Signed, Sealed, Fatal, I'm Yours

by Lucy Quinn

  Lester only laughed. “He wouldn’t have been man enough to handle a little firecracker like you,” he assured Rain, who preened at the compliment. “I’d be happy to offer my services, however.”

  Cookie rolled her eyes and interrupted before the conversation could get even more nauseating. “Was there anybody else who might’ve been mad at Fleet?”

  Lester’s brow furrowed in concentration as he turned his attention to Cookie, causing Rain to extend her lower lip into a pout. Then he said, “Well, there’s Stone, maybe.”

  “Stone Harris?” Cookie frowned at the familiar name. “What did he and Fleet have to do with each other?” She already had a good idea, however, and Lester confirmed it.

  “Oh, Stone used to sell him pot,” he answered readily. “You know, for medicinal purposes, to deal with his melanoma.” He gave the women an exaggerated wink. “They’d meet up out at the boathouse. But Fleet stopped smoking up maybe a year ago.” He shrugged. “Doubt Stone was too happy about the loss of revenue.”

  As far as Cookie knew, Stone had stopped dealing shortly after she and Rain had moved to the island. If that was the case, it was unlikely Stone had anything to do with Fleet’s untimely death, but Cookie figured it would be a good idea to speak with him anyway.

  She rose to her feet and waved at Rain to do the same. “Thanks so much for your time,” she told Lester, her long strides putting her back by the front door in only a few steps. “I really appreciate it. And I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  Rain followed, and after Lester rushed ahead of them to get the door—proving that he had good manners just like his dead friend—all three of them stepped outside. A cool breeze had picked up since they’d been inside, and Cookie shivered as she turned back to say good-bye. She found her mother captivated by the objects strung up on the railing.

  “I just love these buoys,” she cooed to Lester, laying a hand on the old man’s arm. “They’re so colorful, and they say so much about this island and the people who live here. I’d love to have one up at the Inn, so I could tell guests all about this place and what makes it so amazing.” Not that they had any guests at the moment except Scarlett, who was a special case. But clearly that wasn’t going to stop Rain from buttering the man up in order to get what she wanted.

  Much to Cookie’s surprise, Lester smiled down at her. “Which one’s your favorite?” he asked, patting her hand.

  “Oh, that one, I think,” Rain answered, pointing to the one they’d seen Lester adjusting as they’d arrived. It was a bright yellowish-orange with thick black bands around it, just like a bumblebee. An odd, bullet-shaped bumblebee, Cookie thought but didn’t say.

  Nodding, Lester reached out and unhooked the buoy from its place on the netting. “It’s yours,” he told the thrilled Rain, passing the long, conical-shaped foam marker to her by its handle. “Enjoy it.” He grinned down at her, all the shock of losing his friend gone for the time being. “I find these washed up on the beach after a big storm. Maybe you’d like to join me to scout for them some time?”

  “Oh, I would,” she promised, clutching the buoy to her chest and beaming even more as the movement drew the old man’s gaze to her bosom. Leaning in, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you!”

  Lester was still standing there, chuckling and rubbing that same cheek, as Cookie led her mom away.

  “What was that all about?” Cookie demanded in a low voice once they were out of his earshot. “You led that poor man on just so you could get a trinket for the front hall?”

  “It’s not a trinket,” Rain replied with an offended sniff. “It’s a lobster buoy, and it’s the perfect symbol for this island. And I didn’t lead him on at all. He gave it to me and asked if I’d come back and comb the beach for more. You know what? I think I will.” She raised her chin. “Lester’s a very nice man, and he knows how to treat a lady. He’s not the smooth-talker Fleet was, or as handsome, but that’s hardly his fault.”

  Cookie thought about asking what Hale, her mother’s much younger significant other, would think about that but decided she didn’t want to know and clamped her mouth shut as she led them back toward home. Besides, she was busy mentally digesting what Lester had told her. It appeared Fleet had a few minor squabbles with some of the island residents, but that didn’t mean there was anything unnatural about his death. Still, she couldn’t ignore that nagging feeling in her gut. No matter how she rationalized the information, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

  She just have to keep digging until either she found something to prove her instinct right or something to make her gut shut up once and for all.

