Strawberries and Strangers_A Cozy Murder Mystery

by Leena Clover

“Star and I will both be on hand,” Petunia nodded. “You’ll have some time to enjoy yourself with your beau, don’t worry.”

  “I have a beau?” Jenny asked, raising her eyebrows. “How do I not know that?”

  Petunia just laughed and shook her head. Jenny forgot all about it as the first customer of the day came in.

  “Good morning, Captain Charlie,” Jenny said brightly. “Your usual?”

  “Hello ladies,” Captain Charlie smiled. “Good day to you too.”

  He thanked Jenny for his coffee.

  “You need to get out on the water, young lady. Take a kayak out one day.”

  Jenny shuddered and smiled. She was terrified of being on a boat. She knew she would have to reveal her secret sometime soon. Heather had already asked her to go kayaking with her a couple of times. Molly kept talking about taking a boat out and going bird watching in the season.

  “When do I have time for that?” she joked. “Petunia keeps me chained to this kitchen.”

  They chatted easily for a while and Captain Charlie waved goodbye.

  Jenny baked two batches of muffins and poured coffee for what seemed like hours until Betty Sue and Heather arrived for their mid-morning break.

  “Take that apron off, Jenny, and sit down,” Petunia ordered.

  “Just as soon as I fill this order,” Jenny promised.

  She went outside a few minutes later and sat down next to Heather.

  “Lady out there is having an early lunch,” she panted. “She ordered the special.”

  Betty Sue didn’t hide her curiosity as she looked around for this woman.

  “Looks like a tourist alright,” she remarked.

  “She’s been here before,” Jenny told them after taking a sip of her coffee.

  She had skipped breakfast due to the morning rush. She gratefully bit into a muffin and spoke between bites.

  “Finish eating first, girl,” Betty Sue ordered. “You are spraying crumbs all over the place.”

  Jenny swallowed a giant bite and took another sip of coffee.

  “She’s come to the café before,” Jenny said again. “She noticed our menu has changed.”

  “Is she visiting someone in town?” Heather asked curiously.

  “Maybe she’s shopping for something,” Petunia suggested.

  The town of Pelican Cove had a small antique store that was well known in the region. People came there from far away, looking for some particular piece of jewelry or furniture.

  “I gather it’s the opposite,” Jenny said in a hushed voice, leaning toward the women.

  She felt like a voyeur although she hadn’t been eavesdropping on purpose.

  “I heard her talking on the phone. She is here to sell some family heirloom.”

  “There are only two possible places she is visiting then,” Betty Sue declared. “The antique store or Ada Newbury.”

  “You think she knows the Newburys?” Jenny asked immediately.

  She picked up her cup of coffee and gave the woman a speculative look. The woman was wearing a designer suit that cost four figures. Jenny recognized it from the catalog of a top departmental store. Even her makeup was expensive. The strand of pearls around her throat looked real.

  “She could be going to the Country Club,” Heather observed. “She is certainly dressed for it.”

  “Why would she eat here then?” Petunia asked.

  “Maybe she’s just killing time, waiting for an appointment or something,” Jenny mused.

  “You people have got to get a life,” Molly complained. “Who cares who that woman is?”

  “I do,” Jenny said, standing up. “I am going to go ask her.”

  She started walking toward the woman before anyone had a chance to react.

  “Can I get you anything else?” she asked the woman.

  “No, thank you,” the woman said.

  She didn’t sound too forthcoming but Jenny forged ahead.

  “Are you new in town? I’ve never seen you here before.”

  “It’s been a while since I came to Pelican Cove,” the woman admitted.

  “Most people I meet have been here forever,” Jenny said, purposely trying to sound over friendly. “It’s great to see someone who’s not from the shore.”

  “You moved here recently?” the woman asked politely.

  Jenny nodded.

  “Have you been to the antique store?” the woman asked. “They have quite a collection. Of course, young people these days aren’t really interested in heirlooms.”

