Eve Lloyd's A Deadline Cozy Mystery - Books 1 to 5

by Sonia Parin

  Matthew looked up from his camera. “Anxiety is her natural state of being.”

  “Like her resting heartbeat?”

  “Spot on. She’s trying to pre-empt Catherine’s needs.”

  “What if she misses something?”

  He scooped in a breath and pushed it out with a groan. “That’s asking for trouble. Trouble for not having had the hindsight to take care of everything, and trouble for making Catherine angry.”

  “So, Rachael is more of a personal assistant.”

  Matthew gave a slow nod. “She’s been taking care of Catherine for years. They both started in the business at the same time.”

  Eve considered the possibility of Rachael as a suspect. Rachael had a vested interest in Catherine’s well-being. She wouldn’t want anything to jeopardize it. She’d stop at nothing to prevent anything and anyone from upsetting Catherine.

  In Eve’s mind, that made her a prime suspect.

  And she’d been the first person on the scene, catching Eve with the murder weapon in hand.

  Eve mentally underlined Rachael’s name.

  “Does everyone know everyone here?”

  “We’ve all worked together at one time or another.”

  Her attention whipped toward the edge of the garden. David Davidson and Ricky Sheffield were talking together, both relying on hand gestures to get their point across. The producer seemed unhappy about something. He kept chopping the air with his hand. Ricky replied with an equally violent slash of his hand and shook his head.

  “Something is about to erupt,” Eve murmured.

  “Don’t say that. It’s as bad as wishing an actor good luck.”

  “What can they be arguing about?”

  He turned slightly to look at the producer and film director. “Production costs. I heard Ricky say he wanted to add a high speed chase to one of the scenes.”

  “Let me guess, David is a stickler for budgets. Did he argue with Randal Bergstrom about expenses?”

  Matthew laughed. “Argue? They had a punch up about it.”

  “When?” And why hadn’t she known about it?

  “Before we came to the island. A couple of days after we started filming. Randal wanted a new leading actor, someone with market appeal.”

  “Who is the leading man?”

  “Dan Kale.”

  Eve’s heart gave a little skip, her lips parted… She didn’t see anything wrong with his market appeal. A billboard idol and catwalk god, he’d made the transition to the silver screen cashing in on his good looks. Pity his choice of scripts had let him down…

  Matthew laughed. “Be still your heart?”

  “He is a bit of a heartthrob.” She looked around.

  “He’s not here. All his scenes have already been shot.”

  “So, you’re working on the final scenes here.”

  “No. These are the opening ones. Catherine’s character then moves to the city and meets her lover.”

  Lucky Catherine… “What happens if these scenes are not shot?”

  “No movie.”

  Could someone be trying to sabotage the film? Eve did a quick mental check of her mounting suspicions. She’d identified Rachael as a possible killer intent on keeping her boss, Catherine, happy. The producer, David, might have been determined to secure the success of the film by getting early publicity for it. The new director had become her easy target…

  In her opinion, he still had the most to gain.

  Ricky Sheffield called everyone’s attention with a brisk clap of his hands. “People. We’re losing daylight.”

  A flurry of action followed. Everyone seemed to know what to do and where to do it.

  Stepping back, Eve played around with a few theories. Someone had wanted to make sure the film succeeded by getting extra publicity. Knowing the director could be easily replaced they killed him and gained front-page headlines.

  Then there was the flip side of the coin. Someone wanted the film to fail, so they were trying to sabotage it. What if they didn’t stop at one murder?

  When Jack appeared, it was all she could talk about.

  “Slow down, Eve.”

  “If you’d bothered to return my calls, I wouldn’t have to talk a mile a minute. Now I have a backlog of stuff to tell you about. Not that you deserve to be kept up to date.”

  He gave her one of his brilliant smiles and discreetly brushed his hand along her back. “Are we allowed to talk? I wouldn’t want us to get kicked off the set.”

  “We’re far enough from the action... but just in case, let’s put more distance. That way we can talk without being overheard. As Jill would say, there are eyes and ears everywhere.” They strode over to the road and stood near one of the trailers.

  “How’s your new employee working out?”

  “Josh? You tell me. From what I can see, he’s been very busy sending you updates. Although, the hedge is looking tidier.” Eve indulged in a moment of comfortable silence. She’d never experienced that with a man before. In fact, her ex-husband used to fidget and shift around and then he’d come up with an excuse to leave the room or worse, he’d say something to ruin the moment.

  “And how are you enjoying running an inn?”

  “Are you trying to avoid talking about the case?”

  “I’m more interested in knowing how you’re doing.”

  She knew that but it never hurt to hear him say so. “I can’t wait to hire staff but it feels good to be busy. The crew love my food and they’re not shy about telling me.” Rachael being the exception, of course.

  “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  “The stylist doesn’t like me very much. Apparently, I’m tempting her into breaking her diet. I haven’t seen her scowling at me but I’m told that’s what she does when she sees me.”

  “And now that you know that...”

  Eve grinned. “I’m making extra tempting pastries.”

  “You’re an evil temptress. Watch your back.”

