Shannon—the barista—interrupted us by bringing Jackson that coffee I’d requested. He only looked 50 percent grateful though. Never a good sign. His gaze was smoldering on mine, and I knew he wasn’t going to let this drop.
“Do you have a little side investigation going on, Joey?” he asked.
My throat tightened so quickly I could hardly breathe. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that could be a conflict of interest. If you’re doing side jobs, you can’t be working with the police.”
“But—”
He stepped back, that no-nonsense look still on his face. “Think about it, Joey.”
His words cooled me. He was angry. I’d known he would be if he’d found out Elrod had approached me for help. But I’d just turned the man in. How could Jackson still be upset?
Jackson left, and I was fuming when I climbed back into my car. I couldn’t go back to my place. I obviously wasn’t going to be invited to the police station to watch Elrod be questioned.
So I did the next best thing. I decided to drive to Moyock. I wanted to talk to Rachel. Maybe stop by the 99 Center, where she and Cora had worked together. Do anything to find answers. Do anything to get rid of guilt.
As the beach landscape turned into farmland, I reflected on what I knew.
I knew that Cora Day desperately wanted to be famous. She’d somehow scrounged up five hundred dollars for pictures from a supposed world-famous photographer with connections. Andre’s alibi after that photo session seemed to hold up, and he was the last one seen with Cora.
She’d bought an umbrella stand for some reason.
She’d attended that party Billy hosted and had left early, looking upset.
I sighed. I felt like I’d done a lot of work, but nothing seemed to get me closer to any answers.
My phone rang. Rutherford’s name popped onto the screen. Go figure.
With a less than enthusiastic hello, I answered.
“The beach life not as sunny as you’d hoped it would be?” Rutherford asked.
I didn’t tell him my response was based on my lack of desire to go back to Hollywood right now. I had only a few days until I left, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face my old life. “I didn’t say that.”
“Well, I’ve got some good news,” Rutherford said. “Netflix is interested in picking up Relentless.”
My spine went stiff as I stared at the road ahead. “What?”
“It’s true. They’re in talks now.”
“What?” I repeated, still not sure if I’d heard correctly. Of all the things I’d expected to hear, that was not one of them.
“Joey, your TV series might be resurrected from the dead. That’s what they did with Longmire, Full House, and Gilmore Girls. I thought you’d be happy.”
My heart twisted, a mix of excitement and hesitation. Relentless had been canceled after some disputes on the set. And I’d come here to find my dad, which I hadn’t done yet. I couldn’t leave until I did.
But I needed to face the possibility that I might not ever find him. What would I do then? Remain here for decades without answers? I couldn’t support myself on this salary forever.
“Joey?” Rutherford said.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, nothing is definite yet. I just thought I’d let you know. For now, you just worry about Family Secrets. You do have your plane tickets and a dress for the premiere, right?”
“Of course.”
“Great. You’re in for some ride, Joey. I know you think your career is dead, but I think it’s just starting. Hold on for the ride.”
I hung up and leaned back against my seat.
Was that what I wanted? To resurrect my career? To be adored by millions? To have my face on magazine covers? People would give up everything to be in my shoes.
But I didn’t see the decision as easy as that.
And I had no idea what I’d do if Netflix offered me a contract. It didn’t matter right now. Because I was in Moyock. Now I needed to find Rachel and have a long chat. I’d deal with one problem at a time.
Chapter Twenty-One
I pulled up to the 99 Center, a square, lonely building on a long stretch of country highway. I hoped I might catch Rachel here.
I stepped inside, and sickly sweet elevator music assaulted my ears. Every aisle and walkway in front of me was crammed with cheap trinkets, deceptively portioned bargain snacks, and anemic-looking stuffed animals. It was like the prize counter at Chuck E. Cheese’s, only in grown-up store form.
To my delight and amazement, Rachel was behind the counter. She wore a money-green polo, still sported poorly applied makeup, and had two pigtail braids. She looked bored as she studied her hair for split ends. Thankfully, it wasn’t busy inside.
Rachel’s eyes lit up when she spotted me. “Joey Darling? I can’t believe you’re here.”
I approached the register and rested my hands on the counter in an unassuming pose. Body Language 101. “I had a few questions, and I thought this might be the easiest way to talk.”
She stiffened. “Is that right? Did you find Cora? Is there an update?”
“No, there’s not, unfortunately. But everyone’s working hard to figure out what happened to her.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I’ve been so worried about her. At first I wondered if she’d just pulled another stunt and taken off. But it’s been six days, and no one has heard from her.”
I considered mentioning the fact that Elrod had heard from her, but I decided not to. There was no need to get her worked up.
“I was watching this 48 Hours–type of show, and a girl on there disappeared. They found her body a year later. It’s been all I could think about since then. What if that’s Cora’s story too?” Rachel’s voice cracked, and she ran a finger under her eye where moisture had formed.
Compassion pressed on me. “That’s not going to be Cora’s story. You’ve got to stay positive. But could you answer a few questions for me? There are some things that don’t make sense.”
“I’ll do anything. Ask away.”
