Spirited Away

by Lena Gregory

  Tank shrugged and mumbled something else too low for Cass to hear.

  Giving up on creeping closer discreetly, and tired of waiting for Luke to get around to her, Cass headed toward them.

  Emmett shook his head and reeled away from Luke and Tank. When his gaze fell on Cass, his eyes widened, and he pointed toward her, turned back, and said something.

  Cass looked over her shoulder to see if someone had come up behind her. Nope. She whirled back toward Emmett in time to see Tank take him by the arm and lead him away.

  Luke headed straight for her. When he reached her, he took her elbow and gestured toward a quieter section of the parking lot.

  Once Tank and Emmett disappeared around the front of the garage, and with one last glance at the group gathered around the sedan, she fell into step with Luke.

  “What is going on? Is Joey all right?”

  “Joey’s fine. He’s not here; he’s home.” He took a small notepad from his pocket and flipped it open, then stopped and angled it toward one of the many spotlights set up throughout the lot.

  Cass’s patience was wearing thin. “Is Emmett okay?”

  He frowned as he read over something in his book, then flipped through several pages. “I guess that depends on your definition of okay.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” She couldn’t help snapping. Even though she’d walked onto what was obviously a crime scene, and had no right to demand answers, Emmett was her friend.

  Luke looked up from his notepad. “Sorry. I wasn’t being sarcastic, just distracted. He’s not hurt or anything, if that’s what you’re asking, but he might be in some trouble.”

  “Emmett? What could he have done? And what did he mean when he said he wouldn’t have called the police if he’d killed him? Killed whom?”

  Luke lifted one brow and stared at her.

  Her cheeks heated. “Well, I might have overheard . . .”

  There wasn’t much sense in finishing the statement, since they both knew full well it was a lie. She hadn’t overheard anything; she’d been eavesdropping after he’d told her to stay where she was. In about two seconds, she was going to give up on Luke and go find Bee. He’d have answers quick enough.

  “Listen, Cass, I’m not trying to be difficult right now. I was actually heading over to see you as soon as I was done talking to Emmett. You saved me the trip by coming out here.”

  She stayed quiet, not quite sure how to feel about that.

  “Can I ask you a favor, though?”

  She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded.

  “I’m exhausted, and I’m not getting to bed anytime soon. I need to ask you some questions before I can tell you what’s going on. Could you just answer them, and then I’ll tell you everything?” Dark circles ringed his eyes, and deep lines bracketed his mouth. He wasn’t exaggerating; he looked beyond exhausted.

  “Sure, no problem.”

  “First, what are you doing here?”

  Despite his support and his fairly regular attendance at her group readings—before tonight, anyway—Luke didn’t believe in the supernatural. But as a detective, he would understand following your instincts. Though she’d never lie to him, it probably wouldn’t hurt to leave out the thought that someone or something might have influenced her decision to visit him.

  “I’ve been having a weird feeling all day, like something was wrong. I knew Beast, Bee, and Stephanie were okay, but I thought I’d swing by the hotel and see if your car was there.” Heat crept up her cheeks, and she had no doubt her chest and face were probably beet red. “I had a rough night, and I thought maybe you were going to call it quits, you know, between us, and I just wanted to get it over with.”

  Luke’s eyes widened. “What made you think that?”

  This wasn’t the time or place for that discussion, so she just shook her head. “We can talk about that later.”

  He held her gaze but let it drop. “Why did you have a rough night? What happened at the reading?”

  “Pretty much everything went wrong. The air conditioner isn’t working, and Emmett couldn’t get a part until tomorrow. I managed to embarrass more than one guest, including an investor Bee was hoping to impress. Some guy heckled me all night, then he and Emmett got into an argument, and it got out of hand, and—” She stopped short. “Oh, no.”

  “Dirk Brinkman? Was he the guy heckling you?”

  Unable to force the words out, Cass simply nodded.

  “How were things left between him and Emmett?”

