by Cindy Bell
On her drive home Bekki couldn't stop thinking about the book. She recalled the website that had been open on Patty's computer. Had he suspected that he had some illegal diamonds? If so, that would explain why he was checking the engraving numbers. But what had he found? By the time Bekki parked her car in her driveway, she was exhausted. She didn't think that she could figure out much more about Patty's murder with her head swimming the way it was. Luckily, Nick was there waiting for her. When she walked in she found several of the boxes in the living room were no longer empty.
“I hope you don't mind,” Nick said quickly as he draped an arm around her shoulders. “I knew you'd be tired, and I didn't want you to be faced with a lot to do.”
“It's fine,” Bekki said as she glanced around the nearly bare living room. “It's more than fine, thank you, Nick. I know how busy you've been.”
“Why don't you go take a bath, and I'll get us some dinner together?” he suggested as he steered her towards the bathroom. As Bekki ran the bath water he called out to her from the kitchen.
“I got a little more information on McKay. Turns out he's a lifer,” he left the kitchen and paused in the bathroom doorway so he wouldn't have to shout. “He's been with the department for over forty years, always on the same beat.”
“Wow,” Bekki shook her head slightly. “No wonder he's so upset about Patty's death. They must have been very close.”
“Sure, but that's no excuse for harassing you,” Nick said with growing frustration. “I don't know why he can't just drop all of this, it's clear that there's no concrete evidence, nothing connecting you to the crime.”
“Well, when you lose someone you care about, sometimes you just look for someone to blame,” Bekki pointed out. “Even if it's not the right person.”
Nick nodded and watched as she sank into the tub. “I'll let you rest a little. Try not to think about this too much, it'll all blow over.”
“I know,” Bekki replied but her voice was tinged with sadness. What was supposed to be the happiest time in her life, was still filled with joy, but now the weight of the investigation was resting on her shoulders. She slid deep into the water and hoped the warm fluid could wash a little bit of her stress away.
***
Bekki stirred in the middle of the night. Her heart was racing. She wasn't sure why, but she had woken up frightened. The moment she felt Nick's back pressed close to her, the fear began to ease. She lay awake for a few minutes staring at the ceiling with her stomach still twisting in knots. Finally, she was able to fall back to sleep.
When Bekki opened her eyes again she was standing at the end of a very long white satin carpet. It stretched out, it seemed, forever. Though she couldn't see him, Bekki knew that Nick stood waiting for her at the end of the carpet. It was their wedding day, and along the carpet many friends and family were gathered. They watched Bekki with indifferent expressions as she began walking down the carpet. She was a little unsettled by the fact that they didn't exactly seem overjoyed, but she ignored it. With each step she took her anticipation and happiness grew. She couldn't wait to reach Nick. But the further she walked, the further the end of the carpet seemed to get. She was getting very confused, when suddenly the friends and family around her began to point in her direction. They were still silent, just pointing. Bekki paused and glanced over her shoulder. What she saw was an army of police officers charging down the carpet towards her. Terrified, Bekki began to run as fast as she could. She knew if she could just get to Nick, then he would explain everything, and she would be safe in his arms. As she ran the people who lined the carpet began shouting at her.
“Murderer!” they cried out as they continued to point in her direction. Bekki's heart was pounding as tears filled her eyes.
“Nick!” she cried out, though she still couldn't see him. In the next moment she felt handcuffs encircling her wrists. She closed her eyes in surrender. When she opened them again she was staring at the ceiling of her bedroom. She glanced over at Nick who was still soundly sleeping, and felt a renewed sense of relief.
“It wasn't real,” she murmured to herself. The dream may not have been, but she knew she was still a suspect. She wondered if she would even be able to enjoy her wedding, if she had the chance to go through with it. The rest of her sleep that night was fitful and sparse.
