Killer Party

by Lynn Cahoon

  This is not about you, I reminded myself. We could have that conversation another day.

  “I’m sure he protected her in case of his death. I mean, they just signed a prenup. Maybe that covered situations”—I paused, not wanting to say the words. I settled on a generic—“like this.”

  “Could you do me a favor and reach out to Levi’s attorneys? I’d like to know if Jessica is taken care of. I mean, we can’t do much, but maybe we could run a fundraiser in town if she’s not.” He closed his eyes and lay back on the bed. “The number is in my notebook. Levi made me an appointment to go in and talk about my will. He said it was foolish not to plan ahead.”

  “I’ll run downstairs and order us some room service for lunch and give him a call in the lobby. Are you going to try to sleep?” I ran a hand over his chest, hoping my touch would comfort him.

  “I doubt if I’ll sleep or eat for a few days. I just feel numb.” Greg grabbed my hand and squeezed without opening his eyes. “Thanks for being here. With everything that’s going on, it helps knowing I can lean on you, on us.”

  My heart warmed and my lips curved into a smile. “I’m glad I’m here too. No matter what, we’re a solid force against the storm.” Crap, now I was sounding like a greeting card. The one with the floating ship on a stormy sea on the outside. “I’ll be back soon. Try to sleep.”

  The hallway was eerily quiet. I wondered where the other couples were. Terrance, the police chief from Bakerstown, had made it clear we were not to leave The Castle. At least not until he talked to each one of us. I felt like I was playing some part in an Agatha Christie movie. You know the ones where one guest after another dies, until they find the murderer was the butler who hated the world, especially if it came in the form of happy couples. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

  When the elevator opened, the lobby was almost empty. I walked up to the check in desk where Brenda sat with another woman I didn’t recognize. Her eyes filled with sorrow as she watched me walk up. “Jill, how is Greg? What a stupid question, I bet he’s just stunned about this. I mean, I didn’t know the victim well, but he and Greg seemed to be close. They were always huddled up in some nook or cranny talking this weekend.”

  “They were?” Where had I been during these talks? I wondered.

  “I’m sorry. You didn’t come down here to gossip, what can I help you with?” Brenda turned on a small-business-owner smile. I’d worn it and seen it on the people who practiced customer service, even when they didn’t feel very welcoming.

  “I’d like to order some food for Greg. Maybe a soup and sandwich? Nothing too much. I’m not sure he’s up to actually eating. And throw in a few Cokes. I don’t think he’s had anything to drink for hours.” I held my hand out for the menu Brenda had pulled out.

  “We have a full kitchen on staff today and tomorrow for your group. Just tell me what you want and I’ll have it sent up.”

  I ordered a bowl of clam chowder along with a chicken tortellini soup. I figured whatever Greg didn’t want, I’d eat. Then I ordered two sandwiches and to round out the tray, a cheesecake brownie and a stack of Sadie’s chocolate chip cookies. Then I added in iced tea and a carafe of coffee along with the sodas. There had to be something in the order he’d enjoy.

  When that was done, I went and found one of those cubbies that Brenda must have been talking about. The small love seat was comfortable and I dialed the toll-free number on the piece of paper. When Jimmy Marcum answered, I almost squeaked. “You’re Levi’s attorney?”

  A warm chuckle filled my ear. “You didn’t see that one coming did you? You probably thought it was some big shot in New York or something. What can I do for you Miss Gardner?”

  “How did you know it was me?” The first time I’d met Jimmy was when he handled the paperwork for Miss Emily’s estate. Since I was the main heir, I worked closely with him during the probate process.

  “Caller ID is a modern miracle, especially for someone in my line of business. You wouldn’t believe how many people call and hang up before they actually reach me. Tell me, what’s going on?”

  I told him about Levi being found in the pool and about Greg wanting to know if Jessica was going to be taken care of in the will. “Anything you can say to ease his mind right now would be great. He’s ready to set up a South Cove fundraiser to keep Jessica from having to live on the streets.”

