Dune House Cozy Mystery Boxed Set 2

by Cindy Bell

  “Maybe we could take a walk along the beach, while there's still a little light left,” Mary suggested. “I mean if you have a little time now,” she rushed to say.

  “For you, Mary, I have all the time in the world,” Detective Brown replied and offered her his hand. Suzie was in such shock that she couldn't bring herself to speak.

  “You don't mind, do you, Suzie?” Mary asked as she glanced over at her friend.

  “Of course not,” Suzie replied, her mouth slightly dry. She wasn't sure what to make of this romantic connection, but there was one thing that she was certain of. After all that Mary had been through she deserved to have someone treat her well. If Mary wanted to see if that could be Detective Brown, she wasn't going to stand in her way.

  Mary led Detective Brown through the side door and down the steps that led directly to the beach.

  “I'm glad that you agreed to walk with me,” he said softly as they started off along the sand.

  “I'm glad you asked,” Mary replied with a faint smile.

  “I know that Suzie doesn't have a very high opinion of me,” Detective Brown admitted. “So, I wasn't sure how you would feel about me asking.”

  “Suzie has her ways,” Mary explained. “She's used to being strong and determined. She's not used to being around other people who are strong and determined.”

  Detective Brown chuckled a little. “Is that what you think I am? Strong and determined?”

  “I think you take your job very seriously,” Mary replied. “I think you're looking for justice any way you can find it, and that you might hide your passion, but that doesn't mean that you don't feel it.”

  “You seem to know me pretty well,” Detective Brown said with admiration. “Am I that easy to read?”

  “No,” Mary laughed a little. “You just left me curious the last time we met. I like it when I'm curious about someone.”

  “Are you still curious?” he asked as he paused beside the water.

  “I am,” Mary replied with warmth in her voice.

  “I'd rather talk about you, Mary,” Detective Brown said. “Tell me how you ended up in Garber.”

  “Suzie,” Mary said fondly. “She inherited Dune House, and I needed a new life. She gave that to me.”

  “Why did you need a new life?” he asked as he studied her intently.

  “Oh, you know,” Mary smiled shyly. “Kids were grown, failed marriage, not much to do with my time,” she lowered her voice as she added, “I'm terrible at knitting.”

  Detective Brown laughed at that. “Something tells me there's much more to the story,” he said as his laughter died down.

  “In the end it's just a story, isn't it?” Mary asked with a slight shrug. “How we feel about it, changes it.”

  “I guess I could agree with that,” he nodded. “I haven't exactly had the best relationships myself.”

  “You?” Mary asked playfully. “A handsome detective like you, is single?”

  “Very,” he sighed. “I can't imagine why,” he added with a spark in his tone. “I'm a real catch.”

  Mary giggled and touched his arm lightly. “I can see that.”

  Detective Brown smiled at the touch. “Seriously, sometimes my profession prevents me from being able to meet people, or have meaningful conversations.”

  “You mean about things other than crime?” Mary asked with a slight smile.

  “About life,” Detective Brown replied. “Life beyond the badge.”

  “I guess that would be hard,” Mary said softly. “I've never really thought about how much being a detective or a police officer must bleed into every area of your life.”

  “It does,” he nodded. “Sometimes it even blurs things.”

  “What do you mean?” Mary asked.

  “Well, when you start out at the police academy, you know right from wrong. You're sure of it,” he explained. “But as you get more involved in the lives of criminals, as you see what the streets are really like on a daily basis, that black and white imagery gets blurred. Like Antony,” he said with a slight shrug. “I knew from the beginning that he was a criminal. Sure, he was pretty much forced into it, but he was still a criminal. As I got to know him, I came to realize that he was also a smart, loyal, and hopeful young man. I guess you could say we almost became friends.”

  “I'm sorry,” Mary said softly. “It must have been hard to lose him.”

  “It was,” Detective Brown admitted. “No one will ever remember him the way I knew him. That's why, his death is something I take very personally.”

