Proof of Murder

by Lauren Elliott

“Are you sure? Because I don’t want to find out you’ve got a skeleton in your closet that’s going to come back and bite me one day.”

  Addie threw her head back laughing.

  “It’s not funny. It would break my heart if I found out you weren’t who I thought you were.”

  “Don’t worry. There are no deep, dark, sordid secrets about me waiting to be revealed.” Addie draped her arm across Serena’s shoulder. “Look, we’ve both had a lousy day and need to take our minds off all this. Is Zach working at the Grey Gull tonight?”

  “Yup.”

  “Would it make you feel better if you saw him?” Serena’s eyes lit up. “I thought so. Let’s go say hello, and we’ll grab dinner while we’re there.”

  “Perfect, let me get my purse.” Serena bolted up the stairs to her apartment and was back before Addie had fastened her seat belt.

  Serena hopped in and Addie put the car in drive. Serena let out a horrifying squeal. “What’s wrong?” Addie slammed on the brakes.

  “My phone’s dead.”

  “Is that all? I thought you were dying.”

  “I might as well be because there’s no time to charge it before we go.” Serena’s voice teetered on panic. “What am I going to do?”

  “Take mine out of my bag and use it.”

  “Oh . . . I never thought of that.” Serena snatched Addie’s phone and scowled at the lock screen. “Could you please put in your password?”

  Addie stopped at the top of her driveway, punched in her password, and handed Serena the phone.

  “Thanks, I thought we should call ahead and ask the manager if he could squeeze us into Zach’s section.”

  “I’m glad it was life and death,” Addie mumbled under her breath as she pulled out onto the road. “Speaking of Bruce,” she added, “I better ask him about my cousin when we’re there.”

  “What about her?” Serena asked, phone plastered to her ear. “It’s busy. I’ll try again in a minute.”

  Addie glanced at her with her peripheral vision. “What are you doing? Going through my phone?”

  Serena’s finger stilled on the screen. “Just looking at these pictures.” She flashed the phone screen in Addie’s face. “Is this your cousin? She’s gorgeous. Wow.”

  “I’d forgotten we took those photos yesterday.”

  “What were you guys doing? Here’s one of you almost standing on your head.”

  Addie took a quick glance at it and giggled. “Yeah, that was our silly break yesterday afternoon. We were both feeling like we were suffocating in that stuffy library and I tried to open the window. When I couldn’t get it unstuck, Kalea tried, and it got sillier from there. I think we both had a mini mental breakdown for about fifteen minutes.” It had felt wonderful to have fun with her cousin. They had been like kids again without a care in the world. “Hey, I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before, but you didn’t happen to see that woman hanging around out in front of the house when the police had it closed off, did you?”

  “No, I’m pretty sure I didn’t. If I had, I would have remembered how intimidated she’d have made me feel.”

  “Looks aren’t everything.” Addie slipped into a parking space in front of the Grey Gull Inn. “She’s one of those people you aren’t really sure of how well you know them, which is exactly why I’m going to head over to the registration desk. I need to find out what they know about her. You go make your sad puppy eyes at Bruce and get us a prime table in Zach’s section.” Addie closed her door. “I’ll come find you as soon as I find out if Kalea’s still registered.”

  Addie strode in the direction of the hotel lobby and paused. Marc’s police cruiser was parked at the curbside. It appeared she and Marc had the same notion of checking out her wayward cousin’s registration status.

  Not knowing what to expect when she entered the lobby—probably a reprimand for interfering in his investigation—she straightened her shoulders and pushed through the door. Half expecting to be greeted by his mocking voice, she blinked when the manager’s wife, Millie, greeted her.

  “Hi, Addie, I haven’t seen you in a long time. How have you been?”

  The small lobby was empty. “I’m . . . I’m fine, thanks. Yeah, it has been a while. Since the Founders’ Day parade, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes.” Laugh lines played beside her eyes. “And I must say you made a lovely Betsy Ross.”

  Addie laughed and curtsied. “Thank you so much, but I feel it did pale in comparison to your Martha Washington costume.”

