A Brush with Murder

by Bailee Abbott

  “You’re right. She wrote those articles, and, despite the horrible things she said about shop owners, people loved to read her column.” Theo pulled out a phone and began punching at the keyboard.

  I recognized the pink cover and heard Willow’s voice pitch higher as she mumbled louder.

  “Now, what will the message be? How about ‘I’m sorry but I couldn’t stop myself. She threatened to make sure my brother went to jail. I got so angry, and, before I could stop and think, I stabbed her with a knife, just like I murdered Fiona.’ Does that sound believable?” She looked up, and her lips lifted into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I think it will do.”

  My heart raced as I understood what she meant. “You haven’t answered me. Why would you kill Fiona?” My voice grew raspy.

  She waved an arm. “That’s the surprising twist to this story. Turns out Fiona was an excellent reporter. Seems I wasted her talents on that silly column. Totally underestimated her. Small town, older widow with no employment history, who knew?” She stood and walked to the supply counter, then picked through the utensils, lifting and examining each one. “She claimed she was researching a cold case for a book on unsolved murders she planned to write.” With a knife clutched in her gloved hand, she turned to me. “I told you my husband was a fool when it came to business. Always had to have the last word and make the final decision. The paper was spiraling toward bankruptcy. I couldn’t let him get away with running it into the ground. Why, I gave up having children to help make the Gazette what it is today. I sacrificed everything. Can you believe it?” She smacked the knife on the palm of her hand.

  I jerked and swallowed hard. “What did Fiona find out?” My voice trembled and the words were barely audible. Theo had murdered Fiona, and, from the look in her eyes, she was crazy enough to kill me. I had to wonder who else had become her victim. She seemed well-practiced at this sort of thing.

  “When she first came to me with what she discovered, I didn’t react, other than to wonder how she could have possibly figured it out. I was clever and careful. I had left no tracks. Heck, even the insurance company never suspected.” Her brow furrowed as she glared. “Not Fiona. She was sharp … like this knife.” She stabbed at the air and laughed.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Willow struggling to loosen her ties. Theo was too busy with her story to notice. I had to keep it that way.

  “Yes, but what possible evidence could she have on you?” I scooted a few inches to my right and away from Willow.

  Theo’s gaze followed. “Stay put.” She pointed the knife in my direction. “Flimsy at best, but I feared the information was enough to make the authorities and the insurance company take another look. I was so careful. Looking back, I admit I was in too much of a hurry that night my husband died. One tiny slip-up. That’s all it takes.” She stood in the storage room doorway and snapped her head around to glare at Willow. “If you don’t stop trying to loosen those ties, you’ll be the one who ends up dead.”

  Willow dropped her shoulders and leaned back.

  “You know, despite everything I hated about him, I loved my husband. Maybe that was my weakness.” She fingered her necklace. “Authorities never found the murder weapon. I buried the knife in our backyard, beneath the rose bushes. Nothing led them to believe I had anything to do with the murder.” She sighed. “He grabbed hold of my necklace, the one he bought me for our first wedding anniversary, and the chain broke. After I … afterward, I picked up all of the broken pieces and stuffed them in my pocket. The next day, I went to the jewelers to have the necklace fixed. This one.” She lifted the gold herringbone chain with the diamond pendant. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but what made Fiona suspect anything?” I took another glimpse at my watch. Only ten minutes had passed, but it seemed like hours.

  “Oh, she was clever, the way she got me to talk about things, including my life with Stephen. Of course, I enjoyed venting and unloading stories about all those frustrating moments I’d had with him. I probably said some pretty nasty things that got her curious. Who knows? Fiona had a suspicious attitude and never thought well of anyone. It was the necklace that tipped her off, though. I guess she saw an opportunity and thought I’d be an easy target.” Her eyes darkened. “Fool that she was.”

  I thought of Willow and her account of Fiona’s threatening comments. “What about the necklace?”