  Eve looked around them and noticed a few locals had come out to watch the day’s filming. One in particular caught her attention because the woman was watching her and Jack and not in a discreet way. Everyone else standing nearby had their attention fixed on the crew and the filming in progress while she stood at an angle facing them.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I just noticed one of my neighbors watching us. She owns the house across the street. She doesn’t look happy.”

  “Little does she know you’ve just added her to your list of suspects.”

  “And with good reason.”

  “What’s that?”

  Eve nibbled the edge of her lip. “I don’t know. It’ll come to me.” She hadn’t heard any complaints about making her house available for a film. The surrounding houses were mostly used as weekend getaways rather than permanent home bases. What if someone felt she’d disrupted their quiet time?

  “So what was so urgent you wanted me to drop everything and call you?”

  She swung toward him. “Oh, yes.” Eve forgot about being annoyed with Jack for withholding information and told him about the pair of men’s shoes she’d found outside the kitchen.

  “How can you be sure they belonged to Randal?”

  Eve smiled and gave him a slanted eye look. “That’s your job, detective. And yes, I am keeping my nose clean. Not that I ever go out of my way to interfere. I’m far too busy to do that.”

  “And is your job getting any easier? You have a new guest now.”

  “So far, so good. Ricky Sheffield’s very tidy. I have a new theory of motive. I’m beginning to suspect he had a hand in Randal’s death because he, in my opinion, wanted Catherine back in his life and also, he wanted to get back into directing her in films. That all stopped when they got divorced.”

  “So now you’re imagining him paying someone to get rid of Randal.”

  “Or doing the deed himself. He hasn’t worked in a couple of years. Jill’s done extensive research on-line
and she didn’t find anything. I also suspect Catherine’s personal assistant, Rachael. She’s extremely protective. Have I left anyone out?”

  “Where is Jill? I don’t see her anywhere.”

  “She’s over by…” Eve sent her gaze flying across the yard. She’d last seen Jill standing near Rachael, possibly wanting to pick up a thread of conversation the stylist had been having with one of the film crew.

  “I see Josh,” Jack said.

  Eve thought about mothers losing children in malls and suddenly understood their panic.

  “I told her to stay near me.”

  “All right. Let’s stay calm.”

  “Thank you. If you’d told me to not panic I think I would have hit you.”

  Jack took hold of her elbow and guided her toward the front of the house. “We have to stay out of camera shot or risk drawing attention to ourselves. Ricky Sheffield strikes me as the type who doesn’t suffer fools. He’s likely to chew our heads off if we ruin his shot.”

  “Are you talking as a way to keep me calm and distracted?”

  “Is it working?”

  “No.”

  “Then you say something. Studies show you can’t entertain two thoughts at once so the more you talk, the less you’ll think about Jill missing.”

  “What if I can only talk about Jill missing?”

  “What’s for dinner?” he asked.

  “How do you expect me to think about feeding people when Jill might be in danger?”

  “If you don’t try, I’ll handcuff you to the squad car.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Would you like to test me?”

  “I would, just to prove that you’d never risk tying me up and making me a vulnerable target.” Eve inhaled a deep breath. “Okay, it’s working. I’m feeling calmer.”

  “We’ll start downstairs and work our way up.”

  “Shouldn’t you call for backup?”

  “I signaled Josh to go around the back of the house.”

  “Does he know who we’re looking for?”

  “No need to worry him unnecessarily.”

  They didn’t find her in the kitchen. Climbing the stairs, Eve struggled to keep her breath steady.

  “Stay behind me.”

  They checked room after room. Still no sign of Jill. Then Jack’s cell beeped.

  Jack grabbed hold of Eve’s hand and rushed them both downstairs. “She’s out the back. Are you going to stay calm?”

  She gave a sharp nod.

  They burst out through the back door and saw Jill crouched down on the back steps, her head bent over. Josh knelt by her side, his hands on her thighs.

  “What happened?” Eve asked coming to a breathless stop and falling to her knees next to her.

  “Someone hit me.”

  “Where?”

  “They mostly got my shoulder but I think they were aiming for my head… only I happened to turn. I can’t remember what prompted me to move. Lucky I did.” Jill kicked the log lying at her feet. “That could have done some serious damage.”

  “Who was it?”

  “I didn’t see. They gave me a shove and I fell and that’s when I hit my head on the back step. When I looked up, there was no one there.”

  Eve frowned and looked up. “Jack.”

  “Yes?”

  She pointed at Jill’s sweater. It was a light shade of pink. “I’m wearing a pink sweater too. Do you think someone mistook Jill for me?”

  Jill looked up. “Are you saying that blow was meant for you?”

  “I’m sure it was.”

  Jill cringed. “Then you owe me. That hurt.”

  “That must have been quite a blow for you to say that.”

  “I knew this day would come.” Jill grinned. “Life was so boring before you came to the island.”

  “Did you see anyone suspicious, Josh?”

  He shook his head.

  “There are quite a few spectators gathered outside the house. Whoever assaulted Jill could be right there, now, watching. Waiting. Anything you can remember will be useful.”

  “Eve, I think that’s my line,” Jack said.

