Deadly Melody

by Connie Mann

  “Of course. I’ll get you a preliminary report as soon as I can.”

  Nick turned and saw Monroe standing off to the side, cell phone to his ear, obviously deep in a heated discussion. He couldn’t make out the words, but by the looks of it, the chief wasn’t happy.

  Once the body was gone and photographs taken and any potential evidence tagged and bagged, he instructed Officer Dempsey to keep the scene secure while he headed to the Winston home to notify the family. He hated this part of the job. Kids were the absolute worst.

  As he drove, he shuffled the pieces of the puzzle around in his mind. He didn’t think this was a suicide. Not after what Blaze had said. So who in Safe Harbor wanted this well-liked kid dead?

  He didn’t know, yet, but he wouldn’t stop until he had answers.

  Chapter 6

  When the nightmare woke Cat for the third time, the first glimmers of light were just edging over the horizon and slipping through the aging metal blinds. She bolted upright in the narrow bed under the eaves, heart pounding like a runaway train. She was drenched in sweat, and not surprisingly, her cheeks were wet with tears. The nightmare of Daniel’s death always reappeared when she was stressed. Or scared.

  She tossed back the light blanket and headed for the tiny bathroom, splashing water on her face, meeting her guilty eyes in the mirror. She hadn’t sounded a cry, hadn’t raised the alarm, hadn’t called the police to demand they investigate. Her lack of action was a shame she would carry to her grave. She’d been scared, worried for her own safety, and instead of doing right by Daniel, she’d run like the coward she was.

  Was still running, because she knew if she ever stopped, her uncle—or Garcia—would find her and kill her. Men like them didn’t just shrug it off when someone double-crossed them or ruined their plans. Her uncle had owed Garcia money, and she’d been the payment. Neither one would ever forgive her for ruining that.

  To escape the guilt, at least for a while, she pulled on workout clothes, grabbed her violin, and slipped outside. It was barely light enough to see, but she knew the path from memory more than by sight.

  She headed into the woods, trying to ignore the rustling in the underbrush as she walked. She’d never liked that aspect of the woods. Instead, it was the quiet she craved. She inhaled the smell of the tall pines overhead, the quiet shuffle of the pine needles that carpeted the ground.

  The sky was just beginning to lighten when she found the clearing she’d considered hers while she lived there. She spent several minutes breathing deeply and stretching before she slid her mother’s violin from the case and started playing.

  Here she could play the classics she’d been taught, one after another. She had learned to enjoy fiddling at honky-tonks, where she played to put food on the table, but classical music—that was what fed her soul.

  She lost all track of time as the familiar melodies flowed from her fingers, Panis Angelicus, Pachelbel’s Canon in D. The soothing strains set her free and let her soar far above the worries and cares that dogged her heels the rest of the time. This was what she loved. Here was where peace lived.

  She’d just finished a more modern piece called “Somewhere Only We Know” when Blaze said, “That’s pretty cool. Where’d you learn to play like that?”

  Cat spun around so fast she nearly lost her balance on the slippery needles. “You startled me. How long have you been here?”

  Blaze sat on a fallen log, wearing a hoodie and a pair of jeans, black boots on her feet, watching her. How had she not heard her approach? Cat was always alert to her surroundings. Being here was messing with her usual hypervigilance, and that scared her.

  “A few minutes. You were pretty into the music.” She looked around. “This is usually my spot. Guess you used to come here, too, huh?”

  “I did.” Cat studied the dark circles under the teen’s eyes. “Did you get any sleep?”

  Blaze blinked back tears and shook her head. “Every time I close my eyes, I see him lying there, you know?”

  Oh yes. She knew. “I’m so sorry, Blaze. Truly.”

  The teen hopped up from the log and stopped right in front of her. “You need to help me figure out what happened.”

  Cat read the fear in the girl’s eyes and chose her words with care. “Nick and the coroner are going to figure out why he died, Blaze. They’ll run all kinds of tests. Maybe he had some condition nobody knew about until—”

  Clearly in denial, Blaze was shaking her head. “What if he didn’t?”

