by Cindy Bell
Chapter 8
Mary drained the water from the pot, then swirled the remaining pasta around to be sure that it was sufficiently drained. As she began to add the sauce, she heard a voice behind her.
“Mary, what have I told you about that sauce?” Jason took a deep breath of the aroma. “It should be illegal for something to smell that good.”
“But it’s not yet.” She grinned as she turned to face him. “So, no arresting me.”
“For now.” He narrowed his eyes and patted his hip, where his handcuffs hung.
“Who are you threatening to arrest, now?” Summer laughed as she walked into the house behind him. “Oh, it’s the sauce, isn’t it?” She grinned as she wrapped her arms around Jason’s waist. “You are going to have to teach me how to make that, Mary. I’ve tried, and every time he says it’s not quite right.”
“Jason!” Mary waved a spoon in his direction. “That is no way to treat your wife.”
“I always tell her it’s good!” He held up his hands in surrender. “It’s just not quite the same.”
“He’s right.” Summer released him and joined Mary near the stove. “He is quite polite about it.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll have a sauce session soon.” Mary smiled and leaned over to hug Summer. “But I’m sure your sauce is delicious. Suzie will be back in a few minutes. She just walked down to the docks to see if Paul will be joining us.”
“How are you holding up?” Summer rested her hand on Mary’s shoulder. “After what happened?”
“I’m doing all right.” Mary bit into her bottom lip. “I just want the murderer found quickly.”
“They will be, I’m sure.” Summer met her eyes.
“Let’s not dwell on that.” Mary wiped her hands on her apron, then smiled. “Tonight, we are going to enjoy a nice dinner together, and that is what matters.”
“Yes, it is.” Jason glanced over the kitchen. “Do you need any help with anything?”
“Actually, if you could get down the glasses for me that would be great. They’re in the cabinet above the refrigerator.”
“On it.” He nodded and walked over to the cabinet. As he handed the glasses down to Summer, he glanced over at Mary again. “I did a background check on James.”
“You did?” Mary turned her attention towards him.
“Yes, I was a bit suspicious of him turning up out of the blue.” Jason nodded. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“Did anything pop up?”
“Nothing. In fact, so much nothing, that it makes me suspicious.” He handed the last glass to Summer.
“I’ll put these on the table.” She walked out to the dining room, as the front door opened. Suzie and Paul stepped inside.
“Summer!” Suzie smiled when she saw her. “I’m so glad you could join us tonight.”
“Me, too. That new assistant is working out great so far.”
“Good to see you, Summer.” Paul nodded to her as he hung up his jacket on the coat rack near the door. “Is Jason here?”
“In the kitchen with Mary. They’re talking shop.” Summer rolled her eyes, then laughed.
“I’d better get in there then.” Suzie grinned. “Oh Paul, will you open up that bottle of wine for me?” She pointed to the wine on the table.
“Sure, no problem.”
Suzie stepped into the kitchen as Jason stepped closer to Mary and lowered his voice.
“The thing is, for someone’s record to be that clean, it can mean two things. Either the guy is a model citizen who has never parked in the wrong place or sped, or he’s a lie.” He glanced at Suzie as she entered the kitchen. “Hey Suzie.”
“Hey Jason.” Suzie looked between them. “What’s this about?
“James.” Jason looked at Suzie. “I did a background check on him because of the murder, and you said he just turned up out of the blue.”
“And?” Suzie asked.
“His background is flawless.” Jason crossed his arms.
“That’s just hard for me to believe. Something about him just seems so off.” Mary shook her head.
“I agree.” Jason glanced over his shoulder as the young couple arrived for dinner, then looked back at them. “I’m going to look into it more, but for now, exercise caution around him. All right? Let me know if you notice anything strange.”
“Okay, we will.” Suzie frowned as Jason walked back out into the dining room to introduce himself to the guests. “That’s a bit concerning.”
