Tea and Sympathy Read online

  “A lot of progress? Did it sound like I was getting close to solving the case?”

  Paul stared at her, and a deep crease formed between his eyebrows. “Are you telling me you don’t remember?”

  Kate swallowed hard and tried to keep her lips from trembling. “As crazy as it sounds, it seems like part of my memory is gone...including what I’ve been doing on this case.” She managed a weak chuckle. “I guess you’re going to have to fill me in.”

  Paul’s eyes probed hers as he shook his head. “I honestly don’t know how close you were to finding all the answers. By the time the conference ended Saturday evening, I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. We decided you could catch me up on Sunday afternoon, but that was the day you got sick. We never got around to it.”

  “Oh.” Kate didn’t know what else to say. If only her mind would clear up! Was amnesia a symptom of the flu? Surely not, but she felt too muddled at the moment to pursue the thought.

  “My notebook!” she cried. “Why didn’t I think of that before? It should have all my notes. Would you get it out of my handbag, please?”

  “Sure.” Looking almost as relieved as Kate felt, Paul got her handbag from the dresser and reached inside. An odd look crept over his face as he pulled the handbag open and examined its contents. “I don’t see it, hon.”

  “What? Let me see.” Kate reached for the handbag and looked inside. Her mouth grew dry. Paul was right; the notebook was nowhere to be seen.

  “What could have happened to it?” Kate struggled to sit up, but Paul put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

  “Take it easy. Let’s think this through. When was the last time you saw it?”

  Kate struggled to think but had to admit defeat. “I don’t remember.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “If I don’t have my notebook, I have no way of reminding myself what I was working on. What am I going to do?”

  “I’ll look for it, but you are going to take a nap,” Paul said in a tone that brooked no argument. “After that, you can decide if you feel like dealing with it later today. Or maybe tomorrow.”

  Though a nap sounded like a heavenly idea, Kate tried to push the mental fog away. “But I can’t just stand by and let an innocent man be charged with a crime he didn’t commit.”

  Paul leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. “I have to admit I have a hard time seeing Lawton as a master criminal. But you aren’t going to prove that right now. What you are going to do is act like a good patient and get some sleep. I don’t want to hear any more arguments.”

  “I hate to admit it, but you’re right.” Kate snuggled down underneath the blanket. “I don’t even have the energy to argue with you.” She gave Paul a sleepy smile. “Once I catch up on some sleep, maybe I’ll be ready to tackle this again.”

  Her eyelids closed, and she felt Paul’s lips brush a kiss on her forehead before he pulled up the covers and tucked them around her shoulders. A moment later, she heard the bedroom door close with a soft click.

  Kate curled up on her right side and waited for sleep to come. Instead, bits of their conversation played through her mind like snatches of a forgotten song. Though her recollection of the past few days was still hazy, talking about her work on this mystery had stirred up fragments of memory.

  But only fragments. Kate tried to fit the pieces together. According to Paul, she had been making progress on finding out who was responsible for the fraudulent fund-raising. All right, she would use that as a starting point. What had she learned so far?

  She waited for enlightenment to come, but her mind drew a blank. Still, she couldn’t shake a general impression that she had indeed been trying to ferret out the facts. Moreover, that she might have been on the verge of learning the truth. But would that truth exonerate Lawton Briddle or point to his guilt? This she couldn’t answer.

  Kate pulled the blanket up under her chin, hoping Paul would be able to locate her notebook soon. She lay very still, the better to concentrate. If only she tried hard enough, surely she could retrieve whatever information lay hidden in the recesses of her memory. Instead, she drifted into a fitful sleep filled with troubled dreams.

  PAUL WALKED TO THE KITCHEN, where he poured himself a tall glass of iced tea and leaned back against the counter, his heart swelling with gratitude.

  “Thank you, Lord, that Kate is getting better. I have to admit I was really scared for a while there. I never doubted you were in control, but if it’s all the same to you, could we not go through something like this again?”

