Bright New Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery Page 5

  Jake took hold of her elbow gently and prodded her to get up.

  Sasha stood by the living room door, talking on her phone, but looking towards the foyer, eyebrows lifted.

  They left, nodding their goodbyes.

  The drive home was just as slow, since their conversation with Sasha had been cut short.

  Jake reclined his seat and closed his eyes.

  “My next step is to find out who bought Trillium Montessori.” Jane thought about telling Jake to take notes while she drove.

  Jake yawned.

  “Then I need to figure out if anyone the buyer knew happened to be at the party. As well as what might have possibly gone wrong with the sale.” Jane switched lanes. “And I need to find out if any of the guests had had kids at Trillium. They could tell me a lot about Michelle, I bet.” She needed to get over one more lane so she wouldn’t miss her exit, but the traffic was bumper to bumper and no one would let her through. She tried to pay equal attention to the cars in front of her and the ones to her side, but it felt like being in a pinball machine. Fear that she was going to kill them both tied for top place with fear that she would screw up the investigation. One of the two was going to give her a heart attack.

  Jake didn’t answer.

  “Do you have the guest list?” Jane tried to nose into the next lane, but the driver next to her laid on his horn. Jane wrenched the wheel and almost overshot.

  “Just take the highway the whole way.” Jake turned on the radio. “Smooth jazz, Jane, really?” He clicked it over to the Fish.

  “What about the guest list?”

  He mouthed along with the song.

  “Are you ignoring me now?” Jane gritted her teeth. He was…a pain.

  “I think I used up my quota of friend time for the week.”

  “Fine.” Jane didn’t need him to get the answers to her questions, but she did have to drive him back to her apartment since that’s where his car was.

  They rode in silence, Jane brainstorming new questions, but in her head, and Jake pretending to care about the top ten Christian songs of the week.

  Back at her apartment, she walked him to his car. “Thanks, Jake. You were right about coming with me.”

  Jake looked past her, toward her apartment window. “And you’re right about Gemma.” He popped open his car door. “But you are going to miss me.”

  He kissed the top of her head, climbed into his car, and drove away.

  She had hardly had time to miss her ex-almost-fiancé, so she doubted she’d be overwhelmed with grief because Jake cut his impromptu visits down to once a week.

  7

  “How did it go?” Gemma handed Jane a cup of tea as soon as she stepped into the apartment.

  “Pretty well. I think I have some idea of where to start, at least.” Jane settled into the corner of the sofa. She set her teacup on the coffee table and rested a notebook on her knee.

  “Isaac called while you were out.”

  Jane closed her eyes and counted to ten.

  “I’m worried about you, Jane. You don’t seem to be grieving this loss at all, even though he was a big part of your life.”

  Jane rocked her head back and forth, trying to loosen her tense shoulders. “I should be crying more. I’m sure I should, but it’s not happening.”

  “That’s what I was thinking. When Nick and I broke up, I cried for weeks.”

  “But you found out he cheated on you, right? I mean, he had to marry the girl. I think I would cry for weeks if I had found out that Isaac had done that.” Jane exchanged her notepad for her teacup. “But I dumped Isaac. Maybe girls don’t cry when they end the relationship.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “Maybe I didn’t really love him.” Jane sipped her tea. “I know we dated a long time by some standards, but he’s been gone for almost six months straight. In Robin Hood, Lady Cluck said, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ but it didn’t.”

  “You’re quoting a cartoon chicken?”

  Jane shrugged. “Why not, if she’s right? I was really infatuated with Isaac…but I’m afraid I didn’t really love him.”

  “But wasn’t it love at first sight?” Gemma sat down at Jane’s feet.

  Jane pictured Isaac the first day she met him at school. Tall, adorable, smart. “Infatuation at first sight, anyway.”

  “But you were star-crossed, doesn’t that count for anything?”

