by Leena Clover
“I ran into him at the bakery,” Molly snorted. “It’s not like we went on a date or anything, Jenny.”
“I don’t mind,” Jenny shrugged. “You can go out with Jason if you want to.”
“We all know Jason’s sweet on you,” Molly laughed.
“Forget about Jason,” Star said. “What are you thinking about, Jenny? Do you have any ideas about who might have done this?”
“Is it one person or two?” Heather asked.
“I think the two deaths are related,” Molly said. “Both the girls knew each other, didn’t they?”
“What do you think, Jenny?” Betty Sue thundered, pausing her hands for a second.
“I don’t know. I keep going around in circles.”
“I told you, Jenny,” Star said. “You need to write it all down.”
“I think Wayne’s our guy,” Molly said. “He’s too good looking.”
“That’s not a crime, honey,” Star said.
“Being a womanizer is, isn’t it?” Molly asked.
“I don’t think so,” Jenny said, scrunching up her face in thought. “He’s not married yet.”
“It’s immoral for sure,” Molly said stoutly.
“I agree with that,” Petunia supported her. “So this Wayne guy is engaged to one girl, and he was carrying around with two other girls.”
“He’s so nice about it,” Heather sighed.
“Of course he’s nice!” Molly snapped. “He gets to have his cake and eat it too.”
“Not any longer,” Jenny reminded them.
“What do you think about Wayne?” Star asked her.
“He’s a bit of a bad boy,” Jenny admitted. “But he seems nice.”
“That’s exactly how he gets all the girls to fall for him,” Molly laughed. “You too, Jenny?”
“I can’t forget he was up there with Bella,” Jenny spoke up. “How could he not have seen her?”
“How many people knew that poor girl took sleeping pills?” Petunia asked.
“Almost everyone, it seems,” Jenny said, flinging her hands in despair.
“Why would she take an overdose?” Heather asked. “Surely someone must have forced her?”
“Why didn’t she make any noise or something?” Molly asked.
“It’s no use,” Jenny grumbled. “I’ve asked myself these same questions plenty of times.”
“Is Wayne the only one you suspect?” Star asked.
“We can’t forget Ray Fox was in town too,” Jenny said.
“That’s Bella’s husband?” Betty Sue asked.
Molly spoke up.
“You think Ray would want to kill her because of the child?”
“He gave me a pretty tall story about wanting a child,” Jenny mused. “But it’s possible it was a bluff. Maybe he wanted revenge.”
“Why would he come all the way to the east coast for that?” Heather asked. “Surely he could have done it when Bella got back home?”
“What if Bella managed to convince Wayne to marry her?”
“That doesn’t make sense, Jenny. Bella was married to Ray. She would have gone back home no matter what Wayne said to her. Ray Fox had plenty of opportunity to get even with her once she went to L.A.”
“Doing the deed here is like pointing the finger at himself,” Molly added. “Surely he’s not that stupid?”
“Ray might have been angry at his wife,” Star said. “What did he have against Rainbow?”
“Rainbow was the one who introduced Wayne and Bella,” Jenny explained. “He could have had a grudge against her for that.”
“So he killed her for an old grudge?” Star asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Why would Wayne kill Rainbow then?” Jenny asked. “He actually liked her. And she was his girl friend.”
“What if Rainbow knew what Wayne did to Bella? She decided to spill the beans?” Molly was very happy with her idea.
“She could have threatened to tell Crystal about Bella,” Heather suggested.
“After Bella was gone?” Jenny asked. “I am sure Crystal already knew about Bella and Wayne. She said she didn’t care about Wayne’s character.”
“Saying it is one thing, dear,” Petunia spoke up. “No woman is going to like the fact that her man is carrying around with someone else.”
Jenny thought of Wayne’s final visit to Rainbow. She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone.
“I’m going to talk to Adam,” she declared, standing up suddenly. “I just thought of something.”
“Go on then…” Betty Sue cackled.
