by Kathi Daley
Cody folded his hands on the table. “Okay, so based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like Giselle had both probable motive and means. Tell me about Rachael.”
“Rachael’s movements were verified with the others until the very end. She’d been chatting with Martha and then excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. Stephanie was just coming out when she got there, so she stopped to chat with her for a minute. Meanwhile, Sarah showed up and went into the ladies’ room. When Sarah came out she rejoined the main group with Stephanie while Rachael stayed behind. No one remembers seeing her after that point until the very end of the evening, when everyone was leaving. In other words, no one remembers her coming back from the ladies’ room, which is in the same hallway as the office. It could be that she met Paula in the hallway or even went into the office and confronted her. I’m not sure how or why they ended up in the storeroom, but it does seem like a possibility.”
“Did Rachael have motive?” Cody asked.
“Yes, she did. It turns out that during the time she was temping for Brown and Bidwell, the law firm Stephanie works for, Paula searched customer files that seem to have provided her with sensitive information she used to blackmail six people. Once she had the blackmail information she temped at the bank, where Rachael found her checking bank account records she wasn’t authorized to access. Rachael had Paula fired and they had a verbal altercation in the alley behind the bank. I image both Stephanie and Rachael felt used and betrayed that Paula would come into the businesses they worked for, steal sensitive information, and use if for her own purposes.”
Cody took another sip of his beer before he asked his next question. “Do you know if she was successful in getting money from those six people?”
“Finn verified that she received a onetime payment from them. She had the money transferred to someone named Walton Smith. Finn is trying to track him down, but my intuition tells me that he’ll turn out to be the PI several of the women mentioned Paula had hired.”
“Do we know why she hired a PI?”
I shrugged. “Originally, I felt it was to prove her husband was cheating, but now I’m not so sure. Paula asked to use the office phone on the night of the storm because hers was dead. We determined she called a number leading to a burner cell Finn hadn’t been able to track down as of the last time I spoke to him. I have a feeling it could be the private investigator’s. We found a note Paula jotted down while seated at the desk: Amber and the dates April 12, 1999, and November 6, 2014. We also know Paula had spoken to a teenager named Amber who works in the general store by the Harthaven Marina. She asked the girl, who happened to be eighteen and also happened to have a necklace similar to one Paula told her she owned, if she was adopted. The girl told her she wasn’t. Finn later found out that Paula had given birth to a female child on April 12, 1999. That made me wonder if Paula hadn’t hired the PI to find Amber. If that’s so, I think we’ll find Walton Smith is the owner of the burner cell Paula called and the recipient of the money she got from her blackmail victims.”
We stopped speaking as the pizza was delivered. Cody topped off both our beers from the pitcher we’d ordered before resuming the conversation. I took a bite of the delicious pie, chewing slowly to enjoy the blend of tomato, pepperoni, and olives.
“Okay; let’s summarize. You feel it was one of the book club members who killed Paula and the only two without firm alibis are Giselle and Rachael.”
I nodded.
“You also believe Paula may have hired a PI to find a child she gave birth to in 1999. It seems possible she blackmailed six people to pay the PI, although none of the victims are considered suspects in her death because they weren’t in the bookstore building on the night Paula died.”
“Correct.”
“Do you have any other clues?”
“I found a key taped to the inside of a notebook we found in Paula’s home. I don’t know what it unlocks, but it looks like the sort of thing that might go to a safety deposit box, a locker, or some other small lock.”
Cody ate in silence for a few minutes. I could tell by the look on his face that he was concentrating on the information I’d just provided. God, I’d missed him while he was away.
“I take it the crime scene guys didn’t find any fingerprints in the storeroom that might have belonged to the killer?”
I shook my head. “They found mine and Tara’s, as well as yours, Danny’s, and the three part-time workers’ we had over the summer. They even found Paula’s, but not a single print from any other book club member. Paula’s were also the only prints found on the murder weapon other than mine and Tara’s. Finn is pretty sure the killer wore gloves. It appears no attempt was made to wipe prints off anything.”
“So unless your book club members carry around gloves the murder must have been premeditated.”
“It would seem so,” I agreed. “It was a stormy night, but not nearly cold enough to warrant hats and mittens. Jane’s a nurse, so we considered she might have had gloves on her if she’d just come from work, but she has an alibi for the entire evening. I can’t think of a reason for anyone else to have had gloves in their possession. I also don’t see how it could have been premeditated. Sure, the killer might have suspected Paula would be at the meeting, but they couldn’t have known the storm would be strong enough to have us take a break, or that Paula would ask to use the phone, providing a situation where she was isolated from the rest of the group. We have to be missing something.”
“I agree it doesn’t add up.” Cody frowned as he appeared to be thinking some more. “Let’s talk about the key you found. Do you have it with you?”
“Yes.”
“Have you tried to find the lock it goes to? Maybe that’s what you need to pull this together.”
“Not really. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“What about Paula’s house? Maybe the key goes to a lockbox.”
“I guess that would be the easiest place to start. I know a way in through the cellar.”
