by Polly Holmes
Café manager? Good for you, Alexandra. “So she has never raised her voice or shown a temper in the workplace?” Dalton stopped by his car and fussed around in his pockets, looking for his keys. “Mr Miller?”
Frustration grew in Kayne’s belly. Ignoring him was not an option. “Mr Miller, I’ll ask you one more time. Has Alexandra ever raised her voice or shown a temper in the workplace?”
“Okay, if you must know. Yes,” Dalton snapped.
Dalton’s words were like a punch to his gut and his words stuck in the back of his throat.
“Alex was on close Saturday evening and just before I was leaving, Marcus decided to show up demanding some items from Alex and she refused to give them to him. She asked him to leave and he refused.”
“Then what happened?”
Dalton continued. “I want you to understand that this in no way proves Alex a murderer. Everyone loses their temper once in a while if pushed too far.”
But could she be pushed to murder? “What happened, Mr Miller?”
“Alex and Marcus had some choice words privately and then I had him escorted from the premises. When I asked her if she needed help dealing with him, she said… I think it was, ‘No, it’s something I need to deal with myself and believe me I will.’ And then I left.”
“And what time did you leave?”
“Around nine, I think it was. Mish had called in sick, so Alex did close that night.” Dalton opened his car and tossed his bag on the seat. “If that will be all, I really must get to the doctor’s.”
“Yes, thank you for your time.” Kayne stood and watched Dalton drive away in his sassy, blood-red BMW convertible. Kayne’s mind raced with this new information.
Saturday evening… Phone call…
No, it’s something I need to deal with myself and believe me I will.
Oh, Alexandra, did Marcus push you too far? Please tell me I didn’t just make a dinner date with the number one suspect?
Chapter Eight
PINS AND NEEDLES pricked Kayne’s hands as he leant against his car. Conflicting emotions tossed around in his gut like a spinning wheel. He was a pretty good judge of character, but every time he thought he had worked Alex out another obstacle was thrown in his path. He knew in his heart Alex was innocent. “If Dalton left as he said and Alex didn’t make the phone call Saturday night, who did?” The vibration in his groin snapped Kayne back to the present.
“Kayne Pendleton.”
“Kayne, its Robert. We’ve found something.”
Kayne’s back stiffened and he pushed off his car. Something good or something bad? “I’m listening.”
“It seems Mason Hapworth didn’t take too kindly to the way Marcus was treating Alex,” said Robert.
Mason Hapworth? Kayne squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. The more pieces to the puzzle they uncovered, the more his head pounded. “What are you talking about?”
“As you know, we appropriated Marcus Slades’ computer early this morning from his apartment and the guys in IT have been working non-stop, trying to find one shred of information to help fast track this investigation. They struck gold. They found a somewhat threatening email from Mason Hapworth. He’s good, he’d done his darndest to hide who sent it, but our guys are better.”
Kayne pulled out his car keys, a new wave of hope began to sink the growing doubt in his gut. “Sounds like a good lead.”
“I’ve just about finished my lunch so I’ll grab Clint and head over to CC’s Cupcake Haven for a chat with Mr Hapworth. I have it on good authority that he will be there this afternoon.”
The sooner they got to the bottom of this murder, the sooner he and Alex could get their relationship back on track. That’s if there was even a relationship there to begin with. Kayne opened the car with purpose. “Listen, Robert, I’ll do it. I’m not far away and the cupcake haven is on my way back into town. I’ll stop and question Mason and fill you in when I get back.” Silence greeted his words. “Robert? You still there?”
“Yeah. I was just thinking that maybe someone should go with you?”
Kayne puffed his cheeks out and blew out a long breath of air. “I think I can handle this by myself. It’s just a friendly discussion about an email and if he decides to cause me any problems I’ll call for back up. I’m the one with the gun, remember. Now flick me the email so I know what I’m talking about.”
“How about I meet you there? That way if he causes any issues you’ll have back up,” Robert said in a stern I’m-not-giving-in tone.
