by Pam Moll
“Aurora called me. She said she saw a text on your phone. Something about an Arnold Palmer, and she knew where you were headed.”
I remembered Aurora handing me my phone, but I didn’t realize she saw Missy’s text. “But did you know why I came here?”
“Yes. I was coming to this conclusion with a lot of the same clues.”
“And you knew I wasn’t a killer all along?”
“My gut instincts told me what I needed to know. Besides, there’s no way I would have wanted to kiss a killer.”
I could feel my cheeks turn rosy. “You wanted to kiss me?”
“Yes. But you know, with law enforcement protocol and all …” His clear blue eyes shone.
I nodded and took a few steps back into the threshold of the kitchen and the patio.
His hands wrapped around my waist, sending sparks of desire shooting along my spine. Our eyes met, and I wasn’t surprised at all when he kissed me. After all, we were standing under the mistletoe.
The kiss was sweet and exciting at the same time, exactly like I’d imagined kissing the man I’d fallen for would be.
The sound of sirens made us both step back. Within minutes, Deputy Ted Walker rushed through the back door. He looked at Kate on the floor and nodded at Drew.
“Great job,” he said.
Was that directed toward me or Drew?
I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My hair looked like I’d walked through a tornado and there were two thin black trails running down my cheeks where tears had made a mess of my mascara.
Within minutes, Detective Lacey sauntered into the kitchen. She bagged the gun and barely glanced my way. I knew I wasn’t her biggest fan, but didn’t she owe me an apology?
Instead she came up to me and said, “One could argue that I should arrest you for extreme stupidity.”
I was about to open my mouth when she grinned.
Wow! A smile from the steel lady.
“Tell me this, Ms. Brewster. How’d you figure Kate got the body to the beach?” Lacey was surprisingly considerate. Wow, she was asking me for a theory?
“Well, do you remember the videotapes of the bridge that night?”
She nodded and chewed her puffy red lips.
“There’s one vehicle early in the morning. I usually see it every day.”
She motioned Drew and Ted over to listen to our discussion, while Detective Lacey’s partner marched Kate out of the house.
“I’m not following you,” Deputy Ted said.
“I knew from the start that it had to be a wheelbarrow of some type.” I told them I thought I spotted two tire tracks in the sand before the tide washed them away. “I was so obsessed with the idea of a wheelbarrow or one of those beach carts, that I couldn’t think of anything else.” I thought about all the suspects garages and yards that I searched for wheelbarrows and mint gardens.
“Beach cart? “Detective Lacey asked.
“It’s a wheelbarrow with two large, low pressure tires. They’re designed so the wheels don’t damage lawns or flower beds, and people here use them to drag stuff to the beach,” Drew said.
Lacey and Ted nodded.
“But when you mentioned that the victim had one of our napkins, it all seemed to click. At first I thought it was Felix or Jack Doughty.”
“Why?” Ted asked.
“Because they own the Doughy Delight delivery truck that we see around the island. And it was spotted on that tape early in the morning before the bridge broke. It’s common to see their pastry delivery truck.”
They all nodded.
“You see, I heard a squeaky noise that night outside my window, and I couldn’t place it. But then it all made sense about the napkin.” I was so excited to tell my theory that I wasn’t making sense.
“Slow down. Did Kate plant it?” Ted asked.
“No. Earlier that morning, Felix was at my shop and I collided with him, spilling my coffee on his work shirt. And come to think of it, Snickers slobbered on him too. He must have stuck the soiled napkins in his shirt pocket.”
Drew shook his head. “But how did Kate get it?”
“When she stole her neighbor’s truck.” I grinned. “She poisoned Jim, and it acted so quick that he fell and rolled around in her garden. He clawed at the ground and grabbed a handful of the mint as he died. Her plan was to take him on the boat and dump him, so it would seem as if he had drowned. But instead, she panicked and snuck next door and used one of the tall metal pan cabinets from the truck to roll his body into. The heavy duty enclosed racks have wheels, making it easy to handle the daily deliveries to a restaurant, café or …”
“… Doughnut shop,” Ted finished.
