Invitation to Murder (Book 1 in the Candlemaking Mysteries) (11 page)

She came out with a partially cut sheet in
one hand. Should you go anywhere alone? I’d be happy to accompany
you.”

“
Then who’s going to wait
on our customers?” Before she could make a crack about that, I
added, “If we should get any?”

“
Honestly, Jennifer, do
you actually think I’d be to help anyone if they did come in? I
know next to nothing about making cards.”

“
I’m not asking you to
give private lessons. You can run a cash register, and the prices
are marked on everything. If you get something you can’t handle,
tell them to hang around or come back later.” I left before she
could raise any more objections. It’s a short walk to the place I
used as a secret store house for my card supplies. Farrar Hardware
had the latest selection of doodads in town, and I wasn’t above
using something I found there in one of my own designs. “Hey,
Grady,” I said as I walked into the ancient building with its
scarred hardwood floors. The light fixtures hanging from the
ceiling had been there since before I’d been born. The owner, Mr.
Grady Farrar, was an older man with a full head of silver hair and
a quick comment on just about everything.

“
Jennifer Shane, you
didn’t close your business already, did you?”

“
Thanks for that vote of
confidence,” I said as I smiled. “My aunt’s watching the store for
me.”

“
And what does Miss
Lillian know about card making?”

“
She’s learning,” I
said.

Grady laughed. “So the saying about teaching
as old dog must be wrong.”

“
I’m going to tell her you
said that.”

Grady blanched slightly. “Now you know I was
just teasing you. You wouldn’t say anything to her, would you?”

“
Of course not.” I knew
firsthand how acidic my aunt’s tongue could be, and Grady was too
nice a man to be on the receiving end of it.

“
Bless your heart. So what
can I help you with this fine day?”

“
I’m not really sure,” I
said as I rummaged through some of the drawers near the register.
Grady’s place had been in the family for over a hundred years, and
I doubted the man himself had any idea about what all he had in
stock. “I’m doing wedding invitations for a customer.”

He held up a shotgun shell. “How about using
one of these on every card?”

He was smiling about it, but it was a little
too close to the real situation for me. “No, I need something
unexpected.”

“
Well, help yourself. If
you need a hand, just ask, and if you need a price, I’ll make one
up right on the spot for you.”

I kept browsing, searching for something
that would give the cards an edge. After twenty minutes I was about
to give up when I passed the aisle stocked with, screws, nuts and
bolts. On one of the bottom shelves, I found a box of brass
fittings no bigger than a quarter that looked like gold wedding
bands. “Do you have any thin brass wire?” I asked him.

“
Got all kinds,” Grady
said as he led me to an area with picture-framing supplies on
it.

I grabbed a roll of wire and put it on the
counter next to the brass fittings. “What do I owe you?” I
asked.

“
Let’s see,” Grady said as
he made a few of his chicken scratches on the back of a brown paper
bag. “I think five bucks should do it.”

“
Are you sure? I don’t
want to cheat you.” Grady said, “Young lady, don’t ever doubt I’ll
charge you all the market will allow.”

I laughed and grabbed the bag as I threw a
five on the counter. “I need a receipt, please.” He turned another
bag over and jotted down my receipt. “Don’t you have something a
little less casual?” I asked.

“
That blamed cash register
is busted again, so that will have to do. Government doesn’t mind,
just as long as it’s signed and dated, and I took care of that
already.”

“
That’s great,
thanks.”

As I raced for the door, Grady said, “Come
back in.”

“
You know it.”

Lillian was waiting in the doorway when I
got back to the Three Cs. “What is it?” I asked her as I brushed
past. “Is something wrong?”

“
You took an awfully long
time, Jennifer. I was just out to call your brother.”

That was all I needed, another episode with
Bradford attracting all of the wrong kind of attention to my shop.
“I’m glad you didn’t. It took me longer than thought to find what I
was looking for.” She gestured to the small bag in my hand. “And
you believe you found it?”

“
There’s only one way to
find out.” I went back to the table, moved my drawings out of the
way, then retrieved a pair of small pliers and a hole punch.
Folding a piece of card stock into thirds, I attached section of
wire to each of the front doors of the card, threading a brass
fitting as I worked. A touch of hot glue to keep the pieces firmly
in place, and I had a card I could work with. “So what do you
think?” I asked Lillian as I handed the card to her.

“
But it’s blank inside,”
she said as she opened the doors of the card.

“
Of course it’s blank. I’m
fast, but I’m not that fast., Besides, I’m not sure what kind of
card I want it to be yet. I’m talking about the design on
front.”

“
That? Why, it’s lovely. A
little modern, though isn’t it? It looks a little industrial to
me.”

“
Good, that’s exactly what
I was going for. Now, what color pen should I use for the
calligraphy? Would gold be too common?”

Lillian tapped the card with her fingers.
“Don’t you think a fancy script inside would be a bit jarring with
this exterior? I should think you’d want something a little
starker, don’t you?”

I hugged my aunt, and she asked, “What was
that for?”

“
For having a great idea.
Why don’t you search through the fonts we have on the computer, and
when you find something close to what you have in mind, I’ll use it
for the cards.”

“
You mean you’re going to
print the invitations out on your computer?”

“
Well, I could hand-letter
all one hundred, but she needs them in four days, and my arm would
fall off before I could manage that. Don’t worry; I have a good
idea about what I’m going to do.”

“
You’re the one in
charge,” she said. “I finished cutting the stock just before you
got back. I thought she wanted a hundred even. Why are we making
more?”

“
There’s always a chance
we won’t like our first few,” I said. “And besides, I want to be
able to pick our best efforts for her. I’m a little nervous about
my first paying job here.”

“
You’ll do fine,” Lillian
said. “After all, you’ve got the best assistant in town. Now I’ll
just go find that font.”