“Yes, it is. Maybe his real reason for being here has nothing to do with car races.” Mary finished putting together the pasta. “You did find that receipt. Remember?”
“Yes, I do. But he claimed it wasn’t his. We have no way to prove it was, it was a cash receipt.” Suzie pursed her lips and ran her hand back through her hair as she contemplated. “Maybe Carlene would remember him, though. What do you think? If she could remember him being there buying the oil, that would place him in the garage, and he wouldn’t be able to deny being there.”
“It’s a good way to catch him in a lie, if it is a lie.” Mary nodded. “I say we get together with Carlene tomorrow and find out whether she can recognize him.”
“Okay, but tonight, we eat.” Suzie patted her stomach. “I can’t wait to enjoy this delicious meal.” As she carried in the salad, the final guest arrived, and the group gathered around the table. Within minutes, all talk of homicide was forgotten as they swapped stories about the town, the beach, and Paul’s fishing trips.
As the evening wound down, Mary found herself watching the front door. After Jason’s comments about James, and Wes’ general recoil around him, anxiety bubbled up within her. Could James have been connected in some way to Graham’s murder? The idea seemed impossible. He’d shown up the day before Graham was killed. What could bring him from out of town just to kill Graham? She cleared the dinner dishes with Suzie’s help, then brought out two freshly baked pies to share with everyone. After Anna had her slice, she went to her room to gather her things. Mary and Suzie walked her out to the porch as she prepared to leave.
“Thanks again for staying with us.” Suzie smiled. “We hope you think of Dune House the next time you’re in town.”
“Oh, I plan to. It’s such a nice relaxed environment. Plus, there’s no way to beat this beach.” Anna gazed out over the water for a moment, then looked back at them. “Thank you, both.” She smiled, then waved as she headed down the steps to the parking lot.
“I sure hope we made a good impression.” Mary crossed her arms as she watched the young woman reach her car.
“She said we did.” Suzie shrugged and slipped her hands into her pockets. “She seemed happy.”
“I know, but I’ve been so distracted with all of this, I barely spoke to her. Usually, I make more of an effort.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Mary, you did a great job.” Suzie guided her back inside. “I think what you need is another slice of pie.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Mary grinned.
Kyle and Jess headed up to their room, and Summer and Jason said goodnight. Suzie and Paul wandered off for a walk, and Mary found herself alone with her piece of pie. She added an extra dollop of whipped cream and wondered what Wes might be up to. When the front door swung open she almost expected it to be him. Instead, it was James.
“Evening.” James nodded to her as he headed straight for the stairs.
“Oh James, there’s pie!” She stood up quickly. “One’s apple and the other is blueberry. You can have some of both if you’d like.”
“No thanks.” James paused at the bottom of the steps, then looked back at her. “Are you alone?”
“Jess and Kyle are upstairs.” Mary felt her muscles tense as she considered the question a bit strange.
“Okay.” He stood there a moment longer, his eyes locked to hers. “Have a good night.” He turned and climbed up the stairs.
Mary watched him go, her heart in her throat, as her mind spun with u
ncertainty. Was that his attempt at being friendly? Or did he have another agenda?
“It’s a beautiful night.” Suzie savored the sensation of Paul’s hand wrapped around hers. As Pilot ran ahead of them along the beach, she laughed at the spray of sand he kicked up with his large paws. She didn’t think he would ever grow into them.
“Yes, it is.” Paul leaned a little closer to her and smiled. “Then again, as long as I’m with you, it’s always beautiful.”
“Aw.” Suzie laughed and rolled her eyes. “That’s a little cheesy you know.”
“Cheesy? Me?” He gasped, then laughed as well. “All right, maybe a little. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She glanced over at him. “Sometimes the long trips can be hard.”
“I can cut back if you think—”
“No.” She met his eyes and smiled. “Paul, I know they’re important to your business. Honestly, it just surprises me. I never thought I would miss anyone. It’s kind of a luxury to be able to.”
