by Leena Clover
The ornery old man’s attitude had rattled Anna. She wondered if he really knew anything about John. Was he just calling her bluff? Until a few weeks ago, Anna had been confident her husband didn’t have any secrets from her. She would have bet her life on it. But the news of his infidelity had shocked her to the core. She didn’t know what to believe any more.
How long would Craig Rose continue to be difficult? Anna needed to learn everything possible about her husband so she could solve his murder.
Shopping frenzy was at a peak as the holidays approached. Customers streamed in and out of the café at a steady pace. Meg and Anna could barely keep up.
Anna didn’t get a chance to relax until she went home later that afternoon. She put her feet up and ate the caponata sandwich Sofia handed her, barely tasting it.
Julie and Mary arrived some time later.
“You look done in, Anna. Are you sure you want to do this now?”
Anna assured Julie she was fine.
They brought out the whiteboard they had worked on a few days ago. Julie took a red marker and put a big cross over George Pearson.
“Rupert Sadler and Finn O’Malley.” Julie pursed her lips. “I say O’Malley did it.”
“Aren’t we forgetting the women?” Mary spoke up. “Alison is strong and healthy. She looks capable of violence.”
“What do we know about Alison?” Julie asked. “She’s been working at the company for the past few years and was almost ready to take over the reins.”
“She wanted Edward to retire,” Anna remembered. “In fact, she was hinting at it very openly during the party.”
“Did she get along with the old man?” Julie asked. “It’s easy to imagine some friction between them. Alison wanted to implement the new and progressive ideas she learned at business school. Edward was old fashioned. Didn’t want to stray too far from the tried and tested.”
“Do you know this for a fact, Julie?” Anna was amazed. “Or are you just extrapolating.”
“Sorry.” Julie was shamefaced. “Occupational hazard, you know. I was just trying to get into Alison’s character and imagine what she must be feeling.”
“You may not be far off,” Anna admitted. “But we will need to confirm that.”
“Alison was happy at the party, right? Looked like a pampered princess.” Julie narrowed her eyes. “But she did keep referring to the big announcement Edward was going to make at Christmas.”
“We keep coming back to that,” Anna sighed. “I have a feeling it’s important.”
“I say the old man was grandstanding,” Julie dismissed. “He loved to do that.”
“We’re not getting anywhere with this.” Anna yawned.
“I’m going to Paradise Market for more flour and butter.” Mary stood up. “Have you decided what cookie you are bringing to the exchange, Anna?”
“I used my tried and tested chocolate chip cookie recipe. Only, I used white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. The girls liked it.”
“That sounds festive.” Mary nodded.
Julie remembered she was out of milk and decided to go with Mary. Anna went in to rest.
The pungent aroma of garlic sizzling in olive oil woke Anna. She ambled into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of juice. Sofia was stirring a pot of tomato sauce on the stove.
“What are you making, Mama?”
“Tomato basil sauce. You can use it any way you want.”
“I was thinking of making chicken parmesan tonight. It’s Cassie’s favorite meal. And Meg likes it too.”
“I suppose you’ll be making a pan of tiramisu to go along with it?”
Anna grinned.
“You know me too well.”
“I have pictures of Cassie sitting in a high chair, her face smeared with sauce, eating chicken parmesan.” Sofia reminisced fondly.
“Can I see them, Nana?” Meg swept in, bringing the scent of the wind and rain along with her. “I’ve never seen any baby pictures of Cassie.”
“They are in my room.” Sofia was elated. “Go to the closet and look for a blue shoe box. Bring it out here. We can sit in the living room and go over them.”
“Why don’t you stay here in the kitchen?” Anna pleaded. “I can look over your shoulder while I cook.”
Meg was out in a jiffy, hugging the box close to her chest like it was some long lost treasure. She alternated between sighs and groans and squeals as she went over the old photos. Sofia regaled them with the story behind every picture.
Anna whipped mascarpone cheese for her tiramisu, happy her mother was getting along with Meg.
“How is the Seaside Lights group doing, Meg?” Anna asked. “Is Sally Davis working you too hard?”
“Sally’s a dear. She’s so patient. You won’t believe how forceful the volunteers can be. Like when we were working on deciding a theme for this year. All kind of outlandish suggestions were thrown around. A bunch of guys wanted a Star Wars theme. Another wanted Avengers. Then there was something called Strange Things. I haven’t the faintest idea what that is.”
“Don’t forget Sally’s a high school teacher. She’s used to dealing with unruly students.”
“Which one did you pick?” Sofia asked.
Meg laughed and shook her head from side to side.
“Oh no, Nana. I’m not allowed to talk about it. In fact, Sally warned us about spies.”
“Surely that’s too much?” Sofia protested.
“Sally said people from the neighboring towns are always on the prowl. They will go to any lengths to find out what we are doing.”
“The Seaside Lights trophy is coveted by small towns up and down the coast,” Anna told her. “It may not sound like much, but everyone wants to win it.”
“Dolphin Bay hasn’t won it in the past twenty years,” Sofia added. “And it rankles.”
The doorbell rang and Meg rushed out to get it. She came back with Gino in tow.
