by Leena Clover
“There was enough work for everyone,” Jason said. “There was plenty of reconstruction up and down the coast. Cohen Construction handled it all.”
“So the storm provided a windfall for Asher Cohen.”
“Yes,” Jason told Jenny. “He bought his estate around that time. He built that big house of his. But happy times didn’t last.”
“Is that when…?”
“Olga died in childbirth soon after. The youngest kid was ten at the time.”
“That must have been a big blow.”
“Apparently not,” Jason shrugged. “Rumor has it Asher barely felt the loss. He married Linda a couple of years after that.”
“How did that happen?”
“Linda was a child when Asher worked for her father. People say he was a handsome devil. Tall, blonde and blue eyed, he cut a fine figure. Success made him more attractive. When Asher swooped in to rebuild the town after the storm, Linda saw him as some kind of knight in shining armor. She had a big crush on him.”
“Obviously, he must have returned her feelings.”
“There was a big scandal,” Jason laughed. “You know island politics. Linda was a Stone, a Pioneer. The families didn’t like her hobnobbing with this foreigner.”
“What about the kids?” Jenny asked. “Did they want a new mother?”
“I don’t think Asher asked them what they wanted.”
“Did they elope?”
Jason shook his head.
“That’s one thing Asher seems to have been adamant about. He didn’t want to leave Pelican Cove. He could have expanded his business a lot more if he set up shop in a bigger town. But he never left town.”
“Did your family disown Linda?”
“They came around,” Jason said. “Asher was her father’s protégé after all. Linda’s father trusted him. They tied the knot right here in town.”
“How old was he at the time?”
“He was about fifty. Who knew he would live on to be a hundred?”
“And Linda has kids too?”
“Ryan, Scott and Dawn,” Jason confirmed. “They were born in the 70s. Dawn’s the youngest.”
“Eight kids,” Jenny exhaled. “That’s some family.”
“And none of them live in Pelican Cove.”
“What about that chubby guy I have seen with Asher?”
“That must be Hans. He’s Maria’s son. She lives in New Jersey with her husband. Hans is the only grand kid to come and live here.”
“Any reason why?”
Jason shrugged.
“You’ll have to ask them.”
“Would you say Asher was a family man?”
“I think so,” Jason said. “He always complained about how none of the kids had time to come visit.”
“Sounds like he led an ordinary life,” Jenny observed. “Lots of widowers remarry, so I don’t see anything special there.”
“What are you looking for, exactly?”
“A motive, Jason. Something that might indicate why someone would want to kill Asher Cohen.”
“Still waters run deep, Jenny. Who knows what lies beneath the surface?”
“You’re right,” Jenny said. “I need to talk to the Cohen clan, at least those that are present here.”
Jason offered to go with her.
“Let’s do that tomorrow. Do we need an appointment?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ll ask Linda.”
“I don’t want to raise her hopes, Jason.”
“Any action is progress,” Jason told her. “Who knows what you might find?”
“Do you really think one of the Cohen kids had a motive?”
Chapter 6
Jenny sat on the edge of her seat, trying to think of what to say. Walt Cohen lounged in an armchair before her.
“I hope you don’t mind a few questions,” she said timidly.
Walter looked relaxed in his khaki shorts and Hawaiian shirt. He rubbed his hand over his balding head and looked at Jenny.
“I don’t. Can’t say the same about the others.”
“Can you tell me something about your father?” Jenny began. “Were you close?”
“I am the oldest of eight,” Walt said. “I think he expected me to take over the business. But I took up a government job as soon as I finished college.”
“You don’t like the construction business?” Jenny asked.
“I got tired of living in this town,” Walt said frankly. “You just got here, right? You have lived your life elsewhere. You can’t imagine growing up in a small community where everyone points fingers at you.”
“Why would they do that?”
“My Dad had nothing when he got here. Then he grew richer than some of the oldest inhabitants of this island. That was reason enough, I guess.”
“Anything else?”
“I was always the foreigner’s kid. I never really made any friends here.”
“You’re saying the locals are xenophobic?”
“Aren’t they?” Walt quirked an eyebrow. “Anyhow, the government was recruiting when I graduated from college. I got a nice 9 to 5 job in the city and I took it.”
“Are you retired?”
“That’s another thing I didn’t agree with the old man about,” Walt said. “I stopped working as soon as I could. I had no intention of working until I took my last breath.”
“You mean Asher hadn’t retired yet?”
“Officially, he had. But he liked to keep a foot in the door.”
“Where do you live? Do you visit Pelican Cove often?”
“I live in Florida in a posh retirement community. My wife and I are happy there. Our kids live all over the country. They come visit us for holidays. We hardly get a chance to come here. The centennial was an exception. We were planning this for the last couple of years.”
“Are you close to your siblings?”
“My sister Emma lives near us. We meet often. The others, not so much.”
“What about Linda’s kids?”
“My kids are closer to them in age. They keep in touch online.”
“Did your father have any enemies?”
Walt let out a sigh.