  “Are you a collector?” Jenny asked, feigning interest.

  “Sort of,” the woman said reluctantly. “I am here to sell something. It’s been in my family for three generations.”

  “So you just take it to the store and offer it to them?” Jenny asked.

  She was genuinely curious about this answer.

  The woman seemed happy with the question. She gave Jenny a patronizing smile.

  “Collectors are a tight bunch. We just put the word out when we want to sell a piece. Sometimes we hire an agent.”

  “Why would you pay someone a fat commission when you can directly talk to another collector?” Jenny asked.

  “You’re smart,” the woman said approvingly. “But I have a limited circle of acquaintance. Agents have ties in other states, sometimes in other countries too.”

  “Wow!” Jenny exclaimed.

  She was looking for a way to pull out of the conversation. The woman exclaimed suddenly and sat up with a jerk. She pointed toward the bulletin board that hung on the café wall.

  “Why is that picture hanging there?” she asked in a shaky voice.

  Jenny felt her heart speed up. She walked up to the board and put her finger on Star’s drawing of John Smith.

  “You mean this picture?” she asked, crossing her fingers behind her back.

  “Think of the devil…” the woman muttered. “I just talked about agents, right? This man is one of the sleaziest I have ever come across.”

  Jenny chose her words carefully.

  “This man was in town recently. We are not sure why.”

  “He is exactly the kind of man the Newburys associate with. Ada Newbury must be up to something.”

  “You know Ada Newbury?” Jenny asked.

  The woman had finally told her what she wanted to hear.

  “She is the private collector I was talking about earlier,” the woman said. “Looks like she’s in the process of trading something too.”

  “You are sure Ada Newbury knows this man here?” Jenny asked again.

  “Most antique collectors do,” the woman nodded. “He’s on the move all the time. I bet he didn’t stay here long.”

  “He sure didn’t,” Jenny said cryptically.

  The woman stood up and said goodbye to Jenny.

  “Did you get that?” Jenny asked, rushing back to the table where her friends sat.

  “Poor Grandpa Robert,” Heather sighed.

  “Julius tends to bend the rules, but he has never lied to me before,” Betty Sue said.

  “You didn’t ask him about the man, Grandma,” Heather reminded her.

  “He definitely lied to the police,” Petunia said. “I think the Newburys have gone too far this time. We tolerate Ada’s high handed ways but murder? That’s going a bit too far.”

  “Don’t be silly, Petunia,” Betty Sue snapped.

  A sheen of perspiration had appeared on her upper lip.

  “I am sure there is a simple explanation.”

  “Like what?” Heather cried. “Does this mean Grandpa Robert is in trouble?”

  “Robert wasn’t in town when the man died,” Betty Sue reminded Heather. “Think before you speak, girl.”

  “Adam has to act on this,” Jenny declared. “I am going to talk to him now.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Heather said.

  “We are taking Jason with us,” Jenny said. “Adam can’t brush him off that easily.”

  Jenny marched dow
n the road to Jason Stone’s office. Heather scurried behind her.

  “Hello ladies!” Jason Stone greeted them with a pleasant smile. “What have you been up to now?”

  Jenny gave him a brief account of her conversation with the woman in the café.

  “I’m glad you didn’t go off to confront the Newburys,” he said. “Let’s go and talk to Adam Hopkins first.”

  Adam was in the process of unscrewing a bottle of pain pills. He frowned when he saw Jenny and popped a couple of pills in his mouth. He washed them down with a glass of water.

  “What have you done now, Jenny?” he asked.

  Jenny bristled with anger.

  “I will let that slide for now,” she thundered. “Wait till you hear what I have to say.”

  Adam leaned back and calmly heard them out.

  “Thanks for bringing this to our attention.”

  “Is that all?” Jenny asked, her hands on her hips. “Why aren’t you taking any action?”

  “I am going to process the information you just provided and decide what to do next,” Adam said, barely controlling his anger. “Not that I owe you any explanation whatsoever.”

