by Polly Holmes
How can he show when he was dead on the floor of my kissing booth?
Alex’s heart sank. Zoey couldn’t be the murderer if she was at the boathouse when the murder occurred. “How does the mystery man from John’s Cape fit in to all of this?”
“He saw us talking at the fair. Somehow, he got my number and rang me this morning. He said he was a friend of Marcus’ and Marcus had given him my stuff. We arranged to meet so he could hand it over, but when he turned up it was the same man that was on my doorstep threatening Marcus. He told me that if I didn’t stop I would end up just like Marcus, except no-one would recognise me after he was done. I freaked out and raced back to the motel, packed my bag and I was on my way home when I stopped to grab some food for the drive home. Everyone in town was talking about how amazing the food is here.”
Alex chewed the inside of her lip. Something wasn’t adding up. If Marcus was a thief why didn’t he steal any of her jewellery? And why did he carry on about the list of items he wanted in their separation? He could have just stolen more.
She paused, her memory backtracking. Marcus’ words replayed in her head. Alexandra, I know I lied to you, but I had good reason to. I was protecting you. I know you don’t see a life with me anymore, I get it, but I feel I should get some compensation for what I put into the relationship. That’s a list of the items I would like as part of our mutual separation. The stereo, recliner chair, CD collection, microwave. Fear snaked up her spine. That’s what they’d been looking for at her parent’s house. Which means the murderer is still in Ashton Point.
Alex bolted from her seat. “Thank you for setting the record straight and I wish you safe travels back to Balmain. I’m really sorry for what Marcus did to you but I really need to get back to work.” Alex knew there was an edge of rudeness to her words but time was ticking away and she couldn’t waste another second.
Alex stood by the office while she dialled, her gaze fixed on Mish as she worked the counter. Come on. Pick up, pick up. What is it with her parents and not answering their phones? Alex dialled Clair.
“Hi, Clair. It’s Alex and you wouldn’t believe who just left The Springs Café.” Alex’s lips motored along as she retold the entire conversation, barely sucking in breaths between sentences. “I tried to call Mum and Dad but as usual, both have ignored their phones. I’ll call and let Kayne know, but once Dalton is here, I’m going to head over to Mum and Dad’s to check out the items that Marcus wanted. If I’m right, I should find Zoey’s jewellery secretly hidden in one of them. Do you know what this means?”
A buzz of excitement embedded itself in her words. Before Clair could utter a sound, Alex continued, unable to stop the adrenaline from rushing to her head. “It means whoever is after the jewellery is our murderer.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t call the police?”
“Mum already said the police were going to check it out, but they have no idea what to look for. I do, but I’m not about to tell them over the phone.” Mish’s flapping hands caught her attention. “Listen, I’m going to have to go, Mish needs my help to serve. Chat soon.”
Three sweet, cheery voices shouted her name at the top of their lungs. “Alex, Alex, Alex, Alex.” Towels hung around their shoulders, pink zinc smeared across their noses and straw hats tucked under their arms. They ran up to the counter bubbling with childish energy.
“Girls, stop yelling,” Joe said, swatting each on their bottoms. “Alex, great to see you so busy. The usual, please.”
“I know, gotta love the Christmas season. I bet you’ve been run off your feet with so many tourists looking for real Christmas trees. So good of you to stay open this past weekend, even with the Christmas Fair on Sunday,” Alex said smiling, giving each girl a strawberry cupcake.
“Stay open?” Joe said opening his wallet to pay. “Samantha’s Mum had a fall Friday evening and we had to make an emergency trip to Coffs. We left late Friday night and only got back Monday morning. Everyone was so busy with the fair I couldn’t get anyone to cover for me so I had to close the tree farm over the weekend. Can’t say I’m happy about it.”
Close the tree farm? That means Dalton lied. Why?
Chapter Twelve
THERE’S A SIMPLE explanation. There has to be. Why would Dalton lie? She’d asked herself the same question for the past three hours and was still no closer to working out the answer. Why not just ask him? Hey, Dalton, why did you lie to me about buying a tree from Joe’s Tree farm on Sunday morning? How did you really hurt your hand? Like that’s going to work.
