by Kathi Daley
“Hey, Tess,” Mike greeted. “Sorry about dinner last night. I hope Tony didn’t go to too much trouble.”
“No. Tony defrosted steaks that I’m sure will get eaten. So what’s going on with this murder?”
“Anton Murphy was found dead on the beach.”
I knew Anton and was sad he was dead, but I blew out a breath of relief that the dead man wasn’t Theo.
“I’m waiting for the coroner’s report,” Mike continued, “but it looks as if he was thrown from a boat and drowned. He was found on the beach down past the boggy area yesterday afternoon, but it looks as if he’d been there since early that morning. I guess he must have drifted and washed up.”
“How long has he been dead?”
Mike shrugged. “I guess a day or two at the most. I can’t say for sure until I get the coroner’s report. If I had to guess, he was dumped into the lake the night before he was found. And I suspect he was dumped relatively close to the location where he was found.”
“Any suspects?”
“Not a one. We do, however, have a clue. Two clues, actually.”
It sounded like this conversation might go long, so I set my mailbag on the floor and sat down across from Mike. “Go on. What clues?”
“He had a poker chip in his pocket.”
“Which casino?”
“It wasn’t marked as belonging to a specific casino. It was a hundred-dollar chip of good quality. If I had to guess, I’d say it came from a high-end private set.”
Okay, that wasn’t a smoking gun, but it was something. “And what else did you find? You said you had two clues.”
“There were two items found in his pocket. The poker chip and a pacifier.”
My mouth dropped open. “You don’t think...”
“That somehow Secret is wrapped up in whatever happened to Anton? Maybe. I’m not sure how a childless man in his early sixties might be involved with an infant who might be three or four months old, but I do think we need to consider the option.”
“Did Anton have children? Could the pacifier belong to a grandchild?”
Mike shrugged. “I’m having the situation looked into, but I don’t remember him having any children. Anton was married to a woman named Nadine until she died maybe fifteen years ago. I don’t remember the couple ever having children, but Nadine did have a sister who had a couple kids, so I suppose a great-niece or nephew could have been visiting Anton.”
“Possibly, but unlikely,” I said.
“Yeah. It’s possible but unlikely.”
I paused to think things over. “So if Anton is somehow mixed up in whatever is going on with Secret, how is he mixed up in whatever is going on?”
Mike sighed. “I wish I knew.” He leaned back in his chair. “Maybe we should try to get ahold of Dad. Let him know what’s happened and see if he knows anything.”
“Yeah, about that. While I do think it might be a good time to try to use the emergency protocol we were given, there is something you should know.”
Mike raised a brow but didn’t comment.
“Dad called me Monday night after Tony followed you into town to get the crib.”
He sat up straight. “He called you?”
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you call me right away?”
“I was going to, but then it got late, so I was going to tell you Tuesday, but when I stopped by with the mail, Frank said you were out on a call, so I figured I’d tell you when you came to dinner, but then you had to cancel because you were dealing with the murder. I really wasn’t trying to keep it from you. It’s just that…”
Mike held up a hand. “I get it. You were going to tell me but never got the chance. What did Dad want?”
“When he dropped the baby off at your office, he noticed Mom talking to Theo. He thought he recognized Theo, so he called to ask about him. When I confirmed that Theo had an accent and a tattoo on his inner wrist, Dad cursed and hung up.”
“He hung up? Did he say anything?”
“He did say that he’d take care of things. To be honest, when I first heard that you had a murder victim, I thought that maybe he had taken care of things, but then the victim turned out not to be Theo, who has left town by the way.”
Mike leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk. “Theo left town?”
I nodded. “According to Mom.” I glanced at the clock. “I really need to get back to my route, but it seems like we have a lot more to discuss. Maybe you and Bree should come over for dinner tonight. We still have those steaks that need grilling.”
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll talk to Bree to make sure she’s feeling up to it. But the four of us getting together sounds like a very good idea.”
Chapter 5
“Hey, baby,” I said to the smiling infant sitting in her car seat, watching Tony clean the grill. She grinned when she saw me, but Secret flat out giggled when she noticed Tilly. Bending over, I picked her up and gave her a hug. I couldn’t believe that I’d actually missed her. I knew it was best not to get attached since, hopefully, her mom was fine and Secret would be going home at some point, but she really was the sweetest thing now that Tony had made her feel settled and she was no longer crying day and night.
“How was your day?” Tony asked after pausing from his task.
I sat down on a bench so Tilly could get a look at the baby. “It was busy but good. And confusing. And a little sad.”
“I was sorry to hear about Anton. I didn’t know him well, but he’d lived in White Eagle since we were kids. Does Mike know what happened?”
“Not really. It appears Anton drowned and then washed up on the beach. When I spoke to Mike, it was early in the day, and he hadn’t gotten the coroner’s report yet. Hopefully, he’ll have more information he can share this evening.” I kissed the baby on her chubby cheek and then set her back into her car seat. “I’m going to run upstairs and get changed. I’m not sure exactly what time Mike and Bree will get here, but I want to be ready when they arrive.”