  4

  Rain shuddered. “Why do we have to go down here again?” she whined, trailing behind Cookie like a small child being dragged to picture day. “It’s cold, it’s dark, and it smells funny!”

  “That’s just because of all the dead bodies,” Cookie blurted, and sighed when her quip was rewarded with renewed wailing. She’d asked for that one, really.

  But she wanted to find out what, if anything, Jared had learned. And although she could have just called, she tended to get more information from the geeky pathologist when she showed up in person. Jared’s minor crush on Cookie, while somewhat endearing, also meant he was eager to help anytime she needed his expertise. And Cookie wasn’t above using a little flirting to help her cause.

  Though flirting wouldn’t help her any this time, she realized as she pushed open the double doors to the morgue. Because Jared wasn’t the only person in the room who was still upright and breathing.

  First, there was his teenaged assistant Barry, though he hardly counted as a detriment, since one smile from her and the poor kid would blush as red as his hair. It was sort of sweet, really. Besides, Cookie had come armed with a box of donuts, and like most teenage boys, the easiest way to Barry’s heart was actually through his stomach.

  No, the one who would prevent Cookie from flirting information out of Jared was the tiny, nerdy-hot girl twirling a lock of her two-tone hair between her fingers. Cookie grinned, more than pleased to find Jared’s girlfriend and fellow medical examiner in residence.

  “Frankie!” she called out as she crossed the room, tossing the donut box to a surprised and already-blushing, Barry. “You didn’t tell me you were back in town.”

  “Hey, hey, Cookie.” Frankie Sandretti, M.E. extraordinaire, bounded over and wrapped her arms around Cookie—no mean feat, considering Cookie was nearly twice her size. “Yeah, sorry, just got in and came straight here to see my man.” Now it was Jared who was turning bright red as Frankie shot him a look that could have lit most buildings on fire.

  “Hello, Cookie,” Jared managed, striving to sound dignified but coming off as adorably flustered. He polished his glasses on the lapel of his lab coat before pushing them back up his nose. “I assume you’re here about Mr. Defoe?” Then he glanced past Cookie and spied Rain, still mostly hidden behind her daughter, and blushed even further. “Oh, hello, Ms. Forest. How lovely to see you again.”

  “And you, Doctor Delgado,” Rain simpered, batting her eyelashes at the tall, thin science geek who, despite his Hispanic heritage, looked as if he rarely saw the sun. She’d practically devoured the poor boy whole the first time they’d met, and it looked like even Frankie’s presence wasn’t going to stop her from trying again.

  But Frankie wasn’t cowed by the competition. Moving forward, she stuck out her hand to Rain. “Hey, Ms. F.,” she said. “I’m Frankie. We met at that awesome holiday revue you put together. I was the one cheering Jared on.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” And just like that, Frankie went from a potential rival to a new gal pal, and Cookie relaxed a little as her mom smiled. “Nice to see you again, dear.” Rain accepted Frankie’s hand then swept the pixie-sized M.E. into a quick hug. “It was awesome, wasn’t it? And Jared did beautifully once he got over his shyness.”

  Rain and Winter had put on a holiday revue right before
Christmas, after talking a dozen local men into getting up on stage to sing, dance, and strip. Dylan had wound up filling in at the last minute, much to Cookie’s secret delight.

  “I know, right?” Frankie agreed. “I told him he was a hottie and had nothing to worry about.” She beamed at him over her shoulder, and Jared’s flushed face and mortified expression made him look as if he was ready to choke.

  “So, yeah, about Fleet,” Cookie said, taking pity on him.

  The local medical examiner threw her a grateful look, and paper rustled when he opened the top file folder in the stack on his desk. “Yes, well, at first I thought it would be a simple death by natural causes. But that turns out not to have been the case…” He paused for dramatic effect before continuing, “He was murdered.”

  Rain gasped, and somewhere behind them Barry choked on a donut, but Cookie was unfazed. “You’re sure?” she asked.

  “No doubt about it,” Jared confirmed. “More specifically, it’s highly likely he was poisoned.”

