4 Cupids Curse (6 page)

After I got home, I straightened up in anticipation of Zak’s arrival. He hadn’t exactly said he
would
stop by, but it had been several days and I was certain he was as anxious to see me as I was to see him. I threw another log on the fire, softened the lighting, lowered the volume on the stereo, and sat looking out at the lake with Charlie curled up next to me, Spade in my lap, and Marlow on the back of the sofa near my head. I couldn’t help but wonder if Ellie wasn’t onto something when she indicated—okay, flat-out stated—that Zak was more committed to our relationship than I was. I felt committed. At least I thought I did. I certainly felt jealousy where Zak was concerned, but were jealousy and commitment the same thing? Maybe Ellie was right. Maybe Zak was more invested than I was and I simply hadn’t noticed.

In my twenty-four years
, I’d had several casual relationships, but never anything as serious as what I’d like to have with Zak. Perhaps I really didn’t understand the rules of the game. Zak never said anything about a key, and he’d never once indicated he was in any way dissatisfied with the rate at which our relationship was developing, but Ellie wasn’t wrong when she indicated that he’d made more concessions to our partnership than I had. I thought about the million and one things Zak had done for me over the past few months and felt terrible that I hadn’t done more.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I knew
, I was laying on the couch between three warm bodies—Charlie and the cats—and someone was kissing my neck.

“Zak,” I moaned without opening my eyes. It was possible I was dreaming
, and if I was, I didn’t want to wake up.

“I leave for a couple of days and the next thing I know
, you’re knee deep in dead bodies,” Zak teased.

The delicious feel of Zak’s lips working their way from my neck to my mouth caused a tingling sensation
up my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into his body as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom.

Much to my disappointment, Zak was gone when I woke up the next morning. He’d left a note, telling me that he was going to be tied up all day but that he planned to have a discussion with both the sheriff and the county about opening the Zoo the following day, as planned. He asked me to let him handle things and not to make matters worse by digging around in the case. Although it goes against my nature to do so, I decided to honor Zak’s request, at least for the time being, and go about my day as if I hadn’t just found a body in my bear cage and everything I’d worked so hard for over the past few months wasn’t once again going to be delayed indefinitely.

I was proud of my decision to leave the investigation in the hands of the professionals
. . . for about two minutes. And then I remembered everything I’d learned about Trent the previous day. While he’d always been friendly and cordial while working on the remodel at the Zoo, I’d never really stopped to talk to him, and he’d never really opened the door for me to do so. Suddenly, I felt bad for treating the guy, who obviously had a warm and giving heart, like a distant acquaintance. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Jeremy must have chatted with Trent on more than a casual basis; he was the type to start a conversation with
everyone
with whom he came into contact. The Zoo was still off-limits, so I called Jeremy and offered to take him to lunch.

After taking
Charlie for a run and topping off the cats’ food and water, I got dressed in warm winter clothes and set off for town. I’d called ahead and informed Ellie that I hoped to have a private conversation with Jeremy, so she’d saved us the table in the back of Rosie’s.

“So what’s up?” Jeremy asked as Ellie headed back to the kitchen with our order.

“I was interested in finding out what you knew about Trent,” I began. “I know the two of you spent a lot of time together over the past couple of months.”

“I’m not sure what I can tell you.” Jeremy stirred at least ten packets of sugar into his iced tea
, which I am fairly certain he drinks every one of the 365 days of the year. “He was a nice guy. Quiet. Lived in town but kept to himself. Seemed to work a lot. He frequently mentioned side jobs he did in the evening, after finishing with Kevin for the day.”

“Can you think of any side jobs in particular?” I asked as Jeremy tasted his
drink and then added two more packets of sugar.

“I know he was helping Tawny with the preschool
, and I remember him mentioning something about helping Old Man Johnson with some insulation.”

Old Man Johnson live
s in a small cabin just outside of town. It had to be at least fifty years old, and the draft through the cracks on the log siding created temperatures resembling an icebox in the middle of winter. Old Man Johnson had lived in Ashton Falls as long as anyone could remember. He was a crusty sort who didn’t have a lot of use for people but loved animals. He’d adopted several dogs from the shelter over the years, and I felt that he and I were on good-enough terms that he’d talk to me. Maybe.