  “We were Bible-school-administration-crossed. It’s not exactly the same thing.” All of a sudden, Jane’s heart hurt. It was like a sharp pang, like someone squeezed it tight. Isaac was so smart, and funny, and handsome, and nice. Her eyes stung with tears. She rested her chin on her knees and tried not to cry.

  “Tell me again why you dumped him, because I just don’t get it.”

  Jane wiped her eyes. She pictured them on the hood of his car watching the city of Portland sparkle in the distance. “He…he didn’t respect me.”

  “Are you sure? Because I thought he really, really loved you.”

  “No. I don’t think he did. He didn’t—” A sob broke out despite her best effort to stifle it. “He didn’t…” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” She laid her head on her folded arms and cried. The tears were hot and salty and felt as good rolling down her face as the pain in her heart felt awful.

  “Don’t be sorry. I think you are finally starting to deal with your loss.”

  She wiped her eyes. “He treated me like I was an accessory. A thing to make his life complete instead of a person who had her own call from God.”

  “The missionary thing?”

  “Umm hmm.” Jane dabbed her nose with a paper napkin.

  “Please don’t be mad at me, but you dumped him because he didn’t respect your call to missions…and yet you aren’t, like, trying to be a missionary.”

  “I can’t explain it, Gemma, which is probably part of why Isaac couldn’t respect it. I know in my heart God wants to use me overseas, but the only directions I have right now are to ‘wait.’ God didn’t say, ‘Go to Montreal with Isaac.’” Jane tried to sip her tea, but it burned the tip of her tongue.

  “What did God say about Montreal?”

  “He was kind of silent about it. Like I was supposed to use the brains he gave me to make that decision. And listening to the way Isaac talked about his work and my call and stuff…I don’t think that I could follow God’s best plan for me and marry Isaac. I wanted to, though. I really, really wanted to.” Jane squeezed her eyes shut.

  Gemma leaned her head against Jane’s knee. “I know you did.” Her voice was a quiet hush.

  ***

  By midnight Jane had a flow chart of case notes that was four pages long.

  Michelle’s backstory inspired any number of questions that needed answers, as did her Google search.

  The internet news seemed to love a Christmas charity killing. The protesters were a particularly popular feature online. A heated discussion had risen up on an anti-gun forum. Since the weapon of choice this time had been a knife, the pro-gun people had flooded the site. The initial posts were mostly neener-neener pro-gun posts, but it eventually evolved into a deep discussion of the facts of the case, most of which were new to Jane.

  One poster, who went by “Bang-Bang Bambi’s Dead,” caught Jane’s eye right away. From Bang-Bang’s posts Jane learned that the HLP protesters had been targeting local dairies for the last twelve months. Jane couldn’t recall seeing any of that in the news, but it didn’t surprise her. Known for their nonviolent protests against food they deemed unhealthy, which usually included animal products and anything highly processed, the Human Liberation Party had taken a stand against pasteurization.

  Against pasteurization?

  Jane googled that as well. Pasteurization killed germs that killed people, but pasteurization also killed bacteria that promoted healthful digestion. If she had to pick a side, offhand and just from what she saw at a glance, she would have to go pro-pasteurization. But then, she d
rew a picture of a barn next to her notes…on the whole, she didn’t trust people enough to buy raw milk and cream from just anyone. And at the same time, she’d seen enough exposé news about how animals get treated in huge farm corporations that she didn’t think mechanization made things better.

  Not that she trusted the news much either.

  She scratched out her barn picture.

  Mistrust was a handier quality for a detective than for a missionary. So, she’d have to use it now, but work on improving her ability to trust people in the future.

  Did she trust Bang-Bang’s posts? That was a good question, since Bang-Bang was also the only person in the conversation who mentioned that Michelle Smith had been an active member of the HLP from 2004 to 2010.

  If she did trust Bang-Bang’s info, it would mean Michelle’s killer might have been targeting the Helpers.