“Did you remember to pick up a loaf of sourdough bread for the garlic bread and fresh strawberries for the shortcake?” Tony asked.
“I did. I also picked up some really good-looking greens for the salad. The greens we have are fine, but these are fresh from the farmers market.”
“I haven’t put the salad together yet, so that should work.”
The baby started to fuss after I’d set her back in her seat, but when Tony began singing a funny song about rabbits in a cabbage patch, she quieted right down. He really was going to make an excellent father. I was lucky to have a husband who wanted to be part of the daily childrearing activities. With Dad gone so often, my mom pretty much raised Mike and me on her own. I supposed that might be why I found myself hesitant to have children.
After I had changed out of my uniform and into jeans and a tank top, I headed into the kitchen, where I poured myself a glass of wine. When I’d first gotten home, I’d noticed that Tony had an open beer on the picnic table, so I didn’t think he’d need anything. Mike would want beer when he got here. I wanted to have something special for Bree, so I made a pitcher of the apricot tea she loved, which, thankfully, happened to be caffeine-free. I also had lemon-flavored water, which I could serve in a pretty glass as well as plain bottled water, should she prefer that. It was hard to tell with her. She’d been so careful during those first few months of pregnancy, refusing to put a single thing in her mouth that her doctor hadn’t recommended, but I had noticed that she’d relaxed a bit as the pregnancy progressed without any problems, and occasionally, she even enjoyed a watered-down cup of coffee.
By the time I made it back out to the patio, Mike and Bree were just pulling up. I waved to them as Mike helped Bree out of the truck. He really had been sweet and helpful since Bree had found out she was pregnant. In a way, I hadn’t expected that of him. Not that Mike wasn’t a great guy, but pre-Bree, he hadn’t been nearly as thoughtful and sensitive as he was now.
As I had when I�
�d gotten home, the first thing Bree did was make her way over to Secret. I didn’t want her having to bend down, so I picked up the baby and handed her to her honorary auntie. The baby smiled, and I think both our hearts melted.
“Any word on her mother?” Bree asked as she settled into a comfy chair with the infant.
“No, not yet,” I answered. “I guess whether or not we should do anything about that is one of the many things we can talk about tonight.”
“It does seem that there’s a lot going on all at once,” Bree said. “The baby, Mike’s murder case, and, of course, the disappearance of your mother’s boyfriend.”
“I’m not sure he disappeared,” I said. “I think he just left.”
“Maybe, but the timing is suspicious,” Bree insisted as she picked up a stuffed bunny and waved it over Secret’s head.
“I do have a box of his stuff that Mom gave me,” I said. “I guess we can look through it. But first, I want to hear about the murder case Mike is working on.” I looked at my brother. “Any news?”
“Actually, I do have some additional news since we spoke this morning.” He opened his beer and took a swig.
I looked at Bree. “Can I get you something to drink? I have that apricot tea you like or lemon water. I also have regular bottled water if you prefer that.”
“Some of that apricot tea over ice would be good.”
“Coming right up.” I turned toward the house and then turned back toward Mike. “Don’t start without me.”
By the time I returned, Tony had the steaks on the grill, and we all had our beverages. Mike began to share what he knew.
“The coroner determined that Anton died during the overnight hours Monday. The cause of death is drowning, but he also suffered an injury to the head. At this point, I’m assuming that Anton went out on a boat with someone, they struggled, and the other person hit Anton with a blunt object, causing him to fall overboard where he drowned.”
“Is there any chance he wasn’t murdered?” I asked. “Could he have been out with a friend and fallen overboard by accident, hitting his head on the way into the water?”
“In that case, it seems the friend would have reported the incident,” Mike pointed out.
“I guess that’s true,” I admitted.
“Maybe he was alone on the boat when he tripped and fell into the water, hitting his head on the way over the side,” Bree suggested.
“Then where is the boat?” Mike asked.
“Good point,” she acknowledged.
“The only scenario that really works is that Anton was on a boat with someone late Monday night or very early Tuesday morning and that for some reason, two or more passengers on the boat struggled, and Anton ended up dead.”
“Do you think he was on the boat willingly, and then things went south at some point along the way, or do you think he was kidnapped from his home and dragged to the boat?” Tony asked.
Mike’s lips tightened. “I’m not sure. My first thought was that he’d gone out on the boat willingly with at least one other person and that during their time on the lake, something happened that led to Anton being tossed overboard. But the coroner told me that Anton had chili and chips in his stomach when he died. When I went to his house to look around, I found a pot of chili still on the stove. To me, that indicates that his trip on the boat wasn’t planned. It feels more as if he’d settled in for his evening meal and then before he could clean up, something occurred that caused him to leave before even putting the leftovers away.”
“It does sound more like a kidnapping,” I admitted. “Does it appear Anton was alone at his home before whatever happened happening?”
“No. There were two bowls and two spoons, as well as two glasses on the counter. I dusted for prints but couldn’t find anything that was clear enough to use.”
“Maybe there’s something else in the house that will point to who Anton’s visitor might have been,” I said.
