by Leena Clover
“Where are we?” the girls cried. “Aren’t we going to the beach?”
“Patience, ladies!” Chris smiled.
He produced a key to the house and led them inside.
“This one just came on the market. I have the owner’s permission to hang out here any time I want to.”
“Sounds like a generous fellow,” Jenny said graciously.
Chris rushed them through a foyer and a large great room. He flung open a set of wide doors leading on to the deck.
There was a collective gasp of surprise.
The deck ended on a white sandy beach. The blue waters of the Chesapeake Bay stretched out before them, the gentle waves lapping against the shore.
Chris pointed to a building in the distance.
“That’s one of the best restaurants in these parts. We can walk there through the sand.”
He turned toward Heather.
“And you can have your picnic on the beach wherever you want.”
Heather was going around, clicking pictures on her phone.
“Is this the best place or what?”
Jenny had collapsed into a large armchair and put her feet up on an ottoman. The blue waters filled her vision and she sighed with pleasure.
“I’m not moving from here.”
Chris and Molly picked a small couch next to Jenny. They followed her example and sat down. Chris put an arm around Molly and they shared a special smile.
Heather watched them with a curious expression.
“Don’t tell me Molly’s getting all lovey dovey.”
“You need to tell her,” Molly told Chris.
“Tell me what?”
“We went to the Steakhouse a couple of nights ago.”
“Why? It’s not like you’re serious about each other.”
Molly and Chris stared back at Heather. Jenny cleared her throat. A range of emotions flitted across Heather’s face as she finally caught up.
“Molly’s your girlfriend now?” she asked Chris. “Your actual girlfriend?”
“I am so grateful to you, Heather,” Chris said earnestly. “If you hadn’t tried that online dating business, I would never have gone out with Molly. We connect on a different level.”
“I thought we had a connection, Chris,” Heather said.
Jenny sensed the desperation in her voice and felt sorry for her. Chris and Heather had been together since third grade after all.
“It’s different with Molly. Something you and I never had.”
“Really?” Heather barely whispered.
Molly’s eyes were full of adoration as she stared at Chris. She was completely oblivious to Heather’s shocked expression.
Heather started pulling things out of the basket. She unwrapped a muffin and bit into it. She picked up another container and spoke to them with her mouth full.
“I’m starving. I’m eating this on the beach.”
She sped down the stairs to the sand and went out of their line of vision.
“That went well,” Jenny drawled.
“She’ll be fine,” Chris said lightly. “Heather likes to make a scene.”
“Should I go check on her?” Molly asked seriously.
“No need. You are not going to feel bad about this.” Chris placed both hands on Molly’s cheeks and stared into her eyes. “Remember what we talked about, Molls. We have done nothing wrong.”
Molly nodded. The couple embraced and Jenny found herself tearing up. All the Magnolias had warned Heather against taking Chris for granted. It looked like she was going to learn a bitter lesson. Jenny felt happy for Molly though. Molly was a victim of domestic violence. Her past had made her shy and docile. Jenny believed Chris was going to be the perfect companion for her.
Footsteps sounded on the deck and Jenny felt her pulse speed up. Adam Hopkins strode up, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses.
“Adam!” Chris smiled. “You made it.”
“I started my shift early. It’s a beautiful day. I didn’t want to miss it.”
Jenny turned her back on Adam and leaned back in her chair. She slipped on her sunglasses and pretended to stare at the water.
“Hello Jenny,” Adam said tentatively, taking a seat beside her. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Jenny said tersely. “I was having a great time until now.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“I don’t want you to do anything, Adam.”
“You’re still mad at me.”
“Gee Adam, why would I be mad at you? What have you done?”
“Jenny, please, don’t be like this.”
“Like what?”
“You know I have a job to do. I take my duties seriously.”
“I can understand that,” Jenny scowled. “Did I say a single word when you carried me away like a common criminal? I didn’t. Because I know you were just doing your job. Of course, there’s more than one way to do your job. But let’s not go there. Let’s consider being nasty and rude is part of your job description.”
“Jeez Jenny, take a breath.”
“I don’t have any problems with you doing your job, Sheriff. But where have you been since then? I haven’t seen a glimpse of you these last few days.”
“I’ve been busy at work,” Adam said lamely. “Can’t you forgive me, Jenny?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Molly was looking over the stuff in the basket.
“I’m starving. Are we going to eat this or go to the restaurant?”
“Let’s finish this first,” Chris said. “We can have an early dinner at the restaurant.”
Jenny munched a piece of fried chicken and stared moodily at the water. Adam’s presence had disturbed her equilibrium. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk to him or give him the cold shoulder.
“How are things at the library?” Adam asked Molly.
“I am expecting to get my two week notice any time now.”
“Aren’t they planning some kind of fund raiser?”
“It might be too little too late. But Betty Sue is trying to convince the board to hold off for a while.”
“She gets her way more often than not,” Adam said kindly. “We might have some staff positions coming up at the department.”