I jammed my hip against the counter. “Why would Cora say she was coming into some money?”
The color drained from Rachel’s face. “I . . . I don’t know.”
I highly doubted that. “Rachel . . . I know you want to help. You’ve got to tell me the truth.”
Rachel began to straighten a rack of mints, her fingers trembling uncontrollably. “I pinky promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Cora’s life could be in danger.”
She shoved a box of Tic Tacs in the display a little too hard, and all the candies fell from the rack. I helped her pick them up and gave her time to gather her thoughts.
“She quit her job here,” Rachel blurted, her hands flailing in the air, the Tic Tacs forgotten.
I blanched. “What?”
“It’s true. Last Friday was her final day. It was all very sudden.”
“How did she plan on paying her bills without a job?”
“That’s what I wanted to know. But she had this new light in her eyes, and she said everything was going to work out.”
“Why was that a secret? You said she told you not to talk about it.”
Rachel leaned closer, even though there was no one else within eyesight or earshot. “She said it was all hush-hush, and if I talked about it, I could ruin everything. It didn’t make sense to me, but what did I know?”
This was growing more interesting by the minute. “Did she tell Elrod?”
“No, she thought Elrod overreacted too much. She said she was only going to tell me and no one else.”
That was just one more reason to suspect Elrod. She was keeping a lot of secrets from him. “She was at a party last Thursday, wasn’t she?”
Rachel nodded, her face a ghostly white that clearly showed she was thinking the worst.
“So she could have found out something there,” I murmured aloud
, trying to work through my thoughts. “Maybe someone offered her a job.”
Rachel ran the end of the braid against her cheek and sighed. “I don’t think so. She was finally going to be able to follow her dreams. That’s when she lined up the photo session. She could barely make her rent. I have no idea how she expected to pay that expensive photographer.”
“Maybe she used the money Billy paid her.”
“He only paid a hundred bucks for the gig.”
I shifted, still trying to shift through what I knew. “Did she say anything else about these parties? Something that might indicate where she thought she’d get this money?”
“She just said that her presence there was serendipitous. That was her exact word.”
Two puzzle pieces suddenly clicked in my head. “Did you say she developed her unusual interest in Nags Head Woods before or after the party?”
“After. We went there the day she quit work here.”
That was the connection, I realized. But why? What about Nags Head Woods might have made her come into a windfall?
Someone who’d been at that party knew, I realized. And I needed to find out who.
Thankfully, Phoebe texted me and reminded me that we were supposed to meet tonight at Meatsa Eatsa, a local burger joint that ground their own beef every single day and made it into the most delicious patties one would ever taste.
For real. Just thinking about those burgers expanded my waist by two inches.
Phoebe was waiting in a booth when I walked in. The scent of grease and grilled beef filled the air. I hated to admit it, but I loved those scents. Especially when they were together.
Girlfriend time seemed like such a foreign concept to me. I’d always seemed to connect better with guys, ever since grade school. That said, I didn’t think that was the healthiest thing for me. Every woman needed a girlfriend in her life.
Phoebe waved me over, and I slid in across from her.
I would not order a yummy hamburger tonight. No, I’d get a salad. Because I was dedicated to complete healthy eating like that.
But when the waitress came, I totally found myself ordering a burger. With cheese. And bacon.
Do you know what that meant? It meant I wouldn’t fit into the dress I’d gotten for my movie premiere. And I’d look bloated on Good Morning America. But it was too late to change my order. That was what I told myself, at least.
I was in trouble.
But I still didn’t flag the waitress down.
“What’s going on?” Phoebe asked, taking a sip of her soda. “You seemed frazzled.”
“You say that a lot. In nearly every conversation, for that matter.”
She shrugged, looking halfway apologetic. “Let’s say you’re not one to wander into town and relax. You seem to have a ‘seek out and destroy’ radar for trouble in the area.”
“That’s one way to say it. Is it my fault that everyone just assumes I’ll be an awesome detective like Raven? Or that those who don’t, want to keep Raven alive by manipulating me into getting involved in troubling situations?”
“It’s an interesting life you lead. I think I’ll keep my boring one though.”
Before I could respond with something witty—something I hadn’t come up with yet—a guy approached the table. My shoulders tightened. Someone else asking for my autograph? Perhaps. But when I looked up to offer my most winning smile, I noticed he wasn’t looking at me at all. He was looking at Phoebe.
“How’s it going, Pheebs?”
She smiled warmly in return. “Robbie. It’s going. I didn’t expect to see you here. This is my friend, Joey.”
“Nice to meet you.” His gaze only stayed on me a minute before locking on Phoebe again. “I was wondering when I’d run into you again.”
Phoebe shoved a stray hair behind her ear, not looking quite as laid back as she normally did. “I’ve been around. It sounds like you’ve been busy. That’s what Tony said the last time I ran into him.”
“I’ve been doing tile work on some new houses in Duck,” he said. “It’s a paycheck, but I don’t dig the drive. I’m on the road from Hatteras for at least an hour.” He shrugged. “Anyway, I swung by here on my way home. Don’t feel like cooking by the time I get back to my place.”
