“What about Grace?”
“How about you each get the honor every other month?”
Abby chuckled. “Works for me.”
Grace winked at Abby. “Me, too. Now that all the fun is about to begin, I’m staying.”
While everyone settled into an earring-making rhythm, Connie and Grace brought out some pitchers of lemonade for the women to enjoy with their cookies. Connie joined them as much as she could, in between waiting on customers. She also snapped a few photos of the women working, as well as some close-ups of the finished products to upload to her social media outlets to draw in customers. It would take a load off Connie’s mind to have the earrings finished so she could focus all her effort on selling them.
As Connie uploaded the photos, she listened to the women catch up on one another’s lives. Although they varied in age – from now twelve-year-old Emma to Gertrude, who was in her eighties, their love for jewelry making and their generous hearts brought them together this afternoon to volunteer their free time.
“How’s your senior year going, Abby?” Elyse asked. Although Elyse mainly came to bring Emma and Gertrude, the earrings were relatively simple to make, so she was working at the table with the others.
“I’m enjoying the year with my friends, but I can’t wait until grad school next year. I applied for early admission to Florida Sands University’s doctoral program in American Literature, so, as long as I get in, I’ll be living in the area for the foreseeable future.”
It had been Abby’s dream since she was a teenager to be a professor and writer, so Connie was happy to see her one step closer to making her dream a reality.
“That’s wonderful,” Ruby said. “I expect a signed copy of your first book.”
“You got it.”
By the time the women were ready to leave, Connie had another fifty pairs to add to the basket. After doing a quick count of sales and remaining inventory, Connie announced that they only had forty more to go. Abby had promised to continue to work diligently in between customers until the shop closed that evening, and the others promised to return on Thursday evening to finish up if necessary.
When everyone left, Connie decided to leave the store in Abby’s capable hands and take a rare Sunday evening off. Connie fastened a leash on Ginger, and as she and Grace walked toward their cars together, Connie caught Grace up to speed on her investigating.
“Even though a lot of people had backstage access, I managed to narrow down a list of suspects based on people who were both backstage on Friday night, and who also had a motive. But I wish I knew more about some of these people.”
“It sounds like you need additional insight from someone who knows all the people involved.” Grace narrowed her eyes and rubbed her chin. “I think I know somebody who can help you. Can you spare some time right now?”
“Absolutely,” Connie said.
“I’ll follow you back to Palm Paradise, and by the time we get there, I should know if my idea will pan out.”
It was only a few minutes’ drive back to Palm Paradise. When they arrived, they parked their cars in their assigned spots in the underground garage, and as Connie exited her car, Grace motioned for to get into her own car.
“What’s going on?” Connie asked.
“I just got off the phone with a dear old friend of Concetta’s and mine, Peter Holloway. He is on the Board of Directors for the Sapphire Beach Playhouse and I told him about you – not the investigation, just that you lived in Concetta’s condo and that your family was in town for the play. He said he would love to meet you.”
Connie squeezed Grace’s forearm. “Great thinking. Maybe he can give us some information that will lead us to the killer.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Come on,” Grace said. “I also called your mother, and she and your sister are coming with us. We’re picking them up at the front entrance.”
“You’re the best. The more of us who come, the less suspicious we will look. Besides, we’d never hear the end of it if we left them out.”
While they were driving, Connie caught the women up on her conversation with Zach that morning after Mass. She should have expected it, but Connie was still surprised when she got more of a reaction from her news that she had a second date with Zach than about Damian’s antacid containing cyanide.
Twenty minutes later, Connie, Grace, Jo, and Gianna were seated in Mr. Peter Holloway’s living room, enjoying tea and macaroons. He was a gracious man with white hair and green eyes who appeared to be in his eighties. Connie guessed he had been quite handsome in his day.
“How lovely of you to pay me a visit,” he said. “My late wife, Carol, and I were a big fan of Concetta’s. We both served on the Board of Directors with her for, goodness, I’d say seven years. I was so happy to hear that Damian and the cast decided to dedicate this season’s production in her memory. She did so much for the playhouse during her tenure.”
“My sister would have been thrilled, Mr. Holloway,” Jo said. “The playhouse meant the world to her.”
“Please, you can all call me Peter.” A distant expression spread across his face. “Yes, things haven’t been going so well the past couple of years.”
“That’s what we heard,” Gianna said. “Apparently the playhouse is having some financial difficulties.”
“It would be a shame if it had to close,” Grace said. “The performances provide so much culture and entertainment to the Sapphire Beach community.”
“Unfortunately, the rumors are true,” Peter said. “I resigned from the board six months ago. I let everyone think it was because I was getting too old and tired to continue, but the truth is, I didn’t like the direction things were heading. And I don’t just mean financially. I witnessed too much backstabbing among staff in the last couple of years, and it made me uncomfortable. Hearing about what happened to Damian confirmed that I made the right choice. I hear that his death is now officially a murder investigation.”
Grace nodded. “That’s what we heard, too.”
“We attended Damian’s annual Christmas party on Thursday night,” Connie said. “It seemed like Damian was a well-loved member of the community. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would wish to harm him.”
