by Leena Clover
“I don’t think they are trying hard,” Jason said frankly. “They found out he had a record.”
“What are your thoughts on the subject?” Jenny asked him. “What motive could anyone have for killing him?”
“Ocean’s past opens up a few possibilities,” Jason explained. “He must have made some enemies.”
“So you think he cheated someone and this person or persons got their revenge?”
“It’s an option,” Jason said.
“What was he doing on the beach that night?” Jenny asked. “I thought he camped out in the woods.”
“He must have gone there to meet someone,” Jason replied. “That’s the most obvious explanation.”
“Where was this at?” Jenny asked.
“On the edge of town,” Jason informed her. “On that beach next to the bridge.”
Jenny uttered an exclamation.
“Near the bridge?” she asked. “Don’t you remember? That’s where Ocean said he found that guitar.”
“You are right, Jenny,” Jason said, widening his eyes. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
“Maybe Ocean just liked that beach,” Heather said.
“I think we are missing something,” Jenny said, shaking her head. “There was something about that beach. We talked about it last time.”
“It’s near Peter Wilson’s garage,” Jason reminded her.
“That’s right!” Jenny exclaimed. “We keep coming back to him, don’t we?”
“You really think he is involved?”
“I don’t know,” Jenny admitted. “You think Ocean knew he was a crook too?”
“Ex-crook, Jenny,” Jason said. “Be careful of what you say about him. He’s becoming a big man now. He might be our mayor soon.”
“Over my dead body,” Betty Sue said dramatically. “Peter Wilson is not winning this election.”
“Have you seen all the yard signs, Grandma?” Heather asked. “More and more people are supporting Peter Wilson each day. I think he’s going to win in a landslide. And I thought you supported him too.”
“No one’s actually going to vote for an outsider,” Betty Sue clucked. “This is Pelican Cove, Heather. Tradition means something here.”
Molly cleared her throat.
“You people haven’t heard about the green tax yet, have you?”
Every pair of eyes stared back at her.
“Peter Wilson has proposed a tax for local businesses. He says they are damaging the environment with their excessive use of plastic. So he is going to make them pay a surcharge of sorts.”
“That’s insane,” Jenny groaned. “And we don’t use plastic at the Boardwalk Café.”
“You use plastic somewhere,” Molly reasoned. “And all your customers don’t recycle.”
“I don’t control where a customer throws his trash,” Jenny cried.
“Exactly,” Molly said. “Peter says the business should take responsibility for that.”
“There’s no way any business will agree to this.”
“The people love it,” Molly told them. “They are calling it Trash Tax and they are in favor of it. Don’t forget there are only a handful of businesses compared to the number of people in town.”
“This is what I am talking about,” Jason told Jenny. “Peter Wilson is all set to be mayor.”
“That doesn’t make him innocent, Jason. And being mayor won’t absolve him of murder.”
“It shouldn’t, Jenny,” Jason agreed. “But you know what a snob Adam is. You think he will investigate such a powerful person?”
“Adam is a highly scrupulous police officer,” Jenny rushed to defend him. “How dare you question his character, Jason?”
“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Jason backtracked. “That came out wrong. I just want you to be careful.”
“I’m going to find out if Peter and Ocean knew each other. We can go talk to him after that.”
“I will go with you,” Jason offered. “You don’t need to do everything alone.”
Jenny smiled.
“I don’t have to. Not when I have friends like you.”
“Start by telling him you support him,” Heather advised. “That will make things go smoother.”
“Great idea, Heather,” Jenny agreed. “I don’t mind stroking his ego if it helps me get to the truth.”
Chapter 18
Jenny worked nonstop all day. She served her customers with a smile but she couldn’t wait to get away. She finally made her way to Williams Seafood Market to get something for dinner.
Chris Williams greeted her warmly.
“Have you heard about this Trash Tax, Jenny?” he asked. “I hope you will join us in protesting it.”
