by K E O'Connor
“Don’t start grilling her straightaway,” Selina said, walking through from her kitchen with a tray of cocktails. “I want her to feel welcome, not as if she’s the prime suspect in your investigation.”
“I’ll be lovely to her,” I said. “I’ll just ask her some gentle questions about Bert and who she thinks might be involved in his death. I’ve heard they were having a few problems.”
I noticed the three of them exchange a knowing look, but ignored it. I lifted a cocktail glass and inspected the worryingly realistic eyeball in the green liquid. I took a tentative sip. It was divine. “You know how to make a good cocktail, Selina.”
“I got my mixology degree from Cambridge, don’t you know.” Selina winked at me as she handed around the rest of the cocktails.
A tentative knock sounded on the door. Abigail poked her head around the side. “Is this the right place for the book club?” Her pretty blonde curls framed a delicate heart-shaped face and a button nose.
“Yes, we’re the Spooks and Kooks book club. Here to drink cocktails, read scary books, and gossip,” Selina said, waving Abigail into the room.
Abigail smiled and pushed the door open. “That sounds like fun to me. I brought some snacks.” She held aloft a bag of what smelled like cookies.
I instantly warmed to Abigail. “Have a seat next to me. We’ve not met before. I’m Cassie March. I run the tourist office.”
“You must be in charge of this year’s carnival.” Abigail sat and put the bag of cookies on the table. “I can’t wait. It’ll be my first year here when the carnival’s taking place.”
“It’s one of the big highlights of the year.” Up close, Abigail was even more gorgeous, with flawless skin and wide pale blue eyes. She was also at least twenty-five years younger than Bert. “Are you staying in Zee Town for long? We have lots of events planned for the rest of the year.”
“I’d like to,” Abigail said. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here. Now that Bert’s gone, there’s not much reason for me to stay.” Her gaze drifted to the carpet.
I handed her a cocktail. “I’d heard that you and Bert were involved. I’m sorry for your loss. Had you been together long?”
Abigail glanced around the room before taking a sip of her drink. “We’ve known each other for a few years. When Bert told me his marriage was over, it seemed like the right thing to do, move closer. He was such a sweetie. I do like an older man. I didn’t expect this to happen to him, though.” Her eyes filled with tears and she took a big gulp of the cocktail.
“It’s a shock for us all,” I said. “And you’re living up the hill on your own? That can’t be fun.”
“Bert let me stay there until he’d figured out a place for us to live together. I didn’t want to live in the house where he’d spent so many years with that awful Sybil woman. I wanted him to find somewhere new for us. He was looking, but I’m happy in the cottage for now.”
So she should be. Peace Cottage was beautiful, a vast pastel blue building with roses over the door frame and a stunning view of the sea. “Maybe Bert will have left you the cottage. A parting gift? Was your relationship very serious?”
“It had been, but we were fighting recently.” Abigail bit her bottom lip. “It worried me that he was getting bored.” She took another large sip of her cocktail, hesitating for a second as she spotted the eyeball. “And, well, I was maybe getting a little bored, too. He spent so much time at the store, and his ex-wife was always interfering with our relationship. Bert couldn’t say no to her.”
“Sybil and Bert had been together a long time,” I said. “It’s hard to break ties like that.”
Abigail sighed. “I was wondering whether it was time to move on. I didn’t want it to end like this. I miss Bert.” She gave me a small, sad smile and finished her drink. “I’m not sure about the eyeball, but this cocktail is incredible.”
I handed her another and was about to continue my questioning when there was a knock at the door.
I almost knocked over my drink in surprise when Nick and Alex entered. Nick had never been to the book club before.
“Nick! Alex! Welcome to Spooks and Kooks.” Selina guided them into the room and showed them to empty seats. “I’m so pleased you wanted to join us tonight.”
They both smiled and nodded as they sat down.
Nick’s gaze shifted to me and his eyes narrowed as he saw who I was speaking to.
