A Fishy Dish (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) (2 page)

“As ready as possible for such a sad occasion.” Hannah remained standing, gazing at the ocean view that mesmerized her. She let Jack keep the comfy chair behind Great Aunt Caroline’s ancient desk. He earned the seat of comfort as her reliable neighbor always willing to fill in when she had to be away. Besides, she didn’t want to give him a reason to moan and complain to her about all the aches and pains that his eight-decade old body endured. Jack could certainly lay on his old decrepit curmudgeon act, but underneath, Hannah knew he had a heart of pure gold.

“A terrible tragedy for Sally White’s family. To her parent’s credit, they haven’t given up hope of Sally turning up safe and sound,” Jack said.

“This might be them arriving now,” Hannah responded as she watched a middle-aged couple walk along the sandy path toward the office. Their eyes were hardened with pain and grief. The woman clutched the man’s arm as if he was keeping her anchored to the ground.

Jack checked the reservation list. “They’ll be staying in Cottage Two. And, just so you know, Leah puts on a stoic front, but Matt can barely contain his anger. Completely understandable, but I’m afraid of what he might do when he discovers who’s responsible for Sally’s disappearance.”

“How could any parent cope with such a tragedy?” Hannah whispered.

Chapter 2

Mrs. White entered Hannah’s office ahead of her husband. She smiled, but even though her lips turned up at the corners, her eyes held an exhausted, haunted appearance.

“Hello. I’m Hannah Holiday.” Hannah held her hand out. Mrs. White nodded and gave a quick limp shake.

Mr. White ignored her extended hand. “We don’t have time for any chit chat. Where’s our room?” His angry tone barely masked a tremor in his voice.

Hannah walked behind Jack to the closet where she stored the room keys. “You’ll be in Cottage Two which has a pair of lovely antique queen size beds.” As she searched for the proper key, she babbled in an attempt to cut through the depressing awkwardness that filled the office. “You also have a wonderful view of the ocean from inside the cottage, or outside if you choose to sit and relax on the porch.” She turned around with the key only to find the office empty except for Jack.

“Save your breath. I don’t think they heard a word,” Jack said. “Even if they were still in here, I doubt much of anything registers with them at the moment.”

Shouting outside made both Hannah and Jack rush to see what the commotion was all about. Matt White, with his finger pointed in another man’s face, yelled and jabbed with each word. “What are
you
doing here? Haven’t you stalked us enough?”

The man took several steps backwards but kept his eyes on Matt’s face. “I’m only trying to help,” he replied.

Matt spit on the ground. “You call harassing everyone involved in the search,
help
?”

Leah tugged on Matt’s arm. She managed to get him turned and, with gentle encouragement, she moved him away from the other man.

Matt grabbed the key from Hannah and they disappeared into Cottage Two.

The man took off his cap and wiped his brow. “Maybe this was a mistake, but I didn’t know they were staying here, too,” he said to Hannah.

“Are you Sean Payne?” Hannah asked.

“Oh, sorry. Right, that’s me. I’m still a bit shook up at Mr. White’s anger.”

“Come on into the office and I’ll get your key.” Hannah wondered what other drama waited for her from Mr. White. He obviously didn’t keep anything in, and from the sound of it, there was some kind of history between Sean Payne and Matt White. Great, if she wanted a lot of drama and stress in her life. But she didn’t.

Jack had the key for Cottage Four in his hand by the time Hannah arrived in the office. “Here you go.”

Sean walked inside and sat down. “Can we talk for a minute first? I’m not sure I should stay here.”

Jack sat behind the big desk, Hannah stood near the door, and Sean leaned back and crossed his legs. “Got any water?”

Hannah disappeared into her private part of the cottage and returned with a mug of water. Sean drank it without pausing. “Thanks.”

“Tell us about what’s going on between you and the Whites,” Hannah prodded.

