Immediately, Rick recognized Francine sniffing about for gossip material. She was, after all, one of the biggest peddlers of idle rumors in town. She didn’t need him to give her grist for the mill. “We’re doing well,” he said. “I have a few things to get done this morning, so I don’t have much time. I would like to resolve this question, however. Are you really going to fire Pamela Baker?”
“That decision should be made by Chief Cunningham. I’ll encourage him to weigh all of the factors and we will arrive at a mutually agreeable decision.”
More code, thought Rick. Francine decides and Adam agrees. He needed to talk to his friend. To warn him of what was coming. “I can live with that. You don’t mind if I talk to Adam and let him know we talked, do you? I wouldn’t want him to feel blindsided.”
Francine made a face and huffed. “I suppose he should have all the facts,” she said hesitantly.
“Then we’re in agreement.” Rick held out his hand. “Thank you, Madame Mayor.”
“Of course.” Francine flashed him another closed-lip smile, then purposefully held up her wrist. “Oh my, the time. I really must call this little meeting to an end.” Without waiting for a response, she led the way to the front door.
On his way down the steps, Rick listened for the click of the front door latch. He hadn’t heard it by the time he got to the bottom, so he turned and waved to Francine, who was watching him with the door ajar. She finger waved back and immediately shut the door.
Rick walked along Whale Street. Overhead, the leaves of the rosewood trees rustled in the gentle breeze. White wispy clouds dotted the bright blue sky above. This was as good as mornings on the coast got—a perfect opportunity for a walk. Rick checked the time. It wasn’t even eight, so the jeweler’s wouldn’t open for another hour. The dining room at the B&B would only be serving for another half hour and Marquetta probably had everything under control. She’d certainly keep Alex busy until he got back. He had plenty of time to go to the police station and talk to Adam. If he wanted to be really bad, he could sneak into Crusty Buns for a cinnamon roll and some coffee before he went to look at engagement rings.
He swallowed hard at the thought—it was a big step. And he couldn’t take it alone. Marquetta would most likely say yes when he asked the question, but what if she didn’t? His heart thudded in his chest and his breath caught. Was that what had been holding him back? Fear of what would happen if she said no?
Rick stopped and looked at his surroundings. He’d been walking without thought or concern for where he was. But somehow, he’d ended up in front of the police station. Maybe that was his way of avoiding the unthinkable—life without the woman he loved.
He sucked in a breath and ducked through the front door.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Rick
THE GLASS DOOR slipped closed behind Rick. Even though Deputy Baker wasn’t present, the police station interior felt cold and sterile. Given his reason for coming to the station, it almost felt like the universe had decided he needed a break—a bit of good luck for a change.
“Hey, buddy, what’s up with you?” Adam Cunningham strode toward Rick, his hand outstretched.
“Just have a lot on my mind.” A moment later, Rick said, “No. That’s a dodge. I have to face my fears, Adam. All this time I’ve been deluding myself. The reason I’ve been putting off my proposal is because I’m petrified Marquetta will turn me down. I think I’m afraid of rejection.”
“You, my friend, are delusional. You’re running from ghosts. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? You pop the question and she walks away? Or she laughs at you? Or she leaves Seaside Cove forever, finds some rich guy to marry, settles down with a passel of kids while you turn into a lonely, depressed, curmudgeon who…”
Rick threw up his hands and barked, “Enough! I get it. I’m being stupid. In a way, I’m doing the same thing Alex does. She blows things way out of proportion.”
“I think that’s called human nature—or maybe you passed along a defective gene.” Adam looked as though he was trying to hold back his laughter, then turned serious. “Now, I assume your real reason for coming here is to tell me you had a discussion with Madame Mayor this morning.”
Rick gawped at Adam. “You know about that?”
Adam shook his head and grinned. “Not really. I did suspect it was going to happen. The mayor loves her early morning meetings, and she has a way of inserting herself at the least appropriate time. She’s got good intentions, but she lets the office go to her head. She thinks if something happened to her the town would fall apart.”
