by Sonia Parin
“Girl power?”
“Scream and screech. Scratch and gouge.”
“You’ve got it all worked out.”
“It pays to be ready especially since I spend so much time around you.”
Eve wondered if the police had searched the guests. Then again, if a killer resided among them, they would have taken precautions, either hiding or disposing of the weapon.
“It could have been a clandestine meeting.” Jill looked over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear her. “Maybe one of the Yule-Tiders suggested a truce as a way of luring Todd outside.”
“Oh, I like that.”
“What if Todd wanted to defect?”
“Leave the Tinsel-Toners and join the Yule-Tiders? Why would he do that?”
“I’ll have to do some more digging. There might be something in his past to suggest he was really a Yule-Tider at heart.”
But they would still need a motive, Eve thought. Granted, some people didn’t need much incentive to commit murder. Had Todd Emerson been killed because of his singing or because he belonged to a rival caroling group?
“This next question is really baffling me,” Jill said. “Location. Why would someone commit murder here at the inn… on this island?”
Eve grinned from ear to ear, her teeth clenched together. “I’ve been asking myself the same question. Why here? Why me?”
Jill raised a finger. “Hear me out. The bridge is out of commission. They must know they’re stuck here. I don’t understand why they would back themselves into a corner. I’m sure some killers look for opportunities but it would take a lot to convince me anyone would see this as a good chance to snuff someone out.”
“Maybe the killer had a plan. When the bridge collapsed, they decided to go ahead regardless.”
Jill disagreed. “If they’d gone to the trouble of working on a plan, they would have planned their escape. Why act when they know they can’t make their getaway? That leads me to think the killer had been driven by rage and acted on impulse.” Jill lifted her shoulders into a shrug. “Who knows? Silent Night might have triggered painful childhood memories.” Jill growled. “It could have been the last straw.”
Eve laughed. “Is that your girl power firing up?”
Jill kicked the table. “Of all the songs to sing in his sleep, why did it have to be that one?”
Smiling, Evie said, “Let’s keep our eyes peeled open for anyone losing their temper easily. For now, we need to start serving.” Eve prepared the plates. “In hindsight, I wish I’d cooked something that didn’t require the use of knives. I’d feel better if I could put away all sharp implements.”
“Would you like me to cut everything up into bites size pieces? We could say there aren’t enough knives to go around.”
Eve tilted her head in thought. Would the guests buy it?
Jill laughed. “You’re actually thinking about it. I was only kidding.”
“It’s not funny. Don’t be surprised to see me counting the cutlery when you bring it all back in.” When Eve finished plating up, she started carrying plates out. The sooner her guests were fed, the sooner she could count those knives.
* * *
Eve scrolled through the photos she had taken for Jack and said, “Todd Emerson must have gone out there willingly. We didn’t see any drag marks on the sand.” Because he’d most likely had a gun pointed at his back, Eve thought. Shaking her head, Eve remembered they’d already discussed that. “I don’t even see any deep footprints. You know, the type you might make if you’re digging your heels in.”
Jill nodded. “Yeah, if you’re being forced to trudge along the beach at night, your steps might falter.” She leaned in to study the photo. “The footprints are firm and straight. Hey, maybe he did go outside to meet with someone and they were already waiting for him.” Nodding, she added, “Yes, and the killer took care to avoid the beach. That’s why we only have one set of footprints.”
Eve studied the next photo and wondered if Jack had come to the same conclusions. She could only see one set of footprints. Had the killer made his way along the rock wall or had he taken the precaution of erasing his footprints?
Eve erupted to her feet. “Oh.”
“Oh?”
“I forgot to feed the pregnant couple.” She swung around and got busy preparing a salad, using the last of her lettuce and tomatoes. “I hope they’ll be happy with cold roast beef and a salad.” She added a couple of pieces of fruit to the tray and a couple of bottles of water.
“Do you want me to take it up?” Jill asked.
“No, that’s fine. I need to clear my head.” Eve went out the back door and followed the path around the side of the inn. At one point, she had considered restoring the stables and introducing horses, but she knew the next-door neighbors would have objected to having horses so close to their houses. In any case, Jill had been able to move out of her parents’ house and if she ever decided to move on, there would be an extra room for guests.
She knocked on the door and was about to knock again when Bradley opened it.
Seeing a suitcase by the door, Eve asked, “Are you leaving?”
“Actually,” Bradley said, “I was about to head down and tell you. Lily’s folks have a boat and are organizing to pick us up. So, we were about to head over to the marina.”
Smiling, Eve said, “That’s good news.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Stroke of good luck. Otherwise, we would have missed out on spending Christmas with them. We were just wrapping some of the gifts we purchased in town.”
“You should have some food before you.”
“That’s mighty nice of you. Thank you.”
“Well, if I don’t see you before you leave, all the best to you both and Merry Christmas.” As she made her way back to the inn, Eve couldn’t help smiling. Two less mouths to feed.
When Eve strode back into the kitchen, Jill did a double take.
“You look happy. Did you hear news about the bridge?”