Chapter Five
Bekki woke up the next morning to fresh coffee and an omelet along with a note from Nick that he had to head into work early. She was a little disappointed that he wasn't there, but also a little relieved. She didn't want to face him after the dream she had. As she ate her breakfast her mind traveled back to what she had seen when she walked into the jewelry store. What she couldn't understand was why nothing had been taken. Why would someone go to all the trouble of killing a jeweler if they didn't rob him?
Without the security cameras there was no way to tell who had been in and out of the shop. But maybe they caught something from another day. After a quick shower and having dressed, Bekki headed for the salon. Her mind churned over the day before as she went through the opening routine. A few minutes after she opened the salon, Sammy arrived with coffee and bagels.
“Thought we could try this again,” she said with a smile.
“Thanks so much,” Bekki replied with a smile. “But I already ate, maybe I can save the bagel for later?”
“Hey, it's the coffee that matters,” Sammy laughed. “And good news, I made arrangements with Angela, she said she'll see us today to pick a cake.”
“Oh good,” Bekki sighed with relief and then sat down heavily in the chair behind the reception desk.
“Honestly, I can't even think about the wedding right now.”
“Uh, what?” Sammy asked with a mouthful of bagel. “That's crazy talk!” she accused as she narrowed her eyes. “The wedding is right on top of us.”
“It's this murder,” Bekki frowned and ran a finger across her forehead. “This one police officer has something against me, I guess just because I found the owner's body. The rings are still locked up as evidence, and the wedding is only two days away. How is this ever going to pan out?”
“It will,” Sammy smiled and nudged Bekki's coffee cup towards her. “Relax, drink your coffee. If you can't get the rings right now, it's not the end of the world. You can just pick up a cheap set until you can get the real ones.”
Bekki smiled a little and took a sip of her coffee, but the idea of not having the rings on the day of the ceremony was heartbreaking. She had chosen the words to engrave on the inside of the bands so carefully and was looking forward to seeing Nick's reaction. As Bekki nervously tapped her fingertips against the side of her coffee cup, Sammy sighed.
“You're not going to let this go, are you?” she asked suspiciously.
“How can I?” Bekki asked with mounting frustration. “I don't want this looming over what's supposed to be a happy occasion.”
“Well, have you talked to Nick about it?” Sammy asked hesitantly.
“I've talked to him, and his response is the same as yours, focus on the wedding. I know he's looking into things, but this Officer McKay hates me, and I'm sure he worked out that Nick's my fiancé. I doubt he will be cooperative with Nick, and Nick has no right to investigate the crime because it's outside his jurisdiction,” Bekki frowned as she tightened her grip on her coffee cup.
“Well, it's a good thing that Nick's not the only guy we know with a badge,” Sammy said with a light wink.
“Wait, what do you mean?” Bekki asked as she looked up at Sammy curiously.
“I mean Morris,” Sammy said proudly as she pulled out her phone and began dialing his number.
“Sammy, he might get into trouble for this,” Bekki warned.
“Well, let’s see if he can help,” Sammy said to Bekki as her call was connected. “Hi sweetie, can Bekki and I stop in to talk with you?”
She walked away as she was speaking to Morris on the phone. Bekki nearly followed her, she was so eager to hear Mo
rris' answer. She didn't have to wait long before Sammy gave her a thumbs up sign. Bekki felt her shoulders unwind a little. Maybe she could get things cleared up with Morris' help. He was a still rookie but any help would be welcome.
“Morris wants to know what you're looking for?” Sammy asked as she walked back over to her.
“If he could just get me the video feed from the security cameras at the jewelry shop for the past week that would be great,” Bekki murmured. Sammy relayed the message to Morris and then nodded to Bekki.
“He can get it,” she said to Bekki. “Okay, we'll be there in a few, sweetie,” she said to Morris, a dreamy tone entering her voice as she cooed through the phone.
“Oh, wow,” Bekki giggled and winked at Sammy. “Sounds like things are going very well.”