  A chill climbed up Cat’s neck. “What do you mean? Did he do drugs and you’re worried he overdosed?”

  Blaze spun away, arms wrapped around her middle as she paced the small clearing. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She paced some more. “But what if it’s even worse? What if, like, I don’t know . . . what if someone hurt him on purpose?” The last words echoed in the clearing, bounced off the trees.

  Cat studied the girl. “If you know something, Blaze, you have to tell Nick.”

  “Why are you pushing me to tell him? You don’t even like him.”

  “I don’t know him well enough to like him or not. But I’ve heard he’s a good guy. And a good cop.”

  “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Blaze shrugged. “I heard Sasha and Eve talking. They’re worried you’re on drugs or something.” She studied Cat a moment. “I don’t think you are.”

  “What makes you so sure? What do you know about it, Blaze?”

  “Chill. Don’t go all parental on me. I don’t smoke weed or anything else. That stuff is stupid. But I know people who do, and they’re messed up. You’re not like that.”

  “Was Teddy messed up?”

  Blaze started shaking her head again. “I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t know. I mean, no. He didn’t do drugs. But he was saving up for a car and . . .”

  Cat kept her tone casual. “Somebody wanted him to sell some drugs, make a little extra cash, maybe?”

  Blaze nodded miserably. “I tried to tell him it was a bad idea.”

  “Did he listen?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What kind of drugs were they?”

  “It wasn’t a big deal. Just some weed. A few pills. Oxy.”

  It was a big deal, but Cat didn’t react, she had to keep her talking. “To sell to kids at the high school?”

  Again, the shrug.

  “If you were with him, you could get busted, too.” Cat studied the misery written across Blaze’s face. “What aren’t you telling me? Even if Teddy was dealing drugs for them, why would they have a reason to, ah, hurt him?”

  Blaze flung her arms wide, fury and guilt all over her face. “Because I made him promise that he would tell them no, that he wouldn’t do it anymore. What if he’s dead because of me?” The last words burst out with a sob, and Cat’s heart clenched. Blaze spun out of the clearing, and Cat grabbed her before she’d gone twenty feet, wrapped her in her arms, and hugged her while she cried.

  It didn’t take long before Blaze shrugged out of her grasp, swiped at her eyes, and glared at Cat. “You have to help me.”

  “Why won’t you let Nick handle this? This is his job, Blaze. Besides, if somebody hurt Teddy, they need to pay. Don’t you want that?”

  “I promised, OK? I promised I’d never tell the cops if he promised to quit.”

  “That’s what he was doing at the quarry last night?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say. Just that he had a meeting.”

  The utter heartbreak etched in the girl’s face made Cat’s decision for her. “I’ll stay one more day, but that’s the best I can do. Who was Teddy working for? Was it someone local?”

  “I don’t know his name. I’ve never met him, but I’ve seen him around.”

  “Do you have a picture, anything?”

  Blaze pulled a sketch pad from the front pocket of her hoodie. “I’ll show you.” She plopped down on the log, pulled out a pencil, and starting sket
ching. It only took five minutes before she stood and handed Cat a drawing.

  Cat glanced down and bit back a curse. “That’s Eddie Varga. I went to high school with him. He was trouble even then. You’re sure he’s the guy Teddy was working for?”

  “Positive.”

  Cat took the sketch. “I’ll go say hi to Mama and Pop and then see what I can find out.”

  “Thank you, Cat.”

  “Why me? Why not Sasha or Eve?”

  “Because Eve’s on her honeymoon and Sasha’s pregnant. I couldn’t ask them.” She paused. “Your eyes say you know about stuff like this. More than they do.”

  Cat nodded. She did know. So did Blaze. “Stick close to the house today, OK? I’ll see what I can find out. Do you know where Eddie hangs out?”

  “No idea. Sorry.”

  “I’ll be back later.”

