Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Collection

by Angela K Ryan

  Zach had stuck pretty close to Josh for most of the night, but while they waited for the fireworks to begin, Connie and Zach shared a blanket, with Ginger sitting between them.

  “How are things going, Zach? Is work busy these days?”

  He flashed her an easy smile. “Things are busy, but nothing we can’t manage.” He gave Ginger a little attention, then said, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

  As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Zach seemed to regret saying them.

  “Anything in particular?” Connie ventured.

  Zach shifted uncomfortably on the blanket and changed the subject without answering Connie’s question, asking her how business had been since the grand opening. It was an awkward transition, but Connie went with it, filling him in on the ups and downs of the past few months.

  The spectacular light show above the Gulf of Mexico started right on time. There was something magical about fireworks on the Fourth of July that closed the gap between time and space. As an array of colors exploded in the sky, Connie recollected so many other Fourth of July celebrations she had attended over her thirty-four years of life. She was glad to be sharing this one with her new Sapphire Beach friends, who had become as close as family in some ways. She hoped and prayed that, one day soon, her family would visit and all her loved ones would be sitting together on the beach or around her dining room table.

  Chapter 12

  Around mid-morning on Friday, Connie and Grace had just taken down the “Fourth of July Sale” signs and gotten the store back in order from the activities of the previous day when Gertrude popped in for an unexpected visit.

  Gertrude dropped her purse onto the table and Connie went over to greet her. But before Connie could open her mouth, Gertrude gripped Connie’s forearm and blurted out, “You aren’t going to believe what happened.”

  “Hello, Gertrude. What a pleasant surprise,” Grace said, joining the two women. “Can I get you an iced tea?”

  Gertrude shook her head back and forth. “No, thank you. I just came by to tell you the news in person.”

  Connie led her to the sofa, and she and Grace took the two armchairs facing Gertrude.

  Grace tried to make small talk about the fireworks the night before, but Gertrude wanted no part of that. She was a woman on a mission.

  “It’s Jerry,” she said. “He died Tuesday morning.”

  “Jerry Morrison?” Grace asked with wide eyes.

  “From my jewelry-making class?” Connie echoed. As far as she knew he wasn’t sick, and she hadn’t heard anything on the news about a fatal accident lately. Of course, she had been quite absorbed in work the past few days. But still. Josh or Zach would have mentioned it last night. Wouldn’t they?

  “Yes, some of our neighbors were talking about it in the lobby of Palm Paradise. They informed me that his wake is tonight at the Anderson-Bradley Funeral Home. Elyse and I are planning to pay our respects. She sold Jerry and Liz their condo several years ago. You’re welcome to come with us if you’d like.”

  Connie placed her hand on top of her head and struggled to process the information. “I don’t understand. I just talked to him on Monday night.” She remembered how peculiarly he was acting and wondered if there was a connection between his abrupt behavior and a possible health condition. Sometimes people got short-tempered when they were ill. “He didn’t seem sick at all. Do you know how he died?”

  Gertrude shrugged her shoulders. “They didn’t say. I just caught the tail end of the conversation and got the information about his services.”

  “It could have been a massive heart attack, or an aneurism or something like that,” Grace said. “That’s usually how people die unexpectedly. Unless of course drugs were involved. That could explain his inconsistent behavior,” she added.

  “I guess it could be any of those things,” Connie said. Then, turning to Elyse and Gertrude, she added, “I’d like to come to the wake with you since Jerry was my student. I only met him a couple of times, but I’d like to offer my condolences to Liz and tell her about the necklace he was making for her.”

  “I’ll cover the store for you,” Grace said. “Please offer Liz my sympathies and explain why I couldn’t be there.”

  “Grace, the funeral home is just a few minutes away. Since they were your neighbors, why don’t you close the shop for a few minutes around dinner time and come by briefly to pay your respects? You can put the sign up that says, ‘Be back in five minutes.’ I doubt anyone will miss you.”

