Death Waxed Over - Tim Myers [52]
“Just a trick of the trade,” I said. “It’s a shame you don’t have time to do any more.”
“I agree. Do you have any kits I can take with me?” she said, her earlier complaint about kits quickly forgotten. “You’ve shown me the technique, so I can practice at home on my own.” I set her up with two of our deluxe gel kits while she collected several bags of items to include in her candles. Eve rang the sale up gratefully, but she didn’t let her breath out until Mrs. Jorgenson was gone.
“Man, oh man, that was too close,” I said. “For a minute there at the start, I thought I was going to lose her.”
“Harrison, I can’t believe she came back. What did you say to her?”
“We both apologized, and after that, she was raring to go again. I noticed you had a few customers while I was teaching.”
Eve said, “I made a few little sales, but nothing big. Jubal Grant came by.”
“What did he want?”
“I’m not quite sure. He said it wasn’t important. If you want to know the truth, I think the poor man’s lonely. You appear to be the only soul he knows in Micah’s Ridge.”
“That very well could be. I’ll try to stop by and see him sometime in the next few days. Hey, I noticed that our frosted beehive lady was back,” I said. “I know her from somewhere, but I can’t put my finger on it for the life of me.” I stared off into space for a few minutes, then suddenly it hit me. “I’ve got it,” I said a little too loudly. “She was at the Founder’s Day celebration. In fact, I spotted her talking to Gretel just before she was shot.”
“So she likes candles. It makes sense that she’d talk to two chandlers, wouldn’t it? Harrison, you’re getting paranoid again.”
“No, I’m saying she was right there when Gretel went down. She might have seen something. I need to talk to her.”
I ran out the door and scanned the other shops when I saw she wasn’t in the parking lot, but it was too late; she was already gone.
I told Eve she had vanished, then headed over to Millie’s for lunch. Normally I ducked upstairs to grab a quick sandwich, but I wasn’t in the mood to be alone. Millie’s place was crowded, but I found a spot by the front window after I ordered my meal. I was sipping a Coke when I nearly choked on the drink. The woman with the frosted beehive hairdo I was looking for came out of Millie’s bathroom and headed toward the counter.
I approached her and asked, “Excuse me, but do you have a minute? I’d really like to talk to you. I’d be happy to buy you a cup of coffee, or even lunch.”
“You’re from the candleshop, right,” she said, studying me curiously.
“At Wick’s End, that’s right. My name’s Harrison Black.”
“Mr. Black, I’m flattered, I really am, but I’m afraid I’m not interested. It isn’t you. You’re just not my type.”
“Ma’am, I promise you I’m not trying to pick you up. I just want to ask you a few questions.”
She said, “Surely it’s not about candlemaking.”
“Please? If you don’t want to eat with me, give me two minutes of your time and I’ll leave you alone.”
She thought another moment, then turned to Millie and ordered the most expensive combo on the menu. “Put it on his bill,” she said.
With what her lobster salad sandwich was costing me, I hoped the woman had some answers for me. Millie raised one eyebrow, but I nodded my agreement to the deal.
“First off,” I said as soon as we were at my table, “I don’t know your name.”
“I’m Evelyn,” she said. “No last names. You can’t be too careful these days.”
“Evelyn’s fine.” I took a sip of Coke, then said, “I saw you at the Founder’s Day Celebration the day Gretel died. In fact, you were standing right beside her.”
“Are you accusing me of something, Mr. Black?”
“No, of course not,” I said, though if the sheriff’s forensic team had found powder burns on Gretel’s back, I would have. “I was just wondering if you saw anything.”
“I saw a great many things that day, and heard even more,” she said. “Of course you mean when that poor woman was shot. I was quite shaken when I saw her collapse. You were nearby yourself, weren’t you? Did you hear the shot? I didn’t, but there were so many dreadful fireworks