Crimped To Death Read online

  I clicked the soap dispenser at the sink and nothing came out. In order to get soap, I had to use the one in front of her.

  “Excuse me.” I butted my way over.

  “You know.” She had her hand on her hip as she cocked her leg out and leaned forward. She whispered, “If you think that going to Food Watchers will get you to look like me and win Sean back, you’re crazier than I thought.”

  “Over my dead body!” I screamed out of anger. “I’ll show you crazy!”

  Well I screamed it after she pranced out of the bathroom. I gripped the edge of the sink. I was about to be sick to my stomach when a stall door opened.

  “Excuse me,” the woman said, her back pressed up against the stall doors. She wiggled her way past me with fear in her eyes.

  “Oh Carol.” I greeted Dr. Russell’s receptionist. She stood about six feet tall, a platinum blonde with a snow-white complexion. She wore black leather pants and a fringed leather vest over a white tee shirt. She had a biker boyfriend who was always playing pool. “I didn’t mean what I said.” Nervously I laughed. “Too many beers.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Holly.” She stopped shy of the door. “Isn’t it about time you come in for a cleaning?”

  Fear oozed throughout my body. I had never been fond of going to the dentist and it took everything in my soul to not only make an appointment, much less go to the appointment.

  “Probably.” I smiled, with my mouth shut. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” I said with no intention what so ever to call.

  “Okay. Great.” Carol opened the door and turned back around. “Holly, you are much prettier than that girl. Trust me. I know.”

  I ran my finger along the elastic of my jeans. I was going to show Miss Prissy Pants that I didn’t need the encouragement she gave Bernadine or the low-fat delicious-looking treats to help me make my goal. I didn’t want Sean. But, there wasn’t anything wrong with me wanting Sean to desperately want me back.

  The slow song pulled all the couples out on the dance floor, including Charlie and Sean. Noah had made himself comfortable on my stool. At least it looked that way until I got a little closer.

  “What’s wrong?” I put my hand on Bernadine’s back when I noticed tears dripping down her cheeks.

  “Henry is dead.” Bernadine’s eyes dipped down. “I can’t believe it.”

  My eyes slid to Noah. He pinched his lips together and nodded.

  “Noah said he was stabbed.” Bernadine heaved up and down. “I think I would like to go.”

  “Yes.” I agreed.

  “Where were you tonight?” Noah pulled out his little notebook from the front pocket of his police uniform.

  “Why are you asking me this?” An uneasy feeling dipped into my gut, putting a knot in my throat. I swallowed.

  “There was some sort of beading tool left at the scene.” Noah rolled his eyes. “I have to check out every detail at the crime scene.”

  “You know what a beading tool looks like?” My eyes narrowed.

  “No, but Officer Kiss pointed it out and apparently she’s an avid beading person.” Noah had no idea what he was talking about.

  “Officer Kiss has had it out for The Divas every since we found her best friend with Flora’s husband.” I reminded him about the time he had made his first little visit to our church divorced group.

  Granted Officer Kiss’s best friend was gay and that was how Bennie came out. Bennie did work for the Swanee police and he paid Officer Kiss a visit about a case. Officer Kiss had her friend over and introduced the two. It was all down hill from there for Flora. She ended up bitter and single. Bennie ended up a successful lawyer with a lover.

  This prompted Diva Flora’s armpit-kidney-bean-garbage-bag incident and Noah’s subsequent visit to our meeting to give us the advice to bash the ex-asses in word only, unless we wanted to face more visits from him. So we decided to move our little group of six to The Beaded Dragonfly once it was open for business.

  We all knew that Officer Beverly Kiss was the one who told Noah to visit with us because it would look funny if she was there on behalf of her friend and Bennie, not on official police business.

  “Holly, I have to turn over every leaf.” Noah’s eyes lowered. A shadow from his lashes lined the top of his cheek. “I know you gals are scorned from your divorces and you know what they say about a woman scorned.”