Sean sighed. “I know it’s excruciating for them with their daughter missing. And I probably got off on the wrong foot the last time I spoke with them.” He looked at Hannah. “All I did was question if their daughter could be a runaway. I’m sure the police have to consider that possibility, too.” He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Look, she’s eighteen, has had a rocky relationship with her parents, well, with her dad at least, not sure about her mom. All I asked was if it was
possible
that Sally ran away.” He shook his head. “You’d think I asked him if he
murdered
his own daughter.”

“So, are you a detective? Why all the questions?” Hannah asked.

“I’m writing a series for the newspaper, or trying to, about missing kids. Not sure why I got this idea into my head. Talk about depressing. Sally White is supposed to be my last subject and I’m hoping it ends happily. That is still a possibility. Everyone seems to believe Sally will turn up unharmed.”

“That’s what everyone
needs
to believe at this point,” Jack said. “How else would you get out of bed in the morning?”

Sean stood up. “If it’s okay with you, I’d still like to stay here. I’ll do my best to avoid the Whites.” He waited.

Hannah nodded. “Sure. You made the reservation. You’ll be in Cottage Four and they’re staying in Cottage Two, so at least you won’t be right next to each other.”

“Great.” Sean slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I spend most of my time inside anyway, reading my notes, writing, and editing. Maybe it was just bad timing. You know, that I ran into the Whites when I arrived.”

Hannah couldn’t help but wonder what else Sean Payne had done to anger Matt White. That level of resentment didn’t happen from one question.

Jack nudged Hannah. “You’ve got the key and he’s halfway up the path. Having a change of heart about him?”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “If it was only that easy to rent
only
to people who didn’t say annoying things.” She jogged to catch up to Sean Payne and laughed when his full name registered—Payne or Pain? Sometimes names could be quite revealing.

After Sean Payne—with a Y—was settled into Cottage Four, Hannah checked with Meg to see what she needed help with in the snack bar. Meg hustled around the small kitchen area between a big pot of clam chowder on the stove and a bowl filled with the ingredients for the lobster rolls: lobster meat, mayo, lemon juice, celery, parsley, and salt and pepper. A few customers sat outside on the picnic tables enjoying the ocean view while they waited for their orders.

Meg slid a tray in Hannah’s direction. “Here are two fried fish platters for the two guys under the red umbrella. They also need a bottle of lemonade and iced tea. I’ll have the other order ready when you get back inside.”

The smell of the fried fish platter wafted to Hannah’s nose, making her stomach growl. She’d help herself to some hand cut fries and a small piece of fish after the customers were served.

“Such a tragedy,” she overheard one of the young men say to his friend as she approached their table. “Sally’s boyfriend was nothing but trouble and she was about to dump him.”

“Are you going to the vigil?” Hannah asked.

“Of course. Everyone will be there.”

Hannah leaned on the table. “Do you know Sally well?”

The first guy stuffed several fries into his mouth and nodded. “Yeah,” he answered after he swallowed. “We all went to school together.”

Hannah glanced toward Cottage Two. “How about her parents? Did Sally get along with them?”

The same young man shrugged his shoulders. “I know she recently had an argument with her dad. A bad one. About her boyfriend. Sally’s dad threatened to kick her out of the house but he was always saying stuff like that. I don’t think Sally believed he’d actually do it.”

“What do you think happened to Sally?” Hannah leaned close. “Did she run away?”

“Man, I hope that’s all that happened. She’s an awesome girl and she’s been working hard so she could afford her own place. I hope someone gets a lead on her whereabouts.”

“Let’s hope so.” Hannah smiled at the two young men. She tapped the picnic table with her knuckle. “Enjoy your food,” she said before walking away.

The second guy nodded enthusiastically. “Best fried fish platter in town.”

That was what Hannah wanted to hear. So much for her worries about Mr. Gavin Abbott’s new seafood restaurant and his fancy new chef. As long as Meg kept up with the fantastic quality of her cooking, the locals would stay loyal to The Fishy Dish.

At least, that was her hope.