“Okay. Let’s head over there after we eat to see what we can find. If we don’t find the lock there we’ll make a list of other possibilities.”
“Do you want to grab the groceries you want to buy for Mr. Parsons first? The market is going to close in an hour and I’m not sure how long it will take to look for the lock.”
“Yeah. We’ll head to the market, drop everything off, then head over to Paula’s house.”
******
Madrona Island had several small minimarts that sold snacks and drinks but only one grocery store. It was crowded on Friday night, as islanders stocked up for the weekend. Cody didn’t have a list, but he seemed to know what he wanted to buy, so I followed behind him as he loaded up a cart with fresh produce, lean cuts of meat, and a few dairy products. I knew Mr. Parsons had a sweet tooth, so I suggested getting a treat as well. We had just entered the bakery aisle when a petite woman with long brown hair and bright blue eyes let out a little screech and came running toward me.
“Caitlin Hart.” The woman hugged me hard. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”
“Oh my God, Noel.” I hugged my old friend in return before taking a step back and getting a better look at the woman I’d known in my childhood. “Are you on the island visiting your aunt?”
“Actually, I’m moving back, at least temporarily.” Noel glanced at Cody with a question in her eyes.
“Cody West, this is Noel Wasserman,” I introduced. “Noel and I were friends all through grade and middle school, but I haven’t seen her since she moved the summer before high school.”
Noel and Cody exchanged nods and then Cody suggested I catch up with her while he finished his shopping. I was thrilled to see my old friend and agreed to his plan.
“So where did you find the hunk?” Noel’s eyes danced with amusement as Cody walked away.
“Cody went to the same school we did growing up, but he was two years ahead of us. He was friends with my brother Danny.”
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Noel frowned and then her eyes grew big. “Oh wait, I remember him.” She glanced in the direction Cody had taken. “He certainly has filled out nicely. I seem to remember he was as skinny as a rail when he was young.”
“Yeah, I guess he was. So what have you been up to?”
Noel’s smile faded, as did her cheerful demeanor. “In a nutshell, graduating high school, going to college, becoming an agent for the FBI, getting married, becoming a widow, and coming back to the island.”
“A widow? Oh no. What happened?”
“My husband was also an agent for the FBI. He was killed in the line of duty eight months ago. I tried to return to the life we’d built together, but I had a hard time dealing with things, so I decided to come back to the place I’ve always considered home.”
I took Noel’s hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so very sorry to hear about your husband. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be.”
“Thank you. It’s been hard since Brad died, but I think I’m beginning to get some perspective. Being back on the island is really helping and my aunt has been great.”
“Do you still work for the FBI?” I asked.
Noel tucked a lock of her long dark hair behind her ear. “No. I never really planned to join the FBI. When I first attended college I took a bunch of math and technology classes. I really wasn’t all that focused on my endgame, but I love to tinker with computers and I love to travel and I’m fluent in five languages. I guess I thought I’d figure out a way to combine all that into a fantastic global career. And then I met Brad during my sophomore year. Brad was an agent for the FBI and convinced me that my background in math, technology, and languages would make me a valuable asset. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go get involved, but Brad and I continued to hang out and eventually, I realized I was in love with him. Brad introduced me to some people and, long story short, I dropped out of school and signed on as an analyst. The work was interesting, but after Brad died I found myself getting restless, so I quit and took my aunt up on her offer to stay with her for a while. I honestly have no idea what I want to do at this point, but she’s convinced me to take my time and find my passion, so that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
“Wow. That’s some story.” I looked across the store. “It looks like Cody is about done, but I’d love to meet for lunch or even coffee next week.”
“I’d love it too. What’s your cell number? I’ll text you my contact information and we’ll plan a time to really catch up. By the way, my name is Noel Christmas now.”
I paused before I reacted. “Noel Christmas? Are you pulling my leg?”
“I wish I was. Brad’s last name was Christmas. When he asked me to marry him I insisted on keeping my maiden name, but then at the last minute I realized that I wanted to share his name, so I changed it.”
I smiled. “Well, I love it and I think it fits you. I’ll call you and we’ll definitely get together next week.”
By the time I said good-bye to Noel, Cody was in line at the checkout stand, where I joined him. I was glad to see he’d picked up a couple of treats. Cody took his role as Mr. Parsons’s friend seriously and made sure the elderly gentleman had plenty of healthy food to eat. He kept an eye on the amount of sugar he ate, which at times became a sore spot between them.
“So, how’s your friend?” Cody asked.
“She’s good, except for the fact that she was recently widowed.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. I bet it’s rough. We’re going to get together for lunch next week. Did you remember Mr. Parsons’s cereal?”
“No. I forgot it.”
“I’ll run and grab it. I know he’s out because he mentioned it to me when I went to see him earlier in the week.”
I turned and headed down the cereal aisle. I was standing on tiptoe to reach the top shelf when a hand reached over my shoulder and grabbed the box I was aiming for. I turned to see Rachael holding the box.
“This what you wanted?” she asked.
