A familiar blonde mills around near a sign to the left that reads formal dresses and I jab Macy in the side.
“That’s her, that’s Michaela.”
Juni slaps her hands together. “Bizzy found her mark. Let’s head on over and survey the landscape. I bet there’s a buffet of biceps to choose from, and they’re ripe for the picking.”
We head that way in a herd, and Michaela spots us right off the bat.
“Bizzy!” Her face brightens at the sight of us. “McKenna said I should be expecting you.”
A tall man with a dark tan complexion and a fitted suit strides by and Macy latches onto him like a koala bear.
“Hey, big boy,” my sister hums. “Have you been expecting me?”
I make a face as I step on over to Michaela and give her a friendly embrace.
“Sorry. My sister survives on a steady diet of champagne and men.” I hike my glass of the bubbly brew her way.
Michaela belts out a laugh. “Lucky for her, we’ve got copious amounts of both.”
Juni smacks me on the arm. “Box of hot cross buns at ten o’clock. I’m taking Silver Fox and Bedroom Eyes. You can have Bad Boy and the one with the unnatural lump in his pants.”
“What?” I squawk as I turn my head that way.
“Relax, Bizzy,” Juni hisses. “It’s in his pocket. It’s probably a pickle.”
She takes off and I offer a wavering smile to the blonde before me.
“You look so much like your sister.” I shake my head. “I’m sure you’ve heard that all your life.”
Michaela averts her eyes a moment. “Actually, we weren’t raised together for long.” Sometimes I wonder if we were ever raised together at all. We’re that different. McKenna doesn’t realize it, though. “You probably know our parents died in an accident.”
“That’s right,” I say it lower than a whisper. “In a car accident during McKenna’s freshman year of high school.” McKenna and I were good friends in both junior high and that first year of high school, but as soon her parents died, she moved.
She nods. “I was just heading into junior high. My aunt took us in. McKenna got into Gloucester Boarding School after that with a full scholarship and finished out her scholastic career there. I was stuck at home with my colorful aunt.” She squints over at Juni. “She was a lot like your friend. A little too much of a good time.”
We share a warm laugh. “Sounds like you had a colorful upbringing because of it.”
“Oh, I did. My aunt had a hard time, though. She wasn’t expecting to be saddled with two kids. She couldn’t even take care of herself most days. It was no surprise McKenna ran for the scholastic hills. But we made out okay.” Her expression grows sober as she eyes the men behind me.
“And then I reunited with McKenna at Dexter University,” I say. “And do I have some wild stories to share with you someday. Maybe when we’re old and gray and they won’t embarrass your sister too much.” We share another laugh at the thought. “How about you? Are you a Dexter girl? Or did you cross the great divide and head over to our rival, Ward? And before you answer, I won’t hold it against you if you went to the wrong school. My fiancé happens to be a Ward alumnus.” I bite down on a naughty smile. “And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I held it against him every chance I got.” And I’m planning on wearing a Dexter cheer uniform to entertain him with at some point in the very near future. No reason that our rivalry can’t live on in the bedroom.
Michaela giggles along with me. “Actually, I didn’t go to college. I got a job here during my senior year of high school and never looked back. Minty’s has sort of become my home.” She sweeps the floor with her gaze. “So, hey? You’re getting married. And McKenna says you need a dress. You’re going traditional, I take it?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I’m having a beachfront wedding. We’re getting married on a bluff, then having a reception on the sand.”
“Just like McKenna.” Her mouth rounds out with a smile. “McKenna is wearing our mother’s dress. If you ask me, it’s a bit stiff for the occasion. How about I show you what I think would have worked better for her and we take it from there?”
Michaela introduces me to dozens upon dozens of dresses that span from white to nude, and I fall in love with at least half of them. But there’s one in particular that makes my heart go pitter-patter. A white dress that gathers at the bodice, cinches at the waist with a thin gold braided belt, and flows freely to the floor like a dream catches my eye. It has braided gold shoulder straps that cross in the back, and the entire ethereal feel has me holding my breath.
