The Deadly Dust Bunnies Page 6

  Once in my bedroom, I sat on the bed and blinked away unshed tears. The last time my mother was in Cooper's Cove was to help with my late husband's funeral. Although I was grateful for her help when she arrived, I was glad to see her go by the time she left. Her mission in life is to contradict me at every turn. If I say the sky is blue, she'll say it's cerulean. If I order beach plum-filled donuts in her presence, then she'll remind me about the weight I gained in my freshman year of high school—without mentioning all the work I did to lose it in time for junior prom.

  I replaced my pajamas with a fresh pair of stretchy black yoga pants and a lavender t-shirt bearing the Treasure Trove logo—a treasure chest overflowing with antiques, pulled my hair into a messy bun, and slid my feet into my favorite canvas sneakers. There was no point in delaying the inevitable, no matter how much I'd like to jump into bed and bury beneath my covers until my mother left town.

  And she wasn't even here yet.

  When I re-entered the kitchen, Rune handed me a travel mug filled with a caramel latte. "Thanks. You always know what I need."

  Rune replied by placing a peck on my cheek, and we exited to the dooryard. I had no sooner locked the deadbolt from the outside when I heard someone calling my name. Before I could reply, a series of loud yips filled the morning air.

  I turned and forced a smile. "Mrs. Benefield, you're out early. And hello to you, too, Puff Daddy."

  The tiny Pomeranian bounced in place next to my elderly neighbor, its rotund body jiggling with each leap.

  "Tori, dear, did this man stay in your home overnight?"

  Rune stepped forward, took Mrs. Benefield's hand in his own, and kissed the back of her fingertips. "Mrs. Benefield, we've not formally met. I'm Rune, and Victoria has told me awful good things about ye and yer wee dog."

  "Well, it's very nice to meet you, um, Rune. What kind of name is that? It’s rather interesting." The older woman put her free hand to her lips and giggled like a teenage girl meeting a member of her favorite boy band.

  "It’s Irish, lass. Thank ye for being a good neighbor to Tori. Yer right to notice that I stayed here last night, but there was nothing improper about it. I didn't feel safe letting my lass stay here alone with a killer on the loose."

  "You know, now that you mention it, I feel safer having you next door, too." Mrs. Benefield looked past Rune to smile at me. "You'll keep this young man around until the police catch Warren's murderer, won't you?"

  "You can be sure of it," I agreed and felt my grin return.

  Rune spoke with Mrs. Benefield for a couple of minutes more, his brogue a bit heavier than usual. By the time he laced his fingers through mine so we could walk hand-in-hand to the shop, the woman looked positively smitten.

  "Thanks for diffusing that situation. Maybe now my nosy neighbor won't spread the news of our personal lives all over town, although it wouldn't matter. When my mother gets here, she'll do a wicked job of that by herself."

  Rune gave my hand a gentle squeeze and said, "It will work out, lass. Ye'll see."

  I wish I could share his confidence, but Rune had yet to meet the Nor'easter that was my mother.

  CHAPTER 11

  "Let's go through the front." Memories of the inside of the dumpster haunted me as we neared the Treasure Trove. The early morning sun lit up the sidewalk in front of the shop, which meant ominous shadows would fill the narrow alley until closer to lunchtime when the sun sat higher in the sky. I tugged his hand, but he stopped walking. I urged, "Come on, Rune. Let's go through the front."

  "Lass, ye have to face it sooner or later."

  "Mhmm. And I prefer to face it later."

  "As ye wish." He changed our course, and we walked in silence for the remainder of the walk to the Treasure Trove.

  When we entered the shop, Hazel greeted us with a nod toward the counter where a carafe of Mocha Joe's coffee and beach plum donut holes waited.

  "Yum, thank you!" I released Rune's hand in favor of claiming one of the pastries from the takeout bag and popping it into my mouth.

