“Small world,” he said. “He’s a good kid but can be sort of a hot head at times. He punched a hole in the drywall in my living room, when he found out I was starting to date again. He rushed out of my house and I’ve not heard from him since.”
“Was it the first time he found out?” Star asked.
“Wasn’t my intention,” he said in a gruff voice. “I tried to keep it from him, but someone else told him. His mother swears up and down she didn’t tell him, but someone had to. He came to my house to confront me, to find out if it was true. So at that point, I had to come clean.”
“When did this happen?” I asked.
“The other day,” Gus replied after taking a deep breath. “I tried to call him back, but he never answered. In my heart, I hoped it was because he was busy. Not because he was still mad. I knew he had some fancy shindig to work that night.”
“The SSHA event?”
“That’s it,” he responded. “I chalked his anger up to being stressed and overworked. Working two jobs can do that to you.”
“You’re telling me,” Star mumbled under her breath. I looked over at her and she smiled.
“So, you haven’t heard from him since that day?”
“Nope, not one word,” he said before he looked at his watch. “Look ladies, I need to get back to work. It’s time to start shutting down.”
“Thanks for your time,” I said. “If you can think of anything else that’d help us with Bonnie May’s case, please let us know.”
“I will,” he said as he turned and walked away.
As we began to walk down the aisle toward the front, he turned around and shouted, “Just a minute.”
Gus walked quickly to catch up with us.
“If she wakes up, will you please let me know?” he said. His face showed hints of concern. “I mean, if it’s not a big deal or anything.”
“Will do,” I responded.
As we left the store, one thing became clear to me. All signs pointed to one person and it couldn’t be ignored.
Ray Robins.
As much as I wanted to doubt it, most of the clues pointed to Ray Robins as the prime suspect. For starters, his signature was on the receipt for the same type of blueberry extract used on Bonnie May.
In addition, Ray worked a second job at the country club. The same country club the event took place and he worked that night. He had access to add the blueberry extract to Bonnie May’s drink.
Last but not least, we discovered his father dated Bonnie May. It seemed innocent enough, until Ray’s father revealed his son’s anger towards him dating Bonnie May.
I knew what I needed to do. The only thing left was to make one call. However, I dreaded talking to the person on the other line. Especially since that person had instructed me to butt out of the case.
So as we drove back to Sunny Shores, I dialed Detective Beaux.
“It’s not a good time, Miss Summers. I need to call you back,” Detective Beaux said after picking up the phone.
“It’s important and will only take a minute. It’s about Bonnie May’s case.”
I audibly heard him sigh on the other line. Not a good sign.
“You have sixty seconds,” he said. “What’s wrong?”
“We just discovered that Bonnie May was dating Ray Robins’ father,” I replied. “We spoke to his father and he told us Ray flipped out when he learned the two were dating.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. In fact, we spoke to Ray’s father. He confirmed everything. You need to question Ray immediately.”
I hoped Beaux found Ray before it was too late. When clues started to drop, the suspects tended to skip town or take even more drastic measures. Beaux needed to act now and haul Ray in for questioning.
“That’s going to be quite a tall order,” Beaux responded. “I’m not sure that’s in the cards.”
“Why?” I screamed into the phone. “What do you mean?”
“Ray Robins’ dead.”
Chapter 16
“Ray Robins is dead? Are you sure?” I asked as Star looked over and rolled her eyes.
“He wasn’t shot Robin Hood style with an arrow like usual around here,” Detective Beaux said, sarcastically. “However, I believe the gun-shot through the chest did the trick.”
“Where are you at?” I asked. “Star and I are in the car now.”
“I’m constantly perplexed by your ability to ignore my requests, Miss Summers. On the other hand, I admire your persistence,” he replied.
“We have other information to share, including where the bottle of extract was purchased,” I tried to explain.
“You really don’t give up easily, do you.”
“Nope.”
“I can’t believe I’m about to do this. This Florida sun must be driving me crazy,” he said before he took a deep breath. “I’m at the Cozy Cove Inn.”
“The Cozy Cove Inn?” I asked. I’d grown to know that place well. “On our way.”
“When you get here, no snooping around. See me right away. This is a murder scene, after all.”
After getting the invitation from Detective Beaux, Star and I immediately drove to the Cozy Cove Inn.
The Cozy Cove Inn was a road side motel that was built in the 1960’s, and it showed. It was located about ten miles north of Sunny Shores.
The Cozy Cove Inn was your typical road-side motor inn. There was nothing fancy about it. The only amenities on the grounds were a dirty ice machine, a vending machine that I was sure served snacks that had been discontinued for years, and a pool that was an unusual shade of green.
As the years went by, nicer hotels and resorts were built. As traveler preferences changed, the motel no longer catered to families traveling on vacation. Instead, it became a haven for unethical local rendezvous. One could only imagine the number of divorces and illegitimate children that were produced between those paper-thin walls.
“Another murder at the Cozy Cove?” Star said as we arrived in the parking lot. “This place gives me the creeps. First Missy Harmon and now Ray Robins.”