“Bizzy!” Michaela gasps as she steps back to observe me properly. “You are a goddess in that dress! It was made for you. I’ve never seen a dress fit so perfectly. This doesn’t need to be altered an inch.”
“I don’t know.” I chew on the inside of my cheek as I inspect myself from every angle. “At first, I thought it might look a bit costume-ish on me, but once I slipped into it, I just—I fell in love. But the sticker shock. I could buy a Ferrari with this kind of money if I had it.”
“Ha! I wish I could say you were the first to say that. But you can’t wear a Ferrari when you’re walking down the aisle.”
“Jasper might like me in the Ferrari. Especially if I was too broke to wear anything else with it.”
She chuckles at the thought. “The price tag isn’t an issue. It’s more of a formality. The people who shop here prefer to pay those prices. Believe me, if we didn’t charge that much, they’d find someplace else to spend their money. I can slash that price down as low as you want to go. Everything is negotiable.”
“No way. I’m afraid they’d fire you if you found out how much I could afford.”
She shakes her head. “Oh, Bizzy. You are too sweet. How about this, Minty’s gives away at least a handful of dresses a season to what they like to call women of worth. I definitely think you’re a woman of worth. From what I hear, you not only run the Country Cottage Inn, you help out with just about every civic-minded activity in Cider Cove.”
“That may be true, but it doesn’t warrant this dress. I’m afraid I’ll have to turn the offer down.”
A hard gasp comes from the left and we turn to see Georgie staggering over, holding her chest as if she were just mortally wounded, her eyes feasted on the heavenly dress.
“That’s the one, Bizzy,” she pants. “You can’t tell me it’s not. It fits like a dream, and it screams I just stepped off Mount Olympus.”
I can’t help but laugh as I glance back to my reflection.
“It’s nothing I would have thought about, but after putting it on, I’ll admit, it’s a little hard to take off. But—alas all good things must come to an end.” I nod to Georgie. “Tell Juni and Macy we’re wrapping it up. I should be done in five minutes.”
“We can’t leave yet,” Georgie whines with a touch of frustration. “Bad Boy and Lumpy Pants are taking another lap around this place. Bad Boy said he’d have a surprise for me when he got back. And now I’ve got to go and tell them my mother is about to yank me out of the sandbox.” She rolls her eyes as she takes off.
“She’s a fun one, too,” I say to Michaela. “And thank you for the offer on the dress. I want you to know that I really do appreciate it.” That scene I witnessed yesterday between her and Julian comes back to me. “That was a horrible tragedy last night.”
She shudders as I say it.
“Michaela? Can I ask if you knew Julian? I mean, McKenna knew him. I thought maybe you might have known him, too.”
Her eyes dart away a moment.
“Yeah, I knew him. I saw more than my fair share of his shows.”
“It must have been hard seeing him struggle like that. I’m sorry you had to witness it.”
“Yes, well,” her lips curve in a bittersweet smile, “he always did say he wanted to leave this world surrounded by friends. I guess he got what he wanted.” And I’m glad I was there to see it.
Got what he wanted? Glad she was there to s
ee it?
I give several blinks in her direction.
She waves it off. “It sounds harsh, I know. But Julian was a bit of a character. He wasn’t into finessing people’s feelings. Once he set his mind to something, there was no changing it.” Her expression grows dark, but there doesn’t seem to be a single thought I can grasp.
“Can I ask how the two of you met?”
Her lips twist in a knot. “I used to hang out at the Magic Castle in Edison. That’s the name of the comedy shop he worked out of.” And on that note, I think I’m ready for a drink myself. I don’t want to think about Julian, let alone talk about how we met.
“Sorry. I can tell this is painful for you. I won’t pry. But can I ask about the brunette he pulled onto the stage with him? She didn’t look too thrilled to be a volunteer.”