The creak of the storeroom door caught her attention and she turned just in time to see Dalton’s face poke through the opening. “Dalton, I wasn’t expecting you,” Alex said, her pulse racing. “It was getting so late I thought you’d decided not to come in at all.”
He shook his head. “What sort of boss would I be if I didn’t check in on my employees?” he said opening the door blocking it fully with his tall robust frame. “I was just about caught up on my paperwork when I realised I’d left some invoices in the office. Is everything okay?”
Panic scuttled up her spine and her chest tightened. Dalton’s commanding presence barricaded the doorway. He took a step toward her and heat bled into her cheeks as the temperature in the small room soared. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” she asked, disguising her nervous voice in a flippant manner. She picked up the box of serviettes at her feet and push past him toward the counter.
The late afternoon ocean breeze whisked around the café dancing like a ballerina in the wind. “Where’s Mish gone?” Alex said whirling around to face an approaching Dalton.
“I sent her home. Now that I’m here we don’t need three people. But good job on getting her in to cover for me. What was the customer traffic like today?”
Making good use of the pause in customers, Alex busied herself refilling the serviette holders. “Manic. We were run off our feet. Good thing Mish was free to come in.” She chanced a glance at the wall clock, five-thirty. One long, exhausting hour ‘til close. She thought of Kayne and their dinner date and butterflies flapped nervously in her stomach.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Dalton said edging his way closer.
Startled, Alex sucked in a deep breath and her nostrils stung with the sharpness of his Brut 33 aftershave. Absolutely not. Her stomach revolted at the overpowering odour. “Oh, I was just thinking about a customer we had today.”
Dalton persisted. “Do tell.”
Alex turned toward Dalton eager to see his reaction. “Her name was Zoey Lewis and it seems she was an old acquaintance of Marcus.” She paused for dramatic effect but if her words affected Dalton, he didn’t show it. “Apparently, she and Marcus dated and he stole some of her jewellery. She came to get it back.”
“And did she?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. They spoke but Marcus was killed before he could return it.”
“Poor woman. Looks like you aren’t the only one Marcus took for a ride.” He turned on his heel and headed for the office. “I’ve got a few phone calls to make, call me if you need me.”
Then he was gone.
Alex turned the light off in the display cabinet and continued to clean the countertops. Dalton had locked himself away in the office for the past hour, leaving her to close up. Her anxiety cracked up a notch with each second that ticked by.
This is ridiculous. Why am I so nervous? Just ask him about the tree. There has to be a simple explanation.
Dalton finally emerged from the office, his temperament somewhat changed for the worse. “Are you all done here?”
Annoyed by his sharp tone, she said, “Just about, but there’s no need for you to stay. I got this.”
“Nonsense.”
Alex peered around the bench to see Dalton leaning against the counter, his eyes drilling her like she was back at the police station and stuck in the interrogation room. She still had no idea why he’d lied. It’s now or never, she thought. “You know who else cam
e into the café today with his family?”
“Who?”
“Joe from Joe’s Tree Farm.” Alex held her breath and waited. He didn’t move a muscle, except his jaw visibly tightened. Oh gosh, she knew it wasn’t smart to try and get answers, especially while she was the only person here, but she couldn’t help herself. The words came out like a running stream unable to stop them.
“Did you know that Samantha’s mother had a fall Friday evening and he was forced to close up shop for the weekend and make the unexpected trip to Coffs to help her?”
Dalton pushed away from the counter and took a few steps closer. Every muscle in Alex’s body tightened. “No, I didn’t know that,” he said continuing to move closer to her.
The sudden drop in his pitch sent warning bells shooting through her body. “I thought it was strange since you said you bought a tree from him Sunday morning and that’s how you cut your hand. Remember?”
Dalton stretched his injured hand then fisted it. “You must be mistaken. You have been under a lot of stress these past few weeks. An honest error.”
