by Cate Conte
I always admired creative ways to grow a business.
I turned into the parking lot, turning my windshield wipers up higher. The weather had started to deteriorate already, and the weather reports were getting more ominous by the minute. No snow was predicted, but rains and high winds seemed to be inevitable.
There were no cars in the front lot of the hotel. I turned the corner and drove to the back, where there were only a few spaces. A red Ford pickup, with a Cape & Islands plate. A white Kia Sportage with North Carolina plates. The third car was a gray Toyota Corolla with Massachusetts plates. I pulled up next to it, pulled my hood over my head, and got out to inspect it. The license number stood out because of the last three letters: SKY. And there was the bar code sticker on the front windshield. This was a rental.
I peered into the driver’s side window, trying to see through the raindrops. It was neat inside. A shopping bag sat on the passenger side floor. I could see loose change in the console, and a paper cup from the deli on Bicycle Street where we’d had our face-off yesterday. I checked the back. And there was the red parka in the back seat. Bingo.
No sign of any damage to the front of the car, though. No dents or dings or colors that didn’t match the color on the rest of it. No clear indication she’d recently run someone down with enough force to kill him. As I’d suspected. If she’d run down Holt with this car, she’d gotten some fast—and expert—bodywork done immediately thereafter. Which would be cause for conversation if she’d gotten it done on the island, so I was guessing that hadn’t happened. If she had run him down, had she used someone else’s car? Whose? Did she really have that much of a network on this island?
I ducked back into Grandma’s car, sluicing water off my coat, and thought. I could go inside, but that would probably be fruitless. They wouldn’t tell me anything about a guest. Maybe I should wait to see if she came out and where she was going. But if she’d just gotten back, she could be in there for a while.
I blew out a frustrated breath. I didn’t really know what I would gain by following her, though there was the possibility that she’d lead me to Leopard Man. I hadn’t seen him since he’d slipped out of our house the other night, and that was definitely odd. He was always around town. And always stopping by the cafe.
Clearly, I was floundering here. But since I had no other leads to follow, I’d sit here for a bit. I would call the number I got from Drake’s desk and see what that was about.
Might as well wait with the heat blasting. I’d just cranked it up and was about to move to a more discreet parking space when none other than Thea Coleman herself came rushing around the side of the building, talking animatedly on a cell phone. I froze for a second, then ducked way down, hoping she wouldn’t notice me, even though I was parked right next to her.
But she seemed like she was in a huge hurry. She got into the rental and screeched out of the parking lot. I sat up and watched her careen onto Main Street.
Without thinking twice, I took off out of the lot right behind her, fumbling in my console for my sunglasses. It was cloudy and overcast and had been raining on and off already, but I didn’t want her to look in the rearview mirror and make out my face.
She was driving kind of fast. I’d lost some momentum slamming on my brake for a car that had pulled out in front of me, hydroplaning a little in the growing puddles of water, and she’d covered a lot of ground in the meantime. I hit the gas and urged Grandma’s car to keep up. I wondered who she was talking to. I could see the phone still pressed against her ear as she drove. Why had she left the hotel in such a hurry?
But the car that had cut me off was driving so slowly it stopped me from getting through the light. Slamming my hand against the steering wheel, I jerked the car to a stop and watched Thea’s gray rental bypass Bicycle Street, the main drag, and careen around the corner onto Atlantic Avenue. The light seemed to take a year and a half to turn green again, but I’d barely inched forward when two cop cars hit the sirens and came around the corner, stopping me again. They were heading in the direction from which I’d just come.
Which could be coincidence—there were a million places they could be going—but so many coincidences in one week stopped being coincidences. Plus, my gut was screaming at me that these sirens were related to Thea somehow.
I faltered, my gaze straying to the rearview mirror to see where they were going. The driver of the car behind me, anxious to move, blared its horn at me. I resisted the urge to flip the driver off—old Boston driving habits die hard—and did a quick calculation in my head. Follow Thea, who was probably way out of my sight by now, or go be nosy and see what was going on with the police. I made a command decision, flipped the car around in an illegal U-turn, praying the cops were too busy to give me a ticket, and commenced my second attempt at a car chase. I hoped this one would be more successful. At least I had flashing lights and sirens to follow.
Chapter 28
I didn’t have far to go. The police cars had gone right around the corner and into the Surfside Resort parking lot. They were currently parked right out front, lights still flashing.
I knew it. My gut didn’t lie. And I knew it had something to do with Thea and why she’d just bolted like the devil himself had been chasing her. I wondered if I could get anything out of the cops. Depended on who was here, for sure, but maybe if Craig was part of this …
I felt kind of bad for thinking that. I didn’t want him to think I was taking advantage of him. Using our connection to try to get info when, truth be told, if he weren’t part of this whole thing because of his job I probably wouldn’t have much contact with him, given the whole awkwardness with him and Lucas. And the fact that I didn’t want to screw things up with Lucas.
I swerved into a parking space at the far corner of the lot. I decided to try my luck inside. Poke around a bit, see if I could find out for sure if she was staying here. I peered inside. Sergeant Ellory and another cop were at the front desk talking to the clerk. I waited until they’d disappeared toward the elevator bank, then strolled inside.
