Lemonade & Loathing

by Beth Byers

  “They weren’t mean to you,” Zee said without a bit of sympathy.

  “Well no,” Melody admitted.

  “It is, however, scary to have to talk to the police. You can’t help but feel guilty of something even if you haven’t done anything.”

  “Yes,” Melody said, she wiped a tear away even though we hadn’t even gotten to the bad stuff. “Thank you for helping me. My aunt swears that you’ll find the real killer and I don’t have to worry.”

  I licked my lips and avoided Zee’s gaze. I heard her snort. I was about tired of those mean snorts from Zee. What if I just grabbed her nose the next time I knew one was coming? What would she do then? Probably shave my head while I was sleeping, I thought and rejected the plan.

  “So do you have an alibi?”

  “I do,” Melody said. She took in a slow breath and breathed it out. “I wish I didn’t. I wish I had been there and could have saved him.”

  “Or died with him,” Zee suggested.

  Melody blinked as though the idea had never occurred to her. She wasn’t all that bright, I thought. Of course, she was either ridiculously trusting or easily fooled to have the two people closest to her pull the shades over her so well. But no, that wasn’t kind. It wasn’t her fault she believed that the two people closest to her wouldn’t do to her what they had done. And…she deserved to know the truth. Dang it! Zee was right. But goodness how I didn’t want to be involved.

  “Where were you?”

  “Lettie and I were shopping. She’s pregnant.” A look of pure joy crossed Melody’s face as she said, “I’m going to be an aunt!”

  Zee cursed and Melody turned and gave Zee a shocked look.

  “Babies are a blessing,” Melody told Zee.

  “They are. Especially when you know who they belong to.”

  “It’s Lettie and James’s baby, of course.”

  “So you didn’t know that Lettie was sleeping with Danny too?”

  I choked again. I knew Zee well, but even I was surprised she’d just thrown the horrible truth out there like that.

  “That…that’s not true,” Melody said. She said it so simply, so clearly, that I was sure she really didn’t believe it.

  “It is,” Zee said.

  Melody turned her wide eyes to me as if asking me to save her from the madness.

  “It’s true,” I said.

  “Lettie herself admitted it to Rose,” Zee said.

  “No,” Melody snapped. “No, no. She wouldn’t. She’d never.”

  “She thought he didn’t really love you and was just pretending with you to cover up that she was cheating.”

  “He wouldn’t have. He loved me.”

  “He kissed Lila Cage just a couple of weeks ago, trying to get into her pants. Lila admits it and her fiancé saw it. His name is linked with a slew of brides. Several people told us that.”

  Melody was shaking her head, the tears flowing freely now. I was assuming that the tears meant that Melody knew the truth underneath the denials.

  “He asked you to marry him. If he even followed through, he would have cheated on you for the entirety of your life. Some men just aren’t ever monogamous. Even if they love someone,” Zee said and then sniffed.

  Melody gasped, choked and then hacked into her napkin while she cried. I glanced away and met Az’s gaze in the kitchen window. His dark eyes were wide with concern for her. None of us knew her well, but we all cared.

  “I…how can you say such a thing?” Melody rose and threw her napkin at Zee. “It isn’t true! It’s not!”

  “You know it is,” Zee said flatly. Melody spun away, but Zee added, “You deserve to know the truth. To know that your friend can’t be trusted. To know that you’re mourning someone who was never real. You deserve better, Melody. Anyone deserves better than what they were doing to you.”

  Her voice was kind again. Gentle even. There was something about Zee’s gentle voice that seemed to break Melody. It broke me just to hear it because I knew Zee well enough to know that her heart and sympathy were engaged.

  “Your brother killed his best friend,” Melody said, turning to Zee with the accusation.

  “He did. His best friend, like your best friend, betrayed their friendship. Except for you, you were saved by whoever killed Danny. You were saved from finding out after you had a couple of kids. Or when you went in for a checkup and got an STI, but knew that you hadn’t cheated.”