Besides, Gavin Abbott’s Chowder House could never compete with the location of her small snack bar right here on the beach. The sun, breeze, waves slapping on the beach, and the squawking of gulls as they swooped overhead, made her spot priceless.

“Quit with all the chit chat,” Meg scolded when Hannah returned inside. “Or else you’d better get your sister, Ruby, over here to help out. That other table needs two bowls of clam chowder, two sparkling waters, and a small order of onion rings.”

Hannah focused on keeping the customers—and Meg—happy while she thought about her competitor at The Chowder House and the missing girl, Sally White.

Chapter 3

Hannah watch as a peanut of a woman approached the open window of the snack bar.

“Meg? Are you still working at this dive?” the silver haired woman asked.

Meg turned around and her face wrinkled with a huge grin. “Samantha. What the heck are you doing here? You didn’t even show up after Caroline died.”

Samantha leaned on the counter. “What’s the point of coming
after
she died? I’m kicking myself for waiting too freaking long and missing one last hurrah with the old gal.” She reflected quietly for several seconds before continuing. “So, I heard Caroline left this place to some young whipper snapper from California. I bet she doesn’t have a clue how to manage anything but her own fingernails, or some other equally useless talent.”

Meg chuckled and pulled Hannah over to the window. “I guess you should meet her yourself and figure out what
you
think about Caroline’s decision.”

Hannah stood stiffly, feeling like she was a piece of fish being inspected for one of her fried fish platters.

Samantha’s mouth dropped open. “This is Caroline’s replacement?” Her voice contained complete shock. “I thought my meds were making me hallucinate and Caroline was standing here in front of me.” Samantha slapped the counter. “Well, I’ll be a tongue tied nit wit. If you look this much like Caroline, you can’t be a complete idiot.”

Hannah couldn’t help but laugh. Finally. Samantha definitely didn’t filter her thoughts, much like Meg, but the spicy mix of words certainly weren’t hard to listen to. “I have been known to channel my Great Aunt’s spirit at times.”

“Of course you would.” Samantha leaned forward laughing. “If I remember anything about dear old Caroline, she wouldn’t leave this world without a trace. You, my dear, seem to have received the great honor of carrying on Caroline’s work. And her good looks.” Samantha winked. “I hope you do them both justice.” Samantha waved her hand in a broad arc. “So, where’s my place? These cottages look cute enough on the outside.”

Hannah’s eyes darted to the side to gauge Meg’s reaction. Meg leaned on the counter with her eyebrows raised and gave a shrug.

“We’re booked. Did you make a reservation?”

Samantha rolled her eyes. “Of course I did. I talked to Jack and he filled me in on a few things around here.” She made herself comfortable on one of the bar stools at the snack bar window, her elbows bent in front of her on the counter. “How about a cup of clam chowder, but only if it’s as good as Caroline’s. I don’t want any of that canned or frozen crapola some of these places try to trick you with.”

“You can’t get anything better than what we serve here at The Fishy Dish,” Meg said. “
I’m
making it now.”

“You’d better not say that loud enough for Caroline to hear or she’ll figure out a way to add a nasty ingredient to get even.”

They both laughed.

Hannah carried over a steamy bowl of chowder and a small packet of crackers.

Samantha held up the crackers and studied them. “I never could figure out why these salty little hexagonal crackers got named oyster crackers. They certainly don’t taste like oysters.”

She opened the packet and dumped them into the bowl. She dipped her spoon into the thick, creamy chowder, blew on it, and savored the taste with her head tilted back and her eyes closed. “Oh yeah, just how I remember clam chowder is supposed to taste—warm and rich, not fishy, but with a hint of the ocean.”

Hannah waited for Samantha to open her eyes and return her focus to the two people she sat across from. “I’m so glad the chowder meets your approval.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, but all the cottages are spoken for. Are you
sure
you made a reservation?” Hannah hoped that Samantha didn’t fly off the handle and make a scene about a possibly botched reservation. “One guest hasn’t arrived yet, but it’s a man who is listed for that one.”