  At the house, Cat found Mama and Sasha sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. Which meant Pop and Jesse were already down at the marina.

  Guilt tugged at Cat when Mama’s eyes lit up as she walked in. “Cathy, you are still here. I thought you were going to leave at dawn?”

  “Trying to get rid of me, huh?” Cat wouldn’t meet Sasha’s eyes as she leaned over and kissed the top of Mama’s head.

  Mama laughed. “Of course not. It’s a pleasant surprise. Come, sit.”

  Sasha took her mug to the sink. “I need to get to the marina, too. I’ll drop by before I leave, OK?” She placed a kiss on Mama’s cheek before she left without another word.

  Mama eyed Cat sternly. “You need to make up with your sister.”

  “Me? What did I do? She’s the one who egged the police station and made me miss my big audition. If she hadn’t—”

  “Enough. It was long ago, and you are not children anymore. Family is family.”

  Cat sighed. Mama was right. What was it about coming home that made her revert to her teenage self? She’d never be able to tell them the terror she’d felt and the real reason she’d left that night, but she could apologize for her behavior since.

  “I’m only going to stay for one more day. I have a few things I need to check on in town.”

  “How is Blaze? She found you in the woods this morning, no?”

  “She’s hurting and confused. I can’t blame her.”

  “I am glad you went with her last night.”

  “I’m not sure why she wanted my help to begin with. She doesn’t know me.”

  Mama took her hand. “Neither one of you has ever talked about your lives before you came here, and that’s fine.” She held up her hand when Cat looked like she wanted to interrupt. “But you both have that same haunted look in your eyes.”

  She studied the woman who had been more of a mother to her than her own in the short time she’d lived here. “Sasha and Eve didn’t come from ideal situations, either.”

  “No, but their pasts were more about tragedy and heartache. You and Blaze ran for some reason.” She eyed her. “I think you felt a connection with her, too.”

  This was exactly why she couldn’t stay. Mama read her too easily, inspired her to speak too freely. If she weren’t careful, she’d say things that had to stay hidden for everyone’s safety.

  “Does Nick know yet how that sweet boy died?”

  “I don’t think so. Not yet.” She cocked her head. “You call him Nick.”

  Mama nodded and her eyes filled with sadness. “The little boy who disappeared will always be my Tony. But this big, strong man, he is Nick. He saved Sal when Leon Daughtry tried to kill him.” Her eyes filled. “He is a good man.”

  Cat wasn’t getting into that, so she stood and kissed Mama’s cheek. “I’ll be back later, OK? Are you good here?”

  Mama smiled, pointed to her knitting basket. “I will sit on the porch and start knitting booties for my coming grandbaby.”

  A ray of hope filled Cat as she left. Mama was getting stronger. Sasha was going to be a mother.

  She just had to get out of town before they found her. Again.

  Nick sat at his desk in the tiny Safe Harbor police station and studied the crime scene photos. Again. Across the room, JD entered information into his computer, logging evidence, trying to keep everything organized. Wanda, the dispatcher, was scrolling through various social media sites, making a list of Teddy’s friends for Nick to interview. In a small department like theirs, everyone pitched in. Except Chief Monroe, who had yet to make an appearance this morning.

  Nick leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and considered what they knew so far. It wasn’t much. No trauma to the body. No needle marks or signs of drug abuse. According to Teddy’s parents, he’d been declared in perfect health at his last checkup. He’d need the autopsy report to be sure, but it didn’t look like the results of an illness. So why was a seventeen-year-old kid dead? Poison was always a possibility. Or drug overdose, which the tox screen would show.

  Suicide? From what Blaze and Teddy’s parents said and what he’d seen himself at the wedding reception, it didn’t seem likely. He looked like your average teenager. But you never knew.

  Wanda walked over to his desk and handed him the list. Tall and blonde, Wanda became the dispatcher last year after her third child went off to college and she couldn’t handle the quiet at home anymore. She’d been a volunteer at the hospital for many years and had a calm voice and demeanor Nick had come to appreciate. “Teddy had a lot of friends, at least on social media, so I put the ones he interacted with most at the top.”

