Pumpkins in Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery Book 1) (3 page)

Tj frowned
. “Sounds…”

“
Hinky? I know. Believe me, I changed my mind about coming a hundred times. But truth be told, I’m desperate. My unemployment’s about to run out and my savings is all but history. Honestly I’d do almost anything at this point. Besides, the letter said the stay would be completely paid for, so I figured what did I have to lose? If the job’s a fake, I still get a free vacation in this beautiful place.”

“Yeah, but what if whoever sent the letter is a psycho
? Or a serial killer?”

“Why would a serial killer
pay for me to stay at a resort before offing me?”

“Good point,” Tj acknowledged
. “I guess I could check and see who paid for your trip.”

“The woman who checked me in said the reserv
ation was prepaid in full by a man by the name of John Henry. I never heard of the man, so I guess he works for the company I’m interviewing with.”

“Yeah, probably.”
Tj noticed that a woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties was struggling to wrestle several bags onto a service cart. She hoped it was her final guest of the day. “Well, good luck, and if you decide you could use a good word, let me know.”

“Thanks
. I will.”

Tj hurried across the room to the new arrival
. “Let me help you with that.”

“Thanks.” The woman’s green eyes seemed to dance with joy as she smiled in greeting
. “I thought I could manage on my own, but apparently I overestimated my butch factor.”

“No problem, I’m happy to help
. Did you know your bag is moving?” Tj nodded toward a medium-size tote the woman had set at her feet.

She glanced at the bag, which was rocking back and forth, and sighed
. “I don’t suppose you allow dogs?”

“Only in the campground,” Tj answered.

“It’s just that I received a call last week informing me that the school where I’m working on my doctorate has finally been able to find a potential private donor for the grant I’ve been trying to get for over a year through normal channels. If I don’t get the grant money, I can’t finish my dissertation and I won’t graduate. The donor wanted to meet here. I really couldn’t say no, but I just adopted this puppy from a friend whose dog was hit by a car, leaving behind a litter of newborns in need of special care. He’s much too young to leave alone, so I figured I try sneaking him in. I’m really sorry. I don’t usually do stuff like this.”

“Can I see him?
” Tj loved all animals, but she especially loved puppies.

“Sure.” The young woman unzipped the bag the rest of the way
. A tiny golden retriever that couldn’t be more than a few weeks old lay on a blanket inside.

“Oh,
my gosh, he’s so cute. What’s his name?”

“Newton
. Physics major,” she clarified.

“I’ll tell you what.” Tj picked up the puppy out of the bag and held it against her chest, rocking it gently side to side
. “Most of the cabins have been newly remodeled, hence the no-pets policy, but we do have a couple of units that aren’t slated for new carpeting until next spring. I happen to know they’re not occupied this weekend, so if you don’t mind staying in one of those, I’m sure we can accommodate little Newton.”

“I’d be happy to stay in any cabin you’d like,” the woman said with relief
. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Tj
. And yours?”

“Carmen
. Carmen Lewis.”

“Okay Carmen, let’s head over to the counter and I’ll get you checked in.”

The fire must have been too hot for Echo; he’d wandered back to the reservation desk, taking up his old spot next to Tj’s stool. He sat up and began wagging his tail as Tj walked over with the puppy still clutched to her chest. “Echo, meet Newton.” She knelt down so the dogs could sniff each other.

“
My gosh, your dog is huge.” The woman looked alarmed. “He won’t hurt him, will he?”

“No, Echo’s a sweetie.”

Tj handed the puppy back to Carmen. “Looks like cabin five is free. It’s not quite as nice as the one you were originally booked in, but it should be perfect for Newton.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.” Carmen smiled
. “I really appreciate your doing this.”

“No problem.
” Tj punched several commands into the computer. “I have a crate left over from when Echo was a puppy. You’re free to use it, if you’d like. It’ll be big for Newton, but you’ll have a way to keep him confined while you’re away from the cabin.”

“
Wow, that would be great. Thanks. I was wondering what I’d do with him while I was in town for my interview.”

“I’ll have someone bring it over
. If you need to be away for any length of time, let me know. I’d be happy to puppy-sit if I’m here.”

“Thanks
. I really appreciate how helpful you’ve been.”

Tj handed
her the key to her cabin. “At Maggie’s Hideaway we aim to please. Enjoy your stay, and good luck with your grant.”

