A Killer Tail

by Addison Moore

  “What kind of a dark past?” I shoot Camila a look that says don’t interrupt this time.

  Stormy itches her cheek and a bright orange streak of ink erupts over it. I’d tell her about it, but I don’t dare break her concentration.

  She squints to the ceiling. “Wyatt said something about a death.”

  “As in someone close to Thomas died?” I ask with my ear tipped her way.

  “As in the dude killed someone.”

  A bloodcurdling scream erupts from the back, and, sure enough, a blur of a woman wearing a hot pink kaftan runs right out of the place, and yes, I caught a glimpse of a rather naked behind. Juni trots out after her, screaming something about needing a blood transfusion.

  Good Lord.

  I pull a few bills from my wallet and I toss them onto the table.

  “Thank you for the beautiful work, Stormy.” I look to Camila. “It was interesting seeing you.”

  Interesting? I shake my head at my own word choice.

  I guess that was as close to nice as I can get while still telling the truth.

  “Tell Jasper I said hello!” Camila calls out after me. “On second thought, I’ll tell him myself when I get back to work.”

  I bet she will.

  Georgie and Juni are already halfway to the car, and I do my best to catch up to them.

  It turns out, Georgie doesn’t need a blood transfusion. It was a particularly bloody threat issued from Juni to Dax for nicking her mama with a needle.

  We head back to Cider Cove sans a butterfly on any of our tiny hineys, and sans any hard answers as to who might have killed Wyatt Sanders.

  But as fate would have it, I did glean something interesting.

  Thomas Dean just may have killed someone.

  But could he have killed Wyatt, too?

  Chapter 11

  The Blue Brick Steakhouse is not only one of Cider Cove’s premier eateries, it just so happens to be a hop and a skip from the Country Cottage Inn, just a few doors down on Main Street.

  Both Jasper and I liked the idea of sticking close to home, especially seeing that neither of us is all that thrilled with the idea of going out with Emmie and Leo in the first place.

  Emmie looks like a doll in her tight red dress, her matching patent heels, and crimson-stained pouty lips. I’m wearing a near identical dress in black, and my shoes are a lot less shiny. I may not want to double date with my bestie and her new main squeeze, but I sure as heck want to look good for Jasper. I’ll admit, seeing Camila this afternoon got me rattled. Sure, she’s mean, but she’s a beauty, too. That can’t be denied. And how I hate that per capita, Jasper sees a lot more of her than he does of me.

  Jasper brushes a kiss along my lips as we wait to be seated. “You’re beautiful.”

  I reach up and give his scruff a quick scratch. “And you’re breathtaking. Is there any way to turn down the volume on the sexy? Or am I going to have to bat the girls away for the next fifty years?”

  “Just fifty?”

  The door opens and in walks Leo Granger with his dark hair slicked back and that dark smile that holds a carnal promise on his lips, and no sooner does he glance to Jasper and me than he locks eyes with Emmie and they treat us to an impromptu make-out session.

  “All right, all right,” I say. “We get it. You like to kiss. Oh, look, we’re being seated. I guess you’ll have to come up for air.” I wave like mad at the waitress, and she mercifully nods for us to follow her.

  We’re seated by the window about halfway from the entry and halfway to the kitchen, quite possibly the best seats in the house. But I’m still a little deflated from witnessing that lip carnage these two displayed in the entry, I’m not even sure I have an appetite anymore.

  “Bizzy, Jasper.” Leo nods to the two of us. “Sorry, I was running late. I got caught in traffic.”

  Emmie shakes her head. “I don’t mind one bit. I know you have a very important job and you’re coming from Seaview.”

  Jasper takes a breath. “I work in Seaview. I wasn’t late.” He flashes a lightning quick smile.

  Leo offers a stale smile right back. “I’m glad I didn’t miss dinner.”

  The four of us get right to examining our menus.

  Leo catches my eye for a microsecond. Jasper knows that Leo shares my ability to read minds. Of course, while they were best friends way back when, Jasper had no idea. And as of late, Jasper and Leo’s relationship has been on the mend. But the thought of Leo with Emmie—it’s just…

  It’s just what, Bizzy? He lowers his menu an inch. What exactly do you have against me dating Emmie? I thought we were friends.

