Mixing Up Murder

by Emmie Lyn

  I held Pip in my lap, but she had other ideas, and jumped down to go exploring.

  “So,” AJ said, stepping over a stack of files and collapsing into his swivel desk chair, “did you bring the papers you told me about?”

  Lily opened her bag, took out a folder, and handed it to AJ. “I made copies so you can keep these. One is about Blueberry Acres and the other is a sale agreement to sell the funeral home building.”

  While AJ took his time studying the documents, I took note of his office décor, the out-of-date calendar on the wall next to a framed photo of AJ fishing with Ray. A happier time between those two I imagined. I gave him my attention when he said, “This is interesting. Marty Fontaine paid Ray a hundred thousand dollars.” He looked at Lily. “Did you know about any of this?”

  Lily shook her head. “None of it, AJ. From what I discovered while searching Ray’s office today, Ray didn’t play by the rules and that document you’re looking at now about selling the funeral home building has my signature on it. But I didn’t sign it. It’s a forgery.”

  “Are you positive?”

  Lily’s eyes blazed when she insisted, “I did not sign that document. The way I see it, Ray planned to sell the property and whisk me away on the trip he promised, and I would never have known the difference.”

  AJ pursed his lips, considering his next question. “Has Frank mentioned this sale to you?”

  “Yes. He and Rhonda were in Ray’s office before Dani and I arrived. I think they were looking for the contract.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “That’s when we heard Rhonda tell Frank that she searched my apartment for it. What are you going to do, AJ?”

  He sat back before answering. “Make a visit to the Wilde brothers to find out what’s going on with this contract and have a little chat with Rhonda, too.”

  I cautioned AJ. “There’s some kind of romance going on between Frank and Rhonda. We caught them all smoochy and huggy but they tried to pull apart real fast when they realized we were watching,” I said. “Did you identify either of those earrings yet? I wonder if Frank and Rhonda decided to wear matching diamond stars.”

  AJ looked thoughtful and shook his head. “Not yet. I’m hoping that whoever lost either earring might come to the police station asking about it.”

  “And if no one comes asking about a diamond earring…maybe, that’s just as incriminating, don’t you think?” If I’d lost it at the scene of a murder, I’d stay as far away as possible from asking about it and connecting myself to a clue.

  A smile was AJ’s answer.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Lily drove me back to the MG and followed me to Sea Breeze for a well-earned meal, wine, and girl talk since she was spending the night.

  Pip must have been tired because she curled up on the front seat instead of keeping watch through the windshield. I found the sensitive spot under her ear and gave it a few scratches. “You’re great company, Pipster. Thanks for sticking with me.”

  Her little tail slapped on the seat telling me she agreed. Or, at least, she liked the sound of my voice.

  The mouthwatering aromas when I stepped through the front door of Sea Breeze filled my senses with a mixture of fresh bread, roasted vegetables, and a hint of something sweet. I let my nose lead the way while my stomach growled with anticipation.

  Pip, refreshed from her nap, dashed through the house and beat both Lily and me to the coziest room in the house. Rose must have anticipated our needs since she had wine glasses set out and a plate with crackers and cheese ready.

  “You’re the best, Rose.” I leaned close and brushed my lips against her soft cheek. “I could get used to this, you know.”

  Rose waved her spatula in my direction. “You don’t have to live in that apartment. Move in with me whenever you want. I like the company. Pip will be happier here I’m sure, and I won’t charge you any rent.”

  I stared out the window at the darkening shadows on the bay, deciding I had the best life this side of heaven. At least when I visited Rose. “You don’t charge me rent now, and I only have to roll out of bed and walk down the stairs to get to the diner.”

  Rose turned back to her stove and finished turning her pan of sausage and vegetables. “You have a reliable car now so you could stay here.”

  It was a tempting offer. “I’ll think about it. With my apartment off limits, this can be the practice run to see if we get sick of each other.” I sliced a couple of pieces of cheddar cheese, layered them on crackers, and offered one to Lily.

