As Paige was leaving, Connie encouraged her to return any time to pick up where she left off. She wanted her students to feel as though Just Jewelry was their home away from home. Even though Allister’s murder meant that things were off to a less than perfect start in that department, she was still determined to do everything in her power to provide a welcoming atmosphere.
After tidying up, Connie closed up and went straight home, where she spent the rest of the evening relaxing on her balcony, with Ginger at her feet, breathing in the salty air. A consistent, gentle breeze blew off the Gulf, making the heat and humidity bearable.
On Sunday morning, Connie attended the 7:00 Mass at Our Lady, Star of the Sea parish, then headed into the shop early. The sun was strong in the sky, and it was already hot. The weather app on her phone informed her that it was eighty degrees and climbing, with sixty-five percent humidity. She laughed when she read, “Feels like ninety-nine degrees.” That sounds about right.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel calendar that Grace hung behind the checkout area reminded Connie that it was the last day of June, which meant the Fourth of July was right around the corner, and she hadn’t sent that text yet inviting her friends to her shop.
She sent a group text to Elyse, Josh, Zach, Grace, and Stephanie, and, at the last minute, she added Gallagher and Penelope. She didn’t expect that they would be able to come, since the restaurant would likely be busy until late that night, but she wanted them to know they were invited. Of course, Josh or Zach could be called in to work at any time, but she hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
Connie thought about Zach’s behavior the last time she saw him. She would give him another week, and if he didn’t reach out, she decided she would ask him about it. Whatever was going on with him, Connie was determined not to let his behavior get her down. If he was no longer interested, that was his prerogative. His sudden coolness just seemed so uncharacteristic. She said a prayer that everything would work out for the best. Whatever the best was.
By the end of the day, she had heard back from everyone, except Zach. When Elyse called to see what she could bring, Connie mentioned that Zach hadn’t responded yet. Elyse assured her that she would have Josh check in with him, since they were meeting up for dinner with some friends.
Later that night, as Connie arrived home, Elyse called.
“You’re right. Something is definitely up with Zach. After dinner, Josh got him alone and tried to talk to him. Zach told Josh that there was something going on with him, but he couldn’t talk about it. He insisted that he just needed some space to sort through some things.”
Connie’s heart sank. Her first thought was that she hoped he wasn’t having any health issues. She thought back to when she saw him on Friday morning, and he looked healthy. Nevertheless, she said a quick prayer that he was okay.
“I thought Zach and I were friends,” Connie said. “What could be going on that he wouldn’t talk to me? He must no longer be interested.”
“I don’t think that’s the case,” Elyse said. “Just give him some time. He’ll talk to you when he’s ready. Besides, he did say he’s coming on Thursday night. He and Josh will both be there unless they get called into work. He’s going to text you to confirm.”
Sure enough, Connie received a text from Zach later that night. I’ll be there on Thursday. Looking forward to it.
***
On Monday morning, Connie texted Grace to inform her that she had to make a stop before work and would be arriving at the store a little late. Then she headed north on Route 75, and, after stopping for flowers, arrived onto the campus of Florida Sands University.
With the help of an online map, she easily found Alumni Hall, the white stucco building that housed the English Department. She parked in a nearby parking lot and headed toward the building.
Outside the front entrance, she spotted Abby sitting on a blanket under the shade of a majestic mahogany tree, absorbed in a book.
“Hi Abby,” Connie said, trying not to startle her.
But it was too late. Abby inhaled sharply and jerked her head toward Connie, putting her hand on her chest.
“Sorry,” Connie said. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
Abby smiled. “No worries. I guess I’m a little on edge these days. I thought it would be nice to get some fresh air, but it feels like an oven out here. Even under the shade.”
“Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?” Connie asked.
Abby scooted over on the blanket and Connie sat down, placing the flowers she had brought on the grass next to her.
“I thought I’d stop by and offer my condolences to the rest of the English Department,” Connie said. “I spoke with Paige on Saturday, but I still haven’t had a chance to talk with the others.”
“Everyone is walking around the department looking shellshocked,” Abby said. “I only work a few hours a week in the summer and wasn’t scheduled to work yesterday, but I volunteered my time to help out by answering the phones. I figured I could at least take one task off their hands.”
“I’m sure they appreciated your help,” Connie said.
A frisbee glided in their direction and landed on the grass a few yards away, so Connie jumped up and sent it flying back to one of the students playing in a grassy area, just beyond the building. The scene made Connie miss college life.
“How are your studies going? I understand you are in the top of your class.”
Abby looked as though Connie had punched her in the gut, not the reaction to her compliment that Connie expected.
“Yes,” Abby said. Her tone was more solemn than enthusiastic. “I am planning to get my doctorate and hopefully teach one day. It’s been my dream forever.”
Connie thought of her own windy journey that took her to where she was today. “It’s pretty unusual to know exactly what you want in life from such a young age.”
