The Dana Potter Cozy Mystery Collection

by Liz Turner

  “Oh, you hush! He’s young enough to be my son!” Dana put her hands on her hips. “It’s police business,” she said tantalizingly.

  Lydia’s mouth dropped open. “Does this have somethin’ to do with that woman you were looking for this morning?”

  Dana’s eyes sparkled. She loved being in the center of things. “As a matter of fact...” Dana stepped outside onto her porch and closed the door behind her, eagerly launching into the rest of the story. She’d been dying to share what she’d discovered about Pete’s life and what a surprising day it had been.

  Lydia leaned back in the porch chair she’d slumped into after Dana had finished relaying everything. “That’s just like a soap opera!” she exclaimed. “I feel bad for that woman now though, even though she did steal from a homeless man—who just happened to be her unrecognizable ex-husband! My goodness.” She fanned herself with one of the paper plates she’d brought for Dana’s salads. “So what are y’all going to do now?”

  “Well, right now, all we can do is wait. Like I said, it’s police business.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the Dana Potter I know.” Lydia winked.

  Dana smiled and stood. “I’d better get back inside. You know, hurry up and wait.”

  “Okay then. Enjoy those salads. And tell me everything as soon as you know it!”

  Shortly, Dana and Pete were seated once again around her little dining table, eating from paper plates. Dana’s original intention for having Pete over was to offer a sympathetic ear so that he wouldn’t have to be alone that night. However, Lydia’s words kept ringing in her ears.

  “So,” Dana said, “do you have any idea at all where your ex-wife might have gone to hide around here?”

  Pete put a bite of salad in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “You know…”

  Dana’s ears perked up. “Yes?”

  “Now that you mention it—Pippin is how far from Savannah?”

  “About an hour.”

  “Back when we first met, her parents had an old sailboat they kept at a marina in Savannah before they died.”

  “You think it might still be there?”

  He shrugged. “I really couldn’t say. But if it was, it might make a nice hiding place in a pinch, wouldn’t it? At least it’d be free.”

  Dana drummed her fingers on the table. She glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was 6:30 pm. “How about we go see?” she said, feeling more invigorated than she had in a long time.

  “Now?”

  “You know the name of the marina?”

  “Pelican Bay Marina.”

  Dana shrugged. “Then why not? She’s probably not even there. She probably sold the sailboat a long time ago. But going and just seeing is better than sitting around her like two old couch potatoes.”

  “But what if the constable calls?” Pete asked.

  Dana waved her hand dismissively. “He’s got my cellphone number.”

  Pete smiled broadly. “Okay then, Ms. Potter. But maybe you should tell the constable what we’re up to, just in case.”

  “Oh, of course I will, Pete.” Just as soon as we’re well on our way! she thought.

  She didn’t want the constable trying to talk them out of it like she knew he would.

  ***

  In no time at all, Dana had buckled Pete into the passenger’s seat and she was adjusting her mirrors. “You ready?” she said, feeling adventurous.

  “Yes,” Pete said, his expression one of wonder and apprehension. “You know, I finally feel like I’m doing something. After all these years of trying not to make waves, it’s about time I did so.”

  “Yes, Pete. I’d say that it is. Now let’s go find your wife and daughter.”

  “Ex-wife,” he corrected.

  Dana didn’t reply. She just put the car in gear and began driving down the street as the sun fell lower in the sky.

  If someone had told her that that night she’d been driving to rescue a woman and a teenager with Pete as her sidekick, she would have said they were off their rocker!

  Chapter 6

  The Peacock

  Dana and Pete were about an hour into their trip with an hour to go when Dana pulled into a small gas station. It was dark now; the sun having disappeared beneath the horizon.

  Dana parked by one of the two pumps available and then whipped out her cellphone to dial the station.

  “What are you doing?” Pete asked.

  “Calling the constable, like you asked.”

  Pete’s mouth dropped open. “I thought you did that before we left!”