“Let’s not go there,” Rick said. “Have you got a few minutes? I’ll fill you in.”
“Have a seat.” Adam gestured at one of the visitor’s chairs in front of his desk. “And, just in case you’re wondering, Baker won’t be interrupting us. She’s conducting a search of the harbor.”
Rick regarded Adam with a narrowed gaze. “What’s she looking for?”
“The missing speargun. We believe the murder weapon was discarded under the dock. She asked me about local scuba divers, so I told her to visit Dennis Malone. He and a couple of the other locals agreed to search in and around the marina. If we find it, it could be a game-changer.” Adam planted his elbows on the desk and looked at Rick. “So what happened in your conversation with Madame Mayor?”
Rick told Adam everything—from the rumors flying about town to the mayor’s reaction to The Treasure King incident. When he was done, he sat back and watched his friend’s face. “She said she’d leave the decision up to you, but I’m concerned she might try and force you to fire Deputy Baker.”
“There’s a problem, Rick. Baker’s a good cop. She knows her stuff. The real issue is her attitude—she knows she’s good and enjoys exerting her authority. In a lot of ways, she reminds me of my predecessor. Chief Jackson was a staunch Good Old Boy. Baker’s the wrong gender, of course, but there are times I think she would like to work the same way.”
“It’s probably not that easy to find a qualified officer who wants to have a career in a small town police department where there’s only one opportunity for advancement.”
Adam contemplated the wall decorated with framed photos of the town council and the mayor. He let out a long sigh before he said, “Not everybody wants to be police chief. I didn’t. It was never on my radar. But when Chief Jackson retired and the senior deputy got sick, I was thrown in feet first.”
Adam stopped and gazed around the room. With the exception of the photos of the town’s officials, the beige walls were empty, and Rick wondered why Adam hadn’t done anything about it after he’d become chief. “Love what you’ve done with the place,” he quipped.
The comment drew a smile from Adam. “Traci said she’s going to sneak in sometime when I’m gone and redecorate. The town doesn’t have a remodeling budget, at least, not one I’ve heard of. But I haven’t pushed because I haven’t adjusted to the idea that I’m running this department. Maybe that’s the fear of mine I need to confront. Anyway, what do you want me to do about Baker?”
“Whether she’s a good cop or not, I question whether she’s a good fit for this town.”
“Agreed.”
“And I just don’t like what she did to Alex.”
“I get it. That was harsh. But, it wasn’t entirely uncalled for. The thing is, the munchkin was trespassing.”
“She’s eleven, Adam. Baker’s treatment was completely over the top. I will not allow anyone to treat my daughter that way.”
“Not even if she’s broken the law?” Adam’s green eyes flashed; he didn’t appear ready to back down. “Right now I need a good cop, not an empty position. Which, by the way, I still have. The bottom line is, no matter how I feel about her demeanor, Baker’s doing the job. Did she go too far with Alex? Yes. And right now I think you’re going too far with my deputy. Now if you can’t get along with her, or if you don’t want to be involved in the investigation, just let me know.”
“Are you saying you don’t want me on this case?”
“I’m saying Baker is my deputy, and you’re my friend. She’s the cop. You’re a civilian. I will not have her run out of town on a rail because of one incident.”
Rick’s breath caught. A civilian? Adam had never called him that before. “It’s not just one incident, Adam. There’s a pattern here, and apparently you’re not seeing it.”
Adam took a long breath. “Last chance, Rick. Do you want to be on this case, or not?”
“Since I’m only a civilian, I guess I don’t have a place in it.”
“Rick, don’t take what I said out of context.”
“No. That’s fine. I will not stand by and let Pamela Baker run roughshod over everyone in her path. It sounds like we’re on opposite sides of this argument.”
“Let’s just call it a difference of opinion.”
“No. Let’s call it what it is, Adam. It’s a conflict of interests. Yours is protecting your new turf. Mine is protecting my family. The two, apparently, no longer align.”
