All You Need Is Fudge (8 page)

Eleanor Wadsworth's family home was modest compared to most of the Victorian summer cottages on the island. But then again it was occupied year round.

With a package of three fudges carefully boxed, I knocked on the door. I imagined that Eleanor would have a housekeeper guarding the door and ran a few scenarios through my head about how I was going to get through the housekeeper to Eleanor. I didn't expect her to answer the door.

“Yes?” she asked as she opened the door.

I saw recognition in her eyes. “Hi, Eleanor.” I sent her a sympathetic smile. “I was thinking that everyone was worried about the Moores and the Jessops and no one was thinking about how you just lost your best friend. So I brought you some fudge.” I lifted the package. “May I come in?”

“Oh,” she said, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. “Thank you. Yes, please come inside.” She took the fudge from me as I stepped into the foyer of the older home.

It had that quiet feel of solid wood that you didn't get in new homes. Perhaps it was the plaster walls or the thicker wood floors. The wide foyer led into a central hallway and narrowed as stairs took up one side.

She ushered me into a powder blue parlor in the left front. “Please sit. I'll take this to the kitchen and bring us some tea.”

“Do you want me to help?” I asked.

“No, no, it's fine.” She waved toward the humpbacked couch with needlepoint pillows. “Please make yourself at home. It won't take me but a minute. I was making tea when you rang the doorbell. All I need to do is add a second cup.” She left the room.

I looked around. The wallpaper was blue and white striped silk. A delicate brick fireplace had been painted white. Above it was a seascape that looked as if it belonged in a museum. The heavy silk curtains were white on white striped and old-fashioned sheer curtains spanned the big picture window.

The couch faced two winged-back chairs with toile print in blue and white. A glass-topped coffee table with white wood trim stood on a thick, expensive area rug on top of the plush pale blue, wall-to-wall carpet. The air smelled of fresh flowers from the bouquet in the center of the coffee table. Visible under the glass top were coffee table books of ships and seascapes.

I took a seat on the couch when I heard her coming down the hall.

She came in with a tray in her hands and set it down on the coffee table. “I plated some cookies. I figured you get enough fudge at work.”

“Thanks,” I said and took the teacup of hot water she handed me. The china cup and saucer were lightweight, expensive porcelain.

“I have several kinds of tea.” She opened a small wooden box. “Please pick out what you want. There's also cream and sugar if you need that.”

“Earl Grey is good for me. Thanks.” I snagged the tea packet and put the cup and saucer on my lap. Opening the pouch, I removed the bag and dipped it in my water. Then I looked her in the eyes. “How are you? Are you okay?”

She looked away and fussed with her tea. “I'm okay.”

“I doubt that.” I sat back.

She glanced at me with surprise in her gaze.

“You just lost your best friend. You must be devastated. I know if I lost Jenn, I'd be a mess.”

Her eyes teared up. “You're right. I am devastated. I simply don't know what to do with myself. It's all so unexpected and so terrible. I don't know how anyone could have hurt Carin, let alone murder her.” She put a sugar cube in her tea and stirred it with a delicate silver spoon.

I noted that her fingernails were freshly manicured in a subdued French tip. She wore a cream chiffon blouse and black linen slacks. Her toenails were painted a shell pink and she wore black sandals. Eleanor was not a pretty woman, but she was so well groomed that she pulled off a sort of patrician look that made me feel as if I came from a totally different social class.

“I heard that the police suspect Carin was murdered,” I said and sipped my tea. “When I found her, I thought she had hit her head and fallen into the lake.”

“It's much worse than that, I fear,” Eleanor said. “I understand she was bashed in the base of the skull with the side of an oar and then dumped into the marina.”

“What?” I leaned forward. “How do you know that? I mean, that's horrible. Are you sure that's how she died?”

“Yes,” Eleanor said with a short nod of her head. “I got the information from the Moores themselves. Carin's parents are like my own. I would be with them now except they asked for a day of privacy to wrap their hearts around their loss.”

“They must really be grieving,” I said, thinking of my own parents and how devastated they would be. “I bet your presence reminds them of Carin. It might be a while before they can see you again.”

“Yes, perhaps you are right,” she said with a sigh. “I hadn't thought of that. I miss them and wish I could be with them right now during this tragic time.”

I reached over and patted her hand. “Give them some time. Maybe after the funeral they'll be more open to grieving with you.”

