by Diane Capri
“You mean, Loony Juney?” Reggie twirled a finger near his ear and made a silly face.
“What?”
“Loony Juney,” JC said, “that’s June’s nickname. Or at least it used to be.”
I frowned. “Why would people call her that?”
“Probably because of her mad temper. Oh, and when she took gardening shears to that guy’s car over on the mainland that time.” Reggie winced and made a high-pitched squealing noise. “All the way down the driver’s side.” He shook his head. “I would not want to get on the wrong side of that woman.”
“Me neither,” JC agreed with a sharp nod.
“When did that happen?”
“About five years back, I think.” Reggie scratched his head. “Maybe longer, maybe shorter. I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast most days.”
“Oatmeal,” JC said. “You always have oatmeal. Every damn day.”
“Do either of you know whose car it was?”
Reggie scrunched up his face, making it even more wrinkled than it was. “Boyfriend? Husband?” He shrugged. “One or the other. Had to be. In my experience, a woman doesn’t get that angry unless her fella’s involved.”
“So, do you know where June is now?”
They both shook their heads. “Sorry, but no.”
I thanked them and returned to the golf cart. As I drove down Main Street toward the hotel, I kept an eye on the sidewalks, hoping to spot June along the way. I couldn’t believe she’d gone AWOL. It didn’t seem like her to do that. But as it was turning out, I didn’t know June all that well, or maybe not at all. Over the past few weeks, I’d had conversations with her at least once a month when Samuel insisted that I deliver the flower orders for the Park Hotel. We talked about flowers, the weather, and nothing else really. To be honest, now that I thought about it, I didn’t know a single important detail about June. How the heck did Lois expect me to help defend her? What’s more, did Lois know any of this “Loony Juney” information?
When I returned to the hotel, everyone was running around getting ready for the Flower Festival Ball, which was a fancy way of saying food and dancing out in the garden. It was also when the announcements would be made for the best flower arrangements, so I hoped that June would show up for that. I crossed the lobby quickly before anyone could rope me into helping with the setup. I needed to find Lois.
Ginny intercepted me before I could reach Lois’s office. “So, how did it go? Lois said you were going down to the station.”
“Brittany was poisoned.”
Ginny shook her head. “That’s crazy.”
“I know.”
“And June?”
I gave her a look. “I need to find her. She took off from the station before I could get her version of events.”
She gasped. “Oh my God, you think June did it.”
“I didn’t say that, but the facts are starting to stack up against her.” I looked toward the office. “I need to talk to Lois.”
“She’s down at the tents. The votes are being tallied for the big contest,” she said, then chewed on her lip. She did that when she was feeling anxious. “What did the sheriff say?”
“Not much, but he did give me the name of a lawyer. For June.” I rummaged in my bag and gave Ginny the card the sheriff had given me.
She took it, looked at the name, and shook her head. “He definitely has a type.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that Paige Weaver is his ex-girlfriend.” She handed the card back. “He sure does like lawyers.”
I put the card back into my purse and didn’t respond.
She narrowed her eyes. “A month ago, you would’ve told me how stupid I was being talking about you and the sheriff. Actually even earlier at the football game, you didn’t want to hear it.” She nudged me in the side with her elbow. “What’s changed?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head and turned to head toward my suite.
“Where are you going?”
“To get ready for the ball. It’s formal-ish, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t you need to change?” I asked with a wry grin.
She looked down at her silky flowing pants, boho blouse, and sandals. “No. This is as formal as I get.”
“Okay, but you might want to rethink that approach,” I said, with a mischievous smile.
She cocked her head. “Why?”
“There’s a real hottie staying at the hotel you might want to impress.”
“Why don’t you want to impress him yourself?”
“I don’t think Daniel’s that open minded,” I wiggled my eyebrows and grinned.
She punched me playfully on the arm. “So who is he, and how do I find him?”
“That’s the first mystery. I don’t know his name. But I had the impression he’d checked in recently. You should be able to figure it out by process of elimination if you check the registrations. It’ll be worth the effort when you find him. Trust me. Meanwhile, gotta go,” I replied, wiggling my fingers in a wave as I went.
Chapter 10
After a shower and applying makeup and a heavy dose of hairspray to keep my updo up, I walked down to the gardens. My dress was a beautiful sky blue, off the shoulder, pleated, tea length. I’d bought it from Blossom a few weeks ago for this particular occasion, and it looked amazing. Thankfully, I did not buy the three-inch pumps Shannon tried to sell to me that were the same color as the dress. Instead, I preferred to wear a black pair of kitten heels I already owned. They went with the clutch purse I also already owned.
I was proud of myself for being frugal. Not having a high-powered job meant I didn’t have a high-powered salary anymore. I needed to be mindful of what I spent and how I spent it. Especially since I was also saving up to rent my own place in the village so I could have my sweet Scout and Jem living with me again.
The pretty fairy lights in the trees and bushes twinkled in the dwindling light of the day. On top of the small stage, set next to the stone fountain, a band played light jazz. Music to accompany the pastries and finger sandwiches people were eating while standing at the tall white tables positioned around the gardens. Some of the guests sat at reserved tables near the stage. I spotted Lois and Samuel making the rounds, chatting with them.
