Whisker Of Evil

42

I wondered when you would show up.” Amy Wade smiled, her light-brown eyes merry. “I thought you were mad at me.”

Izzy Stoltfus usually worked Saturday mornings, but she was so undone by Jerome’s murder she had taken a leave of absence. Amy Wade filled in while Pug Harper frantically searched for a permanent Saturday employee.

“No. Just busy and thinking.” Harry was so used to taking her mail home, she’d forgotten her mailbox key ring. “Forgot my key. Will you hand me my mail?”

“You know, there’s a rule that we’re not supposed to do that, but it sure seems silly here in Crozet.” She slipped her hand into Harry’s mailbox, retrieving mail and magazines.

“Mom, your key is with your truck keys,” Mrs. Murphy reminded her, wondering if Harry would run out in the rain to fetch it should she remember in the first place.

Tavener, Alicia, and Aunt Tally all came in together.

“Hey!” Tavener beamed at Harry. “It’s not the same without you.” He quickly spoke to Amy. “But you’re doing a good job.”

“Harry left big sneakers to fill.” Amy smiled.

“Has Miranda been in at all?” Aunt Tally shook her umbrella as it continued to rain, soaking and steady.

“To pick up her mail and chat,” Amy answered.

“Bills.” Tavener grimaced.

“Where’s Herb?” Harry inquired. “I haven’t seen him for two days.”

“Buying a new refrigerator,” Amy informed her. “He’s paralyzed by the options.”

“They’re as expensive as an old Datsun.” Aunt Tally giggled as she tossed her junk mail in the trash.

“Don’t forget, we’re planning a big do for July seventeenth. It’s Herb’s thirtieth anniversary.” Harry suffered a moment of panic because she hadn’t yet contacted a band and the good ones booked far in advance.

“He came to St. Luke’s just as I left for Los Angeles.” Alicia knew little of the Reverend Jones but liked what she did know.

“Alicia, those were sad circumstances, made all the more dolorous by your vacating central Virginia.” Tavener propped one elbow on the counter. “Just think of the trouble we could have roused up had you stayed.”

“There’s still time!” Aunt Tally cracked.

“Miranda!” The cats and dog ran to Miranda, who entered through the front door.

“My little animals.” She knelt down for hugs and kisses.

“Where’s your beau?” Tavener liked Tracy Raz.

“My beau has been traveling throughout the South. Today he’s in Nashville.”

“Why?”

“Visiting friends. His expressed reason is he wants to look at small-town development.”

“Nashville isn’t a small town.” Tavener laughed.

“No, but he wants to study Franklin, Tennessee. Tracy has this wonderful vision for Crozet. Ever since he bought the old bank building he’s wanted to create a town square and who knows what else. I’ll be glad when he returns.”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Alicia said.

“Bull. Absence makes the eye wander.” Aunt Tally rapped her cane on the floor for emphasis.

The door pushed open. Toby from Carmen’s salon, Shear Heaven, said with a wrinkled brow, “We don’t know where Carmen is. I called her sister for a phone number in Bermuda, because we’re almost out of shampoo, and her sister said they had no relatives in Bermuda. Where’s Carmen?”

Aunt Tally rapped her cane on the floor. “Hiding out. She knows more than she’s telling.”

Tavener put his arm around Toby’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. Carmen is just having one of her bad hair days.” He smiled at his little joke, then turned his attention to Aunt Tally. “What could Carmen possibly know?”

“She spent a lot of time out at St. James, Tavener. She’s not a dumb girl. She might have picked something up, listened to the boys and just put two and two together.”

Tavener laughed. He didn’t want to offend the nonagenarian, but he said, “With all due respect, she’s off on a toot or she’s found a hot date. We’re all a little on edge. Much as I loathed Jerome, his death was a shock. Like I said, we’re all on edge, but Carmen has nothing to worry about.”

Aunt Tally simply replied, “I hope you’re right.”