by Lyndsey Cole
“Oh?”
“She told me about some of the back-story between her husband and Gavin Abbott. Do you know anything about that?”
“A little. In a meandering way, that’s the real reason I’m here.”
Chapter 9
Hannah stopped dead in the sand. “What do you mean, the real reason?”
“All I can tell you is Matt’s sister, Jan, contacted me in an extremely roundabout way. She does not want her brother to find her. But that’s an entirely different story. Apparently, Sally and Jan have been in touch for about a year. Jan made the initial contact. When Sally disappeared, Jan contacted me to find Sally.”
“Do you know where Sally is?” Hannah was stunned at Samantha’s revelation. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know where she is but I believe she’s fine since she was in contact with Jan.” Samantha dug her toes in the moist sand. “At least, until Gavin turned up dead.”
Hannah sat on the sand with her legs crossed. She scooped up wet sand and let it slide through her fingers into drip castles. “Is there a chance Sally killed Gavin?”
Samantha joined Hannah on the wet sand. “It’s possible. But I don’t know how she could have slipped in and out of town without someone seeing her. After all, isn’t the whole town on the lookout for her?”
Hannah crushed her drip castle. Samantha had a point. “Matt White went somewhere last night.”
“I’m listening.”
“Leah told me Matt dropped her off at the cottage and then left. She doesn’t know where he went.
“Why did she tell you this? Why would she put suspicion on her husband?”
“Well, when Matt dropped her off, she forgot to get the key for their cottage and she was waiting for me to unlock it for her. I don’t think it was her intention to point blame at Matt but she was completely caught off guard when I told her Gavin was murdered. Considering the bad history between Matt and Gavin, it was a logical suspicion and she just blurted it out.”
“So, Matt did some driving around or something between the time he left The Chowder House and . . . when?”
“He returned when I was talking to Leah. Maybe around eight I guess.”
Samantha stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned back on her elbows. “What else?”
“Deputy Pam Larson came to my office this morning looking for Matt. She mentioned she has a witness who placed Matt outside The Chowder House around the time of the murder. Jack dropped Chef Belair’s name, much to Pam’s annoyance.” Hannah chuckled. “Jack wanted to know how Chef Belair was enjoying his jail cell.”
“Chef Belair must be the witness. Giving names in an attempt to get himself out of hot water.”
“That’s what I think, too,” Hannah said.
Samantha ticked names off on her fingers. “Chef Belair, Matt White, Sally White. Anyone I’m missing?”
“Sean Payne? He left the dining room but must have stayed around. He could have slipped in the back door before he came inside looking for what he left on the table. When he got stuck sitting with us.”
“What’s his motive though?”
“A juicier story?”
“That’s a bit farfetched. He might be willing to take some risks, but killing someone just for a more interesting story? But we can leave him on the list for now. There could be something we don’t know about him yet.”
Samantha stood up. She brushed the sand off her bottom.
Seagulls squawked and circled overhead, hoping for a treat of food leftover on the sand.
“Nice view. Caroline certainly picked a breathtaking spot to spend her life.”
“Yes. If only trouble didn’t keep showing up on my doorstep,” Hannah grumbled.
“The only trouble I’ve noticed is that handsome guy you walked out of your cottage with this morning. He looks like he could provide some fun kind of trouble.” Samantha wiggled her brows. “If I was fifty years younger, you wouldn’t have a chance with that catch.”
Hannah bumped her shoulder against Samantha. “Don’t be too sure about that. With that big wet spot on your behind, you won’t be attracting anyone who has decent eyesight.”
Samantha craned her head around. “It’ll dry. By the way, what’s on the menu tonight? Don’t tell me your handsome friend is a gourmet cook, too.”
“Only if you consider pizza a gourmet treat. And beer.” Hannah laughed. “It’s always delicious, though. I think it has something to do with the ocean breeze and the rocking of his boat.” It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that Hannah pictured a different reason for the boat to be rocking. She felt her face warm and she smiled to herself.
