Eve Lloyd’s A Deadline Cozy Mystery Box Set 2

by Sonia Parin

  “I took those to the sunroom, for two of the wives, the newspaper editor, Julia Maeve and Elizabeth Rogue.”

  Eve had only noticed three women in the sunroom, including Elizabeth Rogue, the only one she recognized. Where had the other one been? Jill had delivered the drinks soon after Eve had poked her head in...

  “I saw two people in the library,” Eve said.

  Jill nodded. “Miranda and her husband, Markus Leeds.”

  Eve set some glasses down on the counter and poured everyone some wine.

  Jill curved her eyebrows. “Is that wise, Eve? You haven’t given your statement yet.”

  About to answer, Eve looked up and saw Josh standing by the door.

  “Eve.” Josh gave her an apologetic smile. “Jack’s ready for you now.”

  Eve shook her head. “I see. He’s rounding up the usual suspects.”

  As she strode out of the kitchen, Jill patted her back. “You’re a seasoned suspect, Eve. You’ve got this in the bag.”

  Chapter Five

  Eve settled down on the couch and, looking at Jack, she held up her hand, “Process of elimination. Information gathering. Following procedure. This isn’t personal. I understand all that, Jack. No need to apologize. And, if you’d given me some warning, I would have brought you some coffee.”

  Jack looked down at his shoes and smiled. “I thought I did give you warning, Eve.”

  “And I thought you were joking.”

  “Does that mean I’m not getting coffee?”

  Eve lifted her chin a notch. “I’m still processing the day’s events. That means I’m still in shock and not functioning at full capacity.”

  “Really? I thought you and Jill had been expecting something to go wrong and taking necessary precautions.” He flipped open his notebook. “Tell me about that, Eve.”

  Eve counted to three. “What happened here today defies all logic.” Eve sent her eyes dancing around the room. It seemed only yesterday that she’d sat here with Jack and had assured him they had everything under control. “You know as well as I do, I have been a victim of circumstances.” Well beyond her control.

  The edge of Jack’s lip quirked up.

  Eve waved her hand. “Being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Comments I make being misconstrued. The list is endless. But, as you can see, I’m still guilt free. However, I appear to have been labeled a magnet for trouble and must therefore act accordingly to safeguard myself. Jill and I decided to play it safe. Despite everyone’s efforts to keep me away from William Hunter, he came to me and he brought an entourage of people with him. I tried to dissuade his personal assistant from holding the lunch at the inn, but she insisted.” Eve tilted her head, “Now that I think about it, she was determined to hold the lunch here. Have you interrogated her?”

  “No one is being interrogated, Eve. I am merely collecting information while it’s still fresh in people’s minds.”

  Ignoring his comment, Eve said, “You should think about placing people.”

  Jack frowned. “What do you mean? You were all here, at the inn.”

  “Yes, but...” Eve shook her head and tried to get her thoughts in order. “We’ve been talking, Jill and I, and the others, trying to figure out if we’d seen anything out of the ordinary. Jill served drinks to four people in the sunroom, but shortly before she did, I poked my head in there and only saw three people.”

  “Which ones?”

  “Elizabeth Rogue and two others. I don’t know their names. I only know there were three and not four.” She sighed. “I know it sounds like one of those complicated brain teasers. Three people climb onboard a train, which leaves the station at nine in the morning. At the next stop, one person gets off, while two get on.” She waved her hand again. “You know what I mean.”

  “I’m almost afraid to say that I do,” he murmured under his breath. Jack drew out a cell phone. “While Jill served lunch, she took some photos without anyone knowing. See if you recognize the other two people you saw in the sunroom.”

  “Jill took photos? She’s definitely earned her keep.”

  Jack nodded. “Jill took caution to the extreme.”

  Even with the photos Eve had to think hard. She’d only seen the back of two of the women. Smiling, she tapped the screen. “These two.” A woman with long blonde hair and a brunette with a short bob.

  “Valentine and the editor, Julia Maeve.” He checked his notebook. “Jill said she also served drinks to Liz Logan.”

