Lemonade & Loathing

by Beth Byers

  “No one cares about your dishwashing friend, Finny,” Zee told him. His face got more flushed and I think that I might just have met the first kid who wasn’t bowled over by Zee. I loved it. Finny, though? Really? I wanted to shake my head at whoever named him and at anyone who reached adulthood and still went with that version of his name even if he were actually named Finny instead of Finn.

  “Look I don’t know anything about what they got going on around here,” the kid said.

  “What did you see though?” I asked gently. “You don’t have to worry that we’ll tell who told us. Or that you’ll be jobless if you irritate Monica. She works for the board just like you.”

  “She’s my boss,” Finny said. “She’s…mean. Like rabid badger mean.”

  “We’d hire you at The 2nd Chance Diner,” Zee said soothingly.

  “To wash dishes! And clear tables! And mop floors! I don’t want to do that.”

  Zee’s gaze narrowed and I held up my hand, “It’s ok if you don’t enjoy it just because Zee does. How do you feel about dogs?”

  “Dogs?”

  “The manager of The 2nd Chance Adoption Center needs someone else. I would hire you. You could play with dogs.”

  “I couldn’t see them put down,” he said.

  “We’re no-kill. I will warn you though. We have a psycho cockatoo we need to unload and probably never will. You’ll have to be smart when you feed him and clean his cage.”

  “I like dogs.”

  “And Shane is lovely. The manager. She’d never, ever make you say what you just did about Monica.”

  “Shane Yardley?”

  I nodded.

  “She babysat me when I was little. I loved her.”

  “We have a tuition program,” I said. “You could go to school on the side. Roxy at the diner is going to school and working around her schedule.”

  “Really?”

  I nodded.

  His eyes actually filled with tears and his face flushed to a brilliant red.

  “Look, I don’t know the details. Like at all. But Stevie is involved. And he has way more cash than washing dishes would explain. And his schedule includes hours where the kitchens aren’t open. He said he was helping out with the cleaning stuff, but I’m friends with Payton who actually works graveyard and she says that Stevie has never worked it.”

  I didn’t expect there to actually be something to it. Not really. Danny was such floozy. It seemed obvious that one of the grooms killed him. But…were there any grooms at the resort when Danny had died? I mean…maybe not. Simon had been with me. But most of us there were there getting a picture of what was offered around here. We were in the early stages of wedding planning.

  Would Danny have had a chance to make a move on those brides? Probably not. And the real killer would be for grooms like James Delancey. His wife had slept with Danny before and after the wedding. Who knew who the baby’s daddy was? But, James Delancey wouldn’t have been at the resort that day. Not to plan a wedding. And maybe he could have gotten onto the property. Zee and I had proved that it wasn’t all that hard.

  But would Danny have gone off with James Delancey? Or Lila’s Tyson? I couldn’t see that. Danny wasn’t stupid, and he had to have had more than one guy take a swing at him over his floozy-making days.

  So….so….my mind was racing. Little things falling into place. I blinked and then crossed to one of the many stone benches and sat down. Finny started to say something, but Zee stopped him. Goliath laid his head down on my leg and I thought and thought.

  If you removed all of the brides and grooms from the murder plot then it came down to whatever Danny had been up to that was illegal. It had been referenced enough by Tyson’s PI to make me sure it was real after what Finny said about his friend Stevie and the weird hours.

  And…and…I pressed my lips together and dropped my face into my hands. Even Paige, my friend the boutique owner, had said that Danny had money. If they’d been house shopping for real, Danny and Melody—then they were looking at homes for real. Melody didn’t have the money.

  So it had to be coming from Danny. There was no way that a kid who made money working for a plethora of wedding vendors made enough to buy a house. Especially a house in Silver Falls. There weren’t run down areas here. Not really. Maybe if you bought property far away from the beach or rented one of the single-wide trailers.

