Silver Springs Cozy: Pawsitively Lethal Part 3

Karl sits up straighter and continues, relishing in the spotlight. "Well, she was fine for a few hours, but then she ended up in the hospital too! Now everyone is sure that her tea was the cause of the food poisoning. But, she didnt have food poisoning. She normally drinks a lot of tea in the morning, and this gallon of tea was too much for her body. She actually had water poisoning. Its a good thing her symptoms were similar to food poisoning or she might not have gone to the hospital."

"Shes okay now, I hope," Winona says, concern lacing her every word.

Karl nods emphatically. "And right back to trying to serve everyone the same tea that landed her in the hospital. Just not a gallon of it at a time." Despite the seriousness of Delilahs water poisoning, Karl laughs heartily.

Suddenly Karl looks at the giant watch on his wrist and stands. "Im sorry, ladies, but I have to get back to the office. I didnt even get to ask you everything I wanted to about last night. Ill have to schedule another interview. Heres my card." He hands one to Ginger Rae. "Call me when youre free."

Ginger Rae takes the card but doesnt promise to call. She and Winona walk Karl to the front door and Maggie offers a wave as he pa.s.ses her chair. She leans back and takes the first sip of her tea, enjoying the quiet and calm that is left in the room as Karl vacates it.

The calm is quickly replaced by Ginger Raes high energy when she comes back alone. "Youre early," Ginger Rae tells Maggie.

"Yeah. Sorry. I . . . finished some things up and figured Id see if you were free before twelve thirty." Maggie expects Winona to walk in behind Ginger Rae. "Wheres Winona?"

"Shes going to her sewing room. Shes working on a quilt that she wants to finish. Clem agreed to start selling them at Two Sisters . . . I guess you probably already knew that since youre working there now too."

Maggie nods once. "Her work is really incredible."

"I love the one she made me years ago. It still looks brand new. Should we go to lunch then?" Ginger Rae asks, abruptly changing the subject.

They both stand and Maggie leads them to her car, leaving her half full mug of tea on the kitchen counter as they pa.s.s. "Is the brewery okay with you?" Maggie asks.

"Perfect. I could use a drink." Maggie smiles. If shed just lost her niece, shed feel the same way.

Maggie drives them in silence to Main Street and parks in the parking garage, not even bothering to look for a spot on the street. Its now past noon and shed be as lucky as a lottery winner to find something.

When they reach the street, Ginger Rae asks Maggie, with happiness in her voice, "Did you pick the brewery so you could see Drew?"

Maggie blushes slightly. "No. I picked it because they have the best burgers. And I could use some of their onion rings."

"But seeing Drew is an added bonus," Ginger Rae adds, holding the front door open for Maggie.

Maggie shrugs. "He doesnt work on the weekends." As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Drew walks out from a crowded room, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, his normal attire whether at work or at play.

"Maggie," he exclaims, hands in the air and a smile on his face. Maggies heart melts at the obvious joy he feels at seeing her.

"Hi Drew. I didnt think youd be working today. Do you . . . want to join us?" she asks, looking at Ginger Rae for confirmation, who nods encouragingly.

"Sorry, I cant. Im picking up a shift to cover for someone." He plants a kiss on her cheek. "How are you doing?" His voice quiets with the question.

"Im doing fine. Ginger Rae is really who you should be asking."

Drew turns to Ginger Rae and asks, "How are you? I cant imagine how hard this must be for you." He never lets go of Maggies hand and gently places his other hand on Ginger Raes arm.

Ginger Rae nods. "I have a good support system."

"Im glad. I really have to get back to work. Ladies, drinks are on me." He kisses Maggies cheek again and heads to the back of the brewery.

"You found a good one," Ginger Rae says, all smiles at Maggie.

Maggie pulls her stare away from Drews retreating back and returns Ginger Raes smile. "Youre right. I did."

They are quickly seated just before a rush of families, couples and groups of friends enter the brewery, causing a longer wait for everyone after Maggie and Ginger Rae. "I think we got here just in time," Ginger Rae observes, sliding her chair as close to the table as her round body will allow.

"Sure looks like it," Maggie agrees. They both take a few moments to look at the menu and pick out beers, which they promptly order. Maggie already knows she wants the burger with onion rings on it but she reads the rest of the menu for good measure.

Ginger Rae puts her menu down when their beers arrive and takes her first sip, followed by a question. "What do you want to know about Clara?"

Maggie is glad that Ginger Rae is jumping right into this conversation. But it reminds her of her morning at the salon and the rumors she heard. Against her better judgment, she decides to tell Ginger Rae . . . as gently as possible. "Did Clara have any enemies in Silver Springs?" she asks.

