Read sample The Tea Leaf Mysteries Series (Cosy Crime Box Set 1-3) | Three piping hot small-town murder mysteries

A Blend of Murder

Chapter One

“Good morning, Lilly. A fine morning.” The jogger said as he approached the cyclist.

“Morning, Peter. Isn't it lovely to have the first signs of Spring showing through?” She replied, coming to a stop and causing the grey cat, dozing in his carrier in the front basket, to meow plaintively. “How's Charlotte doing, by the way?”

“Brilliantly, and it's all down to you. I can't thank you enough for your advice. Things are much more peaceful in the house now. Although the music is still louder than I'd like.”

Lilly laughed. “That's teens for you, Peter. But I'm glad I could help.”

“Well, I for one am relieved you're still on hand to dispense excellent advice, even though you're not with the paper anymore. How's the new shop going?”

“Extremely well, as a matter of fact. Which is an enormous weight off my mind as I sunk almost everything I had into it.”

“Excellent news. Long may it continue. And I'm sure it will, considering this country practically runs on tea. And talking of running, I must get on. I'm trying to beat my best time.” He said, tapping the Fitbit tracker on his wrist.

“Of course. Actually, while I remember, could you let your wife know the Alice in Wonderland tea set she ordered has arrived?”

“Will do. Thanks, Lilly.” He started his stopwatch and set off running again with a last wave over his shoulder.

Lilly Tweed, former agony aunt with the local newspaper now a purveyor of fine teas and owner of The Tea Emporium in the centre of Plumpton Mallet, gripped the bike's handlebars and once again set off down the riverside path on her way to work. Pedalling through the tunnel which passed under one of the major roads from town, she entered the park and took a deep breath. After the dark, cold and wet days of winter, it was a joy to cycle to work again. To see the small buds appearing on the trees and the shoots of daffodils valiantly pushing up through the grass.

She sped along the path, the wheels kicking up the last of the fallen autumn leaves, and turned left up the steep hill at the edge of the park which led to the town. From there, it was a brief journey to the market square and her shop.

Plumpton Mallet was a historic market town with the cobbled square being its oldest part. A firm favourite with tourists who came in their droves to walk through the woodland, picnic on the little stone beaches beside the river, then finish with a meander around the shops and cafes in the square itself.

The Tea Emporium was housed in the old apothecary shop, and although it had had several retailers since then, the interior had remained authentic, with floor to ceiling shelves, and cabinets with row upon row of miniature drawers with dainty brass handles. It was the perfect set up to house Lilly's merchandise and display the range of quirky china she sold.

The exterior was double fronted with large bay windows flanking a recently painted cream door. The door furniture was also brass, including a knocker in the shape of a teapot which Lilly had found at an antique fair years ago and bought on a whim.

She dismounted, leaning her bike against the window and retrieving Earl unlocked the door and entered.

Inside, Lilly relocked the door and let Earl out of his carrier. He sauntered across the wooden floor, stretching each individual leg in turn, then jumped up to his favourite spot, the window. Delicately avoiding the items on display, he walked on silent paws to his bed and curled up. It was an odd place for him to choose, but it was the position he obviously felt safest and happiest, and there was no doubt about it: having a cat in the window certainly made people stop and look. Earl Grey was good for business.

He'd turned up barely a week after she'd opened, a thin, filthy and flea ridden bag of bones with a scar on his nose and a chunk of his right ear missing. Lilly hadn't a clue how he'd ended up on the streets, but he wasn't doing well. She'd promptly taken him to the local vet for a check-up and adopted him immediately. It had been touch and go for a while, but Lilly had poured all her energy into saving him. That, along with his fighting spirit, had seen Earl over the worst and well on the way to recovery. Now he was as much part of the shop as she was, and her first order of the day had been to install a cat flap in the storeroom door at the rear of the shop. There he had access to food and water as well as a litter tray and another bed. But he still preferred the window.

Lilly repositioned the Help Wanted sign in the other window, then began getting ready for the day ahead. The Tea Emporium had only been open for just over two months, but word had spread quickly thanks to some free advertising for its former employee in the Plumpton Mallet Gazette. Now though, it was necessary to take on her first member of staff.

After she'd gathered the post, the morning newspaper and set up the rest of the shop, she turned to the last job, decorating her bike. On the pavement outside she chained the bike to an old post and hung the open sign on the handle bars. She filled the basket with colourful pots packed with spring flowers and fixed another flower basket on the seat. Her last job was to put up the Tea of the Week sign. She'd chosen Echinacea because of its benefit to improving cold, flu, and sinusitis symptoms. Perfect for the time of year. That done, she went back inside and brewed herself a cup of Ginkgo Biloba, known for improving both brain function and vision, and perused the paper while waiting for her first customer of the day.

The front-page story was a rehash of one that had run previously, with very little in the way of updates. There had been a break-in at the local university and various small, but high cost pieces of equipment and a number of pharmaceuticals had been stolen from the labs. So far the culprits hadn't been found even though there were continuous interviews being carried out with students and teachers alike. Popular opinion was the drugs were being sold to addicts somewhere out of town. Lilly could almost hear the tone of derision in the piece at the failings of the police to solve the thefts. The author wouldn't be doing themselves any favours by making an enemy of the local police officers. She glanced at the byline and noticed Abigail Douglas had written it; the new agony aunt. Lilly had heard rumours that the column wasn't doing well, was Abigail trying to set herself up as an investigative reporter instead?

