Murder on the Rocks

by Shawn Reilly Simmons

  “It was an okay day,” Penelope said. “I didn’t do much, just sketched out some sample menus to show the bosses on the set. I looked up food and wine vendors in Vermont. A little pre-work. I went for a long run earlier in the morning downtown and stopped at Sonya’s.”

  “Oh yeah?” Joey picked up the hot loaf of bread a minute too soon with his bare fingers and dropped it quickly back to the countertop. He shook his hand and blew on his fingertips while whispering “ouch.”

  “Yeah,” Penelope said, pretending not to notice. She dropped her gaze to the table and straightened a fork. “I saw one of your guys at the cafe. He must have been gathering more evidence.”

  Joey pulled a serrated knife from the butcher block on the countertop next to the oven and turned back around. He carefully picked up the loaf and placed it on a wooden cutting board. “What do you mean one of my guys was there?” he asked distractedly as he eyed the garlic bread. “Which one?”

  Penelope leaned a shoulder on the frame of the sliding glass door and watched him slice the bread, stopping herself from suggesting a quicker pull on the knife with each cut. “I don’t know, I couldn’t see him very well.”

  Joey set the knife down on the countertop next to the cutting board. “You sure it was this morning?”

  “Positive,” Penelope said, regretting that she had brought it up. Joey was trying to make this a special night for them and she’d brought up work again.

  Joey shook his head and picked up the knife again. He sawed the bread, a bit more forcefully than before. “That’s news to me, but that’s not too surprising these days.”

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,” Penelope said, stepping inside.

  Joey chuckled under his breath. “You’re not the problem, Penny Blue. Never you. It’s just...you know what? Let’s forget about it right now.”

  “Okay,” Penelope said, relieved. She went back to the patio and found his wine glass and poured him a little more before bringing both glasses inside. She set his down on the island near his cutting board.

  “Thanks,” Joey said. He put the bread in a basket and folded a cloth napkin over it then picked up his wine. A large sauté pan simmered on the stove behind him. Penelope breathed in the briny scent of the clams and the tang of the white sauce they bathed in. Her mouth began to water.

  “It’s just that,” Joey said, putting his fists on the countertop, “I should be informed when new steps are taken in an investigation that I’m lead on.” Joey clenched his teeth, then relaxed. “What time was this again?”

  Penelope thought back. “Had to be a little after six. I didn’t have my phone with me, but I bought a coffee from Lois just before, and that’s when she opens. It was before I saw you at the station.” Penelope suddenly remembered something. “Hey, did you question anyone in the train station ticket office? Maybe they saw the boys hop onboard afterwards.”

  Joey shook his head. “No one fitting either description bought a ticket that morning.”

  “But they could have just gotten on and paid for one onboard,” Penelope said.

  “True, and we’ve questioned the conductors on the departing trains. No one saw them.”

  Penelope rubbed her chin. “You know, once or twice when we were kids, we fare skipped.”

  Joey looked at her in mock horror. “Excuse me, you did what?”

  Penelope frowned and looked away. “I know, it’s bad. But when my friends and I wanted to ride into the city and didn’t have enough cash, we’d avoid the conductors and duck into the restroom when we saw him coming from the next car over.”

  “You little law breaker, you,” Joey teased.

  “Stop,” Penelope said. “I’m not proud of it. We were stupid. But maybe that’s what those boys did. Avoided buying a ticket by scamming a ride.”

  Joey eyed her approvingly. “We’re supposed to be getting video from the station tomorrow. We’ll have a good look, and hopefully spot these guys. Now, really, let’s get on with our night.”

  Penelope tried to smile, but the reminder of Sonya being gone kept her from it. Joey went out to the balcony and retrieved their dinner plates. He heaped generous portions of linguine with clam sauce onto both and set them down, admiring his work.

  “You know,” Joey said, “you could use my new plates anytime you like if we lived together. I’m good at sharing.”