  “I had to read the investigative report. Otherwise, how would it make me look? Grieving widow, who only wanted justice for her husband, had to be concerned when no one was arrested for his murder. Anyway, I read the report, or skimmed through it, then never gave the matter another thought. I underestimated how thorough the authorities were. The team collected everything to test for prints.” She clutched the necklace again. “Including the link from this chain I’d evidently missed finding.” She walked to stand beside the shelf, then turned to face me. “Never leave anything to chance. That’s the lesson I’ve learned.” She looked away to set the knife on the shelf. “Like I said, I underestimated Fiona. I don’t know how she persuaded the authorities to let her take a look at the evidence, but she did. She boasted how she’d questioned every jeweler in town until she found the one who’d fixed my necklace. He had records, she said. And my repair job was dated the week my husband was killed. I should’ve waited. It was foolish to be so sentimental over a silly anniversary gift.” She heaved a sigh. “I fell right into her trap. As soon as she mentioned the necklace and what she had learned from the jeweler, I snapped. I said things that must’ve hinted to her I was guilty of Stephen’s murder. I don’t even remember what I ranted on about. I should’ve denied it, made up a story of how the necklace broke, but I panicked and then lost my temper. There’s only so much a person can take, you know?

  “Before I realized what had happened, she threatened to go to the authorities and claimed I’d be in handcuffs before nightfall.”

  In that instant, I shifted my gaze. Willow spread her arms apart. She’d freed them from the ties. Just as quickly, she put her wrists back together.

  I gave my head a slight nod then faced Theo. “Why would she think the necklace had anything to do with your husband’s murder in the first place?”

  “I have no clue. She was like Woodward and Bernstein. I don’t know how she managed to figure it out, and, at the time, I didn’t care. My only thought was how to get rid of her and end this mess.”

  My phone rang for the second time. “Whoever that is will worry if I don’t answer.” I nodded, not sure if my suggestion would work. I could say something to make Izzie or Ross think something was wrong, but not Hunter. We didn’t know each other well enough. Two out of three were odds I was willing to take.

  Theo lifted the phone from her pocket and stared at the screen. A smile spread her lips as she handed me the phone. “Might as well have a last word with your sister. Say something nice for her to remember you by.” She grabbed the knife. “Be careful. I won’t hesitate to end this now.”

  With a trembling hand, I tapped the button and brought the phone to my ear. “Hi, Izzie. I’m surprised you’re up.” Under the weight of Theo’s stern scowl and the knife in her hand, I struggled to keep my voice cheery. “I tried shaking you awake to let you know I was going out, but you know how you sleep like the dead. Anyway, I decided to go searching for Willow one more time.”

  “Put the call on speaker.” Theo whispered under her breath.

  “Oh! Well, I guess that’s okay. You had me worried, though. Ross has called here a couple of times. One went to the house phone, and Dad answered. He was not a happy man. You know how he likes his sleep.” She chuckled.

  “I sure do. Tell him I’m sorry. I should’ve left a note or something. I tried calling Hunter, but that went straight to voice mail.” I shot a nervous glance at Theo. “I’ll be home soon, right after I make a quick stop at the shop to get that list you forgot. Go back to sleep. Love you.” I stumbled over the last words and rushed to push the end ca
ll button before Izzie could respond.

  Theo grabbed the phone away from my hand and turned it off. “That better not have been a hint, telling her you’d be stopping here.” She tossed the phone on the counter.

  “We talked about the list earlier. She won’t think anything of it.” I steadied my voice to hide the fact I was close to losing all hope. I’d given Izzie plenty of hints, but if she came, it would probably be too late. Even worse, if Theo was still here, Izzie might walk straight into a trap that I had caused. I prayed she would call Hunter or Ross for help, even Dad, before she’d come here alone.

  “I think we’ve talked enough. I don’t want to be late and miss the eleven o’clock news.” Theo walked to the back door and opened it. “How about same crime scene, different victim? If I leave the right clues, along with the text message from Willow’s phone, our dear detective will be convinced she’s the killer.”

