by Leena Clover
“He was just showing off,” Betty Sue grunted.
Heather ignored her grandmother.
Betty Sue gave away some of the awards. There were squeals of joy as people showed off their trophies. Barb Norton, a local woman, held up a large brass plaque. The crowd roared in approval.
“And now, the Overall First Place Award for this year. Come on up, Asher. Come and get it.”
People turned around, trying to spot Asher Cohen. There was a buzz at the back. The crowd parted to reveal the short, chubby man Jenny had seen with Asher that morning.
“I can’t find Grandpa.”
The crowd started to speculate where Asher was. Some wondered if he had forgotten about the awards ceremony. Others made wisecracks about his age.
Adam Hopkins walked up to the makeshift stage and held up his hand. Jenny had a sudden feeling of déjà vu. She remembered a fateful party she had attended earlier that year.
“There has been an incident,” Adam Hopkins announced. “I urge you all to calm down. My people will come around to ask you a few questions.”
“What about the fireworks?” a voice called from the crowd. “The sun’s going down. Can we head to the beach now?”
Adam went into a huddle with the people gathered on the stage. He turned around and cleared his throat before speaking again.
“The fireworks are cancelled.”
The crowd protested loudly. One tourist pushed his way to the front and struck up an angry pose.
“What do you mean, mister? We travelled three hundred miles to spend our July 4th here. Our kids have been looking forward to the fireworks all weekend.”
“I’m the Sheriff of Pelican Cove,” Adam said in a clipped voice. “I am cancelling the fireworks for security reasons.”
“What on earth is going on?” Jenny asked Heather.
The Magnolias had inched toward the podium. Heather scampered up the stage and conferred with Betty Sue. Her eyes were filled with alarm as she walked back toward Jenny.
“They just found Asher Cohen. He’s dead.”
Chapter 3
The Magnolias were on their mid-morning coffee break at the Boardwalk Café the next day. All the conversation revolved around Asher Cohen.
“Just imagine dying on your 100th birthday,” Star was saying. “It’s like someone jinxed him.”
“Don’t you mean hexed?” Molly asked.
“What a waste of that birthday cake,” Heather sighed. “What happened to it, Jenny?”
Jenny shrugged.
“We delivered it to the Cohen residence the day of the party. I guess they will just throw it out now.”
“Maybe we can bring it back,” Heather said hopefully.
“Heather Morse!” Betty Sue exclaimed. “What are you doing hankering after a dead man’s cake? Surely I raised you better than that?”
“I’ll bake one for you, Heather, don’t worry,” Jenny consoled. “It’s just a chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache and plenty of fresh berries on top.”
“Stop! You’re making me crave it even more.”
“You girls are missing the point,” Petunia said. “Why aren’t we talking about what happened to Asher?”
“I’m not getting mixed up in a murder this time,” Jenny announced resolutely.
Betty Sue sucked in a breath.
“Murder? Who said anything about a murder?”
“He was found dead in his car,” Star reminded her.
“I thought he died from the heat,” Betty Sue mumbled.
“The police aren’t saying anything,” Heather said. “They sealed off the crime scene pretty quickly. No one got a look at the truck.”
“Was it the same truck that was in the parade?” Molly asked.
“I think so,” Heather said.
She looked at Jenny with a gleam in her eye.
“When are you going out with Adam again? Maybe you can bend his ear about this.”
“Have you met Adam?” Jenny asked with her hands on her hips. “He won’t tell me squat.”
“Don’t change the subject, Jenny,” Molly pounced. “Are you going out on a date with Adam?”
“We were thinking of getting dinner tomorrow night,” Jenny admitted.
“What about Jason?” Heather asked. “Have you dumped him now?”
“Jason and I are just friends,” Jenny objected. “He knows that.”
“Are you sure?” Molly raised her eyebrows. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
Betty Sue came to her rescue. Her knitting needles clacked as her hands twirled a strand of blue yarn over them.
“Stop harassing her, girls.”
Nick ran up the café steps just then, waving an envelope in his hand.
“Mom!”
“What is it?” Jenny asked in alarm.
“It’s that internship I was waitlisted for. One of the guys they hired dropped out.”
“Is this that big law firm in Washington DC?” Jenny asked eagerly.
Jenny’s ex-husband was a partner at a well known law firm. Nick wanted to follow in his footsteps. Jenny had developed an aversion to lawyers when her husband cheated on her. Then she met Jason Stone. She was beginning to think they were not all bad. Regardless of her personal beliefs, she fully supported her son in whatever he wanted to do in life.
Nick was looking excited.
“I won’t be doing much, just getting coffee, I guess. But I’ll be there, Mom!”
“When do you start?” Jenny asked.
“This coming Monday. But I need to look for a place to stay.”
“Have you looked at online ads?” Molly asked.
“Not yet,” Nick said, “but I’m going to.”
“I’ve got my iPad right here if you want to look,” Molly offered.
“Thanks Molly,” Nick beamed, sitting down next to her. “This will save me time.”