  “I think I’ll do that,” Grace said. “We did live in the same building, and Palm Paradise is like a tight little neighborhood.” Grace shook her head, as if the news was just sinking in. “Poor Liz. She must be devastated. I’ll make a casserole for her this weekend and bring it to her.”

  “It’s settled then,” Gertrude said to Connie. “Elyse and I will pick you up here at 4:00.”

  ***

  Elyse and Gertrude arrived right on time, and by 4:20, they were at the Anderson-Bradley Funeral Home, just outside Sapphire Beach. In addition to paying her respects, Connie was anxious to learn everything she could about Jerry. He had been her prime suspect in Allister’s murder, and just because he died unexpectedly didn’t mean he was innocent. It wasn’t, of course, that she wanted to tarnish his reputation. She just wanted to know if there was still a murderer in her class.

  Gertrude was all for doing a little sleuthing, and she and Connie agreed on a plan of attack. After they paid their respects, they would divide up the room and casually see what they could learn about Jerry from his friends, family, and acquaintances.

  Elyse went on the record as saying that their plan went against her better judgment, but there wasn’t much she could do, since she was outnumbered.

  The three women signed the guest book as soon as they arrived, then got in line to say a prayer at the coffin and offer their condolences to Jerry’s loved ones. They were holding it together surprisingly well for having unexpectedly lost a loved one. Connie almost felt guilty for thinking it, but maybe it was because they grew tired of his Jekyll-and-Hyde personality.

  As she waited for Elyse and Gertrude to finish making their way through the line, Connie scanned the room. She didn’t recognize anyone, except a few familiar faces from Palm Paradise.

  Not seeing Liz Morrison in the receiving line, Connie searched the room for her. She at least wanted to tell her about the necklace Jerry had been making for her as a surprise anniversary gift. Perhaps she is in the restroom, Connie thought. Or talking with guests in another room.

  Elyse and Gertrude rejoined Connie, and the three women stepped into an adjoining room, where several poster boards containing a photo collage of Jerry and his loved ones were displayed on easels.

  As they entered the room, Gertrude pointed out Jerry’s son, who was talking with another man. He was wearing a black polo shirt and khaki pants.

  “How rude,” Gertrude said, a little too loudly for Connie’s comfort.

  Elyse put her finger to her lips, and, catching her signal, Gertrude lowered her voice an octave. But the indignant expression was still plastered on her face. “You would think the man would at least wear a suit to his father’s wake.”

  Elyse shrugged. “To each his own, I guess.”

  Gertrude introduced Connie to some Palm Paradise residents while Elyse perused the photo display. Elyse’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked at Connie, then back at the photos. She eventually rejoined Gertrude and Connie, but the same puzzled look remained on her face.

  “Something seems strange,” Elyse said. “Jerry doesn’t look like himself in those photos. I mean, they kind of look like him, but not exactly.”

  “Believe me,” Gertrude said, “people change over the years. I’m living proof of that.”

  “Aren’t we all?” Connie asked.

  “I guess,” Elyse said.

  Just as the words left Elyse’s mouth, Jerry and Liz solemnly walked out from the funeral director’s off
ice and toward the viewing room.

  Gertrude’s jaw dropped to the ground, and her eyes flew wide open as she watched them speak to a woman in a black dress standing near the casket. “Whooooah,” Gertrude said, appearing unsteady on her feet.

  As Elyse and Connie each grabbed one of Gertrude’s elbows to support her, they exchanged a confused look.

  “Um, Aunt Gertrude,” Elyse said, slowly and deliberately, “are you sure your friends said that Jerry Morrison passed away?”

  “He’s clearly not dead,” Connie said, her eyes glued on Jerry and Liz.

  “Doesn’t Jerry have a brother?” Elyse whispered.

  Connie glanced around the room to make sure nobody could hear them. It was bad enough that their jaws were still hanging on the ground. She would be mortified if anyone realized the mistake they just made.

  Recovering from her initial shock, Gertrude slapped her palm against her forehead. “Yes, you’re right, dear. Jerry had a brother named Jesse. It’s all coming back to me now. I met him in the elevator a few times when he would visit Jerry. You know, they looked so darned much alike, I would always confuse the two when Jesse visited. It must be Jesse who died.”

