by Leena Clover
“I was taken in for questioning,” Star said as they walked down Main Street toward the Boardwalk Café.
Jenny couldn’t hide her apprehension as they climbed up the steps of the café. She pulled out a chair on the back deck and made her aunt sit.
“Let me get you some coffee.”
She barged in and spotted the group of her aunt’s friends at a table. They all looked worried. She waved at them and signaled them to come out back.
Star took a sip of the coffee Jenny brought her. Betty Sue, Heather and Petunia sat at the edge of their chairs, waiting for Star to start talking.
“What’s going on, Star?” Betty Sue burst out finally. “Why did that Hopkins boy take you to the station?”
“It’s about that stranger they found on the beach,” Star began. “They found one of my brushes in his pocket.”
“Brushes?” Petunia repeated.
“Paintbrush,” Star elaborated. “They think I knew the guy.”
“Did you?” Jenny asked.
“Of course I didn’t,” Star said mildly.
“Did you get a good look at him yesterday?” Betty Sue asked.
“Adam showed me a photo,” Star said. “I’ve never set eyes upon that man in my life.”
“Then how did he have your paintbrush?” Betty Sue asked.
“That’s what Adam wants to know,” Star explained. “He thinks I’m lying.”
There was a pause as four pairs of eyes stared back at her.
“I’m not!” Star said a bit loudly.
She turned to Jenny.
“I need your help, Jenny. I’m the only suspect the police have so far and I swear I’m innocent.”
“I believe you, Auntie,” Jenny said, putting a hand on her aunt’s shoulder. “But what can I do?”
“You need to find out who did this,” Star said primly. “Just like you did last time.”
“I just got lucky. I’m not an investigator or anything.”
“We’ll help you,” Betty Sue heaved.
She looked at Petunia and tipped her head.
“Won’t we?”
“Of course we will,” Petunia bobbed her head. “We look after our own here in Pelican Cove.”
Jenny stifled a groan. She didn’t know who was more inept at solving a murder, she or her aunt’s geriatric friends. Not that she had much of a choice. If her aunt was in trouble, she would have to do something to prove her innocence.
Chapter 4
“Don’t you have to get back to the inn?” Jenny asked Heather.
“Breakfast was cleared hours ago,” Betty Sue dismissed.
She was knitting furiously, cooing to her poodle at the same time.
“We don’t have many guests at this time.”
Jenny’s eyes widened as she thought of the Bayview Inn. It was one of the first places people came upon when they entered the town of Pelican Cove. Most visitors got a room there.
“Was he one of your guests?” she burst out.
“You think we haven’t thought of that?” Heather rolled her eyes. “All our guests are accounted for. Most of them are regulars who take advantage of the offseason discounts. We know them all very well.”
“That would have been easy,” Betty Sue nodded. “We could have just handed over their information to the sheriff. I never take in a guest without noting down their particulars.”
Star was looking peaked. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers.
“Are we making too much of this? Maybe Adam was just doing his job.”
“But you are implicated in some way, right?” Jenny asked. “Do we need to get you a lawyer?”
“This is not the big city, Jenny dear. We don’t take things that seriously here.”
“I think you should,” Petunia sniffed. “A man lost his life, Star. That is serious enough.”
The three older ladies went back and forth over what needed to be done. Heather cuddled Tootsie, listening to them but saying nothing.
“Are they always like this?” Jenny asked Heather.
Star stood up suddenly and held up a hand.
“Jenny will look into this when she gets a chance. That’s good enough for me.”
“But I’m working here, Star,” Jenny argued. “I don’t have time to play detective.”
“You’re in the perfect spot for this kind of work,” Star said. “Just keep your eyes and ears open. Maybe ask a question or two. You’re bound to hear something.”
“What about that paintbrush?” Jenny asked. “Did you lose one?”
Star shrugged.
“I have dozens of brushes. I am leaving them around all the time.”
“Did you tell that to the Sheriff?” Petunia asked.
“He can find out for himself,” Star said with a shrug.
“That brush is the only thing that links you to the crime,” Jenny exclaimed in frustration. “Isn’t it?”
Her eyes filled with speculation.
“Is that all they have on you?”
“Adam didn’t say much,” Star conceded.
“That’s it. I’m going to go talk to him.”
Petunia held her hand out for Jenny’s apron. Her eyes had a gleam in them.
“That’s right, dear. You go talk to that Adam. Give him a piece of your mind.”
Betty Sue suppressed a giggle and Jenny looked hurt.
“Is something funny here?”
“They can’t help it,” Heather said. “They’ll be talking about china patterns the minute you get out of here.”
“What do you mean?” Jenny asked, perplexed.
“Never mind that,” Star rushed. “You go talk to the sheriff.”
“And take your time, dear,” Petunia said. “No need to rush back. I’ll handle things here.”
Heather stood up, tightening her hold around Tootsie.
“I better go too. I’ll walk out with you.”
The two girls walked down the steps of the café and paused on the street.
“What are those old biddies sniggering about?” Jenny asked.
“Matchmaking. They think Adam has a thing for you.”