  But, let’s just say Danny didn’t plan on a trailer route. If Danny actually had the money for a house and somehow had made it look legitimate. Well it didn’t matter what the crime he was involved in. What mattered is that when you divorced the brides and grooms from the murder, the killer had to be someone involved in Danny’s criminal activities.

  And who did I know who had been part of that? Monica. Monica and…well yeah. Harvey himself. Uncle Harvey the man who had been frustrated with Danny. But who had been seen out with Monica at a candlelit dinner. Which one of them was it?

  I glanced up at Zee where she waited her eyes fixed on my face as she waited for me to figure it out. Her phone was in her hand, and her eyes were alight with excitement. She truly expected me to have figured it out.

  But…I had no idea. I had been pursuing the entirely wrong idea this whole time. I shook my head and Zee’s face fell. As I stood, I started to say, “We need to call the boys,” but instead my gaze was caught by the people who had crept up on us while everyone was staring at me.

  Chapter 13

  “And what is going on here?” Monica demanded. Behind her stuff too the massive form of Harvey and I felt my life flash through my mind. More than once I had been in this situation. I knew in my bones that one of them was the killer. I could feel it, and I wasn’t at all sure which one it was.

  Monica’s face was pinched in anger as she stared between us her gaze staring far too long on my Goliath. Harvey, on the other hand, was blank faced and irritated. He looked as if he’d started out the day furious and hadn’t been able to shake it. Everything about him shrieked furious goon. My heartbeat tripled and Goliath shifted in front of me.

  “Why is this dog here?”

  “Trauma dog,” Zee said blithely.

  Oh goodness, Zee! Please don’t infuriate them!

  “Simon and Carver are interested in memberships,” I lied, hoping they wouldn’t be able to see on my face that I knew one of them was a killer.

  “And you’re having Finnegan show you around? We have membership teams for this.”

  “Finn is a personal family friend of Zee’s,” I said. “We figured if we were going to be here.”

  Monica’s gaze flicked between us like a dagger and I jumped a little every single time it landed on me. I was giving us away.

  “What is wrong with you?”

  “Bad day for flashbacks,” I stuttered, digging my fingers into Goliath’s fur and trying to believe that it would be ok. I really was having a flashback. The memory of the fear I’d felt as I realized I’d never get away alive. I’d been taken captive, dragged to a house, handcuffed inside, and had a fire set. That memory was riding me like a pony, and I wanted to run straight to Simon and beg him to save me.

  Her expression mocked me, but I wasn’t ashamed. I had been through some bad stuff and it affected me. That was allowed and understandable. Jerks.

  “They know,” Monica told Harvey flatly.

  He shot her a disbelieving look and growled, “What are you talking about?”

  “Finnegan has been asking about Stevie. Stupid kid even figured out that Stevie isn’t really working graveyard.”

  “Whatever you think they know, you just confirmed.”

  “Bring them,” Monica ordered.

  My heart skipped a beat. We were in trouble. Zee didn’t even seem to realize it, but she wasn’t worried. I could see on her face that she was happily going to prod them as if—at least one—of them wasn’t a killer.

  “Oh really?” Zee snarled. “You think your solitary goon can drag the three of us to wherever you intend to drag us
?”

  “I—I—I didn’t do anything,” Finny said.

  Something came over me and I took his hand. He was afraid, I was sure he was. I was too. But we’d be better standing together. Harvey was staring at Monica as though she were crazy and it suddenly become clear to me even further.

  “I thought it might have been you,” I said to Harvey, praying this would work.

  “Been me what?” He grunted.

  “You that killed Danny,” I said.

  Harvey paled at that idea and then shook his head. “My only sister’s kid? Never.”

  “Isn’t that interesting Monica? Never.” I spoke to Harvey even though I was using Monica’s name.

  “We need to get them away from here,” Monica told Harvey. “Now!”

  “I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not dragging people anywhere.”

  I laughed a little at that. He was a big man. And a little scary looking, and he could haul me across the beach and into a house and set it on fire without much trouble. But he wasn’t that type of man. Thank God. Monica, on the other hand, was. She was just much smaller. And Harvey wasn’t on her side as much as she thought.