  Jimmy sighed over the phone. “I’m not sure what I can tell you about Levi except for what you already know. Now that he’s passed, his business has a big say in what is actually going to be released to the public.”

  “What about Jessica? Doesn’t she have any say so in Levi’s affairs?” To be truthful, I was thinking about Greg and me. What rights would I have if he was seriously hurt—or worse? The shock of Levi’s death was making me realize he and I needed to have this conversation, as morbid as it might feel.

  “Believe me, Jessica will be involved in all the decisions and he left her more than comfortable. Too many people ignore the fact that death comes to all of us. Your boyfriend could take a lesson from his friend. I know he has an appointment set up for next month, maybe you should come in with him.”

  “I don’t know. I’ll talk to Greg.” I paused, thinking about what Jimmy Marcum had said. “Did Jessica know that Levi had provided for her in case of his death?”

  “Of course she did, she insisted on it.”

  By the time I got back upstairs, the food had already been delivered and Greg was actually eating the Philly cheesesteak I’d ordered for him. It was one of his favorite lunch choices so I had guessed it might tempt him into eating. He waved a hand over the table set up by the window. “Did you order enough food?”

  The window looked out over the ocean and I could see the waves crashing on the beach as I sat down next to him. I took the chicken parmesan sandwich and took a bite. Crunchy breading and a just right tomato sauce made me sigh just a little as I sat it down on my plate. “I wanted you to have choices.”

  “Well, you accomplished that.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’m sorry I was so down. I promise, I’ll deal with my emotional crap without affecting your day.”

  “Your emotional crap is mine too. You are always the strong one. Let me be in that role for a little bit.” I nodded to the soup. “Which one do you want?”

  “I’ll take the chicken one. I know you like your chowder.” He nodded to the view. “This is a great spot. We should come up here for the weekend more often. It’s crazy that it’s so close, yet it feels so far away.”

  “You’re making small talk to make me feel better. Do you want to know what Jimmy Marcum said?”

  He wiped his mouth and leaned back in his chair. “I guess so. How did you find out so fast?”

  “He just told me. I guess he’s been expecting a call from law enforcement to help clear Jessica’s motives.” I took a spoonful of the soup, watching his reaction.

  “You’re not in law enforcement.” His bluntness made me choke on a piece of potato.

  After I got my breath back, I grinned. “Yeah, but I sleep with someone who is. He didn’t break any attorney-client privilege, but he did tell me that you can stop worrying. Jessica is well provided for.”

  “So why did you mention it could be a motive?” He stirred his soup, absently. “Wait, it’s because she set up the will, right?”

  “Exactly. How much do you know about this fiancée?” I dug into my sandwich. When I came up for air, I noticed he was staring at me. “What? It’s typically the spouse or a family member, right?”

  “Have I told you recently that you’re kind of good at this investigation thing?” He ate some of his soup.

  “Watch it, buddy, or I’ll forget you’re sensitive and throw this pillow at you.” Greg always teased me about my investigation skills, especially when he wasn’t trying to solve a murder. While he was in full cop mode, I believe he ignored the nagging concern that I was snooping around too.

  “Not a dreaded pillow attack.
” He held his arm up to defray the strike that never came. “I know he’s been living with her for a few years. Levi said she came from back east, some sort of model.”

  “I wouldn’t have put her accent as eastern. But it’s not Southern, either.” Maybe she had a speech problem when she was younger and the residuals of that was what I was hearing?

  “Maybe you could do some looking into her background. I’m sure Terrance won’t mind you poking around an open investigation.” He opened a soda. “At least until he finds out.”

  “And it keeps you out of the limelight, right?” Greg was totally sneaky. I hadn’t seen this side of him before.

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” He nodded to my plate. “Finish up your food and we’ll plan out how you can get the information we need. And while you’re doing that, I’ll reach out to some of my old contacts in Iowa to see if there’s some skeleton left in Levi’s closet that I don’t know about. Maybe it will explain why Butch blew a gasket at the pool.”

