Murder at the Church: Cottonwood Springs Cozy Mystery Series Read online

  If it came down to it, Brigid was sure there would be footage that showed them in Denver at the time Maggie had been murdered. Brigid sighed with relief. She really didn’t want the murderer to be one of her classmates.

  Brigid backed her car out from the parking spot in front of the furniture store. “I’ll go see what the heck Fiona wants before I try to find out where Frank Sterling was at the time of the murder,” she said to herself. She turned up the music on the car radio and sang along as she drove through the quiet streets of Cottonwood Springs. There wasn’t much traffic, so it didn’t take long before she pulled up in front of her sister’s bookstore.

  Brigid recognized Missy’s car and wondered what her sister was up to this time. When she approached the store, she saw Fiona and Missy seated in two of store’s collection of mismatched armchairs, sipping coffee and talking. She pushed the door open, and they turned towards her.

  “Hi, Brigid,” they said in unison.

  “You weren’t busy, were you?” Missy asked.

  “Brigid’s never busy,” Fiona teased. “I’m starting to think all she does is drive around all day.”

  “Cute, Fiona, cute,” Brigid said, smiling. She knew her sister loved to tease her. “What’s up, ladies?”

  “Come sit,” Missy said, patting the chair next to her. “Join us in a cup of coffee.”

  Brigid poured herself a cup and sat down.

  “Apparently, news of your good deed has spread,” Fiona said as she sipped her coffee.

  “Oh?” Brigid asked. “What good deed would that be?”

  “Fiona is just being a pain,” Missy chided. “There are lots of people around town who have donated money and things to help Holly. I was just telling Fiona that I needed to get in touch with you and see what you want to do with all the stuff that has been donated.”

  “You’re kidding,” Brigid said, completely taken aback.

  “Don’t forget how much our town can come together,” Fiona said. “We tend to take care of our own. Remember how long Henri got casseroles after Lucy’s murder?”

  “I remember,” said Brigid. “I ended up with one of them, because he didn’t think he could eat another tater tot casserole.” She laughed. “So what kind of things are we talking about?”

  “It’s probably best if you come down to the church yourself when you get a chance. We have a corner in the basement where we’re storing all of it for now. You should be happy not too many people know where you live, or they would have been showing up at your front door instead of the church.” Missy smiled. “I spread the word that if anyone wants to help you out to bring it by the church first. That way you and Holly won’t get too overwhelmed.”

  “That’s amazing, Missy. Thank you so much.” Brigid was quiet for a few moments as she thought about her schedule. “I can probably stop by the church later. I’ll get Holly and bring her with me. That will give her a chance to decide what she wants and what she doesn’t. Anything that we don’t take you can give to someone else who’s in need, can’t you?”

  Missy nodded. “Of course. There are always families in need around Cottonwood Springs and the neighboring communities. Believe me, that won’t be a problem.”

  “Good,” Brigid said sipping her coffee. “I took Holly to her school this morning. She’s going to be doing her classwork at home for now.”

  “How are things going with her, anyway? I’m sorry I haven’t been over yet to introduce myself. You know how it is here. I’m always busy,” Fiona apologized.

  “Don’t worry about it, Fiona. Maybe I can bring her by later. She loves books, and she’d probably like to pick up a few here. She’s spent a ton of time at the library. I think she’s read every good book they have there.”

  “Sure, that would be great. I’d love to meet her. Missy says she’s a great kid.”

  “She is,” Brigid said. “I’m a little nervous about trying to take care of her, but I’m finding it’s not as hard as I thought it might be.”

  “I don’t think she’ll give you any trouble,” Missy said. “I remember when she came to the church’s bible school for preschool children. At the time, Maggie just brought her to it so she wouldn’t have to watch her for a few hours. She was a smart little girl even then.”

  “She’s definitely smart, and she and Linc get along great, too.”

  “That’s always good,” said Fiona.

