Something Borrowed, Something Bleu Part 9

Meghanas brow furrowed. aShe says sheas not feeling well. Went to bed.a aYouare kidding.a Erin never went to bed when she was sick. Instead shead lie on the sofa and expect everyone to wait on her, hand and foot.

Never mind that Iad taught her to do that aI know,a my housemate said. aMaybe she doesnat feel comfortable whining in someone elseas house.a My mother snorted, then held up a finger. aIall be right back.a Watching her retreat into the house, I said to my father, aI think sheas relieved to have Krista Madden confirm Bobby Lee wasnat out at the Dunnersa when Gwen Miller fell in the river.a aOf course she is. It also confirms that she was right about Bobby Lee staying away from the place after we talked to him.a I turned my head and looked at him.

He smiled. aAnd Iam glad to hear it, too.a I put my elbows on the table and sunk my chin into my hands. aThen what the heck does the letter mean?a Frustration raised my voice.

aYouall find out,a he said. aIam sure of it.a Kelly laughed. Beside me, Barr made a noise. aMaybe you shouldnat encourage her so much.a aAnd why not?a My father and my fiance exchanged amused glances. Once again I thought about how much they had in commonathough I began to wonder whether that was a good thing or not.

Anna Belle returned bearing a platter of halved tomatoes that had been slow roasted with a sprinkle of sugar and a dash of olive oil. Chunks of cheese and finely minced basil, chives, and oregano topped off the rounds. The aroma was heavenly.

I reached for one as soon as she set them down. aMmm. Is this the cheese I brought home?a aIt is. The flavor is quite subtle for a bleu.a aItas delicious,a Meghan said, helping herself to another.

Kelly said, aI thought bleu cheese was bleu cheese.a I shook my head. aNope. Or yes, it is, but there are lots of different kinds. Tabby calls this one Poudre Bleu.a I toasted him with one of the tomatoes. aGorgonzola is a bleu and so are Stilton and Roquefort. Theyare named after the location of the caves in which theyare aged, like Burgundy and Champagne are named after the region where the grapes grow.a aHuh. Thatas actually interesting.a aKelly!a Meghan said, giving him a light slap on the arm.

aIam sorry,a he said, and looked like he meant it.

I laughed. aDonat worry. Erin just comes right out and tells me Iam weird.a Meghan looked unhappy at the mention of her daughteras name.

aI want to know more about the caves,a Dad said. aI know all bleus have some kind of penicillin in them, which is what causes the blue streaks to form, but why caves?a aFrom what Tabby told me, itas all about the temperature and humidity that the mold thrives in. Whatas wrong, Kelly?a aMold?a he asked, a look of disgust on his face.

aYep, you just ate mold. Thatas what gives bleu cheeses their distinctive flavors. And Dadas rightaitas penicillin mold. The antibiotic wasnat discovered on bread, but in cheese.a aWell,a he said. aIf it cures pneumonia it canat be all bad.a He took another off the platter, holding it carefully over the brightly colored paper napkins Anna Belle had provided. aAnd I do love the flavor.a The rest of dinner consisted of thick pork chops that had been sitting in salt and orange juice brine all day, then stuffed with wild rice, almonds, and dried apples, baby potatoes roasted in their jackets and slathered with cultured b.u.t.ter, and fresh green beans that Anna Belle had picked that afternoon. We ended with homemade vanilla ice cream, barely visible under a heap of late-season strawberries.

Despite the surfeit of food, I remembered to have a little bit of everything and to savor every bite. At the end of the meal Dad had the temerity to bring out a cheese course: Saga bleu cheese, walnuts, and dark ruby port served in my grandmotheras tiny liqueur gla.s.ses. Everyone, even Barr, groaned when they saw more food come to the table. Oh, but we all had a few bites, a few sips, and the meal was all the better for the finis.h.i.+ng touch.

After dinner Anna Belle went to her den to do a little work, but Dad asked if we wanted to watch a movie together.

aBig doings in Spring Creek.a I immediately regretted the words when I saw the stricken look on his face.

aOf course you want to go out, have some fun!a he said. aWeave gotten to be such homebodies that your mother and I just donat think about that. Iam sorry.a Luckily, Barr was standing right next to me when Dad went into his guilt-ridden diatribe, and stopped him in his tracks. aPlease, Calvin, we enjoy spending time with you, we really do. Itas why Iam here in the first place. Can Anna Belle join us for the movie?a I nodded my agreement with Barr, and Dad looked relieved. aIall check,a he said and went to roust my mother out of her workaholism to join us for some quiet entertainment.

aIam going to go up and see if Erinas awake,a I said to Meghan. aIf she is, Iam dragging her cranky b.u.t.t down here to join us.a My friend looked worried. aShe said she wasnat feeling well.a aAnd? Was she sick? Temperature, headache, throwing up, bleeding?a She barely managed not to smile. aWell, go ahead and check. But donat make her come down if she doesnat want to.a aDeal,a I went upstairs, leaving the movie selection to the others.