When the small local paper had been taken over by a much larger concern, they had offered Lilly redundancy. The new owners already had an agony aunt who apparently intended to move to Plumpton Mallet, and Lilly suddenly found herself middle-aged and unemployed. It was a terrifying prospect but was just the push she needed to try to make a go of a long-held dream; to open her own tea shop. If she didn't grab the opportunity now, then she knew she never would. A combination of her redundancy money, the majority of her savings and a small loan from the bank and she had secured the premises. Two months later, it looked as though it was paying off. There wasn't a day when she wasn't busy.

She turned to the page where the agony aunt column usually was to find it absent. Lilly had worked hard on her column and through good advice, a genuine desire to help and her interest in people, she had turned what was to all intents and purposes a 'filler' into an integral part of not just the paper but the community. She sighed, it saddened her to find it was no longer popular, but it wasn't her concern now she had her own business to look after.

She was just disposing of the paper when the shop bell tinkled. Time to get to work.

Her first customer entered and announced themselves with an almighty sneeze.

“Kate, you poor thing.”

“Sorry, Lilly. Can you help? I'm getting nowhere with my cold medicine, I think I've become immune to it, and I want to see if something more natural will work.”

“Of course, have a seat and I'll put the kettle on.”

Kate took one of the bar style stools at the counter while Lilly selected several samples.

“Is it a cold or more sinus symptoms you have?” Lilly asked, putting a teacup and saucer in front of Kate.

“Sinus problems, although I'm just getting over a nasty cold as well.”

“Do you have a sore throat at all?”

“A little, although not as bad as it was.”

“Well, both Mint and Echinacea will help with the sinus problem. As will Ginger, and it also helps relieve congestion. If you have an infection, then Thyme will help. I've also just got some Japanese Kuzu tea, which helps with cold and sore throats.”

“So many to choose from. What do you suggest?”

“I'll brew you a cup of Echinacea, I think that's the best for the sinus problem and as Tea of the Week it's on special offer. Have you eaten, Kate?”

“Yes, I had porridge for breakfast.”

“Good. You mustn’t have this tea on an empty stomach. You can have a cup two or three times a day until you feel better, but don’t take it for more than ten days. Also ginger will help fight any infection and reduce inflammation, so you could take some for later if you want?”

Lilly let the tea steep in the small teapot for three minutes, then using a decorative strainer, poured a cup for Kate. She took a deep appreciative breath and smiled.

“It smells lovely. Hope it tastes as good.”

She took a sip and nodded. Within five minutes she'd finished the cup.

“I feel better already. I'll take it and some of the ginger as well. Thanks, Lilly.”

With her purchases wrapped, Kate asked Lilly if she mended tea sets?

“It's the handle of one of the cups which has come off. I'd like it mended as it belonged to my mum.”

“I'll need to see it before I can tell you if it's possible. Can you drop it in some time when you're passing?”

“Yes, I'll do that. Thanks, Lilly. See you soon.”

After Kate had left, there was a steady stream of customers. It actually was busier than usual, which Lilly was thrilled about. She hurried from customer to customer, brewing tea samples, teaching about remedies, wrapping up sales and dispensing personal advice on occasion. She was still being sought out as an agony aunt. By eleven o'clock the shop was packed and Lilly was wondering how she was going to find time to replenish what she'd sold from the stock at the back, when a young blonde woman entered.

Lilly sized her up and came to the conclusion she was neither local nor English. She was of athletic build, slim, tanned and radiating health with hair tied in a high ponytail, wearing jeans, trainers and a white tee shirt under a faded raspberry hoodie advertising a well-known brand of soft drink. She returned Lilly's smile, showing perfectly straight and white teeth.

“Welcome to The Tea Emporium.”

“Hey, thanks. You're Lilly Tweed, the owner, right?” The girl replied in an American accent.

“Yes, I am. Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“Oh, I'm not here to shop,” she replied, thrusting an envelope into Lilly's hands.

Opening it, Lilly found an application. “Oh, you're looking for a job?”

“Sure am,” she said, sticking out her hand and shaking Lilly's with a strong, confident grip. “My name's Stacey. Stacey Pepper. I just started at the university and am looking for something part time. You're looking to fill a part time position, right?”

With the sign in the window, Lilly could hardly say otherwise. “Yes. But do you know anything about tea, Stacey?”

“I know it's brewed in a kettle, but that's about it. I'm a quick learner, though.”

“Actually, the tea is brewed in a teapot,” Lilly gently corrected her with a smile. “The kettle is used for boiling the water, which is poured into the teapot.”

“Right! I think it's an English versus American terminology thing. But don't worry, I won't forget again.”

“Perhaps you're right. Well, I'll be sorting through the applications this evening and ...”

“Oh, drat it!” a man's voice rang out just as the unmistakable sound of smashing china reached Lilly's ears.