“Point taken. I’ll see you there in twenty,” Kayne said and hung up. A lively band of wind chimes echoed from his hand as Robert’s email arrived. Kayne’s eyes narrowed and a smile edged the corner of his mouth as he scanned Mason’s words.
Listen here, you pathetic excuse for a man. You’ve caused Alex enough pain and hurt over the past two weeks to last her a lifetime. I’m only going to ask you once. LEAVE ALEX COHEN ALONE. If you come near her, threaten her, try to talk or even look in her direction, your life will not be worth living. I’ll make sure you never hurt another woman for as long as I live. Ignore my warning and pay the consequences. Your choice!!
Gotcha. I’d like to see you get out of this one.
Kayne drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He took a deep breath of warm sea air and squelched the spark of annoyance he felt. He’d been parked just down from CC’s Cupcake Haven for thirty-five minutes and still no sign of Robert. He’d called his mobile. No answer. Kayne’s brows knitted together. “Where are you?”
He wasn’t usually an impatient man, but he wasn’t prepared to let Mason slip through his fingers. He’d seen Mason head inside just as he pulled up, but for how long? Clair had bought the old, rundown Sweets mansion and Cassidy had done an amazing job of transforming it into a cupcake paradise fit for a princess. He sat and watched tourist after tourist grace its steps, each exiting with boxes of cupcakes. They had even gotten into the festive spirit by erecting a large pine Christmas tree in the front garden. Another superb tree from Joe’s Christmas tree farm, he suspected.
He glanced impatiently at his watch once more. Forty minutes. He hoped Robert had a good explanation for standing him up. “Mason’s not going to wait forever. Besides, he’s not going to try anything with a shop full of customers.” He opened the door and headed toward the main entrance of the mansion. “Here I come, ready or not.”
Children’s playful antics filled the front lawn and mixed with adult laughter. Kayne suddenly felt out of place in his police uniform. The afternoon breeze danced in the gum trees next to the mansion. It was as if they were humming Christmas carols while the children played at their feet. A flashing neon “Santa Stop Here” sign was planted right in front of the steps. His big feet took the stairs two at a time. He was eager to get answers. The air buzzed around him as he entered the main serving area, the bold pungent scent of coffee beans tickled his nostrils. Delicious. No harm in feeding his coffee addiction while he was here.
Clair’s sweet voice broke through his daze. “Kayne, I didn’t expect to see you. What can I get you?”
He nodded in her direction acknowledging her greeting. “I’ll take a short black, but first I’d like to have a word with Mason. Is he around?”
Clair brushed wisps of stray hair off her face with the back of her palm. An obvious sign of a busy morning. “Sure, he’s out back in the kitchen. Why don’t you head on out and I’ll bring your coffee through after I sort these few customers?”
“Thanks. Much appreciated,” Kayne said as he weaved through the crowded room toward the kitchen smiling at enthusiastic cupcake eaters as he went. Mason stood at the fridge, the door wide open, surveying the contents like he was deciding on his last meal. Time ticked away, each second reminding Kayne of his reason for being there. “Mr Hapworth.”
Mason jumped clean off the floor. Kayne’s eyebrows shot up. Suspicious behaviour? Maybe, especially for someone just checking out the contents of a fridge.
“My apologies.”
Mason closed the fridge door. “What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to ask you a few questions about a certain email sent to Marcus Slade.” Mason’s face fell and his eyes darkened. A frigid chill washed over the room and a shiver settled in the base of his neck. “Would you know anything about that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mason said shrugging. He busied himself with the contents of the fridge once more.
Kayne stood his ground by the entrance. Annoyance began to creep into his bones. “Really? So you know nothing about an email threatening Marcus Slade. Strange, since it came from your computer.”
A semi-nervous giggle escaped Mason’s lips. “My computer? You must be mistaken.”
“Oh, come off it, Mason. We both know you’re a computer whiz and thought that we wouldn’t be able to trace it back to you. I guess you figured you were too good. News flash. We’re better. I’m just wondering if you stopped at the email or decided to go all the way. If you got rid of Alex’s problem permanently. After all, silencing Marcus would have made you the hero.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Clair snapped from behind Kayne, a steaming hot coffee in hand. “Mason wouldn’t hurt Marcus, nor would he write a silly email threatening him.”
