Weddings & Wine Cake_A Culinary Cozy Mystery

by Nancy McGovern

  “Ah,” Scott said.

  “They would always fight — like once a week, it felt like. Anything could turn into a fight. I remember, one time, my Dad wanted steak for dinner, and Mom wanted Chinese, and they were just teasing each other in the beginning. But then, somehow, it turned into this fight that lasted a week.” Rachel shook her head. “You have to live it to know what it’s like, when two people would give their lives for each other but are also capable of saying the cruelest things to each other.”

  Scott only nodded.

  “I don’t know what their problem was, really. To me, it was just normal. I knew I hated their fights but, well, they were Mom and Dad. It just always felt so weird to me that they couldn’t put their egos aside and just talk. But…” Rachel shrugged. “What do I know? Maybe things were never that simple.”

  She looked at Scott, who was looking at her with a strange light in his eyes. She couldn’t meet them for too long. Not if she wanted to get it all out of her. “So, eventually, when I was a teen, they decided enough was enough. They divorced.”

  Scott nodded.

  “Only, they didn’t fall out of love,” Rachel continued. “They didn’t just divorce in one clean stroke. They dragged it out for five years. One moment they’d be in love and making a new start and I’d get my hopes up and be ridiculously happy. Then they’d hate each other again and each tell me the other was the devil.”

  “They shouldn’t have done that,” Scott blurted out.

  Rachel shrugged. “I was just…there, I guess. An ear to talk to. Aunt Rose really helped me back then. I’d often escape to her house, especially in the summer.”

  Scott nodded. “That’s when you grew really close to her?”

  “Yes.” Rachel nodded. “That’s when she helped me realize that I had to let go. I had to distance myself from their relationship or they’d drag me down. So that’s what I did. I started emotionally distancing myself as much as possible. I mean, I loved them both, but I couldn’t stand the hurt they were causing each other. I couldn’t help wanting to stop them from making bad decisions. And they kept making the same bad decisions, it felt like.”

  Scott nodded. “I understand.”

  “So one time, I was around 18, my parents took yet another ‘break’ and separated,” Rachel explained. “And mom…got a new boyfriend.”

  “Ah...” Scott said.

  “I mean, through it all, they’d somehow been loyal to each other,” Rachel said. “I think Dad took it for granted that they always would. So when mom did that, it really broke his heart. It broke him for a while. I mean he literally could not function.”

  “Wow.”

  Rachel nodded. “Mom always claimed it was alright, since they hadn’t been talking to each other for a month at that point. But Dad didn’t agree. To tell you the truth… I didn’t agree, either. I think I’d taken it for granted, too, that they’d always keep breaking up and coming together again.” She gulped. “I still remember when I knew it was really over for good. He was really drunk that day, and I was doing the dishes. He was sitting behind me at the kitchen table holding this mug Mom had gotten him. A little red mug with World’s Best Husband engraved on it.” Rachel sighed. “He threw it to the floor and started weeping. I mean really wailing — like someone had died. I got so scared...”

  Scott’s face was hard, as though he wanted to be there, to protect her from her own past. His grip on her fingers tightened.

  Rachel shook her head. “He told me, ‘She was the love of my life, Rachel. She was The One. But it’s done. It’s finally done. I can’t put it back together.’ He meant it, too. Those weren’t light words. My dad isn’t the type to say stuff like that. He really did believe Mom was his soulmate. I think, even now, a decade later, he believes it. He just doesn’t want to be with her anymore.”

  “And your mom?”

  “When she realized he meant it this time, she went mad, I think,” Rachel said. “She tried everything she could to get him back. None of it worked. He moved far away. He got a new job. He signed the divorce papers. He started the firm with Leon and Tony around that time.”

  “Wait…your father started the firm with Leon after the divorce?” Scott hesitated.

  “Yeah.”

  “So how did your mom know Leon?”

  “I told you, she tried everything she could to get Dad back. She even showed up at his new office.” Rachel shrugged.

  “Okay.” Scott looked like he was trying to process this. “That puts a whole different spin on it. But go on.”