“My father spent his life in an isolated town. He immersed himself in his work. He had no friends to speak of, other than Linda and her family.”
“Could he have rubbed anyone the wrong way?”
“As far as I know, my father minded his own business. He wasn’t a big talker. He would go fishing in his spare time.”
“How is the business doing? Surely you have a stake in it?”
“I never cared for the business. I saved enough to retire comfortably. I don’t care what happens to the business.”
“You do know someone harmed your father?”
“It must have been a mistake,” Walt said, shaking his head. “The old man led such a boring life, I can’t imagine anyone having a beef with him.”
“Did he ever visit you in Florida?”
Walt grew thoughtful.
“That was another of his quirks. He never left Pelican Cove. It was as if the transatlantic journey finished him. He hated travel.”
“Did he visit his homeland again?”
“He didn’t like to talk about it,” Walt told Jenny. “That was one subject which was always taboo.”
“Your Mom didn’t want to go either?”
“My Mom was with him on that one,” Walt said curtly. “They never wanted to go back.”
“Bad memories?”
“Something of that sort,” Walt shrugged.
“I would like to talk to your siblings,” Jenny said. “Are they around?”
“Most of us are,” Walt told her. “Emma and Heidi were in the sun room earlier. I don’t know about the rest. Ask the maid.”
The maid came by just then and stood next to Jenny. Walt went out.
The maid escorted Jenny to the third floor. Linda was in a wheelchair, staring out at the sea.
“How are you,
Jenny?” she smiled.
“Have you learned anything more, Linda?”
“The police haven’t said much. I think they are stumped.”
Jenny marveled at Linda’s chiseled face. She had good bone structure. She didn’t look much older than sixty but Jenny figured she was much older.
“I talked to Walt.”
“Walt and I played together as kids,” Linda said. “Asher used to bring him over when he came to visit my Daddy.”
“Did you always want to marry him?”
“Not at first,” Linda reasoned. “I guess I had a crush on him at 15. But he was a married man.”
“Did Walter resent you for taking his mother’s place?”
“You’ll have to ask him that,” Linda shrugged. “The older three were almost my age. Maria and Paul took to me. They were young enough to be impressionable.”
“Could any of the kids have held a grudge against Asher?”
“For marrying me?” Linda burst out. “Surely they would have said something about it?”
“Walt said none of the kids live here.”
“Who can blame them?” Linda squared her shoulders. “There’s nothing much to do here. You know that! They didn’t see a future here so they found jobs and went away.”
“Aren’t they interested in the family business?”
Linda narrowed her eyes.
“I think Maria is. That’s No. 4. She’s sent her son Hans to live with us.”
“Is that the chubby man who was with you at the café?”
“That’s him alright,” Linda said tersely.
“You don’t like him?”
“He’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the box. He’s lazy and he drinks a lot.”
“I think I get the picture. Why did Asher hire him then?”
“He’s family!” Linda said simply. “Asher really wanted some of his kids to join him in the business.”
“What about your own kids?”
Linda brightened at the mention of her children.
“Ryan’s the oldest. He’s about Jason’s age. He’s a colonel in the army.”
“Was he here for the party?”
“Oh no! He’s stationed overseas. He couldn’t get away.”
“Who else?”
“Scott’s next. He’s a doctor in a big hospital. He lives in New York City.”
“Do they have kids?”
Linda shook her head.
“Ryan’s wife left him. Couldn’t adjust to the lifestyle. Scott is a widower. He never remarried. Dawn’s little girl is my only grandchild.”
“Dawn is your youngest?”
Linda nodded.
“She lives on a homestead in rural Maryland. I think the town she lives in is smaller than Pelican Cove.”
“Is she here?” Jenny asked.
“Dawn is here with her husband and her little girl,” Linda smiled. “They went for a picnic on the beach.”
“Can I talk to Walt’s siblings?”
“They should be around somewhere.”
Linda was looking pale all of a sudden.
“Do you have a nurse to look after you?”
“Asher always took care of me himself,” Linda told her.
Her eyes filled up and she looked away. Jenny said bye and beat a hasty retreat. She walked around on the first floor, trying to locate the sun room.
She heard some women talking and followed the sound. Jenny walked into a hexagonal room with tall stained glass windows. Three women sat in wicker chairs, presiding over a pot of tea.
“Hello dear,” one of them spoke up. “Are you looking for someone?”
The woman who spoke was a female version of Walt. She was dressed in a similar fashion too. Jenny noted her white shorts and Hawaiian style shirt.
“Are you Walt’s sister?” she asked.
“Emma Cohen,” the woman nodded.
She pointed at a plump, white haired woman seated next to her.
“This is Walt’s wife.”
The attractive blonde seated next to Emma spoke up.
“I’m Heidi, Walt’s other sister. How can we help you?”
“My name is Jenny. I live in Pelican Cove. Actually, I just moved here a few months ago.”
Jenny realized she was babbling and tried to curb herself.
“Let the girl settle down,” Emma said, giving Heidi a stern look.
“Linda wants me to look into what happened to Asher.”