  "She's so wee. Where does she put it all?" Rune asked Hazel without a trace of sarcasm. From what he shared about his past, the women from Rune's village were on the broader side, and he considered me thin by comparison. Any time he referenced them, his tone was factual. I tried not to make a habit of comparing the two men, but Rune was a welcome change from my late husband, who fat-shamed me at every opportunity. And if there were no opportunity, then he'd create one. Every time I wondered if Rune could be any more perfect, he proved he could.

  "It's a mystery to me,' Hazel replied with a wry smile. Turning to me, she asked, "Did you get a chance to research anything?"

  "A few things. Did my notes not transfer over?"

  "When did ye have time to research, lass?"

  "From my iPad, after I went to bed. Hazel put a copy of the list in the cloud."

  "Oh. I see. If ye need me, I'll be in the back with our Prince o’ Cats."

  Hazel waited until Rune was out of earshot to ask, "Did he seriously name it Prince of Cats?"

  "I guess. Technically, the cat’s name is Mercutio, but it's kind of cute, right?"

  "Eh. It's your cat."

  "You mean Rune or the new one?"

  "Both?" Hazel giggled at my expense.

  "Enough of that, girlfriend." I pulled my iPad from my tote, booted it up, and set it on the counter between us. "See the photo I took of the sword in the dumpster? It's the same one, right?"

  "The police took the entire dumpster, so there's no way to search for ourselves."

  "I wish I'd taken better photos that morning. The sight of Warren lying there creeped me out. Even though he looked like he was sleeping off a bender atop a blanket of dust bunnies from the vacuum, just knowing that someone, well. Never mind."

  "Not to mention the stinky fish parts." Hazel gave me a quick hug and retrieved her iPad.

  "Could ye look for it on Google?" Rune piped up.

  "Good idea, Rune! There are a ton of internet sites for old swords like this. Maybe look at renaissance faire sites, too. Sven and I used to go to them all the time, before his recent promotion." Hazel focused on the screen in front of her. I never asked many questions about Sven's job. Whatever Hazel's husband did for a career, the role allowed plenty of opportunities for him to travel while she enjoyed a posh lifestyle. Sven didn't mind that Hazel contributed to whatever business venture we pursued at any given time. In fact, he encouraged her involvement, and I was forever grateful to him for it, even if I hadn't seen him in donkey's years, as Rune would say.

  We soon stood hunched over our respective devices, oblivious to all else.

  Rune returned to the main room with the cat in his arms. He set the creature into its bed behind the counter without disturbing our work. As Hazel and I worked our way through the search results, Rune moved about the main room to ensure everything was ready for the festival-goers.

  "I can't find anything. These results are complete chaos."

  "You're right. There's no rhyme or reason."

  A gentle rapping drew our attention to the front window, where Marci tapped her keyring on the glass. She waved and motioned for us. Hazel let her into the building but relocked the door behind her. Tourists and residents alike milled about on the sidewalk even though twenty minutes remained until we opened for the day.

  "Marci, hello. Your timing is great. Rune, Hazel and I were just discussing the case."

  "Hi! I'm running behind but wanted to stop in before opening the museum. I know it's probably too early to tell, but any news?"

  "We started looking around online to see if we could find any information about that sword." I paused to drink the last of the coffee in my travel mug. As I refilled the empty vessel with the contents of one of the Mocha Joe's takeout cups, I continued, "We can keep looking throughout the day."

  "Thank you so much! Over dinner last night, Gavin slipped up and told me that Warren’s ring is missing. The police are searching through the pawnshops in nearby towns. I love knowing you're taking a work-smarter-not-harder approach outside of the local area."

  Remembering my manners, I held out the bag of donut holes. "Would you like one?"

  "I'd love one, but I can't. Gavin and I joined a gym. We're up to four times a week. It keeps him in shape for his work on the force and helps me keep fit for walking down the aisle."

  "Oh-oh-oh! Did he pop the question?" Hazel grabbed Marci's forearms and stared her down.

  Marci wriggled out of Hazel's grasp and laughed. "No, not yet, but we've been talking around the edges of the subject."

  I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to spend the rest of their lives with Gavin, least of all Marci. She was so refined and sophisticated while he was downright boorish. Instead of voicing my innermost thoughts, I forced a smile and said, "How exciting!"

