Lethal Lasagna (9 page)

Venturing into the unfamiliar waters of flirtation, I answered. “Why thank you kind Sir. I’m so glad you noticed.”

His warm laughter greeted my ears and warmed my heart. We moved into the kitchen. “Sit down and I’ll make a pot of coffee.”

“Thanks.” He looked out the window that faced Sara’s house. A frown marred his handsome features.

My gaze moved to where he seemed to be looking. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Why was he frowning? He looked lost in thought, maybe it was personal. I decided not to question him about it. If it were something important, or had anything to do with me, I felt sure he’d say something.

I put coffee in the filter and then turned on the coffee maker. “How does eggs and bacon sound?”

“Great.”

Pulling the eggs from the fridge I asked, “How would you like them fixed?” I set the carton on the counter and reached for the bacon.

He turned from the window and grinned. “Scrambled and crispy.”

I smiled. “Me, too.” I ducked my head and went to work preparing my knight in shining armor a breakfast fit for a king.

Soon the fragrant smell of coffee and bacon filled my cozy kitchen. I popped bread into the toaster. Scrambled eggs and set butter and strawberry jam on the table. While I worked I noted that Brandon continued to gaze out the window.

I set plates and silverware down. “Something bothering you?” I asked as I placed a cup of coffee in front of him.

He smiled. “Not really. I was just thinking that if you hung a feeder in front of this window, you could watch the birds while you enjoyed breakfast every morning.”

I poured scrambled eggs from the pan into a bowl. I didn’t buy his story for one moment. But went along with it just the same. “I’ve had the same thought but just haven’t taken the time to hang one.” I added the glass coffee pot to the assortment of breakfast items and took my place.

“Would you like me to give thanks?” He asked, reaching across the table and taking my hand in his.

I nodded and bowed my head. His warm voice washed over me as he thanked the Lord for the food, my safety, and our friendship. I echoed his, “Amen.”

“Do you cook like this every morning?” He asked, after swallowing a bite of eggs.

I buttered my toast. “Not always; why?”

“Well, if I’m going to continue to protect my fair maiden, I want to know what kind of meals I can expect.” He took a cautious sip of coffee and then grinned over the rim of the cup.

I almost dropped the butter knife. “I’m far from a maiden, and I really don’t need protecting, Brandon. It was sweet of you to stay last night, but I’m sure it wasn’t necessary.”

“Ah, but that is where we disagree. Someone wants to kill or hurt you, that makes my staying on the front porch crucial. As long as I’m here, I don’t think the mysterious baker will be making house calls again.” He forked more food in his mouth.

His behavior and the stubbornness of his jaw said that no matter how much I argued he wasn’t going to back down. In all honesty, I didn’t want him to, but I couldn’t let him know that.

“Okay, let’s say I agree. How long do you plan on staying?” I nibbled on my toast.

He swallowed. “Until Mitzi’s killer is caught. I’m sure that you have ruffled his feathers and I, for one, do not want to see you hurt.”

“Brandon, that could be months.” The thought of having him on my front porch for months seemed extreme, but I did like the idea of having him close.

“Maybe. If it does, I’ll just have to make the front porch more comfortable.” He poured himself more coffee.

I couldn’t imagine him spending a month on my porch. “I have a guest room. You can stay there, if you insist on staying.” My coffee needed chocolate. I got up and found some in the pantry.

“No. I won’t have your reputation tarnished because I moved into the house.” Brandon protested.

The laugh burst from my lips. “Come on, we aren’t living in the eighteen hundreds.”

His serious eyes met my laughing ones. “No, but we are still Christians, and I’ll not have people talking trash about us and ruining our Lord’s reputation at the same time.”

The words talking trash weren’t something I would have expected to come from a professor’s mouth, but when he said it like that, I realized he was right. “Man, I hate it when you’re right. OK. How are we going to make the porch comfortable?”

“I’ve got a cot at my house that I sleep on sometimes. It’s comfortable and will fit in that snug cove you’ve created with the potted plants and flowers.” He pushed away from the table and carried his plate and cup to the sink.

I stood to clear the table. “Are you sure you want to go to all this trouble? It might be easier just to ask the police to patrol the neighborhood at night.” I replaced the butter and jam in the fridge.

“Not on your life. I’m staying, and that’s final. You’ll see; it will be no trouble at all.” He opened the dishwasher and put our plates, silverware, and cups inside.

I wiped the table off and replaced my potted plant in the center. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t give you a chance out of this mess.”

He moved across the floor and pulled me into his embrace. His breath smelled of fresh-brewed coffee. “As long as you are in danger, we’re in this mess together.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

It felt like he kissed the top of my head before he released me and headed toward the door. He stopped in the entryway. “If you don’t have anything pressing to do today, would you like to come to the house and help me gather up that cot and some sheets?”

