Prologue to Murder

by Lauren Elliott

  “Addie? What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same.”

  “I’m following a lead, and you?”

  “Me, too.”

  “I can see that. So that means you still haven’t taken my advice on not investigating by yourself ?”

  “I don’t think coming to a museum is placing me or anyone else in any jeopardy.”

  “Tell me, just what lead is it you’re following?”

  “You first.” She crossed her arms. “I thought you said my theory of pirate treasures and hidden tunnels was just that . . . a theory and there couldn’t possibly be any merit in it.”

  “Well, I still do, but let’s just say I am still a little boy at heart, and I did find the prospect exciting, so I dropped into the Greyborne Harbor Lighthouse Museum first thing this morning to get some information there. They gave me what they could but then steered me here because it’s more extensive.”

  “Oh.” She studied his unusually reserved face—not even a tense jaw. He was getting good.

  “Funny thing though. At the museum, they informed me I was the second person this morning to be asking the same questions.” It was then that his jaw twitched, and she relaxed. He was still the same old Marc.

  “Really? What a coincidence.”

  “Yes, it is, isn’t it? So I naturally thought of you,” he said, his dark brown eyes softening, “and asked the attendant if it was a young woman about five nine or ten, longish past-the-shoulder golden-brown hair with big, round, hazel-green eyes, that sometimes flashed in the sunlight with flecks of gold.” His eyes held hers, and for a fleeting moment she saw in them what she used to see when he was going to kiss her, but then it vanished. “Imagine my surprise when the manager there told me no, it was a tall man, black wavy hair, squared jaw, clean shaven, looked to be a professional or something.”

  Her eyes darted down at the sidewalk, kicking a pebble with her toe.

  “So you’ve enlisted the assistance of the good doctor now in your amateur sleuthing? Don’t deny it. I saw you get out of his car.”

  Addie straightened her shoulders and met Marc’s darkening gaze.

  He tipped his cap. “Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Greyborne.” He turned and walked away.

  Addie’s heart lurched. She fought the urge to run after him. Why did this man have such an effect on her? It had hit her the day she’d met him, and then again the first time he’d kissed her. What was it that brought out emotions in her that she hadn’t thought she’d ever be able to feel again? She straightened her back and lifted her head. Obviously none of that mattered now. She had done what she had, and as she just witnessed, he wouldn’t ever be able to forgive her for it. She’d been right when she had told Serena she wasn’t ready. The ghost of David was still too fresh in her mind.

  * * *

  She took a deep breath and turned sharply on her heel. “Oops, I’m sorry,” she said, sidestepping a figure blocking her path. She snickered and glanced around for witnesses when she realized it was a life-sized pirate statue welcoming her to the museum. Still giggling, Addie nodded her head at the statue as she entered the museum. Her breath caught at the back of her throat. It was more than she’d hoped for, and she fumbled through her handbag for her wallet to pay the admission price. The place was packed with eager pirate enthusiasts. She’d had no idea that so many people still wanted to glean a glimpse of the romanticized notion of piracy.

  She browsed through the displays, reading plaques, peering in at life-sized sets designed to show the spirit of life aboard a pirate’s sailing ship, street scenes, local taverns, and even a gallows diorama, which showed what many of them saw on their final days. It was all fascinating, but it wasn’t what she’d hoped to find after all. There were numerous displays of artifacts, swords, knives, flags of the various pirate captains, though, and reproductions of those were sold in the gift shop for tourists.

  She approached the souvenir counter and purchased a small flag of pirate Captain Edward Teach—aka Blackbeard. It displayed a horned devil skeleton with a spear stabbing at a red heart. She smiled, thinking it would make a wonderful addition to her display window of June’s book. She then asked the clerk if she might speak with the manager. She quickly assured him that it was only to make an inquiry about a common friend. He nodded and headed into a back room. Moments later, he reappeared with a tall, well-endowed woman, her silver hair pulled into a topknot. A flowing pirate shirt did little to mask her ample form.