“It’s not what I am trained for but I will take anything at this stage,” Molly said seriously. “Thanks Adam.”
There was a flurry of footsteps on the deck and Jenny turned around to see who the latest arrival was.
Jason Stone strode in with his hands in his pockets. He was dressed casually in chinos and an open collared shirt. A sweater was tied loosely around his shoulders. An attractive brunette followed him on the deck and beamed at Jenny.
“Surprise!” she shrieked.
“Cindy, right?” Jenny asked.
“No. Kandy, with a K. We met at the law society dinner?”
“Oh yeah, right … what are you doing here?”
“Jason and I met in court. He told me about this picnic on the beach.”
“You came at the right time,” Chris told her. “We just started eating.”
Heather had come up from the beach while they were talking. Kandy regaled them with her exploits in court. She had everyone in splits. Chris and Jason found some logs stacked at one side of the deck. They built a fire as the sun went down.
Jason pulled out a can of soda from a cooler and offered it to Jenny.
“Thanks for introducing me to her. She makes me feel alive, Jenny.”
“You’re welcome,” Jenny grunted, ignoring the pang of regret she felt inside.
“Why are you digging around in Keith Bennet’s background?” Adam asked Jason.
“I’m not doing anything illegal.”
“You are meddling in my investigation, Jason.”
“Not true,” Jason said firmly. “I’m just looking out for my client.”
Adam whirled toward Jenny.
“Are you getting him to do your dirty work now?”
&nbs
p; “Someone’s gotta do it,” Jenny quipped.
“When are you going to leave things alone?” Adam asked, exasperated. “Did you even know the guy?”
“If you believe Jenny didn’t know the guy,” Jason asked, “why are you treating her like a suspect?”
“Anyone who talked to him is a suspect,” Adam shot back.
“Jenny had nothing to do with Keith’s death,” Jason growled. “You would believe that too if you were her true friend.”
“Of course I’m her friend,” Adam cried.
“Prove it,” Jason seethed as he turned his back on Adam.
Chapter 12
Adam planned a day trip for him and Jenny.
“How about going this Sunday?” he asked.
“I just took a day off,” Jenny told him coldly. “I can’t just take off again.”
“The foliage cam shows peak color at this time. Pretty soon, there won’t be any fall colors left to see.”
“There’s always next year,” Jenny said with a shrug.
Adam picked up his coffee and muffin and left the café without a word. Jenny wondered if she was being too hard on him. But she couldn’t forget the humiliation he had put her through.
She went to Jason’s office after the café closed. Jason sat with his feet on the table, talking to someone on the phone. He pointed at the chair, inviting Jenny to sit down. He burst into laughter a couple of times before he hung up.
“That Kandy,” he said with a shake of his head. “She’s a hoot.”
His eyes shone with admiration.
“Looks like you two hit it off.”
“You know how stodgy lawyers can be, Jenny. Kandy’s a breath of fresh air. She’s always ready with a smile.”
Jason offered a bottle of water to Jenny and took one himself. He gulped a few mouthfuls before he spoke.
“I’m glad you came. I was going to call you anyway.”
“Did you find something?” Jenny asked eagerly.
“A can of worms,” Jason sighed. “Keith had a long history of drug abuse. He barely kept down a job. He was supposed to be in a rehab facility a few years ago. But we don’t know if he was still sober.”
“How did he get here?”
“He must have felt strongly about Seaview.”
“That was obvious, I guess.”
“There’s more,” Jason said. “He had a police record.”
“Surely Adam knows about this?” Jenny asked, incensed.
“He must have run a background check, just like we did,” Jason nodded.
“What was his crime?”
“Possession of drugs. My guess is he was a small time drug dealer.”
Jenny sucked in a breath.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“He owed money to some baddies. One of them might have followed him here.”
“So he was killed for money?”
“Money, drugs, revenge – it’s anybody’s guess.”
“What do the police say about this?”
“I was about to go talk to Adam when you came in.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Let’s go,” Jason nodded, standing up.
Jenny noticed he didn’t put an arm around her shoulders like usual.
“He’s in a mood,” Nora, the desk clerk, warned Jenny as they knocked on Adam’s door.
Adam Hopkins sat with his leg propped up on a chair.
“What do you want?” he barked at Jenny.
“We want to share some information,” Jason said, following her inside.
He gave Adam a brief version of what he had told Jenny.
“Believe it or not, we are aware of all this,” Adam shot back.
“Does that mean Jenny is no longer a suspect?”
“I didn’t say that,” Adam said sharply.
“You have plenty of suspects who had a better motive than Jenny here,” Jason argued.
“But none of those people are here in town as far as we know. They didn’t have the opportunity.”
“And Jenny did?”
“She’s the only person we know of so far who talked to the man.”
“That doesn’t make her a killer.”
“Imagine the number of people who could have had it in for Keith,” Jason exclaimed. “Fellow junkies, dealers, loan sharks … the list is endless.”