Ginger Rae takes another sip of her beer and says, "Not that I know of. Shes only been here a short time."

"Any friends here?"

Ginger Rae shakes her head. "Shes been lying low. Not many people even knew she was staying with me."

"Her parents?"

"David and Marla? Or course. I called them as soon as Clara showed up. They might not have gotten along very well, but they always cared about her wellbeing."

Maggie nods and pulls her tablet computer from her handbag. "Okay if I make notes?"

"Sure. Anything to help figure out what happened last night."

The tablet turns on slowly and Maggie continues asking questions while it warms up. "What did Clara do while staying with you?"

"She was mostly just at my house. Read a lot of books. I guess she left the house once every day. I dont always know where she went. I tried not to pry and to be supportive of what she needed. I know she got her nails done at File and Style one day. And she was reading library books. She was using my card since she didnt have one. So she must have gone there a few times. The police found some new clothes with tags still on from Annas Closet. But she was mostly just home."

Maggie types furiously when the screen lights up. "Did she meet anyone at File and Style? Maybe hit it off with someone who works there?"

Ginger Rae shakes her head. "Why are you so caught up on her knowing someone here?"

Their food arrives which gives Maggie a chance to pick her words carefully. After the waiter leaves, she says, "I was getting my hair done there this morning and I overheard some young women . . . talking." Ginger Rae waits for Maggie to continue so she goes on. "They didnt have nice things to say about Clara, so I wondered if shed made any enemies here."

Ginger Rae puts her beer down on the table and looks closely at Maggie. "What were they saying?"

Maggie wishes she hadnt brought it up. She takes a bite and chews slowly, but Ginger Rae never looks away. Finally, Maggie answers. "Nothing very nice. They accused her of various actions. One alluded to prost.i.tution. Another said she wasnt very intelligent." Maggie doesnt want to continue so she takes another bite, maintaining eye contact with Ginger Rae.

Finally, Ginger Rae responds. "Everything I told you last night is true. She was adopted. She didnt get along with David and Marla, and even less so with her birth mother once Jessie found her. She was married-her ex-husbands name is Stewart Cole-but that didnt work out. Shes had trouble with depression and alcohol and just got out of a treatment center."

Maggie nods sympathetically. "It sounds like she had a difficult life. But this doesnt really offer any information into who might have wanted her dead."

Ginger Rae pulls on the chain around her neck so that the skeleton key comes out from beneath her shirt. "I dont think it was about Clara. I think whoever did this was after this key."

CHAPTER 8.

Maggie takes a few more bites of her burger while she thinks about Ginger Raes suspicion. A month ago, Ginger Rae, Winona and Erline told Maggie about the power that three keys hold when they unlock an object that belonged to Maggie and Clems parents. Maggie has remained skeptical and no further information or explanation has been given since then.

"Someone is coming after that key?" Maggie asks, keeping her voice level.

Ginger Rae nods. "Think about it. You parents were killed last spring. Then Erlines house was broken into after Felicitys murder and the key was missing. Now Clara is dead. Anyone who gets close to us is in danger."

Maggie has to admit that it looks like more than coincidence that the three friends have been targeted-four friends when Maggie includes her deceased mother. But unlocking magical powers is too outrageous for Maggie to believe.

"Tell me about these keys," Maggie requests.

Ginger Rae looks around furtively. "Not here, not in public where anyone could overhear us. Lets drop the subject for now. Ill tell you more about Claras family here, but not about the keys."

For the second time in a month, Maggie thinks her mothers friends are losing their minds. "Okay," she agrees. "Tell me about Claras family." Thats what Maggie wants to hear about anyway, and what Detective Stevens asked her to look into.

"David and Marla are on their way to Silver Springs. I called them last night. Have you ever been the person to tell parents that their only daughter is dead?"

Maggie shakes her head. Shes been on the receiving end when her parents were murdered, but she hasnt had to be the one to break the news.

"They were hysterical." Maggie can only imagine. "Marla blamed me."

Ginger Rae pauses to eat some of her lunch and Maggie takes the opportunity to guide the conversation more in the direction she wants it to go. "Where do they live?"

"Between here and Denver; about half an hour away. They should be here any minute. I sent them to Winonas house. Theyll be fine there without me."

Maggie makes more notes on her tablet with some of them in red to remind her to look further into them. Marla and David living nearby and blaming Ginger Rae for their daughters death are suspicious details. Especially given Claras history of a poor relationship with her parents. Its certainly not enough to accuse either of them of murder, but its a starting point to finding the person responsible. And if Maggie learned anything from last months murder case, its that family cant be ruled off of the suspect list just because theyre family.