  Dana swatted a hand at him. “Well, I didn’t want…Hi, Constable Hollows! It’s Dana Potter…Mmhm, I see. Oh well, Pete had a lead on where Susan might be, so we’re following up on it.” She couldn’t help smiling to herself at the constable’s disapproval; she wasn’t too old to still get a kick out of a little rebellion.

  He sighed. “Well, I know you’re not going to follow my advice anyhow, so can you at least tell me where this lead is taking you?”

  “Savannah. Pelican Bay Marina. Susan’s parents had a sailboat docked there for years, and Pete thinks they still might.”

  “Okay,” he said after a pause. “Just don’t do anything until we get there. Don’t approach the sailboat. She could flee. It’s better if we have some officers along, especially since it’s getting late. Ms. Potter? You hear me?”

  Dana remained silent, all too aware she hadn’t mentioned that Susan Mendel was armed. As she looked through the front dashboard at the blinking ‘OPEN’ sign on the gas station’s mini-mart window, she realized how dangerous her little mission might be. Although she was always for a little adventure, especially one that involved a tragic love story, she wasn’t planning on cutting her life short.

  “We’ll wait,” she assured the constable. When she hung up, she looked sheepishly at Pete. “Well, I think you’re right. I should have called him earlier. I just didn’t want him to talk us into staying behind. You wanted to come, right?”

  “Yeah. Of course.” He paused for a moment. “But why the sudden change in heart? What did the constable say?”

  Dana pursed her lips and shook her head. “Oh, nothing. Just chastising me.”

  “You don’t strike me as one to ever be chastised, Ms. Potter. Don’t mean no offense by it. Just that you’re more likely to be doing the scolding, not taking it. That constable must be some helluva authority figure to have you changing plans on account of his chastising.” Pete smirked.

  Dana sighed, knowing that Pete clearly knew something was up. “Okay. It’s not the constable that made me change my mind. It’s something I remembered about Susan…”

  “And what’s that?”

  “She’s got a pistol.”

  Pete’s face blanched. “What in the…?”

  “She was pretty upset about all my questions yesterday, and she just about shoved that tiny little gun in my face. It was loaded.” Dana shook her head. “She’s scared to death. Fear like that can make people do crazy things.”

  “She pointed it at you?” Pete asked in disbelief. “But you’re so…”

  “Old?” Dana said, cracking a smile.

  “I was going to say polite,” Pete retorted. He ran a hand through his hair and his face contorted with anger. “I’m sorry. It’s just the woman I knew—she would never cause harm to anybody.”

  “She was just trying to get rid of me,” Dana said. “I don’t think she ever would have pulled the trigger.”

  “But still, you’re afraid of her. That’s why you want to wait for the police.”

  Dana nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see her. “Yes,” she answered softly.

  “I understand. We’ll wait.” With a sigh, he slumped down in his seat.

  It occurred to Dana that he had probably been looking forward to being reunited with his family. “Maybe we could just go up and stake the place out,” Dana suggested before she could stop herself. “You know, in case she leaves—or, goodness forbi
d if Barney Mendel has the same thought you did and turns up.”

  Pete nodded in agreement.

  ***

  Shortly, the ancient oak and willow trees dotting Savannah’s topography began to appear along the ambling road off the highway. The road slowly grew tighter and denser with buildings. As they approached the center of the city, the buildings took on the Victorian era style that still stood from when Savannah was colonized in the early days of the country. Some were clearly renovated, large luxury SUVS parked out front and scrawny lawns decked with bright flowers. Others were in severe disarray, their windows boarded up with rotting planks of wood and their lawns so overgrown they nearly covered the front doors. One thing that was a constant though, was the pretty deep green moss that climbed over new and old, renovated and dilapidated buildings alike.

  Dana rolled her windows down to let the muggy night air in. She hadn’t been here in ages. Though the city was only a few hours from Pippin, it felt like a whole new world. Not scrappy and bustling like Atlanta, and more gallant than Pippin. She made a mental note to visit again, for pleasure rather than business.