“Once again, Jason, are any of them here in town?”
“I don’t think anyone would follow Keith all the way to Pelican Cove just for a bit of money.”
“Thank you for your input,” Adam said sarcastically. “Can I get back to work now?”
“What about his family?” Jenny asked, ignoring Adam’s barb. “This aunt and cousin Jason told me about? Did they get along with him?”
“Tell me you don’t suspect the Davis family, Jenny?” Jason asked.
“Why not? If I can be a suspect, why not them?”
Jason didn’t have an answer for that.
“Do you have the autopsy report yet?” he asked Adam. “Surely you can share it with us?”
“He died from an overdose,” Adam told them.
“Could it be suicide?” Jason asked right away.
Adam didn’t care to elaborate.
“You have a lot of leads to pursue,” Jason hinted.
“And I can’t do that until you leave,” Adam said curtly.
Jenny turned around without a word and stomped out.
“What’s wrong with you, man?” Jason asked as he followed her out.
Star cooked dinner for them that evening. Jimmy Parsons was back in town and he had come over.
“You have done a great job with this place, Jenny,” he complimented her. “What measures are you taking for security?”
“This is Pelican Cove, Jimmy,” Star reminded him. “We don’t even lock our doors here.”
“Motion sensing lights come on if anyone gets close,” Jenny told him. “I think that’s good enough.”
Seaview had always had those. For the first time, Jenny wondered why.
“You’re brave,” Jimmy said with a shrug. “Two women on their own in this big house.”
“Two poor, helpless women?” Jenny smirked. “We can take care of ourselves if needed.”
Truth be told, Jenny wasn’t sure what she would do if anyone attacked them.
“I have lived right next door all these years, Jimmy. All by myself. Stop trying to scare us.”
Jenny stepped out for her walk an hour later. The roses and gardenias perfumed the air with their heady fragrance. Jenny stood in the garden, reveling in the salty breeze coming off the ocean.
Her feet ached but she forced herself to walk a mile. Part of her hoped she would run into Adam. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind. But Adam and Tank were nowhere to be seen.
Jenny pulled out her third batch of banana walnut muffins out of the oven. She was making mushroom soup for lunch. Heather came in to the kitchen, looking somber.
“What’s on your mind, honey?” Jenny asked immediately.
There was a temporary lull in the café. Jenny made sure everyone who was seated had what they wanted. She poured fresh coffee in two mugs and placed two muffins and a crock of butter on a plate.
“Let’s go sit outside.”
“Take your time,” Petunia whispered to her. “Something’s not right with that girl. I can feel it.”
Heather barely waited for Jenny to sit down.
“Did you see how they were carrying on?” she cried. “Right in front of me too.”
Jenny steeled herself for a difficult conversation.
“This is too much,” Heather muttered, crumbling the muffin with her fingers. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“Are you talking about Molly and Chris?” Jenny asked gently.
Heather’s look of despair was answer enough.
“They are serious about each other,” Jenny said simply. “I think they might even have a future.”
“What about my future wi
th Chris?”
“You were the one who chose to date other people.”
“Are you going to rub it in? Chris has always been there for me. Always. I trusted him.”
“This is a difficult situation, Heather. You created it. Please don’t ask me to judge who’s right or wrong. I can’t.”
“What am I going to do, Jenny? I love him. How can I bear seeing him with another woman, someone who is my friend, no less.”
“You’ll have to suck it up. I’m sorry, sweetie. Life hands us tough breaks sometimes.”
“So I just put on a smile and pretend nothing has changed?”
“Something like that.”
“What if I talk to Chris? Beg him to take me back?”
Jenny took Heather’s hands in hers. She could feel Heather’s pain.
“I think that ship has sailed,” she said reluctantly. “At least for now.”
“So you think they might not make it?”
“I don’t think any such thing, Heather. I can’t. You are all my friends and you have come to mean a lot to me. I want you all to be happy.”
“What about my grandma?” Heather asked, her eyes filling with fear. “She won’t take it well.”
“We’ll have to break it to her gently,” Jenny nodded. “But I wouldn’t worry about her.”
“I was always supposed to marry Chris,” Heather said with a faraway look in her eyes. “I dug my own grave.”
Jenny sat with Heather for a long time, trying to pacify her as much as she could. Heather finally broke down. Tears streamed down her eyes and nothing Jenny said could console her.
Heather left before it was time for the Magnolias to come in.
“Where’s Heather?” Molly asked.
“She’s taking Tootsie for a walk,” Jenny told them.
“Tootsie had her walk in the morning,” Betty Sue said sharply, looking up from her knitting. “What’s that girl up to now?”
“Let me guess,” Molly chirped. “She’s on a date.”
Molly was glowing with happiness. Her bright orange tunic suited her well. Jenny thought she looked pretty.
“What’s the latest on the Save our Library project?” Star asked. “Has Barb assigned tasks to the volunteers yet?”