  "I'm getting a sister!" Hazel squealed and danced in place.

  Hazel had told people that I was the closest thing she had to a sister for our entire friendship. Her words stung, and it took everything I had not to remind her. As if sensing I needed a distraction, our new shop cat jumped onto the counter in a single bound and nudged its head against my arm.

  "Hello, Mercutio." I ran my palm along the creature's back, its silky fur against my skin, producing a calming effect. "Are you telling me you need some breakfast? Let's go check and make sure your bowl is full."

  The cat didn't protest as I scooped him into my arms. With a polite "pardon me," over my shoulder, I made my way to the employee only area, leaving Hazel and Marci to bond.

  CHAPTER 12

  The food in Mercutio’s bowl still looked pretty full, but you know how it is with cats. They can eat a few pieces of food and have a meltdown to make you think their bowl was utterly bare. After I filled the dish, of course, Mercutio turned his nose up and stalked over to the box he had claimed the day before.

  Because I wasn't ready to watch Hazel bond with her brother's girlfriend, I took a seat at the table and wasted a few minutes pretending to find interest in a cleaning supply catalog.

  "Are ye all right, lass?"

  "Yep. I'm fine."

  "Google says' fine' is a word that women use when they are anything but fine. Would ye like to share what's on yer mind, dear heart?"

  Rune's term of endearment sent a warm, tingling right down to my toes. "It's silly girl stuff. I just needed a few minutes to pout-it-out, as Mom would call it."

  "Why are ye pouting?"

  "I know Hazel has other friends besides me but seeing her get so close to Marci stings a bit."

  "Whist, lass. Yer ould flower could never replace ye. Yer as close to her as her blood kin, no matter what she says to anyone else." He kissed the top of my head and, without waiting for me to reply, urged, "If yer done sulking, lass, I think she could use yer help."

  As much as I hated to admit it, my hunky Irishman was right. Hazel would always be my best friend, or ould flower, as Rune phrased it. I reached to give the cat a final pat before I stood and returned to the shop proper. Rune followed close behind, undoubtedly prepared to block me if I changed my mind and tried to turn back. Marci's absence was the first thing I noticed upon reentering the room. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt the tension leave my shoulders.

  "Everything okay?" Hazel asked.

  "Of course. So, what's our game plan?"

  "How do you feel about snooping around Warren Nagle's dance studio?"

  "Um, it sounds like something that would give your brother cause to arrest us."

  "Haha, but no. Marci said the studio needs someone to run through and do a general clean-up once or twice a week."

  "Why would we do that? We're no longer in the cleaning business. Working here at the Treasure Trove is our job now." I looked from Hazel to Rune, who had remained silent since our return from the back room.

  "We won't take the cleaning job for real. But it will give us a chance to snoop around his office."

  "Okay," I dragged the word into multiple syllables.

  "Marci said Warren's brother Joel got into town late last night. He and Dusky will be at the studio all morning, preparing Warren's students for a special memorial performance. We could go over after the morning rush if Rune doesn't mind holding down the fort. What do you think?"

  "It's all right by me, lassies. Especially if ye return with hoagies from Yellow Submarines."

  "And you accuse me of being obsessed with food." I stuck my tongue out at Rune before replying to Hazel, "Sure. Why not? And hoagies do sound like a great idea for lunch."

  "Awesomesauce!" Hazel high-fived each of us as the mantel clock on display in the front window chimed the hour. "Let me unlock this door and flip the closed sign to let these people know that we’re officially open for the day."

  A dozen or so tourists waited on the sidewalk. The sensation of static electricity attacking my nerves faded the moment Marci left. The last thing I wanted was for her to edge her way into the middle of my friendship with Hazel. The whole incident was silly in hindsight. Today wasn't like back in high school, where mean girls gathered in cliques that intentionally excluded the geeks, band members, and other stereotypical misfits.

  A dozen or so tourists filtered into the shop the moment Hazel unlocked and opened the door. They were quick to ooh and ahh over the items on display, even before their entire group crossed the threshold. At last, the door swung closed, the movement allowing the early morning sun to pierce the glass. The result was a prismatic shaft of light that reflected against the polished hardwood floors. The door opened and closed again, causing the light to swing across the glossy surface like the pendulum on a grandfather clock.

