Mission to Murder (15 page)

He pulled me into a hug. “We’re going to figure this out.”

I laid my head over his heart and listened to the beats. “Before I go to jail?”

“Hopefully.” Greg lifted my chin so he could see my eyes. His lips curved into the smile I loved. “I don’t think you’d look as good in prison orange as you do in these sexy sweats.”

“Go to work.” I pushed my hands on his chest, but his arms tightened around me and this time, the kiss was long and deep.

After it ended, he smiled. “Now I’ll go to work. Lock up behind me.”

I followed him to the living room, where he stood on the porch waiting to hear the dead bolt click. I parted the curtains and watched him stride to his truck. I knew he worried about me, but my main concern right now was making sure I didn’t go to jail. He might not have a choice on arresting me if some hard evidence didn’t show up to clear my name. It might be circumstantial right now, but the rumors got one thing right. I was the one with the best motive.

Sleep didn’t come easy, and as I tossed, I thought about Craig and Josh. What was in Craig’s crate down at the docks? Had Greg already searched the crate? Or did he even know about it? Frustrated, I kicked the covers off and turned on the light. If I was going to be living a mystery, I might as well read one. Maybe I’d get some good hints on whodunit as I read.

I ran downstairs to grab the paperback I’d picked up at the shop and put the teakettle on to boil. I let Emma outside and read while I waited. Five minutes later, I was back upstairs, tucked into bed, a cup of cinnamon apple tea on the nightstand, Emma sleeping on her bed under the window, and before long, I was lost in the pages of the book.

T
he alarm buzzed loudly and I reached over to hit the snooze button. Sleep finally made its appearance a few hours ago and now I felt like a train had hit me. I like my eight hours. Seven’s doable. But three? I was going to be the walking dead most of the day. Unless I took a nap after my shift.

The thought of a nap later cheered me, and I rolled out of bed and headed downstairs to grab coffee and let Emma out.

Thirty minutes later, after a shower and a piece of toast covered with crunchy peanut butter, I was on my way. I kept glancing behind me when I saw a car, hoping it wasn’t Toby’s cruiser or Greg’s truck. No way was I going to hide in fear or see a murderer around every corner. But I did walk faster than normal, watching my surroundings carefully.

The morning was clear and beautiful. I could smell the ocean on the light breeze that kept tossing my hair into my eyes. I’d grab a clip at the shop and pull the mess back, but leaving it down meant by the time I reached the shop, it would have air-dried from the walk. As I listened to the birds chirp, my mood rose and I didn’t feel as tired. Two hours later, with the morning rush from the commuter crowd complete, I curled up on the couch and opened the book to where I’d finally pushed it away last night. I loved this mystery author. She painted a picture of the small town and the crazy people who lived there so completely, you felt like you knew the characters as they moved from book to book. And murder to murder.

The bell chimed and Sadie Michaels walked in. Her face seemed a little pale, but when she saw me, she grinned. “I heard you had a special taxi ride home last night.”

Toby. I was going to kill him. “Seriously, people are already gossiping?” I stood and gave Sadie a quick hug. “Want some coffee?”

“That would be heaven.” Sadie walked with me to the coffee bar. “I swear, if I’d known raising a teenager would be this hard, I wouldn’t have had any kids.”

“You know that’s not true. You adore Nick.” I poured a large hazelnut, Sadie’s favorite, and topped off my own cup. I glanced at the display case. “You hungry?”

“No. And stop tempting me.” She sipped on her coffee while I moved around the counter and we walked back to the couch. “I swear I ate most of a chocolate cream pie last night when I couldn’t sleep.”

“Something happen?” I watched Sadie.

“Like Toby bringing him home in the police cruiser?” she teased, then shook her head. “Nothing recently. I’m just worried about this girl thing. And now, with the murder and everything. I’m a mess.”

“Nick’s a good kid. You know he’s not involved in anything bad.” I could no sooner see the boy killing Craig than I could see him stealing from the collection plate at church.

“Kids do stupid things. I just pray he’s not into something that will mess up his future.” Sadie sighed, then glanced at me. “Sorry, I should be asking how you are. I hear Brenda’s been singing your praises for saving her.”

“I know. Sometimes the woman gets strange ideas. I didn’t even know they were still considering reconciliation, did you?”

“I haven’t seen Brenda since the volunteers from that abused women’s shelter came and moved her stuff out of The Castle and she disappeared into the city.”

I sat straighter. “What are you talking about?”

Sadie glanced around the empty shop. “I guess it’s not a secret. I was at the church when the volunteers showed up that day. She’d been planning the escape for some time by then. She came to the church, handed her keys and a list of things she needed to the woman in charge, and then they took her to the city.”

“Pretty cloak and dagger.” I eyed my friend. “How come you never mentioned this before?”

