by Leena Clover
“Here and there,” she said evasively.
She had spent many summers in Europe, waiting for her husband to join her. The expensive vacations any woman would covet hadn’t brought much joy to Jenny.
“The twins are up to something,” Adam said. “Did Nick say anything to you?”
“My guess is they are coming here for the read-a-thon.”
“Must be something more than that.”
Heather ran up the café steps the next morning, tugging at Tootsie’s leash. She tied her black poodle to a post. Tootsie burrowed in the sand and settled down for a nap.
“You’re grinning like a Cheshire cat,” Jenny commented as she gave Heather the once over.
“Oh Jenny, I’m on cloud nine.”
Heather whirled around on her toes and beamed at Jenny.
“Hot date?” Star asked.
Betty Sue clacked her needles and muttered under her breath.
“Hotter than you can imagine,” Heather breathed. “Wait till you hear about it.”
“Watch it, girl,” Betty Sue railed. “We don’t want any indecent talk here.”
“Oh Grandma, you’ll want to hear this.”
“Where did you go this time?” Molly asked with a laugh. “Delaware?”
“Hush, Molly.” Heather’s high watt smile hadn’t dimmed at all. “I’m dating a doctor.”
Betty Sue sat up when she heard that.
“Where did you find a doctor to go out with you? On that Internet?”
“Actually, yes. I did find him online. But guess where he’s from?”
Five faces looked at her expectantly.
“Pelican Cove!”
Molly burst out laughing.
“You went out with old Dr. Smith? Did you take him to a game of Bingo?”
“Not Dr. Smith!” Heather pouted. “Dr. Costa. Dr. Gianni Costa. He’s the new hottie in town.”
“You mean that young doctor who’s moved here from Mexico?” Petunia asked.
“That’s the one,” Heather nodded. “And he’s not from Mexico. He just lived in a border town before he came here.”
“Isn’t he old, dear?” Petunia spoke.
“He looks young. Age is just a number, anyway.”
“So you are going to date someone old enough to be your father?” Molly asked.
“He’s not that old,” Heather said with a huff. “You guys are just jealous. Wait till you see him.”
There was a shout from the beach. A tall, dark haired man waved at Heather. Molly and Jenny craned their necks to get a good look at him.
“He’s coming here,” Heather said, turning a deep red.
She waved back at the man and cupped her hands over her mouth.
“Over here, Gianni!”
Betty Sue was shaking her head and staring at her granddaughter in disbelief.
The man ambled over the boardwalk and walked up the café steps. Tootsie let out a growl but he didn’t stop to pat her. His coal black hair was the same color as his eyes. The diamond stud in his ear sparkled in the morning sun. He wore a light pink shirt over chinos. The top three buttons of the shirt were undone, exposing a broad chest matted with curly black hair. A thick gold chain sporting a big medallion hung around his neck.
Jenny decided Gianni looked unlike any doctor she had ever met.
“Hello ladies,” the man said, flashing his pearly whites. “Heather has told me so much about you.”
“How long have you known my girl?” Betty Sue asked suspiciously.
“Ah, you’re Heather’s grandma,” Gianni said, picking up her hand. “You’re the queen of this beautiful island I now call home.”
He kissed Betty Sue’s wrist lightly and placed a hand on his chest.
“Now I know where Heather gets her looks.”
The Magnolias stared at Dr. Gianni Costa as if he was from another planet. He gestured expansively with his hands as he spoke. He had a compliment for every one of them. Then he kissed Heather’s cheek and promised to see her later.
“So? What do you think?” Heather crowed as soon as he was out of sight. “Isn’t he a keeper?”
Chapter 19
Jenny chatted with Captain Charlie. The breakfast rush kept her busy. She noticed Ricky Davis sitting out on the deck when she went out to get some fresh air.
“Good Morning,” she greeted him. “Out of muffins again?”