Abby pulled her knees to her chest and gazed into the distance toward the two students tossing a frisbee. “Books got me through some really tough times as a teenager,” she said. “I got diagnosed with leukemia when I was fifteen years old. In January, I celebrated five years in remission, and the doctors are optimistic. When things were at their worst, I decided then that if I recovered, I would spend my life writing and sharing with others my love for literature. That dream helped me pull through, and I’ve never wavered from it.”
“Wow, that’s a beautiful story,” Connie said. “And are you still on track to accomplish your goal?”
Abby gave Connie a confused look, so Connie decided on the direct approach.
“Abby, I have to ask you a tough question.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “Was Allister going to turn you in to the Dean of Students for plagiarism?”
Abby’s eyes shot wide open and she appeared to scan her mind, trying to understand where Connie got this information. “Did Paige tell you that?”
The last thing Connie wanted to do was get Paige in trouble.
“She mentioned it, but don’t be mad at her. She came by Just Jewelry on Saturday to work on her necklace, and I asked her about each person she knew in the jewelry-making class and what they might have against Allister. For the record, she doesn’t think you would have hurt him. We were just thinking aloud.”
Connie hoped that would smooth things over.
Abby looked down and tightened her shoulders. “She’s right. I was angry that Dr. McCue was going to report me. I thought he should at least give me a second chance, given that it was an honest mistake. But I never would have hurt him.”
Connie sincerely hoped Abby was telling the truth. “Do you have any idea who else might have benefited from Allister’s death?”
Abby stroked the spine of the paperback book that she was still holding. “I’ve been thinking about that since I found out he was murdered. It had to be someone from the jewelry-making class, since we were the last ones with access to the pliers.” She put the book down on the blanket and glanced around
before continuing. “Dr. McCue was respected here, but not necessarily well-liked. Both Dr. Spenser and Mary Ann had their problems with him, and neither wanted him to receive tenure.” Abby paused. “But I will say that the last person I remember seeing with the pliers was Mary Ann.”
Connie leaned back on her palms. “People don’t usually kill because they don’t like a person. There would have to be a stronger motive than that.”
“I know for a fact that Dr. Spenser recommended that Dr. McCue be denied tenure. I think she was jealous of the fact that he consistently got more articles published than she did. She may have even been afraid that he would go after her job at some point. As for Mary Ann, I don’t know why she hated him so much, but I know she did. It was obvious to everyone. When Mary Ann learned that Allister got tenure, she was visibly upset. I think she was hoping he would be denied and be forced to relocate. They rubbed each other the wrong way.”
“Why wouldn’t she just quit?” Connie asked.
“Probably because she likes working for Dr. Spenser. She’s good to her employees and gives Mary Ann a lot of freedom. She even lets her leave work to pick up her daughter from school every day. Mary Ann’s job was perfect except for Dr. McCue. Plus, he would openly make fun of her for reading what he called ‘trashy novels.’”
“Trashy novels?”
“Yeah, he was kind of a literary snob. He called anything he didn’t approve of ‘trashy’, including some good books. Even Isabel would roll her eyes when he would go off on one of his haughty tangents.”
Chapter 8
Connie was eager to get out of the heat and into the air conditioning, so she excused herself and climbed the cement stairs leading into Alumni Hall, the building that housed the English Department.
She followed the signs up to the third floor and found Mary Ann seated at the front desk talking with Isabel. Mary Ann stood to greet Connie, who handed her the flowers she had brought.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your morning. I know this is a difficult time for you, but I wanted to stop by and offer my condolences in person.”
“Thank you, Connie,” Isabel said. “That’s very kind of you.”
“I keep expecting Allister to walk through the door,” Mary Ann said. “It’s all so surreal.”
Isabel nodded solemnly. “I appreciate your coming by, Connie, but I must excuse myself. Summers are usually quiet around here, but with everything that has happened, I have a long list of tasks to accomplish today.”
“Of course,” Connie said.
Isabel disappeared into her office, leaving Connie alone with Mary Ann.
“The police have been in and out of here several times in the past few days. They told us that the murder weapon was a pair of pliers from the jewelry-making class,” Mary Ann said.
“Yes, that’s true. I confirmed it with the police on Friday morning. They disappeared from my shop some time during class.”
Mary Ann shook her head and let out a deep breath. “That means the killer was with us in class.”
“It appears that way. I sent the police surveillance footage from my security cameras on Friday morning. They only capture the exterior of the store, but maybe they’ll be able to find something.”
Connie studied Mary Ann as she moved busily about the office. She pulled a vase from the cabinet behind her desk, filled it with water from a nearby water cooler, and placed it on a coffee table in the reception area. When Connie finally had Mary Ann’s full attention, she asked, “Do you know who could have done this to Allister? Did he have any enemies within the department?”
Mary Ann looked skeptically at Connie. “I’m sure the police will conduct a thorough investigation. Why don’t we just leave it to them to ask the questions?”
“I’m sure they will,” Connie said. “But I kind of take it personally when somebody steals my pliers to kill one of my students. I think I have a right to ask a few questions.”
Mary Ann relented. “Fair enough. Allister certainly could be… shall we say, challenging, to work with. And academia is known for being competitive. But I can’t imagine anyone hating him enough to kill him. Of course, Allister and I had a wonderful working relationship,” she added. “I was thrilled when he got tenure.”