Eve told her about the pregnant couple leaving. “I wish the others had caring relatives with boats.” Frowning, she drew her cell phone out.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m having a slow day,” Eve said and called Jack. “Sorry to bother you,” she said when he picked up. “I just spoke with Bradley, the pregnant couple guy, and he told me they’re leaving. It just occurred to me you might still want everyone to stay here.” She listened to the silence for a moment.
“Yes,” Jack eventually said. “I still haven’t received a full background check. I’ll get Josh to have a word with him.”
“That’s okay. I can tell him.”
Saying he had another call coming, Jack disconnected the call.
“I’ll be back in a sec,” she told Jill.
When Bradley answered her knock, he was wiping his mouth with a serviette.
Eve told him Jack wanted everyone to remain at the inn and held her breath. She didn’t think he’d be pleased about it.
“Oh,” he looked over his shoulder and then back at Eve. “Lily’s going to be disappointed. She’s getting a little jittery. I guess I’ll have to call her folks and tell them to hold off. I wouldn’t want them to make the trip out only to have to dock while the police clear us.”
“When is she due?”
He smiled. “Any day now.”
Eve wished she’d talked Jack into letting them go. In her opinion, Lily would be better off on the mainland where she would have access to medical attention if she needed it. They had a doctor on the island, but a small private practice didn’t compare to a large hospital.
Back in the kitchen, she settled down on a stool next to Jill to look at the list of questions she’d been working on.
“How did he take the news?” Jill asked.
“He didn’t really react. I guess he’s taking it all in his stride.”
“That’s good news for the wife. You want to have a partner who doesn’t panic at the first sign of trouble.�
� Jill shifted and tapped her list.
Eve leaned in and read it. “Why? That’s always a good question but we only get to find out when the killer is caught. How… I’m thinking the killer used a rock. He probably threw it into the sea to get rid of the evidence. I’ve been thinking about the killer acting out of rage because he wanted to put a stop to the singing. He could have used a pillow to suffocate Todd Emerson.” But he hadn’t, Eve thought. If he’d gone into Todd’s room with the intention of killing him, why had he gone to the trouble of luring him outside?
Eve sat up. “If you have issues with someone singing in the middle of the night, wouldn’t you start with a request for silence?”
“Yes. A normal person might do that. Or, they might fume for a while and let the anger and frustration build up. Then, they’d erupt.”
“Exactly. You said you didn’t hear anything other than the singing. A normal person experiencing a short fuse moment might have pounded on the door and hollered…” Eve closed her eyes and pictured the twenty-three guests she had staying at the inn. It had to be one of them. She locked every door and window every night. No one could gain access to the inn without a key. “You were the first one out in the morning. I assume you went out the kitchen door. You would have noticed if the door had been left unlocked.”
Jill sat back. “I… Oh!” She pressed her hand to her mouth. “With everything that’s been going on, I honestly can’t say for sure. I’ve found the door unlocked so many times because you get up so early, I… I didn’t think. Now, I can’t remember if the door had been unlocked on not.”
“That’s all right. It’ll come to you. I’m sure it will.”
Jill smacked her forehead. “I can’t believe it. Why didn’t I think of it earlier? Knowing if the door had been locked or not would make a world of difference.”
Eve decided it had to have been unlocked. One way or another, Todd had gone outside. If the killer had been one of the guests, would he have remembered to lock the door after coming back in?
Looking up, Eve saw Mira walking into the kitchen.
“I’ve been chatting with the Yule-Tiders,” Mira said. “I’m impressed by their dedication. They’re all staying in character.”
“Did they reveal anything significant about themselves?” Jill asked.
“You mean, something that would suggest they’re hiding an ulterior motive for being here?” Mira gave Eve a pointed look. “Why would they do that? And how could they have planned their crime ahead of time? No one knew they would end up being stranded on the island and staying at the inn.” Her eyebrows curved up. “Is someone about to suggest one of them sabotaged the bridge just so they could get stuck on the island?”
Eve and Jill lowered their eyes.
“This makes it the fourth death at the inn.” Smiling, Mira leaned on the kitchen counter.
Eve refused to meet Mira’s gaze.
“Strictly speaking,” Mira said, “the first death occurred before Eve turned the house into an inn. So, are you ready to share?” Patting Eve’s hand, she added, “You did your best to keep this from me.”
“Oh, Mira.” Eve hung her head. “Right here, on our beach and in my inn. Can you believe it?”
“Actually, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but here is as good a place as any. In fact, it’s the best place for a crime because you’ve already been scarred by previous incidents and you know what to do.”
“How very reassuring.” Eve rolled her eyes. “So, I’m sparing someone else the ordeal. At least that’s something.”
Mira rounded the kitchen counter and stood between Jill and Eve. “Show me what you have.”
“Some photos of the scene,” Eve said. “Only one set of footprints. We assume they belong to the victim. One of the Tinsel-Toners. That’s the group with odd numbers.”
Jill said, “Jack hasn’t shared any information with us. We need someone with inside knowledge.”
Eve sighed and, looking up, gave Mira a small smile.
“What do you know about the victim?” Mira asked.