  I had been leaning towards Harvey as the killer because I’d seen her crying over the death sight. But…I was guessing she missed Danny even though she killed him.

  “You were sleeping with Danny too, weren’t you?”

  Harvey’s eyes widened and he turned to Monica as if to ask her to say no.

  “What no? Me and Harvey are a couple,” Monica said. She didn’t even bother to look at Harvey.

  “You’re the girl who figures out all the murders right? The cop’s girlfriend,” he asked me, teeth clenched. Even know he didn’t know me personally, he already believed me more than his girlfriend.

  Zee answered for me, “Rose remembers little details and they weave together in her head. She figures people out. Sometimes even when you don’t want to know the truth.”

  “You think she killed Danny?”

  “I think that she did,” I said to him.

  Monica pressed her hand to her chest and said, “You aren’t going to believe them, Harv? We’re, you and me, we’re…”

  “I never really believed it,” he said to her, almost sadly. “I wanted to. But I never really did. It’s not like I don’t know what I look like and what you look like.”

  She tried reaching towards him as if to pet him into complaisance, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it as he demanded, “Did you kill my nephew?”

  “He was skimming!” She said. “I did it for us. You’re hurting me, baby.”

  Harvey took in a slow breath and said, “He always was a little prick. But he was family.”

  “We would have taken the wrap,” Monica tried, crying. She let those crocodile tears go and as a woman, I didn’t believe them for a second. They were perfect and lovely, those tears. Zee snorted in the face of her and Harvey was unmoved. “Baby,” she begged, “You’re hurting me.”

  “What happened?” Harvey asked me.

  I hadn’t stopped being afraid, but I was pretty sure that the first person who would face death here would be Monica. Maybe the rest of us could get away.

  “I think that she was sleeping with Danny,” I said. “And she realized he was cheating on her both with the business and in their relationship.”

  “No,” Monica wailed, “No. I’m with Harvey.”

  “I don’t buy that,” Zee said, “No offense Harvey, but…”

  “She’s too pretty for me. Too young. I knew better.”

  I didn’t nod because I wasn’t a horrible human being, but yeah she was. I finally said, “Lots of women who have hearts would love you, I’m sure, Harvey. It’s just that Monica doesn't have a heart.”

  “Harvey, you’re ruining everything! We’re going to go to jail if you don’t help me.”

  “So, you think you can order me to help you…what? Kill them! I’m not a killer, Monica.”

  “Harvey, we’re in so much trouble.”

  “You are,” he said. “I helped transport some drugs and launder some money for your big wig criminal resort members.”

  “Oh that makes so much more sense,” I said.

  “What does?” Harvey, Zee, and Monica asked.

  “This resort is stupid,” I said. “Most of the Lincoln City, Neskowin, Silver Falls area is blue collar or—at least—not so rich that they can afford the fees here. You’d have never gotten enough. Not ever. But if the resort is a cover for drugs and stuff. Sure. I can see that.”

  “Harvey,” Monica said. “Harvey! You have to help me. This is life or death.”

  “I know,” Harvey said, flatly, “You killed my nephew.”

  “I had to. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be together. That we can’t get away.”

  “Yes,” Harvey said flatly, “It does. Besides, the cops are here.”

  I spun to face the way Harvey was facing and saw Simon. He was furious. I didn’t care. I ran right to him, threw myself into his arms and said, “Thank heavens you’re here! How did you know?”

  “Zee messaged us before you were done figuring it out.” I flashed back to the hand shaking her phone and the way she’d prodded at Monica and Harvey. Zee had never been afraid—she’d known help was one the way. I took in a deep breath and let the last of the worry and fear go.

  Jonas moved past me to Monica and pulled out his cuffs. It gave me so much joy to see her cuffed and arrested. I felt a little worse for Harvey, but at least he wasn’t facing murder charges.

  “How did you know?” I asked.

  “Zee messaged us before you were done figuring it out.”