  He took a long sip of iced tea, then walked back to the bedroom. Careful not to make any noise, he opened the door and peeked inside to reassure himself that the nightmare was really over and normalcy had returned. Kate lay sound asleep, curled up on one side with her hand tucked beneath her cheek.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Paul closed the door soundlessly and made his way to the couch. A sudden weariness swept over him, the aftermath of long nights filled with worry.

  Sprawling across the couch cushions, he felt himself relax for the first time in days. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

  Thank heaven the whole ordeal was finally over.

  Chapter Three

  How’s the patient?”

  Kate opened her eyes and blinked in surprise when she saw her best friend, Livvy Jenner, sitting in a chair next to the head of the bed.

  “Better, I think.” Kate scooted up so she could lean back against the headboard. “How long have you been here?”

  Livvy’s hazel eyes shone with sympathy. “Not long. Only an hour or so. Paul asked me to keep an eye on you while he made a couple of visits, so I got someone to cover for me at the library and left work early.”

  Sunlight streamed in through the bedroom window. Kate rubbed her hand across her eyes and groaned. How long had she slept this time?

  She turned to Livvy. “What time is it? And please tell me it’s still Thursday.”

  Livvy’s chuckle offered reassurance even before she spoke. “It’s Thursday. About five thirty, if you want to be more exact.” She lifted one eyebrow and grinned at Kate. “I take it you’re having trouble keeping track of the time?”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Kate told her. “I woke up this afternoon and found out I’d lost four whole days. I’m almost afraid to go to sleep again. I might wake up and find it’s nearly Christmas instead of midspring.”

  Livvy giggled. “Poor Kate! Well, you can quit worrying. If you even look like you’re about to go into Rip van Winkle mode, I promise I’ll keep you awake.”

  Kate managed a weak smile. “Oh yeah? And how do you propose to do that?”

  “Hmm.” Livvy tapped a finger against her lips, then snapped her fingers. “I know! I’ll think of something creative to do with ice cubes. How does that sound?”

  “Like I’ll be forced to stay awake out of sheer self-preservation.” Kate giggled and immediately felt better. King Solomon was right; a cheerful heart was good medicine.

  “So how are you doing, really?” Livvy asked. “Do you think you’ll be up and around soon?”

  “I think I ought to be up and moving already,” Kate said, swatting the bed for emphasis. “I’ve been lying here long enough. This is so frustrating!”

  A tiny furrow formed between Livvy’s eyebrows. “You still feel ill?”

  “Not ill, just...weak, I guess.” Kate heard the frustration echo in her voice. “I can’t seem to muster up the energy to do anything. And I feel like I’m in some sort of fog. Everything seems a little fuzzy, especially my memory. That probably bothers me more than anything.” She shifted her shoulders, trying to work them into a more comfortable position.

  Livvy got up and eased the pillows out from behind Kate. “Here, let me fluff this up a bit.” She shook the pillows and plumped them between her hands, then carefully arranged them against the headboard. “Try that and see if it’s any better.”

  Kate let herself sink back into the downy softness, marveling at the dif
ference the adjustment made. “Wonderful. Thanks, Livvy.”

  “No problem. That’s what friends are for. Do you want me to do anything else for you? Get your brush, maybe, so you can fix your hair?”

  Kate lifted her hand to her head and cringed when her fingers encountered a mass of strawberry-blonde tangles. “Oh my goodness. Does this look as bad as it feels?”

  Livvy swiped her hand across her mouth and cleared her throat. “How about if we just say it isn’t up to your usual standard and let it go at that?”

  “Ouch. Okay, I get the message. Yes, please bring me the brush.”

  Livvy complied, then sat down again. She watched while Kate started at the ends of her hair and worked her way gently through the snarls.

  Kate grimaced when the brush encountered an especially stubborn tangle. “I’ll be so glad when life gets back to normal!”

  “I can only imagine how exasperating it must be. But surely you’ll be feeling stronger by tomorrow.”