  “Jared’s right,” Frankie agreed. “He had me double-check the tox screens. Your guy had something powerful in his blood, and whatever it was basically shut his whole system down.” She shook her head. “Potent stuff.”

  Cookie frowned. “So you can’t identify it?”

  “Hey, I didn’t say we couldn’t,” Frankie said with a self-confident smile. “We just haven’t yet. Give us time.”

  “Hopefully not too much time,” Cookie said. But she wasn’t too worried. Frankie had initially come to Hancock from Boston to help out on a case Hunter had felt Jared was too close to—his own brother’s murder— and she and Jared had quickly hit it off, both professionally and romantically. They made a great team. Cookie knew she could count on them to ferret out every bit of useful information about the case. “Thanks, guys.” She turned to go, and when Rain didn’t follow, she reached back and grabbed her mother’s arm to drag her along.

  “Nice seeing you again, Jared,” Rain called as she was led away. “And you, Frankie. You should come up to the inn some time. We’ll trade stories.” Her wicked little laugh had Jared choking and red-faced again.

  Frankie let out a musical little giggle, and said, “I’d like that. See ya!”

  Then the doors swung shut with a solid clunk behind Cookie and Rain, cutting them off from the morgue once more.

  “They’re adorable together, aren’t they?” Rain declared happily as she led the way to the stairs. “I’m so glad. He’s a good catch.” She had tried pushing Cookie toward Jared before, back when she’d thought nothing would come of her and Dylan. But then who hadn’t Rain tried to push Cookie into dating? While her mother would never imply Cookie needed a man to take care of her, Rain’s philosophy was everyone was better off when they were… well, satisfied in the bedroom. Cookie wasn’t quite as free-loving as her hippy mother.

  But Rain did seem genuinely happy for Jared and Frankie. As flakey, self-absorbed, and tactless as her mother could be, Rain could actually be very sweet and very protective of her friends and family. It was a side note too many people never saw beneath Rain’s usual outrageous behavior, and probably Cookie’s favorite aspect of her mother.

  “So,” Rain said as she grinned at Cookie, that mischievous glint already shining in her eyes again. “I remember someone said something about Fleet having a fight with Peaches? We need to look into that next, right?” She rubbed her hands together gleefully before adding, “Ready to get waxed?”

  5

  “Rain!” Peaches exclaimed when Cookie and her mother entered the salon. “Hi.” The bubbly, fair-haired aesthetician came bounding over and scooped Cookie’s mom up in a big hug, hauling her right off her feet for a split second. “And Cookie!” she continued as soon as she’d set Rain down. “Hi to you, too.” Peaches subjected Cookie to the exact same hug, although at least she couldn’t pick Cookie up, since the blonde was the shorter of the two by a few inches.

  “Hey, Peaches,” Cookie answered once she’d been released and could breathe again. She liked the girl, for the most part. Peaches seemed as sweet as she acted, without a mean bone in her body, so long as she wasn’t jealous like when she’d been dating a two-timer aptly named Dickie Dungworth. While she and Cookie really didn’t have anything in common, Peaches was pleasant enough. “How are you?”

  “Good, thanks.” The aesthetician glanced from Cookie to Rain. “Are you planning another revue?” she asked with a huge grin. “Because you know I’m happy to lend a hand. I have plenty of waxing strips in stock.” Peaches had been in charge of manscaping the men for their performances onstage, and while she’d waxed plenty of chests for the occasion, the real focus had been below the waistline. Rain, bless her, had been more than happy to give Peaches a hand.

  “No, nothing like that,” Cookie answered before her mother got any new bright ideas. “We just came by to ask you about something.” She glanced around, but except for the three of them the Clip, Dip, & Rip seemed to be empty. “Where’s Mindy?” she asked. “Still away on vacation?” She figured that was wishful thinking, but either way she was happy not to see the caustic brunette who usually manned the hair styling station in front. Mindy had a way of getting under Cookie’s skin every time they interacted.

  Peaches laughed. “Oh, no, she got back from her trip ages ago,” the blonde confirmed. “I think she and Rand went to get lunch.” She made quote marks around the words “get lunch,” and not only winked but waggled her eyebrows, confirming the horrifying mental image that had already popped into Cookie’s head. Mindy and Rand were about her least favorite couple on the island, and being forced to imagine them getting in a quick nooner—well, that was just cruel and unusual punishment.