  Rachel shrugged. “Well, that’s it, really,” she said. “They both poured themselves into their careers, I think. Mom’s had boyfriends and Dad’s had girlfriends but, until now, I don’t think they ever found anyone serious.”

  “Do you think your mom maybe thought that she could get back with your father eventually?” Scott asked. “Do you think when she heard about his marriage, it felt so final that she came out here to stop him?”

  Rachel nodded. “That’s exactly what I think. You’ve hit the nail on the head. I mean, you know how I never talk about them?”

  Scott nodded.

  “It’s like…when I’d visit either of them, I almost felt like they saw the other in me. They always asked me subtle questions about the other. ‘So how’s your mom?’ ‘Did your dad get that new client he was after?’ I got sick of it, eventually. Besides, I threw myself into my career, too.” Rachel laughed. “Ignore the messy family, focus on becoming a boss. That was my motto.” She closed her eyes for a minute, then opened them again. “I know I’m not being objective, Scott. I can’t be. I can believe that my mom came here to ruin Dad’s wedding. She’s totally capable of it. I just can’t believe she killed Leon.”

  “I don’t think she did, either.” Scott said. “But do you believe — really believe — that your dad still considers her his soulmate?”

  Rachel frowned. “Maybe. I don’t know. My dad’s changed a lot. Why?”

  “What if he saw her with Leon? Your father had a complicated, competitive relation with his partner. What if this final slap in the face was too much for him to bear?” Scott raised an eyebrow.

  Rachel stared at him, horrified. She’d skated around that thought, staying far away from it, hoping nobody else would know. But now that Scott had said it out loud…it was real. All of it.

  Her father, bitter about Leon having more shares in the firm.

  Her father, jealous of Leon’s lifestyle.

  Her father, possibly marrying Valentina only to show off to Leon.

  Her father, knowing the code to the gun safe.

  Her father, with no real alibi.

  She could picture it, even though she didn’t want to. She could picture her father catching sight of her mother and Leon together, somehow. Oh, please. She could picture her mother and Leon deliberately making sure he saw them. Had rage overtaken him? Had he snapped? In a moment of madness, had he committed the worst crime a man could?

  She looked at Scott, mute, her eyes full of tears. Silently, she pleaded with him to take back his words, to take back the thoughts from her head.

  Scott only pulled her into his lap and tried to kiss her tears away. But he couldn’t un-say anything.

  *****

  Chapter 14

  Three Hours

  There was a knock on the door and Rachel pushed Scott away from her. She felt small and ashamed of herself for crying like a little girl in his lap. All the while, he’d hugged her tight and she’d felt love pouring from him, even though he hadn’t said a word. But all she wanted to do was get away. She didn’t want him to see her this vulnerable.

  So it was a relief to run to the sink and wash her face while Scott opened the door. She heard Dr. Gomez’s voice.

  “We’re having lunch together,” he said. “All of us, except Abuelita and my wife. I think it’s important to talk about what happened last night. Let’s meet at the big house in fifteen minutes, okay?”

  Lunch was a som
ber affair. Dr. Gomez had somehow managed to find a caterer, and the table was set with fancy cutlery. Lobsters, red wine, and a fresh summer salad stood before them and yet Rachel had never felt less hungry in her life. She took a soft roll and spread some butter on it, hoping she’d manage to finish it.

  Mason, sitting opposite her, seemed to have regained his appetite. He looked positively cheerful as he heaped lobster and salad onto his plate. Denise was picking at a salad leaf with a dour face.

  Valentina and Rachel’s father were both holding hands under the table, though Ryan was occasionally looking at his phone instead of his fiancé. Rachel watched her father out of the corner of her eye, wondering what was going on in his mind. He was stuffing lobster into his mouth when he looked up and caught her eye. She looked away hastily and ended up staring straight at Tony who, in the middle of texting someone, jumped and looked back down at his lap as though she’d personally chided him.