“He was a hundred years old,” Heidi dismissed. “He died.”
“You do know how he died?” Jenny asked.
She wondered if Heidi was being obtuse on purpose.
“I guess he wanted a last hurrah,” Heidi smirked. “He was always an attention seeker, our Dad.”
“You think he took his own life?” Jenny asked. “That’s not what the police think.”
“Do you work for the police?” Emma asked. “Or are you a private eye?”
“Neither,” Jenny admitted. “I’m just doing this for Linda.”
“And what exactly are you doing?” Heidi demanded. “Are you going to browbeat us into admitting something nasty?”
“Of course not!” Jenny said, aghast. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
“What do you want from us?” Emma asked.
“I’m talking to everyone in the family,” Jenny explained. “I want to understand Asher as a person.”
“He was an arrogant prick who lived alone and died alone,” Heidi snarled. “That’s all you need to know.”
“Do you agree with her?” Jenny asked Emma.
Emma was quiet.
“Walt said you live near him in Florida?”
Emma perked up.
“We live in the best retirement community. It’s so pretty. We have a big pool and we are just two miles from the beach.”
“Did you think of living in Pelican Cove?”
“Walt and I have always been close,” Emma said. “We bonded after our mother died. I took care of the younger kids, you know, being the older girl in the family.”
“What about you?” Jenny asked Heidi. “Never wanted to live in Pelican Cove?”
“I got out of this shit hole as soon as I could,” Heidi said with relish. “I wanted to see the world. I was a stewardess for an international airline.”
“You weren’t too crazy about your Dad, huh?” Jenny asked bluntly.
“I stopped talking to him the day he married Linda.”
“Surely you were just a child then?”
“I was 14. Plenty old enough to understand he didn’t have to replace our mother.”
“Don’t be silly, Heidi,” Emma sputtered. “That was a long time ago.”
“I never forgave him,” Heidi grunted.
“So I guess you didn’t visit much?” Jenny asked.
“My husband was a pilot. We live in Arizona now. Our kids work on the West coast so there’s hardly any reason to come here. We see Walt and Emma when we go to Florida.”
“We all agreed to come here for the centennial,” Emma added. “We have been planning this for a long time. Daddy was really excited about seeing us.”
“He must have missed his children,” Jenny mused.
“I think Daddy was really unlucky in that aspect,” Emma agreed. “He had eight kids and over a dozen grandkids. But he hardly ever saw them.”
“Don’t forget Hans,” Heidi spit out.
“Other than Hans,” Emma agreed. “But he’s Hans.”
So far, Jenny hadn’t heard a single good thing about the chubby man.
“Did your father have any enemies?”
“He wasn’t that important,” Heidi scoffed. “He was just a sorry old man living in some obscure small town in the middle of nowhere. Who had the time to think about him?”
Jenny realized Heidi had plenty of unresolved issues about her father. She wondered if she had said the same things to the police when they questioned her.
“Can you think of someone who had a gru
dge against your father?” she asked Emma.
Emma looked thoughtful.
“Let me call for a fresh pot of tea,” she said, pressing a bell. “My mind works better with a cup of tea.”
Chapter 7
Jenny sipped her chilled white wine and sampled the crab cake. She was having dinner with Jason at a fancy seafood restaurant in Virginia Beach. They had been there before and it was fast becoming their favorite.
“You give them a run for their money,” Jason commented as Jenny chewed a tiny piece of the crab cake.
“We get the freshest crabs,” Jenny observed. “Probably better than what these people get.”
“So?” Jason asked, taking a sip of his drink. “Shall we make it official?”
Jenny fought a blush but acted innocent.
“What do you mean, Jason?”
“Is this our first date, Jenny King?”
Jenny’s response was to take a big gulp of her wine.
“Your divorce is final, Nick’s doing fine, you just bought the house of your dreams, the café is doing well … can you squeeze a little bit of time to start dating?”
“We’ve been out to dinner like ten times, Jason,” Jenny argued.
“But you said those weren’t dates,” Jason pointed out. “When do we officially start dating?”
“Do we need labels?” Jenny asked, trying to divert Jason. “Why can’t we go on as we are?”
“There’s a line I won’t cross, can’t cross, unless we are on an official date.”
“Jason Stone, you’re just a big flirt!”
Jason laughed wholeheartedly. Jenny had to admit he looked very attractive.
“You can stall all you want, Jenny, but I’m going to wear you down one of these days.”
Dinner proceeded at a leisurely pace. Jason held the door for her and played her favorite music in the car. They pulled over at the scenic outlook on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
A pale yellow full moon rose over the water. Jenny enjoyed the view, letting the gentle waves of the Bay calm her. The inky water shimmered in the moonlight, and Jenny inched closer to Jason, putting her head on his shoulder.
“I’ve never stopped here at night,” she admitted. “It’s a beautiful sight.”
“You know what they say?” Jason whispered. “Virginia is for Lovers.”
Jenny had a spring in her step the next morning. She added a double dose of cinnamon to her muffins and made a streusel topping.