  “As I said, I only saw three women. It was probably two or three minutes between the time I moved away from the sunroom and strode past the library where I bumped into Jill.” In that time, Liz Logan had slipped back into the sunroom. Where had she been? Eve looked out the window. “The rain’s eased up. Shouldn’t William check on his house? He seems to be a man of action, taking off to rescue someone else’s car. You’d think he’d be all over this, making sure any damage to his new house is minimized.”

  “I’m sure he’ll get to it eventually.” Jack cleared his throat. “Josh reported seeing a couple of people hovering around the inn.”

  “Nothing but locals preying on my vulnerabilities and hoping to catch me in the act.”

  Jack frowned. “Do you know who they were?”

  Nodding, Eve told him about seeing Elsie McAllister. “I’m sure the other person belongs to her Sisters in Crime book club.” She slid to the edge of her seat. “I’ll have to go into damage control even before we’re officially open for business.”

  “You’ll be fine, Eve.” Jack tapped his notebook. “You went upstairs straight after lunch.”

  “I see you’re working on a timeline and, yes. I cleaned the kitchen and went upstairs.”

  “Did you stay up there until you came down?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “What are you getting at, Jack?”

  “I’m following your suggestion and trying to establish everyone’s whereabouts.”

  “Starting with me, the obvious suspect?” Eve shot to her feet. “Tell me about the cigars. Why have you been asking about them?”

  “If we check your financials, are we likely to find you’ve purchased cigars?” Jack asked.

  “Do I look like the type of person who buys expensive cigars?”

  “What makes you think they were expensive?”

  She assumed they were. After all, William drank expensive water, so it made sense that he also smoked expensive cigars. Eve crossed her arms and lifted her chin in defiance. “Are you brainstorming with me, Jack?”

  “I might be.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since you displayed an uncanny ability to stumble on information. Your unconventional methods seem to work for you.”

  She strode around in a tight circle. “You want to find out who is responsible for bringing the cigars here. I’m clearly the last person you’ve questioned, so no one else has come forth with information.” She swung toward him. “Death by cigar?”

  “Quite possibly. I’m not ruling anything out yet.”

  “Meaning...” her voice hitched, “He didn’t die of natural causes?”

  “It’s too early to rule out suspicious circumstances. Either way, don’t jump to conclusions, Eve,” Jack warned.

  Eve’s eyes widened. “There is a killer staying at the inn?”

  Jack sighed. “That’s jumping to conclusions, Eve.”

  * * *

  The moment Eve returned to the kitchen, everyone stopped talking and turned to her.

  “Well?” Mira asked.

  “Batten down the hatches. It’s going to be a stormy night.” Eve turned to Jill. “I think we should have dinner in the kitchen. The other guests can use the main dining room and living room.”

  Jill’s eyes widened. “They’re staying?”

  Eve sighed. “William’s house sprung a leak. We’ll get them settled in. I think it would be a good idea to stay away from them. That means having dinner in t
he kitchen. I hope no one minds.”

  They all shook their heads.

  “You can let Josh know he can come down from his lookout spot,” Eve suggested.

  “Oh, he abandoned that when he heard the scream. Now he’s part of the investigation.” Jill nodded. “I’m encouraging him to move up the rung and become a detective. I aim to be the woman who inspires him to greatness.”

  Eve gave her an approving smile.

  “I’ve taken the liberty of pouring everyone drinks,” Mira said.

  Eve gave her aunt an easy smile. “Good thinking, Mira. Let’s ply everyone with drinks and then hopefully, they’ll all forget about today. Thank you.”

  Someone behind her cleared his throat. Eve turned and stared up at a mountain of a man. “Can I help you?”

  He cleared his throat again. “I’d hate to be a pest. Is there any chance I might get a chunk of cheese and some bread? It’s going to be a long night and there’s really only so much drinking a person can do on an empty stomach.”

  “You must be the author,” Eve said.

  J.M. Kernel grinned. “At your service.” He bent slightly at the waist and made a flourishing gesture with his hand.

  Just what they needed, a happy drunk who no doubt could drink anyone under the table and do so while reciting poetry, or worse, singing.

  “I’ll organize some food shortly,” Eve assured him.

  “Thank you. I will be forever indebted to you.”

