Dying For Dinner Rolls Part 2

She turned her cell phone toward me. The walls were decorated with picture frames holding black-and-white photos. A white leather sofa with turquoise and tan throw pillows sat atop a block-print rug. A gorgeous blue and white vase with yellow roses, a stack of books, and a few other tasteful knickknacks adorned the oversized white shabby chic square coffee table.

"Very artsy," I said.

"I'm telling you, after all these years decorating clients' homes, it sure is nice to finally have time to focus on my own." Lucy stirred Splenda into her iced tea.

"I bet." Then I noticed a large bandage wrapped around her right hand. "What happened?"

She put her phone back in her purse. "Burned myself taking out the pie. It's no big deal, really, other than now it's a little difficult to grab things with it. It's fine; I dabbed a little aloe on it."

"Good."

"Oh, before I forget, that same box ended up containing five adorable dinner plates with the vase. Anyway, one of the plates was wrapped in the newspaper crossword puzzle page. Some of the s.p.a.ces were filled in with purple ink and the words *Your next.' This was not only misspelled, but also not the correct answer to fourteen down."

It felt like a metal wrecking ball collided with my stomach. "Do you think the message was meant for you?"

"No way. I have no enemies. Besides, everything was already wrapped in the box before I even bought it. So it's not like anyone even knew that I'd be the one buying the box." Lucy shook her head. "Just saying, it may have nothing to do with that night, but I knew you'd want to know."

"Thanks." Was it pure coincidence or another clue to help solve my dad's death? My gut twisted as a chill ran down my spine.

"I brought it here." Lucy pulled the paper out of her large, multicolored, quilted handbag and gave it to me. "Should we show Jose?"

I held the paper as though it were dusted with a.r.s.enic. It was dated a week ago. My insides twisted. Could the same person who killed my father have done the crossword?

As if on cue, Jose entered the room. "Sorry, I had to take that call."

We got Jose up to speed on our conversation. I handed him the newspaper.

"Cat, I know why this worries you." Jose looked me in the eye. "I'll try to make a few calls and see what I can find out."

"Thanks." I felt my eyes well up.

Jose put his hand on my shoulder. "You know I'll help you for as long as it takes to find an answer that'll give you closure."

"You're a good man, Jose. Let me give you some sugar."

He leaned down to meet me as I gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Still doesn't do anything for me, but thanks." Jose smirked.

I pointed to the paper in his hand. "Maybe this is finally the break I need."

Lucy held up her tea gla.s.s. "Here's to you finding an answer, and here's to me finding ways to keep sane while Bert's retired."

"Cheers." I clinked my gla.s.s to hers.

Bezu entered the dining room, Annie Mae at her heels. "Pardon my interruption, but I'm afraid dinner is a little delayed. My oven has been acting up. I've underestimated the time it takes to cook the vegetables. They still need about a half hour."

Annie Mae set down a gla.s.s bowl full of salad on the table. "Have some salad while we wait."

Bezu placed two bottles of dressing and wood tongs next to the salad.

"Before I forget, these are for you Annie Mae." Lucy offered Annie Mae the bag of peaches.

"Thank you. You're always so thoughtful." Annie Mae held the bag. "I hope that you didn't go out of your way to get these."

"Nope," Lucy said.

"I've been busier than a moth in a mitten." Bezu began to pace. "I thought I had some fresh bread to serve with our meal, but I can't find it. I feel like the most incompetent hostess."

"I told her we don't need any bread, but you know how Bezu gets when she's stuck on a thought." Annie Mae turned up her hands.

"I have some fresh dinner rolls I just got today. Let me scamper home and get them." Lucy stood and slung her purse over her shoulder. "I'll be back in a few minutes. By then, supper will be ready."

"No, don't bother yourself," Annie Mae said.

"Yes, please don't," Bezu added.

"I absolutely insist." Lucy walked to the door. "I'll be back before you know it."

"That is so very kind of you," Bezu said.

"I'll go with you," Jose offered.

"Me, too," I added.

Lucy held her keys in her hand. "No. No. Don't be silly. I'll be back in a flash." Lucy blew us air kisses and left.

"What a sweetie, huh?" Bezu uncorked a bottle of red wine.

"She's one of a kind, that's for sure." I also hoped that the crossword puzzle Lucy found was one of a kind and not related to anyone else's death. Yet, the hairs on my arms stood on end.

Chapter Three.

Thirty minutes pa.s.sed, and Lucy had not returned. Several times, we tried phoning her, but the call went directly to her voice mail.

I looked at my cell. Still no missed texts from Lucy. The crossword puzzle with purple ink really bothered me. Paranoia drenched my thoughts to the point where I had to do something. "I need to go to Lucy's house."

"Cat, she probably got caught up in something and forgot about the time." Annie Mae put her hand up. "And dinner is ready."

"I'm sure she'll be here any minute." Bezu fidgeted with her pearl necklace. "However, it's unlike Lucy not to answer her phone."

Looking out the window at Forsyth Park, I hoped to see Lucy heading up the walkway. A few joggers ran by, followed by a couple pushing a baby in a stroller. "I have to see what's going on and if she's okay."

Annie Mae huffed. "You're being fearful for no reason."

"Maybe." I turned on my heels. "But I'm going to her house."

"I'll come, too." Jose stood. "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

"What about dinner?" Annie Mae asked.

