by Cindy Bell
“Thank you so much for talking to me, Mrs. Mitchell.”
“Of course. I do so enjoy seeing you, Ally.”
“I will come back to visit soon, with Denise. Okay?”
“Wonderful.” Rose managed a smile.
Ally rushed out of the room and away from Freely Lakes. Her heart pounded with anger as she drove to Mainbry. Nothing made someone look more guilty in her eyes than someone lying to her face. If that was Kylie’s earring under the bed, then she had a lot to explain. When she burst into the lobby of the hotel she was relieved to see Kylie still at the front desk. She looked up at Ally as she strode towards her. Kylie’s eyes widened the moment that Ally opened her mouth.
“I want to know why Dustin and Denise broke up.” Ally stopped in front of the desk. She blocked Kylie in behind it.
“You think I know more about it than Denise told you?”
“I think that someone was in that room with Dustin. I think someone was in his bed and lost a diamond stud earring. A diamond stud earring that her friend gave her as a birthday gift.” Ally met her eyes directly. “Maybe Denise didn’t know anything about their meeting.”
“Ally please.” Kylie narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then tell me.”
“It wasn’t until after they broke up. Okay?”
“You and Dustin?”
“It was just for fun. Just a way to blow off some steam.”
“You were the one in the room with him?”
Kylie shook her head. “I didn’t have any wine. That wasn’t me. I don’t believe that Dustin would have been with anyone else either. I have no idea where those wine glasses came from.”
“Kylie, why didn’t you tell the police this? Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“Denise is a good friend of mine. Dustin and I weren’t anything official. I just didn’t want her to find out like that. I didn’t want her to hate me.” Kylie lowered her eyes. “It’s not like I knew anything. When I left he was very much alive.”
“Did he mention a meeting with Denise? Or an issue with one of the staff members?”
“No. We didn’t exactly do much talking. Like I said, it was just a fling. When you said you found the earring, I was worried. Since I never told the police about being there, if they traced the earring back to me then they might suspect me.”
“So, you’ve just been letting Denise sit in jail?”
“Ally, I didn’t hurt Dustin. What good would it do for me to be in jail with her?”
“How do I know you didn’t hurt him? Maybe it was more than just a fling to you. Maybe you overheard him making plans to meet with Denise, and you got jealous.” Ally took a step back. Kylie had access to everything that she would need in order to pull off the murder. Now that Ally knew Kylie was in the room with him, there was no question that she was a suspect.
“That’s not what happened.” Kylie closed her eyes and covered her mouth for a moment. When she spoke again her voice was a whisper. “Dustin was heartbroken, all right? He wanted to marry Denise. He thought she was the one. He couldn’t get over her. I was just a way to distract him, that’s all. We both knew what it was. Denise is my friend, and if I thought at the time that she still had feelings for him I never would have been with Dustin.”
“Then why don’t you want her to know that you were with him? If she doesn’t have feelings for him, why would she care?”
“You didn’t see her face when she found out he was dead.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “I think maybe she had more feelings for him than she let on. Denise wants her career lined up, she wants to be successful and settled before she considers getting married again. I guess that Dustin was just rushing things.” She frowned. “Now that he’s gone, I don’t want her to know that on his last day alive he was with me. I just would hate for her to have that memory. Haven’t you ever made a mistake, Ally?”
Ally nodded and swallowed hard. She wondered if she was making a mistake by not taking a chance on Luke. “Yes, I’ve made mistakes. But this may become a bigger issue than I can conceal, Kylie. Lucky for you I’m the one that found the earring not the police, but they will find it eventually and it’s better to be upfront about your relationship before the police find out that the two of you were together. I think you need to consider telling Denise the truth.”
“Maybe I will.” She frowned. “But first she needs to get through this. If you really think me coming forward will make a difference in the investigation, then I will.” She shivered. “I guess I am only looking out for myself.”
“Don’t do it just yet. I want to think about it a little. You’re sure you didn’t notice anything strange that day? Nothing about how Dustin acted? Words he had with anyone?”
Kylie stared off through the lobby for a moment. When she looked back at Ally her eyes widened a little.
“You asked me about Phillip right?”
“Yes. Why? Did Dustin have an argument with him?”
“No, not at all. In fact, he defended him. He saw Ben in the hallway when we were headed to his room. He noticed that Ben had a trainee pin in his hand. Dustin liked to be informed of any hirings or firings so he asked Ben about the pin. Ben said he had to let Phillip go because he was stealing.”
“Wait a minute, Ben found out about the stealing, not Dustin?”
“Yes. At least that’s what Ben said.”
“Dustin had a different opinion?”
“He was pretty annoyed. He said that he vetted Phillip himself and was certain he wasn’t stealing anything. Ben told him he had proof, he was the manager, and he had the final say.”
“Did they argue about it?”
“No, not really. Dustin just walked away. Ben didn’t seem to care that he had a different opinion.” Kylie pursed her lips. “The two weren’t exactly friendly with each other.”
“Did Dustin say anything else at all to you about it that night?”