  “I could talk to Lois some more. Brenda thought she and Butch were in an abusive relationship. But I think it had more to do with the Levi thing.” I finished my soup and then opened a soda for me. I went to my tote bag and grabbed a pen and notebook, opened it to a new page and sat down on the bed. “Tell me what I need to find out. Maybe I can figure out more ways to get the information. Google is a great source, even if you don’t think so.”

  “Investigation by Google. It could be a whole new line of business for you at the shop.” Greg sat down next to me, one of Sadie’s cookies in hand. “Let’s get started.”

  When we got the call that it was our turn to talk to Terrance and the officers he had on the investigation, I had a list of to do’s in my notebook along with a list of questions to try and ask both Lois and Jessica. I figured I’d start with whoever was easiest to get alone.

  When we arrived in the lobby, Terrance took me to one side of the hall and a uniformed officer whose name I didn’t know took Greg into a separate room. The room Terrance led me into was a small sitting room, decorated in the style of the early Middle Ages. We sat on large, uncomfortable pews facing each other. “Thanks for staying around to talk to us. I know you probably want to get back to your shop.”

  “It’s closed. We stop opening on Sundays after Labor Day.” I wasn’t sure why I was telling him my shop business. Clearly I was nervous. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been questioned in the deaths of others before, but this felt personal. I realized he was watching me. Watching me think? Wondering what I could even know? Or wondering why I was blabbing. I decided to get right to the point. “Anyway, what can I answer for you?”

  He looked down at his notes. “According to what I’m hearing, you hadn’t met any of these people before this weekend. Correct?”

  “That’s right. These were Greg’s friends, not mine.” I relaxed a little in my chair. This should be over in minutes. I didn’t know anyone or anything.

  “So why was that exactly? You and Greg have been a couple for what, two years now? And you’ve never met any of his friends before this weekend? How did that make you feel?” Instead of him leaning back, relaxing, he leaned forward and watched for any reaction. I wanted to slap him.

  “We just hadn’t. Greg said the group was intense. I don’t know why Greg hadn’t invited me before this weekend. Maybe you should ask him?” I didn’t want to be argumentative, but how was I supposed to answer that question? “I’m sure there are friends of mine that Greg hasn’t met.”

  “Do you always keep so many secrets from your boyfriends? Or is Greg special in that way?” He made wrote something on the small notebook in his hands.

  “I wouldn’t call them secrets. The information just didn’t come up yet. Like Levi and the rest of the crew. We just hadn’t talked about that part of Greg’s life.” I knew I sounded defensive, but I just couldn’t stay Zen when it felt like the guy was almost accusing me of actually killing poor Levi. He hadn’t asked those specific questions yet, but it was only a matter of time before they came up. I focused my gaze on Terrance as he wrote more in that stupid book of his. “Besides, when did you introduce your childhood friends to Althea? You know we talk at the county police get together trivia nights. I’ve heard her say you didn’t even share where you went to school before the two of you got married and she found your yearbooks.”

  He squirmed in his chair. “It wasn’t one of my friends who was murdered, Miss Gardner. I think we should keep the questions on the matter at hand.”

  “As long as you stop digging for an easy way out of this. Neither Greg nor I killed Levi. That’s probably all you need to know. Can I go now?”

  He smiled, but the humor didn’t hit his eyes. “Sorry, I have a few more questions. Tell me about your weekend. When did you get here and what happened, right up to the time you found Mr. Wallace’s body.”

  I walked him through what had happened up through this morning when Brenda had knocked on our door. He scribbled notes as I talked. “So you didn’t know you were hosting a walking tour of South Cove? That must have made you mad.”

  “Believe me, I’ve been roped into doing a lot worse things than shepherding a group of women through town. Besides, I stopped into the shop and talked with Toby for a few minutes.” I didn’t mention how he’d almost killed my dog. I didn’t want to be suspect number one if something happened to my barista in the next few days.

  “Toby Killian? Your roommate?” This time Terrance didn’t even look up from his notebook.

  “He rents the shed out back, he’s not my roommate. I thought we’d already established that Greg was living with me?” I rolled my shoulders. “I feel like we’re diving into my personal life here, not dealing with the issue of who killed Levi Wallace. I know I didn’t. And Greg was sleeping next to me last night. So I think we’re done here.”