  “Hi, my name is Addison Greyborne.”

  The woman took her outstretched hand and squeezed it tightly. “You are?”

  Addie flinched and nodded.

  “I’ve heard so much about you.” The woman vigorously continued shaking her hand.

  “You have?” Addie’s eyes widened.

  “Yes, please come into my office. I can’t believe my luck. I’ve been wanting to get in touch with you, but—”

  “I don’t understand.” Addie followed the woman into the back and took the seat that she gestured toward.

  “The book, of course.” The woman gave a gap-toothed smile.

  Addie frowned.

  “Your aunt’s?”

  “I still don’t understand.”

  “The key research source for June’s book?” The woman tilted her head slightly. “A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson, published in 1724? It doesn’t ring a bell?”

  “Afraid not.”

  The woman slumped into a chair on the far side of a cluttered desk. “I guess I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up about that being why you were here.”

  “I’m sorry. Who are you? Did you know June and my aunt?”

  The woman’s mouth puckered, and then she burst into laughter.

  Addie squirmed in her seat. Was this woman mad? She couldn’t tell and eyed her distance from the door, trying to judge how many steps it would take her to make a dash for it.

  “I’m so sorry. You must think I’m a lunatic,” the woman sputtered between chortles of laughter. “I’m Hanna Wall, direct descendant of Rachel Wall, the only known woman pirate of New England.” She puffed out her ample chest and tipped her hand in a salute.

  Addie inched off the front of her chair and sat back, sucking in a sigh of relief. “It’s nice to meet you, Hanna.” She smiled at the woman. It wasn’t hard to imagine her as a swashbuckling pirate herself. “So, you knew June Winslow and my aunt?”

  “I knew June. She used to come in here a lot when she first started writing her book. Then after she discovered that book of your aunt’s, plus a few others that were in her attic, she said that was the missing information she needed and stopped coming around so often.”

  “Did she mention what this information was, by chance?”

  Hanna shook her head. “Only that the one book was worth its weight in gold to her.” She leaned forward. “I did ask her to please inquire if your aunt would be willing to sell it to the museum here.”

  “What did she say?”

  “I never heard back from her, so I assumed the answer was no. Then when you introduced yourself, I thought you were here to make a deal for it.”

  Addie glanced at the wall clock behind Hanna and jumped to her feet. “I really hate to leave without having a full tour, but my ride will be waiting. I’ll take a look for that book, and if it’s not a first edition, perhaps we can work something out, but if it is, I’m afraid the only place it will be going is to the Boston Public Library.”

  “I understand. Didn’t figure I’d get too lucky with it, but I hoped.” She shrugged and walked her to the front entrance. “Are you sure you can’t stay longer? Maybe your ride could join you for a personalized, behind-the-scenes tour.”

  “I wish we could stay for that, but my friend works at the hospital, and he has to get back.” Addie pressed her hands around Hanna’s. “But thanks so much for the offer and we’ll definitely take you up on it soon.”

 
“Come back anytime.” Hanna waved.

  Addie waved back and stepped out onto the sidewalk. She winked at the pirate statue and walked toward Simon’s car, which was parked halfway up the road. She pulled the door open and settled in as he started the ignition.

  “Was the tour good? Did you get what you came for?” He checked for traffic over his shoulder and pulled out onto the road.

  “No, not really. It was interesting, but I didn’t have time for a full tour.”

  “I told you I’d wait. You should have stayed.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll make another trip soon so I can pick her brain more and maybe stop in at the other pirate museum. I did buy this though.” She pulled the flag from her handbag, waving it in front of her face.

  Simon glanced sideways at it and groaned

  “I thought it would make my window display pop. It’s so fitting for June’s book and Founder’s Day.” She giggled and tucked it back into her purse. “But it was something the manager, Hanna, said that made me want to rush home.”

  “What was that? Did she tell you where to look for a pirate’s treasure?” he snorted, stifling a laugh.

