by Cindy Bell
“Rubbish!” Mrs. Carter hissed. “What in the world would a government spy be doing in Harroway? Inspecting the changing of the leaves?” she demanded.
This caused the other two women to giggle. Bekki bit into her bottom lip as she added a touch of hairspray to Mrs. Carter's hair.
“Oh dear,” Mrs. Paultren suddenly gasped, having caught sight of Bekki's expression. “Shame on us for gossiping like this. After all, the poor deceased was a friend of Bekki's, wasn't she, Bekki?”
Bekki nodded and offered a tolerant smile. “It's all right Mrs. Paultren, when terrible things happen they should be talked about.”
“But never joked about,” Mrs. Carter admonished. She was the wife of one of the most prominent businessmen in town, and carried herself as if she was a bit more educated and refined than the others.
“I just can't believe that such a terrible thing could happen in our little town.”
“No town is immune,” Bekki said sadly as she finished the styling she was working on. “But I'm sure the police will work quickly to solve this case.”
“Don't you mean Nick?” Mrs. Paultren giggled quietly.
Bekki smiled despite herself and caught Mrs. Paultren's eyes. The ladies had been teasing her for quite some time about her romance with the detective. Most of them had watched Bekki grow up and they felt they had a right to be involved in her personal life as an adult also.
“All right ladies,” Bekki shook her head. “Can't we talk about something a little more cheerful? How are the holiday plans coming along?”
Bekki chose the right topic because the question launched all three women into a frenzy of debate and excitement. While they discussed whether the sparkling white lights they put up on the main street every year were tacky or magical, Bekki found her mind drifting. She could not get the visit that morning off her mind. She had been waiting for Nick to call about his conversation with Jeff Barnes, but her phone had been silent. It wasn't until she was about to close up for the night that Nick walked through the door of the salon. His expression was drawn, with his lips tight and his eyes narrowed. She could tell that things had not gone as he had expected.
“What happened?” Bekki asked without even greeting him.
Nick glanced over at Sammy and the last remaining customer, then walked over to Bekki. He grabbed her gently by the curve of her elbow and steered her out of earshot.
“I want you to be cautious.” he warned her as he glanced over her shoulder and then back into her eyes.
“Why should I have to be?” Bekki asked, her eyes widening. “You arrested him, didn't you?”
“I'm sorry Bekki,” he shook his head, his eyes drooping with disappointment. “I couldn't.”
“So, you're telling me the man who killed Jasmine is out walking around town?” Bekki asked, her voice growing a little more shrill with each word she spoke. Nick reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. Bekki could see from the clenching of his jaw and the vein bulging on his forehead that he was as frustrated as she was. She knew how important it was to him, to protect her and have justice served.
“I'm sorry,” she said quickly and reached up to gently stroke the curve of his cheek. “I know that you did everything that you could.”
“I did,” he murmured as he looked up at her with a hint of pleading in his eyes. “There's just no evidence. We can't prove that he was in the room with Jasmine. The shirt he was wearing when we picked him up didn't have any lipstick on it. The only thing we have that lets us monitor him is the connection between the two men he claims are his bodyguards.”
“I know it was him,” Bekki said firmly as she let her hand come to rest on his shoulder. “But I understand. Without proof there's no way to hold him,” her eyes began to shimmer slightly.
“No Bekki,” Nick warned as he looked deeply into her eyes. “This is an extremely volatile situation. I need you to stay as far away from this man as possible. Understand? No matter what you're thinking, do not go looking for clues.”
“I didn't go looking for him this morning,” Bekki pointed out as she raised her eyebrow slightly. “I was careful.”
“Be more careful,” he said emphatically and pulled her hands into his. “I'm going to look more into his company and background and see if I can turn up something, anything, that we can hold him on. There will be a police cruiser coming soon and won’t leave until you’ve locked up. Be extra cautious, okay?”
Bekki nodded and gently touched her lips to his in a sweet soft kiss. “Don't worry so much Nick, I'll be fine.”
