“So you’re saying decades more of bragging to not look forward to then, huh?” Robert bemoaned.
“Unfortunately,” Grandma Betty said.
Robert sighed. “Great.”
“Here’s the thing, when you work so hard for something, it’s difficult to have it taken away. And as much as catching a record-sized tuna doesn’t matter to you, that catch means the world to Joe Norton. So you’re never going to get him to shut up about it,” Grandma explained.
Just then, a lightbulb went off in Chloe’s head. Suddenly, all her confusion about the case as gone. She was able to see things crystal clear.
Chloe’s eyes opened wide. “Wait a minute. That’s it.”
Grandma Betty was confused. “What’s it?”
“When you work hard for something, it’s difficult to have it taken away. That’s the answer,” Chloe said.
“The answer to what?” Grandma Betty asked.
Chloe smiled. “I know who killed Ryan Foster.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The next morning, Chloe paid a visit to the local TV station, where she confronted Sasha Irwin in her dressing room. The taping of the children’s show that she hosted was still forty-five minutes away. When Chloe entered the dressing room, Sasha was freshening up.
“The show must go on, huh?” Chloe asked.
Sasha turned to the doorway with equal parts surprise and outrage. “How did you get in here?”
“That’s not important.”
It may not have mattered to Chloe, but it sure did to Sasha. Even more, Sasha wasn’t having it. She yelled as loud as she could.
“Security.”
While Sasha was panicked, Chloe was as calm as could be.
“You’re wasting your breath. Speaking of, let’s get down to business. We have something very important to talk about.”
Sasha folded her arms and glared. “I don’t have anything to say to you. You have three seconds to get out of here before I remove you myself.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise.”
Chloe stood her ground and laughed. “You don’t scare me.”
Sasha became offended. “I should. The biggest mistake people have made over the years is underestimating me. Now, your time is up.”
“What are you going to do, kill me like you killed Ryan Foster?”
“How dare you?” She yelled again. “Security.”
Chloe pressed on. “There’s nothing that will protect you from the truth. You’re right, people have been underestimating you…like, Ryan Foster. He didn’t realize how far you were willing to go to stay on top. But the fact is when you’ve worked so hard for something all your life, it’s hard to have it all taken away.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You tried your best to convince me that you didn’t think Ryan Foster had unsavory photos of you, but you knew he did, and you were terrified of what they’d do to your career as a children’s show host if they got out. That’s why you left the party so frantically, that’s why you were so combative with Eric Voss yesterday when he tried to blackmail you yesterday, and it’s why you were antagonistic with me as well when I mentioned I had an interesting photo. It took you thirty years to land your dream job as a TV show host, and you knew a few regretful photos from your college days could take away all you’d worked so hard for. You couldn’t let that happen, so after the party, you went over to Ryan’s house and made sure those pictures would never see the light of day,” Chloe explained.
Sasha looked ready to explode by this point.
Chloe continued. “While Ryan thought he’d planned the perfect blackmail, you had a perfect plan of your own. You’d seen Paige’s play, so you knew a golf club would be ideal murder weapon to frame her with. As an added bonus, Paige just so happened to show up at Ryan’s house that night, and when she drove away from Ryan’s house, you made your move, killing Ryan with the golf club. Isn’t that right?”
Sasha had heard enough. Ironically, she reached for the “Best Local Children’s Show Host” award golden statuette that was sitting next to her dressing room mirror, and looked primed to attack Chloe with it.
“Yeah, I did it. I killed him, and I’m going to do the same to you,” Sadie said.
Sasha then charged Chloe.
What Sasha didn’t realize was that Chloe had her pepper spray ready in her purse the whole time. Chloe grabbed the can and sprayed Sasha in the face.
Sasha started screaming, dropped the award statuette, and began rubbing her eyes.
Just then, Detective Thicke and half a dozen deputies emerged from the hallway, with their guns drawn.
“Put your hands up,” Detective Thicke demanded.
Sasha saw the guns pointed at her out of burning and teary eyes and realized there was no escape.
Suddenly, her emotions overcame her, and she spilled her guts. “I worked so hard to land this job, to finally get my big break, and Ryan thought he could take it all away from me. I showed him. He was a lowlife, even before he tried to blackmail me. Everyone hated him. If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else. The way I see it, I did the world a favor. I don’t regret doing it for a second. The only thing I regret is getting caught.”
“It turns out the show really must go on. It’ll just be without you from now on,” Chloe said.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Take her away boys,” Detective Thicke said.
The deputies did just that, leaving Detective Thicke and Chloe with a moment alone.
The detective did not appear to be looking forward to talking with Chloe. He was as tense as could be, in no hurry to make eye contact, and seemed to be bracing himself for the earful he thought was inevitable. After a few awkward seconds, the detective spoke up, all too eager to get the unpleasantries over with.
“Well, lay it on me,” Detective Thicke said.
