Murder, Trouble & Family Read online

  Oh no, this isn’t good. He’s going to tell me he has to leave right now.

  “I’m sorry, Annie. I have to leave in a few minutes.”

  I nodded and said, “I was hoping we could discuss the quilt issue. Laci will be home in three weeks. I’m not sure she’ll let you in the house.” I tried to smile, but I already missed him.

  “I thought about that and we’re both old enough not to need to be engaged for a couple of years and spend a year planning a big wedding. It’s a second marriage for us both. Let’s make it simple, romantic, and soon. I think it would be fun to wait and discuss the quilt issue on our wedding night.”

  Wedding night? He is old-fashioned, but then so am I. Wedding night it is. I wonder how quickly I can put a wedding together.

  Georgie came through the door with lunch, and before she could say a word, Clark kissed me and turned to Georgie. “Please do your best to keep her out of trouble until I get back.” He strode to the door and left.

  “What’s going on?” Georgie asked.

  Through my tears, I explained my entire morning.

  Chapter Two

  It’s hard to believe Clark has been gone for a week. We call and text sporadically. Actually, he calls or texts me from an unlisted number. Something about being undercover again to settle all the loose ends in that case. I can’t have the number. It’s very frustrating. If I have an emergency, there is a number I can call and leave a message. I hope I never need it.

  A few good things are happening. There’s a party Saturday night to celebrate Detective Berg’s retirement. It’ll be at Corners Bar downtown on the corner of Main and Grand. Maybe I’ll drink too much. That’d give the town something to talk about. I’m feeling sorry for myself again. Another good thing is Laci couldn’t find anything derogatory about Clark during her internet searches. She told me that she’ll make up her mind after she meets him. My parents are thrilled and said they would come back for the wedding. My mom teased that the weather better be warm. No problem, Clark would like to get married soon.

  Lucas Stone, my attorney, told me the transfer of the property to the city wouldn’t be a problem, but to wait and make sure I removed everything I want before I sign the transfer deed. I’m not sure he trusts the mayor or the City Council either.

  Georgie and I are going back to the mansion this afternoon to look through the rest of the house. After inheriting the mansion, property, and precious Yummy when Inga passed, we never investigated all the rooms before I was nearly arrested, we were locked in a shed by a man dressed in black with a gun, and we hid in a closet with a dead body while the bad guys made get-a-way plans.

  Yikes was that a day. Aunt Irene tried to rescue us with her hunting rifle. I went from thinking Clark was a crook to finding out he was an agent for the State Attorney General’s office. Officer Carolyn Dawlins saved the day, and it turned out good after all. Goodness gracious, I don’t need more days like that one.

  Here’s a text from Georgie. She’s on her way to pick me up. We have a stack of empty boxes at the mansion from the last time we were there and were interrupted by the crooks trying to steal Inga’s millions. Let’s hope today is more fruitful.

  ~ * ~

  “Hi,” Georgie said rubbing her hands together. “I can’t wait to check out the second floor of the mansion. I bet that’s where Inga left all her jewels and cash.” She grinned at me.

  “Don’t get too excited,” I answered. “I have a feeling Mags, Douglas, and the others may have picked it all clean. They had access to the mansion before I inherited it.”

  “No,” Georgie retorted, “I have a feeling they might have taken cash if they found it, but the jewelry might be cataloged somewhere. They were all hoping to split the inheritance. You and Yummy threw a monkey wrench into their plans. I think the good stuff is still there.”

  “That we did,” I agreed. “The exquisite jewelry is still in the safety deposit box. I can’t believe Lucas said she kept bearer bonds and her favorite gems there. Real gems, Georgie, not just good copies.”

  “When are you going to the bank?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “To be honest, I’m a bit nervous. There could be a fortune in there. Would you come with me? Lucas said I could go anytime, and he’d help with the legalities.”

  “Sure,” Georgie said. “How about tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Perfect,” I said. “I’ll call Lucas in the morning and text you about the time.”

  “We’re here. Let’s find some loot. I feel like a pirate,” Georgie blurted.