  I closed my eyes and held my breath to stop the pounding against my chest. My head hurt and my mind was exhausted. I couldn’t even think of any other questions. The situation was hopeless, and I was out of time. As if I had already accepted what was about to happen, my thoughts drifted. I pictured Ross’s face and that crooked smile when he motioned for me to join him for a dip in the lake. Izzie with her long brown curls, waving to me from the front porch. Mom handing me a bag with her latest quinoa concoction. Dad smothering me with one of his bear hugs as he called me Shortcake. So much good in my life, and I had no more time.

  A groan and loud thud sounded from across the room. I snapped my eyes open and gasped at the sight.

  Willow stood over Theo’s still body. The heavy canvas held in her hands had a huge hole in the middle, the size of someone’s head. Theo’s, to be exact. “Well, looks like that large-order discount on canvases paid off in more ways than one.”

  Despite the tears streaming down my face, I laughed. “Yeah, I guess it did. I promise never to question any order you make.” I nodded at Theo. “She isn’t …?”

  “No. She’ll be fine, but maybe you should make a call to Detective Hunter before she wakes up. I wouldn’t want to ruin another canvas.” Willow set the damaged one aside and rubbed her wrists.

  “Are you okay? Those wounds look bad.” I struggled to stand and hobbled on one leg. My eyes blurred for a second while my head remained woozy.

  “I’m okay. How about your head and ankle?” She pulled a chair next to Theo and sat.

  “I’ll live. Nothing some rest and pain reliever won’t cure.” I took a seat near the doorway and picked up my phone to redial Hunter. Before the call went through, the front door burst open. Pounding footsteps traveled from the front.

  “Oh, my God! You’re okay.” Izzie bent down to grab my arms and smother me with hugs and kisses. “I didn’t know what to think.” She hiccupped. “The call and your words made no sense. You know I’m a light sleeper, and I never forget my lists. They go where I go. You know that too.” She stood straight with her fists anchored to her hips.

  “Those were hints, Izzie. My S.O.S., which you figured out.” I pulled a hand away from her hip and held tight. “Thank you.”

  Hunter and Ross stopped in the doorway, shoulder to shoulder, as if they were fighting over who would enter the room first.

  I rolled my eyes. “What a pair.”

  “Who?” Izzie turned to face the doorway. “Ah, yes. Men are so immature.”

  Hunter pushed through and crossed the room to where Theo lay unconscious, while Willow distanced herself by retreating to the corner. I could guess what she was thinking. Even though she had saved my life, she had plenty to answer, starting with her involvement in Grayson’s deal, whatever that was about. If his actions were as underhanded as Fiona had claimed, when the news came out, the people of Whisper Cove, especially the shop owners, would be furious. Then again, I had a strong hunch Theo and her crime spree would be the story to make the front page. No matter the outcome, in my heart, I believed Willow would do the right thing and tell the shop owners about Grayson’s plan to tear down their businesses so he could build his resort.

  “I guess you’re going to tell me what went on here this evening?” Hunter glanced my way as he squatted to take Theo’s pulse, then called for the EMTs.

  I brushed my hands along my thighs. “How about Theo is your not-so-prime suspect who committed Fiona’s murder and planned to take victim number three? That person would be me. At least I was until Willow stopped her.”

  Hunter gave Willow a second’s glance before turning back. “Wait. Who was the other victim?”

  “Actually, victim number one was Theo’s husband. Fiona figured it out and confronted Theo, so she became victim number two.” I shrugged. “You already know those murder details.” I pointed at the camera. “In case you need a recap, check the camera.”

  “She confessed to all this?” His brows lifted.

  “She bragged about her horrible deeds and how she planned to murder me while making Willow look like the killer. I guess you never can tell about some people. Theo Lawrence, owner of the Whisper Cove Gazette, a well-respected citizen of our town. None of that matters now.”

  “How did you end up here this evening?” His eyes narrowed while he tensed.

