The Mysterious Rice Bowl: Cheongsam Fashion Mysteries

By Carly Carter

What do you do when one of your best girlfriend’s is convinced her house is haunted? If you’re Joy-Li Judson, Harpeth Hollow’s vintage loving sleuth, you don your ghostbusting clothes and solve the mystery.

Stephanie Tice, Joy-Li’s BFF, is recovering from a bad break up. Actually Stephanie’s boyfriend died before she could end the relationship. That makes it complicated.

Joy-Li becomes concerned when her girlfriend complains of items going missing in her home. Is her friend cracking under the stress? Or is something paranormal going on here? What’s causing the open drawers, rearranged furniture, disappearing photos? And where is Stephanie’s heirloom and favorite rice bowl?

Luckily, her ghostbusting girlfriend is hot on the mystery

Joy-Li Judson is a vintage obsessed fashion blogger, and crime solving sleuth. She’s a Chinese-American with a Middle Tennessee accent. She has a day job as a personal shopper for a fancy department store. Our girl is unafraid of couture, obsessed with thrifting vintage and, is confident in the face of danger. Joy-Li Judson never turns her back on a good sale or a good murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781941543023

Book preview

Twelve

Chapter One

Feelings are fickle.

I know my feelings regarding James Rudder change like the weather.

Today the weather is calm all around. It’s like the quiet after the storm when the birds sound the most beautiful. I’ve never been to a funeral where no one cries.

In death, as in life James Rudder didn’t evoke compassion or kindness. His funeral today is no different. Even Stephanie, his girlfriend of four months and one of my best girlfriends, isn’t broken up about attending her boyfriend’s funeral.

Stephanie’s been in a bit of shock since learning of James’ death. His burned out car was discovered by police off Old Mill Road. The explosion of the vehicle was extraordinary according to people in the subdivision that is on Old Mill Road. The accident occurred on a dangerous section of road. James isn’t the first person to have an accident there. Nor is he the first fatality.

I’m glad no one else was injured, said Stephanie. I guess that’s the only positive.

Personally, I think there are a lot of positives in James’ death. I wouldn’t dare say that to Stephanie today. I may not ever share that with her. Yes. Single car accidents are not the most common. It is easy to understand how James could lose control of the car that night and strike the guard rail so hard he rolled in the ditch, I said. That part of guard rail is old and weak. It needs to be repaired. I know it must be hard on you not having a body to identify. I’m sorry Steph.

Stephanie nods. Burned beyond recognition.... At least the police think James was killed on impact and that he didn’t suffer from the flames. I guess it’s better this way. Having a memorial is not as traumatic as having to deal with picking out a casket, clothes, all that. Thank you for reading that poem Joy-Li. It was perfect. It sounded just like something James would say.

Of course. Here are the words I read. Unfortunately, I can’t credit the author.

Friend, please don't mourn for me

I'm still here, though you don't see.

I'm right by your side each night and day

And within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near.

I'm everything you feel, see or hear.

My spirit is free, but I'll never depart

As long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I'll never wander out of your sight-

I'm the brightest star on a summer night.

I'll never be beyond your reach-

I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.

I'm the colorful leaves when Autumn's around

And the pure white snow that blankets the ground.

I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond,

The clear cool water in a quiet pond.

I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring,

The first warm raindrop that April will bring.

I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,

And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there's no one to love you,

You can talk to me through the Lord above you.

I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,

And you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep

And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.

I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.

Just look for me, friend, I'm every place!

Who are we kidding? James Rudder never read a nursery rhyme much less a book of poetry.

I’m Joy-Li Judson, a thrift loving, vintage obsessed, personal shopper at Franklin’s Department Store. I’ve developed a reputation as something of a sleuth. I am drawn like a magnet to mysteries of all kinds. If I had to put together my ideal dinner party, my guests would consist of Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Jessica Fletcher and The Snoop Sisters. That’s a lot of mystery loving people to cook healthy Chinese for, isn’t it?