“You’re just in time for dinner,” Sofia beamed. “Tell your mother it’s time to eat, Meg.”
“What is Cassie up to?” Anna didn’t know when Cassie had come in.
“She was on the phone with Bobby.” Meg walked down the hallway and knocked on Cassie’s door. “She just got out of the shower.”
Anna set out the salad and the bread. She pulled the pan of chicken out of the oven. She noticed Gino seemed distracted.
“More bad news?” Anna held her breath.
“Not exactly.” Gino was noncommittal. “Let’s do justice to this excellent meal first.”
Cassie came out looking excited.
“Is that chicken parmesan I smell? Thanks Mom!”
“It’s my way of thanking you for taking care of the bookstore, Cass. I really appreciate it.”
Dinner was lively. Sofia regaled them with the shenanigans of her cronies at the senior community. They voted to eat dessert in the living room.
Gino set his plate aside a few minutes later and refused a second helping.
“The police chief called me earlier today, Anna,” he said gravely. “You remember they had found a residue in Edward’s nostrils?”
“You did say something about it, Gino.”
“Well, they traced it to the type of bag it must have come from. They are positive they will find it somewhere on the Gardiner estate.”
“How will that help them narrow down a suspect?” Anna looked skeptical.
“They didn’t share that with me. But it’s obvious who they are going after, now that Pearson is no longer in the picture.”
“You don’t mean Finn O’Malley?” Anna hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. “That’s ridiculous.”
“He lives on the estate, Anna. Word around town is he had a grudge against the old man. Didn’t you say he had open access to the main house?”
“Finn is a decorated war veteran.” Anna was blushing furiously. “He deserves some respect, Gino. I thought you would understand that, having served yourself.”
�
�I’m not saying …”
“Don’t forget he was injured.” Anna cut him off. “Someone said he has an artificial limb.”
“A bionic leg,” Gino said gently. “I know that, Anna. But he has plenty of upper body strength. And I know Finn. He’s an honorable man but he’s irascible.”
“You’ll say he has mental issues next.” Anna felt her cheeks grow warm.
“Relax, Anna. I’m not saying anything. Please be reasonable.”
Meg and Sofia were looking stunned. Cassie was the only one who dared to tackle Anna.
“Why are you all riled up, Mom? You barely know Finn O’Malley.”
Chapter 17
Anna tried to focus on frosting her cranberry sage cupcakes the next morning. She cringed when she thought of her behavior the previous night. Gino hadn’t stayed long.
Sofia had told her she was a fool and stomped off to bed. Meg and Cassie didn’t say anything, choosing to watch one of Cassie’s old movies. Anna had made some chamomile tea and changed into her softest old pajamas before climbing into bed. She realized Craig Rose had her all twisted. Anna read for a while and came up with a game plan. Sleep had come easily after that.
“Good Morning, Anna.” Meg looked cherubic as she came into the kitchen, dressed in a red turtleneck.
“Can you do without me for a while today, Meg? Mary will help you.”
“Sure. Are you going on a secret shopping trip?” Meg winked. “I don’t need anything else, Anna.”
“You promised I could buy as many gifts as I wanted, Meg. I’m your grandmother and it’s my job to spoil you.”
“But …”
“Don’t worry. I have a different mission today. Julie and I are going to the Gardiner estate.”
Cassie came in and poured her favorite sugary cereal in a bowl. Sofia was right behind her and started peeling a boiled egg. A steady hum of conversation filled the kitchen.
Anna sprinkled hot sauce on her avocado toast and tuned them out, trying to marshal her thoughts. She hoped Finn O’Malley would be willing to answer her questions.
Julie called and promised to meet Anna at the café around ten. Black clouds threatened to burst open any time as Meg and Anna loaded the van and drove to the café. A bunch of people were already waiting for them on the sidewalk.
Anna barely got a chance to look up during the early morning rush. Meg nudged her and pointed to the grandmother clock that stood at the entrance.
“Julie will be here any minute, Anna.”
Anna hastily packed four assorted cupcakes in a box and fixed her lipstick. She was peering through the glass windows when Julie pulled up outside.
“Are we going to the main house first, Anna?”
“I didn’t think that far ahead.”
Julie gave her an exasperated look. They seemed to have come to a silent decision by the time they reached the mansion.
They knocked on the door of the main house and waited. Anna almost expected Pearson to open the door and greet them with a bow.
“Looks like nobody’s home, Julie.”
“Or they are not used to getting the door when someone knocks. Why don’t we try to find this cottage ourselves?”
Anna pulled her coat closer and nodded. She looked around and spotted two meandering paths disappearing into the woods.
“Let’s try this first.”
She started walking down the one on the right. Julie followed her, grumbling about the cold.
Anna turned around a bend and almost walked into a wall. A tall, rugged man wearing camo pants and a white t-shirt looked down at her. His blue eyes were deep as the bay. Anna wondered what secrets they hid.
A dog barked and Anna stooped down to pet the black and tan German Shepherd watching her intently with his tongue hanging out.
“Say hello to the ladies, Chief,” the man ordered.
The dog immediately sat down and held out a paw. Anna smiled and shook it.