The thought of spending more time with him tickled me to the toes. I tried not to express how pleased I felt at his invitation. “Sure. As long as we get back here by lunchtime.”

“Not a problem.”

****

I was surprised to learn that Brandon didn’t live that far from me. His two-story house sat beside the lake. Trees lined the shore, and ducks swam about giving the place a sense of serenity.

“With a house like this, why do you sleep on a cot?” I tucked my purse against my side, as he led the way through the garage.

He laughed and opened a side door into a spacious kitchen. “I don’t always sleep on the cot. Just when I go camping.”

“So you aren’t crazy?” I laughed as I followed him through a comfy living room. Its interior held hunter green and soft tan hues. A large couch, recliner, and big screen TV filled most of the room. I noticed a bookshelf and fish tank occupied one corner with plush looking chair and matching end table in the other.

“Of course I am. I’m giving up all this to sleep on your porch.” He laughed, extending his arms to encompass the whole house.

We continued up the staircase and into an exercise room. A treadmill, weight bench, and exercise bike were the instruments of torture here.

He pulled down a ladder from the ceiling. “The cot is up here. I’ll get it.” Brandon climbed the stairs with ease.

I couldn’t imagine how he would get a cot down those steps by himself. All the folding beds I’d seen were heavy and bulky.

A plastic slide slowly came down the stairs. “If you’ll slow it down, I’ll send the bed down.”

“OK.” I moved to the end of the slide.

A few moments later, a folded bed slid down. I caught it at the bottom, moved it off the plastic, and smiled up.

“Good catch.” He pulled the slide back up and within moments stood beside me once more.

“That’s pretty clever.” I said.

He picked up the cot and grinned. “That is something my Dad taught me. He invented all types of things.”

I followed him back out to the pickup. “Did you inherit any of those skills?”

He shoved the cot in the back of the truck and grinned at me. “Come with me and I’ll let you decide if I inherited any of dad’s handiness.”

I felt like a puppy on a leash as he led me once more. We went around the side of the house and across a short back yard to a building that stood off to the side.

“This is my workshop.” He pulled the door open.

The aroma of freshly cut timber filled my nostrils. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the woody scent. As I stepped over the threshold I realized the floor was covered in sawdust. Two windows allowed the room to fill with sunshine, displaying wonderful raw furniture.

“You made all these?” I ran my hand over a bookshelf. The wood felt warm and soft to the touch.

He leaned against the door jam. “I did. I had planned to finish that dresser this morning, but since you want to get back to your house, I guess it can wait.”

I heard the disappointment in his voice. A glance at my watch revealed it was nine A.M. “We can stay a couple of hours, if you want.”

A smile brightened his face and eyes. “That’s about all the time I’ll need.” He kissed me on the cheek, and then stepped past.

It had been such a quick kiss, and he’d crossed the room and started working before I knew what happened. I asked myself as I walked to a big shade tree with a wooden bench under it in the back yard, did I seem like a star struck girl? Heat filled my cheeks. Probably.

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After sitting down, I opened my pocketbook and pulled out Mitzi’s date book. It fell open to today’s date. She had written in purple, Writing Class, wear yellow outfit with my white hat and white daisy earrings.

A smile touched my lips as my gaze moved to the workshop. I could see Brandon through the open door. He lifted his hand and waved. What were my feelings for him? I reminded myself that I didn’t have time to dwell on romance right now. But, if I did, he’d have my undivided attention. The shameful thought took me by surprise.

Well maybe not total surprise.

I returned my concentration to the book in hand and flipped the page. Written in green were the words, Rose Hat Club Tea. Wear my purple jumper with my Rose Hat and matching red shoes, the ones with the purple and gold rhinestones.

Mitzi had an outfit for everything. My friend planned every day what she would wear. I had no idea she did this so far in advance. I pulled my legs up and swiveled around so that my feet rested on the bench and my back was pressed against the side rail.

My thoughts went to her closets. I still needed to clean them out and make a call to her son to see what he wanted me to do with Mitzi’s things. I made a mental note to do that this evening after our writing class.

I flipped to the back of the book and discovered a section for addresses. Each person’s name, address, and phone number was listed in straight black ink pen writing. Mitzi hadn’t made a mistake on any of them as far as I could see. My address book looks like a kindergartener wrote in it. Under the letter R, I discovered all the Rose Hat Club members’ names.

There was an even ten in the group. I recognized a couple of the names, but the rest were all strangers to me. “What am I going to wear in the morning?” I mumbled to myself.

“To what?”

