Firework Fiasco

by Kathi Daley

  “I’ll help too,” Alex, who was standing next to Hazel, added.

  “We’re keeping it casual,” Hazel said. “Very casual. But a few friends to witness the ceremony and then a simple meal on the deck would be nice.”

  Mom and Ellie started batting around ideas while Hazel, probably against her better judgment, became swept up in things.

  “Do you think they’ll end up with the simple ceremony they want?” Levi whispered in my ear after he slid over next to me.

  “Probably not. But I’m staying out of it. I’ll happily do whatever I’m asked, but this is their day and I’m going to respect whatever they decide.”

  “You’re going to have a lot on your plate, taking care of Nona and helping to plan the wedding,” Levi said.

  “Yeah. I may have to ask Jeremy if he’s willing to come back to the Zoo a week early. I can’t leave Aspen there all alone. She knows what to do, but it’s a lot for one person to handle day after day.”

  “Seems like that’s what she’s been doing this past week,” Levi pointed out.

  “True. But I hate to ask her to do the work of three people for any longer than she already has.”

  “I’ll go in and help her,” Levi offered.

  I turned with a look of surprise. “Really? You would do that?”

  Levi shrugged. “Sure. I’m off until football practice starts in August and I’m getting antsy with so much time on my hands. I’ve helped you out before, so I have a general understanding of what needs to be done. Plus Aspen will be there if I have questions and I can always call you.”

  I hugged Levi. “Thank you so much. You really are the best friend.”

  Levi grinned. “Something to keep in mind when my birthday rolls around.”

  I punched him playfully in the arm. “I already know what I’m getting you for your birthday and it’s going to be great.”

  “I’m sure it will be.” Levi hugged me back. “Your pocket is ringing.”

  I pulled out my phone. “It’s Buckner. I’m going to take this inside.”

  Once I got away from the crowd I answered. “Do you have news?”

  “We identified the tall man with the pointy nose from the sketch. His name is Warren Greenway and he has a record. A thick one. The feds are taking over the case, at least temporarily. I have a feeling Interpol may get involved, given the international flavor of things.”

  “Did he kill Calvin?”

  “I’m giving the feds all the information I have to do with as they see fit, but my money is still on Bonnie Needlemeyer as the killer, though we found the gems in her apartment, but she’s still holding to her story that she was transporting Calvin’s possessions with his permission and she didn’t kill him.”

  “Yet she conveniently kept the gems he had in his possession.”

  “Like I said, my money is on her.”

  Chapter 16

  Saturday, July 28

  I felt a tear slide down my cheek as Grandpa and Hazel exchanged vows they’d written themselves for the small ceremony witnessed by family and friends. I was somewhat surprised we’d managed to keep it small, but Hazel had insisted on handling the guest list and Mom and I had agreed she should have everyone she wanted and no one she didn’t. Having lived in Ashton Falls as long as she had, keeping the guest list to less than fifty must have been difficult. She’d asked her good friend Phyllis King to stand up with her, and Grandpa had chosen Ethan Carlton to be his best man. It seemed Grandpa and Hazel and Ethan and Phyllis, had been hanging out as a foursome quite a bit lately. Ethan and Phyllis weren’t officially dating, but it didn’t take a genius to notice the shy glances and gentle touches the two exchanged throughout the afternoon.

  Alex and Ellie had taken on the task of providing the meal, which was enjoyed by all. Mom and Phyllis had helped Hazel with her dress and hair, and Levi and Scooter had taken over baby and Nona duty, while Zak helped my dad and Ethan get Grandpa ready. I was in charge of getting Harper ready for flower girl duty, as well as making sure the flower arrangements had been set out just as Hazel had instructed. Eli wasn’t quite old enough to fulfill the role of ring bearer, so Charlie was awarded the job, and I have to say he fulfilled his role like a pro.