“Lilly, I am so sorry,” an elderly man said with a combined look of horror and shame.

“Don't worry about it, Jeffrey. It was an accident.”

“But that's twice in as many weeks! You must let me pay for it this time,” he said, reaching for his wallet with a shaking hand.

“Honestly, it's not necessary,” Lilly began.

“It is, you know. I insist.”

While Lilly had been speaking with Jeffrey, Stacey had taken it upon herself to start picking up the bits of broken china.

“Stacey, be careful!” Lilly said. “I don't want you cutting yourself. I'll deal with it in a minute.”

“I don't mind. Where's your mop and broom?”

Lilly sighed. “In the back storeroom, just behind the door, you'll find the dustpan and brush and a mop and bucket. Thank you.”

While Stacey busied herself cleaning up the mess, Lilly rang Jeffrey's payment into the large antique till. Then she had an idea. A few days before, a company rep had come in and left some product samples with her. Now, normally Lilly didn't like plastic products, they were harmful to both the environment and the wildlife. All her merchandise was sold in paper bags or cardboard boxes. However, these she would make an exception for as they were recycled plastic. She dug one out of the box under the counter and set it in front of Jeffrey with a smile. A beautiful deep teal with a gold rim teacup and saucer, styled like its china counterparts. It was so perfectly put together that unless you knew, it was almost impossible to distinguish between it and the real deal.

Jeffrey shook his head. “I don't want to have another mishap, Lilly.”

“You won't. I promise. Pick it up.”

Jeffrey did so, then broke out in a huge grin. “Well, I never. Isn't that amazing? I would never have guessed.”

“Would you like refill?”

“I would indeed. My usual please, Miss Tweed.”

Lilly laughed and reached for the Fennel, known to help brain function. The first time he'd broken one of her cups, Jeffrey had confided that he'd been diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease. The tremors had caused him to lose his grip. There was little Lilly could do in the way of help, but Jeffrey was adamant the Fennel tea was alleviating his symptoms and who was she to question it?

With Jeffrey sorted out, Lilly made a note to order a few more of the plastic range of tea cups for her samples. They would be a lovely alternative for those elderly customers who had trouble gripping and lifting a heavier china version. It seemed Jeffrey had the same idea.

“I say, Lilly, do you sell this range? I'd love to have a set at home. Much more practical.”

“It's something new I'm trying, so I can add your order to mine, Jeffrey. I'll have to confirm the price for you, but it shouldn't be too expensive.”

He made a vague gesture with his hand, dismissing her concerns. “Whatever it is, it will be cheaper than constantly breaking and having to replace the china ones. Order me a set of six would you, my dear?”

By the time that was done, the mess was cleaned up, everything had been returned to the store room and Lilly had several other customers to serve. She had no idea what had happened to Stacey. Ten minutes later she got her answer as Stacey came over with arms full of merchandise she was carrying for a customer. The older woman was laughing at something the younger girl had said and thanking her profusely for her help.

“Anytime,” Stacey replied.

She's acting as though she already works here, Lilly thought with amusement. For the next hour she didn't have time to think about the confident American girl. There were simply too many customers in the shop to deal with. She did notice that Stacey stood to one side, observing and making notes in a small notebook. She was obviously keen.

Shortly after lunch and with the shop now empty, Lilly had time to grant the girl a more formal interview. She brewed them both a cup of Rooibos, a red tea from South Africa, and took a seat at the far end of the counter.

“Well, you've certainly got my attention, Miss Pepper,” Lilly began. “But what do you think qualifies you to work in my shop?”

“Honestly, not much. Although I am good with people. But I'm willing to learn like I said before. And I'm a quick study.”

“And do you drink tea?”

“A bit, although nothing like the stuff you have here. My dad's actually a Brit, from London, but I've spent most of my life living with my mom in the US. I decided to apply to college here and was accepted. It'll give me a chance to get to know my dad better.”

Lilly smiled and nodded but remained silent. She'd learned that if you kept quiet, people were inclined to fill the silence. It was a good way to get to know more, and Stacey obliged.

“My parents divorced when I was five,” she continued. “Mom's old job meant she travelled a lot, it's how she met my dad. They lived in London for a while, but after the divorce she took me with her back to the States. Dad is pretty much a once a year call on my birthday kind of parent.”

“I'm sorry, Stacey.”

“Hey, it's no problem. We're cool. He was pretty pleased to have me move over here to go to school.”

“Divorces can be nasty, though. I went through one myself a few years ago. It was fairly civil, but of course there were no children involved.”

“Nah,” Stacey said, waving Lilly's comments away. “As far as I know, they get along fine. Better now they aren't living together, actually.”

“Well, that's positive at least,” Lilly said just as Earl made an appearance and jumped straight into Stacey's lap.

“Hey there,” she exclaimed, scratching his ears. “What's his name?”

“Earl.”

“Earl, and he's grey. So, Earl Grey like the tea, right?”

Lilly nodded, pleased she had picked up on the intended pun.

“Cute. So, um ... do you have any questions for me?”

“No, I don't think so. But you really were a great help today and Earl seems to like you.”

Stacey grinned expectantly. “I love animals. So, you're considering me?”