“I hope so. I lost my parents when I was in junior high. The Moores are the closest thing I have to relatives. They even took me in during the summers when I was growing up.”

“I'm sorry to hear about your parents,” I said. “It must have been terribly difficult.”

“It was,” she assured me. “It still is during times like this.” Her eyes welled up with tears.

I snagged a tissue out of the box on the end table and handed it to her.

“Thank you,” she said.

I looked around at the opulent home. “Did your parents leave you this house? It's quite beautiful.”

“Thank you. It belongs to my grandparents. They let me stay here to look after the place. I manage their gift shop employees during the summers. The Lilac Gift Shop is only one of several retail stores my family owns. I come here in the summers to be with Carin.” She took a deep breath. “I don't know what I'll do now. She was like a sister to me.”

“Terrible, just terrible that someone would murder anyone, let alone a girl our age,” I said. “Do they have any idea who would do such a thing and why?”

“I'm certain it was Paige Jessop,” Carin said with a sudden hard glint in her eye. “That girl never liked Carin.”

I sat back, instinctively recoiling from the wave of hate. “Dislike ... even hatred ... is not enough motive for murder. Is it?”

“Perhaps not.” She gave a shrill laugh. “I suppose if it were, there would be a lot more murders.” She shook her head. “I suspect it was a crime of passion.”

“A crime of passion?”

“Oh yes.” She leaned in with a glint in her eye. “You see, I happen to know that Paige's boyfriend Reggie was hitting on Carin.”

“Oh, no. Really?” I said, trying to draw out more information. Inside, I was skeptical. I happened to know that Paige and Reggie were deeply in love.

“Yes, really.” She sipped her tea. “Janet Biggs told me she came around the corner at the yacht club the other night to find Carin and Reggie in each other's arms.”

“Janet,” I said. “Janet from the committee?”

“Yes, I believe you know her. Her family runs the marina.”

“Yes, I did meet her. Wow. Did Carin tell you anything about the encounter? I mean, she was your best friend.”

“Well, you know that Carin and Reggie were engaged at one point.”

“No, I didn't know,” I said truthfully. “He seems so in love with Paige.”

“Yes, well, when Reggie broke off the engagement, he broke Carin's heart. I held her hand through her grief. It was a full year before she started dating again. Meanwhile, he went straight into dating Paige Jessop.” The contempt was clear on Eleanor's face as her upper lip curled. “I told her she was better off without him. Carin was far too beautiful and smart for the likes of Reginald Owens.”

“You must have been shocked to hear from Janet that Reggie was hitting on Carin,” I pointed out. “I know my best friend Jenn tells me everything. I'd be so hurt if I found out from someone else that she was seeing her old beau.”

“I was hurt,” she said, her eyebrows drawing together as if she hadn't realized it until that moment. “I didn't believe Janet, of course.”

“Of course,” I said.

“I went straight to Carin.”

“What did Carin say about it?”

“She said that he cornered her in the hallway and said he wanted her back. When she asked him about Paige, he said he was done with her, that Paige wasn't nearly the woman Carin was.”

“Oh,” I said, trying to process that Reggie might have actually done this. He seemed like such a great guy. My heart hurt for Paige. “Don't tell me Carin was thinking about taking him back.”

“No, no,” Eleanor said. “She reassured me that she had learned her lesson. She didn't want nor need Paige Jessop's leftovers. Carin told me that she stopped the embrace and told Reggie to take a hike.”

“Ouch. Did Reggie do it?”

“Carin said that he tried to plead with her, but she wasn't having any of it. Besides, she had started dating James Jamison—a far better catch than Reggie. In fact, I think Carin told James what Reggie did.”

“That had to have gotten back to Paige.”

“It did,” Eleanor said. “Paige confronted Carin about it at the yacht club in front of me and Janet. She said that Carin needed to keep her hands off her boyfriend. Carin told her that it was Reggie who needed to keep his hands off her.”

“Oh dear. Then what happened?”

“Well, Paige got all red in the face and I was worried she would do something terrible.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like hit her,” Eleanor said. “Paige's fists were balled up and she'd stepped forward, so I got in between them and told Paige she needed to go outside and cool off. Ask Janet. She was there to witness it.”

“Wow,” I said again. “You must have been so scared for Carin.”

“I was. Paige didn't back off until Janet took her by the arm and walked her away.”

“It sounds intense,” I said. “But not something that would lead to murder.”

“That's what Officer Manning said when I mentioned it,” Eleanor said. “I was disappointed at first, but now I understand they have Paige in custody. So he wised up.”

