“The one that Wiggins' neighbor thought he saw Veronica driving?”
“Yes. We saw Veronica’s best friend, Ramona, driving one today at the funeral home.” Lexy shoveled a pickle, piece of the bun and a piece of the burger onto her fork, balancing it precariously on the way to her mouth.
Jack pressed his lips together. “Maybe Veronica borrowed it that day … or it could have been Ramona that had the fight with Stuart.”
“I hadn’t thought about that. But now that you mention it, Ramona and Veronica do look kind of alike. They have the same hair color and style.”
“You might want to dig around and see how well Ramona and Stuart got along,” Jack said.
Lexy made a face. “Well, I won’t be asking Ramona. She practically punched me out at the wake and then almost ran us over with her car.”
Jack took a sip of beer. “Well, it certainly is a perplexing case.”
“Yeah, and I feel like
I’m
Davies best suspect. If
you’re
perplexed, then imagine how she must feel.” Lexy pushed the rest of her burger away. “That’s why I need to be on top of this investigation with Nans and the ladies … and I need dessert.”
Jack laughed. “The usual?”
Lexy nodded. They always split a piece of double chocolate cake. Jack signaled the waitress and put in the order asking for an extra plate and fork.
“So how is the investigation going with Nans? Do you have any leads?”
Lexy made a face. “Not really. We have a few more things to check on. We did discover that Philippe had a large sum of money deposited to his personal bank account a while back. I’m not sure if Davies knows that, and I don’t want to tell her because I have a sneaky suspicion Ruth doesn’t exactly follow all the usual legal channels to get that sort of information.”
“That could be important to the case … sounds like Philippe might have been involved in something.” Jack paused as the waitress brought the cake over. “Maybe the killer was really after
him
and Veronica just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Yeah, but then who shot Stuart?” Lexy plunged her fork into the gooey dessert, careful to get a good amount of frosting along with the moist cake.
“Good question.” Jack sat back in his seat and watched Lexy polish off the rest of the cake. “I’m sure Nans and the ladies will come up with something. In the meantime, let’s keep each other posted about anything new that crops up. I may not be officially on the case, but I still have some influence at the police department.”
“Sounds good.” Lexy smiled. She felt a lot more confident about the police finding the real killer now that she knew Jack had his eye on the case. “I just hope things get settled before this weekend, or we may be getting married in a jail cell.”
Jack laughed as he stood and threw some money on the table for the bill. “I don’t think things are that bad. I’m sure Davies doesn’t really suspect you.”
Lexy raised a brow at him as they walked toward the door. Judging by what Davies had said to her in the funeral home, she was at the top of the list.
Outside, it was a typical fall night with a bright full moon and a crisp chill in the air. Leaves crunched under their feet as they walked to their cars. Lexy shivered, rubbing her bare arms to generate warmth.
“Are you cold?” Jack put his arm around her and she snuggled into the warmth of his body.
“Yeah. This sleeveless shirt seemed like a good idea in the afternoon when it was eighty degrees. I didn’t know I was going to be out after dark.” Lexy laughed. Then her voice turned serious. “Plus I’m a little nervous about going back to my house, what with the break-in last night and all.”
Jack stopped at her car door and turned her to face him. “I figured you might be, so I’m going to follow you home and come inside with you. I want to make sure the house is secure and you feel safe.”
Lexy’s heart flooded with warmth. “Thanks.”
Jack traced her bottom lip with his thumb and Lexy felt a flurry of tingles in her belly. Her pulse skittered as he lowered his head, his lips brushing against hers—gently at first and then deeper, more insistent. Just when she thought her knees would turn to jelly, he broke the kiss.
“And, if you don’t feel safe there by yourself tonight, I’ll be more than happy to stay,” he said with a knowing smile as he reached behind her to open the car door.
Chapter Seventeen
Lexy dreamed she was on the beach. The ocean made soothing lapping sounds on the sugar white sand as the sun warmed her back. She rolled over to face Jack who was lying on the blanket beside her, his muscular body tanned from lazy days lying in the tropical sun.
Jack smiled at her, playfully pushing the side of her yellow bikini bottom down on her hip just a quarter inch to reveal her tan line.
“I’d like to see more of these tan lines,” he said.