Brandon’s voice startled me. I jerked upright. “To the Rose Hat Club tea tomorrow.”

“Something red?” He wiped his hands on a yellow dishtowel.

“Of course, something red. I guess I’ll need to go shopping for a hat with roses on it.” I swung my legs around and made room for him to sit down.

“When?”

“I don’t know,” I looked up at him. “Sometime today or in the morning.”

He nodded. “I’m thirsty. Would you like to come inside? I’ll make a pitcher of ice tea.”

“Sure.” I tucked Mitzi’s date book back inside my purse and stood. “How’s the dresser coming along?”

“Good. I’m almost done.” He held the door open for me.

Feeling like a real lady, I walked past him and headed toward the kitchen. “That’s great.”

He followed. “Yes, when it’s done I’ll call Mr. Foster and see if he’d like for me to take it over to his place.”

“I didn’t realize you built the furniture for other people. Why don’t you open a shop and sell out of it?”

“I might someday, but right now I enjoy working from home.” He searched around the kitchen, opening and closing cabinets. He frowned as he finally gave up.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“The tea pitcher.” He moved to the fridge and opened the door. “Ah, there it is. Looks like Zelda filled it with something else.”

I watched as he opened a cabinet and pulled down two glasses. He poured the yellowish looking liquid into one and took a sip.

“Lemonade.” He made a popping sound with his lips. “Tart lemonade.”

His cheeks sucked in and he made fish lips. I couldn’t contain the laughter even though my brain still buzzed with the name Zelda. Who in the world was she? I’d heard of a game called that but never a person.

He filled the glasses with ice, poured half a glass for me and smiled. “Here you go. Try some.”

My first instinct was to say, not on your life, buddy. But the challenge in his eyes couldn’t be denied. I took the glass. Swirled the liquid inside and then took a tentative sip.

My eyes watered, my jaw locked, and salvia built in my cheeks. Pure lemon juice. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear it was green lemons that Zelda was trying to kill us with.

“I think she forgot to add the sugar.” Brandon laughed.

I made an exaggerated face at him. “Ya think?” I didn’t even bother removing the sarcasm from my tone.

His laughter deepened. Brandon pulled a canister to him and added the much-needed sugar. He mixed it and then handed a new glass to me. “How about we take this down by the lake?”

“Sure. I’d love to see the ducks. It’s been ages since I just sat by a pond and listened to them quack.”

He grabbed half a loaf of bread and led the way. Over his shoulder he said. “You are going to love these gals and guys, they will quack your ears off.”

The pond looked peaceful. Brandon moved to the waters edge and tossed out several torn pieces of bread. We watched as several ducks swam toward us, quacking hellos. At least I thought that’s what they were quacking.

We set our lemonade on a small bench. I sat to enjoy the shade and the calming sensation that nature brings, as the smell of pine and cedar filled the air. Brandon continued to feed the ducks.

A mother duck noticed us and came swimming our way. Five baby chicks followed close behind. “Oh, they’re so sweet.”

Brandon grinned. “And greedy.”

As I watched the babies run for the food, I had to agree with him. The mama herded them as best she could, but with bread on the ground there was no way she could keep the little chicks close to her.

“Here you go.” Brandon held a little yellow baby in his hands. He gently handed it over to me. The little bird flapped its short wings; its webbed feet felt rough against the skin of my hands.

I petted the downy feathers for a few moments and then returned the baby to its mother. “Thanks.” I smiled up at him. His eyes sparkled down at me.

He threw out the remainder of the bread and sat down. His warm arm brushed mine. Silly as it sounds, I shivered. We watched the ducks finish off the crumbs. They studied us for a few moments and then headed back into the cool water.

“Do you mind if I ask a personal question?” Brandon leaned forward with his arms on his legs and stared out across the shimmering water.

“Not if you don’t mind me being honest and telling you it’s none of your business, if I don’t like the question.”

His shoulders shook with a soft chuckle. “Fair enough.”

He remained silent and continued to gaze toward the far bank. I’d about decided he’d changed his mind when he finally spoke. “What happened to your husband?”

I leaned my head back against the stone bench and closed my eyes. “He had a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry.”

I smiled. “Don’t be. The Lord knew the timing. I suspect Frank had several things wrong with him that he hadn’t shared with me. He hated going to the doctor’s and, he hated not being able to do what he wanted even more. The doctor had already told him to quit smoking, stop working so hard, and to give up all those fattening sweet foods he loved so much.”

A bird sung in the tree over our heads. Its sweet sounds encouraged me to continue. “He’s been gone ten years, and after all this time, I’m grateful the Lord took him home sudden like. Frank would have hated suffering and having others care for him. No matter how much we loved him.”

