by Leena Clover
The Tipsy Whale was the local pub and watering hole. The owner Murphy was well known for his giant, overstuffed sandwiches.
The pub was packed when they got there. They decided to get the sandwiches to go.
“Why don’t we take these to the gazebo?” Mary asked. “It’s a beautiful day to be out in the sun.”
“I got the day’s special,” Julie said, waving the large paper bag. “It’s rotisserie chicken with sweet peppers, avocadoes and secret sauce. Murphy hasn’t made these in a while.”
“Did you get the taro chips?” Anna asked.
“You bet I did!” Julie crowed.
The three friends walked over to a small green patch that cut right through Main Street. The rustic gazebo that sat in the center was the pride of the town. Covered in blue and purple wisteria blooms and freshly painted white for the summer season, it provided a welcoming space for the locals.
Anna took a few bites of her sandwich and put it down. Her appetite wasn’t that great after her illness.
“How are we going to search for the partner?”
Julie set her sandwich down, wiped her hands on a napkin and pulled out her rose gold computer tablet from her bag. She never went anywhere without it.
“I had an idea while driving back,” she told the others. “What would a roofing contractor do if he closed down one business?”
“Stop talking in riddles,” Anna grumbled. “What’s your point?”
“I mean, this guy must be working as a handyman or roofer somewhere else.”
“But we don’t even know his name!” Anna protested.
“We can call up the people we find and ask them if they knew William Parker,” Julie said.
She tapped some keys on her computer and muttered to herself as she read off the screen.
“Aha!” she exclaimed. “This guy has thirty years of experience and previously owned Dolphin Bay Roof Repair.”
“What’s his name?” Anna asked eagerly. “Anyone we know?”
“I don’t think so.” Julie shook her head. “Tim Buckner. Ever heard of him?”
Anna took the tablet from Julie’s hand and began reading off the screen.
“Buckner and Sons, Roofing Contractors, Blackberry Beach. No job too small. Thirty years experience running own roofing business in Dolphin Bay.”
She looked up with a smile.
“You’re right, Julie. This looks like our guy.”
“Blackberry Beach is what, twenty-twenty five miles from here? Maybe this guy still lives here in town.”
“Should we call him right away?” Anna asked.
Her phone rang before Julie could answer. Anna listened for a minute, thanked the caller and hung up.
“That was the police,” she said, looking excited. “They are done with the store. I can open it whenever I want.”
Mary and Julie both cheered.
“Let’s get over there and see what state the place is in,” Julie said.
“We are going to need a thorough clean up,” Mary warned.
Bayside Books, Anna’s store, was situated at one end of Main Street. It barely took them ten minutes to walk over. A deputy from the local police was standing on the sidewalk outside the store. He left after Anna gave everything a quick onceover.
Mary was already pulling out the vacuum cleaner from a closet. Anna looked around at the dust on the furniture and the muddy footprints littering the floor. She avoided going into the new section where they had found William Parker.
“Hold on a second, Mary,” she said. “This is too much work for us. I think I am going to call a cleaning service.”
“Good idea,” Julie echoed.
She wasn’t too fond of elbow grease, especially her own.
The old fashioned bell behind the door jingled and a tall, attractive young girl came in. Anna decided her hazel eyes were her most beautiful feature. The girl flashed a wide smile at the women and greeted them.
“Hello! Are you open? I just wanted to pick up the latest bestseller.”
“Which one?” Anna asked.
“I don’t care,” the girl laughed. “I’ll read anything, really. I just need something to read before I fall asleep.”
“Are you new in town?” Anna asked as she handed over a book to the girl and rang up her purchase.
“Sort of,” the girl said. “I’m just visiting.”
“I’m Anna Butler,” Anna offered. “This is my store.”
“I’m Ashley,” the girl replied. “It’s nice to meet you, Anna.”
Chapter 7
Cassie woke up with a start. It was mid-morning and the sun was climbing high in the sky. She had been napping by the pool, wearing a flimsy kimono over her bikini. Her skin was a bit sore from the extra dose of sunshine she had subjected it to the previous day. She had been dreaming she was on set, trying to give the same shot for 15 takes. She kept forgetting her lines. It was the stuff of nightmares for an actress of Cassie’s caliber.
Cassie called Bobby, eager to tell him about the horrific dream. Bobby listened sympathetically and consoled her.
“You’ve been gone too long, babe,” he cried. “That’s what this dream means. You need to get yourself back here, back where it matters.”
“I can’t, Bobby. At least not yet.”
Cassie complained about the nagging pain in her knee. Bobby warned her to do her exercises diligently. They gossiped for some time and then Bobby had to go meet his next client.
Cassie had heard Anna and her friends discussing something at the top of their voices earlier. The house seemed quiet suddenly and she assumed they had gone out. She thought of the previous evening. Dinner with Meg hadn’t been as awkward as she feared it would be. She hadn’t said much to the young girl, letting Anna do most of the talking. She still found it hard to believe that Meg was her daughter.
She thought back to when she had met Meg for the first time. Meg had been going by the name Rain. Cassie had been drawn to the young girl, thinking there was something very familiar about her. She had been shocked when they accidentally discovered who Meg was.