Kayne spun and looked past Clair into the ice-blue eyes of Robert. His questioning gaze and thinned lips drilled into Kayne. Great, this isn’t going to end well.
“Why do you say that, Clair?” Robert asked.
She placed the coffee on the table and turned to face Robert square on. “Why would he?”
Sweat beaded Mason’s forehead and a spark of triumph wormed its way into Kayne’s gut. “Why would he, indeed? Do you want to explain or should we?”
Mason stared Kayne down as if to say “I dare you. It’s your head on the chopping block not mine.”
Kayne whipped out his phone and began to read. “Listen here, you pathetic excuse for a man. You’ve caused Alex enough pain—”
“Stop. Okay, okay. Yes, I wrote the email,” Mason said. He sighed, throwing his hands up in the air, exasperated. “But I had nothing to do with his murder.”
Clair paled. “Mason, what did you do?”
“Nothing, I swear. I sent an email to warn him to stay away from Alex. It was just supposed to scare him away, that’s all.” Mason cupped Clair’s hands in his. “I hate seeing you upset and the more Alex got upset the more you did. I thought I did a pretty good job of covering my tracks.”
Robert piped up. “You’re good, Mason. It was hard to trace but we got there in the end. So did you decide to take it one step further and silence Marcus for good?”
“No. I most certainly did not. Besides I was nowhere near the fair when it happened.”
Kayne’s brow creased. “So you have an alibi?”
“Yes, Stella Rosamund, my late father’s partner, had called during the week about a few boxes of my father’s possessions still left in her house. We arranged for me to pop over and get them Sunday evening at six-thirty. I must have been there from about four-thirty and I only arrived back at Clair’s place about fifteen minutes before Alex rang from the police station.”
Robert huffed. “So you’re asking us to believe you were with a woman who lied about being married to your father, just so she could get his life insurance.”
“I know it sounds bad, but it’s the truth.” Mason snapped, folding his arms across his chest. “It’s the truth and I can prove it.”
“Go on,” Kayne said.
“On my way back to Clair’s, I stopped for fuel around seven forty-five at the Petrol Mart up on Wentworth street. Which means there is no way I could make it to the fair to kill Marcus and back to Clair’s by eight-fifteen.”
Are you for real? Kayne thought. He could no longer stomach the sickly sweet smell wafting in from the shop. That blows Mason right out of the water as a suspect. If his alibi checks out. “I see. I’m sure you know that we’ll be checking with Stella and the Petrol Mart to corroborate your story.”
Mason nodded. “Please do. Now if there will be nothing else, I think you’ve wasted enough of my time and certainly Clair’s.”
An annoyed glint sparked in Robert’s eyes. “Yes, that will be all for now. I’m sure you’ve heard this before but don’t leave town in case you are needed for further questioning.” He looked at Kayne. “Let’s go.”
Mason may have squirmed his way out of this one, but Kayne knew there was an answer out there to prove Alex had nothing to do with the murder. He’d do his hardest to find it before she paid the price. Kayne followed Robert out and he felt his stomach drop at the impending conversation. He rolled his shoulders back and followed him out ready to face the music.
Chapter Nine
ALEX HUMMED AS she headed back into town toward The Chronicle. She licked her lips, wiping Charlotte’s sweet strawberry icing from her lower lip. Her stomach rumbled just as she left the café and she couldn’t resist buying the last strawberry and chocolate cupcake sitting all alone in the display cabinet. Neglect wasn’t in her bones. She giggled to herself. While her stomach thanked her, her hips would no doubt regret it later.
She swerved her cornflower blue Honda Civic into a spot right outside The Chronicle behind Daniel’s white Hyundai.
“Ha, gotcha now.” Daniel wasn’t going to get away this time.