Erinas eyes were tightly closed, and the book shead been reading had fallen open on her lap, still in her hands. Her breathing was deep, if a bit forced. When I looked closely, I saw the book was upside down. I stood by the bed for a minute, listening and watching and waiting.

Her eye cracked open the tiniest bit, checking to see if I was still there.

aFaker,a I said.

The eye clamped shut, and she turned on her side with a murmur.

Uh huh. Nice try.

I flopped down on the bed beside her and put my face up close to hers. It didnat take long. Both eyes popped open, and she sat up.

aG.o.d, Sophie Mae!a aOh, good. Youare awake.a I sat up, too.

aI am now.a A whine on the edge of her words.

aOh, you were before. Now camon, Bug. Tell me what the heck is going on.a aNothing.a aHorse poo. Somethingas up, and Iave got to tell you, Iam getting pretty sick of wondering why youare so ticked off all the time. Your mom, too. Even Kelly thinks youare mad at him.a Unhappiness rose behind her eyes. aIam not mad.a I inclined my head and waited.

aNot really,a she said.

aYouave been acting funny since before we got here. Back in Cadyville.a She picked at the bedspread with a ragged fingernail.

aAbout the time that all the construction started on the house.a Erin chewed gently on her lower lip. When she finally looked up, her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. aIam sorry.a My heart melted. aOh, Bug.a I wrapped my arms around her. aItas okay. I bet all the changes lately have thrown you for a loop.a Pulling back, I held her gaze. aWe never really talked to you much about Barr moving in after weare married.a aBut Iam happy about it!a she insisted through her tears.

aI know. But wanting to be happy about something is one thing. Actually seeing all the changes happening around you is different.a I was thinking out loud. aYour home is a mess, and now someone else will be living there. Weare trying to keep things the same in many ways, but itall be different in some ways, too.a Erinas shoulders slumped, and she whispered, aItas kind of scary.a I wanted to wrap this child up and keep her safe forever. But I couldnat. Erin was an only child, and while Meghan and I didnat exactly spoil her, she was still the center of attention a lot of the time. Barr was going to encroach on that, as might Kelly. No wonder she was taking some of her angst out on him.

aIt is a little scary. For me, too.a Her eyes widened, and one big drop fell onto her cheek. aReally?a aSure. Change is always scary. Itas just that the longer you live, the more you get used to it. Nothing ever stays the same, but after a while you get so that you believe in your own ability to deal with whatever happens.a Erin looked thoughtful. aSo the more weird stuff you get in life, the better you are at coping?a I laughed. aSomething like that. Youave had some stuff happen already, right?a aYeah,a she said. aI guess so.a For example, a degenerate gambler of a father who nearly got her killed, a wacky grandmother who should have been in jail, a newly discovered relative, and a hyper intelligence that made her a little too aware of what was going on around her sometimes.

aLike you finding dead bodies all the time?a she asked.

aHa ha.a That, too. aAnd it all turned out okay, right?a She nodded.

aThis will, too. I know you like Barr. We canat be sure exactly what itall be like for us all to live together, but I bet itall be fun.a The smile that ventured onto her face sent a bolt of relief through me. Our old Erin was on her way back.

aWill you come downstairs and watch a movie with us? Everyone wants you to.a aThey do?a Her words were so tentative it made my heart ache.

aYes. We do. Anna Belle thinks youare the slickest thing since sliced bread, your mom and I miss you, and Barr and Dad think youare pretty special, too. And Kelly?a Her chin jerked up, and I saw another issue which had been bothering her. aKelly adores you.a I leaned in. aYou know what else?a She feigned disinterest, putting her bookmark in her upside down book. aWhat?a aNo one, not Kelly, not anyone, is ever going to come between you and your mom.a She paused.

aDeep down, you know that, right?a The eyes that met my gaze then were clear and bright. aYeah. I guess I do.a aOkay then. Letas go see what movie they picked for us to watch and get you some dinner.a She slid off the bed. aOkay. Sophie Mae?a I put my hand on her shoulder and hugged her against my side. aYeah?a aThanks. For, you know, getting it and not hating me for being so mean to you. I didnat mean, I mean, I didnat wantaa aSilly Bug, I couldnat hate you.a She hugged me back.

aBut donat you ever do that to me again,a I said with fake menace.

