Summer Reading is Killing Me (Phee Jefferson Book 2) (10 page)

 Chapter Twenty One

I bought Wade a sandwich and left Odd Couple’s. As
I walked down the street, I paused in front of Glimpse of the Past, an antique
store specializing in vintage clothing. Miller’s Cove was the hot spot in the
state for antique hounds. Out of all the shops in the area, this one was my
favorite. I  peered in the store window to get a closer look at the cameo
brooch pinned to a mannequin’s lace-front blouse. As I leaned closer, I saw a
reflection in the glass. I turned and spotted Clint deep in conversation with a
short, blonde woman. It wasn’t anyone I knew from town. He clearly knew her
because he laughed at whatever she said. She playfully pushed him down the
sidewalk. A slow, angry heat coursed through my body. No wonder he didn’t get
jealous or seem interested in moving our relationship forward. He had his next
girlfriend already lined up. I wiped away a tear.
He’s not worth crying
over,
I thought. Straightening my shoulders and sniffling, I marched back
to work.

I handed Wade his lunch. If he noticed my strained
smile, he didn’t comment. He took a paperback and went to the picnic table
outside the back door to eat his lunch. I didn’t have time to worry about Clint
and his new lady love since our summer readers were out in full force today.
The children loved the first day of the summer reading program as they set
their goals and picked out new books to read. Each week throughout the summer,
my volunteers and I  had story hour, crafts, and Science Time with Sid.
Sid was Mr.
Sidnor
, a retired high school science
teacher who showed kids how to do experiments with everyday objects. It was by
far our most popular program with the upper elementary and middle school crowd.
I spent the afternoon speaking to parents about new books and the scheduled
activities. By the time five o’clock arrived, I was dead on my feet.

When I arrived home, there was a small bouquet of
Gerber daisies tied with a ribbon and a note attached.
Phee
,
It will be my pleasure to pick you up at 5:45 and drive you to our dinner with
Senator Campbell. – Anthony
Ziegfried
.
I smiled
at the thoughtfulness and unlocked the front door to make a mad dash for the
shower. I had twenty minutes before Anthony arrived. I planned to be a
sophisticated socialite rather than a frumpy bookworm.

I chose a light blue sundress with small pink
flowers embroidered around the hem of the skirt. Pearl stud earrings with a
matching choker-style necklace contrasted nicely with my light tan. I twisted
my red curls into a quick chignon and pulled a few curls loose to frame my
face. A hint of blush and mascara, then I was ready to go.

I heard a knock on my front door. Anthony stood on
my porch in a navy blue polo shirt and khakis. “Would you like to come in for a
minute?” I offered.

“Just for a minute. The Senator is a stickler for
punctuality.” Anthony stepped into the hallway and looked around. I had a large
art deco mirror hanging above a demi lune table. A small Tiffany lamp sat on
it. Anthony walked over and touched the shade. “Is this a real Tiffany lamp?”

“Yes. It belonged to my grandmother. I credit her
with making me an antique hound. She left me several beautiful pieces. You’re
welcome to walk around if you’d like. I need to grab my purse, then I’ll be
ready to leave,” I said. He wandered into my living room and perused my
bookshelves. In my room, I dumped my large messenger bag out onto my bed. It
didn’t match the sophisticated ensemble I wore, so it needed to go. I found a
small blue clutch in a drawer and put my wallet, cell phone and a lipstick in
it. I smoothed my hair one last time in the mirror and spritzed perfume on my
wrists and neck.

Anthony had found his way into my kitchen and
gazed in wonder at my antique kitchen appliances. “I love your house. All the
treasures you have tucked in here are amazing,” he said.

“Thank you. I spend my free time digging through
antique shops and flea markets for things to restore. Some people don’t like
antiques, but to me, they are gently-loved pieces of history looking for new
homes,” I said.

Anthony guided me out my front door to a dark
sedan. As he drove out of town and towards the lake, I told him about growing
up in Miller’s Cove. “It sounds like an amazing place to raise a family. Good
schools, peaceful town, low crime. This is the kind of town I’d like to move to
once I start a family,” Anthony said.

“Are you married?” I asked. I hadn’t seen a
wedding ring, but not everyone wore one.

“Not yet. I haven’t found the right woman to put
up with me. I might seem like an awesome catch, but looks can be deceiving. You
aren’t looking for a husband are you? I’m fairly fresh off the showroom floor,
low miles, easy maintenance. The only downside is the long hours I work and the
amount of travel involved.”

I laughed. “No, I’m not in the market, but I’ll
keep you in mind.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I did a little check
into your background. You graduated top of your class. You’ve lived here in
Miller’s Cove and in Burlington while in college. Rumor has it you date a
deputy sheriff. No criminal record or unseemly gambling habits. So in a
nutshell, you’re attractive, smart and somewhat single,” Anthony summed up. He
pulled the car up to a large cabin and turned the engine off. He turned and
said, “I’m interested. I’m being a little bold, but my time here is short. You
intrigue me,
Phee
Jefferson. There’s something sweet
and sexy about you.”