  “Okay, we’ve reached River Street,” Dana announced, narrating her location so Pete could direct her from memory where to go from there.

  “Head on up to the end, then make a right. We’re going to want to hit the marina out-of-town by the ocean.”

  Dana navigated the car through the small cobblestone streets until they were crossing a bridge over the river and heading for the sea. Shortly, the masts of sailboats were visible around a bend. Dana saw the wooden sign as they entered the private marina, reading Pelican Bay Marina.

  “Okay, Pete—what color is Susan’s parents’ boat?”

  “It’s a traditional one. Wood, all the way around. Small. Navy paint on the bottom if I remember correctly.”

  “Okay.” Dana scanned the boats docked in the marina as she slowly drove past. Tall streetlights illuminated the dock, showcasing plenty of large hulking boats with shiny white hulls and silky sails. A few looked like they hadn’t been touched in years, scores of barnacles clinging to their sides.

  Finally, Dana spotted one that seemed to match the description Pete had given her. She squinted into the night, trying to read the white-lettered name printed on its side. “The… ‘Peacock’?”

  Pete sat up straight in his seat. “Yes! The Peacock! That’s the one.”

  Dana angled her little car into a parking space offering them a good view of each side of the boat; they would be able to see anyone stepping on or off.

  She switched off her headlights and tried to focus. She realized that this mission, though was largely up to her since Pete couldn’t see if anyone came around, and probably wouldn’t be much help if things got violent.

  Unless Susan recognizes him now, Dana thought, eyeing the man beside her. After showering and shaving, Dana knew he probably looked closer to his old self, albeit a bit emaciated.

  As Dana tried to maintain her concentration, she found herself drifting off. The boat rose and fell gently in the waves, and the area remained dark and silent. Although Pete was awake, his breathing was steady, and he was quiet.

  With the image of the sailboat wavering in her vision, Dana dozed off.

  ***

  A muted pounding on the window snapped her awake. She fumbled for her glasses, her eyes adjusting as a flashlight shone brightly into the car, preventing her from seeing who it was. Her heart pounding, she glanced at Pete, only to find him sleeping.

  Cautiously, she rolled down her window and came face-to-face with Constable Hollows. She let out a deep breath of relief. “Thank goodness!” she exclaimed, putting her hand over her heart. “I thought you were someone coming to harm us!”

  “Well, you’re lucky I’m not, Ms. Potter,” he replied gruffly. “You and Pete are sitting ducks out here. I thought you were going to wait for us at the gas station?”

  “I didn’t approach the sailboat, did I?” Dana retorted. “You never technically said anything about going to Savannah without you.”

  “It was implied,” the constable said and shook his head in exasperation. “We’re too old to be going on about this, Ms. Potter. Just tell me—have you seen her?”

  Dana blushed. “Well, I didn’t, but, er…I might have dozed off for a minute.”

  “Where’s the sailboat?” he asked, scanning the row of boats before them.

  “The Peacock. It’s right there to the left.”

  Constable Hollows pointed at the little boat bobbing in the waves. “That her?”

  Dana nodded.

  “Got it.” He jerked his head behind him where two other officers had assembled. “We’re going to approach and see if anyone’s in there.” He then peered into the car beside Dana.

  “Pete?” Pete blinked groggily. “Yeah, Constable?”

  “We’re going to get her out, okay. I promise you.”

  Pete hesitated. “Do you think…I don’t want to scare her…All these police officers storming the place…”

  “If she’s even in there,” the constable muttered, clearly still a little cranky due to the late hour.

  “Right, right. Uhm…if she is…I think she might respond better to—well, me. If she saw me, she’d know I wasn’t there to harm to her, and that I wasn’t there on behalf of that scumbag Barney Mendel.” Pete’s face scrunched as he said the man’s name.

  Dana’s heart went out to him. She put a steadying hand on his forearm and then looking up at the constable, she said, “I’ll go with him. And you and your crew can be right behind us if something goes wrong.”