  Beside me, Rune hissed, "Wee folk."

  I was so busy admiring nature's artwork that I nearly missed what he said, and when I looked up from the counter, I was surprised to see the man from the previous morning, the one who had watched from across the street as they pulled Warren’s body from the dumpster.

  "What did you say, Rune?"

  "Wee folk. We'd best get him out of the shop before he causes mischief."

  I followed Rune's gaze to the man and scratched my head in confusion. "What do you mean, 'wee folk?' There's nothing small about him. I mean, for crying out loud, he has to be over six feet tall."

  "Not wee folk like a wee little babby, lass. Honest to goodness wee folk. Ye may know them better as leprechauns."

  "Ha! Good one, Rune. Everybody knows that leprechauns don't exist."

  "Are ye so sure? Even as one stands before yer very eyes?"

  "Rune, chill out. Leprechauns are a myth, like elves and fairies."

  "And wasn't I a cat under a fairy's curse, lass?"

  I couldn't argue with him there, and even if I wanted to, the man wore a bright smile as he approached the counter. There was something familiar about him, as if I had seen him before yesterday, but I couldn’t place it.

  "G'morning, miss. I do hope I can ask for your assistance. You see, I have lost something very dear to my heart."

  Beside me, Rune clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides. Torn between wanting to console him and satisfying my curiosity about whether these men were indeed leprechauns, I made a mental note to apologize to Rune later and gave into the latter. "Oh? What is it? We haven't been open long enough to have an official lost and found box."

  "It's me gold.”

  “Pardon?” There’s no way a man who Rune accused of being a leprechaun just told me he’d lost his gold.

  “More specifically, it’s an extremely rare and highly valuable coin."

  "And you think it would be here because…" I trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

  Before the man could explain, Rune laid his palms on the counter and leaned forward a little. "Nothing like that has found its way here, so ye'd best be on yer way, lad."

  "Now, you look here," the man started, but a petite woman with hair the color of a Susan B. Anthony dollar and more wrinkles than a Shar Pei puppy walked up to the front of the counter.

  "Young man? Young man, you're nice and tall. Perhaps you could help me. I'd like to purchase the pair of brass binoculars you have atop that armoire in the corner." Rolling her eyes in my direction, she added, "If you can find time to tear yourself away from your paramour."

  "I always have time to help a young lass like yerself." Rune punctuated his reply with a saucy wink that elicited a blush and a giggle from the geriatric customer. He moved to the front of the counter and allowed the woman to lead him away.

  The man scrutinized me until Rune returned with the customer, rang her purchase, and saw her on her way.

  "Wow. That lady was so captivated by you that she didn't even notice this guy," I observed.

  The man cleared his throat. "That's because only ye and yer friend here bothered to notice us."

  "Is this true?" Mouth agape, I looked from Rune to the man and back again.

  Rune answered me with a single nod.

  "I'm not sure I understand."

  The man explained, "Tis simple logic, lass. Ye modern-day folk are so wrapped up in yer technology that ye miss the magic around ye."

  "Should we take this discussion to the back room?" All of a sudden, for reasons I could not explain, I worried someone might overhear and ask questions—questions that might lead to discovering the truth about Rune's past.

  "There's nothing else to say, lass." Rune put his hand on my lower back as if his mere touch could cement my feet to the floor.

  The man began to protest, but Mercutio appeared out of nowhere and leaped atop the counter. The cat pushed its hips in the air and flicked its tail, bared its teeth, and gave a low hiss.

  "Hey, buddy. There's no need for all that." I bent to give our feline friend a little cuddle. When I straightened, prepared to apologize for the cat's behavior, the man was gone.

  CHAPTER 13

  Hazel approached Rune and me with her phone in her hand. "Ivy just called me to get Topher's number. It sounds like the police want to question Joe again. Do you mind if we stop by the cafe after we get back from the dance studio?"