I started on my path to reach Lois and then stalled when I spotted Sheriff Jackson walking toward me. At first I didn’t recognize him because he wasn’t wearing jeans or his hat. He had on a pressed pair of black pants and a burgundy button-up shirt that seemed to be the perfect color on him. His dark hair was slicked back, but one or two tendrils fell over onto his forehead. He’d also shaved, and his face resembled a smooth granite sculpture. Not that I was memorizing every detail of him as he came nearer.
His gaze traveled from my head to my toes, then back up again. A slow, lazy grin spread across his face, and I put a hand on my belly to stop my stomach from doing somersaults. What was going on with me? I never reacted to men like this. And especially not this particular man, who, most days, made me want to pull my hair out in frustration.
“Hey,” he said as he tipped his head.
“Hello.” I felt all kinds of nervous, and I didn’t know why. It wasn’t like a date. Nothing more than two people running into each other unexpectedly.
He turned his gaze toward the other ball guests. “Quite a turnout.”
“Yes, although I don’t have anything to compare it to since this is my first Flower Festival Ball.”
“Right.” He nodded. His hand went to the collar of his shirt, and he tugged on it a little, as if it was choking him, which made me smile. He looked like a teen boy at prom, trying to ask a girl to dance. “So, maybe, if the music doesn’t suck, we could—”
“Andi!” I twisted around to see Daniel, in a black tux, walking toward us, a big smile on his face. “Hello there.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek, then he pulled back and drank me in. “Wow, you look stunning.” He glanced at the she
riff. “Doesn’t she look amazing, Sheriff?”
“Yes, she does.” I met the sheriff’s gaze, then he ducked his head and wiped at his mouth. “Have a good night.”
“You too, Sheriff.” Daniel grabbed my hands as Sheriff Jackson walked off. “Is my unexpected arrival a good surprise or a bad surprise?”
“Good, of course,” I said.
He leaned in and kissed me on the lips, nice and gentle. Sweet, even. Then he pulled back and offered me his arm. I slid my hand into the crook of his elbow, and we walked down toward the stage just as Lois and Samuel walked up onto the platform. The music cut off, and the lead guitarist handed Lois the microphone.
“Good evening, everyone,” she said. “Welcome to the Flower Festival Ball.”
There was a spattering of claps from the crowd.
“Before I announce the winners for the best floral arrangements this year, I’d like to thank Lenny and the Toners for playing our event tonight.” The aforementioned Lenny gave Lois a little bow as the crowd offered another round of polite applause.
“Now, for the announcement everyone is waiting for. Our judges have voted. The winner of Best Floral Arrangement—Amateur Class is…” she took out a little card and read it. “Wow, this is a real wild card this year. Nancy White!”
There was wild applause and loud cheers from the hotel’s Chamber Crew as Nancy walked up onto the stage to accept her trophy and an envelope with a check for $250. I could hear a couple of faint boos in the crowd and knew immediately it was Blue and Sunglasses getting rowdy for fun. The sisters liked Nancy as well as we all did.
Nancy shook Lois’s hand, and they did a grip-and-grin as the photographer from the Island Gazette snapped a picture.
“The winner for Best Floral Arrangement—Professional is…” There was a collective intake of breath across the crowd. “June Biddle!”
The crowd cheered loudly, but there were a few comments from some. I imagined these were people from the mainland who were still reeling from Brittany’s unexpected death. They might have thought the sympathy vote would tip the scales in her favor. I was a little surprised about that, myself.
I spotted June stumbling through the crowd and climbing the three steps up to the stage. Samuel had to grab her arm to keep her from falling. She walked up to Lois, who shook her hand and gave her the trophy. Lois leaned down toward June’s ear, and I imagined she was offering condolences for Brittany and asking if she was okay. But Lois must have suggested June make a speech, because she nodded and accepted the microphone and took a couple of wobbly steps to the edge of the stage.
“I just want to say a few words, if I may,” she said, her words slurring a little.
Was she drunk? Had she run off to one of the pubs when she’d left the sheriff’s office earlier? I wished I’d thought to look there before I returned to the hotel, but it hadn’t occurred to me. I didn’t even know June was a drinker.
“I want to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I won this stupid trophy.” She dropped it onto the stage. It broke with a loud clang. “As you all know, Brittany is dead.”
Gasps and murmurs rolled through the crowd. That’s when I spied the sheriff making his way to the stage.
“Brittany is dead. And she should’ve won this trophy, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry because…” She listed to the side, and I thought for sure she was going to fall to her knees, but she kept her feet. “I’m sorry because I killed her.”
Chapter 11
I nearly tripped on the runner along the hardwood floor of the sheriff’s station as I juggled two cups of coffee and a muffin on my way to the witness room. I pushed open the door with my elbow and set one cup down on the table near the sofa. I took mine over to one of the chairs. The second coffee was for June, who was sagging into the sofa cushions with her eyes closed. Alcohol fumes wafted off her. The muffin was for me. I was starving.