“Amazingly well,” Sammy corrected with a giddy smile. “Let's go, we're closing up the shop, and we're going to get all of this taken care of,” Sammy said with confidence.
“But, we just opened…” Bekki began to point out.
“And the ladies of Harroway can wait to have their hair trimmed. You know they're all just getting their hair done for the wedding, what's the point, if we don't make that wedding happen, hmm?” she arched a brow convincingly.
“All right,” Bekki finally relented. “Let's go see what Morris can dig up.”
As they left the salon Angela was walking up to it. She stood firmly in front of both of them, blocking the sidewalk.
“Ladies, we need to pick a cake,” she said sternly. “Now, I know from the chatter around town that there are some things going on that have kept you busy, but if we don't pick one today then I'm just going to have to make one and hope you like it.”
“That's not a bad idea…” Bekki began to say, but Sammy shook her head firmly.
“Can we meet with you after lunch rush?” she asked hopefully.
“Absolutely,” Angela nodded and glanced over at the bakery which was only a few doors down from the salon. “Just let me know when you're on your way. I still have the samples from yesterday. They won't be as fresh, but they will have to do.”
“We'll be there,” Sammy promised as she steered Bekki away from Angela before she could protest. “Trust me, Bekki, right now everything seems chaotic and stressful, but when you look back on your wedding you're going to want to remember little things like picking out the cake. Everything is going to work out,” she reminded Bekki as if it was a fact rather than a reassurance.
“Right,” Bekki nodded as they climbed into her car. She only wished she could be as certain as Sammy.
Chapter Six
As soon as Bekki and Sammy walked into the police station Morris was waiting for them at the front desk. “Hi, hon,” he smiled at Sammy and leaned across the desk for a quick kiss. Then he turned to Bekki.
“It was easier to get than I expected,” he said quickly.
“That's because you're so charming,” Sammy purred inspiring a blush from the young officer's ruddy cheeks.
“Sammy, I'm working,” Morris said quietly as he glanced away shyly.
“I can't help it you're just so cute in that uniform,” Sammy sighed and Morris blushed again. Bekki arched a brow awkwardly in Sammy's direction. “Oh right, sorry, I'll let you two talk,” Sammy smiled and blew a kiss to Morris before she headed off to talk to one of the desk officers and snatch herself a doughnut.
“Thanks Morris, let's see what you've got,” Bekki uttered once Sammy was out of earshot. It was cheering her up just a little to see the two lovebirds interacting, but she wanted to focus on what she could find out about the people the bookstore owner had mentioned.
“I was able to get a copy of the camera feed from the past two weeks,” Morris said as he slid a DVD case towards her. “But you didn't get it from me, okay?” he met her eyes and she could see that he was nervous.
“Don't worry Morris, I won't get you into trouble,” she promised him as she picked up the DVD.
“I'm not worried about getting into trouble with the chief,” Morris explained in a lowered voice. “Nick made it clear to me that he wanted to keep you out of this as much as possible.”
“Oh, I see,” Bekki frowned as she held the DVD in her hand. “Thanks, Morris,” she offered a forced smile.
As Sammy joined them again, she gave Morris an affectionate smile as she settled her gaze on him.
“Thanks for your help,” she kissed his cheek lightly.
“Sure,” Morris nodded quickly and blushed again.
“Bekki, I confirmed with Angela for this afternoon again, so we absolutely must be there,” Sammy reminded her.
“I know, I know,” Bekki nodded quickly. “But since we closed early I thought maybe I would run home and pack a few more things before I get stuffed on cake.”
“Okay,” Sammy nodded. “I can have your mom pick me up, I was hoping to have lunch with Morris,” she winked at him and he glanced at his watch before nodding.
“I can definitely arrange that,” he smiled.
“Then Marie and I are just going to pick up a few things, like the runner and the lanterns, and the candles,” Sammy began to explain.
“Lanterns and candles?” Bekki asked with surprise. “Just what are you two planning?”
