1 Hairspray and Homicide (6 page)

Bekki stared at him in shock and attempted to recover quickly. "I didn't do anything to Daisy," she insisted.

"Don't you lie to me!" Pete roared and soon the entire restaurant was staring at them. "I know you killed her, and I have the proof that you did!"

"I did not!" Bekki shouted back as she stood up from her chair as well, ignoring the shocked glances and gasps from the few customers and the kitchen staff. "I had nothing to do with her death. In fact, I think her lover might have had something to do with it!"

Pete glared heatedly at her as he jabbed a finger in her direction. "All right it's true, Daisy and I were lovers, there aren't too many people that don't know that. But they all know I had nothing to do with it. What I have proves it!" he declared.

"What is that?" Nick's impossibly well-timed voice called out.

Bekki turned to face him and when he glanced at her the fury in his eyes was so intense that she was silenced before she could even muster a defense.

"Show me this evidence," Nick encouraged Pete.

"Why isn't she in jail?" Pete demanded harshly. "After what she did to my poor sweet Daisy, she should be locked up!"

Nick shot a glance in Bekki's direction as if to make sure she was not going anywhere, and then returned his attention to Pete.

"Then where is the proof?" he pressed and moved closer to the irate man.

"Right here," Pete barked back and picked up his cell phone. He played a message that he received on his phone.

"Help," came the muffled voice on the message. "Help please! Bekki's gone crazy!" the high pitched squeal was full of panic. Bekki's heart stopped as she heard it. In truth it was impossible to tell if it was Daisy's voice because of all the noise and interference in the message.

"What were you doing to her?" Pete asked, his eyes gleaming. "When she left this message, were you kicking her? Were you chasing her? Did it all make you feel good Bekki?"

Bekki took a step back but before she could move another inch, Nick's hand was wound around the crook of her elbow and was holding on tightly.

"Uh uh," he said firmly as he met her eyes. "You're not going anywhere."

Bekki could feel the push of his gaze as if it had a physical force to it, before he turned it back to the people gathered in the restaurant.

"All right everyone calm down now, nothing to see here," he held out his free hand to Pete. "Give me the phone," he said sternly.

"It's my phone," Pete growled and snatched it away from Nick's reach.

"Pete," Nick warned and snapped his fingers sharply. "Give me the phone or I'll have you in cuffs for withholding evidence."

Pete narrowed his eyes and then handed over the phone reluctantly. "There just might be a few things on there that are a little personal," he said in a whisper.

Nick nodded solemnly and tucked the phone into his pocket. Without looking at Bekki, he led her out of the restaurant. Sammy came scampering behind them after throwing some cash on the table for their meal.

"I'm going to jail now, aren't I?" Bekki asked breathlessly. She had to resist every urge in her body to writhe out of his grasp. She knew that she could easily accomplish it, since she had practiced the moves so many times, but it would only lead to him drawing his weapon.

"Bekki," he growled and tightened his grasp to remind her that he knew what she had done to the two men in the bar. "Why did you talk to him about the murder?" he demanded as he finally turned to face her. Sammy skidded to a stop just behind them.

"I wanted to clear my name," Bekki said firmly and tried to meet his eyes.

"Good job," he replied shortly. "Now the entire town has heard Daisy accusing you of her murder!"

Bekki was speechless as he closed his eyes slowly and tried to restrain his temper. "If you had just done as I asked, and let me handle this, none of this would have happened."

"Really?" Bekki asked with a mild laugh as she finally found his eyes. "What difference would it have made? It won't change the voicemail, will it?"

"No," he replied as he struggled to keep his tone professional, though his face drew dangerously near to hers. "But it would have given me the chance to evaluate the evidence without everyone in that restaurant hearing it, or Pete accusing you. Which is why I asked you to let me handle it," he reminded her sternly.

Bekki tugged lightly at her arm and was surprised when Nick willingly released it.

"I couldn't just wait around to be arrested," she muttered defensively.

"Me doing my job, is not the same as you waiting around," he pointed out and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He settled his gaze on her with one of his famous unreadable expressions and she felt as if she was a teenager again, wondering if he really
liked her, or just liked her.