“And when you sit across from that suntanned face you probably don’t even know what you’re putting in your mouth,” Samantha teased.
“And that.”
They continued walking in silence except for the sound of the waves rushing in and out and the seagulls crying.
Until the sound of panicked yelling and barking blew down the beach.
Without hesitating, Hannah turned and ran toward the voice.
Her worst fear rose in her throat like backed up plumbing. Did Olivia wander off?
A siren’s wail joined the yelling that grew louder and louder as each foot pounded into the wet sand. Her lungs ached for oxygen by the time she could see her cottages. Olivia and Ruby stood in front of the porch with Nellie leaning against Olivia.
Relief washed over Hannah and she rested her hands on her knees, catching her breath while she was bent in half.
Deputy Pam Larson’s police car screeched into the parking lot mere seconds before the ambulance.
Hannah looked up and took stock. Everything seemed normal on the outside.
The ambulance crew wheeled a stretcher to her office.
Meg walked quickly from The Fishy Dish and met Hannah where she stood while she waited for her heartbeat to return to normal. “It’s Jack. We think he had a heart attack. Olivia came to the snack bar and told Ruby something was wrong. Can you believe the sense that six year old has? What a great kid. And Nellie. She never left Olivia’s side.”
Pam had her hand on Jack’s leg as the stretcher wheeled him toward the ambulance. Tears ran down her cheeks.
Hannah waited until the ambulance doors closed before she approached Pam. “Do you need help with anything?”
Pam clutched Hannah’s arm. “Why didn’t I even say good morning to him in your office? Nothing is more important than having him in my life. Every day.” She shook her head. “Will you go to the hospital and stay with him until I can get there? Please? You’re important to him. He’ll be happy having you there. Matt White had to show up just before I got this call. I’ll come as soon as I take care of him.”
“Of course. Don’t beat yourself up about what you didn’t say. Jack knows you love him. And Pam?” Hannah waited for Pam to focus on what she was about to say. “He’s tough. He’ll pull through.”
Pam nodded. Words were obviously impossible for her to get out at that moment. She walked to her car.
Hannah told Meg and Ruby that she was headed to the hospital. They both told her to hurry.
Samantha pulled Hannah in the direction of Mini May. “I’ll drive you. It’s the least I can do.”
It was all Hannah could do to keep herself from falling apart. Jack was the first person she met after she inherited her Great Aunt Caroline’s ocean-side business. He even cooked her breakfast that first morning, including fantastic coffee. And forced Nellie on her—a stray he found on the beach who turned into the most loyal dog she could imagine.
“Talk to me. Don’t keep it inside.” Samantha patted Hannah’s leg. “Caroline loved Jack, too. She used to write to me about all the annoying and frustrating habits he had. She’d rant and rave but, at the same time, that’s what was so great about him. Jack is who he is, no pretending with that one.”
Hannah nodded.
She watched the houses go by in a blur of eyes swimming with tear
s.
“He’s always there for me. The first time I met him I thought he was some homeless bum or something.” She laughed at the memory. “He always knows what to do to keep me moving forward.”
Samantha turned Mini May into the parking lot of the hospital. “Want me to come in with you?”
“Please. I told Pam I’d wait until she arrived. If there’s bad news I don’t want to hear it alone.”
“Okay, but there’s something I want to tell you before we go inside. This is a farfetched idea, but hear me out.” Samantha’s hand held Hannah’s arm so she couldn’t get out of the car. “I’ve been thinking about Matt’s sister, Jan. We didn’t put her on the list of suspects. She’s someone who could hide in plain sight since no one knows what she looks like. She’s not on anyone’s radar except maybe Matt’s.”
Hannah waited.
“What if she came back to town for the vigil to keep an eye on the comings and goings? Keep an eye on Gavin Abbott. Confront him about Sally. Do you see where I’m going with this?”