  Constable Hollows huffed. “If anybody found out I let you two in there after a fugitive-”

  “Oh, please,” Dana said, chiding him. “You’re the constable. Nobody has more say than you!” She suppressed a grin, for she knew just how to get to him. He was a man who thrived as a leader and if Dana could remind him of his unchallenged power in Pippin, he might take it upon himself to break the rules, just this once.

  The constable frowned and the corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly. “Okay,” he finally said. “But the first sign of any trouble, we’re coming in. We’ll wait right at the end of the dock.”

  Dana grinned. “That sounds like a perfect plan.”

  She got out, rubbed her eyes to rid them of sleep, and then helped Pete out the passenger’s side. He walked on his own, using a cane; Punchy had been left behind at Dana’s house. Still, Dana walked close so that if Pete stumbled, she’d be there to steady him.

  When they reached the dock, the officers stayed put while Dana and Pete proceeded. The wood creaked under their feet. Dana marveled at how well Pete managed himself with no seeing-eye dog, particularly on a surface that swayed. He marched determinately toward the little sailboat and once they were right beside it, Dana urged Pete to call out to Susan. By no means did Dana want to surprise the woman again.

  “Susan?” Pete called, his voice ringing clear.

  Dana felt a pang in her gut at the love emanating from his voice.

  “Susan, it’s Pete,” he continued. “I’m not here to hurt you. Me and my friends think you might be in some trouble with Barney Mendel, and we’re here to make sure he can’t ever get to you again.” His voice trembled over the ocean.

  There was no reply.

  “Susan, it’s Ms. Potter from yesterday,” Dana said cautiously. “The police are here, but they don’t care much about anything you’ve stolen. They just want to help you and Maura. We all do.”

  They waited anxiously for a sign that Susan and Maura were indeed inside, but all remained dark and silent.

  Chapter 7

  Mitigating Circumstances

  Dana stood on the dock, straining her eyes to see into the dark little windows of the sailboat’s cabin. She looked at Pete, who leaned heavily on his cane with a pained expression on his face.

  Dana bit her lip, wondering if they were wrong about Susan and Maura being there after all. The wind began to
pick up, rolling the waves into the dock and sending the sailboat rocking more forcefully.

  Dana shot a look back at Constable Hollows and his officers, standing at attention some distance away. He raised his eyebrows in inquiry, and Dana shrugged and shook her head in response.

  “Shh!” Pete suddenly said.

  Dana whipped her head around, seeing that Pete was standing stock still, his head cocked as he listened intently.

  Then she heard it too—a creaking sound that was different from that of the dock.

  It was coming from inside the boat…

  Dana pointed her flashlight toward the sound. The door to the cabin inched open and the beautiful tanned face of Susan Mendel peered around its edge. Her eyes were wide and her fingers trembled as they clasped the door. She saw Dana first. When she spoke, her voice came out apprehensively. “Is…?”

  “Susan,” Pete said, making his voice loud above the wind.

  Susan’s jaw dropped as she spotted her ex-husband standing on the dock. Her bright blue eyes began to water. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “It’s you. It’s really you,” he said.

  Susan nodded and then cleared her throat. “Yes, Peter. It’s me.” Her gaze flitted to Dana for a moment.

  Just then a smaller blond figure rushed out from the door and leapt from the boat deck to the dock with remarkable agility.

  Maura.

  She embraced her father unabashedly.

  Pete hugged her tightly, his eyes glistening with tears. “Maura,” he choked out.

  “Susan Mendel?” said the constable.

  Dana shook her head at him. Don’t you dare ruin this moment, she thought, trying to beam the message to him with her eyes.

  He stopped in his tracks, his expression softening as he realized what was going on. He nodded shyly though he didn’t take his hand off his gun holster.

  Susan still stood where she’d first emerged from the boat’s cabin. The wind whipped her hair back from her face.

  Dana stepped forward, locking eyes with the woman. “If it’s all right, I’m coming aboard. Please don’t worry. Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

  Susan blinked, still looking somewhat fearful.