A Midwinter's Tail

4

I saw Ric exchange a look with the two other paramedics. They knew it, too: Dayna Chapman was dead. Still, they continued CPR, got her onto a stretcher and loaded her into the ambulance. Everyone had been silent for the most part, but now people started talking again.

Marcus walked over to me. “Are you all right?” he said softly.

I nodded without speaking.

“I’m sorry, Kathleen,” he continued. “The party’s over. I need to find out what happened and then send people home.”

“It’s all right,” I said. As important as the Reading Buddies program was, this mattered more.

Brady Chapman came up to us. He was wearing a gray suit with a lavender shirt and a darker purple tie. If he was worried at all about his mother, it didn’t show. I wondered if he even realized she was dead. “Larry Taylor is at the front door and Harry is at the stage door. What can I do?”

“It’s okay,” Marcus said. “You can go ahead and leave for the hospital.”

Brady shook his head. “I’m fine. What can I do?”

Marcus studied him for a moment. Then he loosened his tie. “Go to the hospital,” he repeated.

Brady didn’t say anything, but the muscles in his jaw tightened. I saw Maggie briefly touch his hand. “Go,” she said softly.

Brady’s mouth moved but he didn’t say anything. He just glanced at Maggie and headed across the stage.

“If we give everyone coffee or tea, it will give them something to do while they wait,” Maggie said to Marcus. “Is that all right?”

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

She looked at me.

“I’m fine, Mags,” I said. “I’ll get some people to help you.”

I scanned the crowd. Mia was standing by Eric and Susan. I beckoned to her.

She made her way over to me, arms folded tightly over her chest. “Kathleen, is that woman going to be okay?” she asked.

“Let’s hold a good thought for her,” I said, hoping I sounded reassuring. There didn’t seem to be any point in saying that I was pretty sure Dayna Chapman was dead. “It’s going to be a while before people can leave. Could you start finding out what people would like—tea, coffee, water, anything—and take it to them?”

Mia nodded. “Sure.”

“Thanks,” I said.

Ella and Taylor King were down on the auditorium floor. I put a hand on Marcus’s back. He half turned and gave me a tight smile.

“I’m just going to get Taylor and Ella to help with coffee,” I said. “Do you need anything from me?”

“Not right now,” he said.

I could see Derek Craig, with a pen and a ringed notebook I was guessing had probably come from Abigail, already taking people’s names and numbers.

Marcus swiped a hand over his chin. “I’m sorry about this. You put in so much work for tonight.”

I slid my hand up to his shoulder. “It’s okay,” I said. “We’ll figure something out.”

He moved a step closer to me and lowered his voice. “It looked like she had some kind of allergic reaction.”

I looked at one of the tiny book-shaped boxes of chocolates, discarded on the edge of a table. “I heard Burtis say Dana was allergic to pistachios.”

Just then there were raised voices behind us. We both turned around to see what was going on.

Olivia Ramsey was standing in front of Burtis. She was in her early twenties, tiny, no more than five feet without her heels. Her hands were pulled into tight fists and her face was flushed with anger.

“And I’m telling you there weren’t any pistachio nuts in any of my chocolates,” she said hotly, her voice rising with each word. “I know about nut allergies. I have a reaction to cashew nuts. There weren’t any pistachios in my chocolates! There weren’t any nuts anywhere in my kitchen!”

Burtis held up one of his huge hands. “Look,” he said, his voice still edged with emotion. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I don’t know what happened yet and neither do you.” He gestured at Marcus. “Let the police figure out what the hell happened.”

“Whatever happened wasn’t my fault,” Olivia insisted.

Dayna’s box of truffles was on the floor, one chocolate still inside and intact despite all the uproar. Before anyone could stop her, Olivia bent down, picked it up and took a bite. “See?” She all but spit the word at Burtis.

Then something in her face changed. Her eyes widened and hives began to rise on her hand and her neck as her breathing took on a strained, raspy sound.

Olivia’s right hand flailed in the direction of a small red satin purse lying on the table beside her. She knocked it to the floor and it skidded across the smooth wood.

