Ripe for Murder Read online

  “How long have you known her?”

  Barb chewed on her lower lip. “My entire life. At least as long as I can remember. We grew up in the same neighborhood, the side of town where the people that work on the farms and vineyards live. I mean the people that work in the fields on the farms and vineyards. Tara got that part right. There is a distinction.”

  She glanced through the door to the car behind us, at the man behind the bar. “That’s Seth. The three of us lived on the same street and were in the same class at school.”

  “And then after graduation Tara moved down South,” I prodded.

  Barb nodded. “It was right after Seth and I got married.” She lifted her head. “I think she just stuck around to see if the star quarterback really would go through with it.” She raised her thumb to her mouth as though to bite the nail, and then, with effort, lowered her arm. “Well, he did. And here we are.”

  She had a note of triumph in her voice, but there was a veiled look in her eyes as she glanced again at her husband. He stood behind the bar watching us, a frown on his face.

  He was tall, with a two-day beard and a muscular build going to pot. He had a full head of thick dark hair and stunning blue eyes, and there was just enough left of his looks to see how he’d been the star on the football field or back in the halls of high school. Clearly he’d peaked early in life. He leaned against the counter, crooked his finger, and mouthed, “Come here.”

  Barb shivered. The thin blue sweater didn’t look sufficient for the cold morning, and there was a mend in the shoulder sewn in neat little stitches. Mousy brown hair shot with gray hung limp to her shoulders. She tucked her hands behind her back out of view and rocked back on her heels.

  “I need to get the wine poured for lunch.”

  I nodded, and she moved through the door to stand briefly between the cars, her lackluster hair barely affected by the wind. She pushed open the next car door and went to stand in front of the bar. I couldn’t see Seth’s face, but she nodded and took the bottles he handed her.

  “What are you watching?” Connor stood behind me.

  “I’m not sure.” I turned. “Just a feeling.”

  There were tables for six along the train’s windows. One side of the nearest table was occupied by Tara, Big Dave and Vance, and across from them sat Antonia and Chantal.

  “Over here. I saved you a seat,” Chantal said.

  Sure, one seat between her and the window, and she wasn’t looking at me to fill it. I rolled my eyes as Connor hesitated.

  “I can decline and sit with you somewhere else.”

  “What, and make a scene? I’ll be fine.” I walked to the next table and took a seat right behind Big Dave.

  Bill stood in front of the car while servers moved down the rows of tables. Passengers from other cars had joined us, and the car was full. Bill removed his hat and hooked a thumb into the shoulder strap of his overalls.

  “Let’s see what the chef has in store for us today.” He pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket and studied the menu. “For appetizers, you have a choice of either eggplant and roasted garlic in crisp pastry with goat’s-cheese cream, or a delicious lobster pâté with a dill mustard sauce.” He peered over his glasses. “That last one’s my personal favorite.”

  I was surrounded by a party of five travelling together, so as the servers took our orders, I let their conversation carry on without me. I picked up Big Dave’s voice above the hum of chatter and clanking silver as our appetizers arrived.

  “Now, I’m not sayin’, darlin’, not to have a good time. I just think maybe we need to have a little water with lunch, maybe some coffee.”

  “What’s this ‘we’ business? Unless you got a fish in your pocket that wants your damn water, mind your own self. I’m fine.”

  This was great. I could be as nosy as I wanted and nobody could tell. I eased my chair back a few inches.

  “All I’m pointing out is that you may have a little more fun if you can actually remember some of it tomorrow.” Big Dave sounded a bit testy.

  I glanced over my left shoulder at Tara. She still had puffy cheeks from her cry earlier, and the beehive clung to the top of her head at a weird angle. Very attractive.

  Barb stopped at my table. “Can I offer you a taste of Berninni’s Fumé Blanc? It goes really well with the lobster pâté.”

  “Yeah, sure. Whatever.” I leaned back a bit in my chair.