He held her gaze as she pulled away, and the concern reflected in his eyes made Bekki certain that he would never stop worrying about her.
“Okay, I'll check in with you later tonight,” he stole another quick kiss and then left the salon. After Sammy had checked out the last customer of the evening she walked over to Bekki who was staring thoughtfully into space.
“Isn't it frightening?” Sammy shivered a little. “To think that man is walking free.”
“Yes it is,” Bekki replied, her voice flattened with determination. “Hopefully someone will turn up some proof.”
Sammy finished closing the cash register down for the night while Bekki checked the locks on the back door. Then they headed out into the parking lot together where the police cruiser was parked. Bekki was used to closing the salon at night on her own, but she was secretly glad to have Sammy with her this time. The cruiser was a very welcome addition as well.
“Do you want me to come over?” Sammy suggested. “We could have a girls’ night, watch a movie, drink some wine?”
“Not tonight,” Bekki shook her head slowly. “I just want to spend a little time alone to think about Jasmine.”
“Oh, of course,” Sammy smacked her forehead lightly. “I'm sorry Bekki I hope I didn't upset you. I know you had planned to spend the evening with Jasmine the night…” she hesitated to finish her sentence.
“It's okay,” Bekki promised and felt a little guilty for lying to her friend. She had no intention of going home. “I'll see you in the morning, okay?” Bekki smiled at Sammy and gave her a quick hug.
“I'll be here,” Sammy replied and hugged her in return. “Call me if you need me.”
“I will,” Bekki promised her. Bekki climbed into the front seat of her car and began to drive off as if she was heading home. She knew that she would only have a little time before Nick started calling to check on her, or her mother dropped by to do the same. So she was going to have to make her clandestine adventure fast.
Bekki turned down a side street and then drove back to the edge of town, back to the Harroway Harbor Motel. When she pulled into the parking lot she parked in the well-lit area right in front of the entrance of the office of the motel. The office was already closed for the evening, but Bekki still thought it was safer to be in plain sight. She easily spotted which motel room Jeff Barnes was staying in, by the two flashy cars parked in front of it. She put her car in park and stepped out of it. As she walked along the sidewalk towards the motel room she was careful to stay close to the wall. When she was at the edge of the motel room she paused beside the window and listened closely through it.
“Right but someone killed her before we got our product,” she heard one angry voice saying loudly. “So now you're still on the hook for it, got me?”
“I know, I know,” she recognized Jeff's voice replying. “I'm working on it. Okay? This is a little know nothing town, some pesky cop probably lifted the product for his wife. It's only a matter of time. I'll get it to you, okay?”
“You better,” the angry voice replied. “Because the boss' patience is wearing thin.”
“I understand,” Jeff replied. “But really guys, I think you need to relax a little. Why don't we enjoy the town while we can? Let's go try out some of the local fare, it'll give me a chance to eye up the locals.”
“I am kind of hungry,” a third quieter voice said.
“All right then it's settled, dinner out
on the town boys,” Jeff announced as if he was in charge. It sounded to Bekki like things were the other way around.
When she saw the knob on the door starting to turn she ducked for cover between some other parked cars in the parking lot. She watched through a window as Jeff Barnes and his two supposed bodyguards climbed into one of the flashy cars and drove out of the parking lot. Bekki waited until she was sure they had turned off the street, then she stood up. She walked over to the door of the motel room and took a deep breath. She was taking a risk, she knew that, but it seemed justifiable to her. As long as Jeff was free he could hurt other people, and Nick's hands were tied, he didn't even have grounds for a search warrant. Her hands were free however, and she had developed a knack for breaking in. She was just about to attack the door with a hairpin when she heard steps behind her. Taking a sharp breath she spun around, ready to attack, only to discover the owner of the motel.
“Bekki! I thought that was you!” he said happily as he smiled at her. “What are you doing out here?”