  The day was bright and sunny, a mild sixty-eight, so not too hot. The air was still and the lake glassy as everyone gathered around to support the couple as they took their first steps toward beginning a new and hopefully long life together. After the ceremony, Jeremy and his band played show tunes as requested, while Jeremy’s wife, Jessica, kept an eye on her daughter Rosalie, his daughter Morgan, and their daughter Emma, a name that, they told us, meant whole or complete, which was exactly what their family now was.

  “If I knew you were having a party I would have worn my dress uniform.”

  “Salinger,” I screeched as I hugged the man who’d come into the kitchen while I was helping to serve the food. “I’m so glad you’re back. Did you find yourself?”

  Sherriff Salinger laughed. “I think I did.”

  “I can’t believe you left without telling me. You know how I depend on you.”

  Salinger shrugged. “I figured now you were retired from the sleuthing business, we wouldn’t be working together anymore.”

  I handed the sheriff a large bowl of macaroni salad to carry out to the buffet table. “Well, apparently this retirement thing isn’t working out as expected. Deputy Buckner was great, he really was, but I missed you.” I set my bowl on the table and motioned for Salinger to set the one he was carrying beside it. “Did you hear about the wedding or just stop by to let me know you were back?”

  “Neither. Who got married?”

  “My grandpa and Hazel. It was very sudden, but I couldn’t be happier for them.”

  Salinger smiled. “Good for them. There are those who would say they’re too old to start over again.”

  “And they’d be wrong.”

  “Can we talk in private for a minute?” Salinger asked, a slightly more serious expression on his face.

  “Sure. Let’s go into Zak’s office. No one will bother us there.”

  As soon as we were settled, Salinger said, “I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

  I grimaced. “I guess the bad.”

  “I heard from your friend Shredder. He wanted to let me know that Claudia is still in the wind.” Claudia Lotherman was a criminal master of disguise who had become my archnemesis. Not only had she tried to kill me when Zak and I were in Alaska and again before my wedding, but just a few months ago she’d kidnapped Zak and made me jump through hoops to get him back. Shredder, a mysterious man Zak and I had met while in Hawaii, who was some sort of a spy, or special ops guy, or possibly with some other supersecret group or organization, was almost as smart as Zak and had connections that seemed to know no limits. He’d helped me with the recent Claudia situation and had been on her tail ever since.

  “That’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s bad news.”

  “Maybe and maybe not. The reason he called was to give me a heads-up that Claudia could be heading back in our direction.”

  I narrowed my gaze. “Why would she risk that when she knows everyone is looking for her?”

  Salinger shrugged. “The woman’s crazy. And fearless. Not a good combination.”

  “No,” I agreed. “I guess not.”

  “Shredder doesn’t have any concrete evidence that she’s coming this way, he just wanted me to keep an eye on things. She’ll be less likely to pull one over on us again if we know she might be around sometime soon.”

  “True. Am I ever thankful he’s monitoring the situation.” The very idea that Claudia might be heading in this direction filled me with terror, but I couldn’t do a thing about it and didn’t want to dwell on it. “You said you had good news too?”

  “They arrested Bonnie Needlemeyer in the Calvin Jobs murder. As it turned out, Warren Greenway, the man your photo happened to capture, was watching the motel room all ni
ght, looking for an opportunity to break in and steal the gems. He saw Ms. Needlemeyer toss something into a dumpster after she left Jobs’s room. He checked it out and found the syringe she used to kill him. He held on to it just in case he had a reason to use it for his own purposes.”

  “So she absolutely did it?”

  “She still hasn’t confessed, but it looks like she’s the killer you’ve been after. And Greenway confessed, as part of a larger plea deal, to being part of the jewel theft ring Calvin was involved with. From what I understand, Interpol is closing in on the entire operation.”

  I grinned. “That is good news. I’m sure Nona will rest easier knowing this whole thing is wrapped up.”

  “How is she? I heard what happened.”

  “Remarkably well, considering. She’s out on the deck if you want to go by to say hi.”