  “Yeah.” Cheri reached over and cupped Bernadine’s shaking hands. “A woman scorned does better research than an FBI agent. Let’s go.”

  Cheri jumped up and pulled on her moto jacket.

  “The Divas joked about killing our exes, but we never wanted any of them seriously hurt. At least not dead.” I stood up to help Bernadine to her feet.

  “Damn, Sean is moving up in the world.” Noah nodded toward the happy couple just as they twirled in front of us. “Anyway Holly, I’ll be by the shop tomorrow to check out your inventory.”

  “Am I a suspect or something?” I scowled.

  Noah shrugged.

  “That’s it.” I grabbed Bernadine by the arm because she wasn’t moving. She had to be in shock. The heat in my throat dampened my armpits. Blood pressure rose. Had Noah Druck lost his mind? “I’ve seen enough and I’ve had enough. Let’s go.”

  Hearing that Noah could possibly think I could be a potential suspect for Bernadine’s ex-ass and watching every man swoon over Charlie dug a hole in my stomach, making me hungry. Not for food. For Donovan.

  Chapter Five

  “Are you home?” Immediately I called Donovan after I dropped Cheri off at The Beaded Dragonfly and grabbed Willow.

  “Of course I’m home.” Donovan sounded a little drowsy. “It’s two a.m. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” It felt good to hear someone ask about my well-being. “Bernadine’s husband was found stabbed to death and I just got her in bed after giving her a sleeping pill.”

  “Gosh, Holly.” I could hear the sympathy in his voice. It was exactly what I needed. “I’m so sorry. Do you want to come over?”

  “I have Willow.” I always felt it was necessary to warn people when I had the little dust-bunny-eating piggy with me.

  “She’s always welcome.” Donovan didn’t leave me any room to rebut. “I’m going to open the door and turn on the porch light.”

  That was the thing I loved about Donovan. A few months ago after Doug Sloan, brother of my best friend Ginger, was found dead on the floor of my bead shop, I signed up for the self-defense classes taught by Donovan and that was how we met.

  When the noose got tighter around my neck during the investigation, Donovan showed me how to use computer equipment to help find the real killer and he insisted I stay at his house for safety.

  Of course nothing happened but a few kisses and snuggles, but I was hoping that was going to change.

  Donovan’s landscape at his house was immaculate. The hedges were neatly trimmed, and the edging along the sidewalk was perfect. Even the colors in the flowerbed were coordinated. The stars twinkled over them, sending little pops of color into the dark night sky.

  He waved from the front door. His tall slender frame brought a smile to my face. It was good to see a friendly smile, especially in the middle of the night.

  “Let’s go.” I got out of the Beetle and tugged on Willow’s leash for her to come to my side.

  Groink, groink. Willow waddled over the console. I picked her up and put her on the ground. Happily she rushed, stretching the leash taut, when she saw Donovan bent down to pat her.

  “I see who gets consoled first.” I laughed, handing him her leash.

  “We have to get her settled before I can really console you.” He leaned over and gave me a warm, soft, gentle kiss on the forehead.

  The inside of his house was an open floor plan. He definitely didn’t have the bachelor pad look with empty pizza boxes and beer bottles lying around that Sean had.

  The black leather motif worked with the open feel of the modern, combined kitchen-and- f
amily room. Granite countertops and black cabinets added to the elegance.

  It felt good to be around a real adult man.

  “Sit. I’ll take care of her.” He gestured for me to sit by the gas fireplace that was roaring, heat coming from it.

  He put a doggie bed near the hearth because he knew Willow loved the warmth against her plump pink-and-brown-spotted body. She gladly let him cover her with a small blanket he retrieved from one of the bedrooms.

  “There.” He walked over to the couch and sat down next to me. His head was a little messed up from sleeping and there were bags under his tired eyes, but he still looked handsome. “How are you?”

  He didn’t waste anytime to see for himself just how I was.

  “Donovan Scott,” I pushed him back. His deep brown eyes danced with amusement. “Is this your way of helping a poor defenseless gal?”

