“Then it’s overdue that we take a closer look at him.”
I had parked my car and was fastening Cosmo’s harness when my phone buzzed twice.
“One second.” I let him jump out of the car while I checked.
“Rick has responded to my text,” I told him.
Instead of an answer, Cosmo bumped his head against my leg. Of course; we were in public now. He wouldn’t utter another word until we were secluded again.
“A thumbs up and a crying emoji,” I said, ostensibly talking to myself.
The other text was from Alex.
Dad told me you’re riding to C’s rescue. And that you laid down the law for him to act like a grown-up. (Don’t worry, my interpretation, not his words.) Good on you!
I put away my phone, secretly pleased with both reactions. Standing up for myself felt twice as good if my daughter approved.
Chapter 14
Cosmo jumped erratically across the parking lot. I barely noticed the rain-softened, slightly muddy ground anymore. Then again, I only needed to scrape the soles of my shoes, whereas Cosmo’s soft pads were filthy in no time, and clumps of mud stuck between his toes.
At the doorstep, I crouched to wipe his paws with a tissue. “There, all clean. On the way back, I’ll carry you,” I told him.
Inside, all the lights burned but the door was locked. I rang the bell and called out. “Hello?”
The door of the barn creaked open. Bert shuffled to the side to let me in. Cosmo rubbed against him and broke into a low, steady purr.
Bert, who’d been as pale as the bleached pine wood dresser I spotted behind him, regained some color.
“How are you holding up?” I asked.
“Not too bad,” he lied through his teeth.
Cosmo purred louder.
“Although I was a little shook, seeing that …” He closed his eyes for a moment.
“Me too,” I said. “Which is why I’ve brought this.” I showed him the goodies. “Aunt Violet’s fail-safe against shock. Tea, cookies, and a good talk.”
Poor Bert. I could almost see his stubbornness and pride rise to the surface, to tell me he didn’t need any of that soppy feel-good stuff. None of this stood a chance against the power of the purr. Or against his wife Viv, who’d left the office and caught the end of our conversation.
“That’s very kind. I’m sure we could all use a cup of tea, don’t we, Bert?” She cooed at Cosmo and took us all to the break room plus kitchenette behind the office. The furniture was a selection of cast-offs, too shabby to do up and sell, yet too comfortable to throw out.
Bert settled on a grey recliner with patched arm rests. It groaned as he sank into it. Cosmo jumped up to join Bert.
I spooned tea into a pot while Viv heated water. “He’s had a rough night,” she confided in a low voice. “I’ve been telling him that we’ve got nothing to fear about. It was our bad luck that the body was dumped on us, but that’s all. I swear, Bex, I’ve never seen him like this. It’s almost as if he’s scared of a ghost coming to haunt us.”
She poured boiling water into the pot.
I arranged the cookies on a plate. I hadn’t thought of Bert as being superstitious, but out here, in the woods, it didn’t take much to believe in all kinds of supernatural things. Or in witchcraft.
I gave Cosmo a quick quizzical glance. He thumped his tail twice, meaning no. I’d have to check with him later if he confirmed that there were no ghosts, or that he simply hadn’t sensed any here.
“I wish the police had taken that chest with them,” she said.
“They’ve left it here?” Why was I so surprised? The chest had only been used as a transport unit for Tim, and I assumed that it held little interest, once the fair building had been established as the scene of the stabbing.
“They sure did, after their crime scene unit finished with it, and to be honest, it’s giving me the creeps. I know I’ve promised to let you work on it here, but the sooner it’s out of my sight, the better.” Bert pushed a button and the recliner stuttered into an upright position.
