by Rayna Morgan
Lea turned to Maddy in surprise. “Is Billy going back to Hill Valley?”
“Billy and Charlie are re-opening Hill Valley Auto Repair Shop. They’re combining it with Charlie’s moving business.”
“What about Libby?”
“She’s going with him,” Maddy said. She stuck a thumb in the air. “But, on her terms.”
“What do you mean?”
“BJ wants to make things right for encouraging his nephew to conceal the truth about what happened in Tijuana. He’s setting Libby up in her own fruit and nut business. His construction company is building her a store.”
“That’s great news,” Lea said. “I’ll make sure she hooks up with Sunny. With nuts from Sunny Orchards, she’ll be able to draw from the whole valley.”
“She plans to sell her products on-line, too. Guess who’s setting up her internet business.”
Lea clapped her hands. “Jason!”
“What about Mary?” Paul asked.
“BJ got her a high-priced lawyer,” Tom said. “She should come out all right.”
“Does that mean she’s forgiven him?”
“That means she’s smart enough to capitalize on his guilt,” Lea said. “I think she’ll move on to an unmarried beau, or none at all.”
“I can vouch for life being less complicated without men.” Maddy saw the stricken look on Tom’s face. “I didn’t say better, I said less complicated.”
The waitress cleared their plates.
“This was fun,” Lea said. “We should get together more often. Let’s make it a weekly wine and dine.”
Paul concurred. “As long as it’s not to discuss more of your—”
“Sleuthing?”
“I might have other words for it.”
Lea changed the subject. “BJ learned the hard way that we never truly know another person.”
“I know you,” Paul said. He rubbed his wife’s neck.
“You know most things about me,” she said. “No one knows everything, not even me.”
Maddy pointed at Paul. “I know something about you.”
“What’s that, smarty?”
“I know how you’ll react when you learn your wife and I are staking out Ida’s yard tomorrow night.”
“Lea, you can’t!” Paul sputtered. “You wouldn’t!”
“What did I tell you, Sis?”
Lea touched his arm. “You prove her right by acting as she predicted.”
He looked at Tom. “What’s your opinion? Am I so predictable?”
“As black and white as they come, buddy.”
Paul leaned closer to his wife. “I’m only concerned your snooping could lead to something worse than strange noises.”
“You have nothing to worry about, I promise. The last thing I’d do is put myself or my sister in danger.”
Suddenly, Lea felt adrift as though floating above the table. A vision of her father pouring over photos flashed before her eyes. A premonition of something bad engulfed her. She shivered, knowing she wouldn’t keep her promise to Paul.
# # # #
MURDER AT THE PIER
A Sister Sleuths Mystery
Book 1
Rayna Morgan
CHAPTER ONE
Lea and the dogs started the day in the doghouse. The only way to get out was to promise Paul that their sleuthing escapades were over. But could Lea keep that promise?
The answer came that night in the form of a dead body the dogs found under the Pier.
• • •
Paul walked into the kitchen. The border collie crept into a corner and covered her right eye with a paw.
"You're not the only one who should be hiding this morning," he scolded.
"Surely you aren't referring to me," Lea said. She laughed as she followed her husband into the kitchen. Trailing her hand across his shoulders, she reached behind him for the coffee pot.
"It's hard to be upset with Gracie," he mumbled. He looked at the dog’s sleek body of gold and white fur, her steely black eyes, and her white-tipped ears before turning back to his wife. "But you and your sister are another story. You could have gotten yourselves or the dog hurt last night."
Lea filled her husband's coffee mug. "At least we discovered the source of the ghosts in Mrs. Allen's house."
"I'm sure our neighbor will be eternally grateful," he scoffed. "But you two staking out her back yard could have resulted in consequences you didn’t plan on."
“Well, it didn't. And I learned something from our efforts."
"What would that be?"
"I found out that intruders come in all shapes and sizes."
"Thanks to you,” Paul said, “I'm sure our neighbor will sleep better tonight. Living alone makes her nervous enough without being spooked by noises at night. But since you and your sister have taken up this new interest in sleuthing, my sleeping habits haven't improved.”
He added cream to his coffee. “With Mrs. Allen’s penchant for gossip, the entire neighborhood will hear about your escapade. You’ll be famous, or should I say infamous?"
"Just be thankful I didn't have Spirit with us." Lea glanced at the white golden retriever. "At least Gracie had the sense not to attack the skunk. Spirit would have tried to play with the intruder and been sprayed from head to foot."
"You mean because Spirit thinks every living thing is friendly and wants to play?"
"That’s why we didn't take him. Not only are his investigative skills lacking, but the breed name is inapplicable. Spirit couldn't retrieve his own shadow."
Paul scratched the dog’s long, floppy ears. "It’s alright, boy; your sweetness more than makes up."
"I'll admit,” Lea said, “we only got rid of Mrs. Allen's culprit because the skunk was more afraid of the dog than the dog was of it.”
"Does that mean I can look forward to a little peace and quiet tonight?"