I went up to the front desk, smiling at the woman manning it as if I were merely an innocent bystander looking for a friend. Which was how I’d decided on the way in to play this.
She didn’t look all that friendly, but I figured it was worth a try. Her name tag said her name was Noelle.
“Hi,” I said.
“Checking in?” she asked, barely glancing at me.
“No. I’m meeting a friend who’s staying here. Thea Coleman?”
The woman tapped some keys on her computer, then looked up at me. “Sorry. No one by that name is booked here.”
I frowned. “Really? I’m certain she said this hotel. Would you mind checking again?”
“Well, unless she’s here under an assumed name, one of you must be mistaken.” She glanced up as the door opened again. I didn’t turn around—until I heard the familiar squawk of the police radio. I flinched as Ellory came around the corner.
He did a double take when he saw me. “Maddie,” he said with an amused smile. “Taking a staycation?”
I could feel my face turning red. Before I could defend myself, Noelle rescued me by completely dismissing me.
“Should we go talk in the office?” she asked him, walking over to the end of the counter and dropping her voice so I had to strain to hear her.
Ellory nodded. “Don’t you have to finish with that guest?” he asked, indicating me. If I hadn’t known he was being sarcastic, I’d never be able to tell.
Noelle hurried back over. “Is there something else?” she asked, clearly impatient. “I can’t find that name in my list. Am I spelling it right?” She spelled Coleman out slowly. I watched Ellory’s eyebrows rise, but he didn’t say anything.
“Yes, that’s it. I must’ve been mistaken. Sorry to bother you,” I said, avoiding his eyes. I could still feel his curious gaze on me.
She dismissed me without another word and turned to Ellory. “Right this way,” she said
, pointing down the hall from which he’d just come. “We’re going to the third floor.”
As I was left stranded at the counter, my mind raced. “Excuse me,” I called, before I could stop myself. “Sergeant Ellory. Are you looking for Thea? I saw her take off out of the parking lot like someone was chasing her a few minutes ago.”
They both turned and looked at me. Noelle shoved her hands on her hips. “I thought you were meeting her here?”
I ignored her, my gaze locked on Ellory’s face.
Ellory didn’t look amused. Probably because he knew Thea and I would never have made plans to meet up. “One minute please,” he said to Noelle, then took my arm and marched me over to the seating area in the lobby. “Sit,” he said through gritted teeth.
I crossed my arms. “I’d rather stand.”
“What do you think you’re doing, Maddie?” he asked.
“I was curious about where she was staying and what she was driving, if anything,” I said. “I thought I’d at least try to find out. So I came here since it’s the only hotel open right now. And I saw the car. Then she came running out like her hair was on fire and took off.”
“So you came in here to, what? Try to break into her room, like she was trying to break into Holt’s room?” He stopped himself and muttered a curse. “If I see that in the papers tomorrow, I’ll throw you in jail,” he warned when my eyebrows shot up.
“I don’t work for Becky,” I said. “And what do you mean, she was trying to break into Holt’s room?”
“Forget I said anything,” Ellory said, turning to walk away.
No way could I forget that. “So why was she trying to break into Holt’s room?” I persisted. “And now do you believe me that they knew each other?”
Ellory opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. “I never said I didn’t believe you in the first place,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to discuss my theories on the Holt case with you.”
Fair enough. I’d take it.
“I don’t think there’s anything else for you to see here,” he said. “After all, your friend left, right?”
“Sergeant. I know you think it’s none of my business, but this lady…”
“You’re right, Ms. James. It is none of your business.” The friendly first-name basis was gone. “Now if you’ll excuse me—”
The front door flew open and a woman came in. She wore one of those slouchy hats in a baby blue color. I caught a glimpse of curly blond hair pooling around her shoulders. She wore jeans, a long black puffy coat, and gray UGG boots. And she looked distraught.
“Excuse me,” I heard her say to Noelle. “I’m Lexie Holt. I’m here for my husband’s things?”
Chapter 29
Lexie Holt. I swallowed my excitement, trying not to let Ellory know I’d heard her name. He, of course, didn’t miss a trick and eyed me.
“What?” I asked, all innocent.
“Forget about it,” he warned.
“About what?”
He gave me a dirty look and walked away, over to Lexie Holt. She shook his hand. He spoke for a minute, then motioned for her to go with him. They went toward the elevators.
Noelle was eyeing me like she thought I was there to steal something. I debated my next move. If I waited for Lexie Holt to be done, Ellory would still be with her and wouldn’t let me talk to her anyway. I could wait outside, but who knew how long she’d be in there? I wish I knew how long she was here. Was she staying at this hotel? I hoped not in her dead almost ex-husband’s room. That would be an awful thought. Maybe she was just picking up his stuff and leaving, but good luck with that, given the weather.