  Dr. Gomez, at the head of the table, tapped a spoon against his wine glass, drawing everyone’s attention to him. His face grave, he said, “As you may notice, I’ve kept Abuelita and my wife out of this. My mother’s condition is delicate, and we don’t want to risk her finding out in the wrong way. It could create two tragedies instead of one. I’d request all of you to not talk with her about the murder.”

  There were murmurs of agreement around the table.

  “Second, there’s the wedding. I’ve had a talk with Valentina and Ryan. We’ve contacted the guests and the vendors. As of now, the wedding is canceled. In the shadow of Leon’s death, we all felt it would be far too disrespectful.”

  “Thank you,” Mason murmured.

  Denise nodded as well.

  “So now, we come to the real reason we’re all here,” Dr. Gomez said. “As you know, my father had some degree of wealth and managed to make many connections while he was alive. I’ve used some of those connections to find out what I could about Leon’s death.”

  There was a sudden shuffling of feet and lifting of glasses around the table. Valentina bit her lip, while Tony seemed frozen with shock.

  “It was murder, that was clear enough to us. Until earlier today, I thought that it was Lily Rowan who had done it.” He paused, looked around at each of them. “I know better now. I know who the killer really is.”

  “You’re bluffing!” Tony burst out. “None of us knows that. Not even the police.”

  Dr. Gomez stared him down, his face stony. “No? I’m giving the killer three hours. Think it through and confess to the police or to me. Because if you don’t, I’ll be submitting my evidence to them and, by extension, to the world.”

  “What are you talking about?” Mason asked. “What evidence? Why not just tell us now?”

  “Because three hours from now, I’m going to get a call from my private detective with proof that confirms what he knows,” Dr. Gomez said. “Even though I’m 99% sure I’m right, I don’t want to make allegations that may lead to me being sued. It can wait three hours.”

  “You’re bluffing,” Tony repeated. “Lily has to be the one who killed Leon. I mean, they found her with the gun in her hand! What more proof do you need?”

  Dr. Gomez shrugged. “A motive,” he said. “Which Lily did not have. She didn’t have access to the gun safe, either. I doubt that Leon told her about it. But every person around this table knew that’s where the guns were. And I’d wager we all knew the code, as well.”

  “Daddy, you’re playing a dangerous game,” Valentina said. “I don’t like this.”

  In reply, Dr. Gomez opened his jacket slightly, showing everyone a holstered gun. “I’m armed, and I’m good at protecting myself,” he said. “I’ve dealt with criminals before. Most politicians aren’t too far off from being murderers themselves, you know. Especially in my native land.”

  “Daddy—” Valentina tried to protest, but Dr. Gomez silenced her with a look.

  “I’m not a very religious man. But I believe in good and evil,” he said. “I’ve known Leon a very long time and, while I wasn’t bosom buddies with him, the man had skill. He had a skill with numbers very few in this world do. He helped grow my investments and, thus, directly helped grow the revenue of the many charities my family has established. I believe in ripple effects and that the net result of his death will be to make the world a worse place to live in.”

  No one said a word. Rachel looked around the table, trying to gauge their reactions. To her surprise, not one person seemed excited or happy to hear that Dr. Gomez knew who the killer was. Everyone looked anxious and withdrawn instead.

  “Three hours,” Dr. Gomez repeated. “I’ve said my piece, and I’ll say no more. Enjoy your lunch.”

  *****

  Chapter 15

  The Sins Of The Father

  Not five minutes after Dr. Gomez left the big house, the others scrambled out of their seats and headed straight to their cottages. No one said a word to each other, and each person looked a little panicky. Only Rachel and Scott were left at the table, watching the chaos with interest.

  “If that was a bluff, it was a good one,” Scott said. He stood up, his face grim. “What do you think, Rachel?”

  “I think Dr. Gomez is asking for trouble,” Rachel said.

  “My thoughts exactly,” Scott agreed. “I plan to go to him and stick by his side, even if he protests. A gun and good aim is no match for a determined killer.”

  “Three hours, though,” Rachel said. “Our murderer can’t possibly come up with a plan that fast.”