  Melody’s chin was trembling as her gaze was fixed on Zee’s. Melody was held captive by that tender, gentle, completely ungiving voice of Zee.

  “I know it doesn’t seem like it now,” Zee said, “But you escaped something worse. I’m not saying murder is okay, but the murderer did you a justice. They saved you pain that could have been so much worse.”

  “How is finding out that my best friend was cheating with my boyfriend a kindness?”

  “Well, you could have found out that your best friend’s kid was your kid’s half-sibling. Or you could have walked in on them on some joint vacation. Or you could have heard it after your wedding. Finding out before you were ever married. Before you had kids. Before you had given him decades? That’s a blessing.”

  Melody slowly nodded. She wiped her face free of tears and then said, “What do you want from me? Is this why you called me here?”

  Zee shook her head and gestured to the booth. Az brought us the cake and said, “I’m heading out now.”

  Melody didn’t look up at him but he lightly touched her shoulder and said, “You’ll be ok.”

  With a shaking chin and several slow tears, Melody nodded.

  “What do you need to know?” She asked clenching her jaw.

  “What do you know about Danny’s business with Harvey?”

  “Only that Danny hated working for him. He said Harvey was a dumb old fool who didn’t know a good deal when he saw it. Danny said Harvey wouldn’t be anything without him.”

  “As if Harvey hasn’t been running his business for years before Danny.”

  “Well, it did seem that things got better for Harvey after Danny started working there too.”

  Zee snorted and I glanced at her, trying to quell her with my eyes before I looked back at Melody.

  “Did they do anything shady with their business?”

  Melody shook her head immediately but that didn’t say no to me. It just said that Danny hadn’t seen any reason to trust Melody with what he was up to. I’d hadn’t been able to stop from thinking about the case and the truth was…Harvey’s business was a pretty good cover for money laundering. Lots of people would pay in cash. I’d learned enough about fraud to wonder if he weren’t doing something shady that way. But how would the resort be involved?

  Tyson seemed to think that whatever was happening had been happening between the resort and Danny. Maybe Harvey as well. Would the uncle and nephew unite on some sort of crime? Or had Danny been using Harvey’s business for the crime with Harvey all the way unknowing?

  But then again, if anyone would be prone to an act of rage and murder surely it would be a man who’s bride had cheated on him? Or perhaps Lettie’s husband. Here they were expecting a baby and was it even his? What if he’d found out that his wife had been cheating after he discovered he was going to be a dad?

  That would leave someone so angry. Simon was already protective of our baby and I wasn’t pregnant. But Jane was right, the second we’d started talking babies, something had shifted in Simon’s head. He’d started taking the re-decorating and fixing up of our place more seriously. He’d put in the bigger dog door for Goliath as though I would be unable to take our massive dog out when I was pregnant which was just crazy.

  I know Simon had talked to Carver about having the same days off as I did through the whole year and not just when it wasn’t the busy season. I was pretty sure that Simon wouldn’t be working long hours after our baby came. Assuming I was able to get pregnant.

  But how was that so different from me? Hadn’t I hired Zee to run t
he diner officially? Hadn’t I started training someone to run the shelter without me? Hadn’t I backed off on my work? Our kid would only be little for a short time and we had the luxury of not working as much as other families often had to.

  What it all came back to was that having a family changed your perspective. I could see a man thinking he was having a baby and then discovering his wife had cheated on them the entirety of their marriage and maybe his baby wasn’t his baby—it would be far too easy for him to snap.

  So which one of Danny’s terrible vices had gotten him killed? Because at this point the only thing I was sure of was that there were plenty of people with motives to kill Danny. Even I kind of wanted to stab him a little.

  “Is it possible that James Delancey knew about the affair even if you didn’t?”

  Melody pressed her lips together and then slowly shook her head. “They dated in high school. He’s one of my very best friends. I…I don’t think he’d let me keep believing the lie. No. No I don’t think so.”

