A Flower Girl Murder (7 page)

She had just pressed the clicker to move on to the third slide, when the whole auditorium had exploded.

“This is outrageous!” she’d heard her senior colleagues shout as they had gotten up and thrown their handouts in their empty seats, filing for the exit one by one. She’d stood there, stunned, trying to comprehend what she’d done wrong, tears already welling up in her eyes despite her mind insisting that there had been a simple misunderstanding. It hadn’t been until some professor or other, she hadn’t been able to see past the smudged screen of her watering eyes, had thrown the latest issue of the
Biology Examined
journal across the lectern, a loud “Shame!” accompanying the flying copy.

Lost in preparation for the upcoming presentation, she hadn’t even found the time to open the envelope with her own copy of
Biology Examined
. Now, in the empty lecture hall, the smiling, smug face of a proud Derek had stared back at her from the journal’s cover. The man she’d been bound to marry, the man who had brewed her endless coffees, while she’d worked through the nights, the man who’d encouraged and believed in her. Her
soulmate
. He’d stolen everything she’d spent years compiling, signed his name underneath her life’s work and smiled for the cameras while he’d taken the ovations that were rightfully hers.

The humiliation had been overwhelming.

Before she knew it, the tears were trickling down her sides and Sage finally felt something dislodge from her throat. She gave in to her feelings and simply sat there crying until the heaviness that weighed down on her chest seemed to be lifting.

When Prim found her half an hour later, she was curled up on the swing, her breathing even and her cheeks dry, her face resting on her folded arm. Prim shook her gently and helped her upstairs. It had been such an exhausting day, but there was still too much to be done tomorrow if they were to race time.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Fruitcake and Clues

Sage dragged herself down the stairs, yawning. She went straight to the kitchen and, like a robot, moved mechanically towards the coffee maker. A sleepy smile spread across her face when she saw the full pot of freshly made coffee, the steam still rising from it. She glanced towards the wall clock. It was barely eight o’clock, but the house looked (and sounded) deserted. Maybe that was for the best. She enjoyed quiet mornings and preferred to start talking only after she’d had her dose of caffeine.

She poured herself a big mug, which read ‘Super Mama,’ and carried it off to the kitchen island where another lovely surprise was waiting for her. A fruit cake, seemingly fresh out of the oven, was put on a glass cake stand with only one piece missing. Where the piece was cut out, Sage could see the bright yellow velvety layers, sprinkled with caramelized cinnamon apple pieces and amaretto-drenched raisins. The whole cake was drizzled with luscious caramel sauce and brown sugar buttercream oozed from between the layers.

Apparently, true to habit, Prim had been up at dawn, baking and getting everyone ready for school and work, and then she had taken off herself. Sage cut a hearty piece of cake and dipped her finger in the caramel sauce, licking it in delight. It was only then that she noticed the set of notes lying on the table, tucked under a small vase of freshly cut flowers.

She picked them up and realized they were all from Prim, addressed to all the members of her family and containing instructions for the day. She fished out the one with her name on it and started reading, while a large piece of cake melted in her mouth.

Out to meet with mortician about memorial service flowers. Will be back for lunch. Cold sandwiches in fridge. Get out of the house! Enjoy the cake :)

Sage had to give it to Prim. She had this giant heart that wanted to make sure that every person she loved was cared for and, most of all, fed. Sage was much more selfish herself. She’d never had anyone to take care of beside herself (and well… Derek, but that was the past) and she felt like if people depended on her for food or safety, she’d soon have a household full of dead people. She brushed off the grim thought.

What could she do? Prim was right. She needed to get out. Plus, she couldn’t imagine sitting around and waiting for her sister when there was so much to be done on the case. Sage laughed to herself. The case! She was really seeing herself as a sleuth now after only a day of snooping around.

By the looks of it, it was going to be another scorching hot day, so she hurried up with her breakfast. She could go to the cafe again and listen to people’s conversations, hoping to catch another clue. But then she didn’t want this Dan to think she was there to see
him
. If she hurried up, she’d catch the pleasant morning coolness and take a walk on the beach. Yes, she decided, that’s what she would do, while waiting for Prim to come home.

Sage soon found herself on the stone terrace at the edge of the village green where the wedding had taken place the previous day. Or, more like,
hadn’t
taken place. Even though the weather was gorgeous and the sun had risen enough to bathe the place in light, the entire scene looked sad. No one had taken care to dismount the wedding arch or put away the benches and the flowers that Sage and Prim had so lovingly wrapped around the metal frame were now dead. The ones that were still in the pots were crumpled and wilted and the blue and jade ribbons flapped gloomily in the light morning breeze.

Sage decided to take the stone steps down to the beach, because this place was too depressing for her to linger. She had just taken a step down the corroding stone staircase when she heard a sound from behind the corner further down. Someone was coming. She quickly retreated back up and hid behind the bushes that lined the steps. Soon a large figure emerged dragging something heavy and Sage held her breath. It took her a second to realize it was Dan, his muscular physique unmistakable under his worn out T-shirt. She breathed out loudly in relief.

Dan jumped surprised and turned around to see where the sound had come from.

“What on Earth…?!” he spit out, “Is this what you do in the big city? Hide in the bushes and sneak on unsuspecting people?”

Sage blushed. Of course she looked kind of ridiculous, half hidden in the bushes.

“No, sorry,” she said apologetically, “Didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t know it was you.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you. You can go back to your sneaking now,” he said and kept going, pulling a large roller sack into the grass.

“No, no, wait,” Sage called after him, wincing at the awkward exchange. “I mean, I’m glad it was
you
.”

“And who did you expect? The town’s murderer?”

Sage winced again.
As a matter of fact, yes,
she thought, but said nothing.