“Yes. Thanks. Height does have its advantages.”
Rachael handed me the box. “I spoke to Finn. I guess he told you about the whole blackmail thing.”
“Yes, he did.”
“I have to say, when he told me what was going on I was furious. To think Paula would treat her neighbors that way.”
I took a breath and let it out. “Yeah. I was surprised too. I imagine she must really have needed the money, but the way she went about getting it wasn’t cool at all.”
“I feel like she used Stephanie and me. We both recommended her when she showed interest in the temp assignments. Now I not only feel like a fool, but I feel partially responsible for what happened to those people. I know Stephanie feels even worse.”
I looked back to the front of the store. There were still two people in front of Cody. “It wasn’t your fault, or Stephanie’s either. Paula was a friend of sorts and you were trying to help her out by giving her a recommendation. There’s no way you could have known what she planned to do. Paula was obviously a troubled woman who was struggling with demons none of us knew about. I don’t approve of what she did, but I’m beginning to understand how she could have done it.”
“I guess that’s true, although it doesn’t make me feel any better. Oh, did you speak to Jane?”
“Not since I spoke to you.”
“She found a photo on her phone she didn’t even know she’d taken. She got out her phone to use as a flashlight when the power went out and somehow ended up taking a photo. Anyway, if you look closely you can see everyone, except for you and Tara, who were in the cat lounge, Paula, me, because I was still making my way back from the ladies’ room, and of course Jane, who was the one taking the photo. I figured it might help you with the map you were trying to create.”
“Thanks. I am interested. I’ll call Jane and have her text the photo to me.”
I joined Cody in line with the cereal just as he reached the front. I told him I needed to make a call and headed to the very front of the store. Jane was on her way out the door but promised to forward the photo to me when she got to work.
“Something going on?” Cody asked after he joined me.
“Maybe. I ran into Rachael, who informed me that Jane has a photo she took by accident of everyone at the bookstore just after the power went out. She’s going to forward it to me. I’ll get to see where everyone was standing at that critical point in time.”
Jane sent the photo just as we arrived at Mr. Parsons’s house. I sat at the kitchen table and studied it while Cody put the groceries away. The first thing I noticed was Giselle coming in the front door. If she’d gone out to smoke and stayed outside until the power went off, there was no way she could have killed Paula. Martha, Alice, and Barbara were all standing near one another, Stephanie was talking to Sarah, and Gwen was standing closest to the photographer, who I already knew was Jane, which just left Rachael. I didn’t see her in the photo, but she had said she was still making her way back from the ladies’ room. The photo didn’t clear her, though it would be odd for her to tell me about it if she thought it would implicate her. I was beginning to think Paula’s killer really wasn’t one of the book club members, but if not one of them, who?
Once Cody had finished we returned to his truck and headed to Paula’s house. I hoped we’d find something there because I was clean out of ideas.
“This whole thing makes no sense,” I complained. “I feel like I’ve eliminated every single book club member, but Paula is dead and if one of them didn’t do it, who did?”
“Maybe Paula killed herself,” Cody suggested.
I frowned. “She was stabbed. How could she have killed herself?”
“You said the knife entered her body from a spot just below the sternum and was thrust in at an upward motion toward the heart. Think about it: If you had a good grip on the knife and drove it in hard enough and at the right angle, you could totally stab yourself in the heart.”
/> I thought about it and supposed Cody had a point. It would be possible. “But why? I mean, even if she was depressed and wanted to end it all why would she use such a brutal method and why would she do it at book club and not in the privacy of her own home?”
“You said she made a phone call. Maybe whatever news she received was enough to set her off.”
I couldn’t imagine that anyone would receive news bad enough that would make them stab themselves in the heart, which was a brutal and, I was sure, painful way to go, but the knife did have Paula’s prints on it, and no one else’s other than Tara’s and mine, and she had been suffering from a bout of depression that may have ended up getting the best of her.
“How can we prove it if that’s what happened?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it can be proven forensically or maybe we can figure out a strong enough motive for Paula to have done it.”
“I should call Finn,” I said.
“Yeah, that might be a good idea.”
Finn was on the other line when I called, but he promised me he’d call me right back. Cody and I let ourselves into Paula’s house and began to look around. We’d decided to start in her bedroom. It seemed the most logical place to keep something she valued enough to lock up. After about fifteen minutes Cody found a metal box with a small lock. I tried the key and it opened to reveal the clothes and toys of a child. There was also a birth certificate showing that Paula Kline had given birth on April 12, 1999, to a baby named Amber Kline, as well as a handful of photos of Paula holding a young child of about two or three. The line on the birth certificate where the father’s name should have been listed was blank.
My phone rang just as we’d come across a journal. I handed it to Cody to answer it.
“Hey, Finn. Thanks for calling me back. We have a new theory.” I explained about the suicide angle.
“I think you might be on to something,” Finn replied. “Someone finally picked up when I dialed the number for the burner cell. As we suspected, the phone belongs to Walton Smith, and he was the private investigator Paula hired.”