  “That’s partly my fault.” Ross stepped in.

  “Ross.” I laid a hand on his arm.

  “I’ve got this, Chloe.” He smiled. “I did some research and shared the information with Chloe.”

  “I don’t understand.” Hunter stood. “Research about what? How does that bring her to the shop?” He turned to face Willow. “And why are you here?”

  Ross opened his mouth to speak.

  “It’s because of me.” Willow interrupted and stepped forward. “I’m the research. Chloe came here to find me.”

  “Because I thought she was in trouble.” For what good my attempt would do, I wanted Hunter to know the whole story. “Willow was upset after arguing with Grayson Stone. Izzie and I—but you know all that from my rambling voice mail, right? After Penny’s call, I came to the shop and found Willow. If it wasn’t for her, I’d be lying on the floor, probably dead. She knocked out Theo. She saved me.” I pulled back my shoulders and stared at Hunter without blinking.

  “No, Chloe. He needs to know the whole truth. I have to tell him. My brother can’t get away with what he’s been doing for years. Not any longer.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid to come clean.”

  “Brother? Who’s your brother? I don’t understand. Chloe?” Izzie tilted her head and a blank expression surfaced.

  “Willow?” Hunter crossed his arms.

  “Grayson Stone. My real name is Willow Stone. I came to Whisper Cove to help my brother with his plan to build a resort along Artisan Alley.” Her chest heaved. “It was my job to snoop on everyone and find any personal information Grayson could use against shop owners to make them sell. He’d even resort to blackmail if it helped him close the deal …” Her bottom lip quivered. “But I couldn’t. Everyone here is so nice.” She gave her head a hard shake and swiped away tears. “He’s so angry with me.”

  “Maybe we should wait and give her some time to pull herself together before asking more questions. We both went through a traumatic experience this evening.” I touched the knot on my head. “I’m hurt. I’m tired. And I imagine Willow feels the same.”

  Hunter raked a hand through his hair and glanced at Theo, who moaned as she started to wake. “I suppose—”

  “No. Let me finish. You should know I wanted to kill Fiona. After she threatened to go to the authorities with information that could put my brother in jail, I was furious. In my mind, I saw myself killing her, but Theo beat me to it.” She held out her arms. “Fiona was a despicable person, and I’m not sorry she’s dead. I guess you can arrest me too because I would’ve killed her if I had the chance.”

  “Thinking about murder won’t get you arrested, but if there’s anything else—” Hunter raised his chin.

  “No! I promised to do what
he asked, but … like I said, I couldn’t, not to such good people.” She looked my way and a half-formed smile surfaced.

  At that moment, the EMTs rushed into the room, interrupting the awkward silence that followed Willow’s confession.

  I leaned my head on Izzie’s shoulder and squeezed Ross’s hand.

  Hunter stepped to the side and got on his phone while the EMTs checked on Theo.

  “Send two deputies to Artisan Alley in Whisper Cove … yes, same place as last time.” He glanced at Theo and the EMTs with a questioning gaze.

  “Her vitals are fine, but we’ll take her in for observation, in case of a concussion.” After fitting her with a cervical collar, both men helped Theo into a wheelchair.

  Hunter held his phone against his side. “She’s under arrest, so I’ll send a deputy to the hospital to keep watch until you release her. His gaze shifted to Willow before he lifted the phone. “Send someone to the condo where Grayson Stone is staying … Yes, it’s where the bonfire was held. Tell him he needs to come to the station for questioning. If he resists, cuff him.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Sitting next to Izzie on the porch swing, I reached down to scratch my ankle underneath the bandage. The morning had brought sunshine, and a pleasant breeze drifted off the lake. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Hard to believe only three days ago I had faced a crazed killer who had threatened to take my life. Yet here I was, listening to my sister chatter on about this evening’s paint event. Other than a nod or two, I kept quiet. Nothing could ruin this moment.

  “Well, well. If I ever witnessed two more beautiful ladies, let lightning strike me down.”