Jenny realized her son wouldn’t be spending the summer with her after all. She rubbed the tiny gold heart shaped charm that hung around her neck on a chain and kept her thoughts to herself. Nick had started giving her a charm for Mother’s Day since he turned eight. She had worn the charms on a bracelet for several years. Now she had strung them on a thin gold chain. They literally touched her heart, providing a tangible connection to Nick when he wasn’t with her. She had fallen into the habit of rubbing those charms whenever she was worried or overwhelmed.
“We should have a family dinner before you leave,” Jenny said. “I’m going to cancel my date with Adam.”
“Why don’t you invite him over?” Star asked. “It won’t be a date but at least you will get to spend time with him.”
“Sounds cool, Mom,” Nick approved. “Can he bring the twins too?”
Jenny looked at her aunt speculatively.
“Do you want to invite Jimmy Parsons?”
Star looked at her incredulously.
“Why would I want to do that?”
“I told Jimmy to come around sometime but I doubt he’s going to turn up on his own. This way, he’ll have company.”
Star gave a slight nod, making Jenny smile.
Jimmy Parsons was the town drunk. He lived in a tiny cottage by the light house on a deserted stretch of beach. The Parsons family had owned and operated the light house for years. The light house was decommissioned now but it was still a big point of interest in Pelican Cove.
Jenny had discovered Jimmy had a soft spot for her aunt. She was sure they shared some history. She was determined to find out more. Asking Jimmy over to dinner sounded like a great way to learn more about him.
Nick’s voice snapped Jenny out of her reverie.
“What was that, Nicky?” she asked.
“Do you promise to stay out of trouble?”
“I’m supposed to ask you that!”
“You know what I’m talking about, Mom. You won’t get mixed up in that old man’s death, will you?”
“I barely knew the man, Nicky. Why would I get involved?”
/> The Magnolias looked disappointed. Nick didn’t look convinced at all.
“Are you going to visit us on the weekends?” Star asked him.
Heather stood up and waited for Betty Sue to gather all her stuff.
“I need to feed Tootsie,” she said, talking about her black poodle. “We have two couples checking in today.”
Heather and her grandmother Betty Sue owned and operated the Bayview Inn. It was one of the oldest houses in town and had been built by James Morse himself.
The group broke up and Jenny went inside to get ready for the lunch rush. She started mixing her special chicken salad, made with fresh juicy strawberries. It had been a hit with the locals and tourists were lining up for it now.
Petunia helped her assemble the sandwiches. The talk turned to Asher Cohen again.
“Who found him, do you know?” Jenny asked Petunia.
“Why don’t you go talk to Adam?” Petunia asked. “You can deliver lunch at the police station.”
“Haven’t we hired kids for that?” Jenny asked.
“The kids didn’t turn up today,” Petunia said. “Shouldn’t matter to him.”
Jenny placed a few sandwiches and cookies in a basket and walked down the street to the Pelican Cove police station. One of the desk clerks, Nora, greeted her.
“Is that our lunch? I’m starving!”
Jenny stole a glance at the door marked Sheriff.
“He’s in there,” Nora said. “Alone. You can go right in.”
Jenny rapped lightly on the door and went in. Adam Hopkins sat with one leg up on a chair. He was muttering to himself, trying to open a bottle of pills. Jenny took it from him and unscrewed the top.
“Your leg’s bothering you today?” she asked softly.
Adam Hopkins had injured his leg in the line of duty. His recent stint of therapy had helped a lot, but the pain flared up sometimes.
“Had too much fun this week,” he winced, popping a couple of pills in his mouth.
He washed them down with a glass of water.
“What are you doing here, Jenny?”
“I brought you lunch,” Jenny simpered. “And I don’t need a reason to come see you, Adam.”
“You are sure this has nothing to do with Asher Cohen?”
Jenny acted shocked.
“Don’t expect any favors just because we are dating.”
“Why would I? I know you well.”
“And I know you, Jenny. That nose of yours is twitching as we speak.”
“Who found him, anyway?” she asked. “Just out of curiosity.”
“I did,” Adam sighed.
“Was it heat exhaustion?” Jenny forged ahead. “The sun was scorching yesterday. It was ninety degrees in the shade.”
“What do you care about Asher Cohen?” Adam asked, leaning forward. “Did you even exchange two words with him any time?”
“I knew Asher!” Jenny protested. “I baked his birthday cake. He put in a special order at the café. He tasted my food at Ada Newbury’s party. His family hired a catering company from the mainland but Asher insisted I bake the birthday cake.”
“That’s all?”
“We met yesterday morning. He came to the café for breakfast.”
Adam suddenly looked interested.
“How did he get there? Did anyone accompany him?”
“He came with that woman in the wheelchair. Heather said she’s his wife.”
“So he came in with Linda. Anyone else?”
“There was a chubby guy who came in some time later. He sat down with Asher.”
“What were they talking about?”
“How would I know that?”
“Did you happen to overhear something?”
Jenny shook her head.
“I think the old man was berating him.”
Adam had started to unwrap his sandwich as Jenny spoke. He took a big bite and gave her a thumbs up.
“Delicious, as usual!”
“Thanks,” Jenny said. “So, did his heart give up? He seemed fine when he was standing up there on that float.”
