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

by Sonia Parin

  “I didn’t actually say that. I came up. She wasn’t in her room so I was making my way down to look for her.”

  “You could have said so.” Eve didn’t want to entertain worst-case scenarios but they filled her mind. She rushed down the stairs and out the front door. Marina’s car was still parked outside. “She can’t be far. Maybe she went for a walk down to the beach.” The sun hadn’t set yet, but it wouldn’t be long now.

  Reaching the shore, they found the beach deserted. “Let’s walk on a bit. She might be over the other side of the breakwater.”

  “I’m getting a bad feeling, Eve. What if something’s happened to her?”

  “Snap out of it, Jill. You’re usually the one to prop me up when I cave in to feelings of dread.”

  “Can’t help it. It’s in my gut and it won’t shift. Also, if something’s happened to her, Jack is definitely closing your house up. That’ll be the end of it. We won’t be able to keep track of anyone.”

  Eve looked over her shoulder. Matthew trailed behind them but he appeared to be dragging his feet. Almost, Eve thought, as if he knew they wouldn’t find Marina out here.

  Had he really been looking for Marina or had he been looking for something in her room?

  “What’s that?” Jill’s arm shot out, her finger jabbing the air as she pointed toward the end of the breakwater.

  “Seaweed.”

  “How can you tell? We’re too far. I should have brought Mischief and Mr. Magoo with me. They would have found her in no time.”

  “Because she’s a tasty morsel?”

  “Be serious, Eve.”

  “You’re stealing my lines.” They hurried their steps.

  “You were right.” Jill kicked the mound of seaweed and looked out to sea.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Jill. You think she walked into the water and sunk?”

  “Hey, I was assaulted. What if someone hit her on the head and pushed her into the water.”

  “She’d be floating and we’d be able to spot her. And what possible reason would someone have for wanting to kill her? Come on, we should head back and alert Jack.”

  Shaking off the sand from her shoes, Eve looked up and saw Jack talking with Rachael. She didn’t look happy. “I think Jack found the culprit.” She looked at Matthew to see what he’d do. When he looked around him she suspected he might be looking for a way out. “Is there something you want to tell us, Matthew?”

  “It’s not what it looks like.”

  “You’ve already used that excuse.” Now he looked nervous. “Whatever you’ve done, you should own up to it now before it’s too late and they force a confession out of you.”

  “It wasn’t even my idea. She didn’t give me a choice.”

  Eve smiled. “I didn’t think you’d cave in so easily. I must be getting good at this. Who’s she? Rachael?”

  He shook his head.

  “Not Rachael? But I saw her signaling to you.”

  He leaned in and whispered, “Marina. She’s got us keeping an eye on Catherine. If the star goes off the rails, then everything crumbles.” He pushed out a hard breath and strode off toward Jack.

  “Well, that’s a relief. I wondered what you’d do if he made a run for it,” Jill said.

  “So, it’s suddenly me, not us?”

  “You know I’ve got your back.”

  People had either come outside out of curiosity or the police had herded them out. They approached a group Eve knew had been inside having their dinner.

  “What’s going on?” Eve asked innocently.

  “We’re being searched.”

  “For what?”

  “They won’t say. Ricky’s about to come to blows with one of the detectives.”

  Mason stood near the front porch with Ricky Sheffield. Their voices carried enough for them to hear Ricky threatening to sue for interrupting his filming which was strange because they’d already packed up for the day.

  Did that mean they were about to haul someone away?

  “They’re going into Rachael’s trailer.”

  Matthew had caught up with them and stood by the door talking with Jack.

  “Whatever they’re doing they’ll have to postpone it. I need Jack onboard with my missing guest.”

  Jill grabbed her arm and shook it. “Hang on.” She nudged her head toward the street.

  “What?”

  “That’s your neighbor’s BMW driving up and she has a passenger.”

  The car pulled into Mrs. Harvey’s house.

  “It’s Marina. What on earth is she doing with my neighbor? And look at them, chatting like old friends.”

  “They’re probably on first name terms,” Jill teased.

  “But she’s only just arrived on the island,” Eve grumbled.

  “Birds of a feather flock together.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Jill shrugged. “It’s obvious. Some people click straightaway.”

  Eve stabbed her finger in the direction of Mrs. Harvey. “Nothing can justify the instant dislike she took to me.”

  “Don’t feel so bad, Eve. They might have gone to the same alma mater or belonged to the same sorority. You never know.”

  “I took her muffins, which she didn’t eat or even accept. If I get murdered in my sleep, please make sure Jack knows about this. Those two are up to no good. What if my neighbor is enlisting Marina’s help?”

  “To do what?”

  “It’s obvious. Marina has access to the house. Mrs. Harvey doesn’t like me. How do I know she doesn’t have homicidal tendencies?”

  “Here comes Jack. You can tell him yourself.”

  She was surprised to see Rachael and Matthew weren’t being taken away for further questioning.

  “Are you done with them?” she asked him.

  Jack nodded. “They’re in the clear.”

  “What does that mean? They installed a camera in my pantry… without my permission.”