I started marking and folding the cards,
happy with my choices. I just hoped Mrs. Albright would be
satisfied. While I wanted Donna to be pleased, it was just is
important to me that the bride’s mother was happy with the results,
too. One bad bit of word-of-mouth would probably kill my shop so
soon after opening.

Lillian found a font we both agreed on, and
we were busy tweaking the design when my aunt said, “Look at the
time. We should have locked up an hour ago. I just realized
something. You worked straight through your lunch, Jennifer.” My
stomach rumbled at the mention of lunch, and realized she was
right. That happened sometimes when I was absorbed in a new
project. “I’ll grab something later. We’re making real progress
here.”

Lillian said, “Still, you have to eat
something. What time is your class tonight?”

“
What class?” I asked
absently as I played with the wording inside the invitation. “The
class you’re teaching, young lady.” I’d forgotten all about my
private lesson scheduled for later that evening. “I don’t have time
to eat,” I yelped as I started gathering the materials together to
clear the worktable in front of the shop. “Nonsense, there’s always
time for that,” she said as she helped me. “Here’s what we’ll do.
You have thirty-five minutes before your new pupil is due to
arrive. You set up for your class, and I’ll pick up something for
you to eat. What would you like?”

“
A burger would be fine,”
I said absently as I kept cleaning the table.

“
You need more than that.
How about a salad to go along with it?”

“
Fine, whatever. I have to
get this ready.”

As Lillian started to go, she said, “Now
don’t forget, you need to lock the door behind me.”

“
I won’t forget,” I said
as I dragged a rag across the table to shove any leftover remnants
into the trash can.

“
Lock it now, Jennifer,”
she said, “or I’m not going.”

“
Fine, I’ll do it. Just
go.”

She walked out the door, then lingered on
the steps until I locked the door as instructed. I stuck my tongue,
out at her, which she returned; then she finally walked down
Oakmont, no doubt going to HamSmith’s. Hamilton Smith ran a
boutique grill on our block, offering everything from salmon to my
favorite hamburgers in the world. By the time Lillian got back with
the food I had the supplies laid out for my first lesson with ten
minutes to spare.

I peeked in the bag. “Hey, there’s way too
much I food in here.”

“
I thought I’d join you. I
skipped lunch, too, remember? You don’t mind, do you?”

“
I’d be delighted,” I
said. “Get enough out of the cash drawer to pay yourself back,
okay?”

She waved a hand in the air, dismissing me.
“It’s not important.”

As hungry as I was and as great as that
hamburger smelled, I pushed it away from me on the counter.

Lillian asked, “Is there something wrong
with the food?”

“
There surely
is.”

“
What is it?” she asked.
“I ordered your usual.”

“
I’m sure the food’s fine.
The problem is that didn’t pay for it. It’s bad enough that I can’t
afford to pay you for your work here, but I draw the line at
accepting your handouts.”

Lillian’s eyes sparked. “For heaven’s sakes,
don’ be so pigheaded. I want to do this. Let me treat you to lunch
or dinner, or whatever this is.”

I had to wonder if I was just being
stubborn, if I could afford to stand on principle when I didn’t
have the money to back it up. “I’ll make you a deal,” I said as my
mouth started to water. “I’ll let you pay for this if you let me
buy lunch tomorrow.” I’d have a check from my student tonight to
cover lunch the next day.

“
That sounds lovely. Now
eat your food before it gets cold.”

“
Yes, Ma’am,” I said as I
bit into the hamburger. I surprised myself by finishing my salad,
too, though I normally wasn’t big on leafy greens. It was amazing
how hunger could make just about anything taste good. I shoved the
wrappers and containers into my bag and threw it into the big trash
can. “That was great. Thanks.”

“
You’re most welcome.”
Lillian had skipped ordering a burger and was still pecking away at
her salad. That woman made an event out of every meal, making it
stretch as long as possible. I was more of a grab-and-go kind of
gal myself.

There was a tap on the front door, and I
fully exacted to see Melinda standing there.

Instead, it was Greg, and from the sour look
on his ice, it appeared that he was back for round two.

HANDCRAFTED CARD-MAKING TIP

Charms can be successfully used on
handcrafted cards to make them really stand out. Not only do they
give each card a personal touch, but the recipient can add your
contribution to her bracelet after she’s enjoyed your card, and
think of you every time she looks at it.

Chapter 8

“
What are you, some kind
of glutton for punishment?” I asked as I unlocked the
door.

Greg brought one of his hands out from
behind his back. He offered the roses to me with a contrite look on
his face. “I’m sorry.”

I just couldn’t blast him again, not with
that hurt-puppy look in his eyes. But I wasn’t about to let him off
the hook that easy, either. “What are you sorry about?” I asked,
not taking the flowers from him.

“
Let’s see, let’s start
with my attitude earlier, and the way I jumped to the wrong
conclusions. How’s that?”

“
Surely you can think of
more to add to that list, can’t you?”

Lillian spoke up behind me. “Don’t be so
hard on him, Jennifer. He’s offering to make peace.”

Without turning, I said, “Don’t you have
something you need to be doing right now?”

“
Oh nonsense,” she said,
but I could hear her move away.

“
Go on,” I said to Greg.
“I’m still listening.”

“
What else do you want me
to apologize for? I said I was sorry.”

I frowned at him. “How about for spying on
me?”

He lowered the flowers. “That’s one thing
I’m not sorry about at all. I agree with Bradford. As long as a
killer is on the loose in Rebel Forge and you could be the next
target, I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe,
and if that includes lurking outside your apartment at night, then
so be it.”

“
When is everyone going to
get it? I don’t need any help.”

“
You don’t know what you
need,” he said as he thrust the flowers into my chest. “Here, take
them.”