by Sarah Fox
“So the killer was after his photos.” I filled the kettle with water and switched it on.
“Then there could be two killers,” Ivan said as he cracked an egg into a bowl.
“I suppose.” I fetched myself a mug and dropped a tea bag into it. “A second killer could have murdered Jay because they wanted to get rid of pictures he’d taken.”
“Or,” Tommy added, “Jay could have had photos of Yvonne’s killer so the same person iced him.”
“That’s what I was thinking too.” I sank down onto a stool, feeling defeated. “So we don’t even know how many murderers are out there.”
“How would the killer have known that Jay had photos of him?” Ivan asked. “Or her.”
“Blackmail?” Tommy suggested.
“That was his style.” The kettle had boiled, so I poured hot water over my tea bag. “Maybe Jay took photos of Yvonne’s murder. Or photos of the killer and Yvonne together right around the time of her death. Even that could have been enough to worry the killer.”
“All speculation,” Ivan grumbled.
I fished my tea bag out of my mug. “You’re right. I don’t have much in the way of solid clues, but I’m hoping to get more information later today.”
Ivan glared at me from across the kitchen. “One killer or two, you need to be careful.”
“I will be.” I slipped out of the kitchen before he could lecture me further.
Later on, after the breakfast rush, the stream of hungry customers slowed enough that I was able to leave the serving to Leigh and Sienna. I was excited to pick up my wedding dress from Sally’s shop, but first I planned to swing by the marina to see if Charlie was there. I walked quickly, not wanting to be away from the pancake house for too long, and reached the marina in a matter of minutes.
The area hummed with activity. Several locals and tourists strolled along the streets near the marina while others came and went from the docks. A woman I didn’t recognize was the only person in the small office, but she told me I’d find Charlie somewhere nearby. She was right; as I made my way down the steep ramp to the docks, I spotted him chatting with a teenage boy.
I slowed my steps, not wanting to interrupt their conversation, but when the boy hopped aboard a boat and Charlie turned my way, I picked up my pace again.
“Morning, Marley,” he greeted. “Looking for a boat to rent?”
“Not today,” I replied, although it was a tempting thought. Maybe Brett and I could spend a day out on the water soon. “I wanted to ask you a question about Yvonne Pritchard.”
“I heard she was murdered. Crazy. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to answer your question, but I’ll try.”
“She was found on the beach, toward the eastern end of the cove. For her body to end up there, where would she have entered the water? Along the shore somewhere? Here at the marina? Or would she have been out on a boat?”
Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. “Probably not here at the marina, but I can’t rule it out for sure. And both of the other scenarios are possible.”
That wasn’t what I’d hoped to hear.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” he said, reading my expression.
“No worries. I was hoping to narrow down where she was killed, but I guess that’s not possible.” I scanned the area around us. “Are there security cameras here?”
“One up at the top so we can see who comes and goes and two others down here.”
“I’m guessing the sheriff already looked at the footage.”
“Yep. He’s got a copy.”
“I don’t suppose you saw it?”
“No, but Gillian did. She’s up in the office. We can go talk to her if you want.”
“That would be great.”
I followed Charlie up the ramp and into the small building that housed the office. The same woman I’d spoken to earlier sat at one of the two desks, working on a computer.
“Hey, Gillian,” Charlie said. “Marley here’s looking into the death of that reporter, Yvonne…”
“Pritchard,” I supplied.
“She has a question about the security footage.”
“Are you a private detective?” Gillian asked with a note of excitement in her voice.
“No, nothing like that,” I said. “I’m just… helping out a friend who knew Yvonne.”
She seemed to accept that explanation. “What do you want to know?”
“Was Yvonne seen on the security footage around the time that she died? That would have been sometime Friday night.”
“No. After I gave a copy of the footage to the sheriff, I looked through it myself, out of curiosity. I heard the victim was seen alive over at the park shortly before ten o’clock.”
“We lock the gate at the top of the ramp at ten,” Charlie said. “You need a key to get through until we open up again at six.”
“Who all has keys?” I asked.
“The staff and anyone who rents a slip.”
“Nobody came in or out between those hours who didn’t belong,” Gillian said. “There were only a few people, and I recognized all of them.”
“So no Yvonne,” I concluded.
“Nope.”
“Okay, thank you,” I said.
“Does that help at all?” Charlie asked as we left the office.
“A little.”
Yvonne’s killer couldn’t have taken her out on a boat from the marina, and she also couldn’t have been killed down on the docks. But I still had no idea where she had been killed.
I thanked Charlie for his help, wondering if I was wasting my time by trying to untangle this mystery. Despite my efforts, I didn’t seem to be making much headway.
I left all those thoughts behind me when I entered Sally’s shop. The reception area was empty, but when the bell tinkled over the door, Sally emerged from the back room. Her smile wasn’t as bright as the other times I’d seen her, and her makeup job hadn’t quite disguised the dark rings beneath her eyes.
“Marley, come on through.”
“How are you today?” I asked as I followed her into the back room.
“I didn’t sleep well last night, after all that happened. I wish I could wash the memory of seeing that man’s body out of my mind, but I can’t.”