  Penelope laughed and her cheeks turned pink. “I know you are. I’m the only child, the one who never had to share.”

  “Doesn’t show,” Joey said, picking up the plates and heading back outside. Penelope followed him and watched him set them down carefully on the table.

  “So, what do you think?” Joey asked.

  “I think your plating is spot on and it smells delicious,” Penelope said.

  “No, I mean about living together.” They took their seats and gazed at each other across the table.

  “Seriously?” Penelope asked.

  “Yeah,” Joey said. “We’ve been dating almost two years. I’ve been thinking about asking you for a while.”

  Penelope sighed and looked at her plate. “I don’t know, Joey. This place is great, and I really love spending time with you.”

  “But…,” Joey said.

  “I just don’t know if I’m ready to live together yet. I always said I wouldn’t do that, unless there was a real commitment, unless I knew it would be forever. I never wanted to be the kind of woman who went from place to place without one of her own.”

  Joey nodded. “I respect that, Penny. I do. Which is why I was thinking, when my lease is up in a few months we should start looking for something.”

  “Looking for what?” Penelope asked.

  “A house. For the two of us to share. Together.”

  Penelope’s neck tingled with electricity. “Buy a house together? Really?”

  “Yeah,” Joey said. “Really.”

  “You know I’m on the road a lot, Joey,” Penelope said. “A house requires upkeep, cleaning, landscaping. With our jobs, the hours we keep...”

  “So we look at condos. Nice ones,” Joey said.

  Penelope smiled. “Right. That’s a good idea.”

  “Wherever we live, I just want us to be together,” Joey said. “I want all the minutes with you that are available.”

  Penelope’s gaze wandered over the table, the beautiful place settings, the candlelight glinting from the glassware. “Okay, let’s start looking when I get back.”

  Joey stood and went to her, pulling her from her chair into a kiss. Penelope circled her arms around his neck and felt herself fall a little more in love with him.

  “Anything else you want to ask me?” Penelope whispered.

  “Yeah,” Joey said. “How hungry are you?”

  “Starving,” Penelope whispered. “I can smell a lot of garlic in there. I hope you don’t mind my overly aromatic breath.”

  Joey laughed as he held her tightly to his chest. “It’s going to take a lot more than garlic to keep me away from you.”

  Chapter 11

  The next morning, Penelope eased through the kitchen door in the back of her house, not wanting to make too much noise and wake anyone who was still sleeping.

  “Good morning,” Arlena called softly. She padded into the kitchen in her bare feet, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.

  “You’re up.”

  Zazoo danced around Penelope’s feet and she reached down to scratch behind his ears. “Good morning, stinker.”

  “He’s coming with us on the movie set,” Arlena said, smiling down at the little white dog.

  “Oh yeah?” Penelope asked.

  Arlena yawned and stretched her arms over her head. “Our regular dog sitter is on an overseas trip with her family, visiting her grandmother in Italy, I think she said. And I don’t want to board him at
the vet.”

  “Max can’t watch him?” Penelope asked.

  “Is that Pen?” Max said sleepily as he entered the kitchen from the main hallway.

  “It’s me,” Penelope said, a bit self-conscious that he and Arlena were seeing her just getting home from a night out. Max often stayed the night at the house, and it wasn’t the first time she’d gotten home the next morning, but she was still slightly embarrassed about it.

  “Yeah, I can’t watch the little guy this time,” Max said. “You know I would if I could.” Zazoo ignored them and gnawed on a plushy toy on his bed.

  “Max’s reality show is back in production, and he’s shooting a film at the same time,” Arlena said.

  Max headed for the coffee maker and grabbed a mug. “A friend of mine from school wrote it. Funny stuff, so I’m helping him out, playing his sidekick. No idea if it will see the light of day, but I said I’d help out.”

  Arlena was still in her pajamas, and her face was slightly puffy from sleep. “I don’t have enough time to interview new dog sitters from the agency. Zazoo is picky. I can’t leave him with just anyone.”