My friend, Stephanie Tice and her relationship to the newly deceased James Rudder is a mystery all its own. Stephanie is a woman who struggles in relationships with the opposite sex. This relationship with James was her longest- four months.

Four months isn’t all that long, but for Stephanie it was a major life accomplishment.

What was the flaw in her happy ever after plan?

For starters, none of her friends liked James. For me, that’s a giant red flag waving a warning in the breeze. Either we failed to capture Stephanie’s attention on the subject, (love is blind) or she choose to ignore us.

He’s rude and makes fun of people, said mutual friend Wendy Webb.

He’s selfish. It’s all James, all the time. Stephanie’s needs aren’t on his priority list, commented fellow girlfriend Madison Flaxman.

I add my own two cents to the conversation, I see fear in Steph’s eyes whenever James is around. My instincts tell me she’s afraid of him. Ever notice how she becomes a nervous ninny when James is in the room. She doesn’t speak without looking to him. It’s as if she wants his approval of her every word.

I can’t help but notice Stephanie almost seems ... relieved today. She’s quiet and sad, even a tiny bit teary. Something’s bothering her. She’s struggling to find her voice.

After the short memorial for James I put my arm around her shoulders. You ok? Is there anything special we can do for you?

Yes, Stephanie. Anything at all? Do you want to go somewhere? Are you hungry? asked Wendy.

What about takeout? I’ll go wherever you want. Your call. In fact, I’ll order enough take out for the rest of the week if you’d like, said Madison.

Stephanie is known for her great love of take a ways and take- out entrees. The girl takes great pride in eating food that is highly colorful. Colorful from dyes and artificial everything I mean. I’m convinced one day she will begin to glow in the dark from all the ingested preservatives.

No. I’m not hungry really. I need to go home and pack up James’ things. I was letting him keep some of his things in a drawer and part of the closet. I gave him a shelf in the medicine cabinet too. I need to box that up, I guess. Stephanie rubs her temple.

You don’t have to do that today, you know. It can wait. No one expects you to be a superhero. I squeeze my friend around the shoulder.

That’s right. Packing up his clothes can easily wait. Do you have a key to his apartment? We can help you box up his apartment too. There’s no rush, said Wendy.

Stephanie pulls out a small purse size bottle of Purell and squeezes a dollop onto her right hand. No. Come to think of it, I don’t have a key to his place. James never gave me one. We spent more time at my cottage because it’s bigger. Plus we met there. I remember that day well. I walked in to look at renting the cottage. There was this very handsome carpenter doing repair work in the basement. It was love at first sight for us. Stephanie Purell’s her hand a second time. Purell any one?

Thanks , my little germaphobe. I’m good, I said.

That’s another thing James and I had in common: our hatred of germs. He loved that I keep Purell- the family size- in every room. Stephanie drops the plastic bottle back in her handbag and zips the purse closed.

Germaphobe doesn’t come close to describing James Rudder’s obsession with bacteria and disease. That’s when I stopped liking him for good. His fear of germs was extreme and disturbing. Stephanie is always ready with the antibacterial cleaner. It’s true, there are large bottles of it everywhere you look in her tiny cottage. But she isn’t afraid to touch a doorknob, shake a hand, or pet a dog.

For James Rudder, the idea of doing any of those activities would send him into an abnormal frenzy.

Whenever a friend begins dating someone new, it’s important to be supportive of the relationship. I think Wendy, Madison, and I were very supportive and happy for Stephanie when she first met James. Her excitement about the man was out of character for her. At first, we all thought he seemed nice enough. Stephanie kept saying He’s the one. We’ll be married within the year.

Truthfully, I never bought that story. I did see her fall deeply in love with him within a few days. She began spending more time with James than she did with the three of us girls. Phone calls became fewer and fewer from Stephanie. Even texts would go unanswered. She became harder to reach for all three of us girlfriends.