  Elyse shook her head back and forth, unable to suppress a smirk. “That would explain why Jerry doesn’t look like himself in the photos. He isn’t himself.”

  “And why Liz wasn’t in the receiving line,” Connie said.

  “And why Jerry’s son is not wearing a suit.” Elyse added. “It’s not his father’s wake. It’s his uncle’s.”

  “I still say he should have worn a suit,” Gertrude said, trying against all hope to save face. But as the magnitude of her mistake apparently sunk in, she hung her head in shame. “I’m so sorry that I wasted your evening, ladies. I feel so foolish.”

  Connie put an arm around Gertrude’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “Don’t you worry, Gertrude. It could have happened to anyone.” Connie met Elyse’s disbelieving stare and shrugged her shoulders. She wasn’t sure what else to say to make Gertrude feel better.

  “On a more positive note,” Gertrude said, “I guess this means that your prime suspect is still alive. It will make your investigation easier.”

  Connie was about to respond when Jerry approached them.

  “Ladies, it’s so kind of you to come to my brother’s wake,” he said. “Did you know Jesse well?”

  Elyse thought quickly. “Actually, we didn’t. Connie and I accompanied my Aunt Gertrude.”

  Connie hoped Jerry wouldn’t realize that Gertrude had only met Jesse in passing. “We also wanted to offer you our deepest sympathies on the passing of your brother. It must be a difficult time for you,” Connie added.

  Tears threatened to spill from Jerry’s eyes, so Connie took a tissue from a box on a nearby end table and handed it to him.

  “That’s kind of you,” he said, clutching the tissue. “I’m glad you came. It gives me the chance to apologize to you for my abrupt behavior when you stopped by on Monday night. I was on my way to the hospital to visit my brother, and I knew it might be one of the last times I saw him.”

  “There’s no need to apologize,” Connie said, placing a hand on his elbow. “You had a lot going on.” She felt a twinge of guilt for assuming the worst about Jerry. No wonder his behavior had been erratic. His brother was dying. Connie couldn’t even imagine how she would behave if she were going through something similar with her sister.

  “Yes, that’s true, but it’s no excuse. I also wanted you to know that the reason I avoided your question when you asked me where I was after class last Thursday is because I was visiting my brother that night. Actually, I stopped at Gallagher’s for a quick beer, then spent the next couple of hours at the hospital.”

  He wiped his eyes with the tissue.

  “You see, Jesse was very sick for the past year, and he wanted privacy during his illness. So, to respect his wishes, I wasn’t able to tell anyone where I was. I didn’t even tell the police, since Jesse was friends with some members of the police department. He just didn’t want anyone seeing him so sick, and he knew people would insist on visiting if they knew his situation. He was a proud man, and I didn’t necessarily agree with his decision, but I had to respect my brother’s request. I know it must have looked bad. I’ll straighten things out with the police in a couple of days, after the funeral. There are a number of hospital workers, as well as my sister, who can vouch for my whereabouts last Thursday evening.”

  Chapter 13

  Jerry politely excused himself and returned to his family’s side.

  “I guess you can cross Jerry off your list of suspects,” Elyse said.

  “At least it wasn’t a total waste of an evening,” Gertrude said, still trying to find a bright side to the whole situation.

  “That reminds me. I’d better text Grace and tell her not to bother to come,” Connie said.

  She pulled her phone from her purse and shot Grace a brief text, but unfortunately it was too late. As soon as Connie hit “send,” Grace walked into the funeral home. She gave a slight wave upon spotting Connie, Elyse, and Gertrude, then continued resolutely toward the casket to pay her respects.

  Gertrude followed her and tried to lead her away from the viewing room, but Grace insisted that she didn’t have any time to spare. “I can’t leave the shop unattended for long. I only have time to say a quick prayer and offer my condolences, then I need to get right back to Just Jewelry.”