  I laughed at her as we walked up to the front door, and we entered. Georgie stopped and looked up.

  “I still would like that chandelier. I could hang it in my living room and just look at it. We don’t need to sit in the room. The crystals would be better than TV,” Georgie stated.

  “I’m not sure what the museum people are going to do with it once they own the mansion so if it means that much we could move it to your house,” I said.

  “You would do that for me?” Georgie uttered throwing her arms around me.

  I hugged her back. “Of course, you’re my best forever friend remember.”

  “I know,” she cried. “I can’t believe you would actually give it to me. Paul would kill me. I can’t take it home, but knowing I could is almost as good.” She did a little wiggly dance. Georgie always did that when she was excited.

  “Okay, are you finished?” I asked. “Look, no one touched all the boxes of crystal and china we packed so we can head straight upstairs and check out the bedrooms. I’m curious about Inga’s room.”

  We began our ascent up the massive staircase that curved its way to the second floor.

  “How did Inga get up and down these stairs at her age,” Georgie asked.

  “There’s an elevator off the kitchen next to the back staircase,” I giggled at Georgie’s expression as she climbed each stair.

  She stopped to admire the rich tapestries hung on the wall next to the staircase. She reached out and touched one gently. “These are gorgeous.”

  “Yes, they are which is why I need to have a meeting with the museum people, an antique dealer, and Lucas so that nothing is destroyed. Some of the paintings and artifacts she collected might be donated to the county museum. Since this mansion is going to be a museum of Heavenly Corners’ history, I doubt they need all of the items in the house.”

  I turned and looked down at the foyer and what I could see of the living room. The mansion is breathtakingly beautiful. I’m going to be sure it’s treated with respect.

  “Wow,” Georgie’s exclamation drew my attention upstairs. I hurried up to find her standing in the center of the hall staring into a doorway.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “I think I just found a time portal.” She turned and looked at me her eyes wide with wonder.

  I hurried to her side and took a deep breath when I saw what excited her. “It must be Inga’s room.” I stammered.

  We walked into a Victorian wonderland.

  “This bedroom is twice as big as my living room,” Georgie whispered.

  “I told you last time we were here that you don’t need to whisper. No one else is here,” I said. Georgie still whispering answered me, “I feel as if we’re walking into a sanctuary.”

  “Perhaps we are.” I agreed. “Inga once told me she loved this room and the view of the lake from her balcony.”

  Georgie was still admiring the soft ivory furniture with the gold trim when I opened the French doors leading to the balcony. The view of the lake was beautiful. I thought I had a lovely view from my pier, but from up here I could see across the lake to my backyard and my neighbor’s yards. When Inga passed away and left me her precious Yorkie, I never dreamed I would also inherit the mansion and lake. Four lake lots sold before the Kelleher family decided the area should be kept uncluttered and purchased the rest of the lake property. My great-grandparents were fortunate to have been one of the four families. I
have three neighbors to my north and the mansion across the lake. Mid-way between my house and the mansion sits the public beach Inga was kind enough to allow the city to use free. I could never live in this mansion. It’s too big, and I don’t want the responsibility of owning the lake. It’s the reason I’m giving it to the city with the provision that no new homes or condo developments are allowed, or the land reverts to my family. After all, Inga and I shared the same vision.

  Georgie gasped, “Look Annie, there are cherubs carved on the headboard. The furniture is exquisite.”

  I turned around and walked back into the room closing the doors behind me. “This furniture must be worth a fortune. There is no way the museum will keep it as well as Inga’s staff did. Councilman Phillips is the head of the committee, and I trust him as far as I can throw him. I need to speak with the antique dealer before the museum sees all this. I don’t want an argument about what to do with all of it. Lucas says it is mine now, and I can remove what I want. Let’s see if there is anything we can use now.”

  Georgie stifled a laugh. “I can see you trying to throw Phillips. He comes into the Grille at least three times a week, and he loves to order double cheese fries and onion rings with his burger. I bet he has belts in a half-dozen sizes.”