  All that told me, however, was that if James had killed Danny, he’d seen it as a way to free both himself and her from what was happening. It was still all too possible that he’d killed Danny. I’d have ruled him out as a murderer if Melody had thought he might know. I figured for one of the grooms, the murder would have been an act of sheer, unadulterated fury that had been untempered by time.

  Chapter 12

  Zee and I drove back to my place together. She told me that Carver deserved to be left behind, but I suspected she just wanted to prod me and Simon into a conversation about the murder. The joke was on her though, because Simon wasn’t there when we got back. I whistled for the dogs when we got back and snuggled the kitty before I told Zee, “I’m taking the dogs out. You coming?”

  “Where are they?”

  “I assume you mean Simon? I don’t know. He isn’t always here when I get here.”

  She scowled at me and then cleared her throat. You could almost see the internal debate fly across her face. To message Carver and find out what was going on or to leave him hanging? I shot her my own wicked glance and then took the dogs out the front of the house and to the trail. Our house was on one of the bluffs with a view of the ocean. We were right up against the state forests and there were lots of trails that we’d widened to little hiking paths. There was even an official hiking trail that went past one of our paths for when we wanted to really go for a long meander.

  Zee followed me begrudgingly. I was pretty sure she figured Simon would be there by the time that I got back to the house, but he wasn’t. She hadn’t gotten a reply from Carver, and she grabbed my phone before I could stop her and messaged Simon.

  I snatched my phone back and read the message, but all it said was: Where are you?

  Simon didn’t reply for a while and I fed the dogs while we waited. I could feel the breath of fate on my neck and guessed that Zee would be dragging me out for something that I didn’t want to do.

  Goliath gave me a mournful look as he ate as though he already knew I’d be leaving him behind. He was too smart for my own good and too aware of my moods. I sniffed and thought—Zee couldn’t make me leave him behind.

  Simon’s reply finally came and Zee growled as she read it: Still Working.

  “Let’s go,” Zee said.

  “Where?”

  “I made an appointment to tour the resort for a membership.”

  I wanted to smack her, but she nodded and said, “Carver legitimately wants one. He loves to golf. You could get one for Simon too.”

  “Um, I hate that Monica chick.” I paused and considered and then said, “Well maybe not hate her. But I severely dislike her.”

  “Please,” Zee said, “We’ll just get her fired and get someone we like in there. I wouldn’t mind getting massages and knowing where Carver was spending all of his time.”

  “Doesn’t he spend it all fishing? Why would he switch to golfing?”

  Zee laughed and said, “It’s safer to drink and golf that fly fish and golf. Fly fishermen are always out there by themselves. If he fell, he’d be screwed. I made him promise to stop drinking while he was fishing. Suddenly, he started golfing almost as much as he was fishing.”

  I had to laugh. I didn’t really want to tour the resort. Or give Simon an expensive gift I wasn’t sure he’d love. He liked golfing. But enough for a membership? “I don’t want to leave Goliath.”

  Zee grinned and said, “I knew you’d try something.” She hauled her massive bag up onto the kitchen counter and pulled out a medical vest for a dog.

  “That has to be illegal,” I said.

  “Who cares? Goliath won’t hurt anyone.”

  “Um, Simon and Carver will care.”

  “They don’t have to know about it,” Zee said smoothly. Her brows raised in a dare. I considered. I was too-well aware that Zee wanted to investigate. But if she had a legitimate tour setup for us to see the golf course, I didn’t see how that could hurt. And…maybe she’d leave me be if I went with her? Otherwise, she might just harass me all evening long. By the time the tour was done, Simon would probably be home, and I could bail.

  “You say that as though you weren’t the one to call them the last time we did something illegal.”

  Zee snorted at that and said, “Come on now. Don’t wuss out on me or I’ll have to train up another best friend.”

  I scowled at her. Even though I knew she was teasing and only a few personalities could take her in heavy doses, I was a little offended. “Rude.”

  “Suck it up.”

  “Why do I like you?”

  “No one knows,” Zee smirked.