The detective had it all wrong. Chloe wasn’t about to gloat. She was just happy to have cracked the case. If anything, she was too busy riding high on the adrenaline rush that came from uncovering the real killer.
Chloe also felt a great sense of relief. She’d been worried that her friend would go to jail for a crime she didn’t commit. That anxiety quickly melted away.
So when she looked over at the detective and saw how tense he was, she was genuinely confused.
Chloe furrowed her brow. “Lay what on you?”
“The ‘I told you so.’”
“You’re talking to the wrong woman. I try to keep ‘I told you so’ out of my vocabulary,” Chloe replied.
Detective Thicke let out a big sigh of relief.
Chloe had a suggestion for the detective. “Maybe you should start working with me, instead of against me.”
He sighed. “You’re probably right. Still, I thought I had this one.”
“Don’t think of it as a loss for you, but a win for justice.”
The detective looked thoroughly impressed by her humility. “You really don’t say I told you so.”
“I leave that to my mother.”
“Is she an amateur gumshoe too?”
Chloe shook her head. “She’s a retired makeup saleswoman. Unfortunately, she hasn’t retired from being a shameless know-it-all.”
The detective gave her a knowing look. “Trust me, a mother never retires from that.”
“Apparently not.”
“Speaking of retirement, I may have to put in for my pension soon if the Cape doesn’t settle down soon. There have been more murders here in the last few months than in the last few years.”
Chloe exhaled. “Don’t remind me. I want the beaches here to be the star attraction, not homicides.”
The detective got a faraway look in his eyes. “I remember a time when the biggest crimes cops had to deal with were a few people running red lights. Those days are long gone.”
“How great would it be to have those days come back?”
Detective Thicke sighed. “Yeah.
In the meantime, thank you for the great detective work.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How about a donut to celebrate?”
Chloe reluctantly declined. “I’m not sure my waistline would appreciate that. I already have a long overdue date with the gym to get to.”
“Suit yourself. That means more donuts for me,” Detective Thicke insisted.
Chloe laughed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chloe wasn’t the only one that was happy to be putting this case behind them. Paige O’Doul nearly wept when she found out the killer was in custody. The relief on her face was unmistakable. She looked like she had a whole new lease on life.
Paige gave Chloe a hug that she was in no hurry to pull back from.
“Thank you so much. You literally saved my life,” Paige said.
“It’s funny. Normally I’d just say you were being dramatic, but this time, you’re right,” Chloe replied.
“Trust me, after what we’ve just been through, I don’t have any interest in drama anymore.”
“I never thought I’d hear that line coming out of an actress’s mouth.”
“I meant real-life drama. The scripted variety is a completely different animal.”
“As long as you leave the drama onstage from now on.”
Paige smiled. “Gladly. Speaking of, the guy who wrote the play I’m in heard about your unique story and is interested in writing a show about your amateur sleuthing. Isn’t that exciting?”
Chloe bit the corner of her lip, not nearly as enthused. “I don’t know about that.”
“You have to admit, it’s a killer story.”
“Please, don’t say killer.”
“Right. Sorry. Think of it this way, if his script gets picked up, I could play you in the stage show.”
Chloe was confused. “Wouldn’t you want to play yourself?”
“Are you kidding? Why would I want to be me? What’s the fun in that?” Paige said.
Chloe laughed.
“I meant, the whole point of acting is to pretend you’re someone else. Besides, your character would be the star of the show, and what actress doesn’t want to be the center of attention?” Paige continued.
Chloe remained non-committal. “I’ll think about it.”
“Your humility truly does know no bounds. If I’m going to pull off playing you convincingly in this show, I’m going to have to keep that in mind.”
“While you’re plotting your next star turn, I’m getting bummed out by the fact that you’re going to be leaving town soon.”
“Hey, we only have twenty-five more cities left on this tour. Don’t worry, I’ll be back…to do research into your character for the play,” Paige joked.
Chloe smiled. “You always did know how to make me laugh.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
“Other than solving murder cases, you mean?”
Paige nodded. “Besides that of course. Tell you what, next time I’m in town, dinner is on me. I’ll even take you out to Chez Pierre’s.”
“Oo la la. I can’t wait,” Chloe said.
Paige couldn’t resist giving Chloe another hug while she leaned in and whispered in Chloe’s ear.
“Thanks again for everything.”
Epilogue
That night, Chloe was in for a different kind of celebration. Dylan took her out for a dinner date. As someone who had just performed surgery in the last few days, Dylan thought he’d have the most interesting story of the day. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Here I thought I was dating a makeup saleswoman. Little did I know I was getting involved with someone who is making a habit of outsmarting the police,” Dylan said.
“It’s not my goal to make the police look bad. I was just trying to help out an old friend,” Chloe explained.
“And that, in a nutshell, is why I like you so much.”
“Because I make the police look bad, or because I’m trying to help out a friend?”
“Because you’ll do anything for a friend. That kind of loyalty is rare in this day and age. Trust me, I know.”