“But a weak female like Kate would have had to tip it toward her to keep the body flat inside, leaving the front wheels up in the air in order to roll it on the boardwalk and to the beach.”
“That’s what caused the two tire marks?” Drew asked.
“Yes. And the back of the rack has a removable door,” I said.
“A doughnut dolly used for the dearly departed,” Ted commented with a grin.
“And in case anyone saw her, she wore the Doughy Doughnuts’ work shirt left in Felix’s truck, and somehow in that process, the soiled napkin in his pocket fell out and stuck to Jim’s Velcro fishing vest.” I recalled how Felix said he had another shirt he could wear. He must have left the soiled one in his truck.
“Is Felix an accomplice? How did she steal the truck without the keys?” Drew asked.
“No, they weren’t accomplices. Felix and his cousin were at a holiday party that night in Holly Ridge, two towns past Bay Isles, just over the Palma County line, and yet far enough from here that they didn’t want to drive home. They had phoned Kate to tell her they were spending the night at a friend’s house and asked her to let out their dogs. She has a key to their house.” I had stopped by Doughy Delights a few days ago to get their alibi. They told me they had a next-door neighbor that could vouch that they weren’t home that night. I had no idea at the time who their neighbor was until a few days later. I felt bad not telling Drew everything I’d learned, but I couldn’t risk confusing him with my theories any more than they already were.
“After Jim bit the dust, she went to their house and grabbed the keys to the pastry truck,” Drew said, with a long sigh.
Was that admiration I just saw in Detective Lacey’s eyes? No, my bad. It looked more like jealousy. She made a few notes on her pad. “When did you know this? Why didn’t you tell us yesterday? You were withholding information in a criminal case.”
“It all came together this morning. I knew when I confirmed that Kate lived next door to Felix, and when Missy, the bartender at the Grille, texted me and said the lady meeting with Jim drank Arnold Palmers.”
Subconsciously, I think I had suspected she was involved from the day of the murder when Aurora mistakenly handed me a pink elastic hair tie thinking it was mine. It matched Kate’s Bazooka-colored tennis shoes she often wore. I wore colorful elastic hair ties too, but the one found on the beach was a bright pink, which was an important clue.
Deputy Ted patted me on the back. “Well, Red, if you ever want a job on the police force, we could use a detective like you.”
Detective Lacey blushed but nodded at his comment.
I’ll take that, I thought, my head still buzzing from adrenaline and Deputy Handsome’s kiss.
My best weekend plans usually involve good coffee, comfort foods, and stretchy pants.
~ Nanea Hoffman
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
When the dust settled, and the police crime tapes were removed, there was no place like my café.
Granny Dee and Aurora met me at the back door. We exchanged hugs, and from the tight squeezes I knew that the news had traveled fast.
“If you ever do something like that again,” Granny said, “I’m not sure my heart can handle it. Dear Lord, if you had been shot … don’t you ever go after a crazy woman holding a loaded gun a
gain!” She paused and added, “Unless you have a gun too.”
“I didn’t know she was home. I only wanted to get a sample of her mint …,” I stopped talking. “Oh, never mind. It all worked out. And I promise to stay out of trouble for a while.”
Granny leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek. “I hope not.”
“Come on. Let’s get you a coffee. Everyone’s here,” Aurora said.
“Everyone?” I asked.
Aurora put her arm around my shoulders and smiled even broader as we walked into the café from the kitchen. It was filled with my work family and friends, all gathered around the tables. They all quieted, eyes filled with expectation.
Aurora took my hand and held it over my head, like I was a prize fighter who won a major boxing bout. “She did it!” she exclaimed.
I smiled in delight when the café broke out into an applause and cheering. The clapping intensified when Snickers came to stand by me, like it was meant for him.