Jenny’s face blanched.
“Seriously? Adam Hopkins hasn’t spared a kind word for me since I got here.”
“But you like him, don’t you?” Heather asked cagily. “I’ve seen how you look at him. Your eyes follow him around the room.”
“You need to get your eyes checked,” Jenny snorted. “I thought Molly was the one with the glasses.”
Heather shrugged and waved goodbye but she had a faint smile on her lips. Jenny walked down the street to the police station. The clerk at the front desk called out a greeting.
“Hey Jenny! When are you bringing some of your cheesecake for us? The whole town’s raving about it.”
“I’ll bring some by next time, Nora,” Jenny promised. “Is the sheriff around?”
“He’s in his office,” the clerk said. “Let me check if he’s free.”
“I think he’s expecting me,” Jenny said, heading toward the door.
She knocked once and pushed the door open. Adam Hopkins sat with one foot on a chair. The top button of his uniform was undone and he was in the process of pulling up a pant leg. Jenny’s arrival startled him.
“What’s this? Nora!” he roared. “Get this woman out of here.”
“We need to talk!” Jenny exclaimed, her hands on her hips.
“Get the hell outta here. I’m busy.”
“Busy slacking off?” Jenny rolled her eyes. “Must be nice…putting your feet up in the middle of the day. Now that you’ve done your job and arrested an innocent.”
Nora from the front desk rushed in and looked at Adam with concern.
“Can I get you something, Sheriff?”
“Get this woman out of here.”
“I’m not moving until you talk to me. I demand an explanation.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Adam spit out.
“Aren’t you s
upposed to serve the people of this town?”
“You are not one of them,” Adam pounced. “You are just a visitor.”
“That’s what you think! I’m here to stay.”
“Stay. Leave. Do what you want. Just get out of here now. I’m on my lunch hour.”
Jenny scanned Adam’s desk. It was Spartan and devoid any evidence of food.
“Where is your lunch?”
“I’ve sent someone out to get me a sandwich,” Adam said wearily.
“One of your minions?” Jenny asked.
“You won’t let up, will you?” Adam sighed.
“Not unless you talk to me and tell me what’s going on.”
Adam muttered under his breath and unscrewed a bottle of pills. Jenny narrowed her eyes and tried to read the label but she was too far away. Adam popped two pills in his mouth and chased them down with a sip of water.
“How can I help you, Miss King?”
“You can start by telling me why you arrested my aunt.”
“She wasn’t arrested,” Adam sighed. “We just brought her in for questioning.”
“But why? You could have talked to her at her home, or at her gallery. Why did you have to bring her in like a common criminal?”
A muscle worked in Adam’s jaw.
“I don’t have to explain myself to you, but I’ll answer this one time. We needed to show her some stuff. She needed to be here for that.”
“You mean you wanted to show her the man’s photo?”
Adam stared in the distance but didn’t say a word.
“Who is the dead man?”
“This is an ongoing investigation. Any information we find out is strictly off limits.”
“So you don’t know who he is.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny that.”
“What’s with the mumbo jumbo?” Jenny demanded. “You have no idea who that dead man is or how he got here. Why not admit it?”
“Why don’t you go back to your café and bake a cake or something?” Adam asked.
“You think that’s all I’m good for?”
“Just get off my back, Jenny!” Adam boomed.
“Do I need to hire a lawyer for Star?”
“Does she need one?” he raised an eyebrow.
“I think she does, especially if you are going to drag her out here for the silliest reasons.”
“Your aunt came willingly.”
“Did she have a choice?” Jenny cried.
“Yes, she did,” Adam nodded. “We asked for her assistance with an ongoing case and she agreed to come here and help us.”
“So she’s not a suspect in your case, then?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“I suppose that’s a yes,” Jenny mumbled to herself.
She looked up at Adam and considered her next question. Adam beat her to it.
“Why don’t you let us do our job? Stop meddling in police work.”
“I’m just looking out for my aunt,” Jenny bristled. “Or trying to.”
“Your aunt has nothing to worry about if she is innocent.”
“Star said you found one of her brushes.”
Adam shrugged and stayed quiet.
“How do you know it’s hers? She’s not the only one in Pelican Cove who likes to paint, you know. I’ve seen plenty of people around with sketchbooks, trying to paint the ocean or the marshes.”
“This one belonged to her,” Adam stressed. “She confirmed it.”
“She could have been mistaken,” Jenny argued.
“You should talk to your aunt about it,” Adam sighed.
Nora knocked on the door and handed over a paper bag.
“Your lunch, Sheriff!”
“You ordered lunch from the café?” Jenny asked. “What did you get?”
“I’ve had lunch at the Boardwalk Café every day for years,” Adam grunted. “Long before you got here.”
He unwrapped his sandwich and bit into it. Something juicy burst into his mouth and he looked up in surprise.
“This is not Petunia’s chicken salad!”
“I tweaked the recipe,” Jenny said shyly. “Do you like it?”
“It’s tart and sweet at the same time. What is it?”
“Strawberries,” Jenny supplied. “Fresh from the local farms.”
