Death at the Day Lily Cafe Read Online Free PDF Page A

shook her head and slid into a chair. “He refinished our bedroom floor about a week before he died. It had always been an old pea-green carpet. He and his worker were up there banging around for days.” She gave Doris a pained expression. “I still can’t believe he’s never going to walk through the front door again.”
    Doris patted her sister’s hand and helped herself to a cookie.
    â€œThose cookies smell delicious,” I said.
    â€œAfter my shower,” Lori said, “I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I decided to bake. For who, I’m not exactly sure.”
    â€œI get that, too.” I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair. “Lori, Doris has asked me to help you. But I’m wondering if you should start with a lawyer.”
    â€œI have one. She’s legal aid. She was with me while the sheriff asked me questions last night. But she sure didn’t say much.”
    Doris rolled her eyes. “That woman only does it because the court makes her. She has about as much interest in helping you as she does in eatin’ tar.”
    â€œDoris, you know I can’t afford a regular lawyer.” Lori looked at me again. “Carl James had a good job working on those new dorms at the college, but just a few weeks ago they sent all the managers home.”
    â€œLori,” I said, “why does the sheriff think you killed Carl James? Does he have any evidence?”
    â€œNot that I know of.” Lori played with a button on her blouse. “The biggest thing is I don’t have an alibi. The time of death was late at night. Around midnight. Who has an alibi when they’re sleeping?”
    â€œToo bad they can’t question the dogs.” Doris picked up her third cookie.
    â€œWhere had he gone that night?” I took a small sip of tea.
    â€œHe was at the tavern,” she said. “At least I think that’s where he was.”
    Doris rolled her eyes. “You know that’s where he was. He went there every night.”
    â€œOnly recently, Doris,” Lori said.
    â€œSo who could have killed him?” I said. “Did he have any enemies? Or was he in some sort of trouble?”
    Doris started to answer for her sister, but Lori placed a hand on her arm to quiet her. “Let me tell you how it was with Carl James and me. You see, we got married right out of high school. I mean, after I got out of high school. Carl James never finished. He was always a charmer. Swept me right off my feet. He did like his Kentucky Gentleman, but he always came straight home from the tavern and was never too drunk to drive. He would bring in the dogs, turn out the lights, and kiss me on the cheek before he crawled into bed.”
    â€œThat’s sweet,” I said.
    â€œI believe you mentioned the tavern,” Doris said. “If Rosalie is going to help us, maybe you should stop sugar-coating everything and tell her something useful.”
    â€œI don’t know what you want me to say,” Lori said. “There was a lot more to him than just a man who liked to go out drinking. Do you know, every morning when I set his coffee in front of him he told me he loved me? And that meeting me was the best day of his life.” She smiled at the memory. “And then he would always say he didn’t need any sugar in his coffee because I was sweet enough.” She clutched the button again. “Please let me grieve, sister of mine. I know you and CJ didn’t always see eye to eye, but he was my husband. You and I were both raised to be good to our men.”
    Doris exhaled a long sigh. Cookie crumbs dotted her dress. “The thing is, Miss Rosalie, I agree with my sister to a point. CJ wasn’t a bad man. He was a good provider. And I know he was loyal to Lori here. But see, some folks found him hard to take. I guess that’s true for everyone, now, isn’t it?”
    â€œYes, that’s for darn