Adam refused to take the bait.
“About tomorrow,” Jenny said. “We’ll have to take a rain check.”
“Is this how it’s going to be?” Adam thundered. “You are punishing me because I won’t answer your questions?”
Jenny threw back her head and laughed.
“Don’t be silly, Adam. Nicky’s got an internship. He’s leaving the day after so we are having a family dinner. You are invited. So are the twins.”
Adam looked relieved. He gave her a grudging smile.
“I hope you stay out of this Cohen business, Jenny. It might get awkward, what with you and me seeing each other socially.”
“I have no intention of getting mixed up with the Cohens.”
“Why are you asking all these questions then, hmm?”
“Just curious, I guess.”
“You can read about it in tomorrow’s paper.”
“So you know how he died?”
“We are waiting on some reports, but I have a pretty good idea.”
“I can wait until tomorrow,” Jenny said, standing up to leave.
She didn’t want to push her luck.
Adam sighed as he took in her mulish expression.
“Okay, just this once.”
“I’m not asking you anything,” Jenny protested. “Let the record state that.”
“This is not a courtroom, Jenny,” Adam laughed.
He grew serious as he chose his next words.
“Asher Cohen died of carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“Out in the open?” Jenny asked incredulously.
“We found him in the cab of his truck.”
“Did you try to revive him?”
“He was already gone,” Adam said grimly. “The paramedics tried their best.”
“Did age have anything to do with it?” Jenny asked. “He was pushing a 100 after all.”
“Asher Cohen was in excellent health,” Adam told her. “He might have lived for ten more years.”
“What are you saying, Adam?” Jenny asked, aghast.
“Asher Cohen didn’t die of natural causes,” Adam said flatly. “Either he took his own life, or someone did it for him.”
“But why?” Jenny cried. “He was such a sweet, old man.”
She walked out of the police station in a daze. Asher had looked so happy, waving to the crowd, wearing that festive birthday hat. There was no way he would have taken his own life a few minutes later.
What was the alternative, Jenny asked herself. Had the town of Pelican Cove witnessed yet another gruesome murder?
Chapter 4
Jenny pulled a pan of blueberry muffins out of the oven. Captain Charlie, her first customer of the day was waiting in line.
“Good Morning,” she greeted him. “What can I get you with your coffee?”
“Those muffins smell good,” he said, breathing in the heady scent. “I’ve been eating muffins here all my life. But there’s something special about these.”
“I spice them up a bit,” Jenny said, leaning forward to whisper in Captain Charlie’s ear.
Jenny braced herself for the breakfast rush. Captain Charlie was always her first customer when they opened their doors at 6 AM. Her second customer of the day surprised her.
“Jason! What are you doing here so early?”
“I want to talk to you, Jenny,” he said seriously. “It’s important.”
“Don’t you have court today?”
“I’ve pushed a couple of my cases. I’m needed here.”
Petunia had heard the exchange.
“Why don’t you two go out on the deck? The tourists won’t be here for at least an hour.”
“Thanks, Petunia,” Jason said with relief.
Jenny placed a couple of muffins on a plate and poured two cups of coffee. She led Jason out to the deck.
For once, Jason wasn’t interested in the food. Je
nny decided to take advantage of the respite. She cut a muffin in half and slathered it with soft butter.
“What’s the matter? What’s so important you couldn’t wait?”
“Actually, I wanted to come over last night.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I heard about this family dinner you were having with Adam. I didn’t want to intrude.”
“You know you can talk to me any time, Jason. What’s going on?”
“It’s my aunt, Linda Cohen.”
“Do you mean that lady in the wheelchair?”
“That’s her alright. She had a stroke a couple of years ago. Her right side is paralyzed below the waist. She can’t walk.”
“How are you related to her?”
“She’s my father’s cousin,” Jason explained. “She was Linda Stone before she married Asher.”
“Someone did mention that,” Jenny nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.
Jason cut to the chase.
“She needs your help.”
“Jason, I barely know her.”
“Your reputation precedes you, Jenny.”
Jenny popped the last piece of muffin in her mouth and quirked one eyebrow at Jason.
“I have a reputation? Nothing too bad, I hope.”
“Are you being dense on purpose?” Jason railed. “I’m talking about your sleuthing abilities.”
“And why does she need those?”
Jason swallowed some coffee and looked at Jenny.
“I don’t know how much Adam told you. But it looks like Asher didn’t die of natural causes.”
“I know about that,” Jenny admitted.
“Linda is concerned,” Jason said. “You know how the local police operate. Being the spouse, she is bound to come under suspicion.”
“Surely they won’t suspect an invalid?”
“We don’t know that,” Jason sighed. “I’m going to provide her with as much legal aid as possible. But we have to be ready for any contingency.”
“I think you have the bases covered,” Jenny said. “Where do I come in?”
“Linda wants to find out what happened to Asher.”
“I’m sure the police have opened an investigation.”
“They have, but Linda wants you to look into this. She heard about the other cases you solved this year.”
“I’m not a professional investigator, Jason,” Jenny protested. “You know that. I was pulled into it by chance.”