“Try to look at this from my perspective, Rick. What would you do if you were in my shoes?”
The urge to shoot back a quick retort about making a more thoughtful decision was strong, but Rick held back, and instead thought about the problem. Finally, he said, “I don’t know what I’d do. What I do know is this. I don’t want to lose you as a friend, Adam. So maybe my role as a consultant for the police just needs to end here and now. I’ve got a business to run, and maybe if I’m not chasing down killers Alex will lose interest. At least I’ll be home to supervise her.”
Adam watched Rick with one eyebrow raised. He rubbed his neck, then blew out a slow breath. A ping from his phone caused him to check the display, then let out a heavy sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”
Rick stood, held out his hand, and said, “Good luck with Deputy Baker, Adam. And the case. We should get together again. Socially.”
“Yeah. Good idea.” Adam grimaced and tilted his head in the direction of the phone. “By the way, that was Baker. They didn’t find the speargun in the marina.”
Ten minutes ago, Rick felt like he would have sat back down and brainstormed with Adam. But their positions were clear, and he didn’t think the police needed any more of his interference. “I’m sorry to hear that. It could have made things easier for you.”
The main phone rang, Adam sighed, and picked it up. “Seaside Cove Police Department.”
Rick waved and backed away. As he was opening the front door, he heard Adam assuring Mrs. Cantwell that Tommy Cat would find his way home soon.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Alex
DADDY CAME HOME a little while ago. He was super bummed out ‘cause him and Chief Cunningham got into a fight over me and Deputy Baker. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t gone on that stupid boat. Now, everything’s messed up. My dad’s not gonna work for the police anymore. I’m grounded. And Marquetta and my dad are kinda avoiding each other.
I’ve got my window open and I’m looking at the lighthouse out on the bluffs. The waves are super intense today and they’re sending up huge clouds of spray. The salt in the air is so strong I can smell it. Someone knocks on my door. It sounds like Marquetta. Hers is softer than Daddy’s knock.
“Come in.”
Marquetta sticks her head into my room and slips inside. “Do you have a minute?”
That’s funny. I’m grounded. What am I gonna do? “Sure.”
I plop down with my legs crossed on the bed. Marquetta sits across from me. Her hair’s tied back in a ponytail with a red scrunchy. I’ve got mine done the same way, but my scrunchy is purple. Her eyes are kinda red, but I don’t think she’s been crying. If I made Marquetta cry, that would make things even worse.
She reaches out and takes my hand. “Sweetie. You need to understand this thing with your dad and Adam isn’t your fault.”
I pull my hand away and wrap my arms around myself. “How can you say that? I’m totally to blame. Deputy Baker got mad because I trespassed, and then Daddy defended me, and…”
“Stop.” Marquetta takes one of my hands, then the other. “Someday you’ll figure this out, but you need to understand right now that just because you did something wrong doesn’t mean everything that came afterwards is your fault. You take things in and assume responsibility for all of it. You do not control how Deputy Baker acts. You didn’t force her to treat you the way she did. Your dad disagreeing with Adam. That wasn’t under your control, either.”
“But…”
“Hush.” She brushes my hair back with her fingertips. “You went through a lot before you came to Seaside Cove. The way your mother behaved, ignoring you and your dad for the sake of her career, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair to either of you, but especially you because it caused you to feel like what you did drove her away.”
My bottom lip is trembling and there’s a lot of pressure behind my eyes. I can hardly breathe. “No matter how hard I tried…” A tear trickles down my cheek. Marquetta pulls me into her arms.
“I know, Sweetie. I know.” She holds onto me while I cry.
I put my arms around her. She eases me down so I can lay with my head on her lap while she keeps holding me. I can smell her hand lotion. It’s kinda citrusy. It makes me wonder what it would have been like growing up with a mom who held me like this when I skinned my knee or failed a test or just did something stupid.
“Marquetta?” I croak, then push myself up to face her.
