by Fiona Grace
She held her hand out, and Lacey placed her cell in it. She watched, nervously chewing on her fingernails, as Gina dialed a number and put the phone to her ear.
“Jacob!” she exclaimed into the speaker. “Long time no see. I was hoping to catch you.”
She gave Lacey a wink and paced away, to continue her phone-flirting with Jacob the Volunteer Coast Guard in privacy.
While she was gone, Lacey strained to see whether she could catch a glimpse of Chester on the island. There was no sign of him. Even if he was there, he’d be too small to be seen from this distance. The trees and castle ruins were barely visible, so an English Shepherd certainly wouldn’t be.
Just then, Gina returned to Lacey’s side and handed her back her cell phone with a triumphant grin. “We’re in luck. They said they’d help us. There’s just one condition.”
“What’s that?” Lacey asked anxiously.
“I have to go on a date with Jake.”
Lacey’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh. Is that a good thing? Or are you falling on your sword for me?”
Gina shrugged. “Well, it’s been about a decade since I went on a date, so I’m not picky. But you can decide for yourself when he gets here.”
“When are they coming?” Lacey asked.
“He said they’d leave right away,” Gina told her. She pointed back along the shoreline, in the direction of Brooke’s tearoom. “The lifeguard house is over there, next to the rowing school.”
Of course, Lacey thought, remembering how Brooke’s cafe was in a converted canoe shed. It stood to reason the maritime buildings were bunched up together. There were probably even more farther along the promenade. She’d have to explore some time.
“There it is!” Gina exclaimed.
Lacey squinted, and saw a small black dot on the horizon.
“Blimey, you have good eyesight,” Lacey said.
Gina burst out laughing. “Since when did you say blimey?!”
Lacey blushed. “I guess I picked it up from you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Gina said. “Now, how do I look?”
The lifeboat was coming toward them at quite a speed, bringing the lothario Jacob ever closer.
Lacey glanced from Gina’s oversized yellow rain mac down to her olive green wellington boots.
“As beautiful as ever,” she said.
The buzzing sound of the boat turned to a roar as it sped up in the waters ahead of them. Then one of the men aboard anchored it, while the other leapt down into the shallow waters and began striding toward them.
“Which one is Jacob?” Lacey asked, nudging Gina.
“The one walking toward us,” Gina replied. “With the ginger beard.”
The man was close enough for Lacey to see the missing teeth behind his grin.
“Oh Gina,” Lacey said, squeezing her friend’s arms. She truly had made a sacrifice.
Jacob reached them, sloshing water as he drew to a halt. “Good morning, ladies. I understand you require our services to rescue a dog.”
His eloquent speech did not match his commoner’s accent or rough fisherman appearance, and Lacey couldn’t help but find the juxtaposition quite charming.
“You’re our heroes!” Gina said, laying on the charm offensive rather thickly.
As Jacob helped her aboard, Gina batted her lashes. Lacey, though offered an arm by the other lifeguard—a skinny man who looked far too young to be anywhere but school—declined, choosing instead to clambered her own way on.
With them both inside the raft, Jacob handed them lifejacket. They were a lurid coral hue that would probably make Taryn weep. Then the engine buzzed to life and the boat began its short journey to the island.
“A missing dog, aye?” the man-boy said as they went. “There’s a lot of silly things we’ve been called out for, but a missing dog is definitely a first.” He smirked.
“I must warn you two ladies,” Jacob said, “There’s been some gruesome business around these parts recently. A murder, if you can believe it. On this very island.”
Lacey felt the strangest swell of relief at his words, to know that there were some people in Wilfordshire who didn’t instantly recognize her as the lady from the antique store who’d gotten arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting a murderer. Maybe there was still hope for her yet.
It took barely two minutes to reach the island’s jetty in the speedy rescue boat, and before Jacob and his less-eloquent companion had a chance to tie the boat up, Boudica had already leapt out and gone tearing off into the undergrowth, barking like a lunatic.