  “I don’t want to keep you from your party. We can catch up later.”

  I put my arm through Salinger’s. “Come and have some food. Ellie’s been cooking all week. I can guarantee we’ll need help eating it.”

  ******

  Later that evening, Zak and I snuggled with Catherine and Charlie in our suite. It had been a fantastic day and everyone, including Nona, had had a wonderful time. We still hadn’t broached the subject of her moving in with us on a permanent basis, but she was comfortable in her suite and seemed happy. There was time to talk about it when she brought up the subject.

  I hadn’t told Zak about Claudia, mostly because I didn’t want to worry him. I’d tell him, just not today.

  “Did you notice Alex and Diego holding hands during the ceremony?” Zak asked, as he got up from the sofa where we’d been sitting and moved to the rocking chair with Catherine.

  “I did. It was sweet. I know they’re young, but I really like Diego. He helped me save you. He’s a good kid.”

  Zak scowled. “She’s only thirteen.”

  “She’s almost fourteen and old enough to want to have a boy in her life. Would you rather have her crushing on someone else?”

  “I’d rather have her not crushing on anyone. Scooter is thirteen too, and he isn’t the least bit interested in girls.”

  “Alex is a lot more mature than Scooter. It’s only natural that her intellect and emotional maturity would put her ahead of the curve in other areas as well.”

  Zak continued to frown.

  “You don’t need to worry about Alex,” I continued. “She isn’t a pushover and she has a good head on her shoulders. Besides, Diego seems to be a perfect gentleman.”

  “Perfect gentlemen are the ones you have to watch out for the most,” Zak countered.

  I glanced at the look of adoration Zak had on his face as he rocked Catherine. The poor thing. If Zak was this protective with Alex, I couldn’t imagine how overprotective he was going to be with her. She probably wouldn’t be allowed to date until she was thirty. If ever.

  “Looks like she’s asleep,” Zak said as he stroked her cheek. “I’ll put her down, then wash up for bed.”

  “I’m going to check on the other kids, then be back. Don’t forget to plug the baby monitor back in. I had it downstairs earlier.”

  Zak stood up slowly so he wouldn’t disturb Catherine. “Will do.”

  I found Alex in her room, playing with the four kittens I’d rescued. They’d grown a lot and all seemed healthy. Unfortunately, we’d never found the mom. I’d begin looking for forever homes for them when they were around eight weeks old. Scooter was in his room with Digger and the dog he was fostering, Gus. I’d seen Barney, who was doing a lot better. The doctor thought he could go back home in another week or so. Scooter had been doing a good job with Gus, and I knew he’d been having a nice stay with us, but I was sure he’d be as happy to get home as Barney.

  I saw Nona’s door was open as I passed. She was sitting in the dark, looking out the window. “Nona.” I knocked once.

  “Come in, dear,” Nona said without turning around.

  “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

  “I’m fine,” she assured me. “Just mulling over a few things. I think better in the dark.”

  I sat down on a chair near her. “I get that. Fewer distractions. Are you sure there isn’t something I can help you with?”

  Nona let out a sigh. “Not really. I was just thinking about the ceremony today. It was lovely.”

  “It was.”

  “Did it feel at all odd to you, watching your grandfather marry someone who wasn’t your grandmother?”

  “Not at all. I loved my grandmother very much, but she’s been gone a long time. I’m very happy my grandfather found someone to live out his life with. And I love Hazel. I adored her even before Grandpa did. I think they’re going to be very happy together.”

  “I’m sure they will,” Nona said in a soft voice. “It’s hard being alone when the spouse you chose to spend your life with dies long before you.”

  I moved closer to Nona and took her hand in mine. “I’ve heard Zak talk about your husband, but I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him say how long ago he passed.”

  “A long time ago. I loved him, although we didn’t get along all that well. I guess what I miss most is having someone to talk to and share a meal with at the end of the day.”