  “Don’t be silly, I’m just a middle-aged woman. Who else could I have gone as?”

  “Millie, you know you’re more than just a middle-aged woman. Look how you keep this place running. Bruce would be lost without you.”

  “Now that is true. The poor man can’t find a bottle of ketchup in the fridge unless it jumps out and bites him on the nose.”

  Addie snorted. A tendency she hated, but for the next few minutes she relished in the silliness of shared laughter—with the occasional snort—with Millie.

  Tension released, she was ready to put her sleuthing hat back on. After regaining some semblance of composure, she inquired as to whether Kalea was still registered.

  “You know we can’t give out information about our guests.” Millie held up a finger to quiet Addie’s brewing retort. “But she did tell me when she checked in that she was here to visit you, and you were her cousin. So, on account of that, I will tell you that she is still registered but only because she paid for three nights and didn’t check out when she left this morning.”

  “What time did she leave?”

  Millie shrugged. “We have no idea. When housekeeping went in to refresh her room, everything was gone. She must have left sometime during the night.”

  Addie bit her bottom her. This wasn’t what she’d hoped to hear, but it made sense if she followed her theory about Philip and the book-club copies. Oh, Kalea, what have you gotten yourself involved with? “Thanks, Millie.” Addie tapped the desktop. “You’ve been a big help.” She wheeled around and froze. “Marc, what are you doing here?”

  “I was just on my way out and saw your car.”

  “I see. So . . .” Addie glanced behind him, expecting to see Ryley lurking in the background. “What brings you to the Grey Gull tonight? Business or pleasure?”

  “Most likely the same thing that brings you here.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “If you’re looking for your cousin, it appears she’s gone. We just checked her room.”

  “I see. Millie just told me that when housekeeping went in this morning, it looked like she’d packed up and left.”

  “That’s what it looks like. Any idea where she was heading?”

  “No, but I have a suspicion that when you find Robert Peters, he might know something.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “He took an . . . How should I say this? An unnatural liking to her yesterday, and now she’s disappeared, and there’s no sign of him, either. You put two and two together. To be honest, I’m getting worried that he—”

  “Relax, we found him.”

  “Where?”

  “He was upstairs sleeping in one of the bedrooms.”

  “And Kalea wasn’t with him?”

  Marc shook his head. “Millie gave me her license plate number from the registration form, and I’ve issued an APB on her and her car.”

  “Kalea did mention to me she had a boyfriend. Maybe that’s a lead, too?”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Nolan.”

  “Nolan what?”

  “She didn’t say, but she did tell me he was the senior partner in his law firm.”

  “Thanks, I’ll get somebody to check it out.”

  “What about Charlotte’s laptop?” Addie cleared her throat in the hope it would distract from her change of subject. “Did Robert have it?”

  “Nope.” Marc eyed her warily. “He said last time he saw it, Charlotte was
using it in the library. Apparently, she told him to go get some sleep because she wanted him to do the morning setup, but she stayed in the library to finish up some paperwork.”

  “Then she must have bolted the door after he left?”

  “It looks that way.” Marc’s jaw tightened. “Look, Addie, I can’t talk to you any more than I have about the case, but I do need to talk to you about this morning.” He glanced at Millie, who was on the phone, and motioned with his head toward the window, his voice dropping. “I think I owe you an apology.”

  “You think? You were downright rude and mean. You always did have a tendency to overreact when it came to you and me, but your behavior this morning was unbelievable.”

  “Yes, it was,” he said, clutching the brim of his cap. “I admit it. But I wasn’t prepared to walk into a crime scene and find you there, and I didn’t know how to handle it. It definitely isn’t the way I had planned on seeing you for the first time since . . .”

  “I know. It didn’t turn out to be exactly the greeting or conversation I thought we’d have either when you got back.”

  He raked his hand through his hair. “I really don’t know what to say except I’m sorry for the way I behaved, and I’m sorry you had to find out about Ryley the way you did.”