Lacey’s chest lifted. “Is that a good sign?” she asked Gina.
Gina gave a cautious nod. “She’s smelt something, that’s for sure.”
She and Lacey clambered over the edge of the boat.
“We’ll wait here!” Jacob called as they trekked toward the trees. “Watch yourselves! There’s a whistle and torch on your life jacket if you need any assistance!”
Gina flashed Jacob a thumbs up, then she and Lacey disappeared into the undergrowth after Boudica.
As they reached the center of the thicket, Lacey picked up the most blessed sound ever. Two distinct barks.
She grabbed Gina’s arm. “It’s him! It’s Chester!”
They hurried on, making it out the other side of the trees. And there, galloping toward her, tail making circles as he ran, was Chester.
Lacey’s vision blurred instantly as her eyes filled with tears. She crouched down, arms open to him. Chester leapt up and put his paws on her shoulders so forcefully she was knocked backwards. But she didn’t care at all. She had her beloved dog back!
“Oh, Chester, you had me worried!” Lacey exclaimed, as she ruffled his fur and snuggled into him. “Never do that again, you naughty, awful, horrible, wonderful, beautiful, special boy. Okay!”
“Hey, Lacey,” Gina said.
Lacey stopped her wrestle with Chester and looked over at her friend. “What?”
“Look at this. Chester dropped it out of his mouth when he came running for you.”
Lacey heaved herself up to her feet and headed toward Gina. Chester, clearly working out what they were looking at, pelted over and snapped up whatever it was in his jaws.
“Give it here,” Lacey told him, holding out her hand.
He dropped it at her feet.
What on earth… Lacey thought, as she picked the object up and inspected it in her hands. It appeared to be the strap of a leather handbag, torn, as if it had been ripped violently off. It was a very familiar-looking handbag, Lacey thought, perhaps one that Taryn stocked. Then she realized the color was dusky pink. Last season’s dusky pink. The same color as the dresses Daisy had bought from Taryn’s boutique. The same color as the bag…
Lacey squeaked and dropped the handle. She staggered back, staring at the dusky pink leather strap. If that was indeed the handle of Daisy’s bag, then its presence here on the island was evidence that she’d been here too! It corroborated Xavier’s sighting!
“What is it?” Gina asked, sounding concerned.
Lacey glanced from the torn handle lying in the sand by her feet, over to her friend. “I think I might have just found something that makes Daisy’s alibi fall apart.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Lacey was so relieved to have Chester back. But as she huddled beside him on the coast guard’s boat, cutting through the waves back to shore, her mind was troubled. The leather strap was in the pocket of her rain mac but Lacey knew that once she made it back to shore, she’d have to work out what to do with it.
Of course, any sane person would hand it over to the police. In fact, any sane person probably would’ve called them immediately rather than picking it up and putting it in their pocket. But Lacey had literally only just gotten out of their interrogation room and the last thing she wanted to do was walk right back in there. But she also knew she may very well be in possession of a crucial piece of evidence. One that may expose Daisy’s alibi as a fake.
That might help get Xavier free.
They reached shore, and Lacey climbed out the boat with her mind in a jumble. Behind her, Jacob helped Gina out.
“I look forward to our future meeting,” he said, in his odd way. Then to Lacey, he added, “I’m delighted your pet has been reunited with you. For now, we shall bid you adieu.”
“See ya,” the skinny man added.
As the volunteer boat buzzed away, Gina looked over at Lacey.
“Penny for your thoughts? You’ve been ever so quiet. I thought you’d be over the moon to have Chester back.”
Lacey looked over at her canine companion, now frolicking with Boudica without a care in the world, as if he hadn’t just spent the entire night stuck on an abandoned island worrying everyone half to death.
“I’m thrilled, of course,” she said. “I’m just… I guess I’m exhausted. Things have been pretty stressful. I can’t remember the last time I had a proper sleep.”