Brandon sat quietly. “Thanks for sharing his story with me. I’m sure you loved him very much.”

“I did.” I wasn’t about to lie to the man. I opened my eyes and stared up into the tree branches trying to find the bird.

He sat up. “It’s been about that long for me, too. Dory died in a car crash one stormy night. The doctors tell me she didn’t feel a thing.” He turned in the seat and took my hands in his. “I haven’t felt this kind of...emotion, in a long time.”

His gaze drew me in. For the first time in a long time, a man seemed to be opening his heart to me. “Neither have I.” The words came out a whisper, right before his lips touched mine.

****

“He really kissed you? On the mouth?” Gloria asked. She picked up a white floppy hat and set in on her dark hair.

“Shhh. Not so loud.” I looked around. No one seemed to notice us. “Of course, on the lips. Isn’t that where most men kiss women nowadays?” I asked in mock surprise.

“It’s been so long since one’s kissed me, I can’t honestly say.” Gloria stuck her tongue out at me and removed the hat.

“Yeah, right. And broccoli doesn’t give you gas either does it?”

This time Gloria turned red and looked around. “Hey, that’s personal. Keep your voice down.”

“I will, if you will.”

“Deal.”

I picked up a Red Hat with a wide-brim. The body was sewn braid straw with a three and a half inch turned up brim and a gross grain hatband. A bow treatment in the back and a single white rose finished off what I considered a very beautiful and stylish hat. “What do you think of this one?” I asked.

Gloria held a purple hat in her hands. “Oh, I like it. That bow just sets it off. What do you think of this one?”

It was simple and reminded me of a sailor’s hat. It had a red rose glued to the front. “It’s really cute, but can I wear a purple hat and not a red one?”

“Sure, the Rose Hat Club doesn’t care what color the hat and the rose as long as you have both. It is charming, if you don’t want it, I might buy it.” Gloria put it on her head and looked in the mirror.

“Then you should buy it. I’ll borrow it from you sometime.” I smiled at my reflection. The rose hat looked silly and fun all at the same time. As much as I was enjoying this time with Gloria, I felt sad that she wasn’t Mitzi.

“Ready to check out?” Gloria asked.

I wondered if she sensed my melancholy mood swing. “Yeah, I only need one for now, and this one is perfect.” I smiled to show her I’d gotten over my moment of depression.

We paid for the hats and then made our way to Gloria’s car. Once inside and on the road to my house, I said, “Thanks for picking me up at Brandon’s place. I appreciate you going shopping with me, too.”

“It was fun, and I finally got to meet the handsome Brandon Harvest.” She winked at me and added. “The great kisser.”

Heat filled my face. “I didn’t say that.” I protested.

“You didn’t have to.” She laughed. “When I picked you up, I could tell from the dazed expression and the stars in your eyes that it was some kiss.”

What could I say? Brandon’s kiss had dazed me. I hadn’t expected to feel love and joy spring up as quickly as it had. My husband had had that effect on me. I’d always been told that God had that one special someone, just for me. When Frank died, I thought I’d be alone forever. Now, here was Brandon bringing out those same feelings. God always has a plan. I just wondered what plan He had for Brandon and me.

We pulled into the driveway to my house. “How about coming in for a cup of tea before you head home.”

Gloria grinned. “Thanks but not this afternoon. I have to be getting back to my house. Believe it or not, I have a date.”

“A date?”

She nodded. “You’re not the only one who can attract a man at our age.”

I got out of the car. “Call me tonight with the details.”

“Agreed.” Gloria laughed and waved goodbye.

Sprocket barked a greeting. I laid my package on the grass and gave him a good head rub. “Ready for your walk?” I asked him. I pushed the front door open and let the dog in a head of me.

He ran to the kitchen. It was silly, I knew, but since someone had come inside and left the brownies I wanted him to guarantee we were alone. I’d assured Brandon I’d be fine unaccompanied during the day and that I wouldn’t eat anything someone had left for me.

Still, I felt uneasy coming home to an empty house.

Sprocket came back to the living room where I stood waiting. My heart pounded in my chest. “I’m being ridiculous, aren’t I, old boy?” I rubbed him behind the ear. “Come on. I’ll change clothes and then you and I will go for a long walk.”

Once more I let the dog pass me and lead the way. Taking a deep breath, I opened each door as we traveled down the hall. First the computer room, then the bathroom, the guest room, and then I stood in front of my bedroom door. Sprocket looked up at me expectantly.

I knew if anyone were hiding in the house this was the room they’d be in. Taking a deep breath, I twisted the knob and pushed it open.

Sprocket barked and ran back down the hallway.

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