  “Well, Dad, have you had enough?” Vance’s voice came from over my right shoulder. “How long are you going to let her embarrass the family name?”

  “She hasn’t come close to the messes I’ve cleaned up behind you, and you know it.” Big Dave’s voice held none of the humor I’d come to associate with him. “She’s harmless. Which is more than I can say for you. You almost hit that lady.”

  “Don’t start in on that again, okay? I’m telling you she walked right into the street, or maybe she tripped on the curb. Either way, she was on the ground in front of me without my even touching her.”

  Big Dave lowered his voice. “Too bad you can’t say that about the last person you hit.”

  Did Vance make a habit of running people over? I pushed my seat farther back.

  “Even with today’s behavior, Tara’s got a long way to go before she matches your track record.”

  “Look, I understand having a little fun,” Vance said. “A man your age deserves to sit back and enjoy all his hard work. I just don’t see why you had to marry her, and I really don’t get letting her spend all your money on this crazy train bull—”

  “That’s enough.” Big Dave’s voice was low, and he spoke each word with precision, the anger behind them clear. “Tara grew up here. This means something to her. If this is what she wants, it’s what she gets.”

  Big Dave dropped his voice even lower, and I strained to hear. “And your screwups over the years have cost me a lot more than this, so sit back and be cordial to Tara, or I’ll have you dropped off and you can drive that car of yours right out of here.”

  “Okay, okay. Just relax. It’s your money.”

  “Just so you remember it.”

  I turned in my seat, pretending to enjoy the view. The vineyards are never dull, even toward the end of the season. Today the sky was a clear blue, a shade I’ve only seen here and in Tuscany. Wild mustard, a carpet of golden yellow, grew across the vineyard and over the distant hills.

  Big Dave turned to Tara and rubbed her arm, but she had her eyes pasted to the window. “Come on, darlin’, this is for you. I want you to have a good time.”

  Tara pushed his hand away. “I think maybe owning a winery would be fun.” She turned to Antonia at the far end of the table. “Is it fun?”

  I turned my chair almost entirely around and gave up any pretense I wasn’t listening.

  “You have to believe in your bones it’s what you want to do,” Antonia said. “If it is, then it can be very rewarding, but you must remember, it’s a tremendous amount of work. You don’t take it on without deep consideration.”

  “Well, we’d have people for the hard stuff,” Tara said.

  Antonia raised a brow. “It isn’t quite that simple.”

  “Sure it is.” Tara signaled for more wine from the server. “I know better than anyone that wineries have people for the tough work. From what I remember, the owner just threw lots of parties and travelled.” She turned to Big Dave. “We should think about it anyway.”

  Vance snorted, stood and made his way toward the bar at the far end of the car.

  The spot next to Big Dave was now empty, so I poked him on the shoulder. “Mind if I join you?”

  “Sure. Glad to have you.”

  Antonia pointed across the table at the untouched plate. “Are you sure he won’t be coming back? He didn’t touch his lunch.”

  “Ladies, he can figure it out for hims
elf.” Big Dave gestured to Barb to remove the plate.

  Six

  AFTER lunch we made our way forward to the bar, where Vance sat at the counter.

  He spotted us and stood. “I’m going back to my seat.” He pushed past Big Dave and left through the rear doors.

  Big Dave gestured to a sofa. “Tara, why don’t you wait here a minute. I want to clear things up with my son, one way or the other.”

  “Sure. I’ll be here.” She plopped down as Big Dave followed Vance from the car.

  I moved to sit next to Antonia on the sofa opposite, while Chantal joined Connor at the window.

  Bill walked up to me. “How was lunch?”

  “Excellent.”

  Antonia nodded in agreement.

  “It’s amazing what they can do on a swaying train.”

  “Our chef has worked his entire career on the rails. He’s used to it.”

  I ran my hand down the arm of the sofa. “I love this burgundy velvet. It looks original, but it’s in perfect condition.”