Before I knew it, he’d moved seats, so he sat on the other side of Abigail. “I didn’t know you came here,” he said to me.
I shifted in my seat. “I do. Every month. What about you? What brings you to our book club?”
“I enjoy reading,” Nick said.
“Police manuals, maybe?” I said.
He snorted. “I’ve got a library at home.”
“We’re reading the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Ever heard of that?”
Abigail leaned around me. “Is it romance? I mainly read romances. Selina said you like horror, so I’m not sure this is for me, but she insisted I come along. Does the book have romance in it?”
“It’s darkly romantic,” I said.
“Hello again, Abigail,” Nick said.
“Oh, yes! It’s you.” Abigail’s hands fluttered against her chest. “You’re the police officer who came to visit me. Sorry, I didn’t recognize you out of uniform.”
“Not a problem. I’d appreciate it if you could come by the station tomorrow at noon,” Nick said. “I need to get all the details straight about Bert’s last movements. I’m sure you can help with that.”
Abigail nodded and clutched the cocktail glass to her chest. “Of course. If you’ll excuse me, I must powder my nose.” She hopped up from her seat and hurried away.
I went to move, but felt Nick’s arm rest across the back of the couch and stiffened. He leaned in toward me and whispered in my ear. “If you influence a suspect, I will arrest you.”
I pulled away and glared at him. “I’m simply being friendly.”
“Be friendly to somebody else.” Nick kept his voice low. “And stay away from Abigail until she’s been formally questioned. She only has a soft alibi and is nervous about something.”
“What’s she worried about?”
Nick huffed in my ear. “She’s probably stressed because you’re hassling her.”
“So, you think Abigail’s involved?”
“No, I’m still looking at the zombies.”
I glanced across the room. Alex and Jen were deep in conversation, seemingly oblivious to everything around them, and the others were chatting.
I pulled away from Nick. “This is more than police business; it’s town business. If you accuse a zombie of this crime, you’re effectively closing down Zee Town. You’re trying to ruin years of hard work. People have to see that zombies aren’t bad. We can live peacefully alongside them.”
“So you say,” Nick said sharply. “What if this case proves otherwise? I won’t hesitate to inform the authorities. And I won’t hesitate to bring a zombie to justice. I know that will impact on Zee Town. Despite what you think, I love this place as much as you do. Justice must be served.”
Someone cleared their throat. I looked over to see Laura staring at me with raised eyebrows. A quick glance around the room showed that everyone was watching us. An uncomfortable silence crept across the group.
“Perhaps the two of you can take your discussion elsewhere?” Selina’s expression was stern.
“We weren’t discussing anything important,” I said. “Nick was just being... difficult.”
“All I was being,” Nick growled, “was calm and quiet. You were the one raising your voice.”
“I wasn’t raising my voice,” I said.
“You were both almost shouting,” Laura said.
Nick’s eyes widened as he sat back in his seat. “I didn’t realize.”
“You don’t seem to realize a lot of things about this place,” I said. “We love Zee Town. We love our zombies.
I will do anything to protect them.”
“Even hiding a murderer?” Nick jumped from the couch and glared down at me.
I leaped up and jammed my hands on my hips. “No, but I know Bert wasn’t killed by a zombie. You’re still looking in the wrong place.”
“Enough!” Selina said. “The two of you out, now. This is a book club, not a debating society. If you have an issue, go elsewhere and sort it out. I won’t have our book club disturbed by you two fighting.”
“We’re not fighting,” I said.
“We’re just discussing an issue we don’t agree on,” Nick said.
“Maybe it’s best if you both go,” Laura said quietly.
Selina pointed to the door and stared us down until we moved sheepishly out of the room, down the stairs, and onto the sidewalk outside.
“That was your fault.” I winced as the door slammed shut behind us. “You’ve just got me banned from my book club.”
“You got yourself banned because you can’t keep quiet.”
I spotted Stool sitting by the door. “And you didn’t even bring Stool inside to get a cookie and enjoy himself.” I crouched and stroked his head, getting a lick on my hand for my efforts.