"You have nothing to worry about," Lea assured him. "Maddy and I have ended our sleuthing endeavors.”
"That’s good to hear," Paul said.
"Anything special on your agenda today?" Lea asked.
"I'm meeting with a client this afternoon about the recent burglaries at construction sites. He wants to know what security measures he should take so his sites won't get hit."
Paul's consulting business included advising clients on all aspects of commercial real estate including development, leasing, and management. Security and related staffing issues fell under the venue of site maintenance.
Lea frowned. "I saw it on the news. The press has dubbed them the construction site burglars. It's a nasty business. Did the reporter say five places had been hit already?”
Paul nodded. "That’s the reason my client is worried. He's not only afraid of losing a lot of valuable equipment but of putting his security personnel in harm's way trying to protect his properties."
Lea leaned over to stroke Gracie's head. "What are you recommending?"
"A number of things can be done. I'm doing a physical inspection of his sites this morning to see what's lacking. I better get a move on if I want to visit all of them before I meet with him later."
"I hope the police catch the culprits soon. Be sure to let your client know that if he needs an employee safety manual, I can produce one."
As a freelance business writer, Lea prepared employee handbooks, marketing brochures, and business reports for her clients. She also wrote speeches and advertising copy as needed.
"Don't worry. I plug my brilliant wife's skills at every opportunity." He flashed the smile that still melted Lea's heart after years of marriage.
"Will Tom be coming over after the game?" she asked.
Their close friend, Tom Elliot, head of the Major Crime Division of the Buena Viaje Police Department, had earned his reputation as a smart, conscientious, hard-working officer; respected and well-liked by the men and women he supervised.
Lea was referring to their Monday night routine of Tom joining them for dinner after he and Paul played softba
ll with the local league. Tom always welcomed a respite from frozen or fast food, his typical fare as a divorcé.
"I don't know if he'll make the game. He's had his hands full with the burglaries. From what he told me, they're no closer to catching the perpetrators."
“I’d never think of a construction site as being the location of a crime,” Lea said. “What has Tom told you about the burglaries?"
“According to him, construction site theft is a growing problem." Paul stuffed papers into his briefcase. "Offenders have different motivations. Amateurs take building materials like plywood or pavers for use in their own houses. Professional thieves steal appliances or doors and windows that they can sell in an unregulated second-hand market.”
"What's the extent of losses in this type of burglary?"
"Nationwide, the losses amount to billions of dollars. Those losses are passed on to home buyers, resulting in increased prices."
"I can understand why they've got every available officer on the case. But if Tom has to work tonight," she teased, "can your team win without the star hitter?"
Paul grabbed his sunglasses. "I'll do my best to cover the gap."
He yelled up the stairs. “I’m leaving if you want a ride to school, Jon.”
“Two minutes, Dad.”
Lea handed Paul the car keys he was looking for. "If Tom comes for dinner, he can give us the latest news on the burglaries."
"Don't even think about it,” Paul warned. “Even though you and your sister, and the dogs," he added, looking at the canines, "love to play at sleuthing, you can all keep your noses out of this one. It's too dangerous. The biggest concern of the police is that the burglars seem to be getting more aggressive with each incident. No one has been hurt yet, but it could happen."
"Don't worry," Lea assured him, tossing her long, red hair. "I've got enough on my plate. I have no time for distractions."
She watched a tall, gangly boy come down the stairs clutching a backpack. A freshman in high school, their son was experiencing such a growth spurt that she hardly knew what to expect when he emerged from his bedroom each morning.
Jon grabbed the toast she had prepared and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Thanks, Mom. See you later.”
“Have a good day, you two.”
Lea answered her phone as she waved Paul and Jon out the door.
“I hope you were up," the caller said.
Getting a call from Maddy this early in the day was unusual.
"Are you at the store already?" Lea asked.
Her sister worked as an interior design consultant at one of the local furniture stores.
"I'm off today.” Maddy's voice raised an octave. “But there’s already been excitement around here.”
Lea perked up. "What's going on?"
"Have you heard about the construction site burglars?"
"Paul and I were just discussing them. He's gone to a meeting with a client concerned enough to implement additional security measures. Where did you hear about them?"
"I stopped by the coffee store for an espresso. The regular group was gossiping full speed with news of last night's break-in."
Lea gasped. "It didn't happen in your neighborhood, did it?"
"It was just down the street at Two Palms where the condominiums are being built. Come on over,” Maddy urged. “I'll tell you all about it. We can go see where it happened."
Lea couldn’t resist the suggestion.
She was the more reserved of the two, the one who planned ahead and thought things through unlike Maddy who was impulsive. But with her irresistible, exuberant personality, Maddy had been talking her younger sister into things ever since childhood.
In spite of the work piled on her desk, Lea's hesitation was brief.
"Give me fifteen minutes."
She grabbed her purse and called Gracie.
"Let's go, girl. Paul wouldn't be happy if he knew, but all we're going to do is take a look."
• • •
The familiar drive to Maddy’s was one of Lea’s favorites because it gave her a view of the ocean. Not a day passed without Lea admiring the small coastal town where they lived, with houses climbing up the hill on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.