"When was the last time Clara saw her parents?" Maggie asks.

Ginger Rae shakes her head. "Months? Maybe more. Youll have to ask them. If theyll talk to you. They might not be up for it."

"I wont talk to them today. They need their time to grieve. And Daniel will probably want to talk to them first. What about Claras birth mother? Why didnt they have a good relationship?"

"Jessie had Clara young. Really young. She was still in high school and gave Clara up for adoption at the urging of her family. I cant even imagine what her life would have been like if shed stayed with Jessie. But thats neither here nor there." Ginger Raes hand waves in front of her face, moving on from that possibility. "When Jessie tracked Clara down-about ten years ago now, I think-Clara was thrilled at first. But then she met the family Jessie created in her twenties and Clara got jealous. That jealousy only got worse and what little relationship they had totally fell apart."

"They stayed in touch at all?" Maggie asks, thinking back to Claras phone call.

Ginger Rae nods. She answers around the bite she just took. "A little. But it wasnt a good relationship. Clara should have just turned her back on her but she couldnt."

"Of course not. Jessie was her mother."

"Marla was her mother," Ginger Rae corrects her sternly. Maggie feels chastised. "But I know what you mean."

Maggie changes the subject again. "What about Stewart? You said that marriage didnt work out."

Ginger Rae shakes her head. "Not for long. Clara never told me this, but I think they got married to try to fix their relationship. Clara was never very good at making and keeping friends, and Stewart was no different."

"What happened between them?" Maggie asks.

"Clara had her problems. Ive told you about her depression and struggles with alcohol and drugs. That really put a strain on their relationship. She wasnt good at keeping a good paying job. By the time he left her, shed spent all of their savings on alcohol and he had nothing left. He had a job, but shed created chasms between a lot of their friends because she wasnt so bright when she was drunk."

"He held a grudge?"

Ginger Rae snorts. "Thats putting it mildly. He was able to walk away from their divorce without owing Clara anything, but he couldnt seem to just leave."

Maggie tilts her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"They would fight over the phone and she would ask for his help. He wouldnt give it at first, but I think he felt guilty for leaving her even though she hadnt really tried to improve their relationship. He always ended up helping her out."

"Do you think hed want her dead?" Maggie whispers, leaning across the table. Of everyone Ginger Rae has just told her about, Maggie thinks Stewart sounds like he liked Clara the least and may have had to greatest motive to want her out of his life permanently.

Ginger Rae leans forward, her oversized body pushing the table into Maggies chest. "I dont think her death had anything to do with Clara. Or Stewart. Or Marla and David. Or even Jessie. Im telling you, it has to do with this key."

CHAPTER 9.

Maggie pays the bill and drives Ginger Rae back to Winonas house. A new car is parked in the driveway that catches Maggies attention.

"Are Marla and David here?" she asks before Ginger Rae leaves the car.

"It looks like it. Do you want to come in and just say hi?"

Maggie shakes her head. "No thanks. Ill talk to them tomorrow. Ill give them s.p.a.ce to grieve today."

Ginger Rae nods once. "Im sure theyd appreciate that."

She doesnt look quite ready to leave so Maggie asks, "Did you want to tell me more about these keys?"

"Yes. But I also want Winona and Erline to be here. Weve all agreed that it was only a matter of time before we had to tell you, but I didnt expect that to happen so soon."

"Why dont the three of you come to Clems for dinner tonight?" Ginger Raes face falls and Maggie laughs. "Dont worry, Ill cook. Give Winona and Erline a call and tell them what the plan is. Come over around six. Clem will be home by then and that will give you plenty of time with Marla and David."

Ginger Raes face brightens and she agrees to the invitation. "That will also give my brother a chance to be alone with his wife. I think theyll get to go to my house with the police if they want. And I certainly dont have to be there for that."

Maggie leaves and heads straight to the grocery store. Sundays are her regular shopping days so she knows she doesnt have anything to cook for dinner for a crowd.

She texts Clem to let her know theyre having company, and to make sure she doesnt go to Deniss for the night. Maggie is pretty sure she wants Clem to hear whatever the women are going to share so shes not the only one who will think theyre crazy.

In the store, Maggie doesnt do a weeks worth of shopping but buys only enough for tonights dinner. She decides on a kale and cabbage salad with a citrus dressing, oven roasted white and sweet potatoes and tequila-lime chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s that will pair nicely with the citrus salad dressing.