Her laughter tumbled down the stairwell as we went to join the others.

_____.

Meghan pulled me aside after the movie to ask me what the heck Iad said to Erin. When I related our conversation she was more relieved than anything. Mother and daughter went up to bed, perhaps to talk some more. Kelly pleaded exhaustion after what had been nearly a full day of bike riding, and we left him in the bas.e.m.e.nt to an early night. Anna Belle and Dad went to bed, too, which left Barr and me to our own devices.

As soon as we were alone I told him about what Krista Madden had said about the Binesa dairy.

aThey come from money?a Barr asked, leaning back on the patio chair again.

He planned to leave the next day for a quick drive up to his parentsa Wyoming ranch before flying back to Cadyville. Iad been hoping to join him, especially as I hadnat met his family face-to-face, but with only a few days to sort out Bobby Leeas letter, I couldnat spare the time.

aTabby and Joe? Like, real money? Not that I know of. Joeas dad worked construction, and Tabbyas folks didnat live high on the hog, either. I mean, everyone got by okay, but how much does a dairy cost?a aMore than it sounds like they had.a aHow do we find out more?a aPublic records, darlina. Public records.a aGreat,a I grumped. aThatall take forever.a He grinned. aNaw, it wonat.a The laptop came open again. I snuggled onto the lounge chair with him and watched the screen light up.

As I marveled at his easy knowledge about how to gather informationathough, granted, it was his jobahe pulled up the address of the dairy, then the website of the county clerkas office. A few more clicks, and he pointed to the screen.

It took me a moment to decipher the entry, before realization dawned. Eighteen years ago, the T&J Dairy property belonged to Ogden and Constance Dunner.

I remembered how bitter Ray Dunner had been when we asked where Rancho Sueo had been located. How head said to ask Tabby.

The Cache la Poudre River that ran behind the dairy was the river that Gwen Miller had fallen into.

aTabitha Binesa name isnat anywhere on this real estate transaction,a Barr said. aDo you know when they got married?a aNo, but it looks like Joe bought the land from Ogden Dunner and his wife when they closed up Rancho Sueo. That was only a year or so after the Miller girl died. Dad told me Joe and Tabby started dating a few months after Bobby Lee died, but they didnat get married for a while. Still, it seems kind of odd that he never put her name on the deed after they were married.a aShe doesnat own any part of the dairy, then.a aWell,a I said. aShe might own the whole thing, now that Joeas dead.a A night bird squawked from a nearby tree, followed by the sound of an automatic sprinkler turning on in the neighboras yard.

aI wonder how Joe managed to afford that land,a I said. aHe was barely twenty years old.a aHe didnat,a Barr said.

aDidnat what?a He pointed to a notation on the website: QC. aHe didnat have to afford it. The land was quit claimed to him.a aQuit claimed?a From eight inches away, Barras eyes twinkled in the faint light of the laptop screen. aEssentially, that means the Dunners gave the land to Joe Bines.a aGave ?a Oh. Wow.

Krista Madden had been a gold mine of information after all. The only reason youad give a parcel of land to Joe Bines would be if he had something really incriminating on you.

aWe have to tell the sheriff,a I said.

Barr nodded, then rested his chin on top of my head. From above me he said, aI think Iad rather talk to your Inspector Schumaker, if you donat mind. Get a better feel for this Jaikes fellow before talking to him directly.a I craned my head back to look at him. aWhat about the trip to see your family?a A slight shrug against my cheek. aIall leave a little later. Weall track down Schumaker first thing in the morning.a The tiny shudder of excitement that ran down my back was partly because of Barras proximity, and partly due to the feeling that we were finally making some real discoveries about what had happened eighteen years ago.

Turned out that my father and my fiance werenat the only ones who enjoyed the hunt.

The cacophony of trills, cheeps, and whistles outside my open window jolted me awake just before six on Friday morning. Fifteen minutes later it became evident that further sleep would be impossible, and I swung my feet to the floor. Padding across the room, I opened the blinds and peered through the screen, expecting to find the entire avian cast from The Birds had taken up residence in the big old cottonwood tree next door. Instead, less than a dozen feathery creatures contributed to the racket. Below, Barr stood by my motheras kitchen garden and examined the bean vines climbing to the top of the trellis. He was already fully dressed.

The birds hadnat been kind to his slumber, either.