Hannah nodded. “You never met her when she hired you?”
“No. It was all phone calls and emails. I send her updates by email. She sends her payment by a bank transfer. The only photo I’ve come up with is from before she left Hooks Harbor, twenty years ago.”
Hannah reached for the door handle. “If she’s here, how will we figure out who she is?”
They both stood in the parking lot. “I saw a woman at The Chowder House last night. She was alone, with a book and a drink. Every time I glanced her way, she seemed to be watching Leah and Matt White. She left a minute or two after Matt’s argument with Gavin Abbott.”
“Wouldn’t Matt recognize his own sister?”
“He hasn’t seen her for a long time and his mind is on finding Sally.” Samantha shrugged. “She did a good job of camouflaging herself with glasses, bangs, and hair that covered the sides of her face.”
Hannah dug around in her sling bag. “This makes some sense now.” She handed the drawing she found on Sean’s table at The Chowder House to Samantha.
“This is the woman I just described. Where did you get this drawing?” Excitement filled Samantha’s voice.
“It was on Sean Payne’s table. I think it’s what he came back into the restaurant for. Remember? He left the restaurant well before you and I found the body but he came back inside and argued with Pam.”
“So, he’s on the same path as we are about thinking Jan might be in town. The problem with that is, he’ll probably confront Matt White and then Matt will be tipped off to keep his eye out for his sister.” Samantha handed the drawing back to Hannah. “Jan won’t want Matt to know she’s here. Don’t let anyone get a hold of this. We have to find her first.”
Chapter 10
Jack was in the emergency room when Hannah and Samantha walked inside. The doctor met them outside Jack’s curtained-off area.
No heart attack. Jack was severely dehydrated, and with his arm attached to an IV line he’d be as good as new before long.
Relief flooded through Hannah for the second time within an hour.
Samantha whispered to her, “Show him the drawing and see who he thinks it could be.”
“No! He doesn’t look like he’s even awake,” Hannah hissed back as quietly as possible.
“It’s important. Touch his arm.”
“Geez, Samantha, let him recover first.”
The two bickered back and forth, Samantha getting louder with each demand and Hannah keeping her body between Jack and Samantha as a barrier from she wasn’t sure what, but she wanted to protect her friend.
Samantha snatched the drawing away from Hannah. “If you don’t, I will.” She pushed Hannah and approached the bed.
A throat-clearing made both women freeze.
“Are you family?” a nurse who looked like a drill sergeant asked. Her eyes bore into first Hannah’s face, then Samantha’s.
“She can stay,” a weak voice traveled from the hospital bed. “My adopted daughter,” he lied.
The nurse lifted Jack’s arm to check his pulse. “How are we feeling, Mr. Jackson?”
“We? Is there more than one of me?” He twisted his head back and forth and winked at Hannah when their eyes met.
“The nurse ignored his sarcasm and rested his arm on the blanket. “Which one do you want to stay with you?”
“The beautiful one with the long braid and eyes the color of a rich coffee bean.”
Samantha clucked her displeasure. “I’ll be in the waiting room after I find some drinkable coffee.” She handed the drawing to Hannah and jerked her head in Jack’s direction. “Show him,” she whispered.
Hannah sat next to Jack’s bed, her chair filling up most of the empty space in the makeshift room.
Jack closed his eyes. “I thought it was the end for me.”
“You’re too ornery for that.”
He chuckled.
“Pam will be here shortly. She asked me to stay with you until she finishes at the station.” Hannah gently put her hand on his arm.
His eyes popped open. “A break in the case?”
Hannah shrugged. “She’s talking to Matt White. Other than that, she doesn’t share much with me.”
“Don’t hold it against her, Hannah. She really can’t share anything on an open investigation. Never mind that Pam has trouble trusting most people. My gut feeling? She wants to like you. It’s a start.” His eyes drifted closed again.
“Jack?”
“Hmm?”