Ricky pointed to his plate. Jenny saw two of the lemon blueberry muffins she had baked that morning.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Ricky said, looking over his shoulder. “Is now a good time?”
Jenny went in and made sure Petunia could handle the counter. She came out with a fresh cup of coffee and sat down before Ricky.
“What’s on your mind?”
Jenny could sense Ricky’s nervousness across the table. A trickle of sweat ran down his forehead and he wiped it off with the back of his hand.
“You said something about the past month or two of Keith’s life.”
Jenny encouraged him to go on.
“Something happened. My mother doesn’t know about this.”
“I can keep your secret,” Jenny said, “as long as it’s harmless.”
“Keith had been sober for the past three years. I already told you that. He had been off the radar for some time. Somehow he got wind of the fact that we sold Seaview. Either that threw him off or it was something else. He must have started using again.”
“How did you find this out?” Jenny asked.
“He was arrested for drug possession,” Ricky sighed. “He called me. I came and bailed him out.”
“Where did this happen?”
“Up the coast in Maryland,” Ricky explained. “I had to get back home immediately. Keith promised me he would come home to Texas.”
“But he didn’t?”
“Looks like he stayed on in the area. I guess he eventually turned up in Pelican Cove.”
“Are you saying Keith might have taken the drugs himself?”
“No! He would never do that.” Ricky looked at Jenny in despair. “I don’t think he did that.”
Jenny tried to be gentle.
“None of us want to believe he took his own life. But this changes things. Keith did have access to drugs, apparently. I think you should talk to the police about this.”
Ricky looked sad and guilty.
“I should have stuck around. Or insisted he went home with me.”
“You couldn’t have known.” Jenny knew anything she said at this point was just a platitude.
“Mother doesn’t know any of this. She will be heartbroken if she finds out.”
“I’m glad you came to me with this information,” Jenny told Ricky. “You did the right thing.”
Jenny couldn’t stop thinking about Keith as she went about her work. She wasn’t ready to accept he had taken his own life. Other than Ann or Ricky, there was no one she could suspect. Jenny decided she needed to find out more about Keith’s time in Pelican Cove.
Mrs. Turner emailed her a bunch of Emily’s photos as promised. Jenny spoke to Adam about it that night.
“Do you think she’s out there, Adam?”
Adam had a suggestion for a change.
“Why don’t you use one of those software programs that tell you how a person would look in a certain number of years? Then show that photo around.”
“We can print an ad in local newspapers,” Jenny said eagerly. “And I can post it online too. Ask people to share it.”
Jenny tried to put herself in Emily’s shoes. What if she had run away from home? What would she do? Her face broke into a smile as she thought of something. Chances were slim but Jenny didn’t have much else to hold on to.
Heather had invited everyone to drinks at the Rusty Anchor. They hadn’t gone out as a group in a long time. Jenny reluctantly agreed to go.
“You need a change of scene,” Heather convinced her. “Let your hair down for a change.”
Chris and Molly sat h
and in hand, talking softly to each other. Jenny felt like a third wheel and wished Adam was coming. Heather arrived with her latest friend, the colorful Dr. Costa. Jenny noticed the fourth button of his shirt was undone, his nod to the evening hour.
Dr. Costa took over the conversation and soon everyone was in splits. Jenny had to admit she hadn’t laughed that much in a while. Eddie Cotton came over with another round of their drinks.
“I need to go,” Molly said. “I have an early day tomorrow.”
“Are you taking time off for the read-a-thon?” Jenny asked curiously.
“I’m trying to make up for a day’s work,” Molly told her. “I’m taking two days off.”
“I hear Ricky Davis is back in town,” Eddie Cotton, the proprietor of the Rusty Anchor said as he wiped a glass.
“You know him?” Jenny asked sharply.
“Our families used to be tight,” Eddie nodded. “My grandpa and old man Davis grew up together. He was bummed when the old man perished in the storm.”
“So you knew Ricky back when he was a baby.”