  The front door opened. “Hello?”

  “In the kitchen, Spencer.” Rose lowered her voice. “I told him to join us for dinner. He’s relieved about the farm, but worried about what Luke is going through with Jennifer in intensive care. It doesn’t look good for her.”

  Spencer walked in, handing a bottle of red wine to Rose. His face, drawn with what I could only assume was worry, made him look older than his mid-seventies age.

  “How is Luke doing?” I asked, not sure if he’d want to talk or not but giving him the opportunity to do either.

  “Thanks for asking, Dani. To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t think he’s gotten past the shock and the trip and the exhaustion yet. All we can do is hope for the best and wait.”

  Rose had the wine opened, poured, and handed filled glasses to each of us. She tipped her glass toward Spencer. “I’m glad you’ve joined us. It’s better to have company than be alone at a time like this.”

  He nodded and sat at Rose’s kitchen nook, staring out the window—with us in body but his thoughts had to be three thousand miles away.

  “Did you learn anything from AJ?” Rose asked.

  I got silverware out and set the table in the dining room while Rose portioned the food onto plates. “We showed him the papers Lily found in Ray’s office. He was especially interested in the agreement to sell the funeral home property with Lily’s forged signature.

  “Are you going to sell, Lily?” Rose carried two plates to the table and returned for the other two.

  “Both Frank and Nick have already tried to talk about a sale. I probably will sell, but I’m not going to make any big decisions this soon. First, I have to understand what I actually own.”

  Rose tapped Spencer on his shoulder. “Are you going to sit with us?”

  “If you don’t mind, I’m not very hungry. I’ll sit here and keep Pip company.” Spencer’s hand rested on the terrier, who seemed to be quite happy with the arrangement.

  I sipped my wine, forcing myself to make it last. “We bumped into Ava, too, and she told us that Marty has skipped town.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah and she’s not too happy that AJ told her she had to stay here.”

  “I don’t think Marty killed Ray,” Lily said. “He was on track to get Blueberry Acres for a song. What would he gain from killing Ray?”

  “That’s a good point. He already gave Ray a hundred grand and he had all sorts of grandiose plans. Why kill the one person who seemed to be on his side?” I asked.

  Rose nodded agreement. “And Ava has an alibi.”

  I lowered my voice so Spencer wouldn’t hear my next comment. “What if Luke found out what Ray and Marty were up to with Blueberry Acres? He had the perfect opportunity to kill Ray and, to be honest, I couldn’t blame him if he did. And now he’s gone.”

  “He’s been cleared.” Spencer’s voice surprised me. “The owner of a stop he made in Glendale came forward and said he saw Luke’s delivery truck around eleven. So, he couldn’t have been in Misty Harbor when Ray was murdered. It’s a good thing I didn’t know what was going on or I would have taken care of Ray myself. Sorry, Lily, but your husband was no good, only out for himself, and you’re better off without someone like that.”

  “That’s great news, Spencer.” I was glad to know that Luke’s name was cleared.

  Rose patted the chair next to her. “Sit down, Spencer. I’ll reheat your food.”

  We all urged h
im to join us and he finally relented and took a place at the table. His appetite seemed to have miraculously returned when Rose set his plate in front of him, judging from the way he dug into the sausages. When he caught a breath, he said, “Luke told me what that guy Marty said about turning the farmhouse into a bed and breakfast or an Inn, can’t remember which it was.” He took a swig of his wine and added, “But I kind of like the idea. When Luke gets back, I want to have a serious talk with him about some changes at the farm before we run into another cash flow problem.”

  Then he tucked into his meal again to catch up with the rest of us.

  “You know, Spencer—” Lily started.

  He stopped her with the wine glass in his hand. “Before you say anything else, Lily. I will pay you back. I don’t take handouts.”