Peter looked away.
“Is there something you know, Peter?” Grace asked. “You can trust these folks. Connie has helped solve a few murder investigations since she’s moved to Sapphire Beach.”
“My aunt was fond of Damian and of the playhouse,” Connie said. “We just want to see justice served.”
Peter looked at Grace, then back at Connie. “I hate to say it, but if I were the police, I would look into Rick Bennett.”
“The director of the play?” Jo asked. “Why would you say that?”
“Well, it’s no secret that Damian had to either make some serious cutbacks, including staffing, or risk going bankrupt, but Rick was convinced that he had a better plan to save it. In fact, Rick competed with Damian for the position of executive director years back but lost out by a slim margin. The Board was in a deadlock for weeks deciding who to hire. I happen to know that Rick recently took several board members to dinner and proposed a plan for raising the needed funds. He had some good ideas, too.”
“But that would have meant firing Damian,” Gianna said.
“Yes, and the Board wasn’t likely to do that. Rick had convinced a few members, but not nearly a majority.”
“Do you think he wanted the job badly enough to kill for it?” Connie asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve been asking myself the same question ever since I heard about Damian’s suspicious death. But one thing is for sure. Rick was actively campaigning for Damian’s job.”
Chapter 10
The women walked to the car in silence after their conversation with Peter Holloway.
“I guess we can move Rick Bennett up a few notches on our list of suspects,” Connie finally said, as Grace backed out of Peter’s driveway.
“When I
would go to social events for the playhouse with Concetta, I never realized there was so much going on beneath the surface,” Grace said. “Ignorance really is bliss.”
“It certainly is an interesting cast of characters. Pun intended,” Connie said with a smirk.
When they got home, nobody felt like cooking, so they kept it simple and ordered pizza for dinner. Jo and Gianna had told the guys that they were out running some errands, so they didn’t ask any questions when they returned. Connie had the feeling that they suspected the women were up to something but chose not to ask.
Grace joined them for pizza, but as soon as they finished eating, she headed home for a quiet evening alone. After Gary and Gianna put the twins to bed, the guys announced that they wanted to catch the rest of the football game on TV, so the women opted for a glass of wine on the balcony.
Jo closed the slider behind them for privacy. “So, what did you girls think of our visit with Peter?”
“It definitely gives Rick a strong motive,” Gianna said. “And as the director, he would have known Damian’s pre-performance routine and had easy access to Damian’s dressing room.”
“I’d say Rick is a strong suspect,” Jo said.
“William Deveaux and his wife, Judith, came into my store this morning,” Connie said. “They mentioned that Rick was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy and losing everything. William also revealed that he had a job offer from another theatre, so I don’t think he’d kill Damian over a job he didn’t need.”
“Rick is a strong suspect, but I still haven’t crossed Dottie off my list,” Gianna said.
Jo shook her head. “Me, eeither. I don’t like that she was sneaking around backstage. She could have easily slipped into Damian’s dressing room and poisoned his antacid.”
“And if she was as obsessed with him as everybody says, she likely knew his routine,” Connie added. “But don’t forget, there’s still Eloise and Sophie to consider. Eloise and Damian were seen in a heated argument several times recently, and Sophie stood to lose a lot financially if Damian left her, which Dottie and Rick both thought he was considering doing. Eloise and Sophie both had motives and backstage access.”
Connie drained her last sip of wine, and fatigue suddenly overtook her. “The only thing I know for sure is that I’m too tired to think straight anymore. After my late adventure with Dad last night and a long day today, I need to go to bed.”
“You get a good night’s sleep, sweetie, so you can enjoy the boat ride tomorrow.”
Betty, an old acquaintance of Concetta’s, owned a pontoon boat that she kept in a marina in Naples and offered rides for a small fee in order to earn extra income. It was an informal service only available to friends via word of mouth, but since Connie and her family had done it in the past, Jo called Betty and arranged a tour. Grace agreed to work a little later than she normally did on Mondays, so Connie could enjoy the excursion with her family.
The following morning, Connie was the last one up. She must have been more tired than she thought, because she slept a full ten hours before finally getting out of bed at 8:00. Thankfully, her sister had kept the twins out of her room so she could sleep, and that couldn’t have been an easy task.
After opening her eyes to the smell of bacon wafting through the condo, Connie hopped in the shower, then groggily made her way to the kitchen, where a plate of eggs, potatoes, bacon, and fruit was waiting for her on the counter and a pot of coffee had just finished brewing.
Ginger stayed close by Connie’s side while she took her plate to the dining room table, and her mother kept her company while she ate. She slipped the dog a small piece of bacon.
“Your father and I took Ginger for a long walk earlier so you could take it easy and enjoy the morning.”
She said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for the meal, then smiled gratefully at her mother. “Thanks, Mom. I feel like a new woman after sleeping for so long. And I can’t wait to dig into this breakfast.”
Jo smiled. “Enjoy.”
Within an hour, the Petretta/Bianchi clan had loaded themselves into two cars and were driving down Route 75 South into Naples, where they were greeted by Betty, their captain.