  “What about Trina?” Cookie asked quickly, putting the couple out of her mind. The tiny woman worked the salon’s nail department was hard to miss with all her piercings, tattoos, and wild colored hair.

  “Not feeling well, so she called in sick,” Peaches explained. “Poor thing.” She sounded genuinely concerned, and Cookie was impressed the two seemed to be friends again since she and Trina had once been rivals for Dickie’s affections. Of course, he’d later turned up dead, which might have helped her get over it.

  “Speaking of the shop’s staff, do you know what might’ve happened to Brooklyn?” Peaches asked, stepping a little closer and lowering her voice. Her pretty brow furrowed. “I haven’t seen her since Christmas, or heard from her, or anything. That’s not like her. I’m getting really worried.”

  Brooklyn used to live on the island and had worked at both the Clip, Dip, and Rip and the local art gallery, where she and her mentor, Petra, had gotten caught up in a forgery ring. But that all changed when Brooklyn turned federal witness on the art thieves after they’d kidnapped her and murdered Petra.

  “She’s fine,” Cookie assured her quickly. “I saw her right as she was leaving. She said something about winning a big art scholarship somewhere overseas and that it started right away so she couldn’t even stop to say good-bye to everyone. I meant to tell you, sorry.”

  “Oh, that’s okay,” Peaches said, leaning back against the front counter, her expression visibly relieved. “I’m just glad she’s okay. You know how people keep going missing around here lately. And that never seems to end well.” She perked up with a big smile. “An art scholarship? That’s so great. She must’ve been so excited.”

  “She was,” Cookie lied. She was glad the aesthetician had bought her story. In actuality, she had no idea where Brooklyn had gone. Cookie didn’t have any of the details, and even if she’d been cleared for that information she wouldn’t have wanted it. The fewer people who knew where the girl had gone, the better. She wouldn’t be surprised to find out Hunter didn’t even know.

  “We wanted to ask you about somebody else,” Cookie said, finally getting to the topic at hand. “Fleet Defoe.”

  The pretty blonde’s face twisted into a scowl. “Ooh, that man!” Peaches burst out, banging her fists against her sides
. “He’s so infuriating!”

  “Well, not any—” Rain started.

  Cookie quickly elbowed her mother in the ribs, cutting her off.

  “Ouch,” Rain mumbled, rubbing her side as she shot Cookie an aggrieved glance.

  “We heard you two had some kind of fight,” Cookie said before her mother could let anything else slip about the case. “What happened?”

  “What happened? That man happened.” Peaches scowled as she turned and stomped over to the hair styling chair then flopped down onto it with a whoosh. “So he comes in last week,” she explained, leaning forward and gesturing with her hands as she talked. “Told me he wanted to get all nice and pretty for his lady friend. Now he was a regular, came by once a month for a trim, first with Mindy and then with me. But this time he said he wanted something different. Wanted to go ‘whole hog,’ really wow her.” Peaches shrugged. “I asked him if he wanted the works, which is what a lot of guys get these days. And he said yes.” The scowl returned. “Turned out he wasn’t too thrilled when he saw the results, though.”

  “The works?” Cookie asked, suppressing a grimace. She was fairly certain she didn’t really want to know what the ‘works’ entailed, but obviously she had to ask. Though she could have guessed, judging by the way Rain was practically hopping up and down beside her and grinning like a fool.

  “It’s a complete shave and wax,” she answered brightly. “Clean and smooth as a baby’s bottom. Lots of girls go nuts for that, you know.”

  Cookie remembered finding a naked—and very dead—Dickie Dungworth with his smooth package all tied up with a red bow, and she shuddered. It certainly seems as if ‘the works’ was pretty popular… at least on Secret Seal Isle.

  “But not Fleet,” Peaches continued. “He said I’d made him look like a freak or a little kid.” She pressed her lips into an irritated thin line. “He claimed I’d taken so much off so I could get a better view. As if! He’s like three times my age.”