her head lowered, kept going. Fresh air. She utterly longed for escape from the restaurant, her hormones, her grief, her confusing new life. Cookie hurried after her and they left the restaurant one then the other.