“He decided to stay outside,” Nick said. “I tried to bring him in but he didn’t want to join us. He sat in a patch of sunlight and shut his eyes.”
I continued stroking Stool’s head, trying to calm myself. I’d gotten too angry with Nick, but I was determined he wouldn’t convict the wrong person—or zombie—for this murder.
“Why don’t we continue our discussion over a drink?” Nick asked after a short pause. “You’ve got some valid points about Bert’s death. It would be good to have your input.”
I looked up at him, shock rippling through me. “You’re asking me for help on the case?”
“It would be good to hear your theories, and why you’re so convinced it isn’t a zombie.” Nick looked at the ground and then back at me. “How about it? We can go to the Black Dog and have a cider.”
I stood from my crouched position. “Bad idea. We’d only end up arguing again.”
“I like our arguments sometimes,” Nick said. “I like stubborn women.”
“Stubborn!”
“I meant opinionated. Although, you are a little of both.” He grinned at me.
“It’s not happening.” I shook my head and walked away. I wasn’t stubborn, I was passionate. There was a big difference.
I noticed that Stool had followed me. “Go back to your owner.” I turned and continued walking, but Stool followed belligerently behind me.
With gritted teeth, I kept on walking. Stool wouldn’t get me to turn back and face Nick, no matter how cute that furry face was.
Stool eventually stopped following and limped slowly away.
I shoved down the guilty feeling in my gut as Stool’s tail tucked between his legs. I loved that dog, but I didn’t like Nick, and that was the problem. I was mad at Nick and taking it out on Stool.
I’d make it up to Stool with some special dog treats the next time I saw him.
As I kept walking, my anger cooled. I had to consider Abigail a suspect in Bert’s murder. Nick obviously thought she was involved too, even though he was fixated on the zombies. Maybe I’d been too quick to brush off his suggestion to talk about the investigation.
But we didn’t get along. We weren’t friends, and we weren’t partners.
I would continue this investigation without him.
Chapter 18
With one day to go until the carnival, I was a little frazzled. I’d also slept badly, thinking about my fight with Nick and getting thrown out of the book club. Add that to the bundle of nerves I felt about the carnival, and I was ready to go back to bed before the day had even started.
That was the last thing I could do. Our carnival was almost here, and the whole town buzzed with excitement.
I yawned as I picked up tea and doughnuts from the Boat Shed diner, not yet ready to forgive Laura for her part in excluding me from Spooks and Kooks because of my argument with Nick. We’d been arguing for a very good reason.
It was still early, but the streets were already busy as visitors poured in for the event. After the carnival, we held a dinner on the harbor side. It was a bit of a risk because we could never guarantee the weather, but fluffy white clouds and a bright blue sky promised good conditions. That was great news because the dinner was fully booked. Three hundred people were coming, dressed in their finest outfits, ready to sample some delights of Zee Town.
I’d only been in the office for ten minutes, when I spotted Colin Figgins pass by the window.
I hurried out to talk to him. “Good morning, Colin. I hope I didn’t inconvenience you at the warehouse the other night.”
“What do you mean?” He paused and looked at me.
“I couldn’t find you when I left.”
“Oh! No, it was fine.” Colin shifted from foot to foot. “I got what I needed done and left.”
“Are you excited about the upcoming celebrations?”
He gave a shrug. “Sure. I can’t stop. I’m meeting someone.”
I noticed how smartly dressed he was, wearing a pressed shirt and black pants. “You look nice today. Are you meeting someone special?”
His eyes widened. “I’m not. I’m not seeing anybody.”
“Well, you look very smart. Wherever you’re going, have a nice time.”
Colin raised his hand before scurrying away, his eyes down as he dashed through the crowd. Why would Colin keep it a secret if he was meeting someone for a date? Surely he couldn’t be ashamed of her.
