25. Melly

25

MELLY

B y the time I closed for the afternoon, I was feeling much better about my business. We were busy with customers all afternoon and there had been no repeat of the one-star trolling on the town website.

Elrik had called and filled me in on his conversation with Sue. Like him, I suspected she hadn't dumped the Xylitol into the punch.

Who had and why?

Elrik sent me a text as I was getting into my car. I'm about to place the order for our meal at Kraken's Keep. Have you thought of anything in particular you or Grannie would like?

Nope. Surprise us.

Alright, I will. After we've eaten and she's settled, we can follow through on my icy plan.

I can't wait.

As I drove home, I turned up the radio and sang along with the tune, only lowering the volume when I pulled into the driveway.

"Well, well, I'm glad you're here," Grannie said as I stepped inside her kitchen. She sat at the table with a cup of tea but rose to her feet and flung her arms up in the air. "Surprise."

"Where's your walker?" I asked, not seeing it in the kitchen.

"I'm done with it." A big smile rose on her face. "The physical therapist said I could use a cane now. I've graduated, and it's about time."

"It hasn't been that long." I crossed the room and kissed her cheek. "This is amazing! We need to celebrate. Good thing Elrik's bringing dinner."

"He's such a sweet man." When she looked up at me, her hazel eyes sparkled. "I don't want to pry, but I can tell you have feelings for him."

"I think I'm falling in love with him, Grannie." My grin made my cheeks ache. "He seems to feel the same way."

"Wonderful." Grannie clapped her hands. "Do you think he'll propose?"

"We're nowhere near talking about something like that." But would we get there? I suspected we could.

All we needed to do was figure out who tried to frame Grannie and then we could put this behind us and . . . Who knew where things would go between Elrik and I after that?

"How's the investigation going?" she asked as she settled at the table again.

I sat across from her .

We'd already decided not to share too much with my grandmother. She was under enough stress as it was. No need to add to that. I did tell her I knew about Sue and Alfred's marriage.

"She swore me to secrecy after they returned from Vegas." Grannie sipped her tea before placing the cup back in the saucer with a clink.

"Why keep it a secret?" Would Grannie's reason match Sue's?

"Alfred felt he should notify his family first."

Not the same answer, but also not far off. Invitations to a reception could include notification.

"He must've done that by now," I said.

"He sure did. Sue told me he had. A few were upset, of course, so he wanted to give them time to adjust before the news spread through town."

"Why would they be upset?"

"Alfred's very wealthy. Old money. His distant relatives hobnobbed with the Vanderbilts. I know for a fact that Alfred not only has a gorgeous home in Kennebunkport, Maine, he has a villa in the mountains of Italy, plus he owns a complete island in the Caribbean with staff, a big boat parked at a dock, you name it. The works. Now that he and Sue are married, he's made it clear she'll inherit it all. He'd never married prior to Sue, and he has no children, so I'm sure some of his relatives believed they'd benefit once he'd passed, which, sadly, will happen soon."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Didn't you know? He has terminal cancer."

Oh, my. Did Sue know this? She must. I could understand why she might not have shared it with Elrik, however. Not without Alfred's permission, though she'd told my grandmother. Or someone had.

But Alfred had definitely not tried to kill Sue to inherit her life insurance money. He not only didn't need it, but he also wouldn't be able to spend it.

I hated where this thought led me.

He and Sue were squabbling at the hospital, and he'd stated she talked him into the marriage.

What if Sue had dumped the Xylitol into the punch to speed up Alfred's demise?