  I narrowed my gaze at her, but she wasn’t even looking at me. She had was already putting the vest on Goliath. It was like he knew she was bringing him along. His big tail flopped and he fixed his deep brown eyes on me as if he were begging.

  “If I get a fine, I’ll punch you in the kneecap.”

  “I got Jane to sign the paperwork. You’re legit. PTSD from being nearly killed a few times.”

  I blinked and before I could even process a response Zee added, “I’m surprised you didn’t notice that I tucked your card into your wallet.”

  “But…”

  “Please. Like you don’t have issues from what you went through. And like you don’t feel better with Goliath around. If he’s laying down in the office or the hallway outside of the kitchen, you are way less snappish. Now you’re just official. Just think you can take him to the movies.”

  “I feel like…”

  “Don’t overthink it.”

  I opened my mouth and then my Goliath’s gaze. I really did feel better when he was with me. And if I wasn’t with Simon, I almost always had Goliath with me. If not Goliath, Daisy, and Mama Dog. I bit my lip and then turned to her and said, “Thank you.”

  Zee grinned and then said, “This is why we’re best friends.”

  My smile told her I agreed even if I didn’t say it. She knew me well enough that I didn’t have to.

  * * * * *

  If I were a betting woman, I’d have bet that Zee had babysit the poor kid who was leading us through the resort.

  “And,” he stuttered glancing over his shoulder at Zee and then darting a look away. “The fees for locals are lower than those who are out-of-towners. You need to have a local address, but it does limit your ability to attend from May 1st through September 15th.”

  “I don’t think so,” Zee said sniffing. “As though I’m going to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a limited membership that only gives access when it’s raining buckets.

  “A lot of people golf in the rain,” he said, gulping.

  The look Zee shot him said exactly how stupid she thought that comment was. Sure, people might play in the rain but there was no way it gave the same sort of satisfaction.

  Goliath squatted down and did his business right there in the rose garden. I couldn’t have been more grateful that he only had to relieve liquids. I hadn’t
remembered puppy bags. Goliath was large, so he watered those bushes like a race horse.

  “Um…” The kid said, gulping and glancing around for help. Probably for someone to rescue him from Zee and myself. Let alone Goliath. I scratched his ears. It wasn’t his fault that he worked here, but I did have to love how much Monica would have hated that puddle of urine.

  Zee sniffed and eyed the poor kid. He avoided her gaze as though it were a way for her to strike him.

  “So,” I said, “How well do you know the temporary staff?”

  “Um, the temporary staff?” His ears were turning red, so I assumed he knew exactly what I was talking about.

  “The ones like Danny Harvey,” I said. “He works for Monica sometimes doesn’t he? Or he worked?”

  “I’m just a part-time host,” the kid said. “I don’t even usually do membership tours, but Zee…”

  “Zee insisted on you. Of course, she did. She knows you’d be straight with her because she knows your … Mom?”

  “His grandmother,” Zee said. “She’s a domineering woman and don’t you owe her for your car repairs?”

  He gulped and nodded. A frustrated look had come into his face, and I didn’t blame him a bit. We were a handful, Zee and I. Zee was most of the handful though. Nearly all of it. I shook my head at myself. She’d gotten me to do just what she wanted as well.

  Here I was, supposedly touring this resort as though I’d ever pay the fees to get Simon a membership here. I mean…I would. If he wanted it. But Simon was more of a kayaking the ocean, walking the dogs, hiking the trails kind of man. Maybe with a dash of very careful rock climbing. He definitely wouldn’t want a membership to this place and for the days when he wanted to play? Well…like Zee said, they’d never sell enough memberships to prevent people from coming in and playing daily.

  “Zee said you were interested in buying a membership,” the kid said. “Is that even true?”

  “She’s interested in the sideways jobs that your boss has running with the guy who died.”

  “I’m just a part-time guy here,” he said, “I only even have a decent job because my Grammy knows one of the board members. Otherwise I’d be washing dishes like Stevie Michaels.”