“Ricky’s been in and out of Pelican Cove a lot,” Eddie nodded.
Jenny climbed up on a bar stool and devoted her attention to Eddie.
“What are you doing there, Miss Jenny?” Gianni Costa hollered. “We need you here.”
Heather was practically sitting in the good doctor’s lap. Chris Williams was staring at her with his mouth open. Jenny realized Heather was getting brazen by the day. They needed an intervention. She made a mental note to plan a girls’ night soon.
Jenny turned her back on the rambunctious couple and faced Eddie.
“Wait a minute … are you talking about the time Lily ran away?”
“Ricky came here at that time,” Eddie nodded. “Stuck around with Lily’s boy. That was back in the 90s. I’m not talking about that.”
Jenny’s heart skipped a beat as she urged Eddie to go on.
“Ricky was here last week. Him and Keith, just like old times. I poured them a pint myself.”
“This was just before Keith died, right?”
Eddie frowned. “Yeah. A day or two before that, I guess. Must have been the last time they saw each other.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Of course I’m sure. I just serve the drinks, Jenny. I don’t touch the stuff.”
“That scumbag,” Jenny muttered under her breath. “Any idea what they were talking about?”
“I don’t know,” Eddie shrugged. “They got into a row after some time. I heard your house mentioned.”
“Seaview?”
Eddie’s nod was answer enough.
Jenny marched into Jason’s office next morning.
“Did you know about this?” she demanded, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.
“Calm down, Jenny, take a load off.”
“That scoundrel Ricky, he’s been lying to me all along.”
Jason pulled a cold bottle of water out of his small refrigerator and put it before Jenny. Jenny ignored it.
“Eddie Cotton told me all about it. I should have gone to the Rusty Anchor sooner.”
“Why don’t you begin at the beginning?” Jason’s calm voice finally forced Jenny to simmer down.
“How many times have we asked Ann and Ricky about their whereabouts?”
“At the beginning, Jenny!”
“Ricky was here last week. He was spotted in town a day or two before Keith died.”
“What was he doing here?”
“Arguing with Keith over Seaview.”
“You don’t know that for sure.” Jason stared at her in disbelief.
“I don’t,” Jenny agreed. “But those two were fighting alright and talking about Seaview.”
“What was there to fight about?”
“Money!” Jenny exclaimed. “It’s obvious they sold the house without his knowledge. Wanna bet they were planning to run with the loot?”
“We bought Seaview at a very reasonable price, Jenny,” Jason reminded her. “Nothing exorbitant, considering how big the house and the land is.”
“And your point is?”
“Ann and Ricky are very well off. So was Keith or his father. They didn’t really need the money from the sale.”
“I guess they would have sold the house long ago if they needed the money,” Jenny thought out loud.
“Ricky told you about his separation. I think he was thinking of coming to live here. Ann was dead set against it. She thinks the house is jinxed.”
“So she sold it?”
“You made the offer, remember? It came at the right time for Ann Davis. She wanted to get rid of the property before Ricky was tempted.”
“And what about Keith?”
“Keith never cared for the place either. Don’t know what made him come here now.”
“That’s another mystery we will never solve,” Jenny sighed.
“What do you want to do now?” Jason asked her.
“I can confront Ricky about this, but how is it going to help?”
Jason shook his head.
“Don’t do that. Let him think he got away with it.”
“Got away with what?”
“We don’t know that yet … don’t jump to conclusions.”
“Shouldn’t we tell the police about this though?”
“Tell Adam. Let him decide how he wants to handle it.”
Jenny picked up the bottle of water and drank from it deeply.
“You’re looking exhausted, Jenny,” Jason said with concern. “Is something bothering you?”
Jenny had a glimpse of the old Jason.
“I could use a vacation. I’m busy baking and prepping for the read-a-thon. Nothing’s moving on the Keith front. Emily Turner’s mother has asked me to find her. We still don’t know anything about Mrs. Bones. Nicky hasn’t been home in weeks. Heather’s turning into a hussy.”