  “I have to,” Kate said. She tilted her head to one side and slanted a look at Livvy. “Have you seen the Chronicle?”

  The expression on Livvy’s face was answer enough. “Paul told me he was put out with Renee for leaving it on your bed. He knew it would upset you, and he didn’t want you to see it until you felt better.”

  “But this situation with Lawton can’t wait!” Kate’s fingers squeezed the handle of her brush. “We need to know what really happened.”

  “Uh, Kate—”

  The sound of the front door and a cheery whistle announced Paul’s arrival. A moment later, he strode into the bedroom, and a smile creased his face when he saw Kate sitting up in bed.

  “You’re awake again. That’s great! How are you feeling?”

  “Still a little wobbly, but I think the nap did me a world of good. That was great advice.”

  Paul puffed out his chest. “It’s nice to know my deep wisdom is appreciated.”

  Kate laughed and lifted her face to meet his when he bent down to kiss her. “How did your visits go? I didn’t even realize you were going out to see anyone.”

  “Pretty sneaky of me, wasn’t it?” Paul gave her a wink and parked on the foot of the bed. “After you went to sleep, I got a couple of calls about church members who were ill. Livvy agreed to stay with you while I went out.”

  Kate wrinkled her nose. “Was that really necessary? Not that I don’t appreciate it,” she hastened to add. “But it feels a little awkward to think I need a babysitter.”

  “You know I’m happy to spend time with you, whether Paul asks me to or not.” An impish light sparkled in Livvy’s hazel eyes. “How about if we make my job title a ‘friend sitter’ instead?”

  Kate chuckled and raised her hands in surrender. “All right, you win. I’ll take all the help that’s offered me, and without complaining. Is that better?”

  “Much,” Livvy said smugly. “And now that we have that straightened out, what do you feel like doing? Can I help you get up, or would you just like to sit and visit?”

  The thread of their interrupted conversation returned to Kate’s mind, and she grew solemn again. “What I really need to do is climb out of this bed and get back to work on finding out who swindled all those people.”

  The smile faded from Livvy’s face, and she glanced toward Paul with a question in her eyes.

  Kate swiveled her head in time to see him give Livvy a warning shake of his head. “What is it?” she demanded. “What’s going on?”

  Paul shrugged and ran his fingers through his salt-and-pepper hair. “You aren’t going to rest until we tell you, are you? All right, here it is. We know you want to help, and I realize you’ve already spent time checking into this, but it looks like you’re too late.”

  A sinking feeling formed in the pit of Kate’s stomach. “What do you mean?”

  Livvy laced her fingers together in her lap and leaned toward Kate, her expression earnest. “The work has already been done, Kate. The authorities feel certain they’ve already found their man.”

  “You mean Lawton Briddle? I don’t believe it. Just because he’s been charged doesn’t mean he’s guilty. You know that as well as I do.”

  Paul moved closer to her and reached out to squeeze her fingers. “It isn’t just the article, hon. You’ve been out of commission the past few days, but Livvy and I have heard what’s been going on around town. I hate to have to tell you, but from everything I’ve been able to piece together, it looks like Lawton found a way to make some easy money and got in way over his head.”

  Kate shook her head. “No, that’s not right. It can’t be.”

  Livvy’s eyes shone with sympathy. “Why not?”

  Kate opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again and sagged back against the pillow. “I don’t know. I just don’t think he did it.”

  She saw the looks Paul and Livvy exchanged and felt her cheeks grow warm. “I guess it sounds crazy to be so certain of something when I can’t even put the reason for it into words.”

  Paul tightened his grip on her fingers. “Not crazy, Kate. Unwilling to believe the worst of someone you know, perhaps, but never crazy.” His smile warmed Kate clear down to her toes.

  “And you’ve been awfully sick,” Livvy said. “Sometimes that can confuse a person’s thinking.”

  “You’re right on both counts, but this isn’t something I just dreamed up because I’ve been ill,” Kate insisted. “I’m sure of it. If only I could remember why!”