As I ate the bland muffin, I looked around. It was a welcoming, comfortable place for witnesses and visitors instead of a cold, gray interrogation facility. I also liked that the sheriff let June sober up in here, instead of in a jail cell, before he talked to her about the confession she made on stage in front of more than a hundred people. No way any fancy lawyer could ever argue that her confession had been coerced, for sure.
“June,” I said, “drink the coffee I brought you.”
She blinked her eyes open, and they rolled back in her head, but then she slumped forward, reaching for the cup. I picked it up and put it in her hand. She took a sip and then looked over at me.
“I like your dress. It’s pretty, like a bluebell.” She drank more coffee. “My head hurts.”
“What did you drink?” I asked.
“Wine,” she said, then added, “and vodka.”
“Did you go to the bar when you left the station earlier?”
“No, I went to a friend’s.”
“Who?”
“I’d rather not say.” She finished the coffee and put her head in her hands. “I might be sick.”
I got up, grabbed the trash can, and set it within easy reach. I was completely surprised to see her in this state.
I was getting a crash course in all the things I didn’t know about June Biddle. She had a temper and a checkered past, she was a drinker, and she had some secret friend on the island. All of this was a far cry from the shy and sweet repressed woman I’d thought her to be.
After she’d made her drunken confession on stage, she dropped the microphone and pitched forward. Thankfully, the sheriff had been there in time to catch her, so she didn’t do a face-plant onto the grass. Daniel and I had raced to the stage to help. June continued to babble on about Brittany, and I told her to stop talking. If she had something to say, she could say it when she was sober.
I’d helped the sheriff put June in his vehicle and then climbed in with her. Daniel had been gracious about the whole thing and promised to text me later. He’d also suggested that since he’d booked a room at the hotel, I could knock on his door when I returned. I felt badly about bailing on him after he’d come to the island for me. Well, technically, I guess it was expected that he’d be at the ball since he was the mayor of Frontenac City. So, it wasn’t like he had to make an extra trip to see me. Regardless, I appreciated his discretion in the whole matter.
June’s groan drew my attention back to the present.
“Do you need more coffee?” I looked at her as her eyes drooped closed and she held her head in her hands. I felt sorry for her. Making a fool of yourself when you’re drunk and then having to deal with the hangover seemed like nothing more than piling on. And that was before we dealt with her legal problems.
She didn’t answer me because she fell asleep. It would take more than coffee for her to sober up. She needed a few hours of sleep before she’d be coherent, at the very least.
I walked over to her and, as gently as I could, laid her down onto the sofa. She grabbed my arm before I could walk away.
“I didn’t mean to do it, Andi,” she mumbled. “She was my friend.” Then she passed out, snoring loudly.
I stared down at her for a long moment, trying to decipher the meaning of her words. I refused to believe that June was a cold-blooded killer. Just because she’d said “I killed her,” didn’t necessarily mean it was murder. Maybe June simply had a guilty conscience about the contest or something. What intrigued me more was the “she was my friend” part of her confession.
I left her there and went in search of Sheriff Jackson.
He met me in the lobby. “She still drunk?”
I nodded. “Yeah, she’s going to need a few hours of sleep. Can she sleep in that room? Or do you want to put her in a cell?”
He rubbed at his face. “She’s fine where she is.”
“Are you going to arrest her?”
“Depends on what she says when she’s sober. A confession won’t stick if she was under the influence when she made it.”
“She’s definitely feeling guilty about somet
hing,” I said, although I still didn’t think she poisoned Brittany. Maybe I hadn’t known her as well as I’d thought, but surely I hadn’t misjudged her that badly. From the way she talked on stage about being sorry, it seemed to me there was more to her rivalry with Brittany. I wondered what it was and whether the answers would help or hurt June.
“Oh, I tracked down Brittany’s ex-boyfriend, Tyler.” Sheriff Jackson said. “He’s coming in tomorrow.”
“That’s good.” I was getting nervous again standing next to the sheriff, which made no sense.
“Did you call the lawyer?” he asked.
I nodded. “She’s also coming in tomorrow.”
“Good.”
“Why didn’t you tell me she was your ex-girlfriend?”
His brow furrowed. “Does it matter?”
I quickly shook my head. “I guess that’ll be up to June.” I cleared my throat. “I’m going back to the hotel. I need to get out of this dress.”
He nodded. “Do you need a ride? I could probably get away—”
“Daniel’s picking me up.”
“Right. Of course he is.” Sheriff Jackson kicked at a pebble on the lobby floor and then nodded again. “Have a good night.” He turned on his boot heel and started toward the back office.
“Will you call or text me when you question June again?”
“You know you can’t be in the room.”
“I know that, I just want to be there for her.” I paused. “Plus, Lois is really nervous about the potential blowback with all of this. She’ll feel better if she hears any news directly from me and before it gets embellished by the gossips.
He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll text you.”
“Thanks.”
I left the station, just as Daniel pulled up in a golf cart from the Park Hotel. I slipped into the passenger side.
“Are you hungry?” he asked during the short drive up the hill to the hotel.
“I am, but I think I have some fruit in my suite.” I knew what he was hinting at, but I didn’t really feel up to socializing.
“Okay.”