“How about a trial run?”

“Awesome!”

“All right. I'll get some leaflets together for you to study on the types of tea I offer and their health benefits. We can discuss your hours once you've been through them. Do you have any other questions?”

“Only about that little letterbox out the front. I saw some of your customers using it and wondered what it was for?”

Lilly explained her former job as an agony aunt with the paper. That even though she no longer worked there, many people still wanted her advice and had taken to coming to the shop instead.

“Sometimes they come in to chat over tea, but others have problems which are more private, so I installed a letterbox outside. The letters drop into the basket inside and I collect them each day and take them home to answer them.”

“Cool!” Stacey said. “I just love this place. I think I'm really going to enjoy working here.”

Chapter Two

A couple of hours later the day was over and Lilly began the process of shutting the shop. She moved the signs and flowers from the bicycle display back inside and put Earl in his carrier. After taking out the day's takings and balancing the receipts, she transferred it all to the safe in the storeroom. It had been one of her best days so far. Not least she suspected because of Stacey and her way with the customers. She certainly knew how to sell.

Her last job was to remove that day's letters from her agony aunt basket. “Four today, Earl,” she said to the cat. “Let's get home and see how we can help.”

As she locked the door and put Earl in the bike basket, she felt the wind begin to rise. Dark clouds were beginning to roll in over the moor. “Looks like rain. We better get a move on otherwise we could be drenched before we get home.”

Retracing the morning's route, Lilly was just at the end of the park when the first light drops of rain began to fall. They quickly turned into a deluge, soaking her to the skin and plastering her unruly hair to her face.

“Good grief,” she said, picking up speed, eager to get out of the wet. “Where did this come from?” Earl, tucked up comfortably in his warm carrier, didn't respond.

Ten minutes later, she stopped outside her cottage gate. Snug in its cloak of trees with views over the river, it was part of the nature reserve a short distance North East of the town centre. An incredibly picturesque setting, even with the gloom of an impending storm. Leaving her bike in the shed, she retrieved the cat and dashed inside.

After she'd fed Earl, she put her dinner in the oven and went for a long hot shower while it cooked. An hour or so later, warm again and nicely full, Lilly settled down with a cup of chamomile tea and the agony aunt letters.

The first was from a local teenager discussing problems at school. Struggling with mounting responsibilities and social pressures, Lilly advised the youngster to confide in parents and teachers, or if that wasn't possible, at least discuss the issues with her friends, who were most likely in the same situation. She also recommended some books and on-line resources which would help. The main thing for her to understand was that she was not alone, and that there were always solutions to be found. She signed off by saying if the girl wanted to talk face to face at any time, then Lilly could be found at the shop.

The second was a brief note from a gentleman looking to start his own business. However, he had some concerns regarding the landlord of the building he wished to lease. During her time at the paper Lilly had amassed a number of professional contacts, including someone at the local council who dealt with Landlord Registration in the locality. She also gave the name of a solicitor who could look over the lease. Her final piece of advice was to seek out and talk to the other tenants of this landlord and get their views.

The third note was simply a suggestion card. She kept them on the counter in the shop and used the letterbox outside to receive them. It helped keep the privacy of those with a genuine problem, as no one noticed who was posting what. She put it to one side and turned to the final letter, fully expecting it to be something simple to deal with. She was wrong.

the letter began.

“Oh, Earl, this poor woman.”

Lilly put the letter down and rubbed her eyes. This was much more than she could deal with. She wasn't a doctor or a psychiatrist and had no official qualifications to call upon. The woman was obviously suffering some sort of mental health breakdown and needed professional help. The writing was messy and hurried, as though the author were trying to get everything down while they were lucid enough to remember it. It flitted from one statement to the next with no cohesion, and there were several wet splotches across the page too. Tears, Lilly thought sadly. The woman was in dreadful emotional pain. She picked up the letter and continued to read ...

Lilly made herself another cup of tea, the first forgotten about and now cold. Then settled down to write a reply to Carol Ann.

It took over an hour and several attempts before she was happy with what she had written. She finished off by saying she would be more than willing to meet with Carol Ann either at her home, the tea shop or any other place Carol Ann felt comfortable. She was not to think she was alone and without support. She wasn't. Lilly would help in any way she could.

Once finished, she gathered the three letters together and hopped on her bike to take them to the post box at the end of the lane. The final letter had been the most urgent one she'd ever received, and she wanted the reply to get there as soon as possible. The postman would pick up at seven-thirty the next morning, so Carol Ann should have her reply the day after. Lilly just hoped she'd agree to meet.

It had been three days since Stacey Pepper had waltzed into Lilly's shop and practically demanded a job, and Lilly was very pleased with how things were going. The day after she'd been sent home with the information leaflets, Stacey had returned having memorised most of it and promptly set about sampling the various teas in order to get a better handle on the tastes.

Day three and Lilly had the official paperwork for her employment together and work schedule sorted out. Stacey was assisting customers and even making recommendations, but if she was unsure, she always turned to Lilly for assistance. This was a big plus in the girl's favour as far as Lilly was concerned. Never be too proud to ask for help or conceited enough to think you know it all.