  Jane stretched to pop her back. She didn’t like where this train of thought was leading.

  Who at a charity fundraiser had the most to lose from the protesters?

  Helping Hands Early Education Center, represented by her cousin.

  Yo-Heaven, represented by Jake.

  The dairy industry…

  The guest list, if she could ever prize it from her cousin and Jake, could help her find out if anyone at the party had links to the local dairies.

  And anyone else HLP had targeted for protest recently. Which included Jake.

  She crossed Jake off the list anyway. He was clearly big into God now, and that alone made him not a killer. But also, the “Fro-Yo Murder” wasn’t the kind of advertising a business owner wanted at the holidays. There was no way that the killing could help him.

  She crossed Gemma off the list too because obviously her cousin didn’t kill the guest.

  8

  Jane ran the sweeper through the sanctuary at Columbia River Christian Church. The old brush sweeper was quieter than a vacuum, so the elders preferred it be used in this room. She kind of liked the idea, but it wasn’t the most efficient way to get the pine needles out of the carpet. And taking down the month-old pine boughs and wreaths made a big mess.

  Real tree branches smelled like Christmas, and Christmas Eve service at Columbia River CC with Isaac by her side had been one of the nicest Christmas Eve services she’d ever attended. But now that she had dumped Isaac, she sort of thought she ought to dump his church, too.

  She didn’t want to break up with Columbia River. It was a good church. Solid teaching, close small groups, friendly staff. Specially selected and fully funded missionaries who would get to spend their furloughs recuperating instead of fundraising.

  She lifted the sweeper up to the first step of the stage and ran it the length. It was the Daniels’ family church. Last year, when she and Isaac started dating—but before he left for his summer in Costa Rica—she had made the switch to his church.

  Her parents had moved to Phoenix a few years ago, leaving her to define her life in Portland her own way. Why not be a part of the church of the man you wanted to marry?

  And, she thumped her sweeper up another step, this is why.

  If she had stayed at her own church, she wouldn’t have to leave it now.

  “Can you pass me that candle?” A woman Jane had recently met, named Gail, reached down to Jane.

  Jane picked up a midnight-blue taper and passed it to Gail.

  “Thanks, kiddo.”

  Jane nodded with a smile, but didn’t say anything. She plopped her sweeper down on the stage. When she was done with the sanctuary, she had to move into the multipurpose event room. Tearing down Christmas was a big job.

  “So Jane,” Gail called from the ladder. “Is Isaac still home?”

  Jane nodded. Her eyes filled with tears. She chewed on her bottom lip. Letting herself cry about it last night had maybe been a bad idea, if it meant his name was going to turn on the waterworks from now on.

  “Are you guys coming to the watch night party?”

  Jane shook her head no. She couldn’t trust herself to speak.

  Gail climbed off the ladder. “Hey, are you okay?” She frowned with concern.

  Jane nodded, but it was a lie. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

  Gail took her arm and led her out of the sanctuary. “You need a break.”

  Gail took her to the fireside room and clicked on the gas fireplace. “Sit.” She sat on the hearth and patted a cushion next to her. “All is not well in paradise.”

  Jane wiped her eyes. “No, it’s not.”

  “What did he do?”

  Jane smiled through her tears. “Why do you think it was him?”

  “I watched him grow up. I know he can be a bit difficult.”

  “Yeah…” Was difficult the word she would pick? He didn’t argue or fight. He wasn’t a yeller or anything like that. No temper at all, to speak of. But…yeah. He was difficult. “We just…we want different things from life.”

  “Ahh.” Gail patted Jane’s knee. “The course of young love never did run smooth.”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “So how are you guys going to resolve your troubles?”

  Jane shrugged.

  “Oh.” Gail’s voice fell. “I am very fond of Isaac. But…he’s not an easy kid. I was really happy he had found you.”

  “He’s a wonderful person.” Jane sniffled. He was wonderful, kind of. Just…bossy. And dismissive.