  Brigid stood. “Well, I really need to get going. I have another stop to make before I can pick Holly up, come back here, and then go to the church. Plus, Sheriff Davis is supposed to be giving me a call.”

  “What for?” asked Fiona.

  “He asked me to help him out with the investigation into Maggie’s murder, like I did with Lucy’s. I’ve been checking up on some suspects. They’re having a hard time finding one of them. They’re pretty sure he’s at home, but he won’t answer the door. Sheriff Davis is hoping if we show up together, with him in plain clothes instead of a uniform, maybe he’ll answer the door.”

  “Probably worth a shot,” Fiona said. “Make sure you get back to see me. You know I’m trapped here until closing time.”

  “Promise,” Brigid said.

  CHAPTER 17

  Brigid left the bookstore and pointed her car in the direction of Frank Sterling’s house. She’d gotten directions from Missy, who not only seemed to know everyone in town but also where they lived. As Brigid was driving towards his home, she wondered if Sheriff Davis’ deputies had had any luck yet with Maggie’s ex-boyfriend Billy or his and Maggie’s mutual friend, Sam.

  She pulled up in front of the Sterling house and parked on the street, sending a quick text to Sheriff Davis to find out if they’d made any headway. She put her phone in her purse, climbed out of her car, and walked up to the door.

  Brigid had met Frank and his wife, Eve, a few times. They were on friendly terms, since it was a small town, and Eve had come to one or two of the book club meetings, but usually she was too busy and had to miss it. Brigid decided to use the book club as an excuse for why she’d come to visit.

  As she knocked on the door, Brigid turned and looked at the Sterling’s lawn and porch. The yard was freshly mowed, but the flower bed was overgrown with weeds. The cushions on the porch swing looked dirty and sad, as though nobody had sat there for a while. The leaves of the potted fern in the corner looked like it desperately needed a drink of water.

  Brigid turned when she heard the door opening. “Yes?” It was Eve.

  “I’m not disturbing you, am I?” Brigid asked.

  “No, not at all, Brigid. Come in.” Eve opened the screen door and stepped aside for Brigid to enter. The house was dark, with all the curtains and blinds drawn. It smelled musty and Brigid could see dust motes floating through the air where beams of the sunlight were slipping through the pulled drapes. The house was neat, but there was a heaviness in the air that was almost tangible.

  “I’m sorry to just drop by, Eve. Missy told me where you lived. I wanted to ask you about the book we’ve been reading for this month’s book club.

  “Okay,” Eve said, patting her short curly hair. “I’ve actually been able to read it this month,” she said smiling. “Although it’s probably terrible that I’m happy about that.” She motioned for Brigid to sit on the couch. “Would you like anything to drink?”

  “No, thank you,” Brigid said. “Why would that be terrible?”

  “I only got to read the book because Frank’s father, Paul, has been in the hospital. He had a setback of sorts on Friday, and he’s been there ever since. Frank and I spent all night Friday in the hospital with him. That’s when I read the book. It was touch and go for a few hours with Paul,” she said with a sigh. “I feel terrible for being relieved that someone else is able to care for him for a while, but it’s been exhausting. I hate to admit it, but it’s been nice to be able to rest and relax for a while.”

  “I can’t say that I blame you. I’d think caring for someone in ill health the way you two do wou
ld be extremely taxing, not only on you, but on your marriage as well.” Brigid knew she’d already found out what she came for, but she felt Eve could use the company, so she continued to talk to her.

  “You’d think so, but so far I think Frank and I have gotten stronger because of it. Granted, we hardly ever see each other. Yet, somehow, we’ve survived. I can’t explain it.” Eve smiled, but her eyes told Brigid she was tired.

  “I’m glad. Do you think you’ll be able to make it to the next book club meeting?”

  “I can’t make any promises yet, but I’ll do my best,” Eve said.

  They talked for a little while longer and Brigid felt the conversation had given her a chance to get to know Eve better. Eve asked about Holly and how things were going with her, and Brigid filled her in.

