by Emmie Lyn
Tilly stared at me like I had a crown of bird feathers attached to my head instead of French braids.
“You can’t be serious, Sunny. Of course, Ron is keeping the details secret. He has to protect Little Blue until she’s safe at the breeding site. Anyway, how would that have anything to do with Andy’s murder?”
I reached for the front door but didn’t open it. “Those two things might not be connected. It might be as simple as Ron benefitting with Andy out of his life in order to win Jess back. Did you see how he looked at her? Have you even considered that possibility?”
Now that I had Tilly’s undivided attention–no mean feat–I continued now that I was on a roll. “Ron was here, Tilly. He said he was out walking in his fields after he told Andy to leave, but there are no witnesses. What’s to say he didn’t kill Andy during some argument?”
Tilly’s mouth dropped wide open. “I never thought of that,” she whispered. “Is he pulling off a big con on us?”
The doorbell rang again. Someone was impatient. I had to open the door, ending our discussion. “Peter,” I said. He stood awkwardly, in a leather jacket over a white button-down shirt open at his neck. His hair looked like he’d moussed into intentional messiness. “It’s nice to see you again. Did you come alone?”
Melanie popped up behind him, laughing. “Nope, I’m here, too.” She pushed her dark curls away from her ear as she rubbed her earlobe. “One of my earrings is missing. I’m not sure when I lost it, so I looked everywhere I’ve been recently. No worries. It’ll turn up.”
“What’s up with the flamingoes?” Peter asked as he stepped inside. “Did Ron lose his mind or something?”
“Those are mine,” Tilly said. “I wanted to share my exotic bird collection with all of you experts. Cute, huh?” She looked at Peter as if daring him to say they were the ugliest things he’d ever seen.
Peter stared at us, apparently at a complete loss for words. Or, at least any complimentary words. “Sure. Scott and Lana just drove in, so we’ll find our way to the living room,” he said, obviously wanting to get away from us. With his hand on the small of Melanie’s back, they stepped past us.
“I brought Andy’s favorite dessert, pumpkin cheesecake.” Melanie said as she passed us.
Peter stopped short. “You did? Why? You didn’t even like him,” he said with a touch of disgust.
“Oh, I don’t know.” She looked at me, confused. “Isn’t it proper to show up with something? I’m new in this group, so I thought it would be a nice gesture in his honor.”
“Very thoughtful,” I said. “Ron will be pleased. He’ll let you know where to put it.”
“See?” Melanie said to Peter and stuck her nose in the air.
Uh-oh. This budding friendship had a few cracks showing through.
Had Andy, in some way, been about to come between these two? I wondered.
17
Scott Coyle, a local biology teacher, walked toward the front door dressed in khakis and a plaid flannel shirt. He looked ready for an outside adventure as he adjusted his dark rimmed glasses and offered his arm to Lana Adams. They navigated the uneven path. Lana’s high heels and tight ruby red dress making the walk slow and tricky. She clung to Scott’s arm. I wondered if she’d shed her demur librarian daytime persona for a party-girl nighttime identity. I