She wasn’t wrong. To call the Cozy Cove sketchy would be an insult to sketchy places.
“Maybe they should change the name to the Bates Hotel?” Star said as she stopped the car. “You first.”
As we exited Star’s car, one thing became apparent. The parking lot looked like a circus. We were almost blinded by the flashing blue lights of the police cars, as well as the spotlights set up by the various local news vans. Word traveled fast.
“Star…Kara…over here,” a voice shouted from the distance. The voice belonged to Mark Johnson.
Mark Johnson served as deputy of the Sunny Shores Police Department. More notable than that, he harbored a big crush on Star. Although she avoided the topic when brought up, she appeared to like him as well.
We made our way over in his direction. As we walked, I attempted to poke fun at Star’s relationship with Deputy Johnson. She completely ignored me.
“Ladies, please wait here,” Deputy Johnson said before pressing the button on his walkie-talkie. “Detective, Miss Summers and Miss Daniels are here.”
“Be right there,” Detective Beaux’s voice called out on the radio.
As we waited for Detective Beaux, all three of us stood in awkward silence. I noticed Deputy Johnson giving Star a few interesting looks. Star responded with a smile.
“You look mighty pretty today, Star,” Deputy Johnson said, breaking the silence.
“Not now,” Star said as her face turned red.
I tried to hold it in, but I couldn’t help it. She turned to me as I began to snicker. “Not a word.”
The mood shifted to somber in a hurry. The EMS workers passed by us carrying a covered body. Star and I both looked at each other. We both knew who occupied the body bag. That wasn’t a mystery to us.
You’d think I’d be used to death. I wasn’t. Although death found ways to affect my life throughout the entire summer, my heart sank
each time.
“Miss Summers, what do you have for me?” Detective Beaux asked as he walked up to greet us.
He looked rough, to say the least. His eyes were blood shot and his hair messy. Judging by the bags under his eyes, he’d lost a ton of sleep working on the case.
“We found out where the blueberry extract was purchased,” I replied.
“Where?” he asked as he took a sip of his coffee.
“Mulberry Farms,” I said as I handed him my file folder. “I have a copy of the receipt in there.”
He handed Deputy Johnson his cup of coffee as he opened the folder.
“Hmm,” he said as he examined the document.
“Look who signed the receipt,” I said as I pointed to the signature line.
“Ray Robins.”
“Yep.”
“So that makes this an open and shut case? Right, Detective?” Deputy Johnson said as he pulled out two notes placed in evidence bags. “Doesn’t this validate Mr. Robins’ suicide note?”
“Suicide note?” I asked, confused. I wasn’t aware his murder was a suicide. He never showed signs of being depressed or suicidal during any of our past encounters.
“We found this on the nightstand in the hotel room by the bed,” Beaux said as he handed me the note. “Be careful with that. It could be key evidence.”
As I read the note to myself, the pieces began to fit together. In his note, he expressed the great sadness he felt as he dealt with the divorce of his parents. He stated his emotions evolved from a state of anger to rage. This caused him to do things he never thought he was capable of. Including trying to kill his father’s lover.
“What does he mean by this?” I said as I pointed to a line in the letter. “He said that each time he read the letter, his anger grew deeper. What letter is he referring to?”
“This one right here,” Beaux said as he handed me another evidence bag with a letter inside.
I skimmed over this letter, which felt eerily like the letters written regarding the other two murders that summer. The letter was short and sweet, but apparently packed a punch. It had enough of an impact to cause a person to murder.
Hello,
You don’t know me, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I know something about you. More precisely, I know a secret about your family.
As you know, a woman in town broke up your home. Not only that, she caused you a great loss. A loss which you can never get back.
That woman is Bonnie May Calloway. I’ve included pictures inside.
She needs to be stopped. Especially before she causes anyone else more pain. Just a hint, she’s deathly allergic to blueberries.
Sincerely,
A friend.
“Where are the pictures?” I asked as I handed the note back to Detective Beaux.
“We didn’t find any pictures in the hotel room. We searched the place high and low. Besides the gun, these two letters were the only unusual things we found in the room.”
“You don’t seem too convinced,” I said as I read the expression on Beaux’s face. His demeanor failed to reflect one of confidence. He looked unsure.
“It’s just a hunch, but everything seems a little too tightly wrapped,” he said as he shook his head. “In my years doing this, I’ve learned a thing or two. It’s never too easy. That’s for sure.”
As I stared at the suicide note, a light bulb went off in my head.
“The signatures,” I said as I reached out my hand. “Let me see the other note for a second.”
Beaux looked puzzled but handed me the note. I put the two notes side by side and examined them. It was just as I thought.
“I think your hunch might be correct,” I said, as a sudden revelation hit me.
“What are you getting at?” Beaux asked.
“The signatures,” I said as I held the two notes up. “They don’t match. The signature on the receipt is completely different from the one on the suicide note. You know what this means, don’t you?”