  Connie stood frozen as she watched the conversation between Gertrude and Grace from a short distance away. If Grace went into that room and saw Jerry, who knows how that would end? She had visions of Grace fainting or shrieking.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Gertrude finally won out. She grabbed her arm and managed to pull an annoyed Grace away from the viewing room and over to Connie and Elyse.

  Connie breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Before you go into that room, there’s something you need to know,” Gertrude said. “Jerry’s in there.”

  “Of course Jerry’s in there!” Grace said, trying to break free from Gertrude’s grip and head back toward the casket. “I was just going over to his coffin to say a prayer.”

  “No, no, no,” Gertrude said. “Jerry is alive. We had the wrong dead guy.”

  Connie looked around to make sure nobody could overhear them. Seeing a couple of turned heads, she motioned for Gertrude and Grace to lower their voices.

  “The wrong what?” Grace asked.

  Grace looked to Connie and Elyse for some type of clarification.

  “She’s right. We had the wrong dead guy,” Connie said, unable to think of another way to phrase it.

  Connie and Elyse proceeded to tell the entire story to Grace, including their conversation with Jerry where he revealed his alibi for the night of Allister’s murder.

  “Well,” Grace said quietly, trying not to draw any more attention to their little group, “you certainly had an interesting evening, didn’t you?”

  Connie noticed the sides of Grace’s mouth turning upward. She looked away from Grace so she wouldn’t start laughing. If she started to laugh, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop.

  “It’s all my fault,” Gertrude said. “I misunderstood the women talking at Palm Paradise. Jerry. Jesse. They both sound alike.”

  “It wasn’t a total waste,” Grace said, suppressing her smile and attempting to console Gertrude. “At least Connie can cross Jerry off her list of suspects.”

  “Absolutely,” Connie said. “In fact, you did me a favor. We learned a lot tonight. It was well worth the trip.”

  “Well,” Grace said, shrugging her shoulders and turning her palms upward, “I might as well say a quick prayer for Jesse, anyway, and offer my sympathies while I’m here. After all, a man still died. But thank you for sparing me the shock of coming face to face with Jerry.”

  Connie decided to ride back to Just Jewelry with Grace, so Gertrude and Elyse left while Grace went through the receiving l
ine.

  “You might as well take the rest of the evening off,” Connie said, as they were driving back. “Maybe you can still salvage what’s left of it.”

  “Don’t you worry about my evening,” Grace said, giving in to laughter as the evening’s events fully sank in. She slapped the top of her thigh. “That’s the funniest thing that’s happened to me in a long while. The comic relief alone is worth giving up a few hours off.”

  Grace’s laughter was contagious. By the time they arrived at the shop, Connie’s cheeks were sore. But she had to admit a good belly laugh was just what she needed to melt away some of the stress of the past seven days.

  Grace came into Just Jewelry to get a bag that she left in the store, and as she was about to leave, the door chimed. It was Elyse.

  “I was planning on staying at the wake a lot longer, so after I dropped Aunt Gertrude off, I thought I’d come by for a visit. Josh is home with the girls, so I might as well take advantage of a free evening.”

  “In that case, I’ll stay for a few more minutes,” Grace said.

  Connie poured them each some pineapple juice, which she had made fresh with her juicer that morning, and brought it to the sofa area, where the others were relaxing.

  “I can honestly say that tonight was a first for me,” Grace said. “In all my years, I have never been to a wake for the wrong person.”

  “Poor Gertrude,” Elyse said. “I don’t know if she’ll ever be able to look Jerry in the face again. Even though he has absolutely no idea what happened.”

  “All in all, it was a productive evening, though,” Connie said. “Until Jerry revealed his alibi, he was my top suspect.”

  “So, who else is left on your list?” Elyse asked.

  Connie leaned her elbow on the back of the sofa and rested the side of her head on her hand. “I still haven’t ruled out Abby or Paige. Abby stood to gain a lot from Allister’s death. She had a lifelong dream of becoming a writer and professor, and if he had turned her in for plagiarism, it would have created a major obstacle in achieving it. And Paige clearly hated Allister because he was dating her mother.”