  Eve waited until he left before saying, “Huddle up, people. We need to put our thinking caps on and try to remember if we saw anything unusual.”

  “What’s this about, Eve?” Mira asked.

  Eve spread her hands out. “Everyone please remain calm. There’s no need for alarm.”

  Mira shook her head. “Eve, I prefer to make informed decisions. If I’m not going to panic, I need to know the reason why.”

  “This can’t leave the kitchen.” Eve signaled to everyone around her. “This is our circle of trust. Everyone else is persona non grata.”

  Mira frowned. “That’s a rather serious statement to make about William Hunter and his guests.”

  “It’s called comeuppance.” Eve didn’t see anything wrong with thinking they were all guilty until proven innocent.

  “That’s a rather harsh rebuke, considering the circumstances,” Mira said.

  Then why was Mira smiling? “I think you’ll agree with me once I tell you...” Eve scooped in a breath and said, “The victim was killed by a cigar brought into my inn by an unidentified person. I’m sure Jack will soon find evidence to prove that.” So much for taking a backseat, Eve thought.

  “Killed?” Abby and Helena asked.

  Eve gave a firm nod. “Jack denies it. He insists it’s too early to call it murder. And while I wouldn’t mind entertaining the possibility that this is nothing but an unfortunate case of death by natural causes, the odds are in favor of it being murder. While my sympathies go to the victim’s family, I can’t help thinking someone is clearly determined to burst my bubble of joy.”

  During the next half hour, everyone gave their own opinion about the box of cigars.

  After hearing everyone’s take on the situation, Eve realized her mistake. Now everyone’s stories had merged and she couldn’t tell what was what. No wonder Jack interviewed people individually.

  Closing her eyes, she could actually see herself walking past the dining room and seeing the box of cigars. One moment, she saw the lid open and the next, closed.

  She growled softly. “I suppose this is how evidence becomes contaminated.”

  Samantha strode in.

  “You must be run off your feet, Samantha. Pull up a chair and have a drink,” Eve offered, “By the way, can you remember seeing anyone carrying a box of cigars?”

  Samantha tucked a stray lock of hair back and wavered. “Working in the bookstore, I’m used to paying attention. I’ve seen people become so absorbed with browsing, they forget they’re holding a book in their hands and actually walk out without paying. Sorry to say I’ve found today a bit daunting. The women are all so glamorous, I felt out of my depth.”

  “You did a splendid job, Samantha. Don’t worry about it. Something might come to you. Out of curiosity, did you notice the men at all?” Eve asked.

  “Now that I think about it, no. They were in the background.”

  “What about you, Jill? By the way, Jack showed me some photos you took. Well done.”

  “Jack confiscated my cell phone,” Jill grumbled. “As for the cigars... I’m sure I saw them.”

  “If we can have a look at the box of cigars, it might trigger people’s memories,” Eve reasoned.

  Samantha shook her head. “I saw Detective Jack Bradford take it. It was an orange box. Give me a minute. Something about the label caught my attention. Oh, yes. The word dragon was on it.”

  Jill strode out of the kitchen and returned shortly with Eve’s laptop computer. “Gurkha Black Dragon?” she asked after a quick search online.

  “Yes,” Samantha exclaimed.

  “An orange box.” Jill placed the laptop on the counter so that everyone could see the screen. “Yes, this is the one I saw. It’s the Black Dragon Special Edition Tubo, the Rolls Royce of cigars and the brand’s rarest and most unique, ultra-premium cigars.”

  They all leaned in and admired the orange box.

  “Are we looking at the murder weapon?” Abby asked, her voice filled with awe.

  Jill looked up from the laptop. “There has to be a reason why Jack asked us about it. So in answer to your question, yes, we are most likely, possibly... maybe, looking at the murder weapon.”

  They all took a step back.

  Abby put her hand up. “Umm... You’ll have to forgive me. This is all very unfamiliar to me. Does this mean someone brought that box of cigars to the inn with the intention of killing and, if so, who... and how?”

  “Good questions, Abby.” Eve strode around the counter and took her place behind the stove where everything felt safe. “I guess that’s what Jack will try to find out.”

  Abby looked from one person to the other. “Meaning what? Are we supposed to just wait? Hang on. If someone brought those cigars here, could the person still be here?”