  “Extreme measures.”

  “What?”

  “Let’s go inside and talk.”

  “Wait. What about the camera across the street?”

  “Mason’s looking into it.”

  They settled at the kitchen table. It took all her willpower to sit still and listen.

  “Rachael set up the camera to try to catch Catherine in the act of breaking her strict diet.”

  “And? Did you see anything? Did they get any images of Randal?”

  “We have to wait until our lab people access the footage. Rachael set up the camera but she couldn’t work out how to access the link.”

  “That’s a likely story.”

  “We’re giving her the benefit of the doubt.”

  “Why? Did she come across as all helpless and vulnerable? Let me tell you, she’s none of those things.”

  “We have to follow procedure. At this stage, I have no reason to take her in. Any other instructions?”

  “Yes. I hope you’re planning a date to make up for all this. It’ll have to be something really good because I’ve decided I’m going to take a break and join Mira on one of her cruises. This has all been too much.”

  Jill smiled. “At least you’re being optimistic, Eve, and planning ahead.”

  “I’m going to fake it until I make it through all this. Like you said, what I think about I bring about. If I focus on a date and the cruise, it’s all bound to unfold perfectly.”

  “A cruise sounds marvelous. I’ve never been on one. I wonder how much trouble you’ll get into? Maybe I should come along.” Jill exchanged a smile with Jack.

  Eve’s mouth gaped open. “You’re enjoying this. If anything happens I’ll be sure to mention how you brought it up first.”

  “Okay. I won’t talk about anything going wrong, but we should give some thought to our luggage. What does one take on a cruise?”

  “Lots of swim wear and evening clothes and…” Eve stretched. “What else should I pack?”

  Jack grinned. “Cannol
i.”

  “Ugh?”

  “Leave the gun, take the cannoli. It’s from The Godfather.”

  Eve’s lips quirked up. She gave herself a moment to enjoy the amusement dancing in Jack’s eyes. “I’m going to let that one pass, but only because I have a healthy sense of humor and I’m not shy about laughing at myself.”

  Just then Mason Lars strode in.

  Eve tried to interpret the exchange of looks between the two men but couldn’t read anything into it. So she took a stab. “Bad news?”

  “Mrs. Harvey refused access to the camera.”

  “But I thought you had a search warrant.”

  “For the trailers. I couldn’t get the judge to agree to giving me one for Mrs. Harvey just yet,” Jack said. “He was going to think it over.”

  “Has she never heard of civic duty?” Eve asked. “Doesn’t she realize she could help the investigation? What is wrong with that woman?”

  “Everything,” Jill said. “She doesn’t like muffins. I can understand having a preference for muffin tops but to dismiss them altogether… I’d put her at the top of your suspect list, Eve.”

  “She put herself there. That’s suspicious behavior that needs to be looked into, Jack.”

  “I’ll get onto it straight away.” He managed to hold a serious expression for another second and then laughed. “Any chance of getting a bite to eat?”

  “What about the footage you got from Rachael and her nanny cam?”

  “That’s all in the hands of our lab people. Now all I can do is wait… and catch up on my missed meals.”

  Mason’s phone beeped.

  Jack looked up. Nodding, he stood up. “I think I’ll have to take a rain check on that meal.”

  “You’ll let me know if you’ve found something… anything that could possibly put my life in danger?”

  He quirked his eyebrow up.

  “It was worth a shot.”

  “Eve, try to take your mind off all this and enjoy planning your cruise.”

  She would, but first she’d have to double-check with Mira. What if she’d changed her mind about inviting Eve along? After all, she’d clocked up three murder investigations. This was her third strike. There might be no turning back from this.

  “I wonder if there are on-line course for detectives?” she murmured under her breath.

  Eve strode outside to check she hadn’t left anything there. The crew had been well behaved, bringing empty cups and plates up to the front porch, but it was her job to bring everything inside.

  “I think we could’ve done without that disruption.”

  She swung around. Ricky Sheffield sat on the swing chair, his long legs stretched out, his eyes lazily sweeping around her.

  “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”

  “Bringing in the police.”

  “They were here to do their job. In case you’ve forgotten, Randal Bergstrom was killed and they need to find the culprit.”

  “You think one of my crew did it?”

  “It’s not my job to point fingers and one of your crew installed a camera inside my house without my permission. The police had to look into it in case it could provide evidence.”

  “And did it?”

  “Are you worried?”

  “I have no reason to be.” He made a smooth sailing motion with his hand. “I’m here to finish a film. It’s my job to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

  “It must feel good to be back in the game. I hear you weren’t doing so well before.”

  “I was taking time out.”

  Detecting a hint of defensiveness, she wondered how to use it to her advantage. Maybe she needed to acquire a killer instinct herself. Go for the jugular. “Your good fortune comes at the expense of someone’s life. That can’t be a good feeling.”

  “I’m not jumping for joy.” He sat up. “Like I said, I’m here to finish a job and I can’t have anyone interfering with it. That includes you. In future, if you have any problems with one of my crew, come to me first.”