The older ladies exchanged knowing glances as Jenny sped down the café steps to the boardwalk. She hurried toward the police station which was a couple of blocks down the road.
A few minutes later, she was standing in front of Adam Hopkins with her hands on her hips.
“We need to talk, Adam!”
“What is it, Jenny? I am busy.”
“I have some questions about Rainbow.”
“That’s an ongoing investigation. You know I can’t tell you anything about it.”
“Even if it might help you solve the case?”
Adam folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.
“One question.”
“When did Rainbow die?”
“Any time after 8 PM. Between 8 and midnight is the best guess.”
“So she was already dead…” Jenny mumbled to herself.
“What’s that?” Adam asked. “Are we done here?”
“She must have been gone when Wayne visited her that night.”
“Wayne Newman went to see Rainbow the night she died?” Adam asked incredulously. “How do I not know that?”
“One of the bridesmaids told me,” Jenny revealed. “I asked Wayne about it.”
“He could have given her the pills,” Adam said, incensed.
“Why would she willingly take an overdose?”
“She was in love with this Wayne guy, wasn’t she?” Adam asked.
“Wayne’s taking it hard.”
“It could be an act. I need to talk to Wayne Newman about this.”
“He’ll probably come to you himself,” Jenny told him.
She sat down and pulled at the chain around her neck.
“Did you find out where Rainbow went that day?”
It was yet another fact Adam was not aware of.
“Someone must have seen her in town,” Adam said hopefully. “We will start questioning people.”
“She could have just gone to the Rusty Anchor for a drink.”
“It’s all speculation at this point,” Adam sighed.
“Did you find any other clues in her room?”
“Yes, Jenny. We found a note telling us who killed her.”
“You don’t have to be nasty, Adam!”
Adam hid a smile and leaned forward. He clasped Jenny’s hand in his.
“You’re so cute, Jenny,” he said hoarsely.
Jenny wasn’t sure she liked being referred to as cute.
“Do you mean stupid?”
“No, I mean cute,” Adam insisted, still holding her hand.
Jenny wriggled out of his grip and stood up.
“I have to get back to the café.”
Jenny felt flustered as she walked back to the café. Adam had never held her hand before. Spotting an empty bench on the boardwalk, she sat down and stared at the sea. Was Adam beginning to respect her sleuthing abilities or was he just humoring her. Whatever the reason, Jenny decided she liked holding hands with him.
Chaos reigned back at the café. The two new kids had managed to mix up the orders. Jenny redid a dozen orders while Petunia went around pacifying their regular customers.
“Are you ready for lunch?” Petunia asked her a couple of hours later. “Better eat something before we prep for tomorrow.”
“Let’s make scones for breakfast,” Jenny suggested as she speared some grilled chicken on her fork.
It was the special of the day, made w
ith dried cranberries, strawberries and almonds. Jenny added an orange thyme dressing that was very popular with locals and tourists alike.
“We haven’t baked any in a while,” Petunia agreed. “Let me ask Betty Sue if she wants a batch at the inn.”
The phone rang just as Petunia stood up to call Betty Sue.
“It’s for you,” she told Jenny, handing her the receiver.
The old fashioned wall phone in the kitchen had a long cord so Jenny could stay seated while she grabbed the handset.
“Hello?” she said tentatively, raising her eyebrows at Petunia.
“Hello, Ms. King,” a vaguely familiar voice crackled on the line. “This is Jorge, from Eagle Aviation? You were here a few days ago…”
“Captain Jorge!”
“I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.”
Jenny felt a burst of excitement as the handsome old pilot’s face swam before her eyes. Had Captain Jorge remembered something about Bella?
“Not at all,” she hastened to assure him. “How can I help you, Captain?”
“I wonder if you can pass on a message?” he asked hesitantly.
“Of course. What is it?”
“A young girl came to meet me here a couple of days ago. She was staying at the Pelican Cove Country Club. She mentioned knowing you.”
