by Leena Clover
Jenny’s bridesmaid’s dress fit her properly this time. The blue sling on her arm matched her dress.
Star got all choked up as she looked at her. She had come to drop Jenny off at the country club.
“You look beautiful, sweetie.”
Jenny held up her arm.
“I’m going to be an eyesore. They will probably keep me out of the wedding photos.”
Star gave Jenny a meaningful look.
“Are you sure you want to go to this shindig? We can just turn around and drive home, you know.”
“I need to be there,” Jenny stressed. “This is my last chance to get a close look at these people. I’m sure one of them is the murderer.”
“You’ll be careful, won’t you?” Star frowned.
“Don’t worry about me, Auntie.”
Star looked down at her paint spattered smock. She would have crashed the wedding party if she was wearing something decent.
“Jason’s going to meet you here?”
“Yes, he’s my date.”
Star pulled up in the club’s porte-cochere. Jason was waiting for them. He helped Jenny out of the car and escorted her up the steps.
Heather and Chris Williams were seated in the lounge, sipping slim flutes of champagne. Heather came around to hug Jenny.
“So what’s the plan?” Jenny asked.
“The studio people are setting up on the lawn,” Heather reported. “It’s going to be a fairy-tale wedding, Jenny.”
Jenny and Heather discussed wedding details like flowers and arches and dresses. Jason and Chris pretended they were bored. One of Crystal’s posse came in and began rounding everyone up.
Jenny spotted the wedding arch from a distance. A big white tent was erected at one side for the reception. The color theme of white and yellow was reflected everywhere. A bunch of ushers began leading people to their seats. Jason and Chris chose a couple of chairs in the back row.
A lot of studio staff was milling around, dressed in black. A man sat in a crane forty feet high, fiddling with a large camera. The crane swept across the landscape, recording the activities of the guests.
A couple of tight lipped men wearing tuxedos stood at one side, observing everything with eagle-like precision.
“They are the big bosses,” Heather whispered. “The show’s producers.”
The bridesmaids huddled together in a group, dressed in blue like Heather and Jenny. One of the girls came over and told Jenny the studio wanted her to stand aside.
“It’s your sling,” she said apologetically. “It won’t look good on film.”
“No problem,” Jenny shrugged.
“Where’s the groom?” Jenny mumbled to herself.
A whir sounded just then and a plane came into view.
“Are you kidding me?” Jenny burst out.
All the assembled guests trained their eyes toward the plane. Some of them were clutching each other’s hands. A body dropped from the plane followed by another. The two bodies plummeted to the ground, gaining speed rapidly until their fall was thwarted mid-air. A canopy unfurled over each body and they began drifting to the ground.
Jenny heard the crane whir as the camera captured the spectacle.
A cheer went up through the crowd as the two bodies landed on the ground with a soft thud. Wayne stood up first and pulled off his parachute. He was dressed in a tuxedo, wearing a white rose in his lapel. He turned around and helped Crystal out of her chute.
“Wasn’t Crystal deathly afraid of heights?” Jenny asked Heather urgently. “She said she wouldn’t jump from a plane for all the money in the world.”
One of the studio execs overheard them. He leaned toward Jenny with a smirk on his face.
“All the money in the world turned out to be a million dollars in this case. They all have their price.”
“I just hope she’s worth it,” the other guy in the suit said.
The first studio exec looked up toward the guy on the crane. He gave them a thumbs up sign.
“After that dive, I say she’s worth every penny.”
“Aren’t you glad we sent her for that certification course?”
“What course?” Jenny asked urgently, grabbing one of the men by his arm.
“The sky diving certification of course!” he said, raising an eyebrow at her arm.
“So Crystal has knowledge of sky diving?”
“How do you think she did a solo dive?” one of the studio execs asked. “She can’t do that without being a certified diver.”
“She must know all about parachutes and stuff.”
The other studio exec butted in.
“I’m a C level diver. Even the most basic level requires you to know all about your equipment.”
“You’re sure about all this, right?” Jenny asked.
“Of course we are,” the guys chorused. “We are very particular about licensing requirements. There’s no way we will let an actor do something without the proper permissions.”
The strains of the wedding march sounded. Kathy Mars stood ready to walk Crystal down the aisle. Wayne stood at the other end, an inscrutable expression on his face. One of the studio minions held up a big sign saying ‘smile’ and waved it in front of Wayne. Wayne’s lips stretched in a ghastly smile. Then his eyes crinkled at the edges and the smile almost looked real.
“Stop!” Jenny roared. “Stop this wedding.”
Everyone stared at her as if she was a mad woman.
“Stop this wedding now, Wayne, or you will regret it.”
Jenny elbowed Crystal and walked down the aisle toward Wayne. She whispered something in his ear. Wayne pulled a phone out of his pocket and pressed some buttons.
“What is this crap?” one of the studio execs thundered. “Who is that woman?”
Sirens split the sky as the crowd began to murmur.
Crystal flung her bouquet aside with a cry and plowed into Jenny. Before she realized what was happening, Jenny found herself flat on the ground with Crystal sitting on top of her.
“You couldn’t heed my warning, could you?”