  “No, it was a book that held the key to June’s research.”

  “What book?”

  “A book Dorothy mentioned, too, and apparently it might lie up in my attic somewhere—but who knows where. At least I have the title of it now.” She laid back against the seat and groaned. “I guess I have another attic adventure to look forward to tonight.”

  “If you want some company, I’m not working tonight, so just let me know.”

  Addie smiled and studied Simon’s chiseled profile. His eyes were set on the road in front of him as he weaved expertly in and out of traffic. Was he a friend or a suitor? She wasn’t sure, but aside from a few jokes, he never acted like he wanted more from her than they had, or even asked her about Marc. Besides, she enjoyed his company, so maybe she’d keep him around. “Deal,” she chuckled. “By the way, how did your meeting go?”

  “Good. The DA just had some employment papers for me to sign and a few questions about June’s murder.” He pulled onto the highway toward Greyborne Harbor. “Say, does the name Jeff Wilson mean anything to you?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Why, is the DA following a lead there?”

  “He is the DA, and he asked me if I’d met you yet.”

  “Me? Why?” She sat upright.

  “That’s what I wondered, so I played it cool and said I had and that I’d been in your shop a few times and asked him why.”

  “Did he say anything?”

  “Nope. He only nodded his head.”

  “That’s curious.” Addie stared out the window. “I wonder how he knows my name.”

  “Well, from what I understand, you were pretty instrumental in solving the last murders in Greyborne Harbor. Maybe he wants to hire you as a consulting detective for his office.”

  “I doubt that. He probably wants to tell me to keep my nose out of police business.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Simon parked in front of Beyond the Page, and Addie hopped out to check how Paige’s day had gone. A rosy-cheeked girl stood behind the counter, elbow-deep in paperwork. A wide smile lit up her face at the sight of Addie.

  “Looks like you survived another day without me.” Addie scanned the papers spilling around Paige.

  “It was a great day, actually. Busier than it’s been in a while.”

  “Wonderful.” Addie sat on a stool across from her and picked up a folder. “These are inventory balances?”

  “Yeah, the historical fiction section is running a little lean after today. It seems everyone is getting into the Founder’s Day spirit. The front display window is now also bare.”

  “Speaking of the display window, look what I found to add to it.” Addie grinned, pulling the pirate flag from her bag and waving it.

  Paige clapped her hands, squealing with delight. “Perfect.”

  “I thought so, too.” Addie crinkled her nose and placed the flag on the counter. “Now, we just have to find some books to showcase along with it.”

  “I was just starting to cross reference the books in other sections to see if they’d fit into the historical fiction category, and since June’s book has sold out, I ordered more from the publisher in Boston. They’ll be here tomorrow, so we can display those.”

  “It’s only, too bad it took her death to rekindle such high interest in her book.”

  “Yeah, and that’s what most people were interested in today or anything to do with the Revolutionary War and pirates, inspired of course by her book. This appears to have ignited a whole lot of pirate treasure enthusiasts. Go look—the historical aisles are almost empty.”

  “Then it’s a good thing that I already had an evening of digging through the attic planned for tonight.” Addie chuckled. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and find some. Although I don’t know if my aunt was a big collector of Revolutionary War novels, but who knows? Stranger things have been found up there. Since our inventory is so low, I guess I’d better get an early start on my search.” Addie paused with her hand on the door handle, and she glanced over her shoulder at Paige, who had gone back to scanning the inventory lists. “Did you break for lunch today?”

  “I did.” She smiled. “I ran to the deli on Main Street, then came straight back. Can you believe that in those ten minutes, four people were already waiting outside?”

  “Really, only ten minutes? So, you had no . . . other errands at noon, then?”

  Paige shook her head and glanced down at the papers in her hand.

  “Did you manage to open on time, too?”

  Paige looked up, her cheeks flushed. “There’s nothing to worry about, Addie. I love working here and don’t plan on going anywhere else.” A slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Anything else was an extremely temporary whim.”