I watched him disappear along the road and recalled Laura’s comments about Colin’s gaming interest. Perhaps he was going to some secret gaming event and wasn’t allowed to talk about it. Re-enactment was a serious business.
Colin seemed harmless, but I should keep an eye on him. He was Bert’s brother. He might be hoping to get something from his estate now he was dead.
I shook my head. I had too much to think about without adding another suspect to the list. Still, the thought lingered. Could they have fought? Perhaps Colin had a temper? It was possible, but it didn’t explain the bite marks on Bert’s body.
I turned back to the office and went inside. I had to focus on the carnival. With only twenty-four hours to go, Bert’s murder would have to wait. I’d have to leave it in Nick’s hands for now. That idea concerned me. All he was interested in was finding a zombie suspect.
I settled back at my desk and got to work.
***
Jen arrived in the afternoon, carrying large boxes of eyeball candy. It was a bit of a cliché, body parts and zombies, but the tourists loved it.
“Who knew eyeballs weighed so much.” Jen snapped her fingers to her forehead in a salute. “Reporting for duty as Official Candy Eyeball Assistant.”
“Thanks, Jen,” I said with a grin. “I’ll get the plastic buckets from the back room. We need them filled so they’re ready to hand out to tourists during the parade.”
Zara shuffled over and sat down. “Ready for the eyeballs.”
“I’ve sampled one,” Jen said. “They’re better than last year’s candy. These have a gooey center.”
I collected the brain-shaped candy buckets from the store room and we unpacked the eyeballs. “How was the rest of book club?” I shot a sideways glance at Jen.
Jen grinned. “Selina wasn’t happy that you messed up the evening. No one could concentrate on the book after you and Nick got caught arguing.”
“We didn’t mean to.” I stuffed eyeballs into a brain. “He annoys me.”
“I think he annoys you a bit too much,” Jen said.
“What do you mean?” I sampled one of the eyeballs. Jen was right, the candy was sweet and gooey with just the right amount of chew.
“You set each other off. There’s this tension between you. It’s as if you’re both repressing something. I wonder what?”
“
The only thing I repress around Nick is my desire to hit him.”
“You’re protesting too much,” Jen said. “You have to admit, he’s a decent looking guy.”
“He is,” Zara mumbled as she filled the brains.
“You like Nick? I thought you weren’t a fan?” I stared at Zara.
“Grumpy but attractive,” Zara said.
I shook my head. “That doesn’t mean I’m into him.”
“Why don’t you ignore him, then? If he gets under your skin, stay away from him,” Jen said.
“I can’t ignore him if he’s not doing his job properly.”
“Nick is good at his job.” Jen opened the next bag of candy eyeballs. “Deep down, you know that. I understand why you want to make sure Bert’s killer is brought to justice, but Nick will do that. He closes all his cases. You have to have faith in him.”
I frowned and popped another eyeball into my mouth. “I wish he’d focus on the living suspects: Abigail, Sybil, Johnny, or maybe even Colin.”
“You think Colin Figgins is involved?”
“This morning, he scuttled past the office looking shifty and wouldn’t tell me where he was going.”
“He doesn’t have to tell you anything,” Jen said with a smile. “You don’t have to know everybody’s secrets.”
“It was strange, though,” I said. “He was dressed smartly as if he were going on a date, but wouldn’t tell me who he was seeing. He went so far as to say that he wasn’t seeing anybody. Something’s definitely up with Colin.”
“Is he going to be your new obsession?” Jen asked. “Maybe you can leave Nick alone and chase after Colin instead.”
I threw an eyeball at her. “I don’t chase after Nick, and I’m not chasing after Colin.”
“If you really want to find out who did it, I’d look at the women in Bert’s life,” Jen said. “What did you think of Abigail? Has she moved to the top of your suspect list after your chat with her?”
“I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to her, what with Nick interfering,” I said. “But she seemed sweet, not angry or money grubbing as Johnny said she was. Abigail did seem bored with the relationship. If Bert hadn’t been killed, I imagine they wouldn’t still be together.”