  I can’t help but scoff. Leo, we are friends. Heck, we’re more like family at this point. And Emmie, she’s basically my sister. What if you break her heart?

  What if I don’t? He’s quick with the comeback.

  Jasper glances up before doing a double take at the two of us.

  He’s talking to you, isn’t he? Jasper pins those pale gray eyes to mine for a moment and I give the hint of a nod.

  Emmie leans in. “Why is everyone exchanging looks?” She sucks in a quick breath. Wait. Leo’s not going to propose, is he? We’re totally not at that stage. But then again, things have been moving kind of quickly. My God, Bizzy and I can have that double wedding we’ve always dreamed of.

  A hard groan comes from me.

  Emmie reaches over. “Bizzy, are you okay?”

  “I just need a drink.” I take a few aggressive gulps of the ice water before me and nearly choke on the effort. See? I glance to Leo. It’s not fair that you read her mind. I’m not sure if I want my best friend’s significant other to be able to pry into her private places.

  A sly smile rides on his lips. Sorry to say it, Biz. I’ve already pried into her private places.

  “Gah!” I bounce back in my seat and Emmie looks my way. The expression on her face lets me know she’s more than a little worried about me.

  “Thought I saw a spider,” I’m quick with the lie. More like a roach. I tick my head to Leo. Sorry, but again, she’s like my sister. Leo, you can’t date Emmie. She’s starting to get serious, like really serious. And believe me, she’s been known to wield the L word around.

  He nods as he looks down at his menu. She’s said it.

  “What?” I hiss as I slap my own menu up over my face. I slowly lower my menu, only to find Emmie’s eyes ready to spring right out of her head. “I can’t believe they don’t have calamari.” I give a slight shrug her way.

  “They do, Bizzy. It’s an appetizer.” She giggles to Leo. “Bizzy and I are a little addicted.”

  Leo expands his lips. “Then we’ll get two.”

  Jasper knocks his knee to mine. Everything okay?

  I’m slow to nod his way and I think he gets the hint.

  Leo, I all but hiss internally. I can’t believe Emmie said I love you. Now what are we going to do? You’re going to have to break things off with her. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Now she’s going to have a broken heart—and right before my wedding. Way to ruin my big day, Leo. Not to mention my poor bestie’s heart.

  He inches back a notch. Wait a minute. I think I know what’s going on. You don’t want things to get serious between Emmie and me because you’re afraid I’ll tell her my secret.

  Everything in me freezes. My God, he’s right.

  Of course, I’m right. He curls his menu in his hands. Bizzy, you don’t ever plan on telling her about your gift, do you?

  A horrid flood of emotions hits me right in the gut. I knew I’d be feeling certain things at tonight’s dinner, I just had no idea grief was one of them.

  I shake my head just enough. No. I don’t know why. I should have told her right from the beginning. But I didn’t, and now I’m terrified she’ll hate me if she ever finds out the truth. I’m not hiding some small secret, Leo. This is huge. She’ll know that I had the ability to pry into her private thoughts all these years and I never bothered to clue her into something
so strange, something that she’ll probably classify as fantastic right up until she begins to question our friendship. I can’t lose Emmie, Leo. And face it, when you find the one, you’re probably going to tell her. I lower my menu a notch. You’d tell her, right?

  He takes a deep breath and shoots Jasper a look. Yes, I plan on telling my wife. And if that wife happens to be Emmie, she would know.

  I swallow hard. I’m afraid I’ll lose her, Leo.

  The waitress comes by and takes our order and I try my best to stuff my feelings.

  Jasper leans my way once she leaves. You’re afraid of Emmie finding out, aren’t you?

  I bite hard on my lower lip. Apparently, I’m as easy to read as a billboard.

  “What is going on?” Emmie giggles as she kicks me under the table. “I’d swear the three of you were in on some big deep, dark secret.” She lifts her shoulders toward Leo. “Go on, spill it. If Bizzy is in on it, then I’m as good as in on it, too. Bizzy and I don’t keep any secrets from one another. Believe me, she couldn’t keep a whopper from me if she wanted to. And if she did, I’d disown her.” She winks my way.