A shower later, I donned a floral sundress and strappy sandals and left my hair to air dry. For most of the summer my tan was my makeup, so it only took fifteen minutes to put myself together and tiptoe downstairs to make coffee.

As it brewed, I jotted notes on the pad by the telephone. I still didnat know if wead found out anything substantial about Rancho Sueo or the Bineses. Correction: I was pretty sure wead discovered some nicely orchestrated blackmail, but I wasnat sure that it had anything to do with Bobby Leeas death. Despite my a.s.sorted juicy and sordid discoveries, no one had placed Bobby Lee anywhere near Rancho Sueo the night Gwen Miller died, or had said anything about him spending time there in the weeks preceding the incident.

There was still a lot we didnat know. Iad felt like this beforea completely bewildered, yet on the cusp of something. First came the ferreting out of information, the gathering of facts, discovery of secrets. But much of that turned out to be irrelevant or tangential to the bigger puzzle. Next I had to eliminate from consideration the bits that werenat important in order to piece together the bits that were significant into a cohesive, meaningful solution.

Sighing, I crinkled my notes into a ball and threw it in the garbage under the sink. That wonderful, left-brained idea of narrowing in only on the correct information and then extrapolating the truth was all fine and dandy in theory. Too bad real life wasnat so black and white, but rather so many shades of gray there werenat names for them all.

I poured coffee and took a cup out to Barr.

The sky was high and bright, and the early morning air still felt cool. Soon temperatures would s.h.i.+ft, signaling the onset of a Rocky Mountain fallaswift and often surprising. It was not unheard of for snow to fall in September, followed by a month of glorious Indian summer.

He took the steaming mug with a smile. aMorning, you.a aMorning back,a I said.

We spent the next forty-five minutes sitting on the garden bench, sipping our coffee and occasionally talking, but for the most part content to be together in silence. The ease with which we could do that was one of the many things I loved about Barr. He was the guy for me, forever.

Then Anna Belle stepped out of the house, followed by Meghan and Erin. Our quiet time was over, but as we joined them, I realized how much I loved all of them. My family, both original and made. The contentment that settled across my psyche at the thought lessened my frustration at not knowing why my brother had died.

Kelly joined the group, and we gathered on the patio for another signature Cal Watson breakfast: cheese blintzes covered with gooey cinnamon-blueberry sauce, savory sausage made in Boulder and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. I gave the delectable menu short shrift, though, anxious to call Cyan and catch up on my business e-mail. If I didnat stay on top of my inbox, it would rapidly get out of control, and Iad start losing business.

Then I called Inspector Schumaker, reaching him at the sheriffas office.

aI need to talk to you,a I said. aWhen would be a good time?a aThe sooner, the better.a aExcuse me?a aI was just about to call you. We found something at the crime scene that I want you to see.a Well, that piqued my curiosity all right.

aCan you come right now?a he asked.

I a.s.sured him Iad leave immediately, not mentioning that I was bringing Barr with me. Head find out soon enough.

aBarr, we need to get going,a I said from the doorway, tote bag already hanging from my shoulder.

Anna Belle looked up in surprise. aWhere are you going?a aI wanted Barr to meet the inspector who interviewed me at the dairy when Joe was killed.a aWhy?a Blunt, but reasonable.

aWhen I spoke with Krista Madden, nee Jaikes, she said something about how Joe had managed to buy the land the dairy is on.a aAnd?a Patience was not my motheras strong suit.

aAnd Barr and I looked up the real estate records at the county clerkas office on the computer last night.a My father looked delighted, Meghan and Kelly listened with interest, and even Erin seemed intrigued. Anna Belle tapped her foot.

aThe dairy used to be Rancho Sueo.a Dad leaned forward. aReally? I went out there once, when Bobby Lee was first interested in the place, but Iave never been to the dairy.a My mother sat back. aCould it be a coincidence?a aI donat think so,a I said. aEspecially since Joe didnat buy the land. The Dunners essentially gave it to him through a quit claim deed.a Kelly whistled. aWonder what your Mr. Bines had on the Dunner family.a aExactly,a I said. aWe thought perhaps Inspector Schumaker could help us with that. Unfortunately, heas going to be leaving the office in less than an hour.a Barr stood. aWead better get over there, then.a He turned to my father. aThanks for another amazing meal, Cal. I can see Sophie Mae inherited her kitchen smarts from both sides.a Dad and Anna Belle both smiled, and we went out to Barras rented car.

aSilver-tongued devil,a I said.

He waggled his eyebrows and gave me a kiss. aYou better believe it.a _____.