“Is this your first time on a boat?” she asked, bending down to speak with the twins, who were practically jumping with excitement as they nodded that it was.
“Well, the first thing we do is put on our life vests.” Betty had vests of all sizes, and as soon as everyone was fitted, they boarded the small vessel.
There were two seats in the bow of the boat and a u-shape padded bench in the stern. The sun shone strongly in the bright blue sky, and the temperature had climbed into the low eighties.
“You chose the perfect day,” Betty said as they settled into their seats.
In no time, they were cruising across the crystal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
“There’s nothing like the feel of the wind through your hair on a beautiful day,” Gianna said.
Connie’s favorite part was watching the experience through Hannah and Noah’s eyes. The twins entertained the family, chatting up the seagulls that flew a short distance away. When two dolphins followed behind the boat, they squealed with joy, as if the dolphins were personally welcoming them into their exclusive playground. Between the entertainment provided by the twins, the spray of saltwater against her warm skin and the company of loved ones, Connie couldn’t ask for more. She hadn’t realized how much she needed this distraction.
After a couple of hours of playing on the water, Betty took them back to the marina.
Greg and Jo offered to take the family out to lunch, so they stopped at a restaurant in an outdoor shopping mall on the way home, where they opted for a shaded outdoor table. The patio was decorated with white Christmas lights and featured a tall, thin Christmas tree in the corner with a Santa display next to the tree.
“I’ll never get used to looking at Christmas decorations while sitting outdoors in shorts and a t-shirt,” Greg said.
“It’s heaven on earth, if you ask me,” Jo said.
They enjoyed a leisurely lunch while people-watching and talking about past Christmases.
As Connie finished her turkey club sandwich, Dottie and a friend walked onto the patio and were seated a few tables away.
Connie went over to say hello while Greg paid for lunch. “Hi, Dottie,” Connie said. “I saw you come in and just wanted to say hello. It’s a perfect day to eat outdoors.”
“Hi Connie,” Dottie said. “Yes, it’s a lovely day.”
“How has the play been doing?”
Dottie looked away with a scowl. It was as if the play was the last thing she wanted to talk about.
“The play seems to be doing well. Yesterday’s performances were sold out, and I hear it’s the same for tomorrow’s. I’m taking a little break today, since the theatre is closed on Mondays.”
“I’m glad to hear it’s going well, especially with everything that happened on Friday. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and…”
Connie couldn’t get out the rest of the sentence before Dottie cut her off. “Look, Connie, I know the playhouse was special to your aunt, but I think you should stay away from the investigation.” Dottie looked squarely at Connie. “You shouldn’t meddle where you don’t belong, or you might get hurt.”
Connie was taken aback. Was this a threat or genuine concern?
“Well, I’ll let you get back to your family. It was nice seeing you,” Dottie said, returning her attention to the menu she was holding.
Talk about getting brushed off. Dottie usually had a pleasant disposition, at least from what Connie had seen of it at the theatre.
Connie smiled politely at Dottie, then at Dottie’s friend. “Well, I won’t keep you. Enjoy your meal.” Then she rejoined her family, who was ready to leave.
“That was strange,” Connie said when they were a safe distance away. “Dottie clearly didn’t want to talk to me. She completely brushed me off.”
“I woul
dn’t take it personally. She was probably just preoccupied,” Gianna said.
“Maybe.” But Connie had the feeling there was more to it.
As soon as they returned to Palm Paradise, Connie headed straight to work and made it to Just Jewelry by 2:00.
The rest of Monday, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday, seemed to fly by. Business was picking up as the number of shopping days dwindled, and Connie’s family was spending most of their time relaxing in the sun and playing with the twins on the beach or at the pool. Abby kindly worked a few unscheduled hours on Tuesday morning so Connie, her family, and Grace could all attend Damian’s funeral .
On Thursday morning, a few minutes after Connie opened the store, William and Judith Deveaux came bounding into the shop. They looked as though they were bursting at the seams with something to say.
They headed straight to Connie, who was sitting at table working on the last of the candy cane earrings, which she hoped to finish that night with the help of her class.
Connie stood to greet them. “Welcome back to Just Jewelry. It’s nice to see you again.”
Judith didn’t waste any time with small talk. “Did you hear that Dottie McKenzie went missing?”
“What do you mean missing?” Connie asked. “I just saw her on Monday.”
William and Judith sat across from Connie. “She disappeared halfway through her shift at last night’s performance and never returned,” William said. “Kathy, the volunteer coordinator in charge of scheduling the ushers, tried repeatedly to reach her by phone but was unsuccessful. Nobody has been able to find her anywhere. It’s as if she just vanished from the theatre.”
Connie remembered how Dottie had been acting strangely when she ran into her on Monday, even urging Connie to stay away from the case. Had she felt unsafe?
“Do you know who saw her last?” Connie asked
“According to one of the other ushers, Maxine, Dottie was standing at the back of the theatre watching the show just after intermission,” William said. “Then, the next time she looked, Dottie was gone.” His eyes widened. “I’ll bet her disappearance is connected with Damian’s murder.”
Candy Canes and Cadavers Page 7