Let’s double date this weekend. You and James, and Kyle (my hunky boyfriend) and me. I’ll cook or we can go out somewhere. I never see you anymore. Doesn’t that sound fun? I asked her to double with Kyle and myself on several occasions.

The answer was sadly the always the same. James and I would rather be alone together. But I can have lunch with you soon.

‘Soon’ isn’t a day of the week. Our lunches happened less and less.

Why wouldn’t a man who loves a woman want to meet her friends?

In short, James (on those very rare times I did see him) annoyed me. Since he did seem to make Stephanie happy I decided to grant James an extra dose of my Chinese patience. My Granny Chai says, If you are patient in one moment of frustration, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.

Here’s to the great escape. I reminded myself of that proverb every time Stephanie would agree to lunch with me and then call with, Joy-Li, I’m going to have to cancel lunch. James needs me to have lunch with him. Or, James just called and wants me to go to lunch with him.

Sorry? Your boyfriend ‘needs you to have lunch with him’? He ‘just called and wants you to run and be by his side’?

I am a firm believer in respecting the first call. Those days, all those lunches, I was the first call. This isn’t a jealousy issue either.

It’s about respect.

Is it me or is it like Stephanie’s fallen down a black hole? Who cancels plans for no good reason? Do you think she doesn’t want our friendship anymore? asked Madison one night.

I don’t think it’s that, said Wendy. I think she’s genuinely having a difficult time balancing work, girlfriends, and a new boyfriend that she’s crazy about. I’m sure she’ll work out how to do it all in time. Right now, she’s struggling. That’s all. Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Here we are at a Girl’s Gather night. This is the fourth one Stephanie’s missed. Don’t you two think that’s odd? Out of character? I have to say, I don’t think James is good for her. Not that I would share that with Stephanie. That would end our friendship right there on the spot.

To me, it feels like he’s isolating her. I took a sip of wine.

This is one of her most serious relationships EVER. Let’s all agree to give her the benefit of the doubt for two more months. Then, if after six months of dating we’ll talk to her about making time for her friendships again. Leave it to Wendy Webb and her logical, left brain to calm me and my intuition down.

Ok, agreed. I won’t take things personally anymore, I said. Madison nodded her agreement as well.

James Rudder was killed in a single car accident the following night.

The four of us girlfriends walk toward our cars after the memorial service.

You never met James’ family? All the people I met said they knew James from work. Didn’t any of his relatives come? I asked.

Stephanie shakes her head. No. You’re right. They were all people he’d worked with over the years. He didn’t talk about his family. He said his parents died. He had a brother but didn’t keep in contact with him. Never mentioned anyone else. That’s how it is sometimes.

Hmmmm, I replied. Let’s go home. I’ll make tea.

Good idea. I’m tired. Thank you, Wendy and Madison for coming, said Stephanie.

Stephanie and I are temporary roommates. She lives in a small and adorable cottage. The colorful cottages line a street in town. They are painted Easter egg colors and are otherwise identical in design. Each cottage has a very tiny yard, a tiny front porch, and an even tinier widow’s walk off the upstairs master bedroom. One full bath, a kitchen/dining area, and small second bedroom complete the floor plan for all the cottages. Stephanie has the inside of her Easter egg colored house decorated entirely in navy and white. It’s a nice contrast from the pastels outside.

I am currently living in Stephanie’s small second bedroom. I moved in the night after James’ car accident. Not because Stephanie was inconsolable.

She wasn’t.

I took up residence in the guest room because I have a large oak tree living in mine. The night of James’ accident was the night the oak tree outside my bedroom crashed through the roof of my apartment. There was a terrible storm. My apartment is in an old Victorian house that has been lovingly converted into apartments. Mine is on the second and a half floor of the house. I say second and a half because the main part of the apartment- living area, bathroom, kitchen, laundry area- is on the second floor. My bedroom is on the next half level up in the turret. I love being so high and close to the trees. It is similar to a treehouse in that respect.

Sunny mornings are beautiful.