“I know what you mean.” I’d had unsettling dreams during the night, one evolving into a full-out nightmare. “How’s Avery doing?”
Sally let out a weary sigh. “Better than yesterday, but she’s still very upset. Her mom’s going to set her up with some counseling.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Avery needed counseling for more than just the grisly discovery. If she’d killed Jay, she was far more troubled than her aunt realized. Maybe I should have kept quiet, but I couldn’t rein in my curiosity enough to stop myself from asking my next question. “Why was Avery behind the gymnasium?”
“I asked her to go out there and see if there was a recycling bin. Of course, now I wish I’d never asked.”
“You couldn’t have known what she’d find,” I said, thinking maybe Avery was innocent after all. She’d had a legitimate reason for being behind the gym, so she probably hadn’t orchestrated her discovery of Jay’s body, and her distress had seemed genuine. Of course, there was always a chance that she was a good actress.
“Anyway,” Sally said, managing a tired smile, “I’ve got your dress here. If you’ll try it on again, I’ll make sure everything’s just right.”
A shiver of excitement ran up my spine as I slipped into the dress. Somehow wearing the gown made my upcoming marriage seem more real. The wedding was less than a month away and I didn’t normally wish for summer to speed by quickly, but I was getting impatient for the day to arrive.
This time when I put the dress on, the bandeau top fit perfectly, and
now that Sally had hemmed the skirt, the length was much better for walking through the sand. Since the wedding would be taking place on the beach, I’d decided to wear barefoot sandals—basically foot jewelry—rather than shoes or traditional sandals. I already had the silver-and-rhinestone jewelry at home, tucked away in a box along with the silver halo that would be fastened in my hair.
When I stepped out from behind the folding screen, Sally smiled, this time more brightly.
“Lovely,” she said. “You chose well. The dress really suits you.”
She buzzed around me, checking this and that, and stepping back now and then to assess her alterations with a critical eye. Soon, however, she declared herself satisfied and made sure that I was too. I was thrilled and had no complaints, so I changed back into my regular clothes and Sally carefully tucked the dress into a garment bag I’d decided to purchase from her.
After I’d paid my bill, I took the dress home and hung it in the closet of the guest bedroom. The garment bag was opaque, so Brett wouldn’t see the dress even if he opened the closet, which I doubted he’d have any reason to do before the wedding.
I returned to The Flip Side in time for closing and cleaned up the restaurant before returning home again. As I spent some time playing with Flapjack, I considered going for a swim, but then I remembered that the Golden Oldies Games would come to a close that evening. Most of the events had already finished, but there were some track and field races still going on. I could always go for a swim later, so I decided to head over to the athletic field to take in the final events. Maybe—just maybe—the Golden Oldies Games would wrap up without any further drama.
Chapter Thirty-One
The starter’s pistol fired right as I arrived at the athletic field. Half a dozen women charged away from the starting line. Felicia was among them, I noted as the women drew closer to me before rounding a bend in the track.
Tommy waved at me from nearby and came over to meet me, his camera and press pass around his neck.
“What race is this?” I asked.
“The final of the four hundred meters,” he said. “The final for this age group, anyway. There are a couple more to go after this one. Then they’ll have the men’s races.”
I shaded my eyes so I could see the runners. They’d reached the opposite side of the track. Felicia had a good lead on the rest of the pack at the moment. Clearly the theft of her best gear hadn’t had a detrimental effect on her performance.
“I’m going to grab some shots of the finish,” Tommy said before hurrying back over to the track.
I stayed put, deciding to watch the end of the race from where I was rather than trying to find a seat in the middle of the event. A moment later, Felicia crossed the finish line, several paces ahead of the next competitor. She raised her arms in victory, a triumphant smile stretched across her face. She waved to the crowd, basking in the applause and cheers. A couple of reporters hurried over to speak with her while Tommy and another photographer snapped several pictures.
I was about to head for the bleachers when Tommy returned to my side.
“I’ve been thinking about Jay’s photos,” he said.
“What about them?”
“The SD card might be gone, but he probably backed up all his photos. Maybe on his cloud, or a computer, or both.”
“Good point.” His photos were his livelihood, so it made sense that he’d make sure to have a backup. “So Ray might be able to see the pictures after all.”
“There’s a good chance,” Tommy said. His gaze strayed back to the track, where the next group of competitors was lining up for the start of the race. “I need to get some more shots, but I’ll see you later.”
I almost turned away, intending to head for the bleachers, when I caught sight of Felicia’s face. She stood only a few paces off, close enough to have overheard us. Several people stood near her, chatting excitedly, but she wasn’t paying them any attention. Her gaze was fixed on me, though when she realized I was looking her way, she schooled her features and reengaged with the people next to her.
Strange, I thought as I found a seat halfway up the bleachers. I’d only had a brief glimpse of Felicia’s face before she changed her expression, but I could have sworn that I’d seen stark fear in her eyes.