  “I . . . uh . . . the police came.” She shook her head, but the shock wouldn’t dissipate. “They talked to Emmett and Dirk, then sent them both home to cool off.”

  “Did you talk to Emmett before he left?”

  “Yeah. Um . . . After the police questioned me, I started cleaning up. Emmett found me after the police left and apologized. I told him there was no need to be sorry, he was just defending me. I thanked him, and he left.”

  “That’s it?”

  “He said he’d be back tomorrow to finish fixing the air-conditioning, but that’s it. Is Dirk dead?”

  Luke flipped his book closed and stuffed it back into his pocket. “How did Emmett seem when he left? Was he still angry, upset, anything?”

  Cass shrugged, still trying to wrap her head around whatever was going on. “He seemed . . . I don’t know . . . embarrassed, I guess. Contrite. Sorry he’d let Dirk get the better of him. He wasn’t in any kind of homicidal rage, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “Look, Cass, I really need to speak to as many people as I can before the details of Dirk’s murder get out.”

  “You can’t possibly think Emmett killed Dirk? Or anyone, for that matter.”

  “It’s not that I think he killed him. As far as I’m concerned, he’s innocent until proven guilty, but if I’m being honest, it doesn’t look good. Dirk didn’t climb into the trunk of a car in Emmett’s lot and beat himself to death.”

  “There’s no way Emmett would e—”

  “Stop, Cass.” Luke held up a hand. “You don’t have to argue for him. I know he’s your friend, but I have to look at everything, and the more people I can speak to before their memories get clouded by public opinion, the better it will be. Especially for Emmett.”

  She nodded. That made sense.

  He cradled her cheek and tilted her face toward him. “I guess you already know I’m not going to be able to make our breakfast date?”

  “I kind of figured.” At that point, all that mattered was clearing Emmett’s name.

  “Maybe we can get dinner tonight?”

  “Sure.” Though she wasn’t optimistic. He’d already had a full case load, even without the added pressure of a murder investigation, and all of those investigations had to take priority over soothing any insecurities she might harbor. “I’ll see you later, maybe. And don’t worry, I completely understand.”

  “For the record . . .” Luke took her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “I was not planning on breaking up with you.”

  A smile tugged at her, despite the dire circumstances.

  “I . . . uh . . . uh . . . I have very strong feelings for you, Cass. If you are willing to be patient with me while I adjust to my new responsibilities, I’d like to see if things can work between us.”

  When he put it like that . . . “I’d like that.”

  Luke kissed her cheek, then lingered beside her ear and laid on the thick Southern drawl as he whispered, “I’ll see y’all later then.”

  Cass left him to his work, but she could feel his gaze lingering while she walked to her car and climbed in. She checked the backseat—there was still a killer lurking around somewhere, after all, and despite what anyone thought, it wasn’t Emmett—then she waved as she locked the door and pulled away.

  She checked the clock on the dashboard. At a little past one in the morning, chances were good Bee was already tucked away in the back room of his shop creating something magical. Since he tended to ignore hi
s phone when he was “in the zone,” she’d probably get a reprieve until morning before he subjected her to the third degree. Hopefully, Luke could interview everyone he needed to before then, because once Bee got wind of a murder on Bay Island, the rumor mill would be working double time.

  Chapter Five

  Cass’s imagined reprieve came screeching to a halt as she rounded the last curve before her house and found Bee’s black Trans Am idling in her driveway. So much for “the zone.” Of course, he could have had trouble working and just stopped by to chat. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d done that.

  She pulled in and waved as she passed him and followed the driveway around the side of the house to park.

  Bee was already standing beside her door by the time she turned off the ignition. So much for hoping he hadn’t heard.

  Bee yanked the door open. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting here half the night.”

  “What are you talking about, Bee?” She grabbed her purse and her house key as she climbed out of the car. “I only left you like an hour ago.”

  “Well, it feels like half the night when you’re waiting for someone.” He stepped back to give her room to shut the door, then fell into step beside her.