I turned and left, tired of Noelle’s nasty looks, and went back to the car, pulling my cell phone out of my bag as I did. I dialed Grandpa’s cell number. I was beginning to wonder if he was angry with me. I hadn’t seen him this morning, and I hadn’t heard from him all day. This was unusual for us. If our paths didn’t cross at home, Grandpa always checked in, or I checked in with him. The only other time I can remember us being out of touch since I’d been home was during another crazy event on the island he’d been hyperfocused on. When he was focused like that he tended to pull a long-term vanishing act. And I had a sneaking suspicion he was pretty focused on this event, given our overnight houseguest last night.
But to my surprise, he answered, sounding cheerful enough.
“Oh. Hi. It’s, uh, me.” I knew I sounded stupid and awkward. “Are you home?”
“I’m not, Doll. What’s up?”
“Are you going to be?” I pressed.
He stifled a sigh. “Not for a little bit. Why? Everything okay?”
I chewed my lip, debating how to broach the subject, then decided to just blurt it out. “There’s something weird going on, Grandpa. With this woman who came to the cafe and the dead writer. And I’m worried about how Leopard—Carl is involved. He’s my friend, too. I want to help him as much as you do.”
Silence.
“Grandpa?”
“I’m here, Maddie. We can talk later. I promise. But now isn’t the best time.”
“The best time? I’m sure it wasn’t the best time for Jason Holt to end up dead, either, but he didn’t really have a choice!”
Grandpa had gone silent again.
“Grandpa. The crazy woman’s name is Thea Coleman. She was trying to get into the writer’s hotel room just now. And when the cops showed up, she took off like a bat out of hell.”
“And how would you know that?”
It was my turn to be silent.
“Maddie. If you’re getting involved—”
“Grandpa. Don’t worry. I was driving down the street minding my own business, and I happened to see all this commotion.” The lie slipped easily off my tongue. I felt a little bad about it, but it wasn’t hurting anyone, right? “Anyway. I’m just trying to figure out if this crazy lady is really crazy. You know? I kind of have a stake in the game, given that she’s got her sights set on me. And JJ. And you,” I added. “She knows where we all live. Who knows what she’s capable of?”
Grandpa muttered something under his breath. “Doll. I promise you that she won’t come near you or JJ. Please trust me on that. I have the situation handled. Now I have to go. We’ll talk at home. I promise.” He blew me a kiss through the phone lines, one of our universal signals that all was right between us, and hung up.
I frowned at my phone before returning it to my pocket. He had the situation handled? What on earth did that mean? And if he did have it handled, did that mean he knew who Thea Coleman was already? I debated calling him back, but he probably wouldn’t answer. He’d said his piece for now. I slowly pocketed my phone, wondering exactly how involved Grandpa was in this mess in which he was encouraging me to not get involved.
* * *
When I got home, Val was sitting on my bed with JJ. I was surprised to see her. I thought she’d gone back to work.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
She frowned. “I live here.”
“I know, but not in my bedroom.” I went over and scratched JJ behind the ears. He squeaked at me. “Plus, I thought you had to meet the caterer?”
“We did meet the caterer. It only took an hour.”
I realized that since I’d last seen Val a couple hours ago, I’d engaged in two semi-high-speed chases and some detective work, all of which had taken less time than one would think.
“I guess I lost track of time. You won’t believe what happened.” I filled her in on the events at the hotel, finishing with Lexie Holt’s arrival.
Val didn’t look that impressed. “Huh,” was all she said.
Something was bugging her, but I couldn’t put my finger on what. “Yeah. It was exciting. Anyway. How was the caterer? Ava-Rose got her meal sorted yet?”
Val waved an impatient hand. “The caterer was fine. They’re all fine. I came back here and was about to take a nap. Then I got another call from Ava-Rose.”
Uh-oh. I was s
tarting to get an inkling of why she was annoyed with me. I frowned, hoping she wouldn’t catch the guilty look on my face. “What now?”
“She had a visit from the police.”
Yep, bingo. That didn’t take long. “Really?” I tried to look interested but innocent. I don’t think Val was falling for it.
“Did you tell them?” she asked point-blank.
“Tell them what?” I feigned innocence.
She gave me a look.
“I told them about Thea,” I said. “And about maybe there being an eyewitness at the yacht club who could talk about Drake.”
“So you told them.” Val flopped back on my bed, covering her face with her hands. “Why, Maddie? Why would you do that?”
“Because it needed to be done,” I said. “Did she tell them what she saw so they can at least follow up on it and talk to Drake?”
“She did tell them what she saw. But then they told her Drake supposedly had an alibi for that night. So it looks like they talked to him first anyway.”
“Really?” I lowered myself to the bed. “I wonder if that’s why he got very angry when I asked him if he knew Holt.”
Val’s eyes widened. “He did?”
I nodded.
“So you did talk to him.”
“You both basically blackmailed me into it!” I exclaimed.
“Blackmailed you? You’re nuts.” Val shook her head.
“I’m nuts? She’s the one who thinks there’s a black market for toy ships.” I sighed.
“They aren’t toys. Please, don’t dis the ships. I’ll never hear the end of it.” Disgusted, she swung her legs off the side of the bed. “Anyway, now she’s irate. With me, with Drake, with the cops, with everyone. And she wants me to go down to the yacht club tomorrow night and help her do some detective work.” She used air quotes on the last two words.