  She grinned and nodded her head. “Fair enough. But what I was going to say is that maybe we can work out some kind of deal. I like the idea of running an inn. When you’re ready to talk seriously, would you give me the first option to make an offer?”

  Spencer put his fork down. His nostrils flared in that way they do when you’re trying to hold your emotions back. “It’s a deal, Lily. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather work with.”

  I glanced at Rose and saw the teary glaze over her eyes, too. It always stuns me when something good comes from something bad. Everything might just work out for Blueberry Acres after all. “Is there any dessert?” I asked to keep the party from getting to soppy.

  Rose gave me one of her long-suffering chuckles. “You and your sweet tooth, Dani. How about you help me get it.”

  I followed her into the kitchen with a stack of dirty dishes I gathered on my way around the table. “I’m not sure we can pop open the champagne yet,” I said, unloading them into the sink, “but I’m excited that Lily and Spencer seem to be working toward a common goal.”

  Rose had stacked dessert plates and bustled around the kitchen while I shared my concerns. “I never imagined her running an inn, but you know, she’d be darn good at it. She’s organized, a hard worker, and loves interacting with people. You know I hate to complain, but I don’t know how I’ll manage at the diner without her.”

  I guess Rose didn’t take my worries seriously at the moment. She had more of a let’s-wait-and-see-what-happens attitude. She busied herself removing the cover from a big pan of blueberry crisp.

  “You brought blueberries and I had to do something with them,” she explained as if serving blueberry crisp was a problem. “There’s ice cream in the freezer, too. We might as well go all out and have the works.”

  I didn’t object.

  When I returned to the dining room with dessert plates and the ice cream, I heard Spencer say, “Luke wants to move back to Misty Harbor but Jennifer won’t leave California. When he came back, I think it was kind of a trial separation but now…”

  He left the rest unsaid because we all knew that Luke would never leave Jennifer now while she was injured and needed him most. I admired his loyalty but seeing him again made this latest separation even more painful.

  As we were passing the dessert, Spencer’s phone interrupted our conversation.

  One look at his face though, and a sense of dread came over us.

  He answered in monosyllables that didn’t give us much of a clue before he hung up.

  He sat staring at his phone for a moment, the color draining from his face. Then he looked up at the ceiling, searching for words or trying to find his voice. I’m not sure what was going through his mind, I could only imagine. He said simply, “Jennifer died. Luke will call again in the morning.” What else was there to say when your loved one’s world is suddenly torn apart?

  We ate dessert with the clink of forks on our plates the only sound as shock enveloped us all.

  Pip must have sensed our sadness. She jumped on Spencer’s lap with an understanding that he needed her attention the most.

  Pip—the perfect companion.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Rain pinging on the window woke me Wednesday morning. The soothing pitter-patter almost lulled me back to sleep, but Pip saw me stretch and yawn, and with a lick of my cheek, she let me know it was time to get up.

  “Pip,” I groaned, “go away,” and rolled over on my side, but that only encouraged her. She dug under the blankets and nudged me with her nose until I whined, “Okay. Okay. Did Rose send you up here to drag me out of bed?”

  Pip jumped on top of me and chased her stubby tail up and down the length of me until she had me crying with laughter. “Now you’ve added a morning giggle to your bag of tricks, Pippy?”

  I couldn’t put it off any longer, so I slid out from under the soft sheets and pulled a flannel shirt on to ward off the moist, chilly morning air and followed Pip downstairs.

  Rose was in her usual spot on the couch, but instead of enjoying a view of Blueberry Bay, her window was blocked by a thick soup of fog.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Rose said as she sipped her coffee. “I’m wondering if Rhonda thought she had the most to gain with her brother out of the way.”

  I glanced her way. “Good morning to you, Rose. Love waking up to talk of murder before I’ve had my coffee.”

  “Oh, sorry, dear. Good morning, but you know, it was a big gamble on Rhonda’s part if she did kill him, but maybe she thought as the remaining sibling she could bully Lily into turning the business over to her. Or at least, take control and slip right into Ray’s shoes.”