Without being told, Stacey had also changed her casual outfit for a smart white polo shirt and black trousers, similar to what Lilly herself wore. The long, black, bibbed aprons with The Tea Emporium logo on the front pocket in gold, finished off the look.

“I have to say I'm impressed,” Lilly said as Stacey returned from helping a customer to her car with not one but two full tea services, and another on order.

“Really?” she replied, a huge grin on her face.

“Really,” Lilly assured her. “I can't believe how much you've picked up in only three days. If I'm being honest, yesterday I thought you were just using it as an excuse to gorge yourself on all my tea samples before I saw your notebook.”

Stacey laughed. “I wouldn't do that. But I need to know what they taste like to sell them.”

“So what are your thoughts? Do you have a favourite?”

“I like a lot of them. I didn't realise tea could taste so great and be good for you. But I think my favourite is the Chamomile. It tastes like apples and honey.”

“It does. Although the trick with that one is not to leave it steeping for too long otherwise it starts to taste bitter. And that reminds me, we're running short of both the chamomile and the ginger. Could you pop upstairs and get some more?”

“Upstairs?”

“Yes, there's a flat above. Just go out the back and there's the entrance door to the left.” Lilly said, handing over the keys.

“I didn't realise you owned that too.”

“It's just storage at the moment, but at some point the plan is to get it organised and rent it out.”

“Hey, my organisation is great. If that's the goal, then I'm happy to make a start on the back storeroom. I think with a bit of rearranging I can fit a lot more back there.”

“I might just take you up on that, Stacey. Thanks.”

A few minutes after Stacey had left, Lilly spied a young man hovering outside the shop window. A student, she thought and was proved right when he turned and she spied the university logo on his sweatshirt. He looked exhausted. Unruly hair as though he'd just crawled out of bed. Dark circles under his eyes and a haunted look. She poured a cup of recently made peppermint tea, good for relieving stress, and took it out to him.

“Hi. Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump. You look like you could use this.”

He stared at her blankly for a moment, then took the cup with a smile.

“Thanks, that's kind of you. You're the owner, er, Lillian Tweed, is that right?”

“Yes, but call me Lilly. Lillian is my Sunday name.”

“Yeah, I've got one of those too. Frederick. Frederick Warren, but known as Fred.”

“Nice to meet you, Fred. Is there anything I can help with? I don't want to interfere of course if you're just window shopping.”

“No I ... well, actually a friend told me about your letter box. You helped her when she wrote to you and ...”

“Do you want to come in, Fred? The shop's quiet at the moment.”

He paused for a moment but eventually nodded and followed her in, clutching his tea cup and saucer as though his life depended on it.

Lilly took Fred down to the far end of the counter away from any shop browsers and refilled his tea cup.

“I love your shop,” Fred said. “Really vintage looking. It's like going back to the past.”

“And that's exactly what I was aiming for. It seemed fitting, not only because of the age of the town and the building, but because tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years.”

“Wow. I didn't know that.”

“There's a well known Chinese proverb which says, 'Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary.'”

“It looks a bit like an old chemist shop, actually.”

Lilly smiled. She wouldn't push the boy to speak to her about personal matters if he didn't want to.

“It used to be. Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you want. Drink your tea and relax a bit. If you want to talk, I'm here. If not, that's fine too.”

Lilly moved away and grabbing a tea towel began to dry the recently washed cups and saucers.

Fred cleared his throat, then suddenly blurted out, “My girlfriend's pregnant.”

No wonder he looked as though he hadn't slept for a while. Doubtless he could see his future disappearing before his eyes.

“That must be very difficult for you, Fred. I expect it feels as though the world has just ended, doesn’t it? But believe me, it hasn't. Things are never as bad as they first appear. There is always help. You've made the first step by coming here. Talking with someone else will give you clarity. Have you talked to your girlfriend about your feelings?”

He shook his head. “She doesn't know I've found out. I thought she would have told me, but she didn't. I don't know what to do.”

“Well, she could be afraid to tell you. Have you been together long?”

“About a year.”

“I can't tell you what to do, but I feel the first step would be to sit down and discuss it with her. You obviously care or you wouldn't be feeling so wretched about it.”

“But it's not mine.”

Ah, that shone a completely different light on it. Not only was he dealing with the shock of the pregnancy, but the heartbreak of finding out his long-term girlfriend had been with someone else.

“How can you be sure?”

“Because we've never ... you know,” Fred said, blushing furiously. “She wanted to wait, and I was fine about it. Obviously she just took me for an idiot.”

“You don't know that for sure, Fred. How did you find out?”

“I found the pregnancy test in her dorm room bin. Positive. I thought it belonged to her house mate at first. Then she asked me to grab her phone from her bag one day and there were some, I don't know, vitamins I think. You know, for pregnant women.”

Lilly nodded.

“She's had some doctor appointments recently and ... well I couldn't keep denying it then, could I? I knew.”

“I can't imagine how tough this must be for you, Fred. You've got some difficult decisions to make. Do you still want to be with her?”

“I thought I did, but now I'm not sure. I mean she cheated on me, which is bad enough, but she's carrying someone else's child. I'm twenty two, Miss Tweed, I don't ...”