  Addie breathed a huge sigh and smiled. “Good. See you in the morning—and by the way, you’re doing a great job. Keep it up.” She waved over her shoulder and headed for Simon’s car, but when she heard familiar laughter behind her, she stopped short and turned. Lacey and Serena were coming out of SerenaTEA, their arms linked, giggling like a couple of schoolchildren. Heat crept up Addie’s neck. So much for Serena escaping the dark side. She attempted an evasive dive into the front seat of Simon’s car, but smacked her head on the upper doorframe and dropped to her knees.

  Simon grabbed for her across the car. “Are you okay?” He reached for his door handle and started to get out.

  “No, stay put; the less attention the better. Just give me a second.”

  “Oh no,” Serena shrieked. “Addie, are you all right?” She rushed over and helped her to her feet. “Let me see that bump.”

  “I don’t need your help.” Addie brushed her away. “I’m fine, really.” Addie set steely eyes on her, and Serena’s face crumbled. A slight jerk of Serena’s head made Addie stop and search her friend’s expression.

  “No, let me have a closer look. I insist.” Serena grasped Addie’s head, drawing it toward her, and whispered, “I’m on recon, remember?”

  Addie withdrew and rubbed the growing goose egg on her forehead and gave her a return twitch of acknowledgment. “I must have stumbled over the curb.”

  Lacey’s lips crooked into a half smile. “I see,” she cooed. “I guess that’s your story, and you’re sticking to it—as usual, these days.” Her icy eyes held steadfast on Addie like a cat about to strike.

  Addie’s blood cooled at the venomous tone dripping from her voice. “And what does that mean?” She crossed her arms, ignoring the pounding in her head.

  Lacey matched Addie’s pose. “You know it’s a lie, just like all the lies you’ve told about June’s disappearance and death. I’m a reporter, remember?”

  Addie sucked in a quiet, deep breath, counted to ten, and squelched the urge to wring Lacey’s giraffe-like neck.

  “I’d say it was more like you were trying to avoi
d us. What’s the matter? Jealous about Serena’s friendship with her soon-to-be sister-in-law?” Lacey traced a poison-apple-red fingernail over her bottom lip, her calculating stare on Addie unwavering. Addie lifted her head high and met the frigid windows into Lacey’s soul.

  Lacey’s lips slithered into a grin, and she glanced at Addie’s storefront window. “I see your meager window display is decimated. I guess there’s just no getting good help these days, is there? You know, someone competent who can look after things while you’re off running up and down the coast playing cops and robbers.”

  “Lacey, enough.” Serena glared at her. “What’s gotten into you? Addie’s just hurt herself, and you’re babbling on about who knows what.”

  “It’s okay, Serena.” Addie returned her own frosty stare on Lacey. “I would suspect nothing less from her.” She caught sight of Paige standing in the shop window. “She’s referring to my staff member who she tried to steal out from under me, but who has shown more loyalty and respect for me than Lacey thought she would, and that’s made your”—she fought to spit out her next words—“soon-to-be sister-in-law here resort to character assassination.”

  Lacey sucked in a sharp breath and sputtered something incoherent. It was the first time Addie had ever seen her speechless.

  “Is that true, Lacey?” Serena stared at her. “Are you being this way because Paige said she wouldn’t work for you?”

  “Certainly not.” Lacey glared at Addie. “She knows what I’m talking about.” She wagged her finger in Addie’s face. “You may have Marc and the DA’s office fooled, but not me or Miss Newsy. One of us will get to the bottom of this. Consider yourself warned.”

  Addie’s mouth dropped. “The DA? What on earth are you talking about?”

  “Don’t play innocent with me. I overheard Marc on the phone.”

  Addie’s eyes widened.

  “I think we’d better go.” Serena grabbed Lacey’s arm and then looked back at Addie. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Addie slid into the passenger’s seat, yanked the door shut, and then massaged her throbbing forehead.