Lexy was just about to reply with a “yes” when she heard her mother yelling from further down the beach.
“Lexy … Yoo-hoo. Time to get up!”
Get up? Lexy looked down the beach, her mood deflating when she saw her mother hurrying toward them dragging a wheeled cart stacked with a cooler, blankets and beach towels.
“Leeexxyy!”
Lexy jerked awake. She wasn’t on the beach, but Jack
was
beside her. And her mother really was yelling.
She jumped out of the bed and ran to the window. Vera was standing in the front yard, hand shading her eyes as she peered up at the house.
“Yoo-hoo!” Vera waved, shouting loud enough to wake up the neighbors.
Lexy pushed the window open. “Just a minute Mom, I’ll be right down to let you in.”
She turned in a panic toward Jack who was sitting up in the bed. “You have to get out of here, my mom’s coming in.”
Jack laughed as he pushed the covers aside and stood. Lexy would have normally taken that opportunity to admire his muscular body but the close proximity of her naked fiancé to her mother outside the door made her panic.
“Lexy, we’re getting married in two days, I’m sure your mother knows that we …” He gestured toward the bed, which was rumpled from the night’s activities.
Lexy picked up his clothes that were heaped in a pile on the floor and shoved them at him. “Just put these on and go out the back door. I’ll call you later.”
She ran to her bureau and picked out the first sweatshirt and sweatpants she could find, threw them on, and then ran downstairs pushing Jack in front of her.
He took a left into the kitchen while Lexy raced over to the front door, waiting until she heard the sound of the kitchen door shutting in the back before she opened it.
“What brings you out so early, Mom?” Lexy stared at her mother whose bright yellow sweat suite was only partially obscured by the mounds of satin and lace she had piled up in her arms. Lexy thought she recognized her wedding dress, along with a bright fuchsia silk fabric that she prayed her mother hadn’t decided to embellish her dress with.
“It’s such a beautiful day.” Vera practically sang as she looked up at the sky. “Blue skies, and look at the trees! They’ll be a gorgeous backdrop for your wedding pictures.”
Lexy poked her head outside. There was still an early morning chill in the air, but the scenery was worth it. It was peak foliage season and the trees made a breathtaking display with their red, yellow and orange leaves. It
was
going to make a perfect backdrop for her wedding pictures … exactly as she planned. She just hoped Davies didn’t haul her off in handcuffs before she got to the wedding.
“It’s gorgeous,” Lexy said looking back at the pile of fabric in her mother’s hand. “What have you got there?”
“I brought over your wedding dress for a fitting and I wanted to show off the dress I’m going to wear. I made it special for the occasion.” Vera beamed with pride.
Lexy pushed the door wide. “Well, then come on in.”
Vera laid the dresses carefully on Lexy’s sofa. “I have your dress almost finished, but I only basted in the stitching. I’ll fit it to you today, and do the final stitching tonight. It will be finished tomorrow!”
“Perfect.” Lexy admired the dress, thankfully, her mother hadn’t added any garish embellishments—it was exactly as she had designed it.
“Should we go upstairs?” Vera looked at the big picture window. “I’m not sure you want everyone looking in while you are half-dressed.”
Lexy pictured the rumpled bed in her room. “I’ll just run up and make the bed—why don’t you make us a couple of teas in the kitchen and come right up?”
“Good idea.” Vera bustled off toward the kitchen and Lexy picked up the dresses and ran upstairs. She was just tightening the comforter under the pillows when Vera joined her with two steaming mugs of tea.
Lexy laid the dresses out on the bed. Her mother’s was a gorgeous color, but Lexy couldn’t make out the style. It looked like it had an oversized collar and a full skirt.
“Your dress is so pretty, Mom. Why don’t you try it on first and then we’ll get to work on mine.”
“Okay.” Vera handed Lexy the mugs of tea and picked up her dress with the enthusiasm of a schoolgirl trying on a prom dress. “I’ll just be right back.”
Lexy put Vera’s mug on the bureau and sat on the bed while she sipped her tea. After a few minutes, Vera emerged from the bathroom in a whirl of pink. The gown was vintage Vera—bright in color and a little offbeat in style. It had a mid-calf length full skirt that was shorter in the front and longer in the back. The waist and bust were tightly fitted. Cap sleeves covered her shoulders and an over exaggerated collar fanned around the back of her head, sticking stiffly up about six inches like something from the Elizabethan times. It was an odd gown, but somehow on Vera, it worked.