“You went to the police about the fight?”

“Yes.” Eleanor sat back, full of pride. “Of course, as soon as Carin was discovered, I knew it was Paige Jessop who killed her. I went straight to the police about her. There has been no love lost between them from the time they were kids.”

“When did you go? Before or after the news about the autopsy?”

“Before. I knew that Carin wouldn't fall into the marina and drown. We all grew up on the island and on boats. It's second nature to be careful around the water. I told Rex that and he agreed. I'm sure that's why they called for the autopsy.” She put down her teacup and glanced at her watch. “Dear me. I have to make some phone calls. Thank you for the visit.”

I put down my half-finished tea and stood. “Of course.” I dug out my business card. “Please feel free to call me if you need anything. I hope you don't mind if I check in on you.”

She took my card. “How sweet of you. Thanks. Let me show you out.”

I stepped out of the house, gave her a quick hug, and walked away. So Eleanor saw Paige in a fight with Carin the afternoon Carin was murdered. Surely that wasn't enough motive for Rex to arrest Paige. Maybe Janet knew more. I checked my watch. It had been an hour since I'd called Trent. I sent him a quick text asking if he needed anything. He answered with a simple but definitive no.

I sighed. I hated that he'd shut me out, but that wouldn't stop me from helping. It was time to take Mal for a walk. It wouldn't hurt to go by Janet Biggs' place and see what she had to say about the fight. It was clear Liz thought Eleanor knew something. Maybe Janet would know more.

I could always count on Mal to help me get on someone's good side. It helped that Janet Biggs was an older woman who lived in a small cottage on the middle class side of the island. It meant she didn't have a gardener and was outside pruning her flowers when we walked by. She also had a small dog, a terrier mix who jumped up at the sight of us and started barking.

I saw Janet turn toward the sound and I waved. She waved back and walked over as the dogs went nose to nose through the three foot white picket fence that surrounded her property.

“Hi. It's Janet, right?”

“Yes.” She smiled at me. In her late fifties, she had let her hair go gray and had the slightly weathered look of a person who loved to spend time in her garden. The plants around the cottage showed she had a green thumb.

I held out my hand to shake hers. “Allie McMurphy. We met at the yacht club. I was hired to do the centerpieces for the fund-raiser.”

“Hi, Allie. I remember.” She took off her garden glove and shook my hand. Janet wore a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeved denim shirt, and a pair of old jeans. On her feet were garden clogs.

“Your garden is gorgeous,” I said as way of introduction. It was gorgeous. Curving beds of flowering plants went from a few inches tall to over the top of the fence. “Are you a professional?”

She blushed. “I wanted to be when I was younger, but life got in the way as it has a habit of doing.” She glanced at Mal. “Who's this?”

“This is Marshmallow,” I said. “Everyone calls her Mal.”

Mal stood up on her hind legs, her front paws on the fence and her stubby tail wagging.

“Well, hello, Mal.” Janet reached down and patted her head. “Would you like to come in and play with Jeffery for a bit?”

“Oh, I don't mean to interrupt your day,” I said. “We were out for a walk.”

“Nonsense.” She opened her gate.

Mal rushed in to sniff Jeffery. The little white terrier sniffed back and then did a play bow. Just like that, the two dogs were friends, running around the thick perfectly groomed grass.

“Come in. Let me get you some iced tea. I need a break and it'd be nice to get to know you a little bit better. You do have the time for a visit, don't you?”

I made a pretense of looking at my watch. “Sure, I have time.” It was three
PM
and I knew Sandy had the fudge shop covered. Frances would be busy checking in guests, which gave me time to see if Janet knew anything about why Paige had been arrested.

“Please, have a seat.” Janet pointed to the pair of white cast iron French bistro chairs that butted up to a matching table. It looked like a white doily and fit perfectly on the stone patio outside the front door of her little cottage. “I'll bring out the tea.”

The dogs were playing on the lawn. The gentle lake breezes blew the flowers just enough that they danced. The sky was true blue. I took a deep breath. It was a gorgeous moment in a troubling day.

Janet stepped out with a tray of iced tea and frosted cookies.

“Oh, that looks lovely,” I said as she set it down and took the chair next to mine. “So many people here have been so kind.”

“But not everyone, I bet.” Her gaze filled with the experience of her years. “You have been quite busy since the season started.”

“You've been keeping track of me?” I asked as I took a sip of my tea.

