by Leena Clover
Jenny, Megan and Heather started talking at once. Adam held up his hand and asked Jenny to go on. Jenny gave him a precise account of how Zac had beaten Brandon to a pulp.
“We are taking you in,” Adam told Zac.
He turned toward Brandon.
“I assume you want to press charges?”
“Of course I do,” Brandon roared.
Ada opened her mouth to protest, but said nothing.
The police left the house with Zac in handcuffs.
Jenny caught Heather’s eye and nodded at her. Heather helped Betty Sue to her feet and they started to leave.
“You really think I had something to do with that girl’s death?” Ada asked Brandon. “How could you?”
Brandon looked uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry, Grandma!” he said. “I don’t know what came over me.”
Megan stood close to him, stroking his back.
“I really love Megan, Grandma,” Brandon pleaded. “I always have. I couldn’t take it if anything happened to her.”
“I like her too,” Ada said, bewildered. “She’s been in an out of this house since she was a child. Your Grandpa and I always figured she would marry you one day.”
Brandon sat down next to Ada. He looked like a lost child.
“I’m afraid, Grandma. Until we find out what happened to Kelly, I’ll never feel safe. I know I didn’t do it. And Binkie’s dead. So who did it?”
Jenny, Heather and Betty Sue quietly said goodbye to Megan and walked out. Betty Sue sat wheezing in the back seat on the drive home. All the excitement had been too much for her. Heather couldn’t stop talking.
Jenny was thoughtful, trying to process the scene she had witnessed. She felt she was on to something but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“What made Zac flip like that?” she asked Heather.
“Flip?” Heather laughed. “He went mental!”
Betty Sue spoke up from the back seat.
“Brandon called Ada a witch. That’s what set off that young man.”
“So Zac couldn’t tolerate hearing anything bad against Ada,” Jenny spoke out loud.
“He might have killed Brandon if we hadn’t pulled him off,” Heather crowed.
Jenny felt the pieces of the puzzle fall in place. Apparently, Zac Gordon could do anything for Ada. Had she hired him to get Kelly out of the way? She thought of Ada Newbury, an imposing old shrew. How could a snob like Ada have a romantic relationship with a common golf pro? Maybe she had paid him to do her dirty work and he was forcing her now. Hanging out with Zac Gordon might be something Ada was doing under duress.
Jenny pulled the car onto the shoulder and came to a stop. She turned around in her seat and looked at Heather and Betty Sue, her eyes gleaming.
“Remember how we talked about who could have killed Kelly? We thought it had to be Brandon or Enrique. But there’s one person we haven’t considered all this time. Someone who was right in front of us.”
“Zac Gordon?” Heather cried.
Jenny nodded.
“You just saw what happened. Zac seems to be Ada’s personal watchdog.”
“So Ada paid him to get Kelly out of the way?” Heather echoed Jenny’s thoughts.
“I don’t believe it,” Betty Sue protested. “Ada would never do that.”
“Ada may not have been specific,” Jenny reasoned. “Maybe Zac went a bit overboard.”
“Things got out of hand,” Heather agreed. “And Kelly lost her life. But what about Binkie?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Jenny admitted. “Binkie might have seen something and Zac had to get rid of him.”
“I think Ada is innocent,” Betty Sue argued. “That boy must have acted on his own.”
“But why?” Jenny and Heather chorused.
“To impress Ada?” Heather mused.
“Or try to please her?” Jenny added.
“Are we going to stay here all night talking about this?” Betty Sue demanded. “Take me home now.”
Jenny started the car with a sigh. She needed to talk to Adam immediately. He would decide if he wanted to bring Ada Newbury in for further questioning.
Chapter 21
Jenny wiped down a table at the Boardwalk Café, deep in thought. The breakfast rush had just ended. Jenny had started making her parfaits in a smaller serving size. Most people ordered them as a side or dessert to go with their hearty breakfast. Jenny’s customers, both locals and tourists, wanted sumptuous fare like omelets and frittatas for their first meal of the day. She had learnt it the hard way and accepted that she didn’t cater to a yogurt and granola type of crowd.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen and grab a bite?” Star said to her.
Jenny took a last look around the room, made sure everyone’s coffee was topped up and went into the kitchen with her aunt. She picked up a spoon and began eating the special parfait of the day, strawberries with toasted coconut and hazelnuts.
The phone mounted on the kitchen wall trilled. Jenny set her food down and sprang up.
“Heather! Is everything okay?”
She nodded her head and listened quietly for a while before hanging up.
“Aren’t they coming over today?” Star asked.
“The police just took Ada in for questioning,” Jenny told her. “Brandon called Heather. He’s going to pick up Jason and go to the police station.”
“Wonder who’s watching Emily,” Star said. “Why don’t you call Jason? We can take her for some time.”
Jenny’s cell phone rang just then. It was Jason, in dire need of a baby sitter. Jenny told him to drop the baby off at the café.
“We knew this was coming,” Star said, referring to Heather’s phone call.
“You think Ada will break down and confess?”
“Betty Sue is sure she is innocent,” Star reminded Jenny. “But you think Ada is hiding something, don’t you?”