Beaux took the notes from me and looked them over to confirm what I said. He then looked over to Deputy Johnson. “Ray Robins didn’t commit suicide. The murderer is on the loose.”
Chapter 17
After we left the crime scene, Star dropped me off at my house. As I pushed the door open and walked inside, I felt a sense of emptiness dashed with a sprinkling of defeat. After spending all that effort and time on Bonnie May’s case, I was back to square one.
The one person the majority of the clues pointed to died in a sleazy motel, along with my idea of the perpetrator’s true identity.
Only one question pounded in my head. Who murdered Ray Robins? There was no doubt in my mind that same person attempted to murder Bonnie May as well. But who?
“There you are,” my mother said as I walked into the living room. “Where have you been all night?”
Before I responded, I paused for a moment. I almost couldn’t believe what I saw.
Mom was sitting on the couch proofreading her latest novel. Nothing unusual there. However, a normally unwelcome guest was sitting beside her.
Mr. Whiskers sat cozied up next to her with his head on her leg. Mom not only seemed fine with it, but she continued to pet him as well.
“Aww,” I said as I walked over and sat beside them. “I thought you hated cats. But you like him now, don’t you?”
“I guess he’s not so bad,” she said as she scratched the side of his face. Mr. Whiskers purred loudly, no doubt loving the attention. “I guess he just grows on you.”
“You got that right.”
We both giggled as we both continued to pet Mr. Whiskers. By now, he purred so loudly it almost shook the house.
“How was your day?” I asked, trying to keep the subject off myself.
“I had lunch with Molly Burnes. You remember her, right?”
“I believe so,” I replied, trying to rack my brain. “Isn’t she the kooky bird lady?”
“If you’re referring to her as the president of the Sunny Shores Audubon Society, then yes.”
“How’s she been?”
“She’s still kooky as ever. She kept going on and on about the nesting habits of the local seagulls.”
“And?” I asked.
“She kept saying how the nests by Grove Park were filled with garbage, like food wrappers, papers, plastic, and even money. I wouldn’t have engaged her as much, if I didn’t need her for research on my next book.”
“That’s all strange, I guess.”
“So, are you going to tell me where you’ve been all night or what?” Mom asked. “You look like you’ve had a long day.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it tonight. I’m physically and mentally exhausted. We can talk about it in the morning,” I replied. “All I want to think about is my bed right now.”
“I understand, dear,” she said as she took my hand. “I worry about you. I feel like you’re extending yourself too much sometimes.”
Maybe she was right. I never stopped working, whether it was trying to run my food truck business or playing detective. However, I refused to quit either one. Call it hard work and determination…or just plain stubbornness.
“Oh yeah,” I said as I just remembered something important. “I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?”
I reached into my purse and grabbed a gift for my Mom. I held the gift hidden in my hand.
“Open your hand and close your eyes.”
At first, she seemed apprehensive to play along, but she eventually caved. She reached out with her left hand with her palms up. She closed her eyes, but not before rolling them.
“Open your eyes,” I said after placing the gift in her hands. I could hardly contain my feelings of excitement as she looked down and finally realized what it was.
“My earring,” she said as she took a deep breath. “I can’t believe you found it.”
Her eyes became bloodshot and the tears began to flow. She
reached over and put her arms around me, squeezing tight. I put my arms around her as well. I started to cry like a baby as well.
“I can’t believe you found it. I thought it was lost forever,” she said as she let go of me and sat back in her seat. Her eyes were teary, but a big smile shined across her face. She thought she’d never see the last gift my father gave her again.
“Where did you find them?”
“Detective Beaux found it in the dining hall at the Sunny Shores Country Club. I recognized it immediately when he showed it to me. I explained that you lost it the night of the fundraiser and showed him the other half of the pair. Without hesitation, he gave it to me to return to you.”
“How sweet of him,” my Mom said as continued to sniffle. “He seems like a nice guy. Maybe he’s a bit sweet on you.”
“I don’t think so, Mom.” I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of her comment.
“Why not?” she asked. At this point, the mom genes in her were activated. You know, the meddling ones. “He seems like a good guy. He’s single, isn’t he?”
“I don’t think I’m his type anyway,” I replied.
“Mmmhmm,” she said as she shook her head. “I think I know that problem.”
“Problem?” I asked, not sure of her motives.
“Your heart is focused on someone else. It’s your friend Ty, isn’t it?”
“What makes you think that?” I said as my voice let out a nervous squeak.
“Kara, dear,” my Mom said as she smiled. “I’m your mother. I know more about you than you think.”
Were my feelings for Ty the worst kept secret in town? I thought to myself. Possibly so. The only one who didn’t know seemed to know was Ty himself.
“Even if I did like him, he’s dating Will’s sister right now. He looks pretty happy.”
“As long as there’s no ring on the finger, he’s still fair game,” she said with a smirk.
“Mom,” I called out, surprised.
“I’m just saying don’t give up on your love. As your grandma liked to say, good things come to those who wait.”
Blueberry Pie White Lie - a Cozy Mystery: Sunny Shores Mysteries Book 3 Page 8