“I guess I thought everyone knew. You know you can’t keep anything a secret, not in South Cove.” She grinned. “But I did hear that Craig went all aggrieved spouse when he found out. He claims Brenda was crazy and he never hurt her or controlled her life.”

“Of course he did. Probably afraid he’d lose his position at The Castle.”

Sadie laughed. “I don’t think that was possible. I heard his father or someone was on the board, that’s how he got the position in the first place.”

“Jackie says he was a trust-fund baby.” I shook my head. “From what Brenda told me, their finances weren’t in that good of shape. Maybe rumors are just rumors?”

“Sometimes, but I saw the volunteers whisk Brenda away, so we know that’s true. Or at least her side of the story is true.” Sadie glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go. It’s my turn to deliver the monthly donations to the homeless shelter.”

I stood and followed her to the door. “Lunch next week?”

“Sure.” She waved and disappeared out the door. I watched her as she headed toward her house, probably to get her car for the delivery. The woman was a whirlwind. She got more done in a day than I did in a week. I returned to my place on the couch and started reading.

I’d finished the book and was feeling pleased with myself since I’d figured out the murderer before the big reveal, when the phone rang.

“Coffee, Books, and More,” I chirped, glancing over the shelves for a new release.

“Just checking in to see if you still want us to stop in tonight. Wait, hold on.” Amy mumbled something else I couldn’t hear, then came back on the line. “Esmeralda says the ghost wants to know if you got her present.”

“What?” A chill started down my back, and my mind raced to the censer sitting in my kitchen. The one my dog had found after being in the yard for months.

“I don’t know—she stopped by my desk, asked if I was talking to you, then told me to ask. Then she went down the hall to her office.” Amy sighed. “The woman gets weirder every day.”

I didn’t answer, thinking maybe Amy wasn’t right about our local psychic. I thought about the censer showing up in my yard. Esmeralda was my neighbor. She could have thrown it over the fence without me even knowing since I’d been at the shop most of the day. Everyone in town knew my schedule. A picture of the woman sneaking across the road with a stolen religious relic made me snort. I was grasping at straws.

“Hey, did I lose you?” Amy’s voice brought me back to the conversation.

“Sorry, just thinking.” I went back to the couch where I’d been sitting. “Actually, I did find something I want your guy to look at tonight.”

“He’s not my guy,” Amy shot back, maybe a little too quickly.

“I didn’t mean anything. What’s going on?” I watched a bird fly into the tree right outside my large window. I’d found the robin’s nest up there in the spring, and then the bright blue shells broken on the sidewalk once the babies hatched. I felt like a proud mom when I’d watched the tiny birds fly away.

Amy sighed. “Hank’s not happy about me going to dinner with Justin. I mean, I told him we’re just friends and he went off on me. I don’t get it. He stands me up last Sunday after making these plans about borrowing the truck, then he gets put out because I’m going to dinner with a friend from college?”

Trouble in paradise, and I couldn’t be happier. A smile curved my lips. I pushed it away before I answered, hoping I sounded outraged. “He stood you up?”

I heard her breath catch on the other end of the line. “Seriously, I waited for hours. I’d almost called Greg to see if there had been any accidents between here and Frisco. Finally, he picked up and acted like I’d misunderstood. That he’d made plans for next weekend.”

“That’s weird.” I pumped my fist up and down. Not that I didn’t want Amy to be happy, but this guy wasn’t the one. Maybe she’d see now without me opening my big mouth. Again. I couldn’t see us doing barbeques together for the next twenty years. I’d probably kill him and then Greg really would have to arrest me.

Amy sighed. “I know. Then he said he was coming by tonight and I told him I wouldn’t be home.” She paused. “He yelled at me, called me all kinds of names, then hung up.”

“You don’t deserve that.” I pressed her, trying to get her to agree.

I heard a sniffle on the other end of the line. “I know. Anyway, I’ll see you tonight? About nine? I’d cancel with Justin, but he’s so excited about the mission find, I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“There’s no reason to cancel. Hank will have to realize that you have friends. Male and female. And you have a life. You can’t drop everything when he calls. What does he think, it’s nineteen-fifty?”

Amy finally laughed. “I guess. Look, I’ve got a project I’ve got to get done today for the council. I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll be home.”

“Hey, Jill?” Amy stopped me from hanging up.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for not telling me Hank’s a jerk.” Then the line went dead.

I smiled as I hung up the phone and went back to finding my next read. Amy would be all right. Even she saw Hank’s true colors. I hoped his behavior would be enough to cause her to break it off before the guy broke her heart.

By the time Toby came in to take over, I’d had one additional customer, who mostly wanted to pick up several books for her weekend. I’d cleaned the display case, restocked the desserts, cleaned out the coffeemakers, and spent the rest of my shift perusing the online bookstore for new releases and old favorites to order.