  “Why didn’t you just call my cell phone?”

  He ignored the question but stayed glued to her side as she hurried around the back.

  She double-checked the gate was closed behind her so she could let Beast out, jogged up the steps to the deck, then unlocked the back door. Once Beast heard the car pull in, the race was on. If he got too excited before she could get him out, she’d be mopping the floor. “And why didn’t you just go into the house and wait?”

  She barely had the door cracked open before Beast wiggled through and launched himself at her. The giant Leonberger’s front paws landed against her shoulders.

  Bee caught her as she staggered back. “That’s reason number one.”

  “I know, Beast. I missed you too.” Cass tried to pry the big dog off her. “You have to get down now, though. You’re supposed to greet me calmly. Remember?”

  Bee laughed. “Like that’s ever going to happen.”

  She ignored him. For some reason, Beast behaved much better for Bee, though he’d still bowled him over a time or two. “Want a cookie, boy?”

  Beast dropped down and wagged his whole back end.

  “Go potty, and I’ll get you a cookie.”

  Beast ran off to do his thing, and Bee followed Cass into the house.

  “What’s the second reason?” She hung her keys on the hook by the door, dropped her bag onto the table, and rummaged through the pantry for Beast’s snacks.

  “Second reason what?” Keeping a wary eye on the back door, Bee pulled a chair out from the table and sat.

  Aha. There they are. For a minute, she’d thought she was out of treats. “You said Beast was the first reason you didn’t come in to wait, that implies there was a second reason.”

  “What you said earlier at the diner, about thinking someone was trying to contact you.” Twin red patches flared on Bee’s cheeks. “Wouldn’t want that someone to think it was you coming through the door and make an appearance.”

  Laughter bubbled out before Cass could censor it.

  “Whatever,” Bee mumbled.

  “I’m sorry, Bee. You just make me happy is all.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek before opening the back door to let Beast back in. A quick survey of the kitchen told her Beast hadn’t eaten anything. Or, at least if he did, he’d disposed of all the evidence.

  “You were a good boy while I was gone, weren’t you?” Cass ruffled Beast’s mane. “Sit.”

  Beast plopped right down.

  She gave him his treat, and he bounced off to sit beside Bee and chow down. Maybe there was something to this training stuff after all.

  “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company in the middle of the night?”

  Bee pinned her with a glare.

  Maybe she could just play dumb. “Do you want coffee or something?”

  “No, thanks. I already had two cups—one of them yours, by the way—and a couple of donuts while I was waiting. Are you going to tell me what’s going on? Where have you been for the past hour?”

  She tried a grin and fluttered her lashes. “Maybe I was visiting Luke.”

  “Mm-hmm . . .” Bee crossed one leg over the other, hooked his elbow over the chair back, and struck a pose that could rival any Hollywood diva. “From what I hear . . .”

  Uh-oh.

  “That’s exactly where you were. Now spill it, girl, and I want all the juicy details.”

  “Luke asked me not to say anything.” She took a Diet Pepsi out of the fridge, popped the top of the can, and poured it into a glass. She definitely didn’t need the caffeine at that time of night, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon, anyway.

  “Uh-huh.” Bee’s eyes narrowed. “And I’m sure he meant don’t say anything to anyone else besides me.”

  Cass choked. She was quite sure Bee was exactly whom Luke had meant by “anyone.”

  “Very funny.” Bee stood and patted her back, a bit harder than necessary. “Now, are you going to give me the dirt, or am I going to have to wait until the deli opens?”

  “Ugh . . .” They both knew if Bee had to wait, he would make the next few hours torture for her. “Fine. I’ll tell you, but you’re not leaving my sight until morning when the news leaks out some other way.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” He waved her off. “I can think of worse ways to spend the night.”

  “All right, but let’s take a walk.” She grabbed Beast’s leash but didn’t bother hooking it to his collar. If it wasn’t the middle of tourist season, she wouldn’t have even bothered bringing it, but this time of year, you never knew whom you might run into walking along the beach, even at one in the morning. “I can’t sit still right now.”