“A luxury?” Paul kissed her cheek. “I love the way you think.”
“Good, I’ll remember that.” She winked at him. “Hey, you’ve been around here a long time, do you know about the race car scene in Parish?”
“Sure. A bit, I guess.” He shrugged. “It’s all amateur stuff.”
“Do you know a Brennan Coopers?” She paused beside the water.
“Brennan, yes, I’ve heard that name bantered around. He’s pretty good from what I know. He’s been in the game for a while.”
“Any rumors about his temper or anything like that? Did he ever have issues with anyone?” Suzie called Pilot back with a quick clap of her hands as he began to splash through the water.
“Some of those guys can be hot heads, especially when it comes to their cars. You’re better off asking Wes about that, though.”
“Good idea.” Suzie nodded. “I will, the next time I see him.”
“Can we talk about this?” He drew her closer to him and met her eyes.
“About what?” Suzie smiled as she searched his gaze.
“About you and Mary launching your own investigation?” Paul laced his fingers through hers. “I saw the two of you talking, I see that look in your eyes, I know what you’re up to.”
“Then what’s to talk about? We are just going to look into things a bit.” Suzie raised an eyebrow, then caressed his cheek. “There’s no harm in that.”
“Listen, whoever did this is vicious. Is that really the kind of person you want to be looking into?” Paul shook his head. “It’s a big risk to take.”
“So is going out there.” Suzie tipped her head towards the wide-open ocean, which shimmered in the moonlight. “You never know what the weather might do, what other danger might come up. But you still step on that boat, don’t you?”
“Yes.” He sighed and turned to face the water. “But that’s not the same thing.”
“Sure, it is.” She rubbed her hands along his shoulders as she stepped up behind him. “I’ll never ask you not to go, Paul, because it’s a part of you. It’s a risk, but it’s what you love, and I could never take that from you. Maybe I run a bed and breakfast now, but once I was an investigative journalist, and that desire to find the truth, it still pumps through my veins.”
“I see.” Paul turned back to face her and slid his arms around her waist. “I understand what you’re saying. But that doesn’t make me like it.”
“You don’t have to like it.” Suzie placed a light peck on his lips. “You just have to trust me to know my limitations, and to make good choices. I’ve made pretty good ones up to this point, haven’t I?” She grinned. “They got me here, with you.”
“The best choices.” Paul sighed and stared into her eyes.
“I’ll be fine, Paul, I promise.”
“I know you will be. But if you run into anything strange, you just have to let me know. All right? I’m here if you need any help with anything.”
“Thanks.” Suzie closed her eyes as he hugged her.
Pilot let out a loud bark, then plowed between them.
“Uh oh, someone’s jealous.” Paul laughed and crouched down to pet the dog. “Don’t worry, Pilot, I love you, too.”
“Oh great, now I’m jealous.” Suzie laughed. “Pilot, no love for me?”
“Don’t be greedy, you get to see him all the time.” Paul laughed as he straightened up.
As they walked back towards Dune House, Suzie’s thoughts returned to Graham. If Brennan was the hot head that Paul described, then maybe he really did go after Graham over his car. Not only did he damage his vehicle, but his reputation among his peers took a hit because of the wreck. That might have been enough to push him over the edge. Maybe a little more research on him would reveal more about him. She guided Paul inside. When she opened the door to the house she spotted Mary near the kitchen. The expression on her face made her heart skip a beat.
“Mary, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Mary laughed. “Sorry, just got a little spooked.”
“I should get home.” Paul leaned in close to Suzie for a kiss, then pulled back and looked at Mary. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Goodnight, Paul.”
“Goodnight, ladies.” He caught Suzie’s eyes one more time, then headed for the door.
Once they were alone, Suzie looked straight at Mary.
“What really happened?”
“It was James. He came in, and it just spooked me. He asked me if I was alone. Isn’t that a strange question?”