Tj smiled as the woman walked away
. There was something really likeable about her. She wasn’t conventionally beautiful—her long dark blond hair was curly and slightly wild, her nose was dusted with freckles, and she wore no makeup on her flawless fair skin—but she had something that even supermodels didn’t always have: an inviting smile and a sparkle in her eye that seemed to welcome you from across the room.

“Everyone checked in?
” Leiani Pope, the guest services manager asked. Leiani was a native Hawaiian who had migrated to Paradise Lake five years earlier, after learning to snow ski. Her bronze skin and petite frame made her a hit with the male guests who came to the lake in search of babes, booze, and boats, usually in that order.

“Yeah, I just finished with the last one
. I moved her over to cabin five.” Tj hesitated. Leiani was smart and efficient and everything you could want in a resort manager, but unlike Tj, she was a stickler for the rules, most of which had been her idea in the first place. “She has a special-needs dog.”

Tj hadn’t exactly lied
. Since the remodel, the resort didn’t allow pets in the cabins, but of course service dogs for special-needs guests were welcome at any time. Things might be a bit flip-flopped in this instance, with Newton being the one with special needs, but this wouldn’t be the first time Tj had bent the truth in the name of doing what she felt was the right thing.

“Odd she didn’t mention it when she made the reservation
. Oh, well.” Leiani shrugged. “I guess it worked out okay.”

“If you don’t need anything else today, I think I’ll head over to the house
. Jenna’s here with the girls.”

“Okay, have fun
. And don’t forget those jack-o’-lanterns you promised me,” Leiani called as she walked away. “I need them for the window display in the general store.”

Tj frowned
. More pumpkins.

The next morning Tj dropped her sisters off at dance, then headed through the festive little town toward The Antiquery, the antique store/coffee shop Jenna owned with her mother Helen and motherin-law Bonnie. Serenity, originally founded to support a large lumber operation, now boasted a charming downtown district, consisting of a single main street lined on one side by Paradise Lake and on the other by a myriad of cozy shops displaying their wares in artfully decorated windows. The downtown strip was bordered to the north by a narrow stone bridge built more than seventy years earlier to allow a dry crossing of the Paradise River and to the south by a recently developed community park where summer concerts and local events like the annual pumpkin carving competition were held.

Like all the other storefronts on Main Street, The Antiquery was dressed out in fall colors
. Helen was busy behind the counter of the artistically decorated room that housed the antiques. Tj knew Helen had spent the last couple of weeks working on a display from the 1950s centered on the antique jukebox, old-fashioned soda machine, and red vinyl booths she’d found in someone’s garage. Helen was meticulous in her mission to buy the highest-quality antiques, then painstakingly restore them to their original magnificence. Each piece was grouped as part of a period exhibit, where scrupulous attention to detail provided for museum-quality displays.

“Jen in the back?” Tj asked.

“Tj, I’m glad you stopped by.” Helen, seasonally dressed in a dark brown suit with a rusty orange silk blouse, kissed her on the cheek, completely ignoring her question
. “I spoke to Dotty Harris earlier and she told me you turned down her offer to fix you up with David for the ball. I really think you should reconsider.” Helen lowered her voice. “Between you and me, David’s a real catch compared to most of the eligible men in this town.”

Tj loved Helen
. She really did. After her own mother left town when she was only three, Helen had stepped in to ensure that Tj wouldn’t suffer from the lack of a woman’s touch. She’d treated Tj like one of her own daughters, but, unfortunately, part of Helen’s mothering package included constant interference in all parts of her daughters’ lives.

“I appreciate the fact that you’re trying to look out for me,” Tj began diplomatically, “and you know I value your opinion, but I’d really rather find a date for the ball on my own
. I hope you understand.”

“Of course, dear.
I have to remember that you’re growing up.”

Growing up
? I’m twenty-six.

“I’m sure a smart and pretty girl like you will have many men to choose from
. Although,” Helen paused, “the very least I can do is help you with your costume. I promise that when I’m done with you, the men in this town will be left speechless.”

Speechless?
Tj had a feeling she was going to regret agreeing to Helen’s plan, but she found that she was curious to see what Helen had in mind. Besides, Tj had to admit that one of her secret fantasies had been to have her mom help her dress for the prom or some other special night, a secret wish she knew would never be granted by her own mother.

“Please?” Helen persuaded.