  “We took pains to match the original fabrics and all of the woodwork. The mahogany walls to the carved sofas, like the one you’re sitting on, are all unique to the Pullman line.” Bill ran his palm across the bottom of the crystals that dangled from the chandelier, and a soft tinkle of glass filled the room. “We tried to keep everything as authentic as possible.”

  “Right down to that adorable outfit you’re wearing.” Tara eyed the overalls. “You look like a cartoon character. I just can’t remember which one. Maybe Elmer Fudd.”

  Bill tried to laugh it off, but his cheeks flamed. He removed his cap and twisted it in his hands. “Well, I’ve got to be going. I need to get some more wine for the bar.” He turned and walked through the door and out onto the vestibule.

  “That was really mean and unnecessary,” I said.

  “You would think he’d heard it before,” Tara said.

  “What an unspeakable bitch you are,” Chantal said from across the room.

  I nodded in agreement. Chantal and I had our share of quarrels, but there was a big difference between the annoyance I often felt with Chantal and Tara’s intentional cruelty.

  “I’m not concerned with what you think, and I’m done with this conversation.” Tara walked to the bar.

  Kim and Jim were deep in conversation at the far end, and Tara settled on a stool just a few feet from us. Seth stood behind the counter wiping glassware.

  “Well, Mr. Quarterback, you still look as good as you did back in high school. How about pouring me a glass of red.” Tara tipped her head, twirling a curl that hadn’t made it back into the reattached beehive.

  “Sure.” Seth poured her a glass and leaned against the back counter to watch her. He crossed his arms, cupping his fists behind his biceps, which made the muscles strain against the tight-fitting shirt.

  “I wonder if he practices that pose at home in front of the mirror.” Antonia didn’t miss much.

  “I’m sure of it.”

  Seth grabbed a bar towel and rubbed the counter around Tara. She leaned in, resting her top section against the railing as Seth bent over the bar. Tara whispered something in his ear and Seth laughed.

  “If Big Dave comes back while this is going on, it’ll get real interesting,” I said to Antonia.

  Seth dropped the cloth on the counter, and his hand slowly made its way to Tara, his fingers running down her arm.

  “It appears something even more interesting is about to happen.” Antonia nudged me and I shifted my eyes. From the rear of the car, Barb hurried forward, a tray in her hands.

  “Stop it! Stop it right now!” Barb threw the tray on the counter and turned to Tara. “You think you can just come back here and start it up all over again? You can’t. I won’t let you!”

  Seth reached across the counter and grabbed Barb’s wrist.

  “Please, Seth. You’re hurting me.”

  “Then stop making a scene. You go back to cleaning tables, and we’ll talk about this later.”

  “Let her go,” I said.

  Seth just held her by the arm as Barb tried to pull away.

  “Let her go,” I repeated, louder this time. I admit I wanted Connor to hear. I wasn’t about to take Seth on alone and was grateful to catch Connor turn in his chair at the sound of my voice.

  Seth saw Connor as well. “Everything’s fine.” He let go and raised both hands in mock surrender as Barb hugged her wrist to her chest. “No worries over here.”

  Tara gestured with her now-empty glass. “I like that. No worries. Ya know what would help that? Another one of these.” She rested her elbows on the bar, cupping her chin in her palm.

  “Anyway, you don’t have anything to worry about now, Barb,” she said a few moments later as Seth refilled her glass. “Seth and I had our fun a long time ago. Besides”—she took a sip—“these days I can afford much more expensive toys.”

  Seth froze behind the counter. One hand tightened on the wine bottle. He gripped the edge of the bar with the other. “Don’t ever refer to me as a toy again.” With effort, he released the bar and stepped back.

  “Barb, I’m going to get a bin for these dirty glasses. Keep an eye on things.”

  Barb nodded.

  Tara tipped her glass and finished the wine in one gulp. “Mr. Sensitive. I’m tired and going back to my seat.”

  “Good riddance,” Antonia said as Tara walked from the car. “She’s nothing but trouble.”