“Anything else? Did he ever mention a girlfriend or
a group he socialized with?”

“Not that I can remember. It seemed to me like he worked most of the time
, although he did say something about needing to leave early one of the times he was at the Zoo because he was going to dinner at someone’s house. I don’t remember him mentioning whose house it was, but he mentioned he was looking forward to enjoying the type of food he’d eaten when he was growing up.”

“Did he happen to
tell you where he lived before this?”

Jeremy thought about it. “Not specifically
, but he talked about Piazza’s Pizza all the time.”

“Piazza’s Pizza?” I’d never heard of the place.

“It’s a small, family-owned pizza place in the Bronx. I only know about it because I have a cousin who lives in New York and he’s always saying that Piazza’s has the best pizza he’s ever tasted. One day Trent mentioned it in passing, and I told him that I’d heard of the place, and he went into a lengthy discussion about the thickness of the sauce, the crispness of the crust, and the five cheeses that are used to make that epicurean delight. My guess is that Trent either lived in the area or spent a significant amount of time there at some point.”

“Anything else you can think of?” I asked as Ellie brought our food.

Jeremy took a bite of his sandwich. He chewed loudly as he considered my question. I handed him a napkin to wipe the mayo off his chin. Although Jeremy is only a few years younger than me, there were times when I felt like he was the child and I was the adult.

“Trent mentioned his grandmother on more than one occasion,” Jeremy
said, once he’d swallowed. “He never said so directly, but I got the idea that he and his sister were raised in a family with minimal parental influence other than the times they visited their grandparents, who lived some distance away.”

“Sister?”

“Yeah. He never mentioned her name, but he said things like
we’d
really look forward to those summer visits. One day I asked about siblings, and he said he had an older sister.”

“I suppose I should mention this to Salinger. I’m sure he’s looking for next of kin to notify.”

After lunch
, I decided to call on Old Man Johnson. The drive to his cabin took only minutes. By the time I arrived, I wished I had Charlie with me as an ice breaker. At least the five dogs that greeted me as I pulled into the drive remembered me. I got down from my truck and said hello to Johnson’s pack before treading carefully over the icy walkway to the front door.

“Mr. Johnson,” I called as I knock
ed loudly. “It’s Zoe Donovan.” Old Man Johnson was deaf in one ear, so I hoped he’d heard me. It was cold and windy, and I didn’t relish standing outside on the stoop longer than I had to.

“Mr. Johnson
.” I knocked again.

“Hang on a minute.” I heard something crash, followed by a scuffle, and
, eventually, footsteps heading toward the door.

I smiled when the man opened the door dressed in nothing but bright red long johns. “Did I wake you?”

“Humph,” he groaned. “What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to ask about Trent Everett
, if you have a minute.”

“Yeah, okay,” he
said, opening the door wider, “come on in.”

The cabin was cozy
, well kept, and surprisingly warm.

“Have a seat
.” Johnson pointed toward the worn but comfortable-looking sofa. “I’ll just get some pants on and join you.”

I looked around the room while I waited. Johnson had an entire wall plastered with photographs of the area taken long before I was born
. It was interesting to see empty lots where buildings now stood, and old structures that had been torn down to make way for new ones. Johnson had a photo of Donovan’s, the store my dad now owned and my pappy had built, before the addition. The photos Johnson had should really be on public display. Perhaps I’d have someone approach him about the idea. At another time. Today, Trent Everett was the main topic on my mind.

“So you wanted to talk?” Johnson asked when he returned to the room
wearing worn jeans over his long johns.

“I heard that Trent helped you out with some insulation
, and by the nice and toasty feel of the place, I assume he completed the job.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I’m trying to figure out who might have killed him.”

“You think I did?”

“No, not at all,” I quickly assured him. “I just figured the two of you might have talked while he was here. Maybe you have some insight as to who might have wanted him dead.”

Johnson rubbed his chin
, which was covered with stubble, as he thought about it. “We chatted a bit. Shared my stew with him a time or two. Can’t recall him mentioning anyone who had a beef with him. He was a real nice kid. Can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt him.”