Everett’s granddaughter, Ami, was allergic to poppy seeds—just like her grandfather. Ever since she’d learned about the allergy, which had landed her in the emergency room, Ami had carried an autoinjector of epinephrine in her purse.

I grabbed Olivia’s bag, yanked the zipper open and rifled through her things. Marcus and Ric Holm already had Olivia on the floor.

The autoinjector was in a zippered compartment at the back of the purse. I pulled it out and handed it to Ric. Olivia’s right hand and neck were covered in raised red welts now and I could see how much work it was taking just for her to breathe. She flinched as Ric jammed the needle into her leg.

The effect of the epinephrine was rapid. By the time the ambulance arrived for the second time, Olivia was breathing a lot easier.

Ric came to stand next to me as Olivia was wheeled out of the building. “Nice reaction, getting that EpiPen,” he said. He undid the knot on his loosened tie and let the two ends hang free.

“Is she going to be all right?” I asked.

He pulled a hand back over his neck. “I think so,” he said. “Her reaction wasn’t as strong. I heard her say she has an allergy to cashews. Sometimes there’s a cross reaction to other nuts.” He looked around the room. “No offense, Kathleen, but worst fundraiser ever.” He gave me a half smile. “I should give Marcus a hand.”

Marcus and Derek Craig already had their heads together. I wasn’t sure if anyone would want a cup of coffee now, but it didn’t hurt to at least try. I slipped down to Ella and Taylor.

“Is there anything we can do?” Ella asked.

“There is,” I said, rubbing my aching wrist again. “Could you give Peggy a hand with the coffee and the tea? And maybe Taylor could help Mia find out what people would like?”

“I can do that,” Taylor said immediately.

Ella nodded. “Do you think Olivia and the other woman will be all right?”

“Let’s hope for the best,” I said.

I turned around to survey the stage. Ric had a large black garbage bag and he was collecting all the boxes of chocolates. Derek was still collecting contact information.

Marcus had discarded his suit jacket. He was on his cell phone, probably talking to the station. I could see Maggie moving between tables, quietly reassuring people. I should be doing the same, I realized.

It was close to an hour before the majority of the people were gone. I reached back and pulled the pins from my hair and gave my head a shake. My feet hurt and my shoulders ached.

Rebecca came over to me. She and Everett had stayed, talking to people, trying to do a little damage control.

“How are you?” she asked, giving me a half smile filled with warmth.

“I’m all right,” I said, pulling out a stray bobby pin. “You and Everett didn’t have to stay, but it helped. Thank you.”

She reached out and laid her hand against my cheek for a moment. “I’m sorry this happened, Kathleen.”

I swallowed hard. “I just hope Olivia is all right,” I said.

Rebecca nodded. “I do, too, dear.” If she’d noticed that I hadn’t said anything about Dayna, she let it pass.

“Everett and I are going to leave now, unless there’s anything else we could do for you.” She looked over her shoulder to where Everett was standing, talking to Vincent Starr. “We’re taking Vincent over to the St. James for a nightcap.”

“Thank you,” I said. I’d talked to Vincent, briefly. He’d been very gracious. “Would you tell Everett I’ll call him in the morning? We need to work on a plan for refunding everyone’s money.”

Rebecca sighed softly. “Do you really think that’s necessary?”

“Absolutely. People paid for a full night of desserts and jazz, not this. I can’t keep their money.”

“I’ll tell him.” She leaned over and gave me a hug. “Things will work out, Kathleen,” she said.

I nodded. I didn’t want to think about what kind of setback this was for the Reading Buddies program right now. The morning would be soon enough. I gave Rebecca a smile I didn’t really feel. “I’ll see you tomorrow night,” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course,” she said. “How could I forget?” She gave my arm one last squeeze and walked back over to Everett.

I watched them leave, and then I walked over to Marcus. His tie was askew, his sleeves were rolled back and he’d raked his hands through his hair at least half a dozen times in the past hour.

“Hey, you must be tired.” He managed a small smile.