  A dull sigh expels from me. And there you have it. All of my worst fears in a nutshell. She might be winking now, but I’m guessing a full-blown strangulation would take place if she knew just how long I’ve been keeping a secret of this diabolical nature.

  Jasper tips his head back a notch. “Bizzy thinks the world of you, Emmie. If she were keeping a secret from you, it would most likely be out of love. She cares about you.”

  Her lips twist. “Well, I don’t care for secrets. And I’m not too thrilled with surprises either. I’ve expertly unwrapped all of my Christmas presents early for the last twenty plus years running. Isn’t that right, Bizzy?” She gives a cheeky grin my way. “Biz knows all my deep, dark secrets and I know all of hers.” She sucks in her bottom lip as she looks from Leo to me. “So who’s going to tell me?”

  The waitress pops up with two giant platters brimming with calamari, and I’ve never been so happy to see a fried squid in all my life.

  We get right to the business of stuffing our faces, and when the appetizer disappears, I regale everyone with the story of Georgie running down the wharf in Whaler’s Cove just about buck naked.

  Dinner comes and goes and Leo fills us in on his day.

  “But unlike you, Bizzy”—judging by that smirk on his face, I can feel the zinger coming—“I wasn’t chasing down any suspects.”

  Emmie opens her mouth with delight. “How did you know she was chasing down a suspect?”

  Jasper nods my way. “Because Needlepoint Tattoos just so happens to be a haunt for not one but two suspects.”

  “You got me.” I cringe playfully. “But in my defense, Georgie was determined to have a butterfly plastered to her backside for the duration of her time on this planet.”

  Emmie wrinkles her nose. “Too bad it didn’t work out for her. I’ll get her some temporary tattoos to hold her over until she works up her nerve again.”

  Dinner wraps up and Emmie excuses herself to the ladies’ room. I wait until she’s out of earshot before leaning across the table.

  “Leo, I beg of you to be careful with her.”

  He glances in her direction. “Bizzy, she’s not made of blown glass. Just know that my feelings for her are real.”

  Jasper takes a breath. “If you think you’re getting serious, if you think you’re going to tell her, maybe let Bizzy tell her first.”

  “What?” It comes out weak. “But I never really… I guess I never thought I’d…”

  Leo shakes his head my way. “You don’t have to tell her, Bizzy. If it ever comes to the point where I decide to share my secret, you don’t have to share yours.”

  Jasper offers a solemn blink as if concurring, and my heart breaks just considering it.

  Emmie comes back and we opt to raid the Country Cottage Café for dessert instead of hanging around. It seems those lemon tarts have been in the forefront of our minds all week. Jasper and Leo drop a few bills onto the table and we head outside to the warm summer night air that holds the scent of the briny sea mingling with sweet jasmine.

  My eyes drift up the street and catch on that gold and black sign that reads Killer Books and I startle for a moment.

  “Hey”—Jasper wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close—“it’s okay.”

  I open my mouth to say something and look to Emmie and Leo instead.

  “Why don’t you guys go ahead?” I say. “Save some lemon tarts for us.”

  Emmie and Leo say goodnight and we watch as they walk into the night, holding hands as happy as can be. I couldn’t be happier for Emmie to feel this way with someone. It’s been a long time and I want her to be happy. But the thought of her finding happiness with the one person who could jeopardize our relationship gives me an ache I can’t describe. It’s selfish, and if she and Leo work out, I’ll have to get over it. I’ll have to tell her my deep, dark secret and hope she doesn’t resort to homicide.

  I turn to Jasper. “I just remembered something about that meeting with Stormy—” Before I can finish, another couple holding hands heads this way, and if I thought I couldn’t wrap my head around Emmie and Leo, I sure as heck can’t wrap my head around these two—for entirely different reasons.

  “Hux?” I hardly recognize my voice as it pitches. “Mackenzie?”