“Who was it?”
“I can’t recollect the name,” Captain Jorge apologized. “It was something exotic. She was tall and blond with violet eyes, quite attractive if you don’t mind my saying so.”
Jenny’s chair toppled to the floor as she stood up suddenly.
“Was it Rainbow? Was that the girl’s name?”
“That’s it!” Captain Jorge’s relief was palpable. “She came here just as we were winding down for the day.”
“What did she want?” Jenny asked, holding her breath.
“She wanted to book a dive,” Captain Jorge explained. “She had a lot of questions. I handed over the FAQs we print out for first timers. Then she said she had safety concerns.”
“What kind of concerns?”
“She wanted to know what happened if she brought her own rig. That’s the parachute…would someone still check it out before she went up?”
“And what was your answer?”
“We don’t check personal rigs,” Captain Jorge said immediately.
“But I thought you said you had strict quality checks?” Jenny probed. “Didn’t you mention some kind of guidelines?”
“We do that for our own gear,” Captain Jorge explained. “We don’t touch your gear. People who bring their own parachutes sign a waiver. We are very meticulous with our paperwork, Ms. King.”
Jenny figured the company was just making sure they were not liable.
“I understand,” Jenny said. “What was the message, Captain Jorge?”
“She booked a dive for tomorrow evening but she didn’t leave any contact information. I just wanted to confirm she’s still coming as scheduled?”
Jenny swallowed a lump as her fingers tightened around the telephone cord.
“You should cancel that appointment, Captain Jorge. Something’s come up. Rainbow is not available tomorrow.”
Jenny plunged into thought as she thanked the pilot and hung up the phone. Why had Rainbow visited the sky diving company? Had she discovered something about Bella’s death?
Chapter 20
“You have to come,” Heather pleaded with Jenny. “Crystal especially wants you there.”
“Look around, Heather,” Jenny waved a hand at the crowded café. “People are lining up here thanks to Mandy and her Instagram. They want to book tables. There’s no way I can get away.”
Heather turned to Petunia.
“It’s just a couple of hours. And it’s at sunset. The café is closed by then.”
“I don’t mind,” Petunia told her. “I can take care of the prep for one day. Maybe Star can come and keep me company.”
Heather went for the jugular.
“It’s a chance to say goodbye to Rainbow.”
Jenny couldn’t say no to that.
A small group of people assembled at the Pelican Cove Country Club later that evening. The gazebo was covered in small bouquets of tulips and roses. Someone whispered they were Rainbow’s favorite flowers. A priest had arrived from the mainland. In deference to Rainbow’s wishes, no one wore black.
Crystal sniffled and Wayne looked solemn. Kathy Mars dabbed at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. One of the girls gave a violin recital. Wayne asked if anyone wanted to say something. Almost all the girls had something nice to say about Rainbow.
“She’s going to be missed,” Heather whispered to Jenny.
Jenny’s eyes misted over. She felt helpless. All her efforts had been futile. She wasn’t any closer to finding out what happened, either to Bella or Rainbow.
“One of these people is a killer,” she hissed at Heather. “Maybe it’s one of these girls…just waiting to step into her role on the show.”
“You think so?” Heather was skeptical.
“She was on to something,” Jenny mumbled. “I’m sure about it.”
The sun set over the ocean, painting the sky orange and mauve. Rainbow wasn’t around to see it, but Jenny admitted she had been given a good farewell. Ray Fox caught her eye as they walked back to the club house.
“I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Rainbow and Bella were like sisters,” he said. “Bella would have wanted me here.”
“Do you think she would take her own life?”
“Never,” Ray said, shaking his head. “She was ambitious. She had her kid to think about.”
“So you believe she was murdered?”
Ray said nothing but his grim expression was answer enough.
Someone had ordered a sumptuous buffet of Rainbow’s favorite dishes. Jenny guessed Wayne had something to do with it. He wasn’t hiding his grief from anyone.