Mistaken? Stress? Alex stopped filling the serviette canister. “No, I’m not. I distinctly remember you saying you didn’t make it to the Christmas Fair on Sunday morning because you bought a tree from Joe’s Tree Farm and jammed your hand in the trunk when you were trying to get the tree out. Why lie?”
The tone in his voice edged between threatening and sinister. “Do you always remember everything I say?”
The air chilled between them and Alex knew she was stepping into uncharted territory, but she was determined to find out the truth. She slowly crept around the outside of the serving counter. “Why lie about the tree, Dalton?”
A muffled laugh eased from his lips. “I had to tell you something. Otherwise I’d have you bugging me all day about a silly mishap that was my own fault. It seemed the easiest option. Besides, who wants to hang around all day in the hot summer sun, dodging kids on skateboards running amuck in our town hall? Although Emmerson’s stack on the catwalk was a highlight.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “How did you know that unless you were there? Neither incident was in the article Daniel wrote. Another lie?” Her stomach churned when his eyes darkened. Her instincts screamed at her to stop, but the adrenaline soaring through her body had other ideas. “What else have you lied about, Dalton?”
He sighed. “The truth is, and I know you may not believe this, but ever since I saw you at the antique fair four months ago, I knew you were the woman for me. I wanted you, only Marcus saw you first. I wanted to get you away from him. That’s why I offered you my rental house. We both know he never treated you right. You should be worshipped like a queen.”
Ewww, disgusting. Alex shivered at his words and bile rose in the back of her throat. She prayed she didn’t throw up all over the café floor. Fear clutched at her chest as he stepped toward her. “Stay back,” she yelled and he froze. She secretly glanced at the clock, six-forty. Kayne would be here in twenty minutes. Could she survive his advances that long?
“Come now,” he said, holding his arms open. “You and I both know we make the perfect couple. Marcus didn’t deserve you. He had no right to storm in here and arrogantly demand you turn your belongings over to him. And I told him so Saturday night. After all, we know Santa doesn’t come to those on the naughty list and Marcus was at the top.”
Her fear quadrupled and she hadn’t realised she was holding her breath until her lungs started to burn. Saturday night? How did you know what items Marcus demanded in his note? I never told you. Unless he told you on the phone. Top of the naughty list? They were the exact same words Zoey used. Come to think of it, Dalton was the exact same height as the man Zoey met this morning. It all made sense now.
Alex remembered the letters on her phone found in Marcus’ hand. DA must stand for DALTON. …it’s you. Marcus had tried to warn her and paid the ultimate price. “You didn’t leave here Saturday night like you said, did you? You made the phone call. You killed Marcus.”
Chapter Thirteen
NERVOUS ENERGY BOUNDED Kayne through the door of CC’s Simply Cupcakes. He was ready to pick up dessert for his beach date with Alex. He’d spent more time getting ready for this date than ever before.
Gotta be a good sign, right?
He was a stickler for time, it was six-twenty and he didn’t want to be late. The butterflies doing dances in his stomach had plagued him all day, but he refused to let them squash his enthusiasm. It was time to move on with his life, hopefully with Alex. Living in New South Wales had its bonuses. Along with daylight savings, Christmas holidays meant shops stayed open later and CC’s Simply Cupcakes was no different.
He scanned the glass display cabinet, salivating at the delicious treats on display. He wanted to get it right. What to choose? Maybe one of the girls knows Alex’s favourite. Kayne stepped toward the kitchen when Clair’s words froze him to the spot, his chest seizing with fear.
“That’s what I said. Alex and I were pretty lucky not to get caught. It was like he was straight out of an Al Capone movie. He wore a long coat and his face was hidden by his hat and scarf. Real dodgy looking sort. Anyway, Alex said the mystery woman’s name is Zoey Lewis and she said the man at John’s Cape threatened her.”
John’s Cape? I was at John’s Cape today. Who is Zoey Lewis? Barging in, he caught the ladies off guard. “Sorry for the intrusion, but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. Who were you talking about?”
Clair jumped. “Kayne, you startled me. I was just filling Charlotte in on mine and Alex’s covert operation this morning.”