She’s got tears in her eyes and her cheeks are all stained with mascara. When she smiles at me, she sniffles a couple times. But through it all, she holds my hand.
“What, Sweetie?”
“How do I fix the mess I made?”
“That’s a very good question. I’m sure if we put our heads together, we can come up with a solution.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Rick
THE INSCRIPTION ENGRAVED on the side of the pencil read Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast. It was just one of the many little extravagances Captain Jack had spent money on. Rick didn’t know how many of those pencils his grandfather had purchased, or even when he’d bought them. All he knew was that the B&B still had a lifetime supply of unsharpened pencils in the bottom right drawer of the desk.
How things had changed, he thought. Captain Jack hadn’t kept good financial records. It was one of the first things Rick had changed, and through careful management of expenses, they’d turned the corner to profitability. The debt Captain Jack had incurred for his massive remodel and his many little extravagances, while still hanging over their heads, no longer crushed them. In fact, that reversal of fortune was how he could now afford a ring.
He pulled a three-inch strand of bright red yarn from his top left drawer. Felt it’s softness. Twirled it around his finger. Marquetta had tied it around his finger on his second day after he’d forgotten to fill the upstairs coffee carafe. A warm glow spread through his chest. He hadn’t realized it at the time, but that was the moment he fell in love with her.
With the yarn wrapped around his finger, he looked at the map of Seaside Cove on the wall. Quietly, he spoke to the empty room. “What secrets lie behind that map, Captain Jack?”
He put the yarn back in the drawer, stood, and crossed the room to stand in front of the map. He’d always thought of it as another of Captain Jack’s whims. It was a cartographic work of art. Framed elegantly in mahogany and covered by glass, the map itself had been drawn by hand. It was scaled perfectly. The calligraphy flowed effortlessly from one letter to the next. He’d barely paid it any attention—until now.
On his way home from the police station, Rick had gone by the jewelry store, found it closed, and continued on to Gray’s Sailing Charters. He walked in the door and, before Joe could even greet him, said, “I want to propose to Marquetta, but we can’t move forward until we both know what happened between my grandfather and her father. You were there that day. Please, tell me what happened.
”
“I wondered how long it would take,” Joe said. He smiled, hugged Rick, and whispered in his ear. “The answers you’re searching for are in the letters behind the map of Seaside Cove in Captain Jack’s office.”
How had he just taken this for granted for so long? What other secrets were there in this room? Or the entire house? He reached for the frame to remove it from the wall and stopped, Joe Gray’s words echoing in his mind. No matter how certain he was, only one person should read those letters—Marquetta.
Rick returned to his desk and took a deep breath. Focus. He had to focus on something other than those letters. Deal with the problems at hand. What to do about Alex’s meddling? Find a ring. Propose.
Solve a murder.
“I’m no better than Alex,” he said to the empty silence. Letting out a long breath, he picked up his phone and dialed Flynn O’Connor. He waited, expecting voicemail. Instead, she answered almost immediately.
“Hey, Flynn,” Rick said. “Sorry to bother you, but I have a few questions about the San Manuel.”
“No bother at all, but this is kind of funny. I guess you’re not aware I’m coming over to have an early lunch with Alex and Marquetta.”
“Uh…no. I wasn’t.” Great. Alex was grounded—how did lunch with a friend fit into that sort of punishment? “When did you set this up?”
“I just got off the phone with them.”
“Them? They conference called you?”
“Sure did. I’m surprised they didn’t tell you. It’s okay, isn’t it? Alex isn’t grounded or anything like that, is she?”
Rick rolled his eyes. “Alex is almost always grounded. At least, that’s the way it seems. But since Marquetta was in on this, I know it’s not just my daughter scheming. By the way, what are we having?”
Flynn’s laugh sounded a bit self-conscious, but she was upbeat. “My favorite lunch in the world—grilled cheese and tomato soup. So…can your questions wait a bit? I have a feeling I’ll be answering some of the same ones at lunch.”
Secrets of the Treasure King Page 17