  “Well, I better get going, I still have a few errands to run today. Eve, let me know if you ever need anything. Honest, it’s not a problem, even if it’s just to chat,” Brigid said as she stood up.

  “I will, thanks.” Eve stood up and followed Brigid to the door, too tired to realize that they never discussed why Brigid had come to visit in the first place.

  As she walked to her car, Brigid’s cell phone started to ring. She looked at the screen and saw it was Sheriff Davis.

  “I’ve been meaning to call you,” Brigid said as she answered.

  “Good. Reckon that means you got somethin’ fer me.”

  “I believe so,” she said as she climbed in her car. “It looks like Mark and MaryAnn Thompson were in Denver the night of Maggie’s murder. I have a receipt showing they were at a dance club late into the night, well past the suspected time of the murder.”

  Brigid heard scratching on the other end before Davis said, “Okay. If we need to down the line, we’ll verify that with security cameras or whatever. I jes’ took ‘em off the list. That all?”

  “I stopped by Frank Sterling’s house and spoke to his wife, Eve. She said his father, Paul, was admitted to the hospital on Friday. They were both there with him all night.” Brigid continued.

  “Okay. I’ll make sure that’s true by talkin’ to whoever was on duty at the hospital that night. They’ll be able to confirm they were there at the time of the murder. Good work,” he said. “Wish my deputies were as successful as you are. Looks like I’m gonna’ need ya’ to help me out this afternoon after all.” She heard the disappointment in his voice.

  “I’m sure we’ll make headway, don’t worry about it,” Brigid said.

  “Hope yer’ right. I don’t see how both Samantha and Billy have been able to evade me and my men, but I can’t force ‘em to open their doors, leastways not without some sorta’ proof.”

  “We’ll worry about that when we get there,” Brigid told him. “No sense in stressing over something that hasn’t happened yet. You just call me when you’re ready to head over there.”

  “Will do. I’m tellin’ ya’, Brigid, now I understand why my predecessor popped antacid chews like candy. This stuff can get stressful. I’ll get a hold of ya’ later,” he said.

  Brigid pulled away from the curb and headed towards home. When she got home, she talked to Holly and told her she had a few places she’d like to take her.

  “So where are we going?” Holly asked as they buckled their seatbelts in Brigid’s car

  “First we’re going to stop by the church. Apparently, people have been donating things to help you out. We’re going to see what they have and then go to my sister’s bookstore. She’d like to meet you, and I’ve been thinking about picking up a few books.”

  “Your sister owns the bookstore here in town? Read It Again?” Holly asked in a surprised tone of voice.

  “Yes, why?” Brigid asked.

  “Oh my gosh, I love that place. They have book club meetings and everything!” Holly was clearly excited.

  “I go to those,” Brigid said with a smile. “Don’t tell me you’re interested in sitting around with a bunch of older women talking about a book?”

  “Definitely! That would be, like so awesome!” Holly said, practically bouncing in her seat.

  “Okay, consider it done. You can come to the next one with me. Calm down,” Brigid chuckled. She never imagined a teenager could get so excited over books. “Sometimes one of the members will suggest a book for the group, so maybe you can think about what you’d like to suggest when it’s your turn. That way you’ll be ready.”

  “I will,” Holly said.

  After they pulled up outside the church, they walked around to the side of the church and down some stairs that led to the basement. When they stepped inside, both of them stopped, shocked at the number of things that were there.

  “Oh, my gosh,” Holly said as she looked around. Missy was in the room, organizing all of the items that had been donated.

  “Oh, good! I’m so glad you’re here,” Missy said as she turned around and greeted them. “Holly, please don’t feel like you have to take everything that’s here with you, and you don’t need to go through it all right now either. You can come back as often as you need to. This room doesn’t get used that much.”

  Brigid’s eyes scanned over the collected items, in awe of what the community had done on its own. Missy was in the middle of organizing some clothing, taking things out of a large bag and folding them on a nearby table. There was a new mattress set, room decorations, more clothing, as well as a desktop computer, a big desk, and a few matching end tables.