  “You have us,” I answered. “It might not be the same thing, but Zak and I and Alex and Scooter and even Catherine absolutely adore you. We want you to stay here with us. Permanently.”

  Nona turned and looked at me. “That’s very kind, dear, but you have three kids and half a dozen animals here. The last thing you need is a crazy old woman underfoot.”

  I smiled. “I like crazy. In fact, I think having a little crazy in your life is an absolute necessity. Zak and I love you. You’re family. We really want you to stay.”

  Nona didn’t answer, but I could see her eyes had grown heavy with unshed tears.

  “At least think about it,” I added. “I know you value your freedom, but Zak and I plan to have a whole litter of babies before we’re done. We’re going to need help with all those babies. If you aren’t interested in staying, we’ll need to hire someone to do it.”

  Nona wiped away one of the tears that had managed to escape. “You really need my help?”

  I stood up and hugged the frail-feeling woman. “We absolutely need your help. Will you do it? Will you stay and help Zak and me raise our family?”

  Tears streamed down Nona’s face. “I’d love that.”

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  Monday, June 11

  Some secrets are meant to be shared, others are better off forgotten.

  Sixteen-year-old Naomi Collins disappeared on April 12, 2002. She’d been a troubled teen living in a dysfunctional home, and most people assumed she’d simply run away to start a new life in a new town under an assumed name. In theory, I suppose that made sense. Based on the information I’d been able to dig up, Naomi had been brought up in a home fraught with alcoholism, abuse, and long periods of abandonment. She was the only child of a hard, sadistic man, a fisherman by trade, who, according to witnesses, beat and berated his weak and timid wife whenever the mood struck.

  Shortly before Naomi disappeared, her mother suffered a nervous breakdown and was voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric facility. Naomi was left alone with her father, who, it was said, spent more time in the local pub than at home. Naomi was an average student who seemed to enjoy school, although she had few friends. I assumed that was a byproduct of her father’s refusal to allow her to engage in social activities other than an occasional event sponsored by the high school.

  So, why, you might ask, if this missing persons case seemed to be cut and dried, would I spend an entire week of my six-week vacation in the seaside town of Cutter’s Cove, investigating some random girl who’d lived in town before I’d ever set foot on the sandy shore of the majestic Oregon coast? The answer to this understandable question began
, as so many events in my life have, with a dream.

  “You’re up early,” Mom said when she joined me on the deck of the mansion she and I had renovated when we first lived in Cutter’s Cove. The historic home was not only magnificent structurally but perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was the perfect place to while away a lazy day.

  “Couldn’t sleep,” I answered with a yawn as I watched seagulls glide over the aqua ocean, searching for their morning meal.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Mom sympathized as she sat down on a lounge chair next to me. We both sipped our coffee from sturdy ceramic mugs as we waited, along with my dogs Tucker and Sunny, for the sun to peek its brilliant head over the horizon. It was nice to be here in this place together again after so many years. Mom had I had first moved to Cutter’s Cove Twelve years ago after I witnessed a gangland shooting that landed my mother and me in the witness protection program. I thought the transition would be difficult, and it was, at first. But then I met my new best friends, Trevor Johnson and Mackenzie Reynolds, and suddenly, a middle-class life didn’t seem so bad. For two years, I lived in Cutter’s Cove, Oregon, as Alyson, the seemingly out of the blue, the murderers I had run from were eliminated by their own family, and my new life in Cutter’s Cove was no longer a necessity. After a long discussion, Mom and I decided to go back to New York, where I went to college and, after graduation, went on to work for a top advertising firm as a graphic artist. Mom bought an estate in the country and, for the most part, we were happy. Still, there was a part of me that would always belong to Cutter’s Cove. I just didn’t know how literal that actually was.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Mom asked.

  I reached my arms over my head, yawned again, and let out a long sigh. “I’m fine. It’s just the dream I’ve been having for the past few days that’s been keeping me awake.”