“Well, okay. I guess. But nothing pink.”

“Trust me
. You’ll be the bell of the ball.”

Tj hugged Helen before heading back through the restaurant toward the double doors leading into the kitchen
. During the summer visitors from the beach across the street were lined out the door from opening to closing, but during the off season the Antiquery felt a lot like a gathering in someone’s kitchen, where locals congregated in booths sharing a meal and discussing the latest news.

Tj chatted briefly with several locals as she made her way to the kitchen
. Unlike many restaurant kitchens that were sterile in décor, the kitchen in The Antiquery was both functional and homey. Spotlessly clean commercial appliances were coupled with copper pots and colorful accents, giving the room a cozy feel. Large baskets of seasonal produce were arranged around the room, providing a lived-in ambience.

“Packed house,” Tj commented as Jenna beat together sugar and softened cream cheese with her industrial mixer
. Jenna was tall and willowy, with waist-length blond hair twisted into a long braid that trailed down the back of the white cotton blouse she wore atop faded jeans.

“New deputy in town,” Jenna explained
. “Total babe, tragic past, deeply rooted emotional scars, all the elements needed for a perfect storm. The hens have been clucking about it all day.”

Tj giggled at Jenna’s use of the term
hen
to describe her mother, mother in law, and the other members of the local gossip hotline, who tended to congregate when there was anything remotely interesting going on in the small town. The juicier the gossip, the busier the restaurant.

“Total babe, tragic past?
”

“Nothing but speculation at this point.
” Jenna shrugged. “I can’t complain. I’m sure we’ve served twice as many meals as we normally would have at this time of year.”

“If I realized you were this busy, I just would have picked up sandwiches for my lunch date with Zachary.”

“Don’t worry, I can make you something quick,” Jenna assured her. “Besides, I’m glad you stopped by. Greg Remington called and asked if I’d provide double nut brownies and honey pecan bars for the volunteers this afternoon. I have plenty of ingredients, but I’m short on time. Do you think you could pick up all four girls from dance class, then meet me over at the haunted house?”

“Sure, no problem.
” Both Tj and Jenna had volunteered to help decorate for the upcoming haunted house, a fund-raiser for the local high school.

Jenna set a large pan of butter on the huge commercial stove to heat
. Tj had no idea how Jenna could make five different things all at the same time and not get the ingredients mixed up. If it were her, she’d have Cajun spices in the pumpkin cheesecake and puréed pumpkin in the Cajun shrimp chowder. “Are you planning on bringing Gracie to the decorating party?” she asked.

“Yeah, why?
” Tj picked up a small piece of the bread Jenna slid across the counter for her to taste. It was good. While Tj could barely boil water, Jenna had always been a genius in the kitchen.

“I was kicking around the idea of asking my mom to watch Kari
. I know she’ll be disappointed, but it doesn’t seem like there will be much for a four-year-old to do.”

“Your mom’s playing poker with Ben and the boys this afternoon
. I overheard her more or less invite herself when Grandpa asked the guys back for a rain check on last nights’ game, which was canceled at the last minute. I guess Bookman’s editor popped in to try to talk him into another book.”

“So, is he coming out of retirement again?
” Jenna asked.

“Grandpa says no
. Swears Bookman is staying retired this time, but honestly I don’t buy it. Personally I’d love to see another R. L. Hellerman murder mystery hit the market. I really miss the characters, if you know what I mean. And if you ask me, I think Bookman misses them too.”

“I have to agree
. It seems like I’ve been to at least four retirement parties for the guy. He writes a book, totally throwing himself into the process, gets burned out, retires, then gets bored after he has a chance to rest up a bit. I’d put my money on another book, although Bonnie seemed to think that after the last party he might actually be retired for good this time.”

“Speaking of Bonnie, where is she?
” Most days Bonnie Elston could be found in the kitchen, working alongside Jenna. Most everyone in the small community thought Jenna was nuts for going into business with both her mother and her motherin-law, but so far the unconventional partnership had worked out fantastically.

“She went to Tucson for her high-school reunion,” Jenna answered.

“I thought she wasn’t going.”

“She wasn’t until she got a call from an old friend, prompting her to change her mind at the last minute
. All the flights were booked, so I guess they decided to drive and make a road trip out of it.”

“Good for her.
” After Dennis’s father passed away two years before, the previously social woman had limited her activities to work and family.