“Oh I,” she thought fast. “I was visiting my old friend Jeff Barnes, earlier today, and I'm afraid I left my purse inside his room. I hurried over here to get it from him, but I'm afraid I just missed him.”
“Oh?” Mr. Parsons shrugged. “Well, here let me open it up for you. I know you've been through a lot, losing Jasmine.”
“Thanks Mr. Parsons,” Bekki said with a smile of gratitude. “I will lock it up on my way out, okay?”
“Sure, sure,” he nodded and gave her shoulder a light pat. “I'm really sorry about your friend Bekki. It's a horrible thing.”
“Yes it is,” Bekki agreed, her heart pounding as he unlocked the door for her.
“Have a good night, and be careful Bekki, okay?” he smiled at her with genuine affection.
“I will Mr. Parsons,” she promised and tried not to let the guilt show in her expression.
As he walked away, Bekki slipped into the motel room. She couldn't believe her luck that he would happen to spot her, but she was glad he did. It made her feel less guilty that she didn't actually break into the room. She knew that she still had to work fast. If Jeff returned and found her here, who knew what he would do.
She still couldn't figure out what was so important about the supplies that Jasmine had, but she was determined to find the shirt that had her lipstick stain on it. She headed straight for the closet. When she opened it, she found a few crisp dress shirts hanging on the wire hangers. But not one of them had a lipstick stain on the cuff. Was it possible that he had discovered how to get the stain out? The thought of the stain made her think of something else. Maybe he had tossed the shirt somewhere as dirty laundry. She began digging through the bottom of the closet. There were only a few pairs of shoes, a small suitcase and a few old boxes that likely belonged to the motel. Inside the suitcase Bekki found some clothing, but none of the shirts was the one she was looking for.
Growing more frustrated by the moment as every second that passed meant Jeff could be on his way back, Bekki headed for the trash can. Maybe there was something in there that might indicate he had something to do with Jasmine's death. As she sorted through the garbage, she noticed something. Her fingers were smudged with ash. In fact, all of the garbage in the top of the can had been placed on top of a pile of ash in the bottom of the can. She glanced up at the ceiling to discover that the smoke detector had been tampered with. Had he burned the shirt? Maybe he spotted the lipstick smudge, or maybe he became suspicious when Nick had asked to see the cuffs of his shirt. Either way it seemed pretty clear that whatever evidence might have existed to connect Jeff to the murder had gone up in smoke.
Bekki almost jumped out of her skin as a cell phone beeped. She found it under a chair in the room. It had probably fallen out of someone’s pocket. It was a different brand to the one Jeff had with him when he came into the salon. Bekki snatched up the phone. When she read the text message she felt her blood run cold.
Did you kill him yet?
Bekki held her breath and quickly put the phone back where she had found it and backed away from it. She realized that Jeff was in more than just a bad and dangerous business deal, it looked like he was having his life threatened. Whether he knew it or not, he might be the next murder victim in Harroway. Bekki hurried to the door of the motel and opened it up ready to run out. Just as she stepped outside the door a shadow fell across the sidewalk. She looked up with a gasp to discover Mr. Parsons standing outside.
“Did you find your purse?” he asked with a slight frown. “I felt a little bad leaving you here all alone, considering what happened here, so I thought I'd come back and check on you.”
“Oh uh, turns out he took it with him,” Bekki said with a light laugh. “He just called me on his cell phone to let me know he had it. Sorry for all the trouble.”
“Sure,” he nodded and smiled. “Just glad that you were able to figure it all out. Do you want me to walk you to your car?” he offered.
“No thanks Mr. Parsons, I'll be just fine,” Bekki promised him and hoped that he didn't see the ash smudged on her fingertips. As she hurried off down the sidewalk her mind was spinning. Nick had been right when he said that the men Jeff was dealing with were very dangerous. She could only wonder if Jeff knew how dangerous they were. Was it possible she had it wrong all along? Maybe Jeff was the one in danger? She couldn't think straight as she started her car. She was just about to put it into drive when her cell phone rang. She checked the ID to discover it was Nick.