She knocked on the door and tried the handle. Success. Peering in, she spotted Daniel at his desk engrossed in whatever was on his computer screen. He hadn’t even heard her enter. Irritation bloomed in her chest and she started drumming her finger nails incessantly on the countertop, waiting to be acknowledged. How Suzi puts up with you I’ll never know.
His head peeped over the top of his screen. Joining her at the counter, he asked, “Alex, what are you doing here?”
Her back stiffened. “Didn’t you get my message?”
His forehead wrinkled. “Message?”
Alex huffed. “Yes, I left a message with Katie this morning to say I would be calling in on my way home after I finished at work. Didn’t you get it?”
“Wait a minute.” Daniel shuffled back to his desk and picked up a bunch of pink and blue Post-it notes. He smiled holding a pink one mid-air. “Here is it. Yes, Katie gave it to me. What can I do for you?”
Do for me? You can start by printing facts, not fiction. “Well, apart from the fact that you plastered me all over the front page today, virtually accusing me of murdering Marcus.”
He held up his hands in defence. “Ah, no I didn’t. Thanks to the McCorrson’s I’ve learnt my lesson. I didn’t say you murdered him, I maybe eluded to the fact that he was found in your kissing booth and someone gave him the kiss of death. And I may have mentioned it could be you, as it was your booth, but I didn’t accuse you of murder.”
“What?” She exclaimed. Exasperated, she threw her hands up in the air. “It’s the same thing, Daniel. You could have left me out all together and just printed the facts.”
“That would have made for a very boring article, wouldn’t it? How am I going to sell papers that way?”
She squeezed her lips together and sucked deep breaths in and out of her nose. Frustration curled in her gut and she struggled to maintain her composure. “Listen, Daniel, I’d appreciate it if you would keep my name out of the headlines in future.”
“I write what the story is,” he said, leaning on the edge of the counter.
Alex leant in closer, her tense body not far from his. “In that case, how about you tell me all you know about the mysterious dark-haired woman who was talking to Marcus. And about your source? Maybe she has the answers I need.”
He straightened. “A good reporter never reveals their source.”
“Oh, come on, Daniel.” Heat filled her cheeks. “You know she could hold the key to the murder.”
“I’m not
telling. As I said, a good reporter never reveals their source.”
Frustration seethed in her belly. Alex wanted nothing more than to knock some sense into the man with her bare hands, but she held her temper in check. Refusing to give in, she bombarded him with question after question. “Are you meeting them again? What other information do they have? Who were they? Where did they see her? I want to know details, Daniel. Tell me everything.”
She edged her body closer as she continued. “Did they spot Marcus talking to anyone else? What else do they have on this mystery woman? Do they have any other information of people associated with Marcus?”
“Okay, okay, you win. Gee, you’re relentless.” He paused deflated.
Triumph knocked her frustration on its head and she beamed success. “You bet I am, especially when it comes to uncovering the truth.”
“It was me.”
Alex pulled back, her eyes raised in disbelief. “What do you mean? You?”
“I’m the source. I saw Marcus talking with the woman. They were hidden behind the Ferris wheel ticket booth around five o’clock.”
Mmmm, five o’clock. That’s about three hours after his argument with Hannah. I wonder if the two are related in any way?
Daniel paused shaking his head. “She was a pretty woman, but I gotta say, it didn’t look like she was very happy with him.”
“Of course she wasn’t.” Just another woman to add to the list Marcus duped. Me, Hannah and now this dark-haired beauty. “For goodness sake, why didn’t you print that? The police could be trying to find her.”
He balked at her suggestion. “Don’t be crazy. I’ve got to make it last more than one day. At least.”
“Seriously?” Alex said, mortified at his shameless words. He was playing with people’s lives for money. “Okay, spill. I want to know all there is to know about their interaction.”
Daniel sighed and finally spoke, Alex hanging off every word. “Well, I was out and about, interviewing tourists for the Christmas Fair review and purely by accident I stumbled across their animated discussion. I think they thought they were being discreet.” He smiled, chuffed at himself. “But the reporter in me can spot a hot story a mile away.”