"It's not good manners to eat without everyone here. I'm joining y'all, too," Bezu said.

"You're going to find her in the middle of a project she got caught up in and lost track of time. You know how she sees something out of place, and next thing you know, she's redecorated the whole room." Annie Mae made a circular motion with her finger.

"If that's the case, then we can speed her along and get her back here so we can have dinner." I grabbed my purse, feeling a little sick to my stomach. I worried enough for a hundred people. Yet I didn't know how to stop my spiraling thoughts filled with doom.

"Fine, then. I'll go as well, since Bezu said we can't eat without Lucy." Annie Mae stood.

Bezu turned off the oven, and Annie Mae put the salad back in the refrigerator. Jose wrote a note and put it on the front door, just in case Lucy showed at the house.

The four of us walked along the tree-lined sidewalk in Forsyth Park, over to Lucy's house. The hot air coated my skin in a blanket of thick moisture. Spanish moss hung like cotton candy from the live oaks on either side of the path. Draping tree branches provided a canopy of shade from the late afternoon sun. We walked around puddles from recent rains.

"Why the h.e.l.l did we decide to walk?" Annie Mae sputtered as she gasped for breath. "I sure as h.e.l.l did not get my PhD and work all those years at the university to finally retire then die of heatstroke."

"Stop griping," Jose said to Annie Mae. "You're a woman of leisure now. How would you like to put your life on the line everyday like I do?"

"What the h.e.l.l has that got to do with anything?" Annie Mae retorted.

"Everything and nothing," Jose shot back and grabbed Annie Mae around her waist. He gave her a big squeeze.

"You let go of me now." Annie Mae giggled. "I'm calling the police on you for aggravated a.s.sault."

"I am the police." Jose let her go as he playfully patted her bottom.

"All right, you two, cut it out," I joked. "Jeez. My kids are better behaved."

"Which set? Your teen boys or the little girls?" Bezu asked me.

"Both." I tapped Jose on the arm. "Behave."

"I didn't get a chance to talk to Lucy," Bezu said.

"Neither did I." Annie Mae smiled. "She sure is thoughtful. I can't wait to eat those peaches."

"Cat, you had time to chat with her. How is Bert's retirement going?" Bezu asked.

"I bet she finds any dang excuse she can to keep him out of her hair now that they're both retired," Annie Mae panted. "When I still had my Ernie, if he'd get under foot, I'd send him to the hardware store to buy a little box of something. I have a whole garage packed full of nuts, bolts, and screws."

"As usual, she's busy decorating." I lifted the hair from my warm neck and pulled it into a ponytail. "She just redid her sitting room."

"Her taste is absolutely exquisite." Bezu fanned herself with her hand. "It's hotter than blue blazes. Thank goodness, we've only got one more block."

"I feel like I'm melting." I wiped the perspiration from my forehead.

"Only the Wicked Witch melts," Jose said to Annie Mae. "Annie baby, I'm going to miss you when you liquefy."

"Good one. I guess you have a brain cell in that straw head of yours." Annie Mae whacked Jose on the back with her purse.

"a.s.sault!" s.n.a.t.c.hing Annie Mae's purse, Jose put it on his arm. He swayed his hips, elbows at his side, forearms out front, and held his wrists limp. "I'm Annie. I'm sa.s.sy and politically incorrect as h.e.l.l."

"Stop. People are looking at us." Bezu advanced a few feet in front of the group.

Annie Mae shook her hands about. "Who cares? You could waste your whole life trying to please everyone. All that worrying you do about what people think about you, and what you look like, and all that nonsense. You're going to fret yourself into thin air."

"Take that from an expert. Annie doesn't please anyone." Jose handed Annie Mae her purse.

"Why should I? I've got you crazy people who irritate the wits out of me. That's all the aggravation I need." Annie Mae grinned.

"We love you, too." My insides twisted into knots worrying about Lucy.

"Thank goodness we're here," Bezu said.

We followed Bezu up the steps to Lucy Valentine's house.

Bezu sighed. "Sometimes I'm embarra.s.sed to be seen with you all out in public. Gracious, it's like a circus show."

"And who doesn't love a circus?" I rang the bell. "Except for the creepy clowns-I hate adults dressed in costumes with their faces covered. It freaks me out."

No one answered the door. We stood in silence for a minute.

I tried calling Lucy again. The call went to voice mail. "Where is she?"

"Move your sorry white behinds aside." Annie Mae shouldered her way to the door. "This is how you get in." She banged at the door with her fists and yelled for Lucy. All of Savannah probably heard her. Perhaps even South Carolina.

Still no answer.

"Apparently, Lucy is preoccupied, and we should use good manners and leave. Plus, I'm feeling a little faint from the heat and not eating." Bezu straightened her floral sundress around her waist. She retrieved a tissue from her purse and dabbed the perspiration from her forehead.

We stood on the porch of the two-story yellow row house. The sweet aroma from a tea olive shrub nearby permeated the air.

I peered into the large front picture window. "The lights are on, but I don't see her inside."

"I say we go in." Annie Mae looked through the gla.s.s panel in the door.

"Then we do it my way." Jose jiggled the doork.n.o.b. He took something out of his pocket. I couldn't see what he was doing. His back was to me.

"That's a scary thought coming from a bomb guy," I said.

"Y'all are making me anxious." Bezu paced the porch.