Jenny assured him the local business owners could count on her support.
Chris packed her usual order of sea bass and shrimp.
“You seem preoccupied,” he said as he rang up her purchase.
“I was thinking about Ocean,” she admitted to Chris. “Did you ever see him talking to Peter Wilson?”
“They seemed to hit it off,” Chris told her. “Saw them sharing a pint a couple of times.”
“Maybe I should talk to Eddie,” Jenny muttered.
She went to the Rusty Anchor, trying not to feel too hopeful. Eddie Cotton greeted her enthusiastically and offered her a drink on the house. Jenny opted for a glass of wine.
“What brings you here, little lady?” Eddie asked. “And where is your posse tonight?”
“I was hoping to pick your brain,” Jenny admitted.
Eddie offered to help any way he could. Jenny asked him about Ocean and Peter Wilson.
“What did those two talk about. Any idea?”
Eddie wasn’t sure.
“It was some kind of business deal, I think. Something which would benefit the both of them.”
Jenny felt she had established that Ocean knew Peter. She called Jason and asked him if he had time to go visit Peter Wilson. He agreed to meet her at Wilson’s Auto Shop.
Peter Wilson was working on a car when they reached the garage. Dressed in grease stained overalls with sweat lining his brow, he looked like an honest, hardworking man. He smiled when he saw the baby carrier Jason was holding. He had two daughters, one of them in college.
“They grow up really fast,” he said to Jason. “She’ll fly the nest before you know it.”
He turned toward Jenny and smiled.
“Am I in trouble? You look fierce.”
“That depends,” Jenny said primly. “We are here to talk about Ocean.”
Peter’s expression was inscrutable.
“I was sorry to hear about him. He was a good guy.”
“Did you know him well?” Jenny asked.
“Not really,” Peter Wilson said with a shrug.
“He was found near here,” Jason said. “Near your shop, I mean.”
Peter Wilson’s face hardened.
“Are you accusing me of something? This here is a public beach. I don’t keep track of everyone who comes or goes here.”
“So you never saw Ocean walking around here?” Jenny asked.
“I didn’t, believe me. I close shop at 5 PM and go home. He might have come here after that. And I’m busy during the day. I don’t sit and stare at the beach all the time.”
“Eddie said you were hatching some kind of scheme with him.”
“He was proposing a festival for troubadours,” Peter Wilson told them. “The town would take money from them. He said he could supply at least a dozen of them singers.”
“I guess he wanted money for that?” Jason asked.
Peter nodded. “Like a finder’s fee.”
“Why would he come to you with such a scheme?” Jason wondered.
“It’s all this buzz about the election,” Peter smiled. “He thought I was going to be mayor.”
“Judging by all accounts, you might be,” Jenny conceded.
Peter looked thoughtful as he wiped a wrench.
“I don’t think so. When push comes to shove, people will vote for Barb.”
“That’s not a very positive attitude,” Jenny remarked.
“I’m just being realistic,” Peter shrugged. “And it’s fine. I never thought so many people would support me. They have made me a happy man.”
Jenny and Jason said goodbye to Peter. Jenny invited Jason for dinner and he accepted.
“Why don’t I get us some dessert?” he offered. “You go on, Jenny. We are right behind you.”
Star was happy to learn they were having company. She started helping Jenny prep for dinner. Jenny made carrot and avocado puree for the baby.
Then she made a rice pilaf and a green salad to go with the fish.
“Are you ready to cross Peter off your list now?” Jason asked as they sat down for dinner.
“I’m really not sure,” Jenny grumbled. “Say we cross Peter off. What does that leave us with?”
“That’s no reason to suspect him,” Jason reasoned.
Jenny had to agree with him.
They gorged on the ice cream Jason had brought from the local creamery. Jason and Emily left and Jenny dragged herself upstairs, ready to turn in after a long day.