Gina rubbed her shoulder. “Why don’t you head home? Take a nap. It’s not like you can open the store today.”
“Don’t remind me,” Lacey said with a groan, remembering the official police notice to commandeer property folded up in her pocket that DCI Lewis had handed her.
“Go home,” Gina urged her. “You look haggard, girl. And I’m sure Chester could do with a rest as well. I’m heading into town. I’ll let Tom know Chester’s back.”
“Alright, thank you,” Lacey said, glad that she had a friend to look for her well-being.
She said goodbye to Gina and climbed the cliff path up to her back garden, Chester at her heels. Once she made it inside her house, the tiredness she’d been feeling seemed to multiply. Now her limbs felt heavy, like they were made of steel. Lacey was just about ready to pass out.
She peeled off her clothes as she trudged up the staircase, discarding each piece on the steps as she went, much to Chester’s bemusement—he started barking, then took her socks in his mouth as if trying to work out whether this was a new game of fetch. Then she reached her room and flopped, face first, into bed.
It was too bright to sleep, so Lacey pulled the curtains shut. They were pretty good at blocking out most of the daylight, but she still couldn’t relax. There was too much on her mind. She’d barely had time to process that Tom had been having breakfast with another woman. And that David had asked to try again. And that she may be in possession of a piece of evidence that could nail a killer and exonerate an innocent man!
It was all too much.
With her mind swirling, Lacey decided to try an eye pillow. It was something she’d often had to resort to while living in New York City, particularly on loud days like public holidays. But it was still no use.
She sat up. At the foot of her bed, the lump that was Chester was snoring soundly.
“Good for you,” Lacey said, patting his head. “But I think I’m going to have to resort to slightly more extreme measures.”
She took the packet of sleeping pills out of her bedside dresser and popped a couple. Then she lay back and waited for them to kick in.
Which was of course the perfect time for her phone to ding with the sound of an incoming email. Lacey hesitated. It might not be a good idea to check her mail moments before she drifted off into a drug induced sleep. She might influence her dreams. But she also couldn’t quite resist. Knowing there was an unread notification on her phone was like having an itch that demanded to be scratched. She took it off her dresser and opened the email app.
The message was from her bank. A reminder about the bank holiday at the end of May, and how it might affect scheduled payments. Realizing it would delay David’s alimony once again, Lacey logged into her mobile banking app to make a one off adjustment.
As she did, she couldn’t help noticing the transactions of the last few days, particularly since one had a bright red exclamation point beside it. It appeared to be from the day of the auction, and the transaction it was related to was in dollars.
“Buck’s,” Lacey said, with a small gasp. “That’s his payment for the sextant.”
She tapped on the notification.
Payment suspended. This is due to suspicious and potentially fraudulent activity on the payer’s account, and is in no way the fault of British Building and Bank.
“Huh,” Lacey said.
She could understand why Buck’s accounts would be paused after his death, but the notice specifically mentioned suspicious activity. Although it could’ve just been a generic notification that got attached to all payments that were suspended by the other side. Either way, the important thing was that she hadn’t been paid for the sextant. She’d almost guessed it wouldn’t happen. It was the icing on the cake really. The rare item was in police custody, evidence in a murder trial, and she hadn’t received any recompense for it. Now, she probably never would.
She yawned, the pills finally starting to kick in.
“I wonder if Buck was having financial troubles,” Lacey thought, before she conked out and fell into a deep, deep sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Lacey awoke feeling groggy. She’d forgotten how sleeping pills could do that to her. They could also make her feel very vacant and forgetful.
When she checked the time, she realized she’d been asleep for about five hours. It was now evening.
Chester sat up at her movements.
“Do you want some dinner?” she asked him.
He barked.
“I thought as much,” Lacey said.
As she went downstairs, she passed her discarded clothes on the steps, and suddenly remembered the pink leather bag strap that was still in her coat pocket.
