by Jessica Beck
“Thanks. I normally have one good idea a day, so I was glad I didn’t waste that one,” she answered with a grin.
As Jake hung up his phone, he asked, “What were you two just talking about?”
“Grace was just telling me that she managed to get a few candid shots of some of our suspects while we were interviewing them earlier,” I said.
“Not bad. Is there any chance that I could get copies of those pictures?”
“Sure thing,” she told him. “I was afraid that you’d be upset.”
“Not a chance. If there’s something the two of you can do to make my life, and my investigation, any easier, I’m all for it.”
“What did George have to say?” I asked.
“He understands that these things take time. Oh, and he confirmed Dallas’s alibi while we were on the phone.”
“How could he possibly do that?” I asked.
“When I called, he was in a meeting with Father Randy about feeding the hungry in the area, and the priest confirmed everything we were told.”
“So Dallas is officially off our list of suspects,” Grace said.
“It appears so. That just leaves Brandon Morgan in April Springs.”
“But we have a bunch left in Granite Meadows,” I said. “Between Deke, Maisie, Shannon, Officer Durant, and the police chief, we’ve got more than our share there. There’s no way around you defying the inspector and leaving all of them alone, is there?”
“None that I can see,” Jake agreed. “I’ll try not to be so overt about it next time, though. There’s no sense ruffling his feathers any more than I have to.”
From beside me, Grace said, “It’s really amazing how many enemies Alex Tyler made in his lifetime, isn’t it?”
“I guess he just had that way about him,” I said, feeling a little guilty that the two of us hadn’t gotten along in the short time that we’d known each other. I wouldn’t have minded nearly so much if he were still alive, but the fact that things would never be right between us bugged me on a level that I didn’t completely understand myself.
“That means that we’ve sure got our work cut out for us finding the killer,” Grace said.
“You realize that you can still back out of our investigation any time that you want to,” I told her.
“Are you kidding? Why would I stop when things are just getting more interesting? You know me, Suzanne. I’m in it until the end.”
“Thanks,” I said. “What do we do in the meantime, though?”
“We keep heading back to April Springs,” Jake said.
“Is anyone else hungry?” Grace asked.
“I could eat,” I admitted, leaving out the fact that I’d been thinking about food for some time. “How about you, Jake?”
“I’ve been so focused on the investigation that I didn’t even realize that I was getting hungry myself.”
“Believe me, I’m never that focused,” I said with a grin.
“Then let’s get a bite to eat on the way back to town. Anyone have any suggestions?”
“I say we go to the Boxcar,” Grace said. “The restaurants and cafes between here and April Springs are nothing to write home about, and we can always count on Trish Granger to serve up something good.”
“Can you wait that long?” Jake asked me.
“I’ll manage,” I said. “Besides, if we can’t hold out without a snack, don’t forget that there are a few more donuts in back. We gave away two dozen, but there should be another dozen left.”
“To be honest with you, I completely forgot about them, too,” Jake said.
“If I had your focus, I’d weigh twenty pounds less; I’m sure of it,” I said.
“Don’t you lose an ounce,” Jake said happily. “I love you just the way you are.”
Chapter 18
“Hey, Trish,” I said as the three of us walked into the Boxcar Grill. It was my favorite place in April Springs to eat and my second favorite in our part of North Carolina, the first being Napoli’s in Union Square. As I looked into the crowded dining car, I asked, “Do you have room for us?”
“If a table’s not free right now, I’ll make sure that one opens up,” she said with a grin.
Trish had thrown out patrons to make room for us to eat there in the past, but I didn’t want her alienating any customers. “Don’t evict anybody on our account. We can wait,” I offered.
“Nonsense,” the diner owner said as she started toward a table of older men who were notorious lingerers. Fortunately, they didn’t need to be told that it was time to move on. The second they saw Trish heading their way—her blonde ponytail bobbing with every step—they threw their tips onto the table and met her halfway. Trish turned back to us and smiled. “Look at that. Can you imagine? A table just opened up. I’ll get it cleared for you, and you’ll be all set.” Then she looked at the three gentlemen who’d so recently deserted their spot and added, “I’ll be with you all in a second.”