“Anna, this is Finn O’Malley.” Julie offered an introduction.
The man tipped his head slightly, acknowledging Anna.
“I was hoping to talk to you, Finn. It’s important.”
Finn turned around wordlessly and started walking down the path. Anna and Julie followed him. Two minutes later, they reached a small dwelling in a clearing, surrounded by towering pines.
“This is my cottage,” Finn told them, scratching his blonde stubble. “We can go in here.”
“Sounds good.” Anna nodded and walked directly into a small sitting room.
A shabby couch covered in pet hair faced a giant flat screen TV. The two armchairs placed around the sofa didn’t look any cleaner.
Anna picked a chair and gingerly sat on the edge. She told Finn about her background in solving murders.
“So you’re like an amateur detective. My Ruth loved reading those books about the red haired girl who liked to solve crimes. Aren’t you a bit older than that?”
“Nancy Drew was fictional,” Julie smirked. “Anna here is the real deal. Many people in Dolphin Bay will vouch for her.”
Finn stood with his hands folded, his feet planted apart, a frown marring his brow. Anna hoped he would sit down. She had a crick in her neck staring up at him.
“What does this have to do with me?”
Chief left his master’s side and leapt up on the couch. He stared dolefully at Anna, waiting for an answer.
“I promised someone I would look into Edward Gardiner’s death. And now, Pearson’s too, I guess.”
“And you suspect me of killing the old man?” Finn looked unfazed.
“I’m talking to everyone who had access to Edward.”
“But you must think I have a motive.”
He finally sat down and began stroking his dog. Chief licked Finn’s hand and rested his head on his lap.
“Word around town is that you didn’t get along with Edward. They say you blamed him for your wife’s death.”
Finn’s mouth hardened.
“Ruth’s death was a fluke. It would be wrong to blame anyone for it.”
Anna saw him curl his fists and bury them deep in the couch. Chief whimpered.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up any painful memories.”
“I should’ve been there. I will never forgive myself for that.”
Anna sensed the raw pain in Finn’s voice. She could empathize with him.
“You must have thought of her every time you looked at Edward.”
“That’s why I live here,” Finn told her. “Ruth was the spitting image of the old man, from the emerald eyes to the cute dimple. The Gardiners are the only connection I have to my Ruth. Being here made me feel close to her.”
“You didn’t nurse a secret grudge?” Julie needled. “How do we know you weren’t waiting for the right opportunity to get revenge?”
“Edward was family. I liked hanging out with him.”
Finn stood up and began pacing the room.
“What about the others? Have you considered Sharon? I say she’s been wronged all her life. Her father was kinda old fashioned so he left the entire estate to Edward. She just got an allowance.”
“Must be a big one,” Anna observed. “She isn’t exactly hurting for money.”
“Sharon had access to millions,” Finn admitted and snapped his fingers. “But Edward could take it away like that.”
“I wouldn’t be comfortable living that way.” Julie agreed. “But she must have been used to it.”
“Did something happen recently?” Anna asked Finn. “Something that might have threatened Sharon’s position?”
“The old man hinted at it. He was going to make a big announcement.”
Anna’s pulse quickened.
“What was it about? Did he give any clues?”
“Edward was very happy about it, but very secretive. He talked about how his announcement was going to change things around here.”
“Did that make you nervous?”
“I lived here and ate
his food, lady. But I was used to living on less. And I have my pension to fall back on.”
“What about the others?”
Finn hesitated.
“They don’t exactly confide in me. But the anxiety levels in the main house were high. Then the lawyers started coming in. I think they all thought the old man was changing his will.”
“Was he?” Julie sat forward expectantly.
“Sharon asked the old man about it, just before the holiday party. He laughed and told her to be patient. Everything would be revealed on Christmas morning.”
“What else?” Anna sensed Finn was holding back.
“He said they were going to get the biggest shock of their lives.”
Anna thought the old man had tempted fate. He had created uncertainty in the minds of his family, instigating one of them to take action.
“Martha, the maid, told us you had a big fight with Edward.” Anna waited for Finn to respond.
“I don’t remember any such thing.” Finn glowered at them.
Anna remembered what Gino had told her about Finn’s temperament. She sensed he was about to erupt.
“Thank you for talking to us, Finn.” Anna stood up. “And thank you for your service.”
She belatedly remembered the cupcakes she had brought and handed over the box to him.
“Please let me know if you think of anything else.”
“Am I going to be arrested?” Finn asked point blank.
“You have nothing to worry about if you are innocent.” Anna hoped she sounded confident. “I’m going to find out what happened.”
A light rain was falling when they stepped out of the cottage. Anna and Julie huddled in their jackets and walked briskly down the path.
“Did you see his bulging biceps?” Julie asked as she climbed into her big SUV and turned the heat on full blast.
Anna waved her hands over the vent, impatiently waiting for the air to grow warm.
“Were you checking him out, Julie?” Anna’s mouth dropped open. “Are you going to be one of those panthers now?”
“You mean cougar,” Julie corrected her. “Of course I wasn’t looking at him like that, Anna. I was thinking how easy it would be for him to hold an old man down and suffocate him.”