  He leaned back and watched me stand up. “If you think so. I just want to have a clear picture of what went on up here in The Castle this weekend.”

  By the sound of his voice, I was pretty sure he thought the group of friends were either wife swapping or worshiping the devil. One or the other or maybe both. I decided I didn’t like Terrance. Not one bit. I walked toward the door.

  “One more thing Miss Gardner. You’re free to return to your home and work. However, please don’t leave the area on an extended vacation until this matter is wrapped up.”

  “Seriously? I’m a business owner and a member of the South Cove community, where would I be going? Unless you have someone who can cover my shop for a while?” I paused at the door, meeting his gaze. I’d missed his point, originally, but now, realization hit me. “Wait, are you saying I’m a suspect in the death of Levi Wallace?”

  He walked toward me and held the door open. “Let’s just say person of interest.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Aunt Jackie arrived at the house minutes after we did. She bustled in the front door, then stopped and looked around the living room “Where’s Emma?”

  “At the vet. She had an issue with some of Toby’s chocolate.” Typically, Emma would be sitting at a very jumpy attention, her tail wagging softly behind her. My dog loved Aunt Jackie. I couldn’t figure out if it was because she typically ignores Emma or if they shared some sort of connection I couldn’t see. I flopped onto the couch. I should call Sissy and see if I could bring her home today or not. “What are you doing here? We weren’t planning on coming home until tomorrow.”

  My aunt sat her wedding planner on the coffee table with a thud. I suspected it weighed a good five pounds now. By the time the wedding came around in June of next year, the book should be heavy enough to need a wagon to pull it around. “That poor dog. You should have left her with me. I would have watched her better.”

  I hadn’t even considered leaving my dog with my elderly aunt. Even if Emma worshiped her. It made my heart swell a bit that she’d think about taking on the almost one hundred–pound dog for me. “Don’t say that to Toby, he feels bad enough.�
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  “As he should.” My aunt settled on the couch. “I saw you drive by the apartment so I thought I’d come over and see how you are. You don’t have to explain what happened, everyone has heard about Greg’s friend. That poor bride, she must be heartbroken.”

  “She’s hurting, that’s for sure.” I looked up the stairs toward the bedroom where Greg had disappeared with our bags. I was sure he was avoiding coming down right now to avoid being drilled on the murder gossip by my aunt. Right now, I hated him just a little. “Greg’s a little beat up too. He hadn’t seen Levi in years.”

  “There’s something about childhood friendships that stay with us. Give Greg my condolences.” She stood and turned toward the kitchen. “Do you have coffee made?”

  I leaned back into my couch, trying to enjoy the fact I was home. Home is where you could relax and chill. I opened one eye, she was still standing there, staring at me and waiting for my answer. “It’s almost four in the afternoon and we just walked in the door. Why would I have a pot of coffee going?”

  “For guests.” She waved me back on the couch. “Don’t get up, I’ll make it. And I came by yesterday and put a cherry cheesecake in the fridge for you. We had leftovers at the shop and Harrold doesn’t like cherry.”

  “I could go for that.” Greg’s voice boomed down the staircase.

  When he reached the bottom, I looked up at him. “Sure, now you come downstairs. You’d do anything for Sadie’s cheesecake.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I’d do almost anything.” He kissed me on the top of the head. “I was talking to Toby. He called to let us know he’s on his way back from Bakerstown with Emma. He should be here in twenty minutes. Should I get some burgers out for dinner? Looks like we’re going to have a full house.”

  Aunt Jackie came back into the living room. “No need. Harrold is at Diamond Lille’s picking up fried chicken. You two just relax. You’ve had quite a weekend.”

  I made eye contact with Greg and he responded to my unspoken, “WTH?” with a shrug that I interpreted as, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” My aunt was being nurturing, which was so not like her. But I liked this surprising side of her. Home, family—this is where you went when you were broken. I hoped Greg would feel the love as well.