“Take your time.”
“No hurry.”
“We’ve got all evening,” the third one said.
Trish laughed as she worked quickly to clear away the dishes and wipe the table down. In a few moments, it was ready for us, and we gladly took our seats.
After we ordered, I was surprised to see our interim police chief, not to mention Grace’s boyfriend, Stephen Grant, hurry into the diner.
“Chief, we’re over here,” I said as I waved to him. “Join us.”
“Thanks,” he said as he approached and gave Grace a quick and rather self-conscious peck on the cheek.
“Come on. You can do better than that,” Grace said as she grabbed his ears and planted a solid kiss on his lips this time.
There were a few anonymous cheers coming from other diner patrons, and I noticed the chief’s cheeks redden slightly as he pulled away. “Grace, what did we say about public displays of affection?”
“That the more, the better?” she asked, and then she grinned. “No, I know that’s not it. Give me a second. I’ll remember.”
“You might as well give up, Chief,” I said. “She’s never going to change. Should we get Trish over here to take your order, too?”
“Actually, I came in here to speak with Jake when I saw your Jeep parked out front,” Chief Grant said as he took the empty seat between Grace and Jake.
I looked at Grace. “Did that sound a little ominous to you, or was it just me?”
“No, something’s definitely amiss.”
“Let me guess,” Jake said. “Inspector Simpson instructed you to give me a stern talking to. Is that it?”
Chief Grant smiled slightly. “Something to that effect, yes. I was told to be firm in telling you that you overstepped your bounds today, not to mention your jurisdiction, even if I had to clamp down hard on you to make it stick.”
“Consider me properly chastised,” Jake said with the hint of a smile himself. “We’ve actually made some progress. Do you want to hear about it?”
Chief Grant grinned at Grace and me. “Since when did you team up with these two? Is that what the mayor had in mind when he named you as his special investigator?”
“Seeing that George worked with them before he even became mayor, I was ordered to take their suggestions, and any help they cared to give me, willingly and enthusiastically,” Jake replied.
“The mayor said that about us? Remind me to hug him later,” I told Grace.
“We should make a George sandwich. He can be the stuffing, and we’ll be the slices of bread,” Grace replied.
“When you two are finished, we have some things to discuss,” Jake said firmly.
I winked at Grace, and then I pretended to zip my mouth shut while she did the same.
“You were saying?” the interim chief asked.
“So far, we’ve eliminated one of our suspects in April Springs, and we’ve got five more in Granite Meadows,” Jake reported.
“Five! How many people wanted him dead?”
“That’s just how many we’ve f
ound so far,” Jake said. “If you want more than that, you’re going to have to ask the two of them yourself, because they are the ones who uncovered the information.”
Chief Grant looked at us both expectantly in turn, but neither one of us commented. “Well? Go on. I’m waiting.”
I thought about giving him a hard time before I volunteered any information, but Grace took the decision out of my hands. “Shannon Wright is Alex Tyler’s ex-wife, and a colder, more calculating woman I’ve never met. Deke Marsh is a crook Alex put away who just got out on a technicality, and Maisie Fleming is a woman who’s been showing a little too much interest in the deceased for quite some time.”
“Okay. I’m willing to admit that’s quite a bit you’ve found out so quickly.”
“There’s more, but you aren’t going to like hearing it,” I said. “Jake, would you mind telling him yourself? It might be easier for him to take it if he hears it from you.”
Jake shrugged, and then he spoke. “I’m reluctant to say this, but we’ve got reason to believe that his former patrol partner, Officer Craig Durant, or his chief, Robert Willson, may have been involved with his murder.”