“Last season’s dusky pink…” she said aloud.
Her senses seemed to be slowly coming back to her, as she reached into the kitchen cabinet and retrieved the bag of doggy kibble. As she began pouring it into Chester’s bowl, she suddenly exclaimed, “Brooke!” Her friend always gave Chester kibble when they visited the tearoom. “I didn’t call her to tell her you were back home safe. She was so worried!”
Guilty about the amount of time that had lapsed, Lacey grabbed the kitchen phone and punched in Brooke’s number. She paced back and forth across the tiles as she listened to the ring tone. The cord stretched like an elastic band as she zigzagged around the room.
Finally, the phone was answered. “Wilfordshire Tearoom. Brooke speaking. How can I help?”
“Brooke. It’s Lacey.”
“Lacey! Are you okay?” She sounded frantic with worry. “I went past your store earlier and saw the police had locked it up! What’s going on?”
“They’re doing forensics tests,” Lacey explained. “Searching for DNA. But that’s not why I’m calling. I wanted to let you know that Chester’s back home.”
“He is?” Brooke gushed. “What a relief. Where was he?”
“I found him on the island. He must have run across the sandbar and gotten stuck when the tide rose.”
“The… island?” Brooke asked, sounding like she couldn’t quite believe it.
“Yeah. He’s totally obsessed with the place. I think he’s trying to solve the murder. He even found some evidence while he was over there. Something the police missed.”
There was a moment of silence on the line.
“What did he find?” Brooke said finally.
“The strap of a bag. Looks like it was torn off, probably during the struggle. But here’s the interesting thing. It’s from a bag Taryn sold in her boutique. I know it because it’s in last season’s dusky pink. Taryn must’ve sold it to the murderer. To someone who didn’t care it was about to go out of season. To someone who only cared about the color.” She paused, waiting for Brooke to fill in the blank. But when she was met by yet more silence, she prompted her friend, “The pink color.”
“I’ve not been here long enough to know everyone in Wilfordshire’s favorite colors,” the Aussie replied, wryly.
“Daisy!” Lacey exclaimed. “She wears something pink
with every outfit. And they’d arrived in Wilfordshire just before Taryn swapped her stock.”
“Wow, that’s some impressive detective work,” Brooke exclaimed. “What are you going to do? Give the strap to the police?”
“Not yet,” Lacey confessed. “I’m not in a rush to see them so soon, you know?”
Brooke let out a sad laugh. “I am truly sorry about what happened yesterday. I was so convinced the Spanish man had done it. I thought you’d lost your marbles sitting there talking to him like that! But I didn’t think the police would arrest you as well.”
“It’s okay,” Lacey told her. “You couldn’t have known. Besides, if I hadn’t been arrested, Chester would never have run off, and the strap would never have been found. Everything happens for a reason.” Her voice trailed off as she suddenly remembered Buck’s failed wire transfer last night. “Hey, Brooke. Did Buck and Daisy pay for their breakfast that time they came to yours?”
“Yes…” her friend replied, drawing out the word with confusion. “Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m trying to work out Daisy’s motive,” Lacey replied. “I think it might be related to money. How did they pay? Cash or card?”
“Card.”
“Can you check your online bank account for me? Because my payment from them was suspended due to suspicious and potentially fraudulent activity.”
“Sure,” Brooke replied, though she didn’t sound too thrilled.
Lacey waited, listening to the sound of Brooke tapping onto a keyboard.
“What d’ya know!” the Aussie exclaimed a second later. “I have the same message. Fraudulent activity. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking Buck didn’t actually have the funds to pay for any of the stuff he bought Daisy in Wilfordshire. Either he used to be wealthy but lost it somehow, or he was just pretending to impress her, but my hunch is it all came to a head during their vacation and Daisy found out.”
“Do you reckon she killed him for the insurance?” Brooke asked. “It wouldn’t be the first time a young wife killed an older lover for money.”