  “Don’t you see?” Jenny wailed. “I was right. The Newburys have been lying all along. What are they trying to hide?”

  Adam turned to look at Jason.

  “Take her away from here,” he said. “Please!”

  “Let’s go, Jenny,” Jason said, taking her arm.

  Heather led the way out of the police station.

  “He won’t do anything,” Jenny muttered. “He’s going to sit in that chair and do nothing.”

  “Give him a break, Jenny,” Jason urged. “You gave him some information two minutes ago. There is a process to be followed here. Adam is a good cop. He’ll take the right action.”

  “Why do you think I am doing this?” Jenny asked miserably.

  Her eyes filled with tears and Jason put an arm around her shoulders.

  “I just want my aunt to be in the clear as soon as possible.”

  “I know that,” Jason nodded. “But you can’t rush these things. You will have to be patient, Jenny. You need to be strong. At least do it for Star.”

  “What happens now, Jason?” Heather asked, rubbing Jenny’s back.

  “The police will have to question the Newburys again. They might find some new information this time.”

  “Have we made any progress at all?” Jenny whimpered.

  “You have come a long way, Jenny,” Jason nodded. “You know the man was here in town, now and ten years ago. He visited the Newburys for some reason. You found out he is an antiques dealer. You are turning into a proper sleuth.”

  “You know how people in town spot a stranger from a mile away?” Heather asked. “I just can’t get over why someone didn’t see this guy.”

  Jenny remembered what Star had said to her before.

  “Someone is lying to us.”

  Chapter 18

  “Barb Norton is back,” Betty Sue informed the group assembled at the Boardwalk Café one day. “She’s already throwing her weight around.”

  “She just asked you about helping out at the Spring Fest, Grandma,” Heather laughed.

  “Exactly,” Betty Sue bobbed her head. “Everything is already planned. All the duties have been assigned. What does she want now?”

  “You are mad because she came back a few days later than usual,” Heather said knowingly.

  Betty Sue Morse smirked and carried on with her knitting.

  “Wait a minute,” Jenny asked, sitting down next to her.

  She had heard part of the exchange.

  “Who is this woman?”

  Petunia’s chins wobbled as she took a deep breath.

  “Barb Norton has a finger in every pie.”

  “She likes to participate in all the town events,” Heather elaborated.

  “You mean she tries to control everything,” Petunia said. “She’s going to stir the pot now that she is here.”

  “I don’t remember meeting this woman,” Jenny said lightly. “But she sounds harmless.”

  “She spends the winter in Florida with her daughter,” Star explained. “She was already gone when you got here. She’ll have a bunch of questions for you, honey. You’ll see.”

  “I have nothing to hide,” Jenny said grimly.

  Jenny knew how small town gossip worked. When she first came to Pelican Cove, her separation had been too recent. She had stumbled through all the questions people threw at her, feeling awkward and shameful. But she was in a much better place now. She was ready for any inquisition.

  “Barb’s not that bad,” Heather told her. “She’s never been one of us though.”

  “She’s not a Magnolia, you mean…”

  Jenny had grown close to the group of women who met at the Boardwalk Café. None of them could get through their day without sharing a cup of coffee with each other. Star had suggested they name themselves. Plenty of names had been considered and discarded until Heather suggested ‘magnolias’. She openly admitted it was inspired by her favorite movie. Everyone had approved and the group had wholeheartedly christened themselves.

  “So she won’t be joining us for our mid-morning coffee breaks?” Jenny asked with a smile.

  “Oh no!” Molly spoke up.

  Jenny shrugged. Apparently there was something about this woman that rubbed her friends the wrong way.

  “Yooo hoooo…” a cheery voice called out.

  A short, well rounded woman came up the café steps from the boardwalk. Betty Sue rolled her eyes and put on a fake smile.

  “Hello girls, how are you?” the woman said, peering closely at everyone’s face. “You look like you got a few more wrinkles over the winter, Betty Sue,” she said. “And who might you be?”