  Connor moved to follow her. “She may be trouble, but in the condition she’s in, I don’t want her moving between cars by herself. The vestibules are a little tricky. When I’m done, I’ll come back for you, Antonia.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. I hardly need help.” The train gave a lurch as it rounded a corner, and when it straightened, Antonia held up her palm. “Very well, I see the logic. We’ll wait here for you.”

  “A real gentleman,” Chantal grabbed Connor by the arm. “I’ll head back with you now.” They moved through the door, Chantal liberally using Connor to help her across the vestibule.

  “You should have told Chantal to stay here for now,” I said. “The farther we can keep her and Tara apart, the better.”

  “My daughter’s a grown woman. The days she’d listen to me on matters such as this are long gone. And anyway, if I had a suspicious nature, I just might think Connor is the one you’d like to keep her away from.”

  I sniffed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Although she did seem to need a lot of Connor’s help to walk three feet across a vestibule she managed alone just fine a few moments ago.”

  Antonia smiled. “Well, as long as it doesn’t bother you any.”

  “Can I get you anything?” Barb stood next to me.

  “I’ll have a glass of whatever you’re pouring.”

  Barb nodded to the back where Kim and Jim sat. “I’ll be back in a minute. I’m going for a bottle of Caymus Cabernet for them, if you’d like a glass of that. Aren’t they cute? They’ve been holding hands and looking at each other more than the scenery.” Barb’s voice held a wistful note. “Here they come now.”

  “Isn’t this beautiful?” Kim gave us that high-wattage smile. “I love Chicago, but we don’t have mountains like this. And these redwoods! I love the smell too, all earthy and fresh, although,” she rubbed her bare arms, “it is a little chilly. Jim, would you mind grabbing my sweater? I left it on my seat.”

  Jim kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

  After he left, Kim turned to us. “I understand you both own wineries. How wonderful.”

  “It can be,” I said, “when the rain holds off, and the summer is just hot enough, and some new pest doesn’t come along, or the vagaries of the market don’t change, suddenly making the Merlot you’ve been banking on less desirable for some inexplicable reason . .
. Sure, other than that, it’s a ton of fun.”

  “What Penny is doing a poor job of saying is that we’re basically farmers, with all the same concerns that haunt most farmers. We hope for good weather, heavy production, excellent timing and a little bit of luck. It’s when we turn the fruit into wine that the magic really happens.”

  I nodded. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s difficult but worth it. It’s something you do for love.”

  “Well, I think it’s just—”

  Whatever Kim would have said was lost in the squeal of brakes. The train swayed to one side and somewhere a whistle blew. Its shrill cry went on for several seconds. Antonia held on to the sofa arm, and I braced against the windowsill as Kim grabbed my arm. Dishes hit the floor in the kitchen, and wineglasses flew across the bar. Finally, the train lurched to a halt.

  “What on earth?” Antonia was on her feet and heading for the door just as Connor stepped through.

  “Is everyone okay?” Connor caught my eye.

  “Of course we’re okay. Why are you looking at me?”

  “Well, I’ve seen your reflexes and those catlike movements of yours.”

  Antonia hid a smile behind a small cough. “Everyone’s fine here.”

  He nodded. “I’m going back to our car if you don’t need me. I thought I heard somebody scream.”

  “Go, go. We’ll be fine,” Antonia said. “So far this trip hasn’t been what I anticipated.”

  “Let’s just see what’s happened before we panic,” I said.

  “I never panic.” Antonia straightened. “Come with me.”

  Kim and I followed Antonia through the dining area.

  Barb stood next to the dish cupboard holding a plate. When she saw us, she set it down. “The entire stack went flying.”

  Broken dishes covered the floor around her.

  “Do you know what’s happened?” I said.

  She shook her head. “We’ve been stopped before, but never like that. Usually it’s engine trouble and the train comes to a slow stop. This time it was like somebody threw the brakes.”

  I turned at the clank of bottles. Seth stood right behind me. “You can pick that up later. Get the door for me.”