  Mary narrowed her eyes slightly as Detective Brown's tone began to change. She waited for him to continue.

  “I need to know, Mary, what do you really know about Dominic Palov?”

  Mary shook her head and laughed shortly. “I can't believe this.”

  “Believe what?” Detective Brown asked.

  “I thought you asked me out here because you wanted to get to know me, because you liked me,” Mary said with embarrassment. “But really you just wanted to get me away from Suzie so you could question me.”

  “I do want to get to know you but it’s very important that you tell me what you know and Suzie seems to call the shots when you're together,” Detective Brown pointed out. “I just wanted you to feel comfortable enough to speak freely.”

  “Huh,” Mary shook her head and crossed her arms. “You really didn't have to go to all of this trouble. I would have told you if you had just asked me. Dominic confided in us that it was his business partner, Baylor that was holding Daria hostage. He warned us not to go to the police because he was afraid that Baylor would kill Daria if he found out.”

  “So, you formed an alliance with Dominic?” Detective Brown asked with some disgust.

  “What is this an old war movie or something?” Mary countered. “No, we didn't form any alliance. We just wanted to protect Daria.”

  “You should have told someone,” Detective Brown said with a slight shake of his head.

  “I have now, haven't I?” Mary asked shortly. She turned on her heel and began walking back towards Dune House. “Thanks for the walk,” she called back over her shoulder.

  “Mary,” Detective Brown said. He jogged through the sand a few feet to catch up with her. He grabbed her hand with his own. “Wait,” he said, slightly out of breath.

  “Why?” Mary asked sharply and tugged her hand out of his. “Do you have more questions for me?”

  “No,” he paused a moment and met her eyes. “I just want you to know, I did ask you out here for a walk because I like you.”

  Mary stared at him for a long moment, her eyes smoldering with emotion. Then she shook her head slightly.

  “Good for you,” she said sharply, then she turned and stalked up the steps and into Dune House.

  Suzie looked up when Mary slammed the side door closed.

  “Are you okay?” she asked Mary with concern.

  “Suzie, I swear, you got the last decent man on the face of the earth,” Mary fumed.

  “So, I assume the walk did not go well,” Suzie said slowly as she watched Mary storm into the kitchen.

  “Not well at all. He just wanted information from me,” she shook her head.

  “Did you give it to him?” Suzie asked.

  “Sure, why not? Dominic's in jail, Daria's already been killed, I told him about Dominic telling us that Baylor was holding her,” Mary sighed.

  “Mary,” Suzie growled. “That wasn't a good idea!”

  “What? Why?” Mary asked, clearly still annoyed.

  “Because what if we can't trust him?” Suzie asked with exasperation.

  “What do you mean?” Mary frowned.

  “What if he tells Baylor we know that he was involved?” Suzie pressed. “Then Baylor is going to come looking for us.”

  “I don't think Wes would do that,” Mary said thoughtfully. Then she recalled what Detective Brown had said about things being blurry. “I hope he won't,” Mary added.

  �
�You're probably right,” Suzie sighed. “I'm just being paranoid. I'm sorry that he irritated you.”

  “Me, too,” Mary agreed. “I guess I need to lay off the romance novels.”

  “Don't do that,” Suzie insisted. “I wasn't looking for Paul, remember? Things just happened. In fact, I fought him every step of the way.”

  “Good point,” Mary sighed. “Paul should be home soon, shouldn't he?”

  “He usually comes in after dark,” Suzie replied with a small smile of anticipation. She couldn't wait to tell him everything that had transpired.

  Suddenly a strange noise could be heard from outside the kitchen.

  “What is that sound?” Mary asked in a whisper as she moved closer to Suzie. It sounded like metal being jostled.

  “I'm not sure,” Suzie admitted as she crept out of the kitchen and towards the side door beside the dining room. With the sun slowly beginning to set, it was not quite dark enough for the floodlights along the porch to turn on. The way the fading light reflected on the windows made it impossible to see much through the tall windows beside the door that led out to the porch and then to the beach.