Fred's voice wobbled. He was close to tears.

“I understand, Fred. You don't have to explain it to me. But, if I can offer one word of advice, it's this: talk to her but be gentle, she'll be scared herself. It's no use waiting because it will just drag on and on otherwise, which isn't healthy for either of you. Tell her you know she's pregnant and probably scared and see what she has to say. And if you need to talk at anytime, you know where I am. Don't shoulder all this yourself, Fred, there's help and support if you know where to look.”

He nodded, giving a wan smile. “Yeah. Thanks for listening, I appreciate it.”

“Anytime. I mean it.”

“Hey, can someone give me hand?” a muffled voice called from the store-room door.

Frederick jumped from his seat and hurried over to help Stacey with several boxes.

“Oh, thanks.”

“No problem.”

“Hey, you go to the university, right? I think I've seen you around the campus.”

“Oh, yeah, you're the American. Um, Pepper or something?”

“Stacey Pepper. And you?”

“Fred Warren,” he said politely. “Well, I have to go. Nice to meet you. Thanks for the tea, Miss Tweed.”

“You're welcome, Fred,” Lilly said as he left the shop.

“Was he here to buy tea?”

Lilly said nothing.

“Oh, I get it. He was consulting your alter ego. I won't ask any more. So, there were a few chamomile and ginger teas to choose from. I didn't know which one you meant, so I brought them all.”

“Sorry, Stacey. It's these two I should have been more specific.”

“No problem. I'll take these back upstairs.”

“And after that, do you think you could use your organisational skills to get the back room in better shape?”

“Absolutely!”

Lilly was very pleased to note Stacey didn't push her for information about her consultation with Fred. As an agony aunt, she was privy to many secrets and people trusted her not to gossip. Thankfully, it looked as though Stacey was the same.

She looked up just as the bell above the door rang and a familiar face walked in.

“Archie Brown!” she exclaimed, pleased to see him. “I wondered when I'd get a visit from you.”

“Sorry it's been so long, Lilly.” He said, removing his Trilby hat and giving her a peck on the cheek. “It's a busy life as a crime reporter, you know.”

“Have a seat and I'll get you a drink. What do you fancy?”

“Anything to take the edge off and stop me wanting to throw things.”

Lilly raised an eyebrow. This was unlike the Archie she knew. She perused her tea selection then nodded, picking a passionflower blend noted for helping with stress. She chose Rooibos for herself and with both teas made she asked him how life at the newspaper had been since she'd left.

Archie sighed. “Awful, if I'm honest. Abigail Douglas, your replacement, is a complete nightmare. She's ruined your column and unfortunately has discovered people are still writing to you. She knows about your letterbox outside and she's on the war path, I'm afraid.”

Chapter Three

“I realised there must be a problem when the column was missing from the paper, but it's hardly my fault. I installed the letterbox because I was getting so many letters. I thought it would trickle off once they got used to Abigail. Looks like that's not going to be the case though, doesn't it?”

Archie scoffed. “Well, it's hardly surprising considering she's unintentionally 'outed' a couple of people in the column already. Infidelity and fraud, would you believe? Didn't go as far as actually naming them, but gave enough clues so that they'd be recognised by their nearest and dearest. People won't write in to her if she's going to splash their problems all over the paper.”

“But she can't do that, Archie! Doesn't she realise this is a small town? You can't walk six feet without bumping into someone you know.”

Lilly broke off for a moment to serve a couple of customers who had come in for their regular supplies.

“Try telling Abigail that,” Archie continued once Lilly had returned. “She's from a bigger concern, remember. Dealing with large cities where people don't know their neighbours and sensationalism sells papers. Her advice is dreadful. She's peddling gossip rather than genuine advice. Between you and me, I think she wrote the last few herself. But don't repeat that.”

“Of course I won't. So, if the column is failing, what's she doing?”

“She's after my job.”

“What? I saw the article about the thefts at the University, but I thought she was just covering because you were so busy.”

“Oh no. She went behind my back. Unbelievable isn't it. Apparently the agony aunt thing was just to get her foot in the door. She's always wanted to be a crime reporter. Says she's got unique skills, whatever that means, and fully expects to win awards and have the nationals fighting to give her a job. She's completely delusional if you ask me. She can't get a decent quote anywhere because no one will talk to her, so she exaggerates.”

“I'm sorry, Archie. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“See, that's why I'm here. For a bit of tea and sympathy.”

Lilly laughed. “You know, that would have been a great name for the shop.”

“And talking of the shop ... you've done a superb job here, you know. I'm so pleased you were able to put the redundancy money to good use. I don't know why I felt so worried for you. You've got a knack for bouncing back.”

“I've had a lot of support from the community though, Archie. The place wouldn't have worked without them.”

“Don't sell yourself short, Lilly. There's a reason you've got their support. You're a good person and they like you. You give sound advice and never gossip. Plus, your tea is excellent,” he said, draining his cup.

“Do you want a re-fill?”

“Yes, but I'd better not. Look, there's another reason I dropped in.”

“Oh?” Lilly questioned, raising an eyebrow. Archie's expression had changed. She'd seen that look before when he was working on a serious article. “What's happened?”