She smiled. “You are quite famous on the island.”

I frowned. “Not on purpose.”

“Ha! Of course not. But as in any small town, you have your friends and your not so friendlies.” She lifted her glass in a toast. “I, for one, happen to be a fan.”

“Oh, thank you.” I clinked her glass with mine. “I'm a fan of you as well.” We sipped our tea. “I'm sorry, what exactly do you do at the yacht club? I didn't get the feeling you were part of the committee.”

“Caught that, did you?” She shook her head. “All those RBs and their silly clubs.” She sighed. “I cater for some of the lunches.”

I figured it out. “Oh, you're a chef.”

“Classically trained. My late husband Bill was head chef at the Grand for twenty-five years.”

“No wonder you have such a lovely garden. I can imagine all the fresh things you cook.”

“And I imagine you didn't just wander over to my little part of the island to walk your sweet puppy.” She patted Mal on the head.

I felt a blush creep over my cheeks. “Oh boy.” I blew out a long breath.

“This has something to do with that girl you pulled out of the marina, doesn't it?”

“Mostly”—I looked her in the eye—“but not entirely. I did need to walk Mal. And I was talking to Eleanor Wadsworth today and she mentioned your name. I realized that I didn't really know you and should rectify that.”

“And,” she said with more curiosity than anger.

“And I did want to get your take on the fight between Carin and Paige Jessop that Eleanor said took place at the yacht club.”

“It was a minor dust up,” Janet said. “Really.”

“Eleanor said that she had to step between them. That Paige had her fists balled up and was ready to strike Carin. She also said you pulled Paige away and talked her down. Paige is a friend of mine. I would like to hear your version of what happened.”

“So did Rex,” Janet said. “It seems Eleanor is pointing fingers and Paige got the brunt of it.”

“I think Eleanor is hurting. She lost her best friend and is looking for someone to blame.”

“You give her a lot of credit. It's clear you haven't known her very long.”

I shifted in my chair. “Have you?”

“Yes, I've known them all since they were kids. I've watched them grow up over the years.” She shook her head. “The rivalry between Carin and Paige was intense when they were in junior high and high school, but things settled down in college. I was surprised to learn they went to the same college and they ran against each other for homecoming queen there, as well.”

“Who won?”

Janet sipped her tea, put down the glass, and snagged a star shaped cookie. “Neither. They were both beat out by Amelia Hanson who went on to be first runner up in the Miss Michigan contest that year.”

“Ha,” I said. “That should have given them a common thread.”

“It did.” Janet bit into the cookie and chewed thoughtfully. “There was a sort of truce between them until Carin's brother brought Reggie home. He took one look at Paige and fell head over heels. The very first day it was obvious to everyone—even Carin.”

“Ouch.” I took a cookie. Mine was tulip-shaped and clearly homemade. It tasted of sugar cookie and bright lemon with a sweet tart crumble. “Wow, these are really good.”

“I was a pastry chef after a while. Bill preferred to prepare the meat portion of the meals so I took the desserts.”

“You should sell them online. You'd make a fortune.”

“I don't need a fortune,” Janet said with a shrug. “I have everything I need here.” She waved at her gorgeous garden and the perfect view of the lake.

“I feel the same way. I love the McMurphy and all I need is enough money to keep it going until my children and grandchildren can inherit it.”

“Speaking of children, are you married? I thought I heard you were dating the Jessop boy.”

“Yes, I'm dating Trent. No, I'm not married, was never married, and I have no children, yet. I have a few years before I'm going to worry about that.”

“Good girl,” she said and lifted her glass to me. The ice cubes in the tea clinked against the side. “Children are a blessing that should be planned for and appreciated.”

“Do you have children?”

“I had a boy,” she said and looked at the horizon. “He died suddenly when he was five.”

“I'm so sorry.”

“It's all right.” She seemed to shake herself out of it. “These things happen.”

“May I ask how he died?”

“It was a fever.” She took a swig of her tea, put the glass down, and fiddled with her cloth napkin. “I took him to the doctor. They said he had the flu. I picked up some over the counter medicine and brought him home. He passed in the middle of the night. It happens sometimes. You don't think so in today's day and age, but it does. They did an autopsy. Natural causes. He just left and went to heaven.”

I reached out and touched her hand. “I'm sorry.”

She lifted one side of her mouth in a half smile. “We tried to have more, but it didn't work out. So I have my dog Jeffery and my garden.”

