Crowned and Moldering

“We just got back in there, after it was declared a crime scene for a week. And it’s going to be beautiful. I’m hoping I can talk Mac into joining the House and Garden Tour in May. It would be great to open the place to the public for a day or two once we’ve finished the rehab.”

“That would be fun,” she said. “I’d love to see it. It’s in the perfect spot, isn’t it? Right there where the breakwater and the lighthouse and the beach and the cliffs all come together. I always loved walking along the rocks when I was little.”

“Me, too. My dad used to drive us out there. Remember when there were sand dunes between the road and the beach? We used to slide down them and pretend we were surfing.”

“Of course I remember. They’re mostly sand mounds now.”

“Sand dune-lettes.”

We both laughed. It was nice to reminisce with someone who’d grown up experiencing the same joys.

“You’ll laugh at this,” I said. “The first time I walked inside the mansion, I barely made it to the kitchen before this tiny white rat came skittering across the floor. I went screaming out of there. It’s so embarrassing to think about.”

She laughed. “I don’t mind little white rats. It’s the ugly big gray ones that freak me out.”

I moaned. “I’m just a wimp.”

“I wasn’t always good with rats, but I got used to having the little white ones around when Brad and I got married.”

I was confused at first, then realized what she was talking about. “Oh yeah. The first time I ever saw a white rat was in Mr. Jones’s biology class. It freaked me out then, too.”

“He’s still got them in the classroom.”

“It’s nice to know some things never change.”

My arms were covered in goose bumps by now, after all this talk about rats. “I hope you got used to them. Didn’t you have to take them home when school was closed for vacation?”

Denise made a face. “Not at first. Brad knew how I felt about the little critters. Darren Dain always took them home.” She rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t that just figure?”

The name was an instant buzzkill. “Mr. Dain? Dismal Dain, the world’s worst guidance counselor? He took care of the rats?”

She just laughed and nodded.

“Wow. That makes perfect sense,” I said, as the goose bumps returned. I shook my head at the thought of that horrible little man communing with rats. But, then, who else would put up with him all summer besides a bunch of squirmy rodents?

*   *   *

By the time I left Denise at the Gardens, I felt so much better. I would still call the lawyer in the morning, but at least I wouldn’t continue to suffer from that awful sick feeling in my stomach. It had faded sometime during my friendly conversation with Denise.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t forget that one moment when she confessed that she and Mr. Jones had tried to have children but hadn’t succeeded yet. They were still so young, though, so I refused to give up hope. I smiled at the image of Mr. Jones holding an adorable little baby in his arms.

My smile faded when I pulled into my driveway and saw Douglas pacing up and down my walkway. I was tempted to back up the truck and drive off, but that would be cowardly. Besides, maybe he’d decided to turn down Cliff’s job offer. I almost laughed. Why would anyone turn down more money? I gathered my work stuff and my purse, determined to listen to what he had to say for himself. And then I would pour myself a big glass of wine. I thought I deserved it after the day I’d been through.

Taking a deep breath, I jumped out of the cab and slammed the door shut. “Hi, Douglas,” I said, as breezily as I could muster, knowing that after this last confrontation, I wouldn’t see him at work again. I braced myself for that unhappy certainty as I strolled toward him.

“Sha

“I took a little drive. What’s the problem?”

“What’s the—? Are you kidding? You just took off before I could even tell you that I would never quit you to take a job with Hogarth. None of us would. Why would you think that? You’re the best boss I’ve ever had, and Cliff is a jackass. Everyone in town knows that.”

“They do?”

“Yes. Believe me, I wouldn’t work for him on a bet. You have nothing to worry about where he’s concerned.” Douglas gave me a wary smile, as if half-afraid I might bolt again. “I’m just really sorry you were so upset. It’s all my fault. If you want to dock me, go ahead, because I didn’t get much work done this afternoon. I was too worried, thinking you might be at the bank, cutting off my paycheck or something.”

“Come here,” I said, and pulled him close for a hug. After a long moment, I let him go. “Thank you for telling me all that. And I’m glad you told me that Cliff approached you about a job. It’s good for me to know those things.”

“God, you scared the crap out of me. I thought you were so mad at me.”

“I’m not mad. Not at you. And I’m sorry I scared you. I scared myself a little, too. But that’s over now, and I’m delighted that you aren’t quitting.”

After he left, I went inside and poured that glass of wine I’d promised myself. I sat on the couch with Robbie and Tiger crowding me on both sides and thought about what Douglas had said. Mainly the part where everyone in town knew that Cliff was a jackass and he wouldn’t get many jobs after his bad reputation became more known. If only that were true.

Tiger climbed onto my lap and I relished the warmth. I reminded myself that Whitney had tried to hire Cliff, so not everyone in town felt the same way Douglas did. But despite Whitney’s moaning about her love for Cliff, chances were excellent that Whitney had only hired him to bug me.

I’d always been able to get along with my competition, although I had to admit I’d had my share of adversaries when I first took over my father’s business. Strangely enough, not everyone took kindly to a woman ru

*   *   *

The phone rang early Wednesday morning and I had to run out of the bathroom with my toothbrush in hand to grab it.

“Hello?”

“Sha

“Lizzie? What’s up?” I glanced at the clock by my bed. “For Pete’s sake, girl. It’s barely seven o’clock. Is everything okay? Are the kids okay? Is it Hal? What’s wrong?”

“Everyone here is fine, Sha

“You’re right—I won’t. So just tell me.”

“Cliff Hogarth is dead.”

Chapter Thirteen

A half hour later, after taking the shortest shower on record and dressing for work, I paced around my kitchen, wondering what to do. Cliff was dead, and my head was about to explode from the guilt of having yelled at him mixed up with burning curiosity. How had he died?

In the midst of all that, Lizzie called back.

“I’m sorry, Sha

“What?” I stared at the phone, shaking my head. “What are you saying? What happened?”

“Hal heard on the police sca

“We can talk about Hal’s obsession with the police sca

“He was hit in the head with a shovel.”

A shovel?

My mind was about to spin off into hyperspace now. I had a sinking feeling that I’d seen the shovel she was referring to.