As we were going into the squat, square building that housed the sheriffas department, the man himself was coming out.

aGood morning, Sheriff,a I said.

He held the door open for us. aMorning.a Barr received a hard look as we walked by. I was surprised when Jaikes turned around and followed us inside. aInvestigator Schumakeras right back here. I think Iall join you.a Alarmed, I glanced up at Barr. What was going on?

Jaikes led us to the same conference room where Iad signed my statement. Schumaker looked up when we walked in. Dark sweat circles had already formed under his arms despite the air conditioning set to afrigid.a He sat bent over the paperwork and files that covered the table, his legs folded awkwardly beneath the molded plastic chair.

aSir?a he said when Jaikes ushered us into the room and shut the door.

aSit down,a the sheriff invited? Sounded more like a command.

Slowly, I slid onto a chair. Barr sat beside me. Jaikes leaned against the wall with his arms crossed in front of him. One finger tapped against his elbow.

aYou the lawyer?a the sheriff asked him. Tap. Tap.

Barr raised one eyebrow. aNo.a aThen who are you?a aIam the fiance.a Recognition flashed across Schumakeras face, and I remembered that head talked to Barras superior when head been checking up on me. He probably knew Barr was a detective on the Cadyville force. Did that mean head be on my side or not? After all, head expressly told me to stay out of his way after Sergeant Zahn told him about my investigative adventures back home.

When he heard Barr wasnat a lawyer, pleased surprise settled into Jaikes little blue eyes. aWell, then. Iam afraid youare going to have to leave.a aNo,a I said. aHe stays, or we both go.a aThatas not how it works.a aSure it is,a Barr said in an easy tone. aUnless sheas under arrest. Is she under arrest?a No one looked happy. My heart skipped a beat. aNot yet,a Jaikes finally responded.

What on earth? I caught Schumakeras eye and looked the question at him. He sighed and reached for a plastic bag in front of him. A neatly sealed evidence bag. He held it up so I could see the contents.

aRecognize this?a aSure,a I said. aItas lip balm.a aMade by a company called Winding Road,a he said. aYour company.a aWell, of course it is. That oneas cinnamon flavored, if you read the label. Where did you find it?a aAt the dairy.a aWell, I sort of figured that, or else you wouldnat have it in that little bag. But where at the dairy?a Jaikes stepped in. aFunny you should ask that. We found it under Joe Bines.a I blinked.

aYou have any idea how it got there?a he asked.

aMy lip balm? Under a dead body?a Yuck. I shook my head. aNo idea.a aWell, it turns out I do have an idea, Ms. Reynolds. I do indeed.a Jaikes seemed to savor the words.

aOh, now, camon,a I protested. aYou know I didnat kill him. Why would I? I hardly knew the guy.a aSo you say. Funny how you were there when he died, though.a Beside me, Barr sighed.

Instantly I felt guilty. And angry. aI wasnat there when he was murdered. I was up at the house with Tabby.a aAgain: so you say.a aListen, I know how I lost the lip balm in the first place.a I tried to keep the desperation out of my voice. Did these people really think I could have killed Joe? aWhen the billy goat b.u.t.ted me, my tote bag and everything in it went flying. I must have missed that little tube when I was picking it all up. Maybe Joe found it and then dropped it when, well, you know, someone dropped him.a Jaikes went still. aGoat? What goat?a Schumaker said, aShe says a goat hit her from behind and knocked her down when she was on her way up to the house that day. I asked her about the dirt and scratches at the time. Show us your hands.a I held them out for inspection like a little kid. The minor sc.r.a.pes on my palms were healing quickly, but still looked recent. aI hope you donat expect me to show you the bruise on my behind.a Schumaker smiled. His boss pointedly did not.

aAnything else?a Barr said. aBecause sheas cooperated so far. If weare going to dance around like this some more, though, itas lawyer time. Your choice.a The sheriff glared at him. My sweetieas return gaze was implacable.

aYouare free to go.a Jaikes opened the door and stalked out of the room. Instantly, the charge in the air dissipated, and I let out a whoosh of air. A moment later we saw Jaikes walk out to the parking lot, climb into a Suburban with the county logo on the side, and drive away.

aThanks for remembering about the goat,a I said to Schumaker.

He snorted. aLike I could forget a thing like that. Besides, itas in your statement.a He turned to Barr. aYouare Detective Ambrose?a aSure am.a Barr held out his hand, and the inspector shook it.

Rather than leaving, we settled back into our chairs. Schumaker watched us. Irritation vied with curiosity on his face.

aHow well do you know the sheriff?a I asked.