“I get that.”
He fidgeted, his gaze not leaving Phoebe. “I can’t wait until it’s warm again so we can hit the waves.”
“It will be awesome.” Phoebe’s cheeks reddened slightly.
Oh my goodness. Phoebe liked this guy. I quickly soaked him in. He was probably our age. He wore a backward baseball cap, baggy jeans, and a well-worn surf shirt. Typical attire for this area. He had a boyish cuteness about him, almost like he was bashful, which was just adorable.
“Well, it was good seeing you.”
He nodded to me before stepping away. When he was out of earshot, I turned to Phoebe. “Oh my goodness! He totally likes you.”
“No, he doesn’t.” She blushed. Blushed!
“Oh, he does. Who is he?”
“He’s just a guy I know.” She clearly didn’t want to say more.
“He’s cute.”
“It’s complicated,” she said.
I nodded. “I get complicated. I really do.”
She readjusted her weight against the padded bench as the waitress delivered our food. “So, not to change the subject, but I’m going to totally change the subject. Are you going to stick around in this area for long?”
I drew in a deep breath, the question surprising me. “That is a great question. This was only meant to be a layover until I could figure things out.”
“And then it’s back to Hollywood?”
I shrugged and stared at my glass of water. “I don’t know. I don’t really want to return there. And I do. I’m torn between living a life that could be exceptional and living a life that could be ordinary.”
“Is there anything wrong with ordinary?”
“No, exceptional is pretty overrated.” I attempted a smile but failed.
“Well, I know one thing. You’re going to have some broken hearts if you decide to leave.”
My breath caught at her unexpected revelation. “I am? Who?”
She let her head drop to the side in a “duh” expression. “Do I really have to tell you that?”
“My man radar needs some serious readjusting.” I wasn’t sure I’d ever trust it again after Eric.
“I see. I’ll let you figure it out. I’d just hate to see good people get hurt, Joey.”
What I’d hoped might be a lighthearted evening suddenly felt heavy. Very heavy. But I couldn’t fault Phoebe for her words. She was right. I needed to think about the consequences of my actions. I refused to leave a path of destruction behind me anymore.
In the meantime, I needed to eat this burger before it got cold.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Golfing.
I remembered hearing Siegfried, as he’d slipped into a conversation with another man about how much he loved to golf, say that he would meet someone on the greens on Monday at four.
And since I had no other ideas on how to track down people from the party, I decided to look at the area’s golf courses. Thankfully, aside from mini-golf, there weren’t that many places to hit the green here in the Outer Banks. I decided to start with the most logical location: a course in Nags Head.
After work and with the sun sinking on the horizon, I pulled up to the golf course. Just as I parked and walked toward the club building, I spotted someone familiar walking out with a golf bag slung over his shoulder.
Jackpot! It was Ryan, Siegfried’s geeky brother.
His steps slowed when he saw me. “I met you at that party, didn’t I?”
I nodded, feeling like I should have some golf equipment with me to sell my cover story. But I didn’t, so I hoped I might be able to rent some inside, if it came down to it.
“You sure did,” I said. “I didn’t realize you played golf. I’m just here to play a few
. . .” What were they called? My mind went blank. “Innings. Quarters, I mean.”
“Rounds?” He raised his eyebrows, still looking like he didn’t trust me.
“Exactly. That’s what I said. Rounds.”
He didn’t appear convinced. “Siegfried likes coming here. It helps him unwind.”
“I see. And you’re always there for your brother, it sounds like.”
“This is his territory. I’m only here temporarily.” He pushed his glasses up higher.
“How long is your vacation?”
He shrugged. “I actually got laid off from my job with a tech company. I decided to enjoy the time off until I can find a new job.”
“It’s good to take some time to reflect. What else have you done in this area? Anything besides golf? Because there are so many good options. Jockey’s Ridge, the National Seashore, Nags Head Woods, just to name a few.”
I watched his expression to see if he’d show any signs of recognition. He remained stoic. “We’re not here for fun. Not really. Mostly a rest between work. We’ve golfed and done some shooting at the range.”
My throat tightened when I remembered the gunfire on Jackson’s boat. “Shooting?”
He nodded. “My brother is a skilled marksman. Really, anything he tries his hand at, he succeeds in.”
That was very good to know. “A marksman, huh?”
“That’s right. My dad used to come to this area all the time to hunt. It must run in the family. But not me. I prefer computers and coding.”
“I never did understand exactly what business you and your brother were in.”
Before he could answer, I heard a footstep behind me. “If it isn’t the hottie from Billy’s party!”
I turned and saw Siegfried in all his smug fakeness standing there.
“Small world,” I muttered.
“I was hoping I might see you again.” He stared me up and down like I was an Armani suit and he had the urge to dress to impress.
“Were you?” I repeated, unsure what else to say. I didn’t want to flirt back and reward his bad behavior. I could do it. I could utilize my acting skills and make this work. But I wouldn’t. Not right now.
Safety in Blunders (The Worst Detective Ever Book 3) Page 14