“Bernie? She’s an old pro. She was his assistant for years at the Magic Castle. They were together for a while. Things ended abruptly. I’m not sure why. She was really in love with the guy. I mean, honestly, when I saw you gushing about your fiancé earlier, that’s who it reminded me of. Bernie and Julian looked as if they had it all. Anyway, for whatever reason, they called it quits, and then Bernie left her position as his assistant. She’s the head waitress there now. So she still had to see him night after night. But I guess she won’t have to worry about him anymore.” And neither will I.
Another customer comes by and she takes off to assist them while I change back into my clothes.
I scoop Macy, Juni, and Georgie up, and all the way home they talk about the phone numbers they got, at least two apiece.
Talk about getting lucky.
Julian wasn’t so lucky, though.
But listening in on Michaela’s thoughts made it sound as if the fact he bit the big one—well, it was her lucky day.
Something tells me Bernie will feel the same way.
“Rest up, girls,” I say as we get out of the car. “Keep tomorrow night free on your calendar. Next up is a trip to the Magic Castle out in Edison.”
Chapter 6
The coastline of Maine is glorious just about every time of year, but there is a magical transformation that occurs in our neck of the woods as soon as autumn takes the throne. Every tree in the state crowns this season with color. Rich ambers, luscious golds, deep maroons, and orange as bright as a sunrise grace the branches of trees all around, save, of course, for the evergreens which, in keeping true to their moniker, hold fast to their verdant hue.
It’s late afternoon, and the sun is steadily sinking when I decide to take Sherlock and Fish out on the walkway around the inn that skirts the sand.
A few of the guests stroll the shoreline with their shoes in hand and peacoats pulled tightly over their chests. Now that fall has firmly closed the door on warm, summer days, it’s time to sip cider by the fire, put on warm, fuzzy socks, and spend some time curled up with a good book. Which is exactly what I intend to do once I get back to my cottage—and hopefully, I’ll get to do it with Jasper at my side.
Sherlock gives a little bark. Where’d you go today, Bizzy? You missed all the excitement. Jordy let me help him roll pumpkins all over the inn.
A tiny laugh brews in me at the thought, but before I can answer, Fish jumps in front of him and yowls.
She was questioning a suspect. Fish gives him a playful swipe of the paw. Lord knows it’s entirely up to her to solve this case before her wedding arrives. What does Jasper do all day anyhow? I’ve only ever seen him eat.
Hey? What’s wrong with eating? Sherlock chases Fish right into the sand, and I pluck off my shoes and head after them as he barks up a riot. Are you saying my Jasper can’t solve a case?
Fish stops abruptly right in front of him, her paws spread out as if she were about to pounce on her prey.
I didn’t have to say it, she hisses. You said it for me.
Sherlock pounces first, and soon he and Fish are wrestling it out as sand goes flying every which way.
“Hey—you two,” I shout. “Be nice.” I scoop Fish up and head for the shoreline. “I did see someone today. I’m not sure I’d classify her as a suspect.”
“Is that so?” a male voice says from behind, and I turn to see the handsome face of my future husband. “Hello, beautiful.” He frowns just enough to let me know he doesn’t approve of the fact I was speaking to anyone even remotely attached to the case. “Did I hear you say you saw someone today? Who exactly is it that you wouldn’t classify as a suspect?”
Sherlock greets Jasper with a yippy bark. He’s onto you, Bizzy. See that? He’s a good detective. And I bet he’s going to eat soon, too.
Fish mewls. Maybe that’s why he’s got such a sour face. He’s hungry. But nobody is crankier than Bizzy when she needs a snack.
My mouth falls open, and yet I feel so seen.
Sherlock nips at her tail with a growl. He’s just trying to keep you safe, Bizzy. That’s his job. He told me so himself.
A smile coils on my lips as I meet up with Jasper Wilder’s lightning gray eyes.
“For your information, Detective, I went shopping for a wedding dress.” I land Fish back in the sand and take up Jasper’s hand as he lands a lingering kiss to my lips. And if I’m not mistaken, that kiss comes with promises of naughtier things to come.
He pulls back with a smile. “Find anything you like?”
“Maybe, but I’d have to rob the inn for the next year and a half to pay for it. How did things go at the station? Any leads on the missing girl? Any leads on who could have killed Julian?”