Several pairs of hands rushed to pull her off Jenny. Jenny doubled up in pain as Crystal punched her ailing shoulder.
A couple of cars with lights flashing drove up on the grass and stopped right next to Crystal. Adam Hopkins leapt out of one of them.
“Stop running, Crystal,” Jenny said, struggling to get up from the floor. “We know you did it. You killed Bella and Rainbow.”
Crystal let out an inhuman shriek.
“Yes!” she screamed. “I killed them both. And I almost got away with it too.”
“Are you getting this?” one of the studio execs whispered in a walkie-talkie.
“Why did you do it, Crystal?” Wayne asked. “Do you know you killed my baby too?”
“That’s why she had to go, of course,” Crystal said, laughing hysterically. “I didn’t want to be saddled with someone else’s brat.”
“Bella and Ray were going to raise the child as their own.”
“You expect me to believe that?” Crystal leered. “You were seeing Bella behind my back. You think I didn’t know, did you? Everyone knew, Wayne. The whole world knew. You made a laughing stock out of me.”
“You didn’t have to marry him,” Jenny pointed out.
“Of course I had to marry him,” Crystal cried. “I had to marry some idiot. He was as good as any other.”
“How did you do it, Crystal?” Adam asked. “Did you slash Bella’s parachute yourself?”
“It was all meticulously planned,” Crystal boasted. “My mother paid Rainbow to get Bella thrown off the set. I knew Rainbow felt guilty about it. I told her the show was doing a special segment. Two brides would turn up for Wayne Newman’s wedding. But he would choose just one of them. I told her the studio wanted to bring Bella back on the show. And this was going to be her entry vehicle.”
“Rainbow bought that?”
“She bought it hook, line and sinker,” Crystal
laughed. “Rainbow took details of my wedding dress and ordered the exact same one. It was going to be Bella’s ‘something borrowed’ item. The sapphire was her ‘something blue’.”
“What about the parachute?” Jenny asked. “Bella was an experienced diver. How did she go up without checking her rig?”
“I told them it was specially provided by the studio. It had the show’s name painted on it. Or some such crap. They swallowed it without question.”
“So Bella went up wearing that chute, thinking she was doing it for the cameras?”
Crystal nodded. “Imagine the look on her face when the chute didn’t open!”
“Didn’t Rainbow suspect you after Bella died?” Jenny asked.
“I threatened to have her fired. What would happen to her poor kid then?”
“Did Rainbow try to blackmail you later?”
“If only… I could have thrown some money at her. But she developed a conscience. I followed her out to the airfield, saw her talking to that pilot. That’s when I knew she had to go.”
“How did you kill Rainbow?” Adam asked her.
“I knew she carried that metal water bottle everywhere she went. Some crap about saving the environment…I ground some of her sleeping pills and my mom’s anxiety pills and put them in the steel bottle.”
“Did you ask her to drink that water?”
Crystal laughed again.
“I gave her some pain pills when she complained about a headache. Told her to wash them down with plenty of water. She drank the whole bottle. Said she was thirsty from being out in the sun.”
“Why did you do it, Crystal?” Jenny asked. “You were already the star of the show. What did Bella ever do to you?”
“She was going to steal Wayne away from me,” Crystal howled. “I couldn’t let that happen.”
She looked at Kathy Mars, a bewildered expression on her face.
“Could I, Mom?”
“If Wayne was cheating on you, wouldn’t it have been easier to just dump him and find a new guy?”
“I’m going to be Mrs. Wayne Newman,” Crystal whined. “It’s already scripted.”
Adam and his officers took Crystal away. Jason and Chris whisked Jenny and Heather away from the club as soon as possible.
“Are you feeling alright?” Heather asked her worriedly. “We need to take you to the doctor again.”
“I’m fine. I just need to ask Wayne something.”
Wayne came over when Jenny beckoned him.
“Did you really not know Bella was on that plane with you?”
“I swear, Jenny, I had no idea. I was thinking about our baby. I was hoping Ray and Bella would let me see him now and then.”
Jason’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Jenny.
“You did it again! You’re one amazing woman, Jenny King.”
Epilogue
The Boardwalk Café looked brand spanking new. The contractors had finished the renovations in record time. Other Main Street businesses had done their bit and Mandy James had accomplished the job she had been hired for.
Small blue plaques proclaiming Pelican Cove to be the Prettiest Town in America hung over every lamp post on Main Street. Flowers bloomed in window boxes and small flower beds. Colorful bikes were lined up against the café, inviting locals and tourists alike to pedal down the boardwalk and enjoy the beauty.
The Magnolias were assembled on the deck of the café. Petunia had graciously invited Barb and Mandy too. The other café regulars were all present. Jason, Adam, Chris and Captain Charlie sipped sweet tea from tall glasses and talked about some football game. Jimmy Parsons walked up the steps shyly, looking freshly showered, wearing a clean shirt.
Jenny greeted him warmly and led him toward the guys. Jenny’s son Nick chatted with Adam’s twin girls. They were spending the rest of the summer in Pelican Cove.
Mandy was leaving town in a few days so everyone was gathered for an informal farewell party for her.