  “A shadow,” Jill said. “I caught sight of a shadow. That’s why I turned.”

  “Slim? Bulky? Male? Female?”

  “Might have been a woman,” Jill exclaimed.

  “Did she wear a fragrance? Hairspray. Perfume. Soap?”

  Jill crinkled her nose. “Mothballs.” She groaned. “I hope that’s not a sign of brain damage. I read somewhere that strange smells can point to the presence of a brain tumor.”

  “Mothballs,” Eve murmured. “Someone must have been wearing an item of clothing they’ve kept in storage for a while. Someone who only comes to the island on weekends.” Eve shot to her feet.

  “Eve.” Jack tried to stop her but Eve only hurried her steps.

  “It had to have been the neighbor I saw glaring at me.” When she reached the edge of the house she stopped and looked at the spectators standing on the opposite side of the street.

  “Is she there?”

  She nodded. The woman appeared to be standing in the same spot…

  “Then it couldn’t be her.”

  “You’re right. I doubt she took her eyes off me the whole time we were standing there. I wish I’d taken the time to meet and greet all my neighbors. So far, that woman is the only one I’ve encountered and only from a distance. Every time she sees me she appears to huff out a breath of disapproval.”

  “Did you receive any objections to setting up an inn?” Jack asked.

  “No. You would have heard about it if I had.” Eve swung toward Jack. “Someone wants to hurt me, Jack. And now I’m thinking they killed Randal by mistake.”

  Chapter Six

  “I’m the target.”

  “And yet I’m the one holding an icepack to my head.”

  Eve wagged a finger at Jill. “I told you to stick close to me.”

  “There’s something wrong with your reasoning. If you’re the target, I’m hardly going to help my cause to stay alive by sticking close to you. I’m not just locking my bedroom door tonight, I’m putting the heaviest piece of furniture I can push against it.”

  Eve tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “I’ve moved Josh to the bedroom next to yours. It has a connecting door.”

  “I think I’d feel more comfortable if you left a trail leading to your door and put up a neon sign outside it.”

  Eve glanced at her. “Are you suggesting I set a trap?”

  “Please keep your eyes on the road. And I was only thinking of taking steps to divert the killer away from me, but if you want to set up a trap, I’m all for it.”

  “You never have been in the past.”

  Smiling, Jill waved the icepack at her.

  Eve raked her fingers through her hair. “No, it won’t work.”

  “I was kidding, Eve. You don’t think I’d seriously suggest you lure a killer to your bedroom…”

  “Still… it wouldn’t work because there are guests in the house and I can’t put them at risk.”

  “I’m actually surprised Jack hasn’t moved in.”

  “And I’m surprised you weren’t kept in hospital overnight.”

  “The blow only grazed my head.”

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight. That’s final.” Eve checked her watch. “Luckily everyone’s gone into town for dinner, so we get to have the night off. How about I make you your favorite pizza or, if you’re up to it, we can go out.”

  “Pizza sounds good. And with everyone out, we can regroup and evaluate the information we have.”

  When they arrived at the inn, the place looked deserted. All the lights were out in the house and the film crew’s trailers. Eve wished they’d gone into town. In the past, they’d been able to overhear snippets of information by following their suspects to restaurants. But Jill had a point. They needed to go over what little information they had.

  “I’ll get the pizza doug
h happening.” She set up her ingredients on the kitchen counter while Jill settled on a stool on the opposite side.

  The sound of footsteps had them both stilling and looking up. Eve glanced at Jill and nudged her head to signal she should move closer to her. If they had to, they could run out the back door.

  She didn’t think twice before grabbing her cook’s knife.

  Jill frowned and mouthed, “Really?”

  Eve gave a stiff nod. Yes, she thought. Really. She might not use a knife to defend herself, but it could come in handy as a deterrent. A killer would think twice before lunging at an armed target.

  The footsteps drew closer. They sounded cautious. Measured. Threatening…

  Both Eve and Jill stiffened.

  What now? Eve thought. Surely the killer had accomplished what he’d set out to do. How many more deaths did they need to clock up?

  “Hello?”

  Josh.

  Jill and Eve breathed out their relief.

  “Josh. You should know better than to sneak up on us,” Jill complained.

  Josh Matthews stared at them, his eyes wide with innocence. “I heard you come in. I’m surprised they released you so soon. How are you feeling, Jill?”

  “I’m fine. Can’t say the same about my thumping heart. For future reference, try not to sound like a killer on the prowl. I’ve never heard such menacing footsteps.”

  “Sorry. My mind was on my grumbling stomach. I’ve been listening to it for the past hour.”

  “Why didn’t you get yourself something to eat?”

  “I know how Eve feels about people in her kitchen. Now that you’re back, I thought I’d come down to see if I could grab something to eat.” He looked at Eve and frowned. “Why are you holding a knife?”

  “Because… because I’m making pizza and… I’m slicing mushrooms.”

  “Can I help?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. Rolling up his sleeves, he washed his hands and got busy preparing the vegetables.

  Eve exchanged a look with Jill and shrugged. “If you don’t mind, we were going to talk about the case.”