"Well," Bekki cleared her throat. "I can't take a chance with my freedom."

"Well, you have tonight," Nick shot back and raised a finger in the air to point directly at her. "You should be in handcuffs right now. Do you realize that?"

Bekki felt her breath grow short. She remembered her conversation with Nick on the porch, and how he had claimed he would arrest anyone that the proof led to, and yet despite the revealing voicemail, he did not appear to be reaching for his cuffs.

"Yes," she replied in a hesitant voice.

"I came here tonight to talk with Pete. It's not as if I wasn't going to investigate him, Bekki. But every time I turn around in this case, there you are, getting in the middle of things."

"I am in the middle of things!" Bekki protested as Sammy stepped up behind her. "I could not be more in the middle of things if I tried," she pointed out desperately. "Now with this voicemail, I'll just have to wait around until you show up at my door,” she sighed as her words trailed off. She knew that she wasn't doing anything to help her case by getting emotional.

“Bekki,” Nick reached for her arm again, this time with a gentler grasp. “It's all going to be fine. Just let me do my job, and I will make sure the truth is revealed and you don't end up behind bars.”

“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe,” Bekki replied quietly. “But I do recall you being the one who told me you will follow the evidence.”

Nick sighed and ran his fingers back through his light brown hair before he ruffled it. “Just trust me, Bekki,” he asked and tried to meet her eyes once more.

“Don't worry, I'll keep the suspect under wraps,” Sammy cut in as she noticed Bekki's confidence waning. “House arrest might be for the best, hmm?” she smiled sweetly at Nick.

“That would be best,” he agreed and reluctantly turned away. “I'm going to get this to the station and have it analyzed. Bekki,” he called back over his shoulder without looking back. “No more playing detective!”

***

Of course the moment that Bekki arrived home, playing detective was just what she did. She sat down at her kitchen table with a pad of paper. In one column she listed the evidence that was building against her. In the other column she listed the evidence she felt she had against Pete.

“So, he's her lover,” she sighed with defeat. “That really doesn't prove anything.” One thing was for certain, she knew that the voicemail had to be a fake. There was no way that Daisy had been calling out her name in fear.

“He must have found someone to fake it for him,” she grimaced and shook her head. It didn't matter if it was fake or not, Nick was right. She had made herself even more vulnerable by giving Pete an audience to hear his accusations and the voicemail.

There was a light knock on the front door, before it swung open. “Bekki?” her mother's voice called out from the front hall.

“Mama, I'm in the kitchen,” Bekki called out. Her mother stepped into the kitchen, her eyes full of concern as she sat down at the table across from her daughter.

“How are you handling all of this?” she asked with fear causing her voice to tremble.

“Okay, I guess,” Bekki sighed as she looked down at her pad of paper. “I just wish I knew a little bit more about Daisy and Pete.”

“Oh,” her mother sighed and leaned against the table. “That old scandal is rearing its ugly head again, huh? You know some things are better off left alone.”

“What do you mean?” Bekki asked and looked up at her mother. “Do you know something about their affair?”

“Sure,” she nodded slowly. “In fact, that's what probably caused all the bad blood between Daisy and me. Me knowing, just a little too much.”

“Like what?” Bekki pressed, hoping that her mother would reveal some small detail that would explain everything. “Was Pete always so violent? Was he hurting her?” she imagined an entire history of domestic violence, leading up to one culminating event.

“Pete!” she laughed and shook her head. “Oh no Pete was as sappy as they come. You see there was a time when Daisy and I were friends, not very close, but friendly enough. Just before Daisy was to be married to Teddy, she and I were sharing lunch together. As we left, Pete showed up. He declared his love for her right then and there and begged her not to marry Teddy. Daisy of course declined, and at first I thought that was all there was to it. But a few months after she and Teddy were married, I noticed Pete and her together in Pete's shop. She noticed me noticing and never spoke civilly to me again.”

Bekki tapped her pen lightly on the pad of paper in front of her. “Are you saying that their affair has been going on as long as Teddy and Daisy's marriage, if not longer?” she asked with surprise.