“You know how finicky she is about status and bloodlines and all that crap,” Jenny said. “And she really hated Kelly.”
“Let’s see what Adam finds out.”
The Magnolias came in at ten and took turns singing and talking to the baby. Heather offered to take her back to the Bayview Inn.
“Call that young man of yours,” Betty Sue told Jenny. “Find out what’s happening with Ada.”
“You know he doesn’t like to be disturbed, Betty Sue. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything.”
The Magnolias dispersed soon after. Heather was eager to go back to the inn with Emily. She had pulled her old crib out of the attic and set it up in a corner of their living room. She was eager to see how the baby liked it.
Adam came to the Boardwalk Café around noon, making Jenny’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Got something to eat?” he asked Jenny. “I had to skip breakfast. I’m starving.”
Jenny set a big bowl of mushroom soup before Adam and told him to get started. She brought out a couple of buffalo chicken sandwiches and sat down before him.
“Ada insists she is innocent and I am inclined to believe her,” he said, between spoonfuls of soup.
Jenny was surprised Adam was willingly sharing information with her but she wasn’t going to stare a gift horse in the mouth.
“So she didn’t hire Zac Gordon to do her dirty work,” Jenny asked, her mouth drooping in disappointment.
“She says she didn’t and there is no evidence to prove otherwise.”
“What about her relationship with Zac?” Jenny shot back. “Did she deny that too?”
Adam bit into his sandwich and chewed appreciatively.
“This is like chicken wings dipped in blue cheese with a side of celery,” he said. “Yum!”
Jenny wasn’t interested in Adam’s compliments.
“Adam!”
“Ada was very forthcoming about it,” Adam said with a smile. “She is having a fling with the golf pro.”
“But why?” Jenny cried. “He has t
o be at least thirty years younger than her.”
“Is that your only objection?” Adam quirked an eyebrow.
“She’s married, of course,” Jenny added. “How could she cheat on Julius?”
“Ada doesn’t feel the need to explain herself,” Adam said.
“Did she ask you to release Zac Gordon?” Jenny asked.
Adam shook his head.
“Blood is thicker than water. She was shocked by how he behaved. She said she wasn’t aware he had a violent side. He’s been all lovey-dovey with her, obviously. She is going to insist that Brandon press charges against Zac. She wants us to put him away forever.”
“That’s quite an about turn,” Jenny laughed.
“She’s nothing if not whimsical,” Adam said.
“What do you think about this whole business?” Jenny asked. “Do you think Zac could have done it?”
“We never considered Zac as a suspect before,” Adam said. “Now we are looking into his alibi for both the murders. And I’m doing a background check on him too.”
Adam coaxed Jenny into sharing a sandwich with him. He left soon after.
A few more customers wandered in for a late lunch. The café emptied after that. Star and Jenny did a quick job of cleaning up and went into the kitchen to prep for the next day.
They were almost ready to leave when Jenny heard someone out on the deck.
A young man stood outside, biting his nails.
“Enrique!” Jenny exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“Can we talk?” he asked hesitantly.
“Sure,” Jenny said, pointing to a chair. “What’s on your mind?”
“Can you keep this between us?” Enrique asked. “I need to be sure you won’t turn me in.”
Jenny looked alarmed.
“What have you done? I can’t promise anything.”
Enrique’s brow pinched as he wavered for a minute. Then he let out a deep sigh and started talking.
Jenny’s eyes grew larger as she listened to Enrique’s story. Her mouth dropped open after a while. She almost jogged to the police station to bring Adam up to speed on Enrique’s story.
Things happened rapidly after that. Adam told Jenny about it when they were having dinner two days later.
Zac Gordon confessed to the murder of both Kelly and Binkie. The first murder had happened at the pool house and Enrique witnessed it when he woke up and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. He had watched Zac bash Kelly in the head with a golf club and push her into the pool. He had rushed to help Kelly as soon as Zac left the scene. It had been too late to save Kelly. Afraid of being harassed by the police, he went in and pretended he had been asleep in the pool house all night. Then he got greedy and tried to blackmail Zac.
Zac Gordon had threatened to report Enrique to immigration. It had been a shot in the dark but it had found its mark. It turned out Enrique was undocumented. Faced with the threat of being deported, he didn’t say a word against Zac.
“What about Binkie?” Jenny asked Adam.
She was still trying to wrap her head around all the facts. It seemed Zac, Enrique and Binkie had all been crooks, using blackmail to extract money from someone.
“Binkie spotted Ada and Zac together,” Adam smirked. “He threatened to expose their little affair. Zac thought that would be a big embarrassment for Ada, so he paid up at first. Then Binkie’s demands increased. So Zac got him out of the way.”
“I always thought Zac was a player, I mean, a womanizer,” Jenny said, “but I never took him for a cold blooded killer.”
“He had a violent past,” Adam reported. “He beat up a few people when he was on the golf circuit, apparently for no reason at all. If he hadn’t injured his shoulder and left himself, he would have been banned from the game.”
“I don’t understand one thing,” Jenny said, taking a sip of her wine. “What was his motive? Why did he murder Kelly?”
“He did it for Ada,” Adam said.
“What?” Jenny exclaimed.