“How exactly did you meet him?”

“Willa Walton sent him around. She’d been by to ask about my tree-cutting permit and noticed how cold it was inside. Boy did a real nice job, and it didn’t cost me a penny.”

“He didn’t charge you
anything
?”

“Nope. Said I reminded him of his grandpa
and he was happy to help out.”

It seemed strange to me that a man who was
as attached to his family as Trent seemed to be would move to a place where he didn’t know anyone. I had to wonder if there was a reason for his departure from the place where he’d grown up.

“Did Trent ever tell you anything about his
grandparents, or anything else for that matter, about his past?”

“
Not a lot. Guess his mom grew up poor but married into some sort of rich and powerful family. It sounded like he didn’t really get on with either of his parents or his dad’s family, but he would go to stay with his mother’s parents every summer. Seems like they lived on a farm in upstate New York. I think when he got older the visits stopped, but he mentioned a time or two that those summers were the best times of his life.”

“Did he ever mention a sister?”

“Mentioned someone he referred to as Reenie.”

“Reenie?”

“I got the feeling it was some sort of nickname for a close friend or maybe a sibling. He never elaborated and I never asked.”

“Did he ever mention where he lived or what he did for a living prior to moving to Ashton Falls?
”

“Can’t say that he did. Other than stories about his grandparents and the farm
, he didn’t say much at all about his past.”

“Okay, well
, thank you for your time. I’ve enjoyed looking at your photos. I especially love this one of the store my pappy built.”

“Your
pappy is a good man. I remember when he first moved to this area. There weren’t much of a town back then. Most folks came for the summer but returned to their homes in the valley once the first hint of snow was in the air. Your pappy cut and milled those logs himself. Took him a couple of years, but he built himself a right nice place.”

“So you knew Pappy before he married my grandma?”

“I did. Never seen a man fall so hard or so fast as he did for that little spitfire who made it her business to tell him what for.”

I smiled. “She did have spunk.”

“Real looker too. Might have tried taking her for a spin myself, but your pappy had a ring on her finger quicker than you can say lickety-split.”

“He’s always told me it was love at first sight.”

It occurred to me that my dad had told me the same thing about the first time he met my mom, although that hadn’t worked out quite so well. If Zak was indeed my one true love—and it was a bit early to determine that—the family tradition would be broken with me. The first time I met Zak, the golden boy of Ashton Falls, I wanted to tear his eyes out. That thought gave me pause. Maybe love was supposed to be instantaneous. Maybe what I had with Zak wasn’t love at all. . . .

“Heard you’re opening the shelter back up.”

“Yeah, tomorrow, I hope.”

“Been thinking about another dog. Grover is getting old and Tumbler is going blind. Might want to take on a younger dog I can train to hunt.”

“If we get in a dog that I think will work out, I’ll call you.”

“Appreciate that.”

After leaving Johnson’s, I headed back toward town. I was learning a lot about the man Trent had been since moving to Ashton Falls, but not much about who he was prior to that. Maybe Zak could do a background search if he finished his other projects on time, and there was always the slim chance that Salinger would turn something up. In the meantime, I figured I’d have a chat with Mary Grayson. But first I’d stop by the boathouse and pick up Charlie. Mary loved Charlie and would welcome a visit.

I pulled into my drive and was delighted to see Zak’s truck was parked near my front door. I hadn’t yet given him a key, but I rarely locked my door except at night. It seemed odd that Zak would come by without calling first, but I supposed our relationship had moved beyond the formalities normally associated with being neighbors.

“You’re leaving,” I complained as we passed at the front door
. “But I just got here. Can you stay for a while?”

“Sorry.” Zak gave me a
quick peck on the lips. “I’ve got to run. I couldn’t find my phone, and I thought I might have left it here.”

“You haven’t had your phone all day?” The idea that Zak had left his phone at my place wasn’t odd
; the fact that it was hours since he’d left and was just noticing seemed a bit more suspect.

“I was working at home and didn’t notice until I got ready to leave. I looked around
, but it wasn’t anywhere I could find it. After thinking about it, it occurred to me it might be in the pocket of the jacket I had on last night. I’m going to head back home and take another look.”