* * * *
Although I’d planned to watch the next race, I ended up watching Felicia instead. I wanted to see if she displayed any other strange behavior. She’d moved off to the side of the track and was speaking with some of her fellow competitors, doing nothing unusual. After missing an entire race while I studied Felicia, I gave up and turned my attention back to the track. Maybe I’d imagined the fear in her eyes.
Another race ended, and there was a lull before the next one. My attention wandered, and I spotted a familiar couple sitting three rows below me. As I watched, Bryce Harcourt stood up and climbed down from the bleachers, leaving an empty space next to Claudia. Before I had a chance to second-guess myself, I left my seat and slipped into the spot vacated by Bryce.
“Hi, Claudia. How are you enjoying the races?”
Her surprise at my sudden appearance lasted only a second or two.
“They’re great,” she said. “It’s always nice to take in some of the other events after I’m done competing.”
“Are you and Bryce going to the banquet tonight?”
“We are and I’m looking forward to it. It’s one last chance to hang out with my fellow athletes before we disperse for another year.”
“I hope you’ve enjoyed your stay in Wildwood Cove.”
“Oh, for sure. There were some unfortunate events, of course, but the town is lovely and overall I had a great time.”
“How about Bryce? How’s he handling the death of his ex-wife?”
Claudia’s face clouded slightly. “He’s upset that his daughter has lost her mother, but he hadn’t had anything to do with Yvonne for several years.”
“So he didn’t see her here in Wildwood Cove before she died?” I asked, trying to keep the question casual.
Claudia stiffened. “He wasn’t in town then. He didn’t arrive until after she died.”
I was surprised she was trying to keep up with that lie now that the sheriff knew it wasn’t the truth. Maybe she wanted to prevent rumors about Bryce’s possible guilt from flying around.
I did my best not to sound too accusatory. “But I saw him at the park on the night of the opening ceremonies.”
What I didn’t bother to point out to Claudia was that Bryce’s alibi relied on her being truthful. Since she was also on my suspect list, I didn’t know whether to believe her or not.
Her eyes flashed. “Were you the one who told the cops Bryce was here?”
“I had to.”
Claudia lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “Your decision to be a tattletale caused nothing but grief for Bryce.”
“It’s not my fault he lied to the police.” I knew I was venturing onto shaky ground, but I kept going. “And why would he do that if he didn’t have something to hide?”
“He lied because he knew he’d be a suspect if he didn’t. Yvonne was his ex-wife. Of course the cops were going to be suspicious of him! He was hoping to avoid all that.”
“By lying, he just looks guiltier than ever.”
“Well, he’s not guilty. Bryce is a good man. He had no affection left for Yvonne, but he certainly didn’t kill her.”
“How can you be sure?”
“He was with me all that night. That’s how I know. And the sheriff knows it too.”
I spotted Bryce heading toward the bleachers, two drinks in hand.
“Then I guess he has nothing to worry about.”
I got up and made a hurried departure from the bleachers before Bryce returned. No doubt Claudia would tell him I was the one who’d exposed his lie to Ray. I didn’t want to wait aro
und and find out how he’d react to that.
I decided to circle around behind the bleachers and find a seat at the opposite end from Bryce and Claudia, but I didn’t make it far before I stopped in my tracks. Felicia was behind the bleachers, zipping up a blue sports bag. She glanced around as she hoisted the bag’s strap up over her shoulder. Then she strode off at a quick pace.
My curiosity kicked back into high gear. First, I’d caught the glimpse of fear in Felicia’s eyes when I was talking to Tommy, and now she was acting shifty, like she didn’t want anyone to notice her leaving the field. Why would she care? Her race was over, and as far as I knew, the medal ceremony wouldn’t take place for another hour.
It was pointless for me to sit down and watch the remaining races. There was no way I’d be able to concentrate. I wanted to know what was up with Felicia. Maybe if I found out where she was headed, I’d get some answers. I figured it was at least worth a shot.
I made sure to keep a good stretch of distance between us as I followed her off the field and along a residential street. We were heading to the west, and Felicia didn’t change her course for several blocks. When we’d almost reached the Wildwood River, she took a left, onto a street where the houses on the southern side backed up against the forest.
Instead of continuing to follow the paved road, Felicia struck off along a dirt one that led into the woods. She slowed her pace and I ducked behind a tree as she glanced over her shoulder. I cautiously peeked around the trunk, hoping she hadn’t spotted me. She’d resumed walking, so I figured I was safe.
I wasn’t eager to follow one of my murder suspects into the woods, but I desperately wanted to know why Felicia was heading that way and why she was being so sneaky. It didn’t surprise me when I gave in to my curiosity yet again, but I made sure I was aware of my surroundings and I moved as quietly as possible.
Ahead of me, Felicia rounded a bend in the road. I caught a glimpse of her through the trees and bushes, but then she disappeared from sight. As I approached the bend, I slowed my steps, not wanting to walk into any sort of sticky situation.
When I reached the curve in the road, I cozied up to a tree, sneaking a peek around the trunk. It was a good thing I’d decided to be cautious. Felicia had stopped mere feet beyond the bend in the road. If I’d kept walking out in the open, she would have spotted me right away.