Jenny overheard the girls talking about the show. Everyone wanted to know who was going to replace Rainbow. The girls seemed excited but Jenny assumed that was natural. She peered at each of their faces as she bit into a slider. Had one of them deliberately poisoned Rainbow?
“Stop staring, Jenny!” Heather hissed in her ear. “Wayne wants to talk to you.”
Wayne stood at one end of the long passage, gazing out at the dunes.
“I miss her,” he told Jenny. “We were really close.”
Wasn’t he close to all the women in his life, Jenny mused. A sudden giggle erupted, making her feel mortified.
“I don’t mean that way,” Wayne clucked. “Rainbow was my best friend. We could talk for hours. She really knew me, you know. Knew Wayne Newman the person, not Wayne Newman the country music star.”
“Shouldn’t you have that with Crystal?”
Wayne shrugged.
“Crystal and I have an understanding. Getting married now will give a big boost to our careers, and we both understand that.”
“What if Crystal wasn’t in the picture?” Jenny asked. “Would you have married Rainbow?”
Wayne hesitated. Then he shook his head.
“Rainbow didn’t have that kind of fan base.”
“But you did. Surely you could have elevated her career if you wanted to.”
“It’s too late now,” Wayne shrugged.
“What’s next for you, Wayne?”
“We are going back to Los Angeles in a couple of days. We are shooting the pilot episode next week. We are all going to be pretty busy, I guess.”
Kathy Mars spotted them from a distance and walked over.
“Thank you for coming,” she told Jenny. “Rainbow would have wanted you here.”
“When did you talk to her last?”
“Crystal and I were having tea out here. She seemed to be in a hurry.”
“Was she going out?”
“She must be. She was twirling a set of car keys in her hand.”
“Do you know when she got
back?”
Kathy thought for a moment.
“She didn’t turn up for dinner. I figured she must have met someone.”
“But she didn’t know anyone in town, did she?”
“Just Bella’s husband,” Kathy quipped.
Jenny tried to read Kathy’s expression. Was she implying Ray Fox had harmed Rainbow?
“You must be looking forward to getting back home.”
Kathy’s handbag buzzed just as she opened her mouth to answer Jenny.
“Who’s calling me now?” she muttered, struggling with the clasp.
“Let me help,” Wayne said just then.
Kathy and Wayne both pulled at the bag at the same instant. The bag sprang open and its contents scattered on the floor.
“Look what you’ve done now!” Kathy exclaimed angrily.
Wayne bent down to pick everything up off the floor. A bottle of pills rolled down and came to rest by Jenny’s foot.
She picked it up and quickly read the label before handing it back to Kathy.
“You’re not sick, are you?” Heather asked solicitously.
“Oh no!” Kathy said, looking flustered. “Those are just my anxiety pills. Almost everyone in the business takes them. Right Wayne?”
“Huh?” Wayne asked.
Jenny couldn’t wait to get away. She said goodbye and grabbed Heather’s arm.
“What’s the rush, Jenny?” Heather scowled, jerking her arm away.
“Did you see those pills?” Jenny asked as she backed out of the parking lot.
“Kathy’s anxiety pills?”
“They can double as sleeping pills. I need to talk to Adam right now.”
They rushed into the police station. Adam Hopkins stood at the front desk, ready to go home for the day.
“What’s the matter now, Jenny?” he asked, correctly reading her expression. “Let’s go into my office.”
“What’s the drug Rainbow took? Quick, tell me.”
“We are waiting for a full tox screen,” Adam told her patiently. “But if you must know, it was a cocktail of a popular anxiety drug mixed with something else.”
“Aha!” Jenny banged her fist on the table.
She quickly told Adam about Kathy’s pill bottle.
“It’s a very common medicine, Jenny,” Adam sighed. “Anybody could have a prescription for it.”
“But get this,” Jenny said with relish. “The bottle was almost empty.”