  “Holly, why don’t you start going through the clothes I’ve folded over here? Some of this stuff looks like it would fit both of you, so when you’re done, let Brigid take a look.” Missy smiled as Holly began to carefully go through the things. “Brigid, may I speak with you for a moment?”

  Missy pulled Brigid into the next room but left the door open. When she was sure Holly was distracted, she said, “The stuff in there is nothing compared to the money that’s been donated. There’s quite a bit. What do you want me to do with it?”

  “I think I can support her, so I don’t really need it.” Brigid was quiet for a moment and then said, “Could you possibly put it in a college fund for her or some sort of a savings account?”

  “That’s a great idea!” Missy squealed. “I love it. I don’t see why I couldn’t. I’ll open one up in her name, deposit it all there, and let it do its thing. When she’s old enough, she can use it for whatever she wants, hopefully college. Great idea, Brigid.”

  Brigid smiled. “I think that would be the best use for the money everyone’s donated. I can’t believe so many people did this. It touches my heart.”

  “I know. Jordan only mentioned Maggie’s death on Sunday in order to get everyone thinking about the way they treat others. He’d mentioned she had a daughter who would now grow up without her mother and so on. He never expected anyone to feel as though they had to give something to her. It started off with just one or two people donating things, but this morning we had a lot more.” She sighed. “I love seeing our community coming together to do something like this, and totally by accident. It just goes to show that people are truly good.”

  “I agree,” Brigid said. “We’re going to have to leave soon, because I promised Holly I’d take her by the bookstore.”

  “I bet she’ll love that,” Missy said as they returned to the room containing the donations.

  “Here’s a pile of stuff I’d like,” Holly said. “This other pile is of things that really aren’t my style. I hope that doesn’t sound ungrateful. It’s not meant to be.”

  “No, that’s fine, I’ll set those things aside, and I’m sure someone else will be able to make use of them. If you give me a little time, I can get the things I haven’t taken out of boxes and sacks organized for you, so it would be easier for you to sort through the next time you come. Would that be okay?” Missy asked Holly.

  “Thank you, that would be great, but you don’t need to do all that for me.” Holly said. “I can manage.”

  “I insist,” she said. “And if you
want any of this furniture, I’m sure I can get someone to take it over to the house.”

  Holly looked at the new mattresses and the headboard in the corner. “Brigid already had a lot of this stuff in the bedroom when I moved in,” she said.

  “None of it has to stay, Holly,” Brigid said. “I bought it all secondhand, just so there’d be something in the guest room. You won’t hurt my feelings if you like this stuff better.” She looked around and pulled one of the nightstand drawers open. “It really is a lot nicer and more modern than what’s in your room now. I know what I’d choose if I were you.”

  “Brigid, are you sure you won’t mind?” Holly asked.

  “Not at all. We can donate what you don’t want to someone else who needs it,” Brigid said.

  “I think I know just the people, too,” Missy offered. “We can get it switched out in no time.” She stood next to Holly and put her arm around her. “I want you to remember one thing about the people who donated these things. All of them care about you and want you to be happy, Holly. All of this was just for you.”

  Holly looked at Missy, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I won’t. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy,” she said.

  “You deserve it,” Missy said. “Now run along. Knowing Fiona, she’s probably tapping her fingers waiting for you two down at the bookstore. Patience may be a virtue, but it’s one Fiona doesn’t possess. I’ll get this sorted out in a day or so and I’ll bet we’ll have more things coming in.”

  Holly and Brigid thanked Missy again and headed back to her car. On the way to the bookstore, Brigid stopped at the gas station and picked up a candy bar for her sister. She knew Fiona would only take a bite or two of it, afraid of gaining even an ounce, but she knew she’d savor that bite.

  “I brought you something,” Brigid called out as the bell chimed over the door, signaling their entrance.