“That is strange. Did he ask you anything else?” Suzie studied her friend.
“It just seemed like he was feeling me out. I don’t know. It just felt strange.” Mary frowned. “It might have been my imagination.”
“I doubt it was. You have great instincts, Mary.” Suzie gave her a hug. “Let’s call it a night. First thing in the morning we’ll go see Carlene again and find out what we can about James. If he bought the oil there, she might know something.”
“Okay, that’s a good plan.” Mary glanced at the stairs that James had just recently climbed.
“We’ll be on our toes.” Suzie looked up the stairs as well. “All of this has us pretty shaken up. But remember, the background check came back clean. Even if it is somehow fake, he has no reason to suspect that we know anything about him. Let’s just play it cool until we can find out more.”
“Play it cool,” Mary repeated, then shivered.
Chapter 9
Early the next morning, Suzie woke to the smell of coffee in the air. She dressed and headed downstairs. Mary poured her a mug of coffee as she descended the last step.
“Morning.” She offered her the mug.
“Mary, did you sleep?” Suzie took the coffee. “Thank you.”
“Not much.” Mary grimaced. “I did try, though. I just find it hard to rest when I have so much going on in my head.” She gestured to the breakfast platter of food she’d prepared for the guests. “It’s pretty much self-serve so they should be fine. I don’t think James has eaten a thing I’ve put out since he got here, so I’m not too concerned about him.”
“This is great. But we can’t go to Carlene’s too early. She might not even be awake.” Suzie leaned against the counter and took a sip of her coffee.
“No, but we can take a drive by the garage and see if it’s still roped off. I was thinking maybe if I see it again, I’ll notice something I didn’t before. Up for a drive?” Mary held up the keys.
“Yes, sure, that’s a great idea.” Suzie grabbed one of the blueberry muffins from the tray of food. “Something for the road.”
“Now, that’s a great idea.” Mary grinned as she snatched up one for herself.
When they arrived at the garage the police tape had been taken down, but the garage doors were closed, and the office door was locked.
Mary took a deep breath of the morning air as she looked around the exterior of the small, square building. Wit
h the time of death confirmed, it was possible that the killer had still been on the property when she arrived. She might have caught something out of the corner of her eye. Something she just didn’t think was important at the time.
“Were there other cars in the parking lot?” Suzie walked beside her.
“A few. But I can’t remember how many. I think just one or two.”
“Well, one would be Carlene’s, and one Graham’s.” Suzie nodded.
“Oh, and there were more.” Mary turned to the side of the parking lot and saw a line of cars. “There. I think they’re all still there.”
“There’s the SUV. They must be vehicles that Graham was working on.”
“I’m not sure that we can ever take that home.” Mary gritted her teeth.
“Don’t worry about that, now. Just try to focus. Is there anything different now than there was the day that Graham died? Take one more look around.” Suzie placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m right here with you.”
“It all looks the same.” Mary sighed as she surveyed her surroundings. “Honestly, if there was anything different, I don’t think I’d know it. I just keep seeing Carlene on the concrete floor. I knew Graham was gone, and I thought Carlene was, too, until I checked on her. I was so relieved that she was still alive. Whoever did this to Graham was obviously only after him.”
“Or they didn’t have time to finish the job.” Suzie met her eyes. “Carlene is very lucky that you showed up when you did.”
“If only Graham had been so lucky.” Mary frowned as she headed back to the car. “After we check on Carlene, let’s see what we can find out about James. If he had anything to do with this, I don’t want him under the same roof with us.”
“You’re right about that.” Suzie drove towards Carlene’s house. It was only a few minutes from the garage. When she parked, Mary stepped out of the car. Suzie stepped out as well and took a look around the house. After visiting the garage, she had a renewed desire to be cautious.
She squinted as sunlight bounced off the windshield of a nearby taxi and struck her in the eyes.