  “Rachel, in my experience, the more desperate a killer gets, the more ingenious they become,” Scott explained. “Let’s not underestimate this person until they’re safely behind bars.”

  “You’re right.” Rachel sighed. “But in the meanwhile, what can we do to help put him — or her — there?”

  “Go to Gomez,” Scott said. They began walking to Dr. Gomez’s house, when Rachel smacked her forehead.

  “I forgot my phone in our cottage!” she exclaimed. “Mom might have called. Do you mind if I run back and grab it?”

  Scott stared at her for a second and, as she tried to move away, he linked his fingers through hers, pulling her closer.

  “What I said earlier, about your father…” he said. “You’re not angry at me about it, are you?”

  “Of course not.” Rachel looked at the ground instead of at Scott. She felt heat climb into her cheeks. “I can’t blame you for—”

  “Yes, you can,” Scott said. “I want you to understand that I don’t want it to be your father. I’m just trying to—”

  “Be a good detective, as always. Yes, I know,” Rachel snapped. “I really just need to get my phone, alright? You should go find Dr. Gomez. We can talk about this later.”

  Scott looked at her for a moment, as if trying to make her change her mind, then gave up. “Right. I don’t want to leave him alone a second longer. All my senses are tingling. Something very bad is about to go down.”

  Rachel nodded. “I understand.”

  He sprinted off towards Dr. Gomez’s cottage, while Rachel headed in the other direction. It wasn’t just the phone she wanted. She wanted to go speak to her father again, press him about what he’d been doing when Leon was killed, and why exactly he’d looked so panicked when Dr. Gomez announced that he knew who the killer was.

  Her heart galloped in her chest as she thought about confronting him. Whatever her father’s flaws, he was her dad. He couldn’t be the murderer. She wouldn’t be able to bear it. Surely, he’d be able to give her an alibi. Or, if nothing else, he’d be able to look her in the eye and assure her that he hadn’t done it. That he was innocent.

  She knew it wasn’t fair to Scott, but she didn’t want to be near him. Not while she knew that he suspected her father. She needed to be alone, and quiet, and think everything through. But, first, she needed to speak to her father.

  She rang the bell at his cottage, noticing with dismay how close it was to Leon’s own cottage. Just a few step
s and, yet, on the night of the murder her father had taken quite some time to reach the cottage. Why? And where was he now?

  Rachel looked around and, seeing no one else close by, decided to sneak to the back. She didn’t know what her plan was, exactly, but she wanted to explore a little bit more.

  Her father’s cottage was identical to the one Scott and Rachel had been given, with glass windows from floor to ceiling. She noticed that all the blinds had been pulled down, giving the house an appearance of being completely locked up and shut down. As she rounded the side, Rachel stiffened. From inside the cottage, she could hear the sound of a computer starting up. She pressed her face against a window in an attempt to see in and, through a crack in the blinds, she could make out the outline of a man. A man who was not her father.

  Panicking, convinced that this man was trying to kill her father, Rachel raced around the house, and found that the back door of the cottage was peeping open. Racing inside, she burst into the living room with an angry cry.

  Tony dropped the computer on the floor and raised his hands above his head, yelling in fear. The laptop skittered across the floor, miraculously unbroken.

  “Tony?” Rachel exclaimed.

  “Rachel?” Tony blinked at her. “What are you—”

  “Explain yourself!”

  “Y-your father sent me to get one of his files.” Tony’s eyes shifted as he tried to think up a lie. “I’m just...”

  “Lying,” Rachel said. “Liar! You were stealing something. Isn’t that right? Let me go get my father and ask—”

  “No!” Tony’s hand shot out and gripped Rachel’s wrists tightly. “Please, no! We can come to some compromise. You and I...”

  “Let go of my hand,” Rachel warned.

  “Please, Rachel. Believe me, I’m only trying to help your father.”

  Calming down a little, Rachel looked at him questioningly. “Why would he need your help?”

  “Because...” Tony sighed. “Of all of us on the island, your father is the one who had most to gain from Leon’s death.”