Jasper gives a wistful shake of the head.
“Nope to both.” He lands a kiss over the back of my hand. “But I don’t want you to worry about any of that. Let’s focus on something better. This is the anniversary of when we met.” He nods to the navy Atlantic churning out one whitewashed wave after another. “Right out there.”
Sherlock barks. That’s right! Fish lured me to sea. I could have died. Fish could have died. Jasper and Bizzy could have died. Georgie once told me that death equals no bacon. I don’t like death.
I laugh as I translate it to Jasper. But Fish isn’t so amused. She chases him across the cove and back so fast we can’t keep pace with our eyes, let alone with our feet, so we let them have at one another.
“All right.” Jasper glides his arm around my waist as we walk toward the shoreline. “So you went to Minty’s, I take it? That’s where Michaela works, right?”
“You know where she works?” I bite down on my lip as I look up at him. “I take it she’s on the official suspect list.”
“She argued with Julian last night. Two of the people I questioned last night brought it up when I asked if they saw him having a disagreement with anyone.”
“Just for the record, Detective, I saw that, too.”
“You did?” His brow hikes. “What exactly did you see?”
“They were having an exchange. It looked like it was getting pretty heated. She shoved him in the chest and took off. And when she tried to storm out of the ballroom, McKenna caught her and introduced us. And—Detective”—I give him a playful poke in the chest—“that’s when I was invited to head over to Minty’s. Michaela was there this afternoon.” My gaze falls to the sand. “She mentioned that after her parents died, she and McKenna went to live with their aunt. From the sound of it, the aunt was having a tough time. McKenna went off to school and Michaela was stuck at home. Once she graduated from high school, she started up at Minty’s and never left.”
“Sounds like she found something she enjoys doing. That’s worth its weight in gold. Did she mention anything about Julian?”
“She mentioned that he always said he wanted to leave this world surrounded by friends. And that he got what he wanted.”
“That’s dark,” he says as we pause by the waterline. “Anything else?” he asks as he wraps his arms around me.
“There was something.” A couple walking down from the bluffs at the other end of the cove garner my attention briefly. �
��I told her I felt bad for her to have witnessed the horrific scene last night, and she agreed, but I heard her say internally that she was glad to be there to see it.”
Jasper inches back. “What do you think made her feel that way? Relationship gone awry?”
“She didn’t imply it. She did mention that Bernie, the girl with the short dark hair who was his assistant last night? She said that Bernie and Julian were together and broke up abruptly. I guess it’s possible that Michaela could have been seeing him, too. She was displaying some strong feelings, that’s for sure.”
The couple up ahead comes into focus, along with a man trailing them by a few feet. And then in a burst, a tiny gray kitten barrels this way followed by a gorgeous black and white husky with determined blue eyes—Misty and Lucky.
“Hey, we know that couple. It’s McKenna and Caleb,” I say as I pull Jasper in their direction.
The husky barks as Sherlock jumps in his path.
It’s Lucky! Sherlock roars with what sounds like something between a bark and a laugh.
And Misty, Fish says as she pounces on the sweet kitten and they begin to roll around in the sand.
McKenna laughs at the sight. “I guess they get along.” She moves in quickly and pulls me into an embrace. “Fancy meeting you two here. But I bet you do this every night.”
Caleb shakes Jasper’s hand. “We just might have to move to the coast.” He motions to the man that’s with them. “You remember Archie.”
Jasper and I say a quick hello to him. Archie has on a ball cap that reads Magic Castle and his dark hair curls up around the sides. His smile is a shock of white against his olive skin and it glows like a Cheshire cat’s smile.
Jasper nods to the bluffs. “Checking out the gazebo?”
McKenna nods. “We were doing exactly that.” She takes my hand. “Bizzy, I love the fall leaves you’ve woven through it. And the pumpkins surrounding it are sheer perfection. They’ll go perfectly with my fall theme.”
“My handyman, Jordy, must have done that. But I’m glad you like it, so I won’t ask him to remove it.”
Just Buried Page 5