Grant studied Jake for several seconds before he spoke. “What reasons are those?” I had to give him credit. I knew that hadn’t been easy to hear, even coming from Jake.
“From multiple sources, we’ve been told that Alex Tyler took the chief’s job in April Springs to turn over a new leaf and reform. That fact clearly upset some members of the force, apparently including the chief.”
“So that’s why you went with them today,” Chief Grant said. “Because I’m willing to bet that no one would speak with them about the murder.”
“No one on the police force, anyway.”
“Did you have any luck yourself?” Grant asked him.
“Too little to amount to anything yet, but still too much to discount. I’m afraid that both of these men bear looking into, along with the rest of their list of suspects.”
“You said that you’ve eliminated someone in April Springs. Is anyone here left on your list?” the chief asked him.
“Just one,” Jake said. “A fellow by the name of Brandon Morgan. Tyler gave him a speeding ticket, and apparently it wasn’t all that well received.”
“That’s hard to believe. I’ve written him up myself in the past for speeding, but he never came after me,” Chief Grant said.
“I understand that, but I’m not willing to cross his name off yet without more of a reason.”
Chief Grant nodded. “Nor would I expect you to. What’s on tap for the rest of the day? Are you finished sleuthing, or do you have more folks to investigate?”
I glanced at my watch and realized that I didn’t have that much time left before I needed to go to sleep for the night. “I think we’re finished for today,” I said.
Jake nodded. “No worries. We’ll take it back up tomorrow.”
“In Granite Meadows?” Chief Grant asked him solemnly.
“Like I told Inspector Simpson, I go where the leads take me.”
The chief frowned for a moment, and then he said, “It’s not going to make my life any easier, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
“Now I have a question for you,” Jake asked him carefully. “Do you honestly believe that your former boss could be involved in the murder?”
“No, of course not. Where did you get that idea?”
“From his wife,” Jake said.
I nodded in confirmation.
Chief Grant shook his head. “I told him that folks were going to talk after the fight they had and that he should be ready for it. How did he take that as an accusation?”
“Does that mean that you don’t suspect Emma or her mother, Sharon, either?” I asked him.
“Did someone say that I did? How do these things get started? I heard all about the rejection, but it never even crossed my mind that one of those ladies had anything to do with Alex Tyler’s murder. Are you satisfied with that?”
“I am, but they may not be. I’ll let them all know, though.”
“You do that, why don’t you,” Chief Grant said. “I swear, being the police chief around here is not worth the pay raise.” As he started to stand, Grace tugged at his sleeve. “Where do you think you are going?”
“Grace, I have a mound of paperwork on my desk. I might not be the permanent police chief, but until the mayor finds my replacement, I’ll have to do.”
“You still have to eat, though, don’t you?”
The chief looked tempted, but I knew how duty bound the man was. He’d aged quite a bit over the last few months from the responsibilities of his new job, losing it, and then getting it right back, and I could tell that it weighed heavily upon him. I for one was glad that I didn’t have that kind of responsibility. All I had to do was make sure that April Springs had their fill of donuts by the end of every day and then start the process all over the next morning while everyone else in their right minds was still sleeping.
“I don’t know if I can spare the time,” he said a little wistfully.
“Come on, stay,” Jake said. “Trish will have you fixed up in a heartbeat.”
“Let me ask you something. How many meals did you skip while you were investigating a case?” he asked Jake sincerely.
“More than I can count, but then again, I never had the attention of not one but two lovely ladies, either.”
“I should hope not,” I said with a grin. “I thought all along that one was more than you could handle.”
“And you’ll never hear me say otherwise,” he answered.
“I don’t suppose twenty minutes will make a difference one way or the other,” Chief Grant said.
A minute later, Trish showed up with four meals. “I figured you were staying when I didn’t see you leave. Is this good enough for you?” she asked the chief as she offered him a plate.
“It’s perfect. You’re an angel, Trish.”
“That’s what I keep telling folks, but so far, nobody has believed me yet,” she replied with a smile.