“Thank you all for being here today. Your support of this café and this community is awesome,” I said, with a lump in my throat.
“And we will sleep a little safer at night knowing the killer is behind bars, thanks to you,” Bales said.
I nodded at a loss for words. I felt a rush of happiness.
One of Jim’s fishing buddies and the mayor’s son both came forward and shook my hand.
I hugged my barista, Chris, and he whispered, “I never believed the rumors that you were the main suspect.”
“Thank you,” I whispered back.
“Did you hear Erica is getting released from the hospital tomorrow, just in time for her mother to arrive home to take care of her?” Aurora said. I was always amazed that Aurora had her finger on everything going on in Bay Isles.
“That’s great. I’m so happy she'll be okay,” I said, shivering with excitement. I felt blessed that everyone was safe, and no one else had been murdered … and that no one in my family had been arrested. It felt great to know the person responsible for one death and an assault would be behind bars for a long time.
“Oh, and Mo,” Granny said.
“What?” I turned toward her.
“I remembered what Aunt Tammera said to me.” A furrow appeared between her gray eyebrows, and I figured it was important for her to finally tell me, even after the fact the case had been solved.
All eyes turned to Granny Dee.
“The information,” she said.
“Well?” I asked.
“The third thing she said was that his stepsister had moved to Florida. She didn’t give me details, but I assumed it had to do with the case.”
I blinked. “Thanks Granny.” And then I laughed and hugged her shoulder. “It is all connected.”
“Nice detective work, Mo,” Granny Dee said. “Now let’s talk about how you knew.”
Me, Granny, Aurora, Bales, Chris and the lawyer who Deputy Drew had sent over, DC, were all gathered around a table. By the time I went through all the details of the clues, like I had with the detectives and officers, it was late in the afternoon.
We laughed and relaxed, and I felt so at home with my odd little group.
“So where do you think Kate got the poison?” Bales asked.
“It could have been used for industrial purposes,” DC said. “Kate knew what she was doing. It was a premeditated murder. I suppose she tried to kill him first and then dump his body in the water to make any diagnosis difficult, so it would look like a drowning. Had Molly not found his body, the high tides that were coming in that morning might have eventually drifted him out to sea. I’m sure we’ll know soon enough,” he concluded.
“If Mo hadn’t found everything out, she could be in jail and the café could have been shut down,” Bales said.
“Will the police charge Felix or Jack Doughty from Doughy Delights with anything?” Aurora asked DC.
“Not if they are above board, like they said,” DC assured, smiling broadly. I think all his smiles had a lot to do with the spiked hot cocoa Chris had given him.
“More importantly is that Kate broke down and spilled everything about committing the crimes,” I said. “Poor Erica, to be caught up in this mess.” I shook my head. “It’s hard to believe Kate would lose her head over an inheritance, even a big one like Jim’s dad left.”
“Well, in her case she had another rationalization for getting rid of Jim, and possibly his brother, because she felt they killed her mother.”
“Or she thought she was doing the world a favor by getting rid of horrid person,” Aurora mumbled.
A few of my baristas nodded.
“But Kate’s lawyers can still screw things up in court,” Granny said. “No offense,” she added looking at DC.
“No offense taken. Kate did give everyone here a few scary days, but there seems to be enough evidence pointed at her, and a solid motive. Her inheritance will be in question too,” DC said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that officer friend of yours, Drew Powell, doesn’t receive a promotion to Detective after solving the murder case so quickly.” Granny rubbed her hands together.
“It is Christmastime. A time for new beginnings.” I thought about Deputy Drew. His kiss still lingered on my lips and in my brain. Now that I wasn’t a murder suspect, I wondered if dating was a possibility. Turns out, that’s a biggie when it comes to determining if a relationship with an officer is on the horizon.
“To new beginnings.” Granny Dee held up her tea cup.
Everyone held up their coffee cups.
“To new beginnings and happy endings,” I said.
Everyone cheered and chuckled.