  “As far as Ryley is concerned . . .” Addie bit the inside of her cheek to keep her tongue from unleashing what she was really feeling toward the agent.

  “What about her?”

  “Nothing.” She dropped her gaze, entwining her fingers. “I think we both have to admit it all turned out the way it was supposed to, for both of us.”

  “I guess yes, in the end it did. But it took a while for me to see it, I have to admit.”

  “I’m sorry, Marc. I never meant to hurt you that night.”

  “I know you didn’t.” His expression softened. “It’s just that after Christmas I thought we finally were both on the same page. For the first time since we’d met. You had changed and seemed ready to move forward. We had two wonderful months together, and I saw a future I didn’t want to end. But when I pulled that ring out of my pocket and saw the look on your face, it told me nothing had changed. I realized that in all the time we’d known each other, we’ve never been on the same page at the same time. Heck, when I look back now, I don’t even think we were ever even reading the same book.”

  “But I didn’t reject you. I just told you I needed more time.”

  “Yeah, because Simon was still hanging around.”

  “He and I were—are friends, Marc.”

  “Pretty close now, too, from what I heard. As soon as I told you we both needed time to figure out what we really wanted and I left, the only reports I got back were about Addie and Simon. Addie and Simon went here. Addie and Simon did this, Addie and Simon over and over. I guess it didn’t take you long to figure out what you really wanted, and that didn’t include a future with me. I went from being hurt and numb to finally accepting it and moved on . . . at least until I saw you again this morning. And then the anger I had fought against all those months bubbled to the surface.”

  “Marc?”

  Addie jerked and darted a look at the doorway. “Hello, Agent Brookes.”

  She nodded curtly at Addie and quizzed Marc with a raised brow. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes.” Marc straightened his shoulders. “Addie, if you hear anything from your cousin, please call the station and let us know. We have a few questions for her.” He tipped his hat at her and walked toward Ryley, gesturing with his head to the main door.

  “What was that all about?” Ryley leaned into him, lowering her voice.

  “We’re both looking for her cousin.” Marc swung around. “Addie, you don’t by any chance have a photo of Kalea, do you?”

  “Yeah, on my phone.”

  “Can I see it?”

  “Sure.” Addie dug around her bag. “Oops, Serena must still have it.”

  “Where is she?”

  “In the dining room. I’ll go get it from her.”

  “No, just text it to me later, that’s fine.”

  “Actually . . .” Ryley laid a predatory claw on Marc’s arm. “Why don’t you send it to me?” A distinct undertone of venom wove through the silky-smooth tone. She thrust her business card into Addie’s hand. “I can run it through our database and see if it can locate her. You know, the last place she used a credit card or something.”

  Marc gave Ryley a side glance. “Do you think that’s a good idea, considering?”

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  “Considering what?” Addie’s gaze flitted from Marc to Ryley. The protective way he looked at Ryley made Addie realize it had nothing to do with the fact that she was still a suspect, but was a reference to something else.

  “Nothing,” Marc said. “Just send it to me later.” He placed his hand on the small of Ryley’s back and ushered her through the main door. “What were you thinking with that comment about running the information through the FBI computer?” He lowered his voice. “Do you even have access right now?”

  “I wasn’t thinking. It’s just an old habit. I’ve never been in this situation before.”

  “If your field supervisor got wind of you using FBI resources while you’re on mandatory—” The door closed.

  Mandatory what? Considering what? Addie needed to hear more. She hurried into the warm summer evening, not certain how she would explain to Marc why she was chasing after them. It didn’t matter. His cruiser was already pulling away from the curb.

  Chapter 13

  Addie scanned the dining room. Bruce told her he’d seated Serena by the wall of windows overlooking the harbor, but there was no sign of her redheaded friend. Then she spotted her in the corner by the server’s coffee station locked in a hug with Zach. Her eyes fought the sting of tears. What she wouldn’t give to have Simon’s arms around her right now. It had been one of those days when just feeling the beat of his heart in rhythm with hers would have fixed everything. Even if only temporary. She swiped a budding tear from her eye.