The alarm woke Jenny up the next day. She showered and dressed in her favorite pair of shorts and a chambray shirt. Labor Day had come and gone but the weather was still quite hot in Pelican Cove.
Jenny was surprised to see a line outside the café at 5 AM. Groups of people loitered on the beach. Jenny went in and started the coffee. The phone rang, startling her. It was Heather.
“Are you ready for the big day?” Heather screamed in her ear.
“What’s going on, Heather?” Jenny asked. “Why are there people on the beach at this hour?”
“You don’t know?” Heather asked. “Don’t you check your Instagram?”
“What has happened?” Jenny asked with a sigh. “Just tell me, Heather.”
“Bobby Joe is making an appearance today,” Heather told her. “He has decided to have breakfast at the Boardwalk Café.”
“He told you that?” Jenny asked.
“He told the whole world, Jenny,” Heather giggled. “He posted it on his Insta last night. People are driving overnight to catch a glimpse of him here.”
“That’s why there are people on the sidewalk!” Jenny said, connecting the dots.
“Forget the people,” Heather said. “What are you making for breakfast?”
“Whatever’s on the calendar,” Jenny said. “Wait a minute … it’s crab omelets today.”
“Bobby Joe likes chocolate chip pancakes,” Heather informed her. “With extra chocolate chips.”
“Didn’t you say he was on some kind of diet?” Jenny asked sarcastically.
“Today is his cheat day,” Heather quipped. “And he is willing to spend it at the Boardwalk Café. Just think of all the free publicity, Jenny.”
“I’m worried about all those people outside,” Jenny said. “What am I going to feed them, Heather? You better come here and help.”
“On my way,” Heather said. “I’m not missing this for all the gold in Pelican Cove.”
Rumor had it there was a lot of gold in town. It came from sunken treasure.
Jenny managed to bake a few trays of muffins before 6 AM. People rushed in as soon as she threw the doors open. She could see Captain Charlie on the sidewalk, struggling to make his way in through the crowd. She waved at him and pointed toward the deck. He got the message and went around the café to the back.
“What’s all this ruckus?” Captain Charlie asked, pulling out a chair on the deck.
“Heather says that big country singer is coming here for breakfast,” Jenny told him. “These are his fans, I think.”
Jenny handed over a paper bag with two muffins and a cup of coffee. Captain Charlie thanked her before heading out. He turned around just as he reached the bottom step.
“Weren’t you asking about that Ocean chap? I remembered something about him.”
“Go on,” Jenny urged.
“Saw him in a fancy car one evening,” Captain Charlie said. “At least I thought that was him at the time. But what was he doing in a car like that?”
Jenny thanked him for the information and waved goodbye.
Pandemonium reigned inside the café. They had already run out of coffee and muffins. Almost everyone wanted the crab omelets. Jenny and Heather got busy beating eggs and flipping omelets. Jenny called Star and begged her to come in and help them.
Jenny had lost count of the number of omelets she made when Heather gave a cry.
“What’s wrong now?” Star asked.
She had come in and taken charge of the cash register.
Heather waved her phone at them.
“It’s Bobby Joe! He just started from the inn. He should be here in five minutes.”
A roar went up through the café. Most of the customers had lingered over their food, refusing to give up their vantage point. People stood along the walls, sipping coffee or lemonade and waiting for their icon to come in.
Jenny peeped outside and sucked in a breath at the scene outside. She pulled Heather to her side.
“Can you believe that?”
The street was packed with people. Many of them wore T-shirts with Bobby Joe’s face or name printed on them. Some people were waving flags with his picture on them. Someone began chanting Bobby Joe’s name and the crowd took it up.
Heather began snapping pictures with her phone.
“This is priceless, Jenny. You can’t buy this kind of publicity!”
The crowd parted and a tall, broad shouldered young man walked through, blowing kisses to the crowd. The sun glinted off his copper colored mop. A couple of burly security guys straddled him, keeping the crowd at bay.