  Her nerves were strung tight, and even though she’d offered a token protest, truth was, she wanted to talk to Bee. Bee knew Emmett as well as she did. He’d know Emmett wouldn’t harm anyone. And she needed someone to talk to who would support her faith in Emmett’s innocence. “How’d you find out so fast, anyway? I thought you’d be at the shop until morning.”

  “Pul-eaze, girl . . .” He walked bedside her along the shoreline, just out of reach of the gently lapping waves. “My phone literally blew up a few minutes after I walked into the shop. I never even made it into the back room.”

  “Let me guess, Emma Nicholls?” Emma worked at the deli and was Bee’s closest rival in the gossip department. Since the deli’s owner, Rick, was also a volunteer EMT, Emma got info pretty quickly, though not usually as quickly as Bee.

  Bee laughed. “She was the first.”

  “Yeah, I figured.” Cass stretched her back and kept an eye on Beast as he bounded down the beach, thrilled to have room to run. “Tell me what you know.”

  “Just that a body was found.”

  “It was Dirk Brinkman.”

  Bee gasped and pressed a hand against his chest. “Are you kidding me?”

  “I wish I were.” She tried to collect her thoughts. No matter how many times she tried to envision it, she just couldn’t see Emmett killing anyone. “He was found in the trunk of a car at Emmett’s garage.”

  Bee stopped walking and turned to face her. “They can’t possibly think . . .”

  “I don’t really know what they think. Luke assured me he was considering Emmett innocent for now, but I just don’t know.” She warred with the question she wouldn’t have dared ask anyone else, then lowered her gaze to the sand and spoke quietly, “You don’t think he could have done it, do you, Bee?”

  “No.” He propped a finger beneath her chin and lifted it until her gaze met his. “Absolutely not, Cass. He didn’t do it.”

  He spoke with the same conviction she’d used while speaking to Luke. Too much conviction, as if trying to convince himself as much as her.

&nb
sp; “You said yourself he and Dirk had some kind of falling out in the past, then what went on in the shop during the reading. You don’t think he could have just snapped?” A chill raced up her spine, and she shivered, despite the stifling heat.

  Bee pulled her close and hugged her. “No. I don’t. Emmett doesn’t have it in him to kill, Cass. When you look into someone’s eyes, you see that.”

  “He was pretty angry tonight. I’ve never seen him like that.” She pulled back so she could watch his expression for his reaction.

  “But he never seemed out of control. Just ticked off.” He huffed out a breath, then said softly, “I think Luke could kill someone if he had to in order to save a life. And Tank probably could. But I don’t see that same determination, that same . . . hardness, in Emmett’s eyes. I just don’t. Maybe, if left with no other alternative, he could kill to protect Joey, but I don’t even think he could kill to protect himself, Cass. I honestly don’t.”

  “Thanks, Bee.” He always seemed to know exactly what she needed to hear. She hugged him tightly, then hooked her arm through his and started walking toward Beast, who’d stopped to sniff at something along the shoreline down the beach. “So, tell me, what else did Emma and whomever else you spoke to have to say?”

  Bee winced and stared out over the bay. He was too sensitive to just blurt out whatever was being said. He’d censor it enough to try to spare her feelings, but his hesitation said it all.

  Clouds had started to gather, blocking some of the moonlight, but she could see his pained expression well enough. She didn’t push him, just waited, watching the clouds drift across the moon. Maybe it would rain and cool things off a bit. That’s what they needed, a good thunderstorm to suit her current mood.

  He bent and picked up a rock, smoothed his fingers over the flat surface, then let it fly. It skipped four times, rippling what moonlight still reflected off the water’s surface, before sinking. “Emma said Ellie’s not doing well.”

  It took a second for Cass to refocus. She’d been expecting to hear rumors about her failed reading. “Ellie Callahan?”