“Um, I’m…um,” I stuttered. I coughed and tried
again. “I’m flattered and a little overwhelmed. I don’t even know how to
respond.”

“Don’t say anything right now. Just consider it an
open invitation. We’d better get inside before the Senator sends up a flare.”
He stepped out of the car and walked around to open my door for me. He crooked
his elbow to escort me inside. I hesitated for a moment, but then recalling the
sight of Clint laughing with the blonde, I placed my hand on his arm and walked
inside with him.

Richard Campbell waited on the back deck for us.
Anthony excused himself and left me alone with the Senator. There was a glass
and wrought iron table set for dinner. He stood looking out at the water
smoking a cigar. “Ah, Ophelia. You’re a beautiful sight for this old man’s
eyes.”

“Senator, thank you for sending Anthony to fetch
me. I’m not familiar with all the hidden lanes and drives here at the lake, so
you saved me some confusion.” I offered my hand, and he gave it a firm shake.

“Call me Richard. I’m a senator when the press is
around. The rest of the time, I’m just an ordinary guy who puts his proverbial
pants on one leg at a time,” Richard boomed. “Let me put out my cigar, and we
can sit down and chat. Nasty habit, but I limit myself to one in the evenings.
My late wife couldn’t stand the smell of them, so I used to sneak outside to
enjoy them.” He gave me a wink.

“My dad does the same thing,” I said. “You have a
beautiful view of the lake.”

“
Elody
loved to sit out
here and paint in the early morning hours. She said the peacefulness inspired
her art.” Richard stood silently and stared at some distant horizon. He shook
himself out of his reverie and waved me towards the table. “Please sit. Anthony
prepared us a dinner fit for a king this evening.”

“Anthony acts as your chef?” I asked. “I thought
he was your aide.”

“He is,” Richard said, “but he cooks for me when
my staff has the night off. To be honest, if it wasn’t for his cooking, I’d eat
a hot dog and chips and wash it down with a cold beer. Never learned to cook
and I’m too old to start.”

He reached over and poured himself a glass of wine
from the bottle chilling in a small bucket on the table. Tilting it over my
glass, he lifted his eyebrow to await my okay. “A small glass would be nice,” I
said. “Senator, sorry, Richard, I’ve given it some thought and I don’t think
there is much more I can add to what Sheriff Dawes already reported.”

Richard Campbell sat back in his chair. His hand
tightened around the stem of the wineglass. I waited for it to snap under the
pressure. “I want to know if you saw anything at the park that could help me
prove that low-life scum Jay Burns killed my baby girl.”

Chapter Twenty Two

I sat there stunned by the Senator’s question. I
revisited the crime scene in my mind. The only thing related to Jay Burns was
the common tie of painting. “Sir, I saw her briefly before I realized she was
dead then ran and called the police. Afterwards, they took over the scene. I’m
not sure what I can add to what you already know,” I stammered and plucked at a
stray thread on the placemat in front of me.

“Hmm…the sheriff said the same thing. I’m having a
difficult time processing that someone murdered my daughter. She was the joy of
my life,” Richard said. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his
wallet. Flipping it open, he held it out so I could see the photo of a little
girl with silvery curls and a smile as wide as the ocean. She wore a pink
ballet outfit and held the hand of what must have been the Senator in his
younger years. “The only thing I have left of my family are my memories and
photographs. No grandchildren. No one to carry on the Campbell name. My
family’s legacy ends with me and I want to catch the S.O.B. who ended it!” He
snapped the wallet shut and tossed it on the table.

“I’m so sorry. I understand your grief and anger.
If I knew anything, I swear I would tell you,” I reassured him. “May I ask you
a question about
Elody
?”

“Go ahead. If it helps catch her killer, I’ll tell
you anything you want to know.” Richard leaned back and crossed his arms across
his chest.

“
Elody
had been painting
a landscape at the park. I found an unfinished picture with tubes of paint next
to her. Did she do anything special or have any fancy brushes she preferred?”

“You’re asking about a fancy brush because of the
one found in her chest, aren’t you?” He dropped his arms and leaned across the
table to stare at me. The intensity of his gaze forced me to drop my eyes.
Clint had said they had not disclosed that clue to anyone, but somehow Richard
Campbell knew.

“I, uh…why do you say that?” I avoided his verbal
trap.

“Young lady, I’ve learned to gain information in
more ways than you can imagine. There is one person in every organization who
has a gambling problem, owes back child support or has maxed out credit cards.
Money goes a long way in greasing the rusty jaws of someone who is supposed to
keep quiet,” Richard said and gave a harsh bark of laughter. “I took less than
five minutes to discover your entire life history. Oh, don’t look at me like
you’re shocked. I had to make sure you weren’t a criminal or the killer. Have
no fear. You’re cleaner than a frog’s butt.”

I gulped down my wine. I felt naked and exposed in
front of this man I just met. Grief made people do strange things. This man in
front of me dealt with his grief through action. If I was a parent, I imagined
I’d do the same thing.

“It was a silver-handled paintbrush. It was old,
possibly an antique. Did
Elody
paint with anything
like that?” I asked. Since the cat was out of the bag, I didn’t see the harm in
discussing it.