“And your talent to make fantastic cookies,” I said and took another bite.

“You didn't come to hear about old wounds. You came to know about the fight between Carin and Paige that day.” Janet sat back farther in her seat, once more aware of her surroundings. “As I said, it was more of a dustup than a fight. Paige came in apparently looking for Carin. She found her in the hallway in front of the kitchen doorway. The door was open so I saw the encounter. Paige was clearly upset. She said something to Carin. Carin shrugged and made an indifferent face. Paige's voice raised. I heard her tell Carin to stay out of her and Reggie's business.”

“Eleanor said that Carin told her Reggie made a pass at her. That you saw it happen.”

“What I saw was Carin crying and Reggie comforting her,” Janet said. “I wouldn't call it a pass. Doubt it was even romantic. Seemed more like a friend holding another friend who was having a bad day.”

“Eleanor told Paige that Reggie made a pass at Carin,” I said. “Is that what they were fighting about that day?”

“Like I told Rex, I didn't hear exactly what they were talking about until Paige raised her voice. Then Eleanor stepped in between them. She pushed Paige so I left the kitchen to make sure the girls were okay.”

“And were they?”

“I could tell Paige was upset, but I don't know if it was because of Eleanor or Carin or both,” Janet said. “I took her by the arm and walked her away from them.”

“That was kind.”

“I like Paige. She is a good girl even if she is a little privileged. I offered her some lemonade. She took me up on the offer.”

“Did you two talk?”

“A little,” Janet said.

As Mal and Jeffery chased each other around the lawn like kids playing tag, I waited for Janet to expound.

She blew out a long breath. “In essence, Paige had had a rough day. Her mother was upset over the guest list for the yacht club event. They had forgotten an important donor . . . but they had run out of room.”

“Ouch. What did they do?”

“Paige offered to give up her and Reggie's seats, but her mother said that wouldn't do. So Paige had to choose another person to uninvite. She had just called April Schmidt to tell her she had been put on the waiting list, which hadn't gone well. Then I guess Carin had made a remark at lunch about Paige and Reggie getting special treatment. Paige came to speak to her about it. That's what I saw.” Janet shrugged. “None of that is motive for murder.”

“I agree. So why has Rex arrested Paige for Carin's murder?”

“I don't know,” Janet said with a shake of her head. “I tried to find out the answer to that question, but no one knows. He's playing this one very close to his vest.” She looked at me hard. “I would think the Jessops would have told you. You do have a reputation for helping to solve crimes.”

I made a disgusted face. “Yes, well, it seems when a Jessop is arrested, they close ranks.”

“They shut you out, didn't they, dear?” It was Janet's turn to pat my hand.

“Yes,” I said with a sigh. “Whatever Rex has on Paige must be wrong. I don't see how she could have hurt anyone. No matter how mad they made her.”

“It seems to me to arrest someone of Paige Jessop's formidable character you'd better have some pretty damning evidence.”

“Means, motive, and murder weapon.” I ticked off the three
m
's on my fingertips. “I haven't figured out what they have.”

“I'm sorry I wasn't much help.”

“Oh, you were a big help. You gave me a more realistic view of what happened that day.”

“Maybe you should speak to Reggie,” Janet said. “If the Jessops have pushed you out, they may have pushed him out as well.”

“Great idea,” I said and stood. “I've really taken up way too much of your time.”

“It was my pleasure.” She got up and hugged me. “Stop by with Mal anytime. Jeffery is tired but certainly looks happy for the visit.” We both looked down to see the little terrier lying in the grass, panting hard, his pink tongue hanging out but what looked like a smile in his eyes. Mal wagged her tail and gave a little bark.

“I think we all will be great friends,” I said. “Stop by the McMurphy anytime. We have free coffee and I'd love to continue our friendship. And since you do still cater, I'll let my friend Jenn know. She's been coordinating events for the McMurphy and is always looking for a good caterer.”

“Thanks. I'd like that.”

I leashed Mal and we walked out. I waved at Janet and Jeffery as we hurried down the hill toward the McMurphy. It was certainly interesting that Janet had such a different perspective from Eleanor. Maybe Janet was right. Maybe Reggie could shine a better light on what was happening.

I glanced at my cell phone. It was pretty clear Trent wasn't talking. It made me sad to be so shut out. It didn't seem right. But then again, we'd only been dating for three months. Still, I was falling in love with the man and I wanted to be a part of his family. That meant taking on the family troubles.