  “That’s awful. Come here and look at this jewelry armoire. I have never seen so many beautiful pendants. I think she has one for every month,” I called to Georgie.

  I picked one up, and it was on an 18K gold chain. I can’t believe these are all mine. I’m going to need a jeweler to help me with these, too.

  Georgie wandered over and looked at the pendant collection. “Do you think we could take one for Laci and Beth Ann as a gift for finishing their first year of college? We pick them up in ten days. It would be fun to give them each a gift that matches yet is different.”

  I hugged her. “What a great idea.” I picked up the garnet pendant and handed it to Georgie. Then I picked up the amethyst pendant and put it around my neck for safe keeping. I watched Georgie do the same.

  “The girls will love these,” she gushed.

  Inga had bracelets and rings to match all her pendants. We found boxes for each of them in a dresser drawer. Selecting a bracelet and ring for each girl to use as Christmas gifts, we sat on the bed wondering what to do with all the jewelry.

  “I think,” mused Georgie out loud, “that you should take all the ruby jewelry home since it is your birthstone.”

  “Okay,” I added, “but only if you take all the emerald jewelry.”

  Her eyebrows raised, “Are you serious?”

  I nodded. We placed the jewelry in the boxes along with a few gold and silver items we selected.

  “It’s a good thing the mansion has a security system. I would be terrified to leave all these things here. I’m going to call the jeweler this afternoon. The sooner he comes here, the better I will feel. His check will go to a children’s charity. Seems fitting birthstone jewelry and gold goes to children,” I thought out loud. Georgie agreed.

  Georgie and I packed up what clothes we thought the local church’s clothes closet could use. I am going to have to find someone to buy all the fur coats and wraps in the temperature controlled closet we discovered in Inga’s large walk in closet. The clothes closet at church doesn’t need fur coats, but the cash from their sale will help.

  I dropped down on the bed and sighed.

  “What’s up,” Georgie asked as she dropped down next to me.

  “When I inherited the mansion, I never thought there would be as much work to do. I don’t mind working, but trying to figure out who gets what is beginning to drive me crazy,” I mumbled.

  “Have you thought about hiring an estate agent to do all of this for you?”

  I popped up, “Georgie, you’re brilliant. It’ll save me a ton of time, and I have been opening the bookstore at odd hours trying to take care of the mansion, too.”

  “I know I’m brilliant. Aren’t you glad I’m your best friend?” Georgie was laughing at her own joke.

  “Always,” I said. “We have what we want and I’ll have all those boxes we packed moved tomorrow. Then the estate agent can take over before Phillips and the mayor rummage through the house. I think I’ll call the County Historical Society, too. They may have suggestions.”

  ~ * ~

  The week zipped by without more trouble from Claudine, and I closed the bookstore early on Saturday. I needed to go home and get ready for Detective Berg’s retirement party. I promised Aunt Irene I would take her with me just in case she drinks more than one mixed drink. She’s a terror in her green VW Beetle without alcohol. Ever since she tried to save Georgie and me from Inga’s killer and was spotted driving through town with her hunting rifle leaning up against her window, the police watch her carefully. Georgie and Paul plan to meet us there at seven. It took Georgie a week to convince Paul that his assistant and their teenage part-time worker could handle even a Saturday night crowd. He finally relented and said he’d come as long as Georgie understood that if they needed him back at the Grille he’d leave immediately. They have a guarded truce at this point.

  ~ * ~

  I didn’t think a retirement party required a dress and heels which is good since I don’t do that well in heels. I enjoy buying nice shoes, but most of them are flats. I chose a dark pair of jeans, a light green silk blouse, and navy blue flats. I look good in green. My light brown curls just kiss my shoulders as Clark likes to say. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but a little enhances my brown eyes. I miss Clark as I view the reflection in my mirror.

  My phone chirped, and I saw a text from Clark.

  “Have fun at the party. Stay sober.”