“Not that I was aware. She could have bought some,
but
Elody
had a beautiful set of jade-handled brushes
her mother and I gave her the year before my wife died of cancer. They were the
only brushes she used because they reminded her of my Patsy.” The sorrow in his
eyes made my heart hurt.

“
Elody
tried to send a
message before she died. She scrawled the letter T or J. I couldn’t really make
it out, so it might have just been a random scrawl. Paint spilled across the
rest of it and made it unreadable. Other than those things, I have nothing else
to add. I’m sorry,” I said. I pulled the bottle of wine from the bucket of ice
and poured myself a second glass. This was a night in need of calmer nerves
than I possessed.

Anthony walked through the open French doors
balancing a large plate of char-grilled oysters in garlic sauce in one hand and
stuffed mushrooms in the other. The tension slipped away as quickly as it had
wormed its way into the evening. “My name is Anthony, and I’ll be your server
this evening. I present to you a delightful appetizer of  oysters and
crab-stuffed mushrooms. This mouth-watering gift from the sea is followed by a
risotto  with sautéed shrimp, pesto and a tomato confit. It’s a dish I created
and named after myself – Ziggy’s  Shrimp  Pesto Risotto.” He placed
the appetizers on the table with a small flourish.

“This smells absolutely divine, Anthony!” I
sniffed in appreciation. “I haven’t eaten this well since…forever!”

“Ziggy’s cooking is why I’m forced to run three
miles every day at my age. It’s the only way to keep my political figure slim
and trim.” Richard patted his stomach. I had to admit he was in excellent shape
for an older man.

“Ziggy? Nickname for
Ziegfried
?”
I asked as I speared an oyster with my appetizer fork and savored the smoky
taste of the sea. “
Mmmm
…these are phenomenal.”

“Thank you. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be back
with the main course. Save one or two for me!” He admonished as he went back
inside.

“Anthony’s like a son,” Richard said. “I had high
hopes he and
Elody
would marry one day, but she
wanted someone the complete opposite of her old man. She found him in that
criminal she rescued off the street corner.” Richard gave a disgusted noise.

“How did she meet him? Please don’t be offended,
but she partied with the socialites of the state. Jay Burns was an inner city
petty crook. He’s good looking in a slimy way and charming, but I can’t imagine
Elody
falling for him.” I popped a mushroom into my
mouth and swore to go to yoga
and
jog if I could eat all the delicious
food in front of me.

“You’re guess is as good as mine. Anthony dug
around in Jay’s background. He dropped out of high school after the police
arrested him for a string of car thefts tied to gang activity. Because he was a
minor, he got off with a slap on the wrist. Cases like his are why my campaign
addresses criminals and the lack of appropriate punishment. He stayed out of
the criminal system for a year or two, but was arrested at age twenty for hitting
his girlfriend. He struck her so hard it broke her nose. He served five years
for that assault. I tried to tell
Elody
, but she
swore he wasn’t the same man anymore.” Richard laid his fork on his plate and
shook his head. “I don’t understand how such a beautiful, intelligent girl
could be won over by the likes of Jay Burns.”

“Sir, I can tell you from experience that people
do crazy things and ignore obvious signs due to grief or love. If I had to
guess, I’d say
Elody
had a hard time after she lost
her mother. Jay nudged a foot into that crack in her emotions and worked his
way in without her realizing what was happening,” I said. I thought about Shari
and how crazed she became after her husband died.

“You’re right. Let’s talk about something a little
less dark. I don’t want all this negative talk to ruin the risotto Anthony’s
bringing.” The Senator nodded his chin towards Anthony as he set a steaming
dish of risotto and shrimp in the table.

“Let’s eat. I’ve heard the way to a woman’s heart is
through her stomach, and I aim to see if it’s true or not,” Anthony joked as he
settled himself in the chair next to me.

“If all the food you make is this good, you’ve got
yourself a deal!” I said lightly. “You are an amazing chef.”

I shook off the dark thoughts of a moment ago. The
night crept across the lake, and stars appeared in the darkening sky. I relaxed
a little as the talk turned to stories of campaigns and political blunders. I
pushed aside all thoughts of Clint’s distance and
Elody’s
murder.

After dinner, Richard took me inside to show me
one of
Elody’s
paintings. It was a portrait of
a  blonde woman with deep, blue eyes and a friendly face. “Was this your
wife?” I asked him.

“Yes, this is my beautiful Patsy. She was the most
down-to-earth, warm-hearted woman I’ve ever met. I had twenty-five years with
her and I would do anything to be able to spend even one more moment with her.”

“She was beautiful,” I murmured. I looked closely
at the painting. “
Elody
had considerable talent. This
portrait is so lifelike.”

“It’s the brush strokes. If you look, you can see
Elody
had a unique way of layering the paint with short,
precise brush strokes. When she was ten and her talent first emerged, she spent
a summer studying with an amazing teacher in Japan. His technique was different
from most painters.
Elody
learned from a true
master,” Richard said.

“I’m sorry I never met your daughter. I have a
feeling I would have liked her.”

“And she would have liked you, too,
Phee
,” Richard said sadly.