“You have a gift,” Adam conceded as he chewed on his chicken salad sandwich. “Folks at the party were raving over your cake.”
“I hope the Newburys were happy with our catering,” Jenny mused. “We haven’t had a chance to ask them yet.”
“Ada Newbury is almost impossible to please,” Adam snorted. “I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”
“Petunia said as much,” Jenny nodded. “We are hoping other people in town will notice.”
Adam held up the sandwich he was eating.
“You have my vote, Jenny King.”
Jenny’s smile transformed her face.
“So can I tell Star she has nothing to worry about?”
“As long as she’s innocent…” Adam popped the last piece of his sandwich in his mouth and wiped his face with a paper napkin. He wadded it up and threw it at a trash can in the corner.
“How long have you known Star?” Jenny asked. “You believe she could do something like this?”
“Star’s a bit whimsical,” Adam mused, “but I doubt she’s the criminal type.”
He held up a hand as Jenny relaxed in her chair.
“My personal opinion doesn’t count. I have a job to do, and I have to follow procedure.”
Jenny stood up, tired of going back and forth with the sheriff. She had learnt nothing new about the dead man. It seemed like Adam Hopkins wasn’t going to be forthcoming.
“I have to go.”
Adam didn’t make any effort to get up.
“Remember what I said. Don’t interfere in police business. Let us do our jobs. You concentrate on rustling up some new sandwiches for the café.”
Jenny’s face began to turn red. Adam picked up a file and began rifling through the pages. Jenny stomped her foot and turned around. She sailed out of the police station without saying goodbye to Nora.
“What did he say?” Petunia asked as soon as she entered the café.
“Adam Hopkins is the most odious man I have ever met!” Jenny fumed.
“Worse than William?” Star asked, referring to Jenny’s estranged husband.
“They are all alike. Men!”
“Why don’t you set yourself down?” Petunia wheedled, pulling up a chair.
She stole a glance at Star and the two old ladies held back a giggle.
“He says I should stay in the kitchen and work on my recipes.”
“That rascal!” Star exclaimed. “How dare he criticize your cooking.”
“Actually, he liked my new chicken salad sandwich…”
“Maybe you should take one for him next time,” Star said. “Or how about a nice warm muffin?”
“I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” Jenny said in a huff.
She pulled on her apron and began whipping butter for frosting.
Chapter 5
Jenny walked on the beach the next morning, mulling over the last few days. She reverted to brooding whenever she was alone nowadays. She raised the volume on her phone, hoping the music would drown out her thoughts.
A salty breeze blew around her, bringing some spray along with it. The waves crashed on the shore, and the golden rays of the rising sun blended with the aquamarine of the water. Jenny told herself she was blessed to be living in this paradise.
Jenny paused to catch her breath and stared out at the ocean. She planted her feet firmly in the sand and started doing stretches. They were supposed to calm her. Jenny found her feet slipping in the sand and snorted with sarcasm. Life was a slippery slope, just like the wet sand.
Jenny had spent the last two decades taking care of the two men in her life. She had been the perfect Mom, chairing PTA groups and baking cupc
akes. She had been the chic wife for William, entertaining his colleagues and clients, keeping everyone happy. She had sent Nick off to college with a smile and sighed with relief, dreaming of the Caribbean vacation William had promised her.
William had come through alright. He had promised she wouldn’t get a penny if she made a fuss. Jenny knew a lot of lawyers but they were all William’s friends. One of the wives had reached out to her and given her a contact number. Jenny’s loving home had suddenly started closing in around her. She had packed a bag and moved to a hotel. Star’s offer had been a godsend.
Jenny realized she owed a lot to her aunt. She would do anything to protect her from this latest crisis.
Jenny picked up a stick embedded in the sand and flung it wide. She was acting out of habit. It was a moment before she realized her beloved Cookie wasn’t with her. That had been the last straw. Fortunately for Jenny, Nick had already turned eighteen so William couldn’t control whether he met his mother. But he had retained custody of their dog, an aging terrier who was blind in one eye. William considered him part of the estate. Jenny crossed her fingers and hoped her lawyer would have some good news for her.
Star was sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee.
“You seem cool,” Jenny commented as she pulled up a chair and poured herself a cup.
“It’s a beautiful morning,” Star said gaily. “I’m going to paint the marshes today.”
Star painted the ocean, the bay and the salt marshes around her in every season and at every hour of the day. These seascapes were quite popular with the tourists that thronged the area in the summer. Star had a small art gallery where she sold these pictures. Spring was a busy season for her. It was the time when she built a steady catalog for the summer rush.
“Are you setting up your easel somewhere?” Jenny asked curiously.
Star was a versatile artist. When the weather permitted, she set up her easel outdoors. Otherwise, she painted from photos she took with her cell phone. She was always clicking pictures of the things around her.
“High of 60s today,” Star nodded. “What are you up to, Jenny?”
“Just the usual day at the café,” Jenny shrugged. “I might try out a new frosting.”
“The Boardwalk Café is a landmark,” Star commented. “But your efforts are also being noticed. Keep at it, girl.”