Between bites, Jake and I filled Grace and Chief Grant in on our honeymoon, sharing the funny stories and the romantic scenery we’d enjoyed in Paris. Grace interjected, showing off her euro coin, and Jake produced its twin and presented it to the interim chief.
“Smart,” he said as he hefted the coin in his hand. “It makes for an easy gift, doesn’t it?”
“And cheap, too,” Jake replied with a grin.
I turned to Grace. “Men.”
“Where is the romance in their souls?”
“That’s okay. We’ve got plenty enough for both of them,” I replied.
We talked of many other things during that meal, but none of them was murder.
All in all, it was the best time I’d had since Jake and I had come back from our honeymoon.
It was just too bad that I knew it couldn’t last.
Chapter 19
“That was fun,” I said as Jake and I headed back to the cottage alone. Even though we were all close enough to walk, Grace had insisted that the chief see her home, so the two of them had left together while Jake and I drove the short distance back to the cottage and settled in for the evening.
I was just getting comfortable when I realized that I couldn’t remember if I’d turned the fryer off or not when I’d left that day. I’d only forgotten to turn it off twice since I’d owned Donut Hearts, but since then, I’d been in fear of burning the place to the ground with that hot oil boiling away all night long.
I kept trying to convince myself that I was just being paranoid when I finally asked, “Do you feel like taking a little stroll through the park?”
“I’d love to, but I’m still stuffed from dinner,” Jake said. “How about a rain check?”
“That’s fine. You stay right here,” I said as I grabbed my coat. “I won’t be long.”
“Hang on. I’ll go, too,” Jake said as he stood and reached for his own jacket as
well.
“I thought you wanted to stay here.”
“I did, until I knew that you were going to go without me. Tell me something,” he said as he zipped up his coat. “Are we just doing this for exercise, or is there a more practical reason behind it?”
“Can’t I just want to walk around the park with my new husband and show him off to the world?”
Jake grinned as he answered, “You could if anyone else were out there, but we both know that the temperature’s dropping fast, so the only people you’ll be showing me off to are the squirrels.”
“Okay, I give up. I confess. I can’t remember if I turned the oil off when I left Donut Hearts today.”
“Why didn’t you say so? You know, we could always just drive over. If you don’t want to take the Jeep, we can go in my truck.”
“Thanks for the kind offer, but I’m not sure that it will make it that far,” I said with a smile.
“My truck will handle considerably more than a half-mile round trip,” Jake said defensively.
“I’m sure that it would, but truthfully, I’d like the exercise. We walked everywhere in Paris together, and I kind of miss it.”
“I do, too,” he said, kissing me soundly before we went outside. As I locked the front door, Jake rubbed his hands together. “It feels like snow again, doesn’t it?”
“This time of year, it always feels like that to me,” I said with a grin. “I can’t wait for you to see the park all draped in white. It’s unbelievably beautiful.”
“Especially when we’re snuggling inside by the fire,” he replied, though he still returned my smile.
“Walks in the park are magical, too. You’ll see,” I said as I took his hand in mine.
“I can’t wait,” Jake replied, and then we walked through the park, past the Boxcar, over the abandoned railroad tracks—which I happened to own due to a friend no longer with us—and to the front door of the donut shop. It was a microcosm of my life, that little walk, going from the house I’d been born in, walking through the park I’d played in as a girl to the shop I owned as an adult. It was amazing how much of my life experience had happened within a quarter of a mile, and if I added another mile to the radius, it would have taken up where I’d gone to high school and the apartment that I’d shared with my first husband, Max. Some folks felt restrained by living in a small town—at times my assistant, Emma, was one of them—but I found comfort in all of the old familiar places and things. I knew that I might leave April Springs someday if there was enough reason to, but it wouldn’t be done without some very serious consideration. Too much of who I was was wrapped up in where I was, and at the moment, and for the foreseeable future, there was no place on earth that I’d rather be.