On an impulse, Cassie dialed Meg’s number. Meg answered immediately and agreed to come over. Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. Cassie opened it a bit apprehensively, sipping a tall icy glass of lemonade.
“Fancy a swim?” she asked Meg. “You can borrow one of my bathing suits. I think we are the same size.”
“Maybe later. Is Anna here?”
“Mom’s gone out with the Firecrackers.”
“Huh?”
“Julie and Mary, her friends. I don’t know who came up with the name but the three of them christened themselves ‘firecrackers’ since before I was born.”
Meg smiled. “It suits them.”
“Let me get you some lemonade.”
Cassie trooped into the kitchen and Meg followed her quietly. She accepted the cool drink her mother offered and took a long sip.
“What did you want to talk about, Cassie?”
Cassie hesitated. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch, pulling her legs up and tucking them under her. Meg sat opposite her.
Neither of them said anything for a while. Meg was the first to break the silence.
“You don’t need to tell anyone.”
Cassie sat up a bit straighter.
“I am not here to make your life difficult. I just needed to see where I came from.”
Cassie hadn’t given a thought yet to what she would tell the neighbors or the townsfolk. Was Anna planning to introduce Meg as her granddaughter?
“And what do you think? Are we good enough for you?”
“It’s not like that, Cassie.” Meg sighed. “Being a foster kid, you always wonder.”
“You must hate me a lot. I am the villain who abandoned you, gave you up to a stranger.”
“All that’s water under the bridge. No use going over it now.”
“What do you want from us now? Are you planning to come live here in Dolp
hin Bay?”
“I don’t know.” Meg gave a shrug. “Frankly, I focused all my energy on tracking you down. I haven’t given much thought to what comes after.”
“You have met me now,” Cassie pointed out. “I think it’s time you started thinking about your next move.”
“Can we be friends?”
“I suppose there is no harm in that.”
Cassie wondered if she sounded distant. She didn’t want to.
“I don’t blame you for what you did, Cassie,” Meg burst out. “I am sure you had your reasons.”
“I always thought you would be adopted in a nice family and have a normal life. That’s what the sisters told me. I guess I was too naïve.”
“Sisters?”
“When I got pregnant, Mom and I went away to a small town in the Midwest. We told people I had been accepted into an arts program for gifted kids. Actually, we stayed in a convent for six months.”
“I was born in 1995. Being a teen mom might have been rare but surely it wasn’t taboo? Not like in the 60s.”
“I was ambitious, Meg. I had big dreams. A baby would have ruined my acting career before it started.”
Meg was quiet while she digested Cassie’s information. Cassie wondered if she should tell her how it had been. She was the one who had suggested going away. She had convinced her parents to keep her condition a secret.
“Did you hold me when I was born?”
Cassie swallowed a lump. Her memory was still vivid. She remembered the exact moment the crying, red faced baby had been placed in her arms. How many times had she relived that moment over the years?
“I chose your name,” she said emotionally. “You are named after Meg Ryan. She was famous in the 90s.”
“I know who Meg Ryan is, Cassie.”
“I was obsessed with Meg. She was my role model, you know. I wanted to be just like her. I made sure they called you Meg. It’s not short for anything. It’s just Meg.”
“What about my father? Does he know about me?”
Cassie pursed her lips. “No.”
Meg looked disappointed.
“I’m sorry to tell you this, but I don’t know who your father is.”
“How is that possible? I am guessing he was someone who lived here in Dolphin Bay. Someone you went to school with.”
Cassie didn’t know what to say. Even after all these years, she wasn’t sure she could defend her actions.
“I was in love with a local boy. My parents thought I was too young to be serious about anyone. They turned out to be right. We got into a big fight one day and broke up. I sneaked off to a party and …”
Cassie didn’t know how to continue. She had been angry enough to hook up with some random guy at the party. She didn’t exactly remember what had happened that night.
Meg folded her arms and looked at her stonily.
“A few weeks later, I realized I was pregnant,” Cassie told her. “I left town and went to Los Angeles after you were born. I never really came back home.”
Cassie tried to gauge Meg’s reaction. Was she angry, shocked or disappointed?
“At least I found you,” Meg murmured.
“Have you had lunch?” Cassie asked impulsively, trying to diffuse the tension. “Why don’t we go get a bite to eat?”
Meg gave a shrug but said nothing.
“Give me a few minutes, Meg. I’ll be out in a jiffy.”
Ten minutes later, Cassie came out of her room, dressed in faded jeans and a white crop top. She was wearing another Hermes scarf from her collection and a cloud of her favorite Joy perfume surrounded her as she nodded at Meg.
Meg’s eyes were red. With a pang, Cassie realized the young girl had been crying in her absence.
“I hope you like your meat!” she said cheerfully. “The Yellow Tulip makes a mean cheeseburger.”
Cassie’s phone trilled before Meg could answer.
“Hello? Yes, this is Cassie Butler.”
She listened to the voice at the other end.
“Thank you for thinking of me, darling, but I can’t get away right now. I’m still needed here at home.” She blew an air kiss before saying ‘ciao’ and hung up.