  “Do you think someone is out there?” Mary asked nervously. “I thought I saw a shadow.”

  “I don't see anyone,” Suzie said grimly. “But that does sound like someone trying to break through the lock.”

  “Oh no! Do you really think so?” Mary asked fearfully. “We should call the police,” she said quickly. “I'll call Jason,” Mary said and pulled out her phone. She dialed his number. “Suzie, he's not picking up, it's going straight to voicemail,” she said with growing panic in her voice.

  “I know,” Suzie sighed as she recalled Jason's words. “He said he was going to turn his phone off for a few hours. He isn't going to know we’re calling.”

  “So, let's call the police station,” Mary suggested. Before Suzie could nod in agreement the door that led out to the porch swung abruptly open.

  A hooded man stepped into Dune House. He had his head lowered and his body was hunched over slightly.

  Chapter 16

  Suzie and Mary stared at the hooded man in shock and they were both unable to speak for a second. Then Suzie found her voice.

  “Who are you?” Suzie asked breathlessly. “We have a gun!”

  “You don't have any gun,” the man replied with annoyance. He drew back his hood to reveal himself.

  “Dominic,” Mary gasped. “What are you doing here?”

  “Did you escape?” Suzie asked nervously. Maybe Jason had been right about him after all. She still couldn't be sure.

  “No, I didn't escape,” he replied as his dark gaze swept over both of them. “I posted bail.”

  “And you came here?” Mary asked fearfully. “We didn't tell the police anything.”

  His lips pursed into a stern line as he studied them both. Slowly he shut the door behind him. The click of the door closing rattled Suzie to the core. She was beginning to think that she should have listened to Jason's warning. Dominic's dark eyes were locked on hers with such intensity that she could barely draw a breath.

  “I know,” he said calmly. “Unfortunately, that nosy detective from Parish is obsessed with me,” he rubbed his wrists slowly, one at a time. “I could have done without the bracelets.”

  “The question is, did you earn them?” Mary asked boldly. She was still remaining very close to Suzie.

  Dominic quirked an eyebrow as he looked at Mary. “Would you like to explain that question to me?”

  “Daria is dead. There's no sign of this business partner you accused,” Suzie frowned as she studied him. “We’re just wondering, did you think we were easy marks? Is that why you plied us with a sob story?”

  Dominic looked between the two of them, obviously not pleased. His hands settled at his sides casually, but his expression was becoming more virulent by the moment.

  “What exactly are you accusing me of?” he asked and took a step closer to Suzie.

  “Your business is important to you,” Suzie replied as calmly as she could. “If Antony was trying to get Daria to leave the business and possibly go to the police, that would put a lot of your clients at risk. Wouldn't it?” she pressed.

  “Yes,” Dominic replied and continued to hold her gaze. “What's your point?”

  “Her point is that when it comes to money, some people will go to great lengths to ensure that it continues to flow,” Mary said. She took a step slightly in front of Suzie, as if she was preparing to protect her.

  Dominic's eyes flashed with a swift anger. His jaw rippled as he clenched his teeth. His hands tightened into fists at his sides. Suzie braced herself for what she expected to become a physical attack.

  “You're asking me if I killed my own daughter?” he asked with disgust in his voice. “Who could ever do such a horrible thing?”

  “Daria is dead,” Suzie said flatly, not giving him a chance to cover his emotions. “We know that Antony was trying to get out of the illegal business deals that you involved him in. Maybe Daria knew too much? Maybe she just betrayed you?”

  “Unbelievable,” Dominic hissed and jabbed his finger close to Suzie's nose. “I would never harm a hair on my daughter's head. She was everything to me,” his voice caught in his throat. “I came here because I thought you both understood that.”

  “Dominic, you didn't kill her, but you know where your partner is, don't you? Where is Baylor?” Mary asked in a tender voice.