“That looks gorgeous, Mom,” Lexy said. “You made that?”
“Yep.” Vera twirled around to show off the dress, snuck a peak at herself in Lexy’s full-length mirror then clapped her hands together. “Okay, enough about me. Put your dress on while I change out of this. Be careful—don’t pull on the seams, they’re only basted.”
Vera disappeared back into the bathroom and Lexy took off her sweat suit then slipped into the gown. Standing in front of the mirror, she admired the gorgeous beading and rhinestones. Smoothing it across her midsection, she noticed it wasn’t quite as tight—and the bust seemed to fit better. Maybe the dress being ripped was a blessing in disguise, her mother had done a great job with the alterations and now it was a perfect fit.
Vera came back out in the yellow sweat suit, her fuchsia dress hanging over her arm. “Oh that looks gorgeous on you.” Mother and daughter smiled at each other in the mirror and Lexy’s heart warmed. Vera might be a little unusual, but Lexy loved her.
“Okay,” Vera said producing a sewing kit out of the middle pocket of her hoodie. “Stand still and I’ll make sure it’s just perfect.
Lexy did as she was told while Vera tugged and pulled at the dress. Vera nodded, then opened the sewing kit and took out some long pins. Lexy held her breath, waiting to get stuck.
“So, tell me about this whole murder business with your dressmaker,” Vera mumbled around the pins she was holding between her lips. “Are you somehow involved?”
“Oh that?” Lexy said. “I’m not really
involved,
but he did design the dress. I was supposed to talk to him about repairing the tears in the dress that night … the night he was killed.”
Vera stood back and frowned at Lexy. “Just how
did
the dress get ripped, anyway?”
Lexy’s cheeks burned. “I kind of got into a fight with another bride whose dress was similar.”
Vera took the last pin out of her mouth and burst out laughing. “You did? I can’t picture that—seems like something Nans would do though, maybe you’re starting to take after her.”
Vera walked behind Lexy and did more pulling and tugging, then reached for more pins. “So, if you’re not involved in it, then why did someone break in here?”
“I don’t know. For all we know that wasn’t even related,” Lexy said. “It could have just been a random break in”
Vera pulled the dress tight and stuck in a pin, almost jabbing Lexy. “Well, I think I know who did it anyway.”
Lexy twisted around to look at her mother. “You do?”
“Yep. Last night we had dinner with the Stottlemeyer’s. And Philippe’s seamstress, Millie, is Georgia’s aunt.”
Lexy raised a brow at her mother. “And?”
“She said that Millie has been acting very strange for a month or so now,” Vera said.
“Strange, how?”
“Evasive … Nervous. That’s exactly how someone who is up to no good acts. And they said she’s not normally like that at all.” Vera put in the last pin and stood back to inspect the dress. “I’d bet my right eye tooth she’s got something to do with the murders.”
Chapter Eighteen
“So, should we move Millie over to the suspects list?” Ruth stood in front of the whiteboard, her blue marker poised to write. Lexy looked at Nans—she wasn’t sure how reliable Vera’s information was.
“Well, she
was
acting very strange when Lexy, Ida and I saw her at
Chez Philippe
,” Nans said. “We might as well put her under the suspects and make a note to question her again.”
“We can cross Wiggins off. He was killed first, so he couldn’t have killed the others,” Lexy added.
“And since they were all killed with the same gun, the killer probably wasn’t Veronica.” Ida leaned against the entry from the dining room to the living room with a mug of coffee in her hand.”
“Unless she killed Wiggins then someone took the gun from her and killed her and Philippe,” Helen added.
Nans pressed her lips together. “I suppose that’s possible, but since she’s dead we can’t question her. That leaves Millie, Ramona and Eddie.”
“Ramona sure did act strange at the wake,” Ida said.
“Well, that could have just been because she hates me. But I do have to admit I wouldn’t feel too bad if she were the killer.” Lexy chewed on her bottom lip. “In fact, that Eddie guy seemed to imply that she was up to something.”