Windy, icy, rain storms?.... Not so much. On stormy evenings, I move down the spiral stair case, into the living room and onto the sofa. Thank God I did that night of the big storm and James’ car accident. The oak tree crashed through the roof and landed on my bed. I would have been seriously hurt. Or worse. Acts of nature are not to be taken lightly.

I’m lucky to have a good landlord who is quick to fix things. Roof repair is underway. Living with Stephanie is temporary. I’ll be back on my own soon enough. In light of all that’s happened, I’m glad I’m here with her. She seems to need the company.

I brought the pu-erh, passion fruit black tea, chamomile and lemon balm, and jasmine green tea in addition to bringing my clothes. Does one sound good? I asked.

Stephanie kicks her black pumps off and sinks into her navy armchair. The one that’s a combination. What was it? Chamomile and lemon balm? That sounds soothing. I’m just so exhausted now that it’s over.

You mean the memorial? I fill the navy enamel teapot with water and put it on to boil.

Stephanie doesn’t answer. She stares into space for a moment. I’m sorry about the tree and the damage it did to your apartment, Joy-Li. I’m very, very, glad you’re here. Grateful in fact.

I squeeze her hand. Me too. This must be hard for you. I think you were the closest thing to family that James had. Do you want to talk anymore?

Stephanie shakes her head. The kettle whistle’s that it’s ready. Stephanie reaches her arms overhead to stretch and exposes her left forearm.

I notice something ugly. She has very large, blue-black bruise on the fleshy part of her forearm. It was hidden under her long sleeve dress.

Wow. That looks painful. How’d you get that? I asked.

Without a millisecond of hesitation, Stephanie answers, I ran into a door. It’s getting better.

Your arm ran into a door?

Yes. You know how I’m always tripping over things, smashing into things, spilling things, cutting myself on things? she said.

Yes. I guess I have noticed you commenting on your cuts and scrapes more lately. Is it tender? I asked.

It’s ok. Want me to pour the tea? asked Stephanie.

No. You rest. I’ll get it. I walk to the kitchen and make us a large pot of chamomile and lemon balm. It’s the perfect tea to sooth the nervous system after a trauma. From the sight of this newest bruise on Stephanie’s arm I’d say there’s been more trauma in her life than I’ve been told.

I think I’ll make us fried rice. If you don’t want to eat now, that’s fine. It will keep in the fridge. I open the refrigerator confident I won’t see anything in there except empty takeout boxes, water bottles, and ketchup packets. To my complete shock and surprise the fridge is stocked with eight dozen eggs, two gallons of full fat milk, and three pounds of butter. I close the refrigerator door and open the cabinet looking for the rice.

Again to my surprise, the Take Away Queen has a one pound bag of jasmine rice. That’s shocking.Real food in this house is new. What’s even more shocking is that the rice is sitting on top of a five pound bag of all -purpose flour... and there are three more bags of all-purpose flour in her cabinet. Did I mention the ten pounds of sugar on the shelf above?

Steph..... What’s with all the eggs and flour and butter?

What? What are you talking about? She seems bewildered herself.

You have eight dozen eggs in your fridge and pounds of butter and flour and sugar. What’s going on? I asked.

I don’t know. I remember James saying he bought eggs and that he was going to fix me breakfast in bed. I don’t know, Joy-Li. How’s the tea coming? said Stephanie.

Steeping now. Be right there, I said.

Ninety six eggs is a lot of scrambled eggs for breakfast in bed. I mean really, How many eggs do you have to break to make an omelet?

Not long ago my Granny Chai met James Rudder. He and Stephanie and Granny were all grocery shopping late one afternoon. It was the afternoon of the egg shopping spree. When Granny told me she ran into my friend Stephanie at the market and that Stephanie and her boyfriend had a cart full of eggs.... Well.... Suffice it to say

Reviews for The Mysterious Rice Bowl

[holihanes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Great plot. Great characters. Only thing I didn't like was the tendency to go off on a tangent instead of keeping focused on the plot.