“Could you take a look at this drawing I found?”
His eyes opened. He turned his hand, palm up.
Hannah slid the paper onto Jack’s hand.
He stared at the drawing, twisted his mouth one way, then the other before he squinted. “It looks a tiny bit like Matt White but a female version.”
Hannah smiled. She leaned close to Jack. “Sean Payne made this drawing last night when we were all at The Chowder House. Samantha noticed this woman there, too, and she thinks it is Matt’s sister, Jan.”
Jack whistled. “I’ll be a son of a gun. Why would she come back after all these years?”
“Samantha filled me in a bit more about her job.” She glanced at the space between the curtain and the floor to be sure no one was lurking outside and she skootched her chair as close to the hospital bed as possible. “She’s working for Jan, never met her in person, but got hired to keep an eye on Sally when she started working for Gavin Abbott at The Chowder House.”
“That makes sense. Jan left town after a huge spectacle with Gavin. The details were sealed up tighter than a bank vault, and if the rumors were even close to being accurate, Jan got the contents of that bank vault in a settlement.”
“If she’s in town, she could be a suspect in Gavin’s murder.”
“Are you going to tell Pam?”
“Tell me what?”
Hannah twisted around.
She felt heat rise from her neck all the way to her forehead.
This was awkward, to say the least.
“Tell me what?” Pam repeated, a little less friendly. She snatched the paper from Jack’s fingers.
Caught red handed. Hannah slumped in her chair. This getting Pam to like her wasn’t headed down the right road. At all.
“Who is this?”
“Hello Pam. I’m not dead.” Jack made a feeble attempt at changing the subject, or at the least, lightening the mood.
“The doctor already filled me in on your condition.” She shook the paper in Hannah’s face. “Well?”
“It’s only a theory. I—” she decided to leave Samantha out of the equation, “I think it could be Matt White’s sister; back in town for the vigil tonight for Sally.”
Pam stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding the paper up by one corner. “Where did this come from?”
Uh oh, another tricky explanation. “Sean Payne sketched it last night at The Chowder House. Before all the drama started.”
&nbs
p; “He gave the drawing to you?” The wrinkles in Pam’s forehead deepened as she looked over the top of her glasses at Hannah. “It’s my understanding that he forgot it on the table where he was sitting alone and it was gone when he returned to get it.”
“Oh. I guess it sort of fell into my lap when—”
Pam put her hands up. “Stop right there before you make a complete idiot of yourself.”
“Could you hand me my water?” Jack asked his daughter.
Pam glared at him but did hold his water glass so he could sip through the straw. “I can’t believe you scared me half to death, and when I arrive, not knowing what I’d find here, you’re plotting with her.” Pam’s finger jabbed in Hannah’s direction. “Behind my back.”
Pam liking Hannah was so not going to happen over their shared concern for Jack. As a matter of fact, it probably set the whole possibility back a decade, at least.
“If I had this last night,” she jiggled the drawing for emphasis. “I would have known who she was when she was questioned outside The Chowder House. The name, Janice Jones, she gave didn’t ring a bell at the time. You’re gonna help me find this Janice Jones, Ms. Holiday. She described a man at the scene of the crime that matched Matt White’s description. With this new information about her, it means she identified her own brother in the back of The Chowder House at the time of the murder. She wasn’t some random person from the restaurant, but a possible suspect with a motive. A big motive.”
Hannah sat in the chair, stunned into silence. Apparently it wasn’t Chef Belair who saw Matt White. Where was he? Pam must be completely shook up from worrying about Jack to let her wall down enough to share that much information.
“At the vigil tonight,” Pam continued. “Your eyes will be working for me. Got it? And your lips are sealed.”
Hannah nodded. “What about Chef Belair?”
“He’s free. For now.”
Hannah nodded. “What about Sally?”
“Sally White? What about her? Are you going to tell me you saw her in town, too?” Pam’s voice was one decibel below complete hysteria.