  “That’s not how it works.” Eve squared her shoulders. “Anyway, what would you have done? Swept it all under the carpet because you have a movie to finish?”

  “It was a misunderstanding. Nothing else.”

  “It was also highly illegal. You’re lucky I’m not pressing charges.”

  He surged to his feet and strode toward her, his steps lazy to match his lazy smile. “That’s a seriously dangerous attitude you have. It could land you in a lot of trouble.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “Consider it a friendly warning. After all, there is a killer still at large. What if they take exception to you meddling where you shouldn’t? They might not be as considerate as me.”

  He didn’t wait for a reply. Not that she had one. Eve watched him stride back inside, his steps easy because he didn’t have a care in the world. Everything had been served to him on a silver platter.

  “That’s one person I wouldn’t mess with.”

  Eve scooped in a breath for fortitude and turned. Matthew… What now? “Why? Does he have a history of violence?”

  “He has a hunger for success. It’s something he lacked before.”

  “And he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.”

  “You said it.”

  Yes, she had. But had Matthew intended for her to reach that conclusion and perhaps view Ricky Sheffield as a possible suspect?

  “You’re out and about late. Is your conscience bothering you?”

  His soft laughter sounded nervous. “Putting the cam inside was harmless. Rachael takes her job seriously. She can’t help it if Catherine behaves like a two year old.”

  “I’d take more care. What if the police find something in the footage? The killer doesn’t know Rachael didn’t watch it. You might want to warn her to secure the door and windows of her trailer.” Eve caught sight of movement across the street. Her neighbor was keeping watch. Because she feared for her safety or because she was waiting to strike again?

  Others were watching too. She noticed several curtains shifting and a trailer door being nudged open a crack.

  “So Rachael acts as Catherine’s minder. How far is she willing to go for her?”

  “She doesn’t have a reason to get rid of Randal.”

  “You say that, but do you believe it? We don’t really know what goes on in the mind of someone obsessed with taking care of business for Catherine. I think it would drive me over the edge. But that’s just me. I don’t really deal well with demanding people.”

  He looked away then back at her. “You’re about to open an inn. Shouldn’t tolerance be your forte?”

  “I’ll be hiring someone to take care of… the more difficult aspects of this business.”

  He grinned. “Someone willing to do all the dirty work for you?”

  What if Rachael had seen Randal as a detriment to Catherine’s life? She wouldn’t necessarily consult with Catherine. She’d be the type to take matters into her own hands…

  Eve imagined Rachael wouldn’t stop there. She’d also be adept at cleaning up after herself… tying up loose ends…

  Fixing her mistakes.

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Jill strode into the kitchen yawning.

  “That yawn is a silent scream for coffee.” Eve set her newspaper down and got up to pour her a cup. “I see you made it through the night.”

  “If you were concerned, why didn’t you didn’t come up to check on me?”

  “I didn’t have to. I heard you pushing furniture around. I guess you were serious about barricading yourself in your room at night.”

  “I never kid about safety.” Jill frowned.

  “What?” Eve looked down at herself. “Did I spill food on myself?”

  “We’re color coordinated again. When did that start happening?”

  They were both wearing light blue sweaters and jeans… “I’ll go change after breakfast. We can’t have the k
iller mistaking you for me again.”

  “They must be myopic. You’re a few inches taller than me.”

  “Either that or they never paid much attention to me.” She tilted her head in thought.

  “What?”

  “Those sort of off the cuff remarks tend to lead to something. Some people can be incredibly dismissive. If you don’t serve a purpose, then you become invisible to them.”

  “And you think that’s why my attacker mistook me for you?”

  “It’s possible. They might have seen me wearing pink and that would have been enough of a guide for them. I don’t think people with a violent streak stop to reason and think things through.”

  Jill took the cup of coffee Eve offered. “Yum. Blueberry muffins. Any news about the footage?”

  “I had a missed called from Jack but he didn’t leave a message.”

  “At least that’s something. So what else has been happening?”

  “I’ve spent the last hour peering out the window. They’re filming out on the beach this morning. Every time I see Matthew he’s talking with Rachael. I haven’t seen him talking with anyone else. Marina is twisting his arm, but doing it from a safe distance. I wonder what she has on him?”

  “Something that could ruin Matthew’s chances of getting another job? I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a stash of sensitive information on everyone. She comes across as the type to want to keep everything under her tight control.”

  “Including her husband? Randal had strayed yet she didn’t do anything about it.”

  “Maybe it was enough to know who he was cheating with.”

  “There’s a thought. What if there’s someone else? He might have been thinking about dumping Catherine for someone else. And that could be disruptive. Catherine would be furious and become more difficult to work with. She might also decide to take matters into her own hands. That would put her back on my list of suspects.”

  “I’m way ahead of you. I never took her off. As far as I’m concerned, everyone had reason to want him dead. But like you, I haven’t quite decided what those reasons might be.”

  “Money. That has to be the bottom line.” Eve raked her fingers through her hair. “It actually does me good to talk about other people being guilty. Takes my mind off me being a target.” Her phone rang. Surprised to hear from Jack so soon, she chirped a bright hello.