  Zee had never been afraid—she’d known help was one the way. I took in a deep breath and let the last my fear go.

  These were two that I couldn’t identify with or have a desire to help. It was a little cleansing to realize that. For once, I didn’t feel in my heart where the killer was coming from. I pressed my face into Simon’s chest. I had been sure for a second there that it was all over and yet again, I was feeling the utter joy of knowing that I was safe. All I wanted was right here in my arms.

  As the police led Monica and Harvey away, he turned to me and said, “Thank you for helping my Danny. Even if it was too late.”

  I could see the grief in his gaze and I flinched in the face of it. It didn’t matter to Harvey that his nephew had played him. Or not enough to erase the love he’d felt for the boy who he’d seen grown. I nodded once and he gave me a bit of a smile before he said, “Be seeing you.”

  * * * * *

  Lila and Tyson came into the diner the next day and said, “We heard about the cockatoo over at The 2nd Chance Adoption Center.”

  I was so surprised I dropped into the seat next to them. I hadn’t slept all that well. Simon was mad at me and I still had a wedding to plan. I hoped. He was, in fact, so mad at me for being back to the resort that I was going to have to stop messing with his breakfasts despite the fact that I’d ended up in a jail cell.

  “We want it,” Tyson said.

  “It’s crazy,” I told them, flatly. “Like abused and a little violent and it knows a lot of curse words. The real vivid ones.”

  “We want to help, and Tyson is allergic to dogs.”

  “I warned you though. Right? I was straight with you. If you get attacked, it isn’t my fault. You probably need to sign a release or something.”

  Lila grinned and said, “We have a big place, and we can get a big aviary. It’ll be ok for him and for you. Then you can help more birds that have a chance at being adopted regularly.”

  I nodded and dropped my chin into my hand.

  “You seem glum,” Tyson said to me. His fingers were curled through Lila’s and he had a plate of our super popular lemonade waffles in front of him.

  “Simon is mad at me. Rightfully so. And I still don’t have a handle on the wedding. And I’ll probably have to beg to make him forgive me.”

  “People can forgive anything
when there’s love involved,” Lila told me.

  I teared up at that and nodded. With a slow breath in, I decided it was time to pack up lunch for the boys at the police station with an excess of baked goods and make my apologies.

  “As far as the wedding goes,” Lila said, digging though her purse and sliding a business card to me, “Call her. She did everything for me.”

  I picked up the card, shoved it into my pocket. I had a wedding to plan. But first, I had apologies to make. I knew Simon would forgive me. He’d even believe me and listen when I explained how Zee engineered it all. Of course he would. Unlike Monica and Harvey who hadn’t really loved or Danny and Lettie who seemed incapable of honesty, he was Simon. And I was a lucky woman.

  The End

  Hello! Hello! Can I just take a moment to gush over how much I love you for reading my books and giving me a chance? Writing is the best thing ever! Almost as awesome are reviews, and indie folks, like myself, need them desperately! If you wouldn’t mind, I would be so grateful for a review.

  The sequel to this book, Wedding Cake & Woe will be out soon! You can preorder it here if you’re interested!

  I also have a brand new cozy historical mystery series set in 1920s England coming next month! I am soooo excited for this baby and hope you love it too! It’s available for preorder now!

  Christmas 1922.

  Violet Carlyle--along with a slew of relatives--is called to spend the holidays with Lady Agatha Carlyle. The intransigent woman has spent the majority of her life squirreling away money and alienating anyone who tries to get close to her.

  It's hardly the first time Vi has spent the holidays with her aunt. She and her twin will do what they always do. Enjoy Aunt Aggie’s luxuries while ignoring the histrionics of the family trying to worm their way into the will.

  Only this time, Aunt Aggie claims someone is trying to kill her. Vi is sure that Aunt Agatha is just lonely and seeing things that aren’t there. Before Vi can do anything, Aunt Aggie dies. Since Agatha never named an heir, why would anyone want to kill her?