“Let’s eat,” Jenny announced, bringing out a big tray loaded with plates and bowls brimming with food.
Heather and Molly followed with another tray.
“This barbecue sauce is super, Mom,” Nick declared, licking his fingers as he bit into some juicy chicken.
“You’re a good cook, Petunia,” Captain Charlie winked, “but Jenny here has you beat. Got any more specials coming up?”
“Something with blueberries, maybe?” Jenny grinned. “Wait and see.”
The party proceeded merrily and everyone declared they had eaten too much.
“Asher Cohen’s centennial is coming up,” Betty Sue Morse reminded the group. “Too bad you won’t be here to plan it, Mandy. We could have used your help.”
After the town won the award, Betty Sue had decided Mandy was the best thing that ever happened to Pelican Cove.
“There’s a 100 year old man in Pelican Cove?” Mandy asked, wide eyed.
“Sure is,” Petunia nodded. “We are planning a big party for him. Star is in charge of the Centennial Committee.”
“You should bake a special cake for the occasion, Jenny,” Betty Sue declared.
Adam sidled close to Jenny and pulled her aside.
“What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Let me check my calendar,” Jenny joked.
Her eyes twinkled as she looked up at Adam.
“Were you thinking of asking me out, Sheriff?”
The twins and Nick stole glances at them, giggling at some secret joke.
“Yes, Jenny King. I am asking you out on a date. A proper date.”
Jenny placed a hand on Adam’s arm and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
***
Acknowledgements
A big thank you to my readers, friends and family for their continued motivation and support. I couldn’t have done this without them.
Coming up next – Berries and Birthdays Book 3
Berries and Birthdays – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series Book 3
by Leena Clover
Chapter 1
Jenny King was baking up a storm. A motley crew of people was helping her, each engrossed in their assigned tasks.
“What about the birthday cake?” Petunia Clark, the owner of the Boardwalk Café asked Jenny. “The Cohens are counting on you.”
The small town of Pelican Cove was gearing up for a big July 4th celebration. It was a popular holiday in the seaside town, embraced by locals and tourists alike. A long list of events were planned and carried out with great enthusiasm every year.
This year was big for the town’s oldest resident, Asher Cohen. It was his 100th birthday. Grand centennial celebrations were planned. Jenny was entrusted with baking the birthday cake.
Jenny King hummed a tune as she pulled out a pan of blueberry muffins from the oven. She reflected over the past few months of her life, realizing she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Jenny King had been a suburban mother for most of her life. One day, her husband of twenty years had come home and delivered a bombshell. He was going out with a much younger girl who was now in the family way. He asked Jenny to clear out.
Jenny had sought shelter on the remote island of Pelican Cove. Her aunt, Star, had welcomed her warmly and opened her house and heart to Jenny. After letting her mope and sulk for a few weeks, Star had cajoled Jenny into starting work at her friend Petunia’s café. The rest, as they said, was history.
Jenny had started working her magic in the kitchen and now the whole town of Pelican Cove was singing her praises. People lined up to taste her food. Jenny didn’t disappoint, coming up with delicious new recipes every few days, using the area’s abundant local produce and fresh seafood.
“The cake’s cooling over there,” Jenny told Petunia, pointing toward a wire rack on the counter. “I already chopped the chocolate for the ganache.”
“Aren’t you making your special butter cream frosting?” Heather Morse asked.
Hea
ther was an islander who had become a close friend.
“Asher Cohen loves his chocolate,” Petunia explained. Her double chins jiggled as she spoke. “He specifically requested a chocolate ganache for the cake.”
“And Asher Cohen gets what he wants,” Betty Sue Morse noted, her hands busy knitting a colorful scarf.
Betty Sue Morse was a formidable force in Pelican Cove. Her family had originally owned the island. It had been called Morse Isle then. She was the fourth generation descendant of James Morse who had travelled south from New England with his family in 1837. He had bought the island for $125 and named it Morse Isle. He built a house for his family on a large tract of land. Fishing provided him with a livelihood, so did floating wrecks. He sent for a friend or two from up north. They came and settled on the island with their families. They in turn invited their friends. Morse Isle soon became a thriving community.
Being a barrier island, it took a battering in the great storm of 1962. Half the island was submerged forever. Most of that land had belonged to the Morse family. A new town emerged in the aftermath of the storm and it was named Pelican Cove.
Heather was Betty Sue’s granddaughter and the last of the Morses.
“Give the man a break,” Rebecca King or Star, Jenny’s aunt, said. “He’s turning 100, after all.”
“And he can’t stop reminding everyone about it,” Betty Sue complained.
Asher Cohen owned a thriving construction business. He still maintained an active interest in every aspect of it. His money gave him power. He was one of the biggest employers in town and most people felt indebted to him because of it. Betty Sue Morse wasn’t too happy about it. She felt the locals needed to worship the Morse name. Everyone else was an upstart.
“Don’t be mean, Grandma,” Heather said, scooping muffin batter into moulds. “Asher Cohen has been good for this town.”
“He will never be one of us,” Betty Sue Morse sniffed.
“Did he come from the Bella?” Jenny asked innocently. “I thought the Survivors were as good as locals.”