  Nick looked over at JD. “Have we gotten Teddy’s cell phone records yet?”

  “Still waiting. I’ll get them to you as soon as they come in.”

  Wanda took a deep breath. “Pastor Barnes called earlier. The funeral will be Wednesday. The church ladies are organizing a luncheon afterward.” She shook her head. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Figure out what happened to him, Nick. His parents deserve that.”

  Nick nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I plan to.” He stood, scanned the list, and headed out. He recognized some of the names. If he timed it right, he should be able to catch several of them just as church let out.

  Cat climbed into her beige sedan and headed toward the outskirts of Safe Harbor. When they were in high school, Eddie Varga’s big Hungarian family had lived in a rusting mobile home off a dirt road about five miles out of town. There were always cars up on blocks and chickens and children and dogs running around the unkempt yard, but Mrs. Varga always sat in the third row at church looking as prim and proper as an English lady, complete with a straw hat. Mr. Varga worked at the fish market, when he worked, which wasn’t often.

  Cat drove past their place, not really surprised to see it hadn’t changed a bit in ten years. The house had more rust and looked more tired, but the rest looked the same. Only, this time, there was nobody outside, chickens or kids. The whole place had a deserted feel.

  She parked her car and carefully picked her way up a few small wooden steps and knocked on the weathered front door. She didn’t hear any sounds from inside, so she knocked again. After a few minutes, she gave up and headed back to town.

  About a mile from the high school, she swung by Wally’s Gas-n-Go, the convenience store where Eddie and his buddies used to hang out. Sure enough, there he was, sitting on a picnic table in the shade of a huge oak tree, smoking and shooting the breeze with his buddies. She climbed out of her car and started toward them. They stopped talking and watched her progress. Eddie slowly unfolded himself and looked her up and down. “Well if it isn’t Miss Hoity-Toity Cathy Johnson. Long time no see, princess.”

  “I want a word with you, Eddie.”

  He waved a hand at his cronies. “Go ahead, ain’t nothing my boys can’t hear.”

  She scanned the three other men. Two she recognized. One had played football and had packed on some pounds since his linebacker days. The other was wiry—and sneaky—if she remembered right. He always did Varga’s bidding. The third one she didn’t recognize, but the tats on both
arms and on his neck would make him easy to spot.

  “What do you know about Teddy Winston’s death?”

  Varga put a hand on his bony chest as though wounded. “How would I know anything? It’s a shame. He was a good kid.”

  She watched his face as she said, “I heard he was working for you.”

  Eddie laughed, and his buddies joined in. “Not working, princess. Learning. He wanted to learn how to fish.” He shrugged a bony shoulder. “I took him out on my boat a few times, taught him a thing or two.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Try again.”

  “Are you doubting me?” He moved closer, and Cat held her ground. “Because that’s not cool.”

  The other three moved closer, and she decided this hadn’t been such a good idea. But it was too late to back down now. “What happened between you and Teddy Winston last night?”

  Surprise flashed through his eyes, then all emotion vanished and they turned flat, like a snake’s. “You got a lotta nerve, princess, showing up here making accusations.”

  “I’m not accusing, Eddie. I’m asking. What went down?”

  He had his hands around her neck faster than Cat could respond. Two of the others grabbed her feet and slammed her down on the picnic table. Eddie’s hands tightened around her throat. “I don’t like people making up stories about me, you understand?”

  Cat let herself go limp, eyes wide and pleading. Let him think he had the upper hand. Then in one smooth move, she kicked out with her legs, and the guy holding them went flying. The other tried to grab her, and she sent him after his friend. Varga’s grip on her throat tightened, so she reached into the sheath at her back, yanked out her knife, and jabbed it into his upper arm. He screamed and let her go, cursing a blue streak as he saw the blood welling from the wound. “You’ll pay for that!” he shouted. “Get her,” he growled at his henchmen.