It was only then I realized I still hadn’t heard from my aunt. Fear crept over me as I took the stairs up to her apartment. I hesitated, then knocked. No answer. I knocked again, louder. I closed my eyes and prayed quietly, “Please let her be all right.”

The door swung open and there she stood, in a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. “Seriously, Jill, you need to start calling before you drop in.” She leaned on the door frame. “What did you want?”

“Did you get my note?” I peered around her, but no one else seemed to be in the apartment.

“Yes, but I got in late last night from the city. A friend had a dinner party.” She raised her eyebrows. “Then I went to City Hall for your wild goose chase.”

I tried not to laugh. “Sorry. I’ll talk to you later.”

I headed down the stairs and ran straight into Mayor Baylor. “Oh sorry. Were you looking for me?”

He blushed. “I’ve got a meeting with your aunt, if you must know.”

Shock must have shown on my face because he blundered on.

“She wants to discuss the festival.” He stepped past me. “I don’t know why I’m even trying to explain myself.”

I stood, shocked, on the stairway until I heard his knock on the door. When the murmuring voices faded, I realized that Aunt Jackie must have invited the man into the apartment. My skin crawled.
Please don’t let my aunt be the mayor’s something-something on the side,
I prayed. Then I thought of Tina. The mayor’s wife would kill Jackie, then probably castrate her husband, if they were having an affair.

I power-walked home, trying to get the image of my aunt and the mayor out of my head. Then Emma and I took a run down to the beach. The afternoon weather had stayed amazing and the run cleared my mind. Thinking about Amy breaking up with Hank turned my smile into a wide grin. Running by the cove where Greg had found Fifi made me consider Brenda and her on-again-off-again relationship with Craig.

So much was hidden from others when two people were intimate. Good and bad. My mind was jumbled when we finally arrived back home. Instead of focusing on what would happen if Greg stopped finding my tendency to find trouble cute, I headed upstairs to take a shower. He would be here at six to grill dinner.

By the time Greg came over, I’d finished my domestic goddess duties, namely cleaning the downstairs where people would be, and had even baked a batch of peanut butter cookies to serve Amy and Justin with coffee. I had brought home a cheesecake, as well, but it never hurt to have a couple of choices.

“Smells amazing in here.” He snagged a cookie, kissing me before biting into the still warm treat.

“Those are for later, when Amy’s friend visits.” I swatted his arm.

He grinned and nodded to the plate. “You baked enough for an elementary school bake sale. I don’t think they’ll miss one.” He picked up another three and sat at the table. “Or a few.”

I laughed and grabbed my own. I did run today. One wouldn’t hurt my diet. I didn’t count the cookie dough I’d tried while baking. “So how was your day, dear?”

Greg winced. “So we’ve come down to that? Ward and June Cleaver conversation?”

“Not unless I’ve forgotten and Ward was a police chief solving murders.” I glanced at the fridge. “Beer or iced tea?”

Greg glanced at his watch. “Toby’s officially on, so beer me up, please.”

I grabbed two out of the door. You wouldn’t think beer went with cookies, but it was a surprisingly great match.

“I’ve got Amy’s favorite wine chilling, as well.” I sank into my chair. “She’s been having a bad day. Hank troubles,” I added.

“We can only hope.” Greg rubbed his hand against his forehead. “Man, I don’t like to judge, but I don’t know what she sees in that loser.”

I nodded. “I’m trying to keep my mouth shut, but I danced around the shop while she cried on my shoulder over the phone.”

“You are a horrible friend.” Greg smiled. “And I love you for it.”

My breath caught. I think he realized what he’d said as soon as I did. The
L
word had been spoken. He stood and opened the fridge. He didn’t meet my eyes. “You got the steaks ready to grill?”

“Yep, and I’m making a spinach and avocado salad to go with it. You okay with that?” I stayed seated, my legs shaking a bit. At least my voice sounded calm.

By the time we’d finished preparing dinner and had dished up plates to eat outside on the small table on the porch, Greg finally spoke. “Look, about what I said earlier.”

I stopped him. “The phrase slipped out. I understand. I’m fine with the way things are now. We don’t need to move forward into something else.”

His gaze focused on me and then he dropped his glance. “But what if I want to?”

My heart pounded. “I guess that would be okay.” This time my voice did shake, just a bit. I focused on cutting the steak.

“Okay then, we’ll table the discussion until later.” Greg grinned.

“Later?” I cocked my head.

He poured steak sauce on his plate and cut a bite off. Dipping it into the sauce, he paused his fork and watched me. “When we don’t have company showing up any moment. I’m happy we opened the door and you didn’t slam it shut.”