“You know Ada can be outspoken. She made it very clear that she didn’t like Kelly. She didn’t want Brandon to marry her.”
“There were other ways to break them up.”
“He saw Ada trying to bribe Kelly into leaving Brandon. He asked her to meet him by the pool and threatened her. She scoffed at him. That’s when he attacked her. He thought it would make Ada happy.”
“I guess it did, in a way,” Jenny mused. “What does Ada say about all this? Did she know what Zac was up to?”
“She’s in shock. She had no idea what was going on in Zac’s mind. She kept repeating it over and over again. I believe her.”
“How did those two get together anyway?” Jenny asked, thinking she hadn’t come across a more unlikely alliance in a long time.
“Zac flirts around with women his age,” Adam said. “Mostly women at the country club. I guess he used to mooch off them. He never expected to fall for Ada.”
“Was it mutual?” Jenny asked.
“Both of them say it was. Ada decided to learn golf while Julius was away on his extended trip. She wanted to surprise him when he got back. She met Zac at the club and they became friends. You know the rest.”
“What happens to Enrique?” Jenny asked. “Will they send him back?”
“Enrique is working with an immigration lawyer. Brandon recommended one. I think he’s going to be fine.”
“Two young people lost their life, all for nothing,” Jenny said sadly.
“Don’t forget Kelly and Binkie were out to dupe Brandon. They might have met with trouble sooner or later.”
“Brandon’s back with his first love now,” Jenny smiled. “He’s happy with Megan.”
Adam took Jenny’s hand in hers and gazed deeply into her eyes.
“What about us, Jenny? Do you think it’s time?”
Epilogue
The spring sun bathed Pelican Cove in a bright glow. Flowers bloomed everywhere and lawns were carpeted in newly sprouted grass in rich emerald hues. A barbecue was in progress on Jenny’s patio, amidst a vibrant garden heavy with the scent of roses and gardenias.
Jason and Chris stood at a large grill, roasting hot dogs and flipping burgers. The Magnolias sat a short distance away, sipping tall glasses of cool lemonade, playing with the baby. Emily sat in her stroller, her big, round eyes taking everything in. She clapped her hands and cooed at the women, speaking in her own special baby language.
“Where is that young man of yours?” Betty Sue asked Jenny. “I hope you are still seeing him?”
Jenny smiled smugly, as if laughing at a secret joke.
“Adam’s working. He should be here soon though.”
Star leaned forward and whispered loudly.
“It’s not too late, niece! I still think you should go for Jason.”
Jason looked up from the grill just then and caught Jenny’s eye. He gave her a wide smile that reached the corners of his ears. Jenny knew Adam never smiled like that.
“It’s too late for a summer wedding,” Heather complained, flipping through a wedding magazine. “Stop trying our patience, Jenny.”
Jenny went up to the grill and started loading plates with the meat. A side table was loaded with side dishes everyone had brought. Molly had made her brownies and Betty Sue had made bread and butter pudding using a two hundred year old family recipe.
Jenny loaded her plate with coleslaw, potato salad and a bean salad and squirted mustard and relish on her hot dog. She urged everyone to start eating.
Jenny had just taken a bite of her food when Adam arrived, looking tall and handsome in his sheriff’s uniform. He made a beeline for the food. The friends talked and laughed together as they enjoyed the food and the company.
Finally, after the second helping of dessert had been eaten and everyone was sitting back, groaning and holding their stomachs, Adam cleared his throat.
He took Jenny’s hand and gave her a nod.
“We have an announcement
,” Jenny began.
“It’s about time,” Heather cried.
“Just say when,” Star added enthusiastically.
“Fall,” Jenny said shyly. “We are having an autumn wedding.”
***THE END***
Thank you for reading this book.
Like Pelican Cove? Have you read my Dolphin Bay series?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W72NPPG
Acknowledgements
I hit a few unexpected hurdles while writing this book. What kept me going was the support and encouragement from my family and reviews, emails and messages from readers eagerly awaiting the next book.
I am so thankful for everyone who takes the time to read my books. Beta readers and advanced readers deserve a special mention. So do friends and family who keep me going no matter what curve balls life throws at me.
I am grateful for the tremendous response my books have garnered. I hope you keep it coming because it motivates me to write more.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really appreciate your being here.
Truffles and Troubadours – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series Book 8
By Leena Clover
Chapter 1
It was a scorching summer day in Pelican Cove. At the Boardwalk Café, Jenny King hummed a tune as she gently poured scalded cream into a bowl of chopped chocolate. She was trying her hand at making truffles. Jenny and her friends had a big sweet tooth and they all loved chocolate. She couldn’t wait to see their reaction when she placed a platter of her fancy truffles before them.
Jenny added orange zest to the chocolate mixture and spooned in some orange liquer. The mixture was poured into fancy moulds. Jenny hurried to place the trays in the refrigerator as she heard a flurry of footsteps.
Two young women burst into the kitchen, vying for Jenny’s attention.
“Something smells good,” Heather Morse said, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. “What’s cooking, Jenny?”
Heather was a bold, attractive 35 year old woman who believed in making her own rules. She called herself Jenny’s wing woman.