Christmas Eve
EPILOGUE
A few weeks later, Granny, with my strong insistence, had decided to throw a small party at her house. After all, it had turned out to be a wonderful Holly Fest and Jim’s murder was solved.
It wasn’t often Granny opened her home, but we had a lot to celebrate. Usually her anti-yuletide sentiments could sour the best eggnog.
The doorbell rang. Snickers jumped up and barked his warning. Roco didn’t even raise his cute mug face. George, in his Siamese cat style, snoozed comfortably under the coffee table with Bullet, mom’s cat, nearby. Thank heavens the two cats had made a connection.
I stood in the foyer, taking it all in. It was adjacent to the living room where everyone would soon be gathered. The wall furthest from me was lined up with long card tables covered with red and green linen cloths. On each of the tables, highly polished silver serving dishes reflected the glow of the fire burning in the fireplace. The trays were layered with appetizers and scrumptious-looking desserts and pastries. Henrietta had pulled out all the stops. She had been polishing silver and preparing food for days.
Swinging open the door to the front porch, I saw the faces of my friends and our guests gathered.
“Merry Christmas, all,” I said, opening the berry-wreath-cladded door wide. “Go on in. Granny’s waiting in the living room. My mom, Henrietta, and Jet are there too.”
One by one, they passed me as I greeted them, and we exchanged hugs. “Glad you all could join us,” I said as my baristas Aurora, Bales, and Chris showed up. Fiona came in next, helping Erica, who was healing quickly from her injuries. She had a few memory lapses, but the doctor had assured her the concussion wasn’t permanent. Erica had made a full recovery a week ago and would be able to testify against Kate Hawkins.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” I said, giving Erica a sympathetic, but loving, look. I closed the door as we gathered in the foyer.
“Again, thank you for finding me when you did,” Erica said, her hand reaching for mine and squeezing it.
I nodded, trying to fight back tears.
Fiona stood watching as Erica made her way to the living room. She handed me an envelope. “Merry Christmas, Mo.”
“Thank you. I love getting Christmas cards. You’re so kind.”
“There’s a little something for you and
your café in there. You did so much for Erica while I was away, and we can’t thank you enough.”
“No, Fiona.” I gave the red envelope back to her. “I can’t take it.” I had heard that Erica had benefited financially from Jim’s dad’s will. Their divorce hadn’t been final, and she was now the only heir of the estate. It was sad to think there were no other family member left. I may have a quirky family, but I still had my mom, Granny, my brother and his family, and a handful of crazy aunts. I’ll spill more about my aunties one day.
“Please, we insist.” Fiona glanced toward Erica. She looked our way, smiled, and nodded. “Besides, you’ll need to find a new barista.”
“What?” I feigned surprise. I knew Fiona was quitting, and that she and Erica’s father were getting back together.
“I’m sure you heard,” Fiona grinned.
“So, it’s true? I’m so happy for you and your family.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and before she could reply the doorbell rang again.
“We’ll catch up later, dear. Tend to your guests,” Fiona said, making her way to the living room.
Mayor Clawson, his wife Trudy, and his son Todd came in, trailed by the mayor’s brother DC, who was now officially my new lawyer.
DC had let his snow-white beard grow out. And for the occasion, he was dressed in a red Santa suit and a matching hat.
“DC, how appropriate,” I giggled. “You look just like him.”
“I have to be at the Children’s hospital later. I just stopped by to say hello,” he said. His round-as-a-dinner-plate face was flushed red. “Ho, ho, ho!”
“Welcome Santa Clawson. Come on in.”
Our small group laughed and drank, and for the most part stayed away from the murder case discussions. I had invited Deputy Drew and Ted, but this was a busy time of the year for them, and they had replied that they weren’t sure they would make it. After all, they were making their rounds at all the charity events, and still had our sleepy village to protect.
Aurora looked like she had died and gone to heaven. I watched as she and Todd Clawson sat laughing in the corner.