“Only that he didn’t trust Ben. He thought he fired Phillip for a personal reason, and that it wasn’t right to do that to someone. Then uh, we didn’t talk much more after that.” Her cheeks grew pink. “Please don’t tell Denise. I don’t want her to find out that we were together. I think she would forgive me, but our friendship would never be the same.”
Ally’s heart softened. She understood what it was like to want things to stay the same. “Kylie, I hope that you’re telling me the whole truth now. Lying will not help Denise.”
“I’m telling you the truth, Ally. If I thought it would have helped Denise, I would have told the truth much earlier. I just didn’t know why anyone would need to know something like that.”
Ally frowned as she walked away. Just when she thought she cracked the case wide open she really had no idea what the truth was.
When Ally returned home to the cottage she was exhausted. She curled up on her bed and closed her eyes. A few minutes later her phone rang. She saw that it was Luke, but she decided not to answer. She didn’t want to think about who he was with in his house. She didn’t want to hear the explanation or admit that she’d gone to talk to the bartender alone. She turned her phone to silent. As she began to drift off to sleep Peaches jumped up beside her. The soft purr of the cat eased her into a peaceful slumber.
Chapter Thirteen
Ally woke up the next morning with a sudden sense of urgency. Her chest was tight and her body covered with sweat. She wasn’t sure why, until she recognized the feeling that she forgot something very important. She lay in her bed for some time as she processed through what she might have forgotten. Was there something she had overlooked in the investigation? Had someone’s birthday slipped by while she was caught up in the murder? She grabbed her phone to check her calendar, it was sometimes the only way she was able to keep track of things. When she looked at the date, she saw that there was a reminder note.
Meeting with manager.
Her eyes widened. The reminder hadn’t alerted her that morning because she had turned her pho
ne on silent the night before. She had a meeting with Ben that morning at the shop. He wanted to tour it to be sure that the facilities were acceptable. Would he still be there? After the less than welcoming reception he offered her when she asked him some questions she wasn’t sure. But he hadn’t called to cancel, and she still wanted to land the account. Her grandmother was taking the morning off and if he showed up and Ally wasn’t there then there would be no chance of him signing a contract. She hurried to dress and quickly fed Peaches and Arnold. Both of the animals looked up at her with wide, forlorn eyes. In all of the chaos she’d barely paid them any attention.
“I know, guys. I’m so sorry. I promise I will be home for lunch today and we can spend some time together. There’s always something that needs to be done.” She sighed and took a few minutes to pet each one. She added a few treats to their breakfast then grabbed an apple for herself. As she hurried out of the house she found herself uncertain of whether she was going to make it in time. She gunned the engine for the last few blocks. It would be embarrassing if she got pulled over, but she’d rather have a ticket than miss the meeting.
When she parked behind the shop there were no other cars present. A hint of disappointment caused her stomach to sink. Maybe he wouldn’t come. Maybe she already blew the account with the questions she had asked about Dustin. She didn’t regret it, but now she wondered if the timing couldn’t have been better. As she opened up the store she prepared some chocolates just in case he did arrive. She put several out on the sample display. As Ally turned back towards the kitchen she heard the bell over the door ring. When she turned around, Ben stood just inside the door.
“I apologize for being late, I had some things to handle at the hotel.”
“I understand.” Ally smiled at him. “I appreciate you taking the time. I know things are difficult right now.”
“That they are.” He frowned. “But my guests still need chocolates on their pillows. Are you able to give me a tour?”
“Absolutely. This is the shop area. We serve coffee and tea for those that might want to stay and enjoy their chocolates. All of the artwork has been accumulated over the years, purchased from local artists and crafters.”
“It’s an amazing collection.” He swept his gaze over the shelves and walls. “The shop has been open for some time then?”
“Yes, my grandmother opened it when she was a little younger than me, she still owns it, and now I am managing the day to day needs.”
“How wonderful that it remains in the family. Maybe we could write up a little card about that. Tourists love that sort of thing.”
“Good idea. That will be easy for me to do.”
“Great.” He tilted his head towards the kitchen. “Is that where you make the chocolates?”
“Yes. We also make a variety of baked goods and specialty treats.” She led him towards the back. “There’s this window that looks straight into the kitchen so that customers can watch us make the chocolates if they want to.”
“Oh, my favorite!” He paused in front of the counter and snatched a couple of the caramel mousse chocolates from the sample tray. “You don’t mind do you?”
“No, please help yourself. That is a new recipe we’re trying.” The words caught in her throat. His comment echoed through her mind. How could they be his favorite if he had never tasted them before? She pushed the thought away and tried to focus on the tour. She walked him through the process and displayed the assortment of molds that he could choose from. “We can customize for any holiday or event that you might want us to.”
“Sounds great.” He nodded and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I don’t see any reason not to go forward with this contract. I’ll have the hotel’s lawyer draw it up and hopefully we can get it signed by the end of the week. Does that sound good to you?”
“Yes, that sounds great.” She grinned. “Thank you, Ben.”
“Thank you. I’m glad that we were able to connect. I do wish it had been under better circumstances. For now you’ll have to communicate through me until Denise’s position is filled.”
“Oh? Has she been fired?” Her stomach ached at the thought.