  The woman was staring directly at Jenny with a question on her face.

  “This is my niece, Barb,” Star said proudly. “She lives in Pelican Cove now.”

  “Jenny King,” Jenny said offering her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Madam.”

  “Oh, call me Barb like everyone else,” Barb squealed. “Moved here from the city, did you? Well, well…what brings you here, young lady?”

  “Let the girl breathe, Barb!” Betty Sue roared. “Sit down.”

  Barb Norton sat down next to Heather. She looked around the table with a gleam in her eye.

  “So? Tell me…what have you been up to all winter?”

  “Nothing much, Barb,” Petunia said dully.

  The women around the table mumbled and seconded her.

  “I heard about the dead man, of course,” Barb said in a hushed voice.

  She looked at Star.

  “You poor thing…I hear they arrested you. What have you done?”

  “So much for keeping secrets…” Star muttered under her breath.

  “Star is innocent,” Jenny said firmly. “We are trying to prove that.”

  “Of course she is,” Barb Norton agreed. “What have you done so far? Maybe I can help.”

  “How about some coffee, Barb?” Petunia asked. “And wait till you try our Jenny’s cupcakes.”

  Barb Norton got distracted for a while. She gave them a detailed account of the time she had spent with her daughter. Every little thing she had done over the winter was revisited in detail. Betty Sue looked like a martyr as she focused on her knitting while listening to the woman.

  “Have you painted the café recently?” Barb asked, standing up to look around. “It was long overdue, Petunia. A fresh coat of paint will attract more customers.”

  “We had an incident,” Petunia responded meekly.

  Barb Norton had moved on to the bulletin board. She read every little flyer out loud and gave her opinion on it.

  “You can rest assured about the Spring Fest,” she declared to everyone around her. “I can take on some duties now that I’m here.”

  “All the jobs have already been assigned,” Betty Sue called out from her table. “You know
we finish that by mid February, Barb.”

  “Nonsense!” Barb dismissed her. “I am sure someone will be happy with a lighter load.”

  Jenny wondered if Barb would notice the picture of John Smith that was still up on the board. Barb jabbed her finger at the photo just then.

  “This face is so familiar,” she said with a faraway look in her eyes. “Who is this?”

  “That’s the man,” Jenny told her. “The one who died here in Pelican Cove.”

  “I’ve seen him before,” Barb said, nodding her head. “I just don’t remember when.”

  “Was it recently?” Jenny asked, trying not to sound eager.

  “How can it be recent?” Petunia argued. “Barb has been gone for three months.”

  “All I can tell you is that I know this face,” Barb repeated. “I never forget a face, you know. It will come to me.”

  “Show her the photo, Jenny,” Star said. “She might remember that one.”

  “Didn’t Adam take that from you?” Heather asked.

  “He did,” Jenny nodded, “but I already had a copy.”

  She pulled the photo with the Ferris wheel from her pocket and handed it to Barb.

  “That’s the summer festival here in town,” Barb said immediately. “I was in charge of the photo committee that year. Maybe this guy appears in some other photos? I will have to look them up.”

  Jenny felt a surge of hope rise within her.

  “Oh please…can you do it at your earliest? It will help us figure out who the guy is.”

  “Don’t worry, dear,” Barb assured her. “I’ll look into it.”

  Barb Norton left after she finished her coffee and cake. She had a lot of catching up to do in town.

  “Barb is a meticulous record keeper,” Betty Sue said graciously. “If there’s anything to be found, she will find it.”

  “What did I tell you?” Petunia declared. “She’s already riling things up.”

  “This is for a good cause,” Jenny reminded her.

  “Wait till she makes us change our menu for the Spring Fest,” Petunia muttered, getting back to the kitchen.

  Jenny stepped out for her walk later that night, eager to run into Adam and Tank. She hadn’t met Adam since she talked to him at the police station.

  “His leg must be bothering him,” Star said when Jenny got back earlier than usual.