  “Don’t worry, Abby. Eve and I are old hands at this,” Jill assured her. “We’ll have this figured out before dessert is served.”

  “We’ll do no such thing,” Eve warned. Belatedly, she regretted mentioning the cigars. As an innkeeper, it was her duty to ensure her guests’ comfort. Instead, she’d raised the alarm, creating a hubbub over something they shouldn’t concern themselves with.

  Mira and her editor, Jordan, stood in the background, their attention still fixed on the laptop screen. They both shook their heads and took a couple of steps back as if trying to distance themselves from the whole situation.

  Mira cleared her throat. “Would anyone else like another drink?”

  Helena laughed. “I can’t decide. Should I seek oblivion in a glass of wine or do I need to keep a clear head? Looking around, I think we’re all assuming that box was brought in by one of the other guests.” Helena turned to Jordan. “Who are you?”

  Mira stepped in front of him. “He’s my editor. Don’t you dare suspect him. Good editors are as rare as hen’s teeth.” Mira turned to him. “Please don’t prove me wrong... about you not being responsible for bringing the cigars, that is.”

  Abby stepped up to him and said in her soft tone, “He has been rather quiet.”

  Jordan Monroe gave Mira a nervous look.

  “Okay, everyone.” Eve put her hands up and called for calm. “Please leave Mira’s editor alone. I can vouch for him.” After all, he’d only come because Eve had insisted Mira needed to have a dinner party so that Eve could prove to the inhabitants of the town she was too busy to care about being excluded from their town meetings.

  She set a platter of cheese on the counter. “Here’s something to nibble on while I finish preparing
dinner.” Although she didn’t think she’d be able to eat a bite. She turned her attention to preparing a platter of cheese and bread for the other guests. When she finished, she turned to Jill. “Are you game to go out there again?”

  “Of course. It’ll be the perfect opportunity to observe them. One of them might be a killer. It’d be great if I can figure out who before anyone else does.”

  “That’s the spirit. Oh, and ask if anyone is interested in a steak.”

  Jill turned to the others. “Does anyone have a spare cell phone I can use to sneak some photos?”

  Helena dug inside her bag. “Here, take mine.”

  Mira made the rounds topping up people’s glasses. “It’s strange. I had fixed in my mind the idea of William Hunter being murdered. Not that I really expected someone to kill him, or anyone else. Although, we must admit, Eve has set her own record for attracting murder and mayhem into her life. If there’s a national average, I’m sure she’s way ahead and in her own league. The odds were stacked against someone.”

  Eve lifted her glass in a salute. “Unique Eve. That’s me.” She looked up at the clock just as the minute hand hit the hour. The storm had eased up but hadn’t moved too far. Outside, she could see a couple of police officers making the rounds. No one would come in and no one would leave without them noticing.

  She didn’t think Jack would leave her stranded in a house with a killer. It would be irresponsible. Yet... daring.

  Eve distracted herself and the others by talking about the food she’d prepared and the wines she’s selected, but even as she spoke and the others joined in the conversation, she could tell their hearts were not in it. Clearly because they would all prefer to be talking about the murder case.

  The death, Eve corrected.

  When Jill returned, everyone turned to her for news.

  “J.M. Kernel is entertaining the guests with stories about the research he did for his latest book,” Jill said, “I saw ex-wife #3, Miranda Leeds, on the verge of tears, but she recovered quickly. Her husband, Marcus, is sitting with a bottle of whiskey not far from his reach. The other ex-wives are all fretting. Valentine is pacing, but I think that has more to do with exercising her lunch off rather than worrying about the death. Liz Logan is biting her nails. Martha Payne is just sitting there staring into her wine glass. As far as I’m concerned, they are all acting suspiciously. I think the newspaper editor, Julia Maeve, is taking mental notes. Her eyes are everywhere. William Hunter is in the library with Elizabeth Rogue. I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation but they were whispering. Oh, and there are three people interested in steak.” Jill poured herself a tall glass of water and drank deeply. “Spying is thirsty work.” She held up Helena’s cell phone. “I have some more pictures. If I can print them out, we could set up a suspect board and start generating ideas.”