“Calm down and take a breath,” Jason laughed. “You’re carrying too much weight on your shoulders.”
“I can’t get anything done, Jason,” Jenny wailed. “I’m worried about the concession stand we are setting up. What if no one turns up? All that food will be wasted. Or what if we run out of food?”
“It’s all going to be fine,” Jason said, taking her hand and stroking it. “You’re not alone, Jenny. The Magnolias are with you. So am I. And Adam, for what he’s worth.”
Jenny finally smiled.
“Forget all this stressful stuff. What is this I hear about Heather?”
“Have you met Dr. Costa yet?” Jenny asked with relish. “Gianni Costa?”
The two friends spent some time catching up on what was happening in town.
“How’s Kandy?” Jenny asked. “Haven’t seen her in a while.”
“She’s busy working on a big case. She’ll be in town for the read-a-thon though. She’s looking forward to it.”
Jenny made her autumn chicken salad and made a couple of sandwiches with double scoops of salad. She added two slices of chocolate raspberry cake for dessert and put it all in a basket.
“No need to hurry back,” Petunia told her. “Your aunt is coming over for lunch.”
Nora, the clerk at the police station greeted Jenny like an old friend. Jenny knocked on Adam’s office and went in, bracing herself for what he might say. Jenny could never predict Adam’s mood. They were often controlled by how his leg was faring that day.
“You look just like the woman in my dreams,” Adam said. “She brought me cake.”
Jenny unpacked the basket, fighting to hide a blush.
“I need to tell you something,” she began. “It’s about Ricky Davis. He’s been lying to us.”
Adam held up a hand.
“It can wait. Let’s eat first. You are wilting before my eyes.”
Jenny snorted with mirth.
“Love is blind …”
She bit her tongue and turned red as a tomato. Adam stared at her, his eyes wide.
Jenny stammere
d to correct herself.
“I didn’t mean … that is …”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Adam said softly, giving her a goofy grin.
Chapter 20
Pelican Cove bore a festive look. A huge tent had been erected in the town square for the read-a-thon. Tables and chairs were set up, forming large reading areas. People had lent rugs and carpets. These formed cozy reading nooks, piled with abundant cushions. A smaller tent was set up as a food and drinks zone. Jenny had set up shop inside it.
There was a modest crowd present for the inauguration at 9 AM on the first day. Betty Sue Morse cut the shiny red ribbon pulled across the entrance to the tent and declared the festival open. The smattering of applause was drowned by the patter of feet as people rushed into the tent and took up positions. Everyone wanted to win the early bird prizes.
“We need more people,” Barb Norton boomed. She stalked around like a drill sergeant, ordering the volunteers around. “Why don’t you take control of the social media?” she ordered Heather. “As it is, you are glued to that phone all the time.”
“I don’t need my phone now,” Heather giggled. “I have a boyfriend.”
“Don’t you mean sugar daddy?” Jenny teased. “Are you that desperate, honey?”
“Gianni’s fun,” Heather said lightly. “He’s perfect for me.”
“What about that social media?” Barb Norton reminded her.
“Okay, okay. I’ll take some pictures and post them online.”
“Take a picture of that hay wagon too,” Barb ordered. “And tell them about the rides.”
Heather scurried along, snapping pictures of people with their heads in their books. She started tapping on her phone and gave Barb a thumbs up sign.
“We have the first break in a couple of hours,” Barb said, taking Jenny to task. “Have plenty of food ready and make sure the coffee’s hot.”
Jenny didn’t need much prompting. She had her routine meticulously planned out.
Ann Davis walked up to the reading tent, leaning on Ricky’s arm. They both sat down to read. A volunteer noted the time and wrote down their names.
Barb declared the early bird prizes just before lunch. A group of tourists turned up in the afternoon, intrigued by the novelty of the event.
“We already clocked five hundred hours,” Barb announced with a megaphone.
