The Topped Toff: A Cozy Mystery (The Lakeside Dower House Series Book 1) by Louy Castonguay

Author:Louy Castonguay [Castonguay, Louy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

People were sitting around visiting, apparently as part of the meals Josie served. Everywhere Annie looked, people were conversing with those at their table or moving around the room to talk with those at other tables.

Tom said softly “Oh, oh.”

Josie made a move to get between Annie’s table and a woman striding in her direction but was pushed aside.

The tall, blond woman in jeans and silk shirt came right up to Annie’s table and faced her. “What did you do with my aunt?” The room went quiet.

“Your aunt.” Annie felt her face flush red and she couldn’t believe this stranger was attacking her. Her best New York behavior rose to the surface. “Lady, I don’t even know who you are. I just got to town.”

“I know who you are. Raking up the past, stirring things, trying to cause trouble. But what I want to know is what you did with my Aunt Claire.” The woman stood with hands on her hips and a belligerent look on her face.

“Oh. Claire. From the archive building? Lady, I really don’t know where she is. And I certainly didn’t do anything to her. She was the one who locked me into the vault and left me there. I’m sorry she went missing, but I didn’t do it.” Annie stood and faced the angry woman. Her shyness dropped away as her own emotions spurred her on. “She showed me to the room, closed the door and locked it, then shut off the light.” She put her own hands on her hips. “She left me like that. If Tom hadn’t found me, I could have died there.”

“My aunt never hurt anyone. She’s kind and gentle and you somehow took advantage of that. I know you did something to her and then pretended to lock yourself in.”

“Tammy, quiet down.” Tom stood and took her by the elbow. “You know she couldn’t have locked that door from the inside. It works on a key. From the outside. We set it up that way on purpose.” He put his hand around her elbow. “Someone, maybe not Claire, turned that key. We don’t know who. We don’t know why.”

Tammy was still angry. “Well, then where is she? She wouldn’t have gone anywhere without telling me. And she certainly had no reason to do such a bold and awful thing.” She pulled her elbow from Tom’s hand. She glared at Tom, then at Joe, who had come up beside them all, before she stalked off and went out the door.

“Well,” said Tom.

“Well, for sure,” said Joe.

“Well, well, really for sure. What the heck.” Feeling weak-kneed, Annie sat. The two men also sat, and the conversations in the room started up again.

Supper over, excitement quieted, the people started leaving.

One large man in jeans, button down oxford shirt and leather vest made his way over to the table. “Tom, Joe. And I guess you must be Annie, new owner of The Dower?”

“Yes?” Annie folded her hands in her lap to keep herself calm, fearing another confrontation.

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