“Well, I don't know for sure,” her mother hesitated. “You know I don't like to gossip. But it seems so impossible that Pete would do something like this. I mean if they were in love for so long, what could possibly have changed? He knew about Teddy all along.”

Bekki scribbled something down on her notepad and then nodded thoughtfully. “That does seem a little strange. I can't believe I never knew anything about this,” she shook her head and then smiled. “I guess all little towns have their secrets. I think it's time we outed a few.”

“Bekki, just be careful,” her mother warned as she reached across the table to gently squeeze her hand. “I know a lot of people think the city is dangerous, but the truth is, small towns guard their secrets, sometimes even violently.”

“It's okay Mama,” Bekki assured her as she smiled. “I can take care of myself.”

***

With Nick's words of warning ringing in her head, Bekki set off down the main street the next morning. She had two cups of coffee in her hands and positioned herself strategically in front of Pete's shop. She was determined to get some answers from him, even if it meant risking another confrontation. After what her mother had said, she was fairly certain that Pete wasn't as dangerous as he seemed. Even if he had killed Daisy, it was likely out of a moment of extreme emotion not a cold blooded act. Still she did feel a little discomfort as she anticipated the moment when he would arrive.

“Is this for me?” Nick asked as he walked up behind her and reached for the cup of coffee.

“No,” Bekki said and pulled her hand back as her eyes narrowed. “Are you following me?” she demanded.

“Are you letting me do my job?” he countered as she reluctantly surrendered the cup of coffee.

“Well, maybe if you weren't so busy following me, I wouldn't have to do it for you,” she pointed out in an aggravated tone.

“Nick, are you accepting bribes now?” Detective Williams asked as she joined them at the entrance of Pete's shop.

“No, of course not,” Nick replied and narrowed his eyes a little at Bekki. “I just needed to speak with Bekki for a moment.”

“Nick,” Detective Williams warned, “she is a suspect in a murder case, even if she is your old friend. Please be careful,” she eyed Bekki as if she was already a convicted criminal. Bekki offered a sweet smile in return.

“Kill them with kindness,” she heard her mother mutter in the back of her head, a phrase she had heard since childhood. When Detective Williams walked away to inspect the area surrounding the dry cleaner's for any evidence, Nick turned back to Bekki and picked up right where he had left off.

“I am doing my job Bekki, I am here to conduct an interview with Pete. Alone,” he added sternly.

“All right, all right, I get the hint,” Bekki pushed her dark hair back over her shoulder and glanced down the street to see if Pete was on his way. “But be sure to ask him about how long his affair was with Daisy,” she said quickly. “And whether he was holding a grudge against Teddy, for being the one that Daisy married.”

“Bekki,” Nick's voice rolled from his lips with a hint of irritation as he shook his head. “I know what questions to ask. I promise, I can actually conduct this investigation without your help.”

“Of course you can,” Bekki nodded quickly and then bit into her bottom lip. “But mention that Daisy must have truly been in love with him, and how it must have made him feel to not be able to be the one she married. Ask why he and Daisy were...”

“Rebekah!” Nick suddenly snapped. “Enough, I've got it,” he assured her. “Now get out of here before I arrest you for obstruction.”

She narrowed her eyes swiftly. “Just remember Nick, I am a black belt.”

“Are you threatening a police detective?” Nick asked as he took a step closer to her, his eyes hardening back into the professional glare he preferred.

“You want to step back,” an all too familiar voice shouted from a few feet behind Bekki. “Or I can report you for attempted intimidation of a suspect,” Trevor suggested as he stepped up beside Bekki.

“And just who are you?” Nick asked, though his tone was fairly polite.

“I'm her lawyer,” he said sternly. “And from what I understand you've made a real mess of this whole case.”

“Is that so?” Nick inquired and settled his eyes on Trevor.

“Trevor, I told you not to come,” Bekki sighed as she put her hands lightly on his chest and tried to steer him away from Nick. “Everything's fine now.”

Nick grimaced as he witnessed the intimate way Bekki touched Trevor. He backed away from the two when he noticed Pete's car driving down the road.

“Bekki, make yourself scarce,” he requested, ignoring Trevor.