  “Holly Harper, you are anything but defenseless.” He bent back down.

  I didn’t protest.

  For some reason I slept like a baby when I was at Donovan’s house. The warm cozy bed was the perfect softness and firmness. Willow didn’t have any trouble sleeping either.

  The knock at the guest bedroom door was light.

  “Are you awake?” Donovan came in carrying a small wooden tray with two cups of steaming coffee on it. Willow chugged along next to him.

  “Good morning.” I propped myself up on a couple of the pillows and straightened the covers next to me so he could sit down.

  “I didn’t want to leave without saying good morning.” Donovan was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. His muscles poked out from the sleeve just enough to make the insides of any girl squeal.

  He had good hair. Nice and thick. He used just the right amount of gel to give it a good texture. Mature hair. Not like Sean’s messy shaggy look.

  “I need to get up anyway.” I lifted my arms in the air and let out a big yawn.

  The clock on the nightstand read six-thirty a.m. I needed to get up and go home to change my clothes before I had to get to work. If my memory served me, I had a few wedding appointments today. Plus I wanted to stop by Second Cup to see Bernadine.

  I grabbed my phone that was next to me. I kept it there all night in case Bernadine needed to call me.

  He sat the tray on the nightstand and handed me a cup of coffee before he sat down and took his cup.

  “Do you think Noah is going to pay you a visit today?” he asked.

  Last night after our little make-out session, I told Donovan about Noah and how nosey Officer Kiss had told him about the beading tool. I was curious to know what tool she was talking about.

  “I guess.” I shrugged and let the warm liquid start to wake me up. “There is no way the tool was mine. I order mine. And the tools I use are the high-end ones that are only sold by wholesalers to legitimate companies like The Beaded Dragonfly.”

  Everything I got for the bead shop was ordered through online wholesale companies. Sure, anyone could go to their local Michael’s or Wal-Mart to pick up some of the cheaper beading products, but my products were top of the line.

  “I’m not worried.” I shook the notion of being a suspect out of my head. “It should be easy to show him my products verses the cheap ones.”

  “Do you think Bernadine did it?” Donovan asked as if he had on kid gloves.

  “Why would you say that?” I laughed, putting the silly notion to rest. “She had no reason.” I stopped. “Though he was taking her back to court for a change in his alimony.” I shook my head. “That’s silly. Bernadine would never hurt a flea, but I can’t rule out he didn’t have enemies.”

  “Like who?” Donovan prodded.

  “Well. . .” I thought for a second. “I’m not sure. I don’t know him that well. He’s only been here for a few months.”

  “That is what you and Bernadine need to figure out.” Donovan stood up. “Please come to class tonight. I’m worried about you.”

  “I think I will.” I smiled and let him give me a good kiss that would fill me up for the day.

  Chapter Six

  After Donovan left to teach his college classes for the day, Willow and I left, thinking about Donovan’s question about whom Henry could have pissed off.

  The thought of someone stabbing him sent chills through me. That seemed like a terrible way to die.

  I turned around and looked at the grey clapboard, three-room cottage I called home. It was all I needed after my divorce. Three rooms were big enough for all the stuff I had collected over the years. The best part wasn’t the wall of windows that overlooked the lake or the fact that Ginger pays someone to squeegee them, but rather the furniture.

  It came fully furnished and the only Unders in the entire place were beneath the futon and the claw-foot tub.

  The cabinets in the kitchen went all the way down to the floor. There wasn’t a kitchen table to worry about sweeping under, no book shelves to dust under, no Unders whatsoever.

  There were built-in bookshelves in the family room. The bedroom was plain and simple with just a box spring and mattress. The closet was all I needed for what little clothes I was fitting into at the time.

  After feeding Willow, I went and ran a bath in the tub. It felt like a good soaking morning to help melt the stress away.

  I even filled it with bubbles right up to the top. I emerged myself as deep as I could and closed my eyes.

  Who could Henry have pissed off? I ran the question around in my head.