“Trust me,” Sammy smiled with a glint in her eye. “You're going to love it.” Bekki managed a smile in return.
'All right I'll meet you later at Angela's,” she said and tucked the DVD into her purse.
“See you then!” Sammy waved happily. Bekki knew that she was trying to cheer her up, but what she was really excited about was seeing the footage on the DVD and figuring out if it could help her put an end to the chaos she was experiencing.
As she began to walk out of the station, Bekki couldn't ignore a nagging feeling of guilt. She and Nick were about to get married, and she felt like she was investigating behind his back. She knew he was only trying to protect her, but she also knew she couldn't simply let the case go. It didn't stop the guilt from beginning to build in the back of her mind. When she got home she slid the DVD into her DVD player and picked up the remote. The only thing that was left in her living room was the large, flower-print couch which would be staying in the house, so that it could be rented furnished, and the television and stand. Just as she was about to press play her cell phone rang. When she saw it was Nick she answered right away.
“Hey Nick, I was just thinking about you,” she said with a slight smile.
“Great minds think alike, because I was just thinking about you, too,” Nick replied with warmth in his voice. “I think I might have a lead on the case.”
“I thought you couldn't touch it?” Bekki asked with surprise.
“Well, I'm not supposed to,” Nick admitted. “But I was able to find out a few things. I found out that Patty had been in communication with an FBI agent.”
“Oh?” Bekki recalled the number she had seen scribbled on the pad. “Did the agent know what Patty was up to?”
'Well, he couldn't give me much information, but he did warn me that the people that Patty was dealing with were very dangerous and not to be taken lightly,” he paused a moment and then cleared his throat. “Which made me think of you, because I'm sure you've got your own leads you've been looking into.”
Bekki froze at his words. Her eyes widened and she glanced around her to see if he might be hidden somewhere watching her.
“How did you know that?” she asked with surprise. “Did Morris tell you?”
“What does Morris have to do with this?” Nick asked his tone shifting into one of suspicion.
“Oh no,” Bekki pressed her fingertips against her temple and frowned. “Okay, how did you find out I was looking into the case?”
“Bekki, I do know you pretty well,” he reminded her with a slight chuckle. “I knew there was no way you were just going to let this go. So, I'm calling to warn you about who Patty was dealing with, and also to offer my help in any way I can give it. It sounds like we're going to
need to work together on this one.”
“Well, I was able to get the security tapes from the jewelry shop for the past few days,” Bekki explained quickly. “Even though they were off when Patty was killed, I thought maybe the camera might have caught the suspicious people that the bookstore owner mentioned to me.”
“Ah, already conducting interviews I see,” Nick chuckled again. “All right, well let me know if you come up with anything, and Bekki?”
“Yes?” she asked as she pressed the play button.
“I know that you're going to look into these things, but please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt, and if the FBI is involved in this then the people Patty was tangled up with are pretty nasty guys.”
“I will be careful,” Bekki promised him as she watched the TV. After she hung up the phone she noticed that the footage cut off every few days for about twenty minutes. As she noticed this pattern she realized it did the same thing on Monday, about the time that the bookstore owner recalled the three men and their truck showing up at the jewelry shop. Bekki was sure that it couldn't be a coincidence.
“They must be turning off the cameras before walking in,” Bekki said to herself and then her eyes widened as she realized that it was probably Patty himself who had turned off the cameras, so he must have known they were coming. The scene she had walked into made a little more sense to her then. The three men must have visited Patty that night, and he must have turned off the cameras before they came in. Bekki played the footage back again and hoped to catch sight of the large truck that the bookstore owner had described. Only one camera faced the front of the store, and the cars it caught were distorted. Luckily the truck was huge, and Bekki was able to spot it easily. She took the DVD from the DVD player and grabbed her laptop. Once she had the feed playing on the screen she did her best to zoom into the license plate on the back of the truck. It wasn't the best quality program but it was good enough for her to get part of the license plate. She picked up her phone and dialed Morris.