“I wouldn’t mind taking these shoes off,” I said. I wasn’t used to spending so much time in high heels.

“You still look beautiful,” he said in a low voice.

I smiled at him and mouthed a thank-you.

“I’m going to be a while.”

I knew I couldn’t walk up the hill in those heels on the snowy sidewalks. “That’s okay,” I said. “I’ll get a ride with someone.”

“How about me?” Maggie said from behind me.

I turned around. “You don’t mind?” I asked.

She shook her head and then held up a small cardboard box. “Georgia gave me some cupcakes.”

I would have said I wasn’t hungry, but then my stomach growled loudly and I realized I was.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Maggie said.

I nodded. “Yes.” I looked at Marcus. “Call me when you’re done. I don’t care how late it is.”

“I will,” he said. He looked at Maggie. “Thanks.”

She nodded and put an arm around my shoulders. We got our coats from the coatroom and Oren let us out the front doors.

“I’m sorry about . . . everything, Kathleen,” he said.

I pulled the collar of my coat up around my face. “Me too.”

It was bitingly cold outside. The clouds were rolling in over the water. That usually meant snow. I ran my gloved hand over my wrist. Once again it seemed to be right about the weather.

Maggie’s Bug was in the parking lot. She brushed away a bit of snow that had blown onto the windshield, and then we both got in.

I leaned back against the seat, shut my eyes and exhaled loudly. Then I opened them again and turned my head to look at Maggie.

“I’m sorry, Mags,” I said.

She frowned. “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“You and Ruby did such a wonderful job and people barely had time to enjoy all your work.”

“What happened to Dayna Chapman—and Olivia—was a terrible accident, Kath,” she said, sticking the key in the ignition. “That’s all.”

She backed out of the parking spot and turned around in the almost empty lot. “Did I ever tell you that I was on the decorating committee for the homecoming dance in high school? It was the first time I ever decorated anything.”

“No,” I said.

“At least tonight no one threw up over the bridge all over a palm tree.”

“Stop trying to make me laugh,” I said, even as I was doing it.

She grinned and shot me a sideways look as she pulled out of the lot. “Reading Buddies is a great program,” she said. “We’ll find some other way to get the money you need. Maybe you can get another grant.”

The reading program had started with a grant. Maybe there was some money I’d missed, something else we could apply for.

“Dayna Chapman’s dead, isn’t she?” Maggie asked, her eyes glued to the road.

“I think so,” I said.

“May she be welcomed by the light,” Mags said softly.

“Do you think Olivia will be all right?” she asked after a moment.

I rolled my head slowly from one shoulder to the other, trying to work the knots out of my neck. “I think so. Her reaction seemed less severe than Dayna’s.”

“Was it Olivia’s chocolates?” Maggie asked as we turned up Mountain Road.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I know it looks that way, but it could have been anything Dayna ate at the theater—or maybe something she’d brought with her.”

Maggie sighed softly. “I feel bad for Brady and his brothers—and for Burtis.”

“What’s going on with you and Brady?” I asked. I remembered how Brady had looked at Maggie after Marcus told him to go to the hospital. And how she’d brushed his hand when she urged him to go.

“We’re just friends,” Maggie said as she pulled into my driveway. She looked over at me as she turned off the engine. “Really. That’s all it is.”

I got out of the car and we started around the side of the house. “I didn’t know you and Brady knew each other,” I said.

“He did some legal work for Ruby. Then he offered to look at the paperwork for the co-op’s grant application.”

Maggie had applied for and gotten a grant to start an artist-in-residence program at the artists’ co-op store.

I unlocked the back door and she followed me into the porch. “We’ve had lunch a couple of times, but that’s it. There’s nothing going on.”

I’d seen how they looked at each other. There was definitely something happening between Maggie and Brady Chapman, even if they couldn’t see it or admit it yet.

We stepped into the kitchen and discovered Owen waiting just inside the door.

“Hey, Fuzz Face,” Maggie said, leaning down to him, hands in her pockets. Owen’s golden eyes narrowed as he looked up at her and he began to purr.