  Dominic lowered his hand. His eyes filled with tears as he looked towards the floor.

  “I never expected her to be hurt. But, he knew me too well, and he knew that the only way to truly punish me was through hurting her. I thought maybe I would be able to save her.”

  “Where is he?” Suzie pressed. “You know him as well as he knows you, where would he go?”

  “Baylor has connections everywhere,” he muttered with hatred in his voice. “I don't care how far he's gone, no matter where he's gone, I will find him. I can't wait to find him. I want to hunt him down and kill him for taking my daughter from me.” Suzie could see the rage in his expression as he scowled at her. “I never imagined that you would accuse me of taking her life. Daria was my princess, she still is, she always will be. I thought that you might have information about Baylor. I thought maybe your connection to the police might have netted you some insight into the investigation, beyond me as a suspect.”

  “No, not at all. They're not looking for anyone else,” Mary said sadly. “There's so much evidence against you, I doubt they would even consider another suspect.”

  “Exactly how Baylor would have planned it,” Dominic growled. Suzie was watching his every move, his every gesture. She was trying to decide whether or not she believed him. On one hand Jason was right, there was plenty of evidence against Dominic. On the other hand he truly did seem like a heartbroken father. They had also seen the articles about his public disputes with Baylor, so she knew that there was proof that they were at loggerheads.

  “What I don't understand,” Suzie said grimly, “is if you two were partners, why would he go so far as to kill Daria? He didn't have to. He could have detained her. With Antony out of the picture, he didn't need to kill her. Why would he? What did she do?”

  “It wasn't what she did,” Dominic frowned. “Not really. I tried warning her about Antony when she wanted to marry him. I told her that he was not like us. I grew up in a family that concealed and laundered money for the mob. She was raised the same way. Antony wasn't raised like this. His family followed the law strictly. I knew that eventually this business would wear on him. But she insisted that he would be loyal. Baylor was not happy about it. He tried to convince me to get rid of Antony before they could get married. But Daria was so happy,” he sighed. “I just couldn't do that to her. I wanted her to have a chance at real love. I had that with her mother, and I haven't had it again since. It's a rare and beautiful thing.”

  Mary smiled faintly as she nodded. “That it is,” sh
e said quietly. Suzie shot her a look. It didn't seem right for Mary to be sharing romantic ideals with a criminal.

  “So, you let them marry,” Suzie said quietly. “But things went sideways with Antony as you expected.”

  “When Baylor found out what Antony was threatening to do, he called me. He said I needed to take care of it, or he would. I knew what he meant, that I needed to kill Antony, or he was going to kill them both,” he grimaced and shook his head. “I was going to,” he whispered.

  “That's why you slipped into their room?” Suzie asked in a murmur. “You weren't going to help them escape. You were going to kill Antony.”

  “I thought I had to,” Dominic admitted. “I thought it was what I had to do to protect my business, my partner, my daughter. But I couldn't do it. He'd become like a son to me. He treated my daughter like royalty. She was so excited to start a family with him. They were going to start trying to conceive,” he shook his head and ruffled a hand through his hair. “I thought, if I could just get them started in a new country, they could have the lives they deserved. Our business could continue on, and everyone would be fine.”

  “But that's not what your partner had in mind,” Suzie said softly.

  “If I had known that Antony was really going to go to the police, I would have been more cautious. He convinced me that he was loyal to me, our family, he just wanted out of the business.”

  “But he wasn't loyal,” Suzie supplied. “He betrayed you.”

  “He was going to go to the police,” Dominic explained. “He thought he was being so smart about things. Baylor was already suspicious about him. He thought the visit to Garber was a cover up for meeting with a detective and maybe even the FBI, away from prying eyes. So he followed them here. Then he called me and told me that he had proof. He was furious, whatever had happened made him snap”

  “Maybe he overheard Antony and Daria arguing about going to the police,” Suzie sighed.