  My brother sheds an easy grin. He’s still in his suit from work, I’m presuming, but with his suit and her little black dress, this looks like a formal sit-down event that’s threatening to bring up that bucket full of calamari I shoved down my throat.

  Here we go. Hux pulls me in for a quick embrace. “Biz, Detective.” He nods to Jasper. “How’s the case? I see my sister is still a free woman. I guess that’s a good sign.”

  Mackenzie nods at the two of us. “It’ll take a miracle to land Bizzy behind bars. Now that she’s got an in down at the sheriff’s department, she could slaughter a basketball team and sleep in her own bed at night.”

  Hux and Mack share a laugh at my expense.

  “Nice seeing you.” Hux waves as they duck inside the Blue Brick Steakhouse.

  “Huh.” I give the back of my head a quick scratch. “I think I just figured something out.”

  “What’s that?” Jasper says, pulling me into his arms once again.

  “I can’t control anyone else’s relationship.” I cringe a little. “I think I owe Leo an apology.”

  Jasper’s chest expands with his next breath and he presses against me.

  “Don’t worry about it,” he whispers. “Leo knows how much you love Emmie. And you’re afraid. Don’t be. Whatever you decide about telling her your secret, or not, I support you in this.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Now, what were you about to say?” He ticks his head toward Killer Books.

  “The night of the killing, Wyatt mentioned he had a first print run of a very valuable book. He keeps it in a glass case on the second level of the bookshop. Stormy thought maybe that was what Thomas and Wyatt were fighting over.”

  Jasper’s glowing eyes flit in that direction.

  “How valuable?” he asks, already navigating us down the street.

  “I don’t know, but it’s an Agatha Christie. It must be worth a fortune.”

  We hit Killer Books and Jasper procures a key from his pocket, dangling it in the air, and the moonlight glints off it until it flashes like lightning.

  “Jasper, we can’t go in there. That’s like breaking and entering.”

  “I’m the investigating lead detective. I promise we’re not breaking in.”

  We head inside and Jasper flicks on the lights. The yellow caution tape is lying around haphazardly, and there’s a large dark stain over the carpet where poor Wyatt lay dying.

  Jasper takes me by the hand as we head upstairs. The black walls decorated with rhinestones glint like stars in some unknown universe.

  And then we see it.

&n
bsp; The glass case—it’s empty.

  Chapter 12

  The first print run of Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles is missing.

  Killer Books was once again crawling with sheriff’s deputies as they dusted the area for prints. Unfortunately for the Baker clan, the last person to see the book in the case was my mother.

  This was surmised the hard way once Jasper called me at seven in the morning to confirm her prints were all over the glass case. Apparently, my mother was so impressed to see the book, she did a pantomime over that wall of glass that separated them. Of course, she said she was merely admiring it. Sort of the way I was merely holding the murder weapon. I’m not sure how we’ve managed to do it, but we ended up knee-deep in doo-doo when all we wanted was an exciting Friday night out.

  It’s like we’re cursed.

  It’s like I’m cursed.

  I sag for a moment as I stare out from behind the reception counter over at the open double door entry that leads into the inn. It’s a pristine blue-sky day outdoors. The warm breeze blows in now and again, and it holds the scent of salty sea air.

  It’s just after four in the afternoon, and the tourists are pretty much settled for the day. I was looking forward to spending some time with Jasper tonight, but he just left a message that let me know he’ll be working late.

  Poor guy never came home last night. Isn’t there some law against working around the clock?

  And how long can a grown man go without any sleep?

  He’s got to be exhausted. And I’m sure Camila, the minx, is right there catering to his every need.

  I wonder who I could bribe in an effort to get her transferred?

  Or better yet, shipped to another state—another country entirely.

  Don’t they need secretaries in Belgium?

  Maybe I can throw in a year’s supply of fine Belgian chocolate to sweeten the deal.

  But nevertheless, I’m not worried about it. Jasper isn’t interested in her anymore. He proposed to me. If anything, Camila should be eating a healthy dose of reality each day when she sees Jasper so close, and yet his heart is so far. It would kill me if I were in her shoes. And just like that, a part of me feels sorry for Camila Ryder.