“What was your impression, Ange? You don’t have a history with Candice,” Reina interrupted my thoughts.
“I thought her shock was genuine, and so was her gratitude toward Bex.”
“I agree. I can’t go back on my word. If she’s innocent and the police don’t see that, we’ll prove it. If she’s guilty, well, then Rick needs protecting, and so do other people, including my daughter,” I said.
“What do you plan to do next?” Reina stacked our poke bowls and carried them through to the dishwasher.
“I’ll pay a visit to Detective Stone. Maybe he can tell me a bit more.”
“And if he plays dumb, there’s Officer Lopez,” Ange said.
Geraldine Lopez and her mother were loyal library customers, and thanks to our involvement in recent murder investigations, she’d become an ally as well.
“Good. That’s all sorted then, because the gig downstairs will start in ten minutes.” Reina held out her hands to Ange, to lift us to our feet.
On our way out, I noticed an embossed prospectus for the Cannon Hill Retirement Village development Ange and I had passed. “What’s that about?” I asked.
Reina picked it up and gave it to me. “You can read it downstairs. My cousins have been sending me promo material from all over Oregon and Washington State. My uncle moved into a five-star establishment a while back, and now they think I need to plan ahead for my parents.”
“I thought they’d be happy to stay in Salem.” Reina had grown up in Oregon’s capital city, a couple of hours away.
“I’ll have a peek,” Ange said. “It’s fun to compare withSerenity Springs.”
At least that was one worry I no longer had; with my mother and my aunt both passed away, there were no aging loved ones to take care of. I had no idea if my dad was still alive. The last I’d heard from him was soon after we buried my mom. He’d sent a postcard, but that was all I remembered.
Downstairs, the band checked their set-up.
Phil and Pilar gave Harper two thumbs up to show that they had everything under control. I hesitated. I’d left Cosmo alone a lot. Maybe he’d appreciate my coming home sooner than expected.
Ange nudged me. “Sit down. The band’s supposed to be good. Heavy on the lyrics, light on the hard rock.”
I took the seat at the back, so Harper and Reina had a chance to get in and out of their seats without a problem.
Together, we poured over the prospectus. The Cannon Hill Retirement Village was due to open in fall, offering luxurious one- and two-bedroom apartments with balconies or a private terrace, a pool and a spa, arts and crafts courses, and two restaurants in addition to the dining room where four meals a day were served. Dry-cleaning, a beauty salon, and other amenities were also planned. The mock-up pictures showed happy retirees living it up. The only thing missing in the prospectus were the fees.
I’d thought our local home offered high standards, with well-furnished rooms, dedicated staff, craft classes, and visits from volunteers like Ms. Vine, but compared to this resort-style prospectus, folks in Willowmere were slumming it. Then again, so far nobody I’d met had been forced to sell a kidney to afford the payments.
Ange was engrossed in the description of the various classes. “You can learn ballroom dancing from a professional dancer, take painting and sculpting lessons, do yoga and – they even offer classes in pole dancing.” She seemed in awe. “They’re smack in the middle ofdevelopment and already they have lined up the most entertainment for seniors outside of Las Vegas.” She closed the brochure.
Reina picked it up. “Do we know the owner?”
I took a close peek at the stamp-sized profile picture at the bottom of the back. “We saw him at the antiques' fair. He’s the one who stole the female attention from Tim.” I read the name. “Charles Martin Pratt. Aka Champ Developments.”
A shadow fell over our table. A long, pointy fingernail painted in bubblegum pink and adorned with rhinestones tapped on the brochure.
“Where did you get that?” Linda had decided to grace theBlue Moonwith her presence. “Aren’t you a little young to plan your retirement?” She scanned my comfortable outfit, probably adding up the price tags which paled in comparison to what her figure-hugging slinky dress edged with faux feathers had cost. At least I hoped the feathers were fake.
My fingers curled into a fist. I forced myself to relax them. Linda could thank her lucky stars that I stuck to Cosmo’s rules for good witches, or the woman would have found herself literally hopping mad for a couple of hours. I pushed away the vision of a frog with her face before my magic went haywire.
I managed a bright smile. “Much too young and way too broke. Why, have you reserved an apartment?”
Her laughter grated in my ears. “Heavens, no. We’re trying to plan for the future, for my in-laws, and Garth has invested in Champ’s company.”
“Right. And what about your parents?” I asked, more out of habit than anything else.
Her features hardened. “My dad died a couple of years ago and my mom has retired to Florida.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” For a split second, I felt bad for Linda.