“You aren’t at the cafe? I thought it was a mad rush in the mornings,” she panted, hurrying to catch up with him, though she still wasn’t sure why. She wanted to pick his brain about the six young friends and their relationships, but broaching the subject out of nowhere didn’t seem like a good idea. On the other hand, he owned the one place in town that was teeming with gossip and she was sure he knew some things that would shed light on the whole mystery.

“I’m sure people can manage on their own one day of the week. Brewing coffee shouldn’t be that hard,” he grumbled.

“Wow, aren’t you friendly today! So, what’s in the bag? A dead body?” Sage giggled uncomfortably at her own stupid joke.

“Fish,” Dan said.

“Fish? I wouldn’t have taken you for a fisherman,” she said.

“Oh yeah? Well, I’m a man of many talents, as I mentioned before,” he said, more warmly now. His irritation seemed to have passed. “It’s what I like to do on my morning off. Spend a few
quiet
hours out on the sea.”

“Well, I guess I’m ruining that for you,” Sage said.

“It’s fine. I got my day’s worth. Where are you headed? Back to town?”

Back to town was a figure of speech since they could already see Main Street with its little shops and offices springing to life one by one.

“Are you opening the cafe now?” she asked hopefully.

“Not for another couple of hours, but I can brew you a cup if it’s that urgent.”

“Oh, I’d love that,” Sage said, happy at the opportunity.

Back in The Cheshire Cat, the curtains were drawn and the shutters closed over the door and and the front windows. They used the back entrance to get in and Sage headed for the front, while Dan disposed of the fresh fish in the kitchen and washed its smell off his hands.

Sage had settled on a bar stool, toying with a plastic spoon. The place was immaculately clean, a bit like Prim’s kitchen, though it was surprising when she knew Dan was the one responsible. He looked rough and not in the least bit domestic, but here were the gleaming metal surfaces and the polished wood, the neatly pressed tablecloths and the meticulously ordered cups and glasses that proved otherwise.

“So, how are you liking small town life so far?” Dan said as he busied himself with the coffee machine.

“Well, it’s a bit horrifying from the little I’ve seen,” Sage said, hoping he’d catch on.

“You mean the wedding? You seem to be obsessed with it,” Dan teased, serving her a steaming cup.

“I wouldn’t say obsessed, but I’m just interested. Sorry about barging in with all my questions yesterday,” she said.

“It’s fine. Did it lead to anything?” he said and seeing her confused face, added, “Your little investigation, I mean.”

“It’s not an investigation,” she tried to protest.

“Come on, you thought I poisoned the girl!” Dan laughed.

“I didn’t say you did it! And I told you, I’m just helping Ben out.”

“Uh-huh, fine, you don’t have to tell me, but I still think you are up to something.”

“So,” Sage finally ventured after a pause in the conversation, “Is there anything you can tell me about the six of them? They seem to have been quite the tightly-knit circle. I assume they’ve hung out here a lot.”

“Well, I don’t like to meddle in my customers’ lives…”

“Wait!” Sage interrupted him and started digging in her purse. She took out the little notebook and pressed the button on her automatic pencil, poising it over the paper.

“You can’t be serious!” Dan laughed, but since Sage didn’t change her expression, he realized she
was
serious.

“Okay, let’s see, Master Detective, the six of them, the two sisters, Emily, Trevor, Josh and Kevin, were in this purity circle together. I think Father Pendergrass organized it for his daughters, so then their boyfriends had to join if they wanted to see them officially, but I don’t think the boys were too much into it. They usually came here instead when the meetings were taking place in the church. Except for Kevin. Kevin went regularly I think. Or at least he didn’t come here with the other boys.”

“So, who was whose boyfriend then?”

“Well, they keep changing all these years, but I think Kevin and Jasmine were together from the very beginning and Natalie was with Trevor, though everyone knew Trevor was into Jasmine the whole time. I think that’s why they broke up in the end.”

“You sure know your gossip,” Sage said with a sly smile, while scribbling down a diagram of the relationships. “So, that means the other two, Emily and Josh, were also a couple?”

“I think so,” Dan said, “I’m not too sure. You shouldn’t have been so quick to judge my gossip skills. This is basically all I’ve got.”

“And what about their father?”

“What about him?”

“What do you think he would have done if he found out Natalie wasn’t as
pure
as he’d taught her to be?”

“How do you even…?” Dan looked astonished, “I think maybe you know w-a-a-y more than I do about these kids.”

“I don’t, I’m just covering a few alternatives.”

“You think the Father is responsible for Natalie’s death?”

“Is it possible?” Sage countered his question.

“Over something like breaking her purity pledge? No way. Though if it were something more serious… He is a man with principles after all,” Dan said, lost in thought, but then he shook his head as if he’d come to his senses. “What am I talking about? Of course I don’t think a father is capable of murdering his own daughter. Forget what I said. The whole thing was an accident anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to start setting up.”

“Uh, okay,” Sage mumbled, confused. “I guess I should be going then. Thank you for your time.”

“You are welcome,” Dan said, but this time his voice was distant and cold. The magic had dissolved and Sage left the cafe.

CHAPTER NINE

Carnations and a Father

“I can’t believe this! I’m telling you, it was outrageous!” Prim fumed as she continuously ran the shears though the knife sharpener.

The two sisters were in the greenhouse and as the sun was climbing towards its peak, sweat ran down Sage’s forehead. She wiped it with the back of her hand, straining to breathe in the humid, stale air. Ben had created the greenhouse as a wedding present to his wife and it was Prim’s favorite place in her home. It was where she became creative and where she had grown more than thirty different species of orchids and other exotic flowers. Though the construction was usually carefully air-conditioned, now the sun beamed down mercilessly through the glass ceiling and it felt like a million degrees in there at this hour.