“Covert operation? What are you talking about?”
Clair took the next few minutes to bring him up to speed on their morning adventure. “Then she turns up at The Springs Café. She blurted out the entire story to Alex. How her name is Zoey Lewis and apparently, she and Marcus were in love. Marcus was a thief who had stolen her jewellery. That’s why she came to Ashton Point, to confront him at the fair to try and get it back.” Clair paused and her brow furrowed. “Alex said she was going to call you. Have you not heard from her?”
“No, she hasn’t called. Have either of you heard from her?” he asked, an iron fist squeezed his chest, and he could barely breathe.
They both shook their heads. “Not since she called me earlier this afternoon about Zoey,” Clair said rattled, her full attention now squarely on Kayne.
“You said something about a man in a hat and glasses?”
“Turns out the shady-looking man we saw her with this morning at John’s Cape threatened her and told her if she didn’t stop looking for her jewellery, she’d end up just like Marcus. We have no idea who it was and with the amount of tourists in town it could be anyone.”
But it wasn’t anyone…it was Dalton Miller. I should know, I booked him speeding away from John’s Cape earlier today.
Clair continued. “I think Alex figured Marcus must have hidden Zoey’s jewellery in her stuff, otherwise why would someone break into her parent’s garage just to go through her belongings? She didn’t call you?” Clair asked once more.
“No. This man you saw wore a hat, scarf and long coat?” Kayne asked, his fear rising by the second.
Clair nodded.
“Did the scarf happen to be red and was the hat black?”
Clair nodded again rising from her chair. “Yes, how did you know?”
His heart lurched at the look of panic on their faces. “Because I pulled Dalton Miller over for speeding and he was wearing a long coat and had a black hat and red scarf on the passenger seat.”
“Oh my goodness.” Charlotte blurted, fear seeping into her words. “That means Dalton threatened Zoey and possibly killed Marcus. If Dalton had anything to do with Marcus’ murder, Alex is in danger, grave danger.”
“Not if I can help it. Alex and I are supposed to have a date this evening and I should be picking her up from The Springs Café at seven, but it looks like I may need back up. Especi
ally if Dalton Miller is our murderer. Stay here, ladies.” He whipped out his phone and dialled Robert’s cell phone as he turned and high-tailed it toward his car, his mind racing with thoughts of Alex caught in Dalton’s ghastly ruse. He could have sworn he heard Clair’s voice ring out with the steely words “Like that’s gonna happen.”
****
“Now, why on earth would you think I killed Marcus?” Dalton asked in a fake innocent tone. “He wasn’t exactly my favourite person, but I’d hardly waste my time killing him.”
The gravity of her situation hit home like a lead weight, her heart pounding in her chest. “You can’t know what was in Marcus’ note unless you read it or he told you. I certainly didn’t tell you.”
He resumed his calculated movements toward her. “Let’s stop all this nonsense and talk about what this is really about. You and me.”
“There is no you and me, you crazed lunatic,” she yelled, blood pumping through her body. “It all adds up. The lies. The message on my phone in Marcus’s hand. It was you who met Zoey this morning and you killed Marcus. What I don’t know is why.”
Dalton stopped dead in his tracks and it was as if a lightbulb turned off inside his head and his demeanour instantly darkened. His eyes glazed with malice. “Okay, you win. I guess you got me. I knew as soon as I mentioned the items Marcus wanted I’d screwed up. But the world should thank me for getting rid of the man. He was a complete and utter waste of space.”
Alex felt her heart turn to ice, his words of confession a knife to her chest. “Why? Why would you take another man’s life? And don’t tell me it’s because you and I should be together.”
A sinister laugh bellowed from his belly. “Hardly, you’re sweet and gullible and just the right person to play into my hands. You’re here because that’s exactly where I want you to be. I knew if I kept you close, Marcus wouldn’t be far behind. What better way to keep control of my number one thief than right under my nose? The best part is he had no idea I was calling the shots. At least he didn’t until Saturday night. You didn’t actually think I was attracted to you, did you?”