  Penelope suppressed a smile, thinking Arlena was really the picky one, but she understood why. She was hesitant to bring in new help to the house, a habit she picked up in childhood from her famous dad. A few less than savory people had tried to gain access to Randall’s life over the years, and there was one instance of him being robbed of some valuable movie memorabilia.

  Penelope set her overnight bag on the kitchen floor and followed Max to the coffee maker.

  “I assume you had a fun night,” Arlena said, pulling a mug down from the cabinet to make a cup of tea.

  “Very fun,” Penelope said, flicking her eyes at Max’s back. “Joey went all out, cooked a gourmet Italian feast. We ate on the balcony overlooking the city.”

  “So sweet,” Arlena sang softly.

  “Stop it,” Penelope said. “I hated having to leave him this morning, but he wanted to get an early start down at the station and I have to gear up for this drive.” She texted Francis, her executive chef, asking him to give her a call when he was ready to travel. She pulled her wallet from her bag and opened it.

  “When are you hitting the road?” Arlena asked.

  “I’m getting in touch with my team now. I hope to get the convoy rolling by lunchtime,” Penelope said. She pulled out a zipped pouch that hid her credit cards inside her wallet. She performed her normal inventory of her things, reminding herself of what she’d need for the trip: personal and company credit cards, licenses, production permits, and ownership papers on her catering vehicles.

  “Where’s Nadia?” Penelope asked.

  “She’s getting dressed upstairs,” Max said knowingly.

  Penelope paused in her inventory and looked up at him.

  “Max is taking her into the city so she can gather her things and get packed for the trip,” Arlena said, rolling her eyes at her brother. “And that’s it. You’re not dating her.”

  Max had an eye for pretty women, and a reputation to match, with at least a baker’s dozen of fleeting relationships and romances to his credit.

  “I’m heading into the city anyway. I have to get to the set,” Max said nonchalantly between sips of coffee.

  “That’s weird,” Penelope said, glancing back down at her wallet.

  “Not really,” Max said. “I’ve given lots of people rides before.”

  “No,” Penelope said, shaking her head. “I could have sworn I had some cash in here.” Penelope opened up the billfold section of her wallet wider, revealing only the black silky lining.

  “You know Nadia and I have a plane to catch this afternoon,” Arlena warned her brother. “Don’t get any bright ideas about whisking her off to some romantic lunch or anything.”

  “I’ve already told you I have work,” Max responded. “No time for romance today.”

  “You always find plenty of time to get into trouble,” Arlena countered.

  Penelope half listened to their lighthearted bickering as she looked through the different compartments of her wallet. Suddenly remembering, she tucked her index finger behind her driver’s license, feeling for the emergency fifty-dollar bill she kept hidden there. When she couldn’t find it, she dropped her wallet on the counter.

  “I’ve been robbed,” Penelope said.

  Arlena and Max both stared at her, unspeaking.

  “All my cash is gone,” Penelope said. “Even my hidden cash.”

  “Are you sure you didn’t spend it?” Arlena asked. “It’s been a crazy couple of days. Maybe you forgot.”

  Penelope shook her head. “I took out forty for brunch. You know I like to pay cash at locally owned places so they don’t have to pay the credit card fees. And my emergency cash is gone too.”

  “How can that be?” Arlena asked.

  Penelope’s thoughts went to Nadia’s missing bag and the video she’d seen. She pushed the thought away quickly.

  “You know, I’ll check with Joey,” Penelope said, lightening her tone. “It’s probably just a mistake. Maybe my things didn’t all get returned yet.”

  Arlena looked at her doubtfully. “I’m going to check my things too.”

  She stepped quickly down the hallway to her suite as Penelope and Max stared at her things strewn across the counter.

  “What’s all this?” Nadia said as she entered the kitchen.

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” Penelope said. “I think I misplaced some cash.”