“Your mom said you're not home,” Nick said urgently. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” Bekki said quickly. “Why were you talking to my Mom?”
“Uh well,” he cleared his throat hesitantly.
“Nick?” she pressed with a frown as she pulled out of the parking lot.
“She and I were just discussing the best way to keep you safe,” Nick admitted with a sigh.
“Nick, I can take care of myself,” Bekki warned him with frustration, but her voice was soft.
“Just this once Bekki, let us do what we can to help you, okay?” Nick pleaded. “Can I come over?”
Bekki was just pulling into her driveway. She glanced down at her ash covered hands and bit into her bottom lip guiltily. She didn't want to lie to him more than she already had.
“I just need a shower and to head straight to bed,” Bekki explained haltingly. “I just need a night to myself.”
“Okay, but I'll be home in an hour, so if you want some company, just call me. I love you, Bekki.”
Bekki smiled at his words and hesitated only a moment before she replied. “I love you too, Nick.”
As she climbed out of her car and headed towards the door of her house, she found herself being a little extra cautious. She glanced over her shoulder before unlocking the door. After reading the text message, she presumed that the men with Jeff were just as much killers as she suspected he was. She doubted if Harroway had ever had so many criminals within its town limits before.
Once inside she really did do as she had told Nick she would. She showered and then curled up in bed. She wanted to rest and clear her mind. She had taken a big risk by going into the motel room, and hadn't found a shred of evidence, but she had found some very good reasons to be a bit more afraid. As she fell asleep that night her mind returned to Jasmine, her eager smile and her playful ways. She was the reason Bekki had taken the risk, and she was more determined than ever to find out the truth.
Chapter Seven
The next morning when Bekki woke she couldn't ignore the subtle anxiety that was causing her heart to race at any little sound or loud noise. After what she had overheard the night before, she was on edge, but, she was sure that Jeff and his friends would be sticking around until they got what they came for. She had decided that instead of searching for evidence against Jeff, she would try searching for the supplies they were looking for.
She was surprised and pleased to find Nick waiting for her at the salon with coffee.
“What are you doing here,” Bekki asked with a smile.
“I thought I’d bring you and Sammy coffee,” he answered while holding up the coffees.
“Thanks,” Bekki replied, knowing that he probably wanted to check that she was okay.
Bekki had to wiggle the key a bit because the new lock was sticking. Once inside Nick put the coffee on the table.
“Any developments?” Bekki asked.
“No not really,” Nick replied. “Still investigating Jeff.”
“Good, I want that man, and his accomplices behind bars.”
“You mean his bodyguards?” Nick prompted and studied her. He could see from the quirk of her lips and the way she avoided his eyes that she was hiding something. “Bekki? Do you know something I don't?”
“It's just,” Bekki cleared her throat. She wasn't sure how to tell him the truth without revealing her deception. “What if they're not his bodyguards,” she said as casually as she could. “What if he's being threatened by them?”
“Why would you think that?” Nick frowned, the corners of his eyes wrinkled as he scrutinized her expression. “He never showed any sign of duress when we questioned him.”
“Okay,” Bekki nodded a little. “But, it's clear the two bodyguards have connections with some bad people right?”
“Yes,” Nick agreed. “But it's not unusual for businessmen to hire ex-cons or former gang members to protect them, because they feel it takes a criminal to know a criminal best.”
Bekki shifted uncomfortably and glanced nervously over her shoulder out the window.
“Bekki,” Nick murmured from behind her. Bekki braced herself, expecting a barrage of questions, instead when she turned around his arms were open to her. Bekki settled into the warmth and comfort of his embrace. “Let me take you to dinner tonight,” Nick said as he looked into her deep blue eyes. “Something to take your mind off all of this.”
“I don't know,” Bekki hesitated. It was hard for her to think of going out for a meal when the crime still wasn't solved. There was so much up in the air, and with her salon being ransacked, and murderers on the loose, she had a lot to worry about.