“Are you insane?” I howl over at her. “Don’t answer that.”
“There was a murder behind you,” she riots back. “Of crows.”
“There’s going to be a murder, all right.”
“Out of my way.” She barrels past me. “I’ve got to stake this sucker into the ground so he can do my bidding.”
Annabelle runs up on her heels, and I shrug her way.
“Don’t mind her,” I say. “Regina says the same thing before she heads out on a date.”
Annabelle chuckles and her pale green eyes twinkle.
“Don’t you dare tell her I laughed.” She lifts a finger my way. “I’d hate to be staring down the barrel of her wrath.” She wipes down her cheeks, and I can’t help but note the dark shadows under her eyes. I know some women simply have darker pigmentation there, but Annabelle has bona fide coffee rings, and the sight is a bit jarring nonetheless.
Regina has long since abandoned her scarecrow suitor and is chasing after Shep instead.
Figures.
She’d much rather have my suitor. But since they’re both occupied at the moment, I think I’ll quiz the suspect at hand. Not that I think Annabelle is capable of such a heinous crime—precisely why it’s best to knock her off the suspect list here and now.
“I’m Bowie. Miggy introduced us the other night. How’s it going?” I wince as I ask.
“You can see for yourself.” She fans her arm out at the expanse before us. “We’ve got people here, never a shortage of those. But my sister says we’re still just barely breaking even. She thinks it’s her fault for not managing things as she should, but I think it’s me. I’m sort of a bad luck charm when it comes to business. And I don’t get it. I work just as hard as anyone. Twice as hard.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” I say. “It’s a pumpkin patch. Put up a bounce house and they will come. Right? And there’s still plenty of time before Halloween. I bet business doubles every day until then.”
She laughs. “Thanks. Here’s hoping you’re right.”
“But I was sort of asking about, you know, the loss of your friend.”
Her eyes widen in horror. “Oh my gosh. Of course, you were. Honestly, I’ve tried to push it out of my mind. Believe me, I’d much rather be home in bed mourning Hazel.” She squeezes her eyes shut a moment. “She was a good friend. I mean, we used to be close…before. Toward the end, well, she tried her best to be my biggest cheerleader.”
“Annabelle, what happened before?”
She gives a knowing nod. “I used to have a party-planning business, Annabelle’s Shindigs. I was all the rage, if you can believe it. People would outbid one another just to have me do their parties.”
“Can I ask what happened? Did you sell the business?”
“Nope. Lost everything. All of my contacts and clients dried up. People started using social media as a means to advertise, and I was never about that. I like the old-school way of communicating, word of mouth, had my card available everywhere if needed to be. I guess I was just outplayed.”
“Outplayed? By other party planners?”
“If you can call them that.” She huffs at the thought. “More like social media queen bees who wanted fame to go along with their fortune. It became like a beauty pageant. The clients suddenly wanted a glammed up party planner with a big online following. I didn’t have that to give anyone.” Her jaw tenses as she glares out in the field. “And here I am.” She shrugs. “The pumpkin patch is good for now, but it’s seasonal. I basically lost everything.”
“I’m sorry to hear it. I know what it feels like to lose something.” More than she realizes. “Do you have any passions you can follow?”
“That was my passion.” She blinks back tears. “But you know, a part of me still believes I could have it all back, the glitz, the glamour. I want it. I just know that’s what I was put on this earth to do. And I don’t think anyone or anything is going to stop it from happening.” She looks out at the field before reverting her attention back to me. “When things are meant to be, the universe finds a way to make it happen. There’s no stopping fate.”
I glance out at the field myself and spot Shep in the distance holding up Winifred in victory as he looks this way, but before I can give him a thumbs-up, Regina blocks his path.
I shake my head at the sight. “Sometimes fate has a few obstacles to overcome along the way.”
“Don’t I know it.” Annabelle gives the nearest pumpkin a kick, and we share a laugh.
“Annabelle, how did you know Hazel?”
“Hazel used to work for me.”
“Really? Party planning?”
She gives a somber nod. “She was my assistant for years, but when I lost everything she had to find work elsewhere. Miggy snatched her up right away. If she didn’t, someone else would have. Hazel knew all of my best tips and tricks, so it was a real value for Miggy to have her.”
All of her tips and tricks? Could that be a motive?
“Annabelle, who do you think could have done something so horrific to Hazel? Did she have any enemies?”
Her chest bucks. “She had a psycho ex.”
“Jack?” This is the first I’m hearing of his so-called psycho behavior.
“Yup. He was a controlling nutcase. I was thrilled when I heard they broke up a few months back.” She makes a face. “He’s seeing Carrie now and that makes our coffee klatch awkward, or I guess it did.” A shiver rides through her. “It’s going to be weird when our book club meets up again next week.”
“If it’s any consolation, I think my boyfriend and I will be there. He’s an author.” My cheeks heat when I call Shep my boyfriend—but hey, what Honey Bunch wants Honey Bunch gets. Who are we kidding? In those jeans, he’s Sweet Cheeks and Stud Muffin all rolled into one. And let’s not forget Sexy Wexy.
Long live Sexy Wexy.
Anabella sighs. “You’re S.J. Wexler’s girlfriend? Wow, what I wouldn’t do to have a man like that. So are you and Hot Buns something new?”
A soft laugh bounces from me.
“Newer than you know.” I nod. “Anyone special in your life?”
“I guess you could say I had a mad love affair with my career. It was more to me than any man could have ever hoped to be. I know it sounds insane, but when I was on top, it left me breathless. I’ve never felt more alive than I did at that time.” Her face grows dark as she glances to the ground, and I can feel her spirit deflating.
“Hey, it could happen again,” I say, trying my best to comfort her.
“It had better.” A tiny laugh flutters through her. “I’ve sacrificed too much to give up now.” She takes a quick breath as a smile pins to her lips. “I need to do it for Hazel. In her memory. I won’t let her death be in vain.”
I nod. “I think she would want you to.”
“Incoming!” someone shouts and we look over to see a group of children hoisting pumpkins at that scarecrow Regina just set up.
Annabelle laughs. “Don’t worry. My sister is closely monitoring the situation. It’s a new feature called the pumpkin toss. I’d better go help and make sure no one gets hurt,” she says as she takes off.