Dylan got a wistful look in his eyes.
“Are you thinking about Will Abbott again?” Chloe asked.
Will Abbott was one of Dylan’s oldest friends…right up until the point when Dylan caught Will sleeping with his wife. That day everything changed. It was a heartbreak that had taken Dylan over a year to get over. Chloe couldn’t blame him. In one moment, Dylan had been betrayed by both his wife and his best friend.
In light of all the twisted romantic couplings that were involved in the Ryan Foster murder investigation, it was no surprise that Dylan was very emotional. Hearing about the romantic backstabbing that had gone on with Paige’s old acting troupe had clearly made Dylan reflect on the old wounds in his own past.
At the same time, this was a celebratory dinner. Dylan pulled himself together and put the focus back on Chloe.
“Let’s just say, I’m glad people like you are still out there,” Dylan replied.
Chloe was just as complimentary to him. “I could say the same thing about you.”
“Well thanks, but there’s no chance of me solving a murder case,” Dylan insisted.
“To be fair, I didn’t know I’d turn into a sleuth.”
“The killer didn’t realize it either,” Dylan joked.
“There’s nothing like the element of surprise,” Chloe said.
“I guess the question is, what other surprises do you have up your sleeve?”
“None that I know of.”
Dylan got playful with her. “I find that hard to believe. I’m sure another hidden talent is hiding in there somewhere.”
“If so, I haven’t discovered it yet.” She switched gears. “How about you, do you have any hidden talents I should know about?”
“I’ve been told I’m pretty good at giving foot rubs.”
Chloe’s eyes opened wide. “How is this the first I’ve heard about this?”
“Come on, women don’t like massages, do they?” Dylan joked.
“Very funny. Now that the cat is out of the bag, you know I’m going to be taking you up on one of those.”
“I figured you would.”
“I’d be a fool not to. A foot rub is a girl’s best friend,” Chloe said.
“I thought diamonds were a girl’s best friend,” Dylan replied.
“A woman can have more than one best friend. There’s no reason to limit yourself.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“Just like I can’t argue with heading back to my place and getting one of those foot rubs you were telling me about,” Chloe said.
“I wish I could, but I have another surgery to perform in the morning.”
Chloe sighed. “You got me all worked up for nothing.”
“How about a raincheck?”
Chloe smiled. “I think you already know the answer to that.”
Dylan laughed. “I suppose so. Now, you’re not going to solve another murder while I’m in the operating room, are you?”
Chloe was coy with her response. “I can’t promise anything.”
Dylan stared her down.
“I’m kidding. As far as I’m concerned, if another murder happens in Cape Cod, it’ll be too soon for me,” Chloe continued.
“Good. It’s hard not to worry if I know you’re out questioning murder suspects.”
“You know I can take care of myself, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I do. It’s just that I’m really falling for you, so naturally I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
“You’re really falling for me?”
Dylan gazed deep into her eyes. “Oh yeah, I’m falling for you, head over heels.”
“Trust me, the feeling is mutual,” Chloe replied.
Dylan and Chloe got wrapped up in one another’s gaze. At that moment, it was as if time had stopped. All that mattered was each other. Chloe could feel her knee
s getting weak. She hadn’t experienced emotions this strong in a long time. Even more, she didn’t want those feelings to end.
The End.
Killer Finale
Prologue
Chloe Cook couldn’t believe the rug had been pulled out from under her again. Just when she thought her life was back on track, the universe found new ways to throw her for a loop. This was becoming a disturbing pattern. Unfortunately, it was one she had no control over. With the way things were shaking out, it seemed the only thing she could do was to expect the unexpected to keep happening.
Another murder had occurred in her quaint, touristy hometown of Cape Cod. This was the third this year. Unlike the big city, where a jaded worldview often set in among the population, that wasn’t the case here. To Chloe, it wasn’t just another day, another dead body. To her, each murder was just as unsettling as the last. It would always be that way. How could she ever get used to someone’s life being cut so tragically short?
Part of the reason Chloe was so unsettled was because these killings were in direct contrast to the reputation of the sleepy hometown she knew and loved. Things like this didn’t happen in the Cape when she was growing up. Her youth was filled with happy days at the beach and joyful nights playing kick the can and eating delicious seafood. Things had gotten much more complicated since then. She hated to think the Cape she lived in now, where murders were just as numerous as shark attacks, could be the new normal.
Nothing about the crime scene was ordinary. Chloe looked around in complete shock. Then again, she was particularly shaken by this murder because she had a personal stake in the outcome of the case. The victim was a well-known comedy and magic club owner with a nasty habit of making enemies. Chloe could list half a dozen names off the top of her head, each with a good reason to want the club owner dead.
Unfortunately, the police had their eye on a seventh suspect, someone near and dear to Chloe’s heart. Against all odds, one of Chloe’s good friends was in the hot seat. Even more, that friend wasn’t just on the suspect list, she seemed to be at the top of it.
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