  He had lived here a little bit before the divorce, but not long enough to open his practice. Henry Frisk was a dentist. He was in his fifties and not all that bad looking from what I remembered.

  Just last week he had come into the shop to see Bernadine. They had a few words outside but she didn’t say anything about them fighting or having words.

  “Kevin Russell.” I plunged my body forward. The water teetered over the sides of the tub.

  I ran my tongue along the front of my teeth. I faintly remembered Agnes saying something about overhearing Dr. Russell and Henry having words at the Barn Dance committee meeting. And why was Henry at the meeting? Was he on the committee?

  The committee was comprised of all the business owners in Swanee. In fact, Bobbi Hart, who was in charge of the Barn Dance had come by the bead shop asking if I wanted to be on the committee and be a sponsor. I sent her away because any extra money I had went toward the shop. She was a little off-put by me not participating and didn’t bother trying to hide her dislike for my decision to not be on a committee. Gossip in Swanee spread like wildfire. And I was the about the only store owner not on a Barn Dance committee.

  But maybe it was time to reconsider her offer.

  After my epiphany of Dr. Russell’s hatred toward Henry and that it was a possible motive, I jumped out of the tub and threw on some black yoga pants and a hot pink knit top along with my running shoes. It was a perfect combination for working around the shop, meeting with potential brides, and Donovan’s self-defense class.

  Willow was snoring away in her bed. There wasn’t any sense in disturbing her. She’d be fine at home for the day since she used a litter box to do her business. I left the TV on Animal Planet so she’d have a little company.

  I grabbed my bag, cell, keys, and jumped into my car heading it toward downtown Swanee.

  Since I had opened The Beaded Dragonfly, many new shops have started to revitalize the downtown area. Swanee was hit by the recession and most small businesses had to shut down.

  When I drove down Main Street, I slowed down in front of my best friend’s house, Ginger Sloan Rush. She had been an honorary Diva until just recently when she came to her senses and divorced the criminal, making her a full Diva.

  Anyway, Ginger had gone on a couple-months-long vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands to get away and was due home anytime. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like anyone was home so I headed on down the road.

  The old brick buildings that were three stories high lined the main downtown area of
Swanee. Bernadine had gotten a great deal on the last building on the right side of Main Street. It was a perfect setting for a café-style coffee shop with the small round wrought iron tables and chairs to match inside the white picket fencing she had Sean install around the side of the building.

  Instead of a sign hanging off the building, Bernadine had an iron arm that extended over the sidewalk with an amazing chandelier hanging from it. It was all sorts of fancy and that was exactly what Bernadine wanted.

  The inside of the shop screamed fancy too, but the prices reflected differently. Sean had restored the exposed brick, giving it a warm feeling. Bernadine had the menu posted behind the counter on a wall-length chalkboard. Instead of putting down new flooring, Bernadine cleaned up the old orange tiles and laid large oriental rugs all over them. She had gotten several of them from estate sales and local yard sales. Plus Agnes Pearl had a few in her attic she donated.

  The seating inside was like sitting down at home for a cup of coffee. On one side of the shop, she had old, broken-in leather furniture all catawampus giving a comfy place to relax. On the other side there were several large and small farm tables surrounded by several non-matching chairs. She used fresh-cut wildflowers in mason jars and red placemats on each table giving it a homey feel.

  The counter was the typical glass counter with all sorts of treats inside. Bernadine was an excellent pastry chef and used her talents before Henry had brought her to Swanee.

  My very favorite feature of the new shop was the different styles of teapots that Sean had hung as light fixtures. Instead of the typical can-lights or pendant lighting, Bernadine had a great idea to use them and it added just the final touch of cozy Second Cup was known for.

  “Good morning,” Bernadine called from behind the counter.

  Her luscious red hair was pulled back into a loose pony. Her jade eyes dipped down into dark bags. She obviously didn’t get much sleep, which I had hoped she would have since I gave her a few sleeping pills and left when she was sawing logs.