  “Yeah, but you’re thinking he’s not the wonderful person for you?”

  Jane nodded. “I should probably finish my work.”

  “You’ve got time. Tell me everything.”

  Jane bit her tongue. It was tempting to get everything off her chest, but she didn’t really know Gail, and what was there that needed to be said? She shrugged again. “We really like each other, but we aren’t going the same direction in life. And liking each other isn’t always enough.”

  “Do you love each other?”

  “What’s love but friendship with a ton of infatuation attached? Of course we were in love. Or at least something like that.”

  “He was gone an awful lot this last year.” Gail patted Jane’s back.

  “Yeah.”

  “So you’ve hardly had any time to spend together.”

  “And he wants to jump straight from that to me moving away.”

  “Did he propose?”

  Jane nodded again. She was probably saying too much.

  “But you didn’t accept.”

  “How could I? I have to follow God’s call, not Isaac’s.”

  “You were infatuated with each other, but…” Gail paused. She looked over Jane’s shoulder and shook her head like she was sending someone away.

  Jane wanted to see who was back there, but she kept her face forward.

  “You were infatuated with each other, but when push came to shove, it just wasn’t enough.”

  “I guess not.”

  “It happens, Jane. Even with really great guys who you admire and find attractive.”

  “We just met at the wrong time. Maybe if we were older…”

  “But you fear that if you were older, you probably wouldn’t have ever met.”

  “Exactly.” Jane sat up a little. “That’s exactly right. It seems like your future husband should be someone you could have met at any point in your life, because God was planning on doing the same work with you both.”

  “It’s okay to have dated someone even if it didn’t work out. You’re young still.”

  “I’m not even done with school yet.”

  “Exactly.” Gail gave Jane a side hug. “Kiddo, heartbreak is hard, even if you feel like you picked it yourself. Most of us have been there.”

  Another tear escaped. Jane took a deep breath. “I think I need to work before I drown in my own tears.”

  “Good idea. There’s a time for everything. A time to weep and a time to sweep.”

  Jane laughed. “And right now it’s time to sweep.”

  Gail walked to the door. “I’ve got t
ree branches to recycle and candles to switch out, but find me before you leave if you want to talk some more, okay? And, you know, today it feels like heartbreak. Next time you and Isaac talk, it might feel like something else altogether.”

  It would be very hard to leave Columbia River. Everyone, absolutely everyone she had met, was exactly as amazing as Gail.

  This cleaning day would have to be her absolute last stop at this church. If she let herself come back to one more small group, or one more service, she’d never be able to walk away.

  And if she stayed here…she might change her mind about Isaac again.

  ***

  On her drive home, Jane tuned into the local news. The Fro-Yo Murder led the news break. The Crawford Family Restaurant Corporation was paying the funeral expenses for the Smith family. A good deed—but also a smart business move on Jake’s part. The city liked to see big companies take care of small people.

  The funeral reminded Jane that she wanted to try and meet Michelle’s family. If her son and his wife had only recently moved away, they might know a lot about who would target Michelle like this.

  The funeral might not be the most appropriate place to meet them, but it was the best she could think of, since Michelle’s son and his family, according to the news, were only coming to town for the sake of the funeral.

  Which led to the next question: why wasn’t the family bringing Michelle’s body to Nevada for the funeral instead?

  She’d have to watch the funeral notices in the newspaper to find out when and where she needed to be. The news made it sound like it would be soon.

  She wanted to go over the party guest list before she went to the funeral, so she could compare it with the guest book. Any overlap would be telling. Gemma was probably home, and yet…she remembered what Jake had said the night of the crime. Gemma had an official guest list, but he had called in favors to fill the party out.

  She headed to Maywood, the little suburban city just outside of town where the Crawford family restaurant business had its main offices. Most likely Jake would be in his office working midday on Thursday. They could shut the door of his office and have a nice long chat about that guest list of his.