“She was arrested for the murder of a staff member. Ally, what do you think?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Well, she hasn’t gone to court for it. I just thought maybe she’d have the opportunity to get her job back when she’s proven innocent.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “You may think that is a possibility, but I’m not so sure. Sometimes it’s hard to know who to trust.”
Ally studied him for a moment and then nodded. “Do you have any other questions about the chocolates?”
“I wonder if you can give me a list of the flavors I would have to choose from. I am certain that I will want to order these chocolates, in fact I would like to make a personal order as well.” He popped the other caramel into his mouth.
“I can pack some up for you right now.” She smiled but it was only for show. She found it very strange that the caramel chocolate was so familiar to him, since as far as she knew only Dustin had tried it at the hotel. Maybe Dustin gave him one of the chocolates? Her stomach churned as an awful thought struck her. Maybe Ben took them off Dustin’s pillow after he murdered him. Her eyes widened and she looked away before Ben could notice. Heat rushed up through her cheeks as the terrible thought anchored in her mind. Was it possible that the man she was alone with was a murderer? Her hands trembled as she filled a box with caramel chocolates. When she tied the bow around the box her heart lurched. Was she appeasing a killer’s sweet tooth? She turned around to find Ben right behind her.
“Excellent.” His eyes locked to hers. “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into these. I think we’re going to have a wonderful relationship, Ally.”
Ally’s throat was dry as she nodded. “Thank you.”
“I’ll expect your first delivery by the end of the week.”
He nodded to her, then turned and walked out of the shop. Ally’s heart raced. Should she stop him? Should she call the police? How could she do either when the only proof she had was the fact that he liked a chocolate that was on Dustin’s pillow? Would anyone believe her? One person would, she knew. She dialed Luke’s number. As soon as she heard the voicemail she winced.
“Luke, I really need to talk to you. I know you’re busy, but I really need your help.” She hung up the phone just as her grandmother walked through the door.
“Hi Ally,” she called out.
“Mee-Maw, I…” Ally was interrupted by a delivery man walking into the shop.
“I’ll take care of this, sweetheart. You can go and get some lunch.”
“Thanks, Mee-Maw.” Ally smiled. “I won’t be long.” Ally could fill her grandmother in on her suspicions about Ben after lunch, once she hopefully knew more.
Chapter Fourteen
As Ally left the shop she tried to work out what to do next. She wanted to get to Ben’s office at the hotel. Maybe she would be able to find some kind of proof there, but she wanted to speak to Luke first. She tried to reach Luke again. Once more there was no answer. She grimaced and hung up the phone. She really wanted his opinion before she went ahead and discussed it with the Mainbry detective. The notion of Ben being the killer had never entered her mind before that and she found it hard to believe. If she could at least get Luke on her side then maybe the detective would listen to her.
Ally chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about being alone with him at the shop. If he was a killer, then he could have done anything to her. The important thing was that he didn’t know she suspected him. As long as he didn’t he hopefully wouldn’t flee before he could be arrested. The stumbling block was the fact that there was very little proof. In fact there was no proof. Although he mentioned the chocolates being his favorite, and the only way he could have tasted them was off the pillow in Dustin’s room, that wasn’t going to hold up in court and wouldn’t warrant an arrest.
Ally needed something mo
re than that. She needed to know why Ben would want to kill Dustin. Was it a lover’s triangle between Denise, Dustin, and Ben? If so why hadn’t Denise mentioned it? If he had killed Dustin out of jealousy, why had he allowed Denise to take the fall for it?
When she reached the cottage she stepped inside and was greeted by a hungry pig and cat. As squeals and meows filled the kitchen she doled out some food for both. Her eyes caught sight of a few glasses in the dish drainer. The wine glasses. Unless Ben enjoys wearing lipstick after hours, he didn’t share a drink with Dustin. Was someone in the room that made Ben jealous?
After she fed Peaches and Arnold she decided that she would do some research on the computer before she went to Ben’s office. She settled in front of her computer. The best place to look to dig up some dirt was on social media. She looked up Denise’s accounts and sifted through Denise’s recent posts. There were several about her breakup with Dustin, all mild and complimentary. But there were none about the two of them getting back together. She also found not a single mention of Ben. Even though they worked together, they didn’t appear to be friends and were not connected on any of the business accounts that Denise maintained. It seemed like a slim notion that Denise was involved with Ben.
Next, she turned her attention to Dustin’s accounts. They were filled with condolence wishes to the family, and testimonies about what a good and honest person Dustin was. Ally became even more determined to solve his murder. It didn’t appear to her that this was a man with many enemies. He also didn’t have any connections with Ben on his account. What comments he posted about Denise were warm and considerate. There was no indication of a rift between the two. In fact, as Kylie had mentioned, Ally suspected that they might have gotten back together in time.
Ally then searched for Ben. To her surprise there was not a trace of anything personal anywhere on the internet about him. She found him listed on the hotel’s website as the manager. She also found a history of other hotels he had worked at. There were quite a few, but not any for more than a few months. That seemed very strange to her. Before she could look into it more Arnold nudged her knee so hard that Ally could no longer ignore him.