“Maybe. We have a team going over everything again.” Mike took a sip of his beer and then continued. “When the team looked around the first time, they missed the fact that the bed in the guest room looks to have been slept in, so at this point, I’m assuming that whoever was with Anton was more than just a dinner guest.”
“So Anton had an overnight guest,” I said. “I wonder what happened to this guest. Did he or she leave before whatever happened to Anton occurred? Is the guest the killer? Or is the guest a second victim whose body simply hasn’t been found yet?”
“I wish I knew.”
I glanced at Tony, who’d gotten up to check the steaks. He turned them over, which meant they’d likely be ready in a few minutes.
“Okay,” I said, “other than the fact that Anton had a guest for dinner on the night he died, what else do we know?”
“And more importantly, do we think that Anton’s death and Secret’s mother are in some way related?” Bree asked. “Mike did find a pacifier in Anton’s pocket when his body was recovered.”
Mike adjusted his position in his chair and then answered. “I’ve confirmed that Anton and his wife didn’t have children together. I suppose it’s possible that Anton had a child with another woman, and the pacifier could belong to a grandchild, but my instincts say that seems unlikely. I also confirmed that Anton’s wife had a sister who has two daughters. At this point, I’m operating under the assumption that the baby belonged to one of them. Although I don’t have any proof of that at this point. For all we know, Anton could have been in close contact with a random baby who dropped his or her pacifier, and Anton simply picked it up.”
“Were there any baby-related items in the house?” Tony asked. “Bottles? Formula? Soiled diapers? Does it appear that the baby the pacifier belonged to was ever in the house, or did Anton come into contact with the baby elsewhere?”
“Assuming there even is a baby and not simply a pacifier, it doesn’t appear that a baby was staying with Anton. If he or she was, then his or her personal possessions were removed before we looked around,” Mike confirmed.
“Hopefully, if Anton is mixed up with a baby in some way, his or her mother left with the baby before whatever happened to Anton occurred,” Bree said.
“I hope so,” I agreed. “I hate to think that there’s a baby out there who might need our help, besides Secret.”
“The steaks are done,” Tony announced. “Let’s make up our plates, and then we can finish this discussion.”
During the meal, the topic of conversation segued from Mike’s murder case to Mom’s boyfriend’s abrupt departure. I’d told Mike and Tony about my call from Dad, sharing the fact that he thought he recognized Theo and was going to look into things, but I wasn’t sure if Bree knew. I’d known Bree a long time, and while she wasn’t always the best at keeping a secret, I knew she’d keep this one.
“I’ve been worried all day that when Dad said he’d take care of things, he actually took care of things,” I said to the group. “I know in the past that each time I’ve assumed my father was a cold-blooded killer, it turned out that he was actually innocent, but this is Mom. You don’t think he really might have offed the guy, do you?”
“If Theo was a threat to Mom, then maybe,” Mike said. “But Theo isn’t the one who’s dead. Anton is. I see no reason to assume that Anton’s death and Theo’s departure are in any way related. All we really know about Theo is that Dad thought he might have recognized the guy from a case he worked on in the past, and he was going to look into things. Chances are if Dad did take care of things, he simply warned the guy to get gone.”
“I think it was more than that,” I said. “The tone of voice Dad used when he assured me that he’d take care of things had me believing the man’s life expectancy had just grown a whole lot shorter.”
“I suppose that your dad has killed before given the line of work he’s in,” Tony pointed out. “If he thought the man was a threat, who knows what he might do, but for now, we should keep in mind that we don’t even know that Theo
is dead. All we know is that he left.”
“Theo had personal items at Mom’s house that he didn’t bother to pick up before he left. That seems odd if he really did leave town of his own free will. I know we suspect that Dad might have threatened Theo, but I’ve spoken to Theo on several occasions, and he didn’t seem like the type who would scare easily. If he left, it seems more likely to me that he chose to leave and might have even planned to all along, but if that’s true, why did he talk Mom into buying a boat? Mom said that they’d planned to launch it Tuesday afternoon. At the very least, I would think he would have waited one more day before bailing on her.”
“Theo launched the boat this past weekend,” Mike said.
I frowned. “Mom said they had plans to launch it together yesterday.”
Mike lifted a shoulder. “I decided to look into it, and according to Bruce over at the marina, Theo launched it Sunday.”
“Did he take it out?” I asked.
“Not when he launched it, but Bruce said there was evidence that he’d taken it out at some point. I didn’t physically check the boat, but it just occurred to me that I should.”
“If Theo launched the boat Sunday, then technically, he could be the one who took Anton out and drowned him Monday night,” I pointed out.
“Why would Theo drown Anton?” Mike asked. “As far as I know, they didn’t even know each other.”
“Dad seemed to think this Theo wasn’t who he told us he was. If he is the sort of person who would cause Dad to break protocol to call me on my cell to confirm some facts about him, then maybe this Theo is a lot more dangerous than we thought.”
“You thought he was dangerous?” Bree asked, looking confused.
“Mike and I thought he was dangerous to Mom and her happiness,” I specified. “I talked to you about that.”
“Yeah.” She narrowed her gaze. “I guess you did.”
“I think that we should go through the stuff in the box your mom gave you after dinner,” Tony suggested.