  Nadia inexplicably looked around on the floor by her feet.

  “You almost ready to go?” Max asked. He tucked his fingers inside his jeans pocket and pulled out a ring of keys.

  “Yes,” Nadia said. “I called the airline and they said I can use my passport to board. Thank goodness I left it back at the apartment and it didn’t get stolen too.”

  Max placed his large hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Let’s go then, shall we?”

  Nadia smiled at him. “Sounds good.”

  “Anytime,” Max said with a wink.

  “I don’t seem to be missing anything,” Arlena said, holding her bag in her hands as she reentered the kitchen.

  “Good,” Penelope said.

  “See you at the airport?” Arlena said, watching Max and Nadia heading to the door. They were laughing together quietly about something.

  “See you there,” Nadia said with a smile.

  Arlena watched them go then shook her head and turned to Penelope. “We’ll be in Vermont by six this evening. What about you?”

  “Before dark, hopefully,” Penelope said.

  “Our flight’s at one. I had a much less romantic night than you, mostly packing for the trip. I got one of those pet carry-on bags for Zazoo.”

  Penelope’s phone pinged. “That’s Francis now.” She typed a quick message back to her second in command.

  “I wish you’d just fly with us,” Arlena said, eyeing her phone. “I’d pay for your ticket, you know. You’re on the set because I requested Red Carpet Catering, like I always do. I feel guilty you have to drive all the way to Vermont.”

  “I like riding with my team,” Penelope said, setting down the phone. “We’ve driven farther than Vermont in the past. Plus, it’s good bonding time together before starting a new job, especially when I have a new chef on the team.”

  “They’re lucky to have you,” Arlena said.

  “I’m lucky to have them. And I don’t ask them to do things I wouldn’t do myself,” Penelope said.

  “You inspire such loyalty,” Arlena said. “It’s one of the things I love about you most.”

  Chapter 12

  Penelope headed into town to gather a few items for her journey and to replace the missing cash, plus a bit extra, from her wallet. After stopping at the ATM, she parked in the lot of the polic
e station and turned off her Jeep. She spotted Joey’s car in the corner of the lot and her heart skipped thinking about the things they talked about the night before. Her and Joey, living together. She rubbed her fingers against her chin, then went inside.

  “I didn’t expect you this morning,” Joey said with a smile as he led her back to his desk. The station was set up with four desks together in the center of the room, lined with glass windowed offices and interview rooms. Clarissa sat at one of the desks facing Joey’s, a phone pressed to her ear and the end of a pen between her teeth.

  “I know, I was nearby and, well, I guess I have to report something,” Penelope said.

  Joey’s smile was replaced by a look of concern. “What happened?”

  Penelope shook her head. “I’m not sure. I know there was almost a hundred dollars in my wallet before the incident at Sonya’s.”

  “Okay,” Joey said.

  “It’s all gone now,” Penelope said. “Nothing else is missing from my wallet, but...” Penelope noticed that Clarissa had ended her call and was listening to their conversation.

  “Are you sure you didn’t spend it? It would be understandable if you forgot,” Joey said.

  Penelope shook her head. “No, I took out forty of it on the way to Sonya’s, and didn’t see my wallet again until you brought it to the house. And I never got to pay my bill, of course, so it should all be in there.”

  Clarissa stood up and left her desk, heading toward the elevators. Penelope watched her go without a backward glance.

  “I’m thinking it’s still here, in the evidence room maybe?” Penelope said hopefully.

  Joey leaned back in his chair and rubbed his freshly-shaven chin. “No, I didn’t see anything else tagged under your name, or any paperwork that would have called for seizing your belongings. You were a witness, not implicated, so there was no need to keep any of the items for a future court case.”

  “What do you think happened?” Penelope asked.

  “It’s too soon to say, with Nadia’s bag disappearing from a secured crime scene, and now this. I hope it’s just a clerical error and not anything criminal,” Joey said.