  She took a deep breath and tried to bring her muddled thoughts into some semblance of order. Why did she find it so difficult to think straight? She’d had the flu before and never experienced this kind of mental fuzziness.

  Kate sat up straighter in the bed and closed her eyes. “Let’s see. I’d been looking into the fund-raising scam, right?” She opened her eyes long enough to assure herself that Paul and Livvy were both nodding.

  “You were up in arms about it right after Lawton was suspected,” Paul said. “You jumped on it like a terrier going after a bone.”

  “That’s right.” Kate ignored the comparison to a tenacious little dog and went back to concentrating. After a long moment, she raised her hands in the air and dropped them back into her lap. “It’s no use. It simply won’t come back to me. But I can’t shake the feeling that I was getting close to the answer...and Lawton was not the culprit.”

  “But it’s gone a lot farther than just someone suspecting him,” Livvy said. “It may be time to take a step back and let the court handle it from here.”

  Kate started to shake her head, then thought better of it. “If that article in the Chronicle is any measure of public opinion, he’s already been tried and convicted. Even if he’s exonerated in court, people will remember that he had to stand trial. In the minds of some, there will always be a blot on his name. If he’s innocent, that would be a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

  Taking a deep breath, Kate planted her hands on either side of her and pushed herself upright. With one hand pressed against her head, she waited for the room to stop spinning.

  Paul’s voice filtered through the haze, laced with alarm. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Getting back to work,” Kate told him. “I can’t give you a solid reason why I feel the way I do, but something is telling me they’re making a horrible mistake. I’ve lost too much time already.”

  She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slid her feet to the floor, waiting until she felt sure she could maintain her balance before she stood.

  “Kate, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Paul warned.

  Focusing on her goal—the closet—Kate took one shaky step forward, then another. She turned her head to smile at him. “See? I’ll be fine as long as I take it slowly. All I need to do is—”

  Without warning, her knees buckled, and she tumbled to the floor.

  Chapter Four

  Kate!” Paul rushed to her side and scooped her up in his arms. “Are you all rig
ht?”

  “I’m fine,” she assured him. “I got a little off balance, that’s all. Just give me a minute to get my bearings, and I’ll be ready to try again.”

  “I don’t think so.” Paul laid her on the bed and tucked the covers around her, a worried frown crinkling his forehead. “Hon, I know how much this means to you, but you shouldn’t even think about jumping up and dashing off for any reason. You haven’t had solid food in days, and you’re weak.”

  “But...”

  “No buts.” Paul’s resolution showed in his voice. “You’ve been sick enough already. I’m not about to stand by and watch you overdo and hurt yourself.”

  Kate settled back against the pillows, hating to admit how good their support felt. She stared up at her husband and her best friend, knowing she must look as miserable as she felt. Everything within her told her she had to help Lawton Briddle clear his name. But how could she investigate when she couldn’t even get out of bed?

  “Lawton needs my help,” she protested.

  Paul knelt beside the bed and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I need you too. Please, Kate. Just this once, take care of yourself before you try to be there for everybody else.”

  She couldn’t ignore the tender pleading in his eyes. “All right,” she agreed. But even as she spoke the words, that sense of urgency kept niggling at the back of her mind. She needed to be doing something, and doing it now.

  Kate turned her head on the pillow. “Livvy, I hate to ask, but...”

  “Just tell me what you want me to do.” Her friend’s eyes lit up, and she lifted her chin as though ready to charge into battle.

  Livvy’s readiness to take on a task sight unseen brought a smile to Kate’s lips. “You think trying to prove Lawton’s innocence is like going out on a wild-goose chase.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You need to be able to put your mind at ease; I’m ready to help. That’s what we faithful sidekicks do, you know.” A playful grin spread across Livvy’s face. “So where do you want me to start?”

  Kate paused a moment, then she gave a rueful laugh. “That’s a good question. If only my notebook would turn up, maybe I could give you the answer.”