“Speaking of road
trips, how was the field trip to the capital?” Jenna referred to the third-grade field trip Tj had chaperoned for Ashley’s class earlier in the week.

“It was fun,” Tj hedged
. “If you can classify a hot and stuffy bus ride lasting an hour and a half in each direction with twenty-three eight-year-olds, most of whom either had to pee or puke at least once, as fun. The children’s museum was cool, though. Tons of interactive stuff to play with. And Ashley seemed to have a really good time, which made any discomfort I may have had to endure totally worth it.”

“
She doing any better?” Jenna wondered.

“Honestly,” Tj said, “I’m not sure
. She did really well on the field trip. She seemed to have fun and she got along well with the other kids, but let’s not forget that the whole reason I got a sub for my classes in the first place was because Ashley has been so disruptive since she started school in September that her teacher wasn’t going to let her attend if I didn’t go along to keep an eye on things.”

“It’s only been three months since her mom died,” Jenna reminded her
. “You’re doing your best, given the circumstances. These things take time.”

“Yeah, well, Leslie doesn’t think my best is good enough. And it’s not like I really blame her. A single disruptive student can bring the whole group down. Gracie tends to express her pain through periods of uncontrollable sobbing, but Ashley prefers to work out her sorrow with her fists.”

“Sounds like her big sister.” Jenna grinned, light blue eyes dancing with delight
. “I seem to remember you being the cause of a few black eyes in preschool after your mom left. In fact, I’m fairly certain I was the recipient of one of your larger masterpieces.”

Tj couldn’t help but smile
. “I have to say that black eye was one of my favorites.” Not only had Tj decorated Jenna’s face when she tried to steal her red crayon but, Jenna being Jenna even then, had decided the best way to avoid a repeat episode was to befriend the unhappy little girl. They’d been best friends ever since.

“Thing is,” Tj sighed, “I was mad and acted out for a few weeks, but then I got over it.”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure your tendency to solve your problems with your fists lasted for more than a few weeks. Things got better after your dad signed you up for that martial arts class. Maybe something like that would work for Ashley.”

Tj remembered the confusion and despair she’d felt when her mom had left her in the care of her dad and grandparents when she was only three years old
. That helplessness had seemed a bit more manageable once she learned to focus and control her anger. “I’ll talk to my dad about it. He seems to have a better handle on how to deal with the girls than I do. At first I wasn’t sure giving up my apartment and moving back to the resort was the best thing to do. Part of me feels like I should be able to handle this on my own, but honestly, I’m not sure I could have gotten through the past three months without Dad and Grandpa’s help.”

“Give
yourself a break,” Jenna encouraged. “You’re doing a wonderful job with Ashley and Gracie, and your dad and grandpa are happy to help.”

“Yeah, I guess.
” Tj looked less than totally convinced. “I guess I should get going. Since Dennis is working tonight, let’s just take the girls for a pizza over at Rob’s after the decorating party and save ourselves the hassle of making dinner.”

“Having someone else cook for me for a change
sounds like a wonderful idea,” Jenna agreed.

Tj turned to leave just as Jenna dumped a bag of flour into a large mixer and Dennis walked in through the back door leading out to the alley
.

“What are you doing here?
” Jenna smiled at her tall, blond-haired husband.

“I was doing a routine inspection next door and thought I’d pop in for some sugar.”

“Cookies are on the cooling rack,” Jenna offered.

“Not what I had in mind.
” Dennis crossed the room, wrapped his wife in his arms, and bent her into a low dip before gallantly kissing her gently on the lips. Jenna laughed, kissing him back but being careful not to actually touch him since she had flour on her hands.

“Get a room,” Tj teased
.

“If only we could.
” Dennis kissed his wife one last time before standing her upright and releasing her. “Josh is waiting in the truck. He thinks I popped in to pilfer some cookies, so I guess I should take some after all. Anything with chocolate or peanut butter would be great. Oh, and throw in some of those oatmeal crisps while you’re at it.”

“I’ll get them,” Tj offered as she filled a takeout bag with an assortment of the tasty treats
. Secretly Tj was jealous of Jenna. Not because Dennis was firm and fit and gorgeous from hours upon hours of training, but because Dennis was goofy and romantic and loved his wife with every fiber of his being. For the most part Tj was happy with her life, but someday she wanted what they had, the stuff of fairy tales.