  I shook my head. That’s Rose, a dog with a bone when she’s getting her head around something I thought as I padded past her toward the kitchen. “I need a few more minutes for my brain to wake up before I settle down for this conversation. How about I refill your coffee while I get my own mug.”

  Rose held her mug out. “Don’t forget to give Pip her breakfast while you’re in the kitchen. She’s been eyeing me for the last hour. That’s why I sent her upstairs to get you.”

  “And I thought it was because you were lonely and couldn’t wait for my companionship,” I teased.

  Rose did a sitting yoga stretch – I know because I heard her joints crack – and called after me, “I do enjoy having you here, Dani. I hope you’re serious about considering my offer to move in. It would be good for all three of us. Right, Pip?”

  Of course, the little traitor that she was, wagged her tail as she raced around my feet. “Not fair, you two are ganging up against me.” I had to admit that I liked the idea more and more. But I wanted to be one hundred percent sure that Rose wouldn’t resent losing her privacy. “Come on Pip. Or, do I have to serve your breakfast in a little silver dish?”

  Pip followed me to her bowl where I poured in her kibble. “Good, you aren’t too fashionable to eat like a normal dog.”

  There was just enough coffee left for two servings. I returned to Rose with the mugs, leaving Pip to finish her breakfast.

  I plopped down in a comfy chair opposite Rose and pondered her theory while I let caffeine work its wonders on my still sleepy brain. “Okay,” I said after my mug was half gone, “Rhonda. That’s an interesting theory and if the earring found in the diner turns out to be hers, I would say it looks bad. But kill her own brother?”

  Rose cocked an eyebrow at me. “The Lemay’s are not a close family. They’ve always been highly competitive and cutthroat while they clawed their way to the top of the heap. It’s not a stretch to imagine Rhonda becoming so obsessed, so greedy, that she’d stop at nothing.”

  I considered that scenario as I swirled the last of my coffee. “She may have been biding her time for Ray and Lily to finalize the divorce, which was pushed aside with talk of reconciliation. I’m sure she wasn’t happy about that. But what about Frank?”

  “Frank?” she said as though she’d never heard the name before.

  “Yeah,” I explained. “Doesn’t it seem more likely that Rhonda would talk him into committing the crime, so her hands stayed clean?”

  I could see the wheels turning in Rose’s h
ead, so I pressed on. “You know, something like: if you love me, you’ll kill my brother for me to prove it.” I was being sarcastic but who knew what went on in the name of love? “Another thing, we don’t know who signed Lily’s name on that sales agreement.”

  “Do you think Rhonda forged the signature?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. What I do know is that Rhonda and Frank are involved with each other romantically and the way they were searching Ray’s office, I have to assume that they were in on some mischief together.”

  I could see I had Rose’s agreement on that.

  “Frank and Nick didn’t want to keep renting from Ray. And, those two earrings have to be key to solving the crime.”

  As we sat and talked, the thinning fog began to create ghostlike silhouettes over the bay. I loved how the view could transform from a dreamy quality that blurred reality and in another hour or so, a vivid scene emerged of boats, birds, and a brilliant blue sky.

  “What about Nick?” Rose asked.

  “What about him?”

  “Was he involved in the phony real estate contract with Ray? Would he benefit from Ray’s death?”

  I thought about that angle. “Well, of course he’d benefit as a partner in Two Wilde Funeral Home if the real estate transition went through. Now that you mention him, I don’t remember seeing his name on that paper. I wonder why he was kept out of the loop?”

  Rose snapped her finger in an, I’ve-got-it moment, and Pip came running out of the kitchen, I guess to see what she was missing. The gleam in Rose’s eyes told me she was on to something.

  “I think he’s the one you and Lily should talk to. Show him that contract and see how he reacts, but don’t let Frank know what you’re doing. Don’t let them coordinate their story.”