  “Yoo-hoo, Addie, over here.”

  She glanced in the direction the voice had come from and took a detour around a table of six to get to the grinning faces of Maggie Hollingsworth, a member of the book club, her mother, and a man Addie didn’t know. “Hi, Maggie, it’s nice to see you.” Addie nodded her greeting. “And Vera.” She paused when her gaze fell on the striking silver-haired gentleman seated with them.

  “Addie”—Maggie gestured toward the man—“this is Art Dunbar. He’s one of my real-estate agents at Hollingsworth Realty.”

  “Nice to meet you, Art.” Addie extended her hand. “I’m sorry, you didn’t look familiar. I don’t think I’ve seen any of your signs around town.”

  “You will soon.” Art returned her gesture with a firm shake.

  “Are you new to the business, then?”

  “Heavens no!” Vera, an equally as graying-haired woman, piped in. “Arty’s been a Realtor for years.”

  “Don’t mind my mother.” Maggie slid a side-glare at Vera and flicked a wave of bleach-blond coiffured hair over her shoulder. “Art is relatively new to Greyborne Harbor, but he was a Realtor for years in Seattle.”

  Addie’s skin tingled at the tension between mother and daughter. On the other hand, she thought some mothers and daughters did often rub each other the wrong way. Not having had much to do with either woman outside of the book club, maybe this was normal for them. “Well, it’s nice to have met you, Art, and welcome to Greyborne Harbor. I hope you come to love this town as much as I have.”

  “Oh, love won’t be an issue.” He reached his arm around Vera’s shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.

  “Please, both of you control yourselves,” Maggie snapped, and glanced around at the tables surrounding them. “We’re in public,” she hissed. “I don’t need the whole town seeing one of my agents carrying on with my mother in a restaurant of all places.”

  “Really!” Vera g
ave an exaggerated eye roll. “Is that all you care about? What the people in this town think of the Queen of Real Estate?” Vera picked up her wineglass and swigged a large swallow. “Art, maybe it was a mistake to bring you back to Greyborne Harbor with me.”

  “Nonsense, my dear.” He patted Vera’s hand. “These last eight months here with you have been the happiest of my life.”

  “Oh, Arty,” Vera cooed and leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “Mother, stop!”

  Addie took that as her cue to leave, voiced her pleasure at seeing them all, and made her way to her own table, reaching it just as Serena sat down. “I need a drink—now.” Addie flopped into her chair and scanned the room for Zach to take her order.

  Serena’s big, round, brown eyes locked on hers.

  “What?”

  “Are you okay? Did something happen since I last saw you, about twenty minutes ago?”

  “Yeah.” Addie dropped her bag on the empty chair beside her. “The whole darn world’s gone crazy, that’s what’s happened.”

  Serena barked out a laugh that mimicked a sick seal. The foursome at the table behind them turned in unison to look at her. Serena smiled at them and they, obviously uncomfortable with her acknowledgment, returned to their meals. She turned her freckled face back to Addie. “And you’ve just come to this realization?”

  Addie glanced at the two women, who still appeared to be sniping at each other. “You know,” she said, turning back to Serena, “I never had my mother growing up, but I do hope that if I had, we wouldn’t have ended up like those two.”

  “If you’re talking about Maggie and Vera, they’ve always been like that. Vera is practical and down to earth, and Maggie . . . well, she’s always been full of herself and worried more about keeping up appearances than anything else.”

  “I just feel sorry for that poor man with them.”

  “Art?”

  “You know him? I’ve never seen him before.”

  “Yeah, he works for Maggie.”

  “I got that part from my brief introduction.” Addie scanned her menu. “How come he doesn’t have any signs around town?”

  “Gloria told me at the last book-club meeting that he had to write his state exams. I guess he was some hotshot Realtor out west, but each state has their own licensing requirements or something to that affect.” She waved her hand in a fluttering motion. “I don’t know. I wasn’t really paying attention to what Gloria was saying because . . . I really didn’t care.” She flipped her menu up, chuckling.