“It's not common knowledge yet.” Archie leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “But there's a body been found in the river.”

Lilly gasped. “A body?”

Archie nodded. “I've a contact at the police station, as you know. The body of a woman was found early this morning by a couple of joggers.”

“What happened?”

Archie shrugged. “It could have been an accident, or maybe suicide. I don't have much information at the moment. I expect the autopsy will be done over the next few days and we'll know more then. But be prepared for a possible visit from the authorities. I wanted to be the one to tell you first.”

“Me? But why would they want to see me? Wait, was it someone I know?” A nervous knot had formed in her stomach and she suddenly shivered.

“I assume so. There was a letter from you found in her pocket.”

Lilly couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. “Someone needing advice, then? Do you have a name?”

“Carol Ann something. Hang on ...” he said, fishing in his pocket for his notebook.

“Hotch.” Lilly finished for him.

“Yes, that's right. You do know her then?”

“No. I never met her but I won’t forget her name in a hurry. She wrote to me asking for help and naturally I wrote back. It was a really alarming letter, Archie. The poor woman was convinced she was being followed. That someone was breaking into her home. She was frightened for her safety but was told she was being paranoid. Now she's dead.”

“The police are aware she had mental health issues, but I can't get anyone to talk just yet. Reading between the lines, I believe they're thinking it's either an accidental or deliberate overdose of her medication. Of course until we get the post-mortem results back it's all speculation.”

“Do you think she would have written to me asking for help if she was planning to commit suicide?”

Archie sat back, arms folded while he thought. “Undoubtedly it does seem odd,” he said finally. “But by the same token, she obviously wasn't in her right mind. I've yet to speak to the husband but according to my contact he's been worried something like this was going to happen for a while.”

Lilly got up to brew herself another cup of tea. Passionflower for herself too, this time. She was feeling twitchy and anxious as a result of Archie's news.

“I feel dreadful,” she said. “I should have reported her letter to the proper authorities, rather than write asking her to meet then waiting for a response.”

“Lilly, you can't blame yourself for what happened,” Archie said sternly. “Thinking that way is ridiculous. You'll make yourself ill. You did the only thing you could.”

“I don't even know what she looked like. I could have passed her in the street. She could even have been in here and I wouldn't have known.”

“Well, I can help with that.” Archie reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a photograph. “A copy from my friendly police officer.”

Lilly took the image. Staring back at her was a youngish attractive woman with shining strawberry blond hair, holding a small white dog. A Pomeranian, she thought. She looked happy and content. Without a care in the world. She didn't look like someone so unhappy with life that they wanted to end it. But then depression was a hidden disease. Appearances could be deceiving, and this was nothing but a single snapshot of her life. She quickly took a photo with her phone and offered the original back to Archie.

“No, it's fine. You keep it, I've got another.”

“Hello,” said a voice behind them.

“Oh, Stacey. I didn't hear you there. Archie, this is Stacey Pepper. She's just started working with me. Stacey, this is Archie Brown, head crime reporter with The Plumpton Mallet Gazette.”

“Nice to meet you, Archie. Are you here for some tea? We have something for every occasion and most ailments you know. This one for example ...”

Lilly smiled at how easily Stacey had turned the conversation to business and listened as she explained in detail the various teas and their health properties. Archie looked at her briefly and grinned, but played along, asking sensible questions with a keen interest. Having worked with Lilly for so long previously, he knew almost as much about tea as she did, but understood this was important to Stacey.

While the discussion continued, Lilly tuned out and turned back to the photograph of Carol Ann Hotch. Something isn't right, she thought. I understand the assumption that it was accidental. It might very well have been, but I can't see a woman taking her own life so soon after writing to me so desperate for help.

She sighed and put the photo back in her pocket. There were customers to serve. But as the working day drew to a close, the nagging doubt wouldn't leave her. She had an inexplicable feeling something was dreadfully wrong.

Lilly had already sent Stacey home as she had a test to study for and was in the process of closing up when there was an almighty crash of thunder which rattled the windows and the heavens opened. Great sheets of rain poured down from the awning above the shop as the storm took hold, producing a waterfall so dense you couldn't see the square beyond. Luckily, she'd already brought in her bike and the plants.

“Right, Earl, it looks as though we're getting a taxi home. I have no intention of cycling in this.”

Earl was weaving a figure eight around her legs, so she scooped him up and put him in his carrier. With a final check, she grabbed her coat and exited through the back door where she'd arranged for the taxi driver to pick her up. To her surprise, she spotted Stacey in the main town car park, which was behind the shop, her head under the rear of the vehicle. It was an old Beetle which had definitely seen better days. In places, the original blue paint work had worn down to the metal.

“Stacey!” Lilly shouted through the wind.

Stacey looked up and seeing Lilly, slammed the boot, locked the car and rushed over.

“Hey.”

“What are you still doing here? I thought you'd gone home ages ago.”

“My car won't start. I thought I could fix it, but I'm clearly no mechanic. Serves me right for picking up the cheapest ride I could find. Didn't even have the decency to break down when the sun was shining.”

Lilly laughed. “Well, I've just called a taxi. There was no way I was cycling home in this downpour; Earl would never have forgiven me. You can share it.”