Owen adored Maggie. He would have been the perfect guy for her, if he’d been a person instead of a small gray cat.

I stepped out of my heels and tossed my coat and scarf over the back of a chair. While Maggie talked to Owen I washed my hands and started hot chocolate for both of us.

Hercules wandered in from whatever he’d been doing. He looked at Maggie and Owen and then looked at me and his expression seemed just a bit amused.

I leaned down to scratch the top of his head. “How was your night?” He gave a small “murp” that I knew meant “fine.” Then he tipped his head and studied me for a moment before meowing softly.

“Long story,” I said quietly as I straightened up. “I’ll tell you later.”

I got a plate for the cupcakes, put our cocoa on the table and sat down. Maggie peeled off her coat and took the chair opposite me, her furry boyfriend sitting adoringly at her feet.

I reached for a Death by Chocolate cupcake. I could see the irony, but I was tired and not eating a cupcake wasn’t going to change what had happened.

“Ruby and I will get everything cleaned up in the morning,” Maggie said, peeling the paper liner off her Maple Crème cupcake.

“You don’t have to do that, Mags,” I said.

She smiled. “I know that, but it’s okay. I have my own little cleanup crew already put together.”

I smiled back at her across the table. “What would I do without you?”

“Merow!” Owen seconded his agreement loudly from his station by her chair.

Maggie laughed, and I felt some of the tension in my shoulders begin to melt away. “Well, lucky for you”—she leaned down to make a smiley face at the cat—“and you, since the new contract with the library board has been signed, neither one of you will be finding out anytime soon.”

It had taken me a long time to decide whether or not to continue as head librarian here in Mayville Heights or go back to the life I’d left behind in Boston. I’d been originally hired on a short-term contract to supervise the renovations to the library for its centennial. Maggie hadn’t exactly been silent or subtle about what she thought I should do. In the end, I’d decided to stay because the little town had become my home. Maggie was here, and Roma and Rebecca, the Taylors and Susan and Eric.

Marcus was here.

I’d discovered that I didn’t need to go home. I already was home.

“We’re still going out to Wisteria Hill on Saturday to help Roma paint, aren’t we?” Maggie asked, breaking her cupcake into three pieces. She moved her hand casually down to her side and dropped a tiny bite of her cupcake on the floor for Owen.

I should have objected—Roma had been very clear about not feeding things like that to the boys—but Owen had sniffed the bit of cake and starting licking the frosting before I opened my mouth.

“As far as I know, that’s what Roma’s planning,” I said. “Eddie’s on the road.”

Roma’s boyfriend, Eddie, aka Crazy Eddie Sweeney, played for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.

Maggie licked a dab of maple icing from the side of her thumb. “So, the three of us can put our heads together while we’re working and come up with another way to keep the Reading Buddies program going.”

Mags and Roma had helped me work out the details for the fundraiser at this table, I remembered, over a Crock-Pot of beef stew and dumplings, with a furry four-legged Greek chorus in the background.

“All right,” I said, leaning back in my chair, my hands wrapped around the warmth of my mug of hot chocolate. “But the dunking booth is still off the table.”

Maggie looked down at Owen again, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, but that was our best idea, wasn’t it, Fuzz Face?” she said.

“Meow!” he said, again with great enthusiasm.

Hercules rubbed against my leg. I lifted him up onto my lap.

“They think they’re funny,” I said. He made a face, which as far as I was concerned meant he disagreed.

Hercules leaned back against my chest and I stroked his fur with one hand and held my hot chocolate with the other.

I knew Maggie and Roma would help me figure out how to find the money to keep the reading program going. And I also knew that Marcus would figure out what Dayna had eaten that had caused that allergic reaction. Maybe it hadn’t been the chocolate truffles. Maybe it hadn’t been something at the reception at all. Olivia had been adamant that there were no nuts in her chocolates.

I still felt unsettled, though. I couldn’t banish the image of Dayna struggling to breathe, lips rimmed with blue, wheezing and gasping and trying to tell me how much she wanted to live. I couldn’t help wondering why she’d been at the party and why she’d come back to Mayville Heights at all.