“We assume Todd Emerson enjoyed singing Silent Night,” Jill said. “The photos on the group’s social media pages shows him as being happy. We haven’t spoken with the Tinsel-Toners. We just assume they got on well together.”
“Do we know what he did for a living?” Eve asked.
Jill searched through her notes. “Dentist.”
They all pressed their hands to their mouths.
“My dentist doesn’t get a Christmas card. It’s nothing personal. He does a great job but he works with noisy implements. There’s no getting away from the fact I’m always at his mercy,” Jill said. “I’m guessing Todd had quite a few enemies. We’d have to gain access to his patient list. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a Yule-Tider listed.”
“Or even a Tinsel-Toner.” Mira lifted her chin a notch. “I’m going to cast my net further afield and talk with the Tinsel-Toners. They might reveal something they haven’t told the police.”
Jill waited until Mira had left the kitchen to say, “She looked almost downcast but she seemed to snap out of it straightaway. Is something wrong with Mira?”
“I guess I didn’t get around to telling you about David Bergstrom.”
When Eve delivered the short version of events, Jill grumbled. “Men.”
“He might be feeling guilty because he called her again.” Eve drummed her fingers on the table. “What would David do?”
“He’d get in touch with his police buddies and call in a few favors.”
Eve looked at Jill. “Do we have any of those?”
“Apart from Jack and Josh?” Jill shrugged. “I can think of a couple of detectives you’ve liaised with.”
Eve smiled. “That’s a subtle way of saying I’ve been interrogated.” She sat back and stared up at the ceiling as she wondered how amenable those detectives would be to lending a hand. “I remember Detective Mason Lars stepped in when Jack had to excuse himself from the case because of our relationship. He’s always struck me as being a by the book type of cop. But he has a soft spot for my cakes.”
Jill hummed. “Bribery by sweet tooth. I like it.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t spare the flour or the sugar… or the eggs.”
“What about that detective you met recently when you and Mira took a day off?”
“Detective Ken McLain. I wonder if he’s related to Roger McLain?” Eve shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Ken has a lovely sense of humor. We can’t exactly say the same for Roger McLain.” Could she contact Ken? No harm in trying, Eve thought. Picking up her cell phone, she scrolled through it until she found Ken’s number.
“You have his number?” Jill asked.
Eve nodded. “From memory, David gave it to me.”
Ken picked up on the third ring. “Eve Lloyd. I hear you’re in the thick of it again. Why am I not surprised?”
“Detective McLain.”
“Oh, go ahead and call me Ken.”
“Ken. I guess you’ve heard about the incident at my inn.”
“Yes, and we’re doing all we can to assist.”
“You are?”
“Only in a limited capacity. We’re stretched as it is, thanks to David.”
Eve blinked. “David?” She turned and stared at Jill who leaned in and tried to listen to the conversation.
“One of his cold cases is keeping us busy so you’re out of luck, Eve.”
“David Bergstrom?”
“Yes. You’d think the man would be happy in his retirement. Anyway, I really can’t spare any time. I assume you called because you want something.”
“As a matter of fact, yes… In the past, I’ve assisted Jack with his investigations. We have a give and take arrangement but he’s out and about, so I can’t ask him for information.”
The detective chuckled under his breath. “What’s on your mind, Eve?”
“Really? You’ll help?”
“I didn’t say that. But I c
an’t ignore the fact your instincts have been useful.”
Eve knew she had a foot in the door. However, she couldn’t come up with a single idea. Not when her mind was busy entertaining other thoughts. David. Working a cold case. Why hadn’t he told Mira?
“Is David actually there with you?” Eve thought she heard a muffled groan and guessed Ken had just realized he’d said too much.
“Is this where you blackmail me?” he asked.
“Your words, not mine.”
“I don’t think my badge will be any good against the ton of bricks that will fall on me if David finds out I told you about him working a case.”
Just then, Samantha walked into the kitchen and handed Jill a piece of paper. Glancing at it, Eve asked, “Did Jack give you any license plate numbers to check? My super-efficient front desk manager took them down.”
“Jack’s priority has been to secure the island. The rest is on his to-do list.”
“I have them right here. Do you want me to give them to you?”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you. For the first time in a couple of days I feel really useful.”
Chapter Seven
Eve had no idea what to do with the information she had. Should she tell Mira? And what exactly would she say to her? David had canceled Christmas because he’d found a lead on his cold case? He should have told Mira himself.
If Eve mentioned anything, she risked getting Mira’s hopes up. For all she knew, David had used the cold case as an excuse to set some boundaries.
Eve set a teapot down on a coffee table and arranged the cups around it while Jill brought out a platter of cookies.
Some of the Yule-Tiders had ventured into the sitting room but had drawn an invisible boundary around them, staking their claim on a sofa and a couple of chairs positioned in such a way, they looked corralled in the corner.
“I honestly don’t know what to do,” Eve whispered. “Help me out, Jill.”
“It’s a tough one.” Jill shook her head. “What if David wanted to use the opportunity to slow things down?”
“Excuse me,” one of the Yule-Tiders said. “Could we possibly also have a small jug of milk, please?”