Either Abby had been trying to throw Connie off, or Mary Ann was lying through her teeth about her esteem for Allister.
A reflective expression came across Mary Ann’s face.
“What is it?” Connie asked.
“Oh, I was thinking about Jerry, from class. He was not a fan of Allister. One evening a couple of weeks ago, as I was leaving, Jerry was dropping off his wife for class. Allister had just pulled into the parking lot. Jerry got out of the car to open the door for his wife, and it was like there was smoke coming out his ears at the sight of Allister. When Allister and Liz walked to class together, Jerry started asking me questions about Allister and insinuating that he was a playboy after his wife.”
“Was there any truth to that?”
Mary Ann shrugged. “I doubt it. Allister was kind of a player. But I don’t think he was involved with Jerry’s wife.”
“But if Jerry believed he was…” Connie said.
“Exactly. I was shocked to see him at your class. I’m not sure if you picked up on it, but you could have cut the tension with a knife when Jerry walked in. And Paige being there only added to the tension. She used to get furious when Allister would hit on women in front of her, but you can’t blame her, considering his relationship with her mother.”
Connie nodded to show that she was aware of the situation.
While they were talking, Mary Ann’s desk phone rang. “I’d better get back to work. The phone has been ringing off the hook, and with everything that’s happened, we’re so behind.”
“Of course. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know.”
Mary Ann gave her a thumbs up as she answered the call.
On her way out, Connie peeked her head into Isabel’s office. “Isabel, I just wanted to say again how sorry I am for your loss. If there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to contact me. And if you want to get away from here for a little while, please feel free to come by the shop to work on your necklace.”
Isabel briefly looked up from her computer. “Oh, I doubt I’ll be able to work on the necklace anytime soon, but I do appreciate the thought. But, Connie, I was going to call you to see if I left my rain jacket in your shop. I can’t seem to find it, and I’m pretty sure I had it with me on Thursday evening.”
With everything that happened, Connie completely forgot about the jacket. “Yes, I did find a raincoat over one of the chairs on Friday morning. I’ll bring it by tomorrow morning before I head to the store.”
“Don’t bother. I have another. I’ll stop by to pick it up next time I’m in the neighborhood.”
“Okay, but it’s no trouble.” Connie handed Isabel a business card. “If you change your mind, just call the shop.”
On her way to work, Connie stopped by Palm Paradise to pick up Ginger. She hadn’t meant to leave Grace alone in the store for so long, but it turned out not to be a problem. It had been quiet so far, with just a couple of customers who were only interested in browsing.
Connie took advantage of the slow morning to work on her necklace, while Grace waited on the occasional customer who wandered through the door. Around lunchtime, Grace volunteered to pick up sandwiches so Connie could continue to work.
As they ate, Connie filled Grace in on her morning at Florida Sands.
“It sounds like just about everyone had a motive to kill Allister,” Grace said.
Connie leaned on the table and let out a deep sigh. “I was thinking the same thing. I’m no closer to receiving any answers than I was on Friday morning.”
After throwing away their empty sandwich wrappers, Connie wiped down the table. “Thanks for lunch, Grace. What are your plans for this afternoon?”
“I was thinking, Connie.”
“Uh
oh,” she teased.
Grace waved her hand dismissively at Connie. “I’m serious. You haven’t had much time off since you opened Just Jewelry. Why don’t you take the rest of today off and do something to get your mind off Allister and the store. I think you need a mental health day.”
Connie laughed. The offer was tempting, but she didn’t want to wear Grace out.
Connie thought for a moment. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll take the rest of the day off if you agree to take Wednesday off. I appreciate what you’re doing, but we both need to make sure we don’t burn ourselves out.”
“Okay then, it’s settled. Get out of here,” Grace said, leading Connie to the door.
When Connie and Ginger returned to Palm Paradise, they headed straight for the beach. Once the dog realized where they were going, she pulled Connie with all her might across the silky white sand towards the waves, gently crashing on the shore. As Ginger enthusiastically chased away the sandpipers and seagulls waddling along the hard sand, she also managed to chase away Connie’s anxieties over all that had been happening. The diversion was well worth the extra bath that Connie would surely have to give Ginger afterwards.
While Connie and Ginger splashed around by the water, her conversations about Jerry with Paige and Mary Ann kept swirling around in her mind. Jerry’s dislike of Allister had been clear during class, but how deep did his feelings run? Mary Ann’s story seemed to confirm that Jerry believed Allister was after his wife. But why did Jerry follow Allister and Paige out of Gallagher’s, and what happened between Allister and Jerry after Paige left? Ruby heard Jerry pound his fist on the hood of his car, so he was clearly angry. Was he angry enough to follow Allister to the pier and kill him?
Connie was anxious for answers. Before leaving the beach, she determined that she would pay Jerry a visit this evening. Since they both lived in Palm Paradise, it should be easy enough to think up an excuse to stop by and see what she could learn.
Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Collection Page 40