  He added a smiley face and a heart. I miss him more. I wish I could text him back, but this undercover assignment keeps him from sharing any information with me. His number is blocked from my phone. I know it’s for his protection, but I worry.

  Yummy’s barking. Aunt Irene must be at the patio door with Peanut.

  After a few minutes of running around the puppy enclosure and taking care of business, we put them in my guest bathroom. Neither dog has ever misbehaved and destroyed anything, but Aunt Irene says there is always a first time for everything. Yummy and Peanut enjoy each other’s company and behave whenever we have to leave them.

  “Come on, Annie, it’s time to party,” Aunt Irene said as she danced around my kitchen. Good thing I’m driving.

  I knew Corners’ Bar would be busy, and I parked in the lot behind my bookstore. It was a short half block walk. I could hear the music and voices before I pulled open the door. When I did, I saw Georgie, beer in hand, dropping quarters into the old jukebox.

  Her short ash blonde hair took on an odd brass color inside the dimly lit bar. I wondered what the lights would make my hair look like. Georgie looked up and smiled. She hurried over to me and said, “About time you got here, Annie. Hi, Aunt Irene.” She hugged us both.

  Most people younger than my aunt call her Aunt Irene. She never married or had children, but she bakes the best chocolate chip cookies in town, and every kid who came past her door got one. She’s sort of the town aunt if there is such a thing.

  “Hi,” Aunt Irene waved at everyone and headed toward the bar.

  Georgie hurried over to me. “You have to catch up with me. Since Paul is concerned that he might have to leave to go back to the Grille, he’s not drinking, and he keeps looking at his watch. I have to drink quickly,” she giggled.

  I got a glass of white wine from the bartender and allowed Georgie to pull me towards the back of the bar. “Come on, you have to meet Berg’s cousin.”

  I frowned at the thought of that. Detective or now ex-detective Berg and I had our disagreements in the past, but we overcame them. Still, I wasn’t sure about meeting his cousin.

  I saw him sitting on a bar stool speaking to a man who was roughly the same stocky size and shape as him. Berg smiled at me. “Annie, come and meet my cousin, Nate.”

  The seco
nd man turned on his bar stool, and I nearly dropped my wine glass. The two men could be twins.

  “Oh my goodness,” I blurted. “A pair of matching Heidelbergs.”

  Berg let out a laugh that filled the bar. He slapped Nate on the back. “My cousin Nate doesn’t use the family name either. He’s just Nate Berg. Detective Nate Berg temporarily assigned to the Heavenly Corners’ PD until Clark returns. I may stick around a bit to help him get acquainted.”

  No, this could be a nightmare. I thought Berg would be leaving to start his private investigation business. Another Berg could cause me more trouble. I’m doomed.

  “Smile, Annie, you look like a deer caught in the headlights,” Berg said. “He’s actually the nicer of the two of us. When he arrests you for whatever you will most likely get into, he might not even use cuffs.” Berg laughed louder.

  The second Detective Berg stood and smiled. He held out his hand. “I like to be called Detective Nate. I try to distance myself from my cousin.”

  I took his hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you Detective Nate and welcome to Heavenly Corners.”

  I smiled feeling better. He seems nice. I should give him the benefit of the doubt.

  We were chatting and laughing. I was enjoying getting to know Nate and Berg seemed like a different person. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Barbara Boyle and her husband. I knew if Barbara was here, Claudine wouldn’t be far behind. I was right. I could hear her shrill laugh above the rock song blaring from the jukebox. I rolled my eyes, and Georgie walked up next to me.

  “Look out,” she whispered. “Here comes trouble.”

  I looked up to see Claudine walking toward me. Barbara was meandering behind her with her eyes locked on Councilman Phillips. He, in turn, was staring at her. It was only for a moment, but their look was intense.

  Hmm, I wonder what’s going on there. I heard a rumor that Barbara’s hubby was stepping out on her. If it was true, is she doing the same thing?

  Claudine’s voice broke into my thoughts. She stood three feet from me fingering her diamond pendant. She and Barbara had matching diamond pendants, and she never missed a chance to show it off.