When she and Paul moved to Buena Viaje, they appreciated the fact that although the town was small, access to a major metropolitan area was within an hour’s drive. Initially, Lea commuted on crowded freeways to the corporate office where she was employed. Now she worked from home and days of bumper-to-bumper traffic were a thing of the past.
It was hard to believe how the countryside had changed as more agricultural land was readied for construction. For years, much of the acreage surrounding the city had been planted in citrus trees. But more and more land had been sold to developers anxious to build homes and shopping centers for a populace willing to endure long commutes to provide their families with a better living environment.
Exiting the freeway onto a two-lane street leading to Maddy’s neighborhood, Lea observed the Two Palms project being built on a parcel previously covered with orange trees. The day the builder had ordered the machinery crews to tear out the trees, Maddy and Lea had watched from the corner restaurant, sipping wine and lamenting the loss of more undeveloped land.
As she drove past, she saw a police car and a news van parked at the site. Several people were milling around including someone holding a video camera propped on his shoulder. A reporter held a microphone in front of a man Lea recognized as the local Police Chief.
Lea hoped Maddy’s coffee klatch had answers to the questions being asked.
CHAPTER TWO
Seagate, the small residential area where Maddy lived, was built on what was formerly marshland between the Pier and the Harbor. Lea liked the beach at Seagate because it didn’t get as many tourists as beaches near the downtown area.
The neighborhood was originally a hodge-podge of rental dwellings, weekend cottages, and vacant lots. Over years of successive real estate booms, it became a fashionable, eclectic mix of newer homes and older beach cottages. The previous lack of building restrictions had resulted in widely varying architectural styles.
There were several restaurants a short walk from Maddy’s house, but they were subject to seasonal fluctuations. The smaller ones, unable to sustain enough business during the winter months, went out of business.
Traffic in the area was light, but the streets were narrow making parking difficult. Her sister’s cottage was on one of the lanes leading directly to the beach.
When she turned into the drive, Lea saw her sister pruning roses. The sun reflected off the honey highlights in the woman's long brown hair.
"Your flowers are gorgeous; I’m envious," Lea said as she lowered the tailgate for Gracie. Her sister had inherited an undeniable green thumb, as well as dazzling hazel eyes, from their father.
Maddy opened the gate. “Hey, Gracie. How's our partner in crime, or should I say crime prevention? Have you recovered from our adventure last night?"
The dog wagged its tail. Leading the way inside, the border collie began searching for the tennis ball which Maddy typically hid for her. She checked eagerly in all the suspicious places; under the rug, behind the potted plant, and between the floor pillows.
Maddy set a water bowl on the floor and laughed. "You'll have to work harder than that this time."
Gracie accepted the challenge, pursuing it doggedly while Maddy turned her conversation to Lea.
"Here's what I know so far,” Maddy said. She handed Lea a glass of tea and passed the sugar bowl. “The couple who live at the entrance to the neighborhood heard noise at the construction site last night around midnight.
“When Mr. Anderson walked outside, he saw flickering lights and heard a man shouting. There was no sign of the security guard who’s usually in the construction trailer parked at the front. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he called the police and reported a possible burglary in progress."
&n
bsp; "That was intuitive,” Lea said. “I would have made the mistake of thinking the activity was a delivery of materials to the site or that there was some other plausible explanation."
"Me, too,” Maddy agreed, “except for the lateness of the hour. When the police arrived, they found the guard on the floor of the trailer with his wrists and ankles bound with masking tape. There were visible signs of a break-in, but the burglars had vanished."
Lea's eyes widened. "How much did they get?"
"We won't know until we hear the news report,” Maddy said, “but from the amount of activity this morning, the loss must have been substantial."
Lea glanced at Gracie. The dog’s ears pointed alertly as she chewed on a slobbery tennis ball. "I see you discovered the hiding place, girl. It wasn’t as difficult to find as Maddy thought it would be."
"It's her natural detecting skills,” Maddy said. “Between her nose and her instincts, she always finds what she's after. Too bad the police can't use her to catch those burglars."
"I wish we could find out more,” Lea said, “but I'm sure the police are keeping outsiders away."
Maddy's eyes sparkled. “I have a better idea. Let's go see Maria at the donut shop. She knows everything that goes on around here. If there’s any new information, you can count on Maria to know what it is."
"Good idea. We'll meet you there."
Gracie jumped up, excited to be included in another escapade.
• • •
Lea drove through Seagate to the strip shopping center behind the gas station. Maria's Donut Shop was a small store with four wooden tables inside and two tables with umbrellas in front.
As she parked her car, Lea realized how fortuitous their timing had been. When she drove past the construction site, the news van was nowhere in sight. Now, here it was, in front of Maria's.
Lea stopped at the front door of the store.
"Stay, Gracie. You wait here.”
Hearing the shop keeper's bell, Maria waved hello but kept talking rapidly in Spanish to a man wearing a jacket with the letters KDHY. The only other customer sat alone at a table near the front window.