Meg was quiet while Cassie started her car. The ancient Mercedes convertible started after three tries. Cassie sped off with a screech of tires and parked at the corner of Main Street five minutes later. The Downtown Loop was a two mile zone which was off limits to cars.
They walked to the Yellow Tulip Diner and snagged a booth toward the far end. The waitress came to take their orders. Cassie ordered cheese burgers and crinkle cut fries for the both of them along with the root beer floats the diner was famous for.
“I’m not that hungry,” Meg said.
“You will be once you start eating. Aren’t you kids supposed to have a hearty appetite?”
Meg toyed with the salt and pepper shakers on the table.
“I wonder what Mom’s up to,” Cassie said, trying to think of a neutral topic of conversation.
Her ears pricked up at the raised voices coming from the adjoining booth.
“William Parker was scum. I am not sorry he is dead. I say he had it coming.”
Chapter 8
Anna was making chicken piccata with linguine and mushroom risotto. She didn’t think it was too much. Gino was coming to dinner and she wanted to be sure they had plenty of food. The wine was breathing on the counter and the salad was already made.
The doorbell rang and before Anna knew it, Gino came into the kitchen, holding a bottle of wine in his hands. He gave Anna a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
“What’s the occasion?”
“Just friends having dinner. I owe you one after all those meals I mooched off you.”
“Something smells good,” Gino said, taking in a deep breath. “Where’s Cassie?”
“Watching that infernal movie again. I think she must have watched Casablanca a thousand times.”
“Casablanca! Really? It’s my favorite too.”
Anna rolled her eyes and stirred the risotto. It was almost done. She added in the grated parmesan cheese and pulled her apron off.
Twenty minutes later, they were enjoying the tasty meal Anna had produced.
“How’s your sleuthing going?” Gino asked after he complimented Anna on the chicken.
“William Parker, the dead guy, had a feud with his partner. I tracked him down. He has a new business in the neighboring town but I have a hunch he still lives in Dolphin Bay.”
“Let me guess. You are planning to go talk to him.”
“As soon as I find out more about him. I had a doctor’s appointment today so I had to put it off.”
“Are you ill?” Gino asked with concern.
“Just routine follow-up,” Anna replied coolly. “Nothing to worry about.”
Anna urged Gino to try the roasted broccoli.
“I’m not a big fan,” Gino confessed.
“What are you, ten?” Anna teased. “You gotta eat your greens.”
Gino admitted the broccoli wasn’t bad and moved to the risotto. His eyes lit up when he tasted the creamy dish. He paid complete attention to his food for a while. Anna sipped her wine, watching him with a smug smile. Cooking was one thing she was good at.
“You know what’s bothering me most about this thing?” Gino asked, serving himself some more risotto. “What was this dead guy doing in your store? He either died there or he was brought there after he was killed. But why your store, Anna?”
“I have wondered about it too. I have a wild idea. Do you think Lara Crawford had something to do with this? She’s going around telling people I am involved in the guy’s death, right? What if she set the whole thing up?”
“Are you saying she killed this William Parker? Even Lara wouldn’t go that far.”
“You think so?” Anna muttered.
“I don’t like her any more than you do, Anna. But she is the mayor of this town. She is a respectable citizen and what’s more, she do
esn’t have any motive.”
“And I do?”
“Calm down. That’s not what I meant.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past her.”
“Don’t let prejudice cloud your judgment, Anna. You don’t want to fall in the same trap as her.”
Anna grudgingly admitted to herself that Gino was right.
“What about that guy who was hounding you to sell the store? Do you think he might be behind this?”
“Jose Garcia? He’s living it up in Cabo. And the store’s not a problem now. I have a lease on the adjoining store for as long as I want. You haven’t seen the renovations yet so you don’t know. We knocked a wall down and it’s one giant space now. Although I think I will keep the two entrances. That way, people who just want to go to the café don’t have to troop through the bookstore.”
“How did you manage the lease?” Gino asked curiously.
“Julie came to my rescue. She bought the store and leased it to me for the next twenty years. I will probably be long gone by then.”
“Surely not!” Gino said. “You are very fortunate to have friends like Julie.”
“Don’t I know it?”
Anna had already decided she would give a percentage of the café profits to Julie. Of course, that could only happen when the café was up and running and actually making profit. She crossed her fingers and hoped it would happen soon.
Cassie came into the kitchen and greeted Gino.
“I hope you saved some dinner for me.”
“Your food’s cold,” Anna chided, pointing to a covered plate. “Why are you late, Cassie? I thought you knew we had company.”
“I was giving you two some alone time.”
Anna turned red. Gino couldn’t hide a grin.
“When are you taking my Mom out on a proper date?”
“Whenever she says yes,” Gino said with a twinkle in his eyes.
“You haven’t asked me yet, Gino Mancini,” Anna quipped.
Gino leaned forward and looked into Anna’s eyes.
“What is your answer going to be?”
“You won’t know until you ask.”
“Charlie Robinson’s already invited her for lunch at the resort,” Cassie offered, cutting into her lemony chicken. “I say you have some stiff competition there.”