“We love you, Bobby Joe!” a girl cried from the crowd and began pulling off her top.
Heather pulled Jenny inside.
“Better start making those pancakes.”
A table had been miraculously cleared for Bobby Joe. Jenny went out to greet him and take his order.
“How are you, sugar?” he drawled. “Nice place you got here.”
Jenny fought a blush. Bobby Joe was at least 10 years younger than her but she had eyes. Jenny had to admit he was one handsome hunk.
Jenny’s hands shook as she arranged the crab omelet on a plate and added toast and bacon. Another plate held a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with her special chocolate and espresso sauce, topped with whipped cream.
Fans were clicking pictures with Bobby Joe when Jenny took the food outside. Heather made her pose with him and clicked several photos of Jenny and her food with Bobby Joe. Jenny knew she would post them online on the café’s page.
“Delicious!” Bobby Joe exclaimed when he took a bite of the pancakes. “Best I have tasted in my life.”
Some fans wanted Bobby Joe to say something.
“I am singing at the Pelican Cove Fall Festival. It’s going to be lit. See you there!”
Bobby Joe surprised Jenny by cleaning his plate. He walked out with his guards, waving at the crowd.
People who had been hogging the café all morning tagged along after Bobby Joe. A fresh wave came in, thirsty and hungry after standing out in the sun.
Jenny and her friends spent the day churning out massive quantities of food. The Magnolias didn’t meet that day. There was no time to relax and no place to sit. Every single chair on the deck was taken. People sat on the steps and on the beach, eating Jenny’s food and giving high praise.
“We have done more business today than we did all month,” Jenny told her aunt later, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.
The café stayed open longer than usual. The crowd finally thinned as people realized their star Bobby Joe wasn’t making any impromptu appearances. People began driving out of town.
Jenny stood on the deck, enjoying the cool breeze rolling off the Atlantic. She was ready to drop with exhaustion. The sun was a big
ball of fire, hanging low on the horizon. The sky was streaked with pink. Jenny stifled a yawn and smiled to herself. She had survived a tough day and she was proud of herself.
Something dark flew through the air and struck her ear. Jenny yelped in pain at the impact. She looked around sharply and spotted someone running away from the café.
“Hey, you!” she called out, holding a hand to her head.
She didn’t have the energy to run after her assailant. He was already a speck in the distance. Jenny collapsed into a chair, wondering who was taking potshots at her.
Chapter 19
The Magnolias were looking at Jenny with concern. It was the day after Bobby Joe Tucker had graced the Boardwalk Café with his presence. Jenny was dragging her feet, still worn out from the previous day. The Magnolias were just learning about the attack on Jenny.
“Does it hurt?” Molly asked, peering at the spot above Jenny’s left ear.
“It’s a bit sore, that’s all.”
“Have you been to the doctor?” Betty Sue demanded. “Don’t take this lightly, young lady.”
“Relax,” Jenny told them. “It was just a mud pie.”
“But what if it had been something more deadly?” Heather asked.
“I think it was just a wayward tourist,” Jenny told them.
She had told herself to believe that over and over.
Star wasn’t taking any of it.
“I don’t think so, Jenny. What if someone is trying to warn you off?”
“Someone who?”
“Someone who’s not happy with your snooping, of course,” Heather said. “Looks like you have ruffled some feathers.”
“I don’t think so,” Jenny said, shaking her head in denial. “I don’t have a single suspect.”
“Then who’s attacking you in broad daylight?” Molly asked worriedly. “Have you told Adam about this?”
Jenny hadn’t but her aunt had. Adam had given her a lecture as usual and begged her to be more careful.
“He knows,” Jenny said, giving Star a withering look.
“Normally I am pretty supportive of your sleuthing,” Star said. “But I think you should call it quits this time. We are almost into October. It’s time you started preparing for the wedding.”
“Haven’t we been doing that all this time?” Jenny asked, rolling her eyes.