“That would be wonderful. Thanks so much. Oh, here it is, right on time.”

The driver pulled up as close as he could and the two women jumped in the back seat, Earl between them. “Crazy weather,” the driver said.

“You're telling me,” Stacey replied. Peeling layers of wet hair from her face.

“So, where to, ladies?”

“We'll get you home first, Stacey,” Lilly said. “You're soaked to the skin.”

Stacey hesitated slightly. “It's okay. You probably live closer than I do.”

“I insist.” Lilly didn't know the girl well but as her employer she felt responsible.

Stacey gave the driver her address and Lilly then understood her initial reticence. The area was on the outskirts of the town, the less salubrious part made up of cheap accommodation and the odd shop rapidly going out of business.

Once they'd arrived, Stacey fumbled in her purse for her part of the fare, but Lilly said no, it was on her. At that moment Earl chose to be sick.

“Oh, Earl, you poor thing. What's caused that? Is it the storm? Stacey, would you mind if I brought him in to clean up?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Lilly paid the taxi driver, and they both hurried over to the building Stacey called home. Originally it would have been a large single townhouse, but the planners in their wisdom had decided that making it into four cramped flats was a good idea. Stacey's was on the top floor at the back, under the eaves.

While the young girl went to change out of her wet clothes, Lilly released Earl and filled a bowl of water for him. Then cleaned the carrier, leaving it on the draining board to dry. While she waited for Stacey, Lilly observed her surroundings with dismay. The flat was in an awful state. Wallpaper that looked as though it had last been in fashion in the mid sixties was peeling away from the walls. There were signs of mould in the upper corners and in several places water was leaking in from the roof and Stacey had laid out various pots and pans to catch the drips. Unfortunately, due to the storm raging outside, they were currently mini waterfalls. It was damp and unattractive, although Stacey had tried to liven it up a bit with plants.

“Sorry about the state of the place,” Stacey said when she returned. “It's temporary. I needed somewhere close to school, and this was the first place that was available.”

“It's not you who should be apologising, Stacey, it's your landlord. At the very least, the roof needs fixing.”

“It only leaks when it rains,” Stacey replied with a grin.

“I have news for you. This is England. It rains a lot. Have you told your landlord how bad it is?”

“Yep. I’ve emailed pictures and videos, too. She says she'll get it sorted as soon as her builder has some time. But honestly, I'm planning to get out as soon as I can. It's one of the reasons I pushed so hard for the job. I want to get somewhere closer to town.”

Stacey made a pot of coffee and they sat at the small Formica-topped table while Earl curled up on an easy chair nearby.

“Do you think your father could help you with a better place to live?”

“I've only spoken to him once since I arrived in England.” She said sadly.

Lilly could tell there was more to the story but didn't want to push too much.

“Oh, has he been busy?”

Stacey shrugged. “I don't know. Actually, I don't know my dad at all, really. I told you I came here to get to know him better, and that's true. But ... it wasn't exactly part of his plans.”

“He didn't know you were coming to England?”

“He knew. I don't think it was something he wanted, though. I think he was pretty content with things the way they were; namely me being a million miles away and him sending a card with money in once or twice a year. When I told him my plans we talked on the phone some, but he didn't seem all that eager to get together. So, to answer your first question, no, I don't think dear old dad would help me with a better apartment.”

“I'm sorry, Stacey.”

“Hey, no worries. I have an awesome stepfather. A great role model actually, and he really loves me and my mom. I was just hoping dad would be a bit more excited that I was here. But, whatever. His loss, right? I'm here to get my degree. That's the important thing.”

“Good for you,” Lilly said, finishing off her coffee. “You know, if you want more hours at the shop ...”

“Yes,” Stacey said quickly. “I definitely want more hours at the shop. As long as it doesn't interfere with school, I'll take as many hours as you can give me.”

“Wonderful. I'm sure we'll work something out that suits us both. In the meantime, do you think you'd be okay opening up on your own tomorrow?”

“Definitely! You can count on me.” She said taking the keys from Lilly.

They chatted a bit longer, then Lilly lifted a sleeping Earl and put him in the now dry carrier. By the time she got back outside the taxi she'd called was already waiting and half an hour later she was back in the warmth of her own cottage.

Setting the table for dinner, she was in the process of collecting up the agony aunt letters to transfer to her files, when she spotted the one from Carol Ann Hotch on the top. Regardless of what Archie had said, she still felt partially guilty at not being able to help the woman before it was too late. Then she saw something she'd missed previously. On the reverse of the paper, discreetly printed at the bottom, was a business address for Dr. Jorgenson. MD. Psychiatrist.

“That must be her doctor, Earl.” Lilly said to the disinterested cat.

A quick on-line search revealed the office wasn't far from the centre of Plumpton Mallet, on one of the side streets. It was also open for another twenty minutes. A quick phone call later and she had an appointment set up for the following morning.

“What?” Lilly asked the cat who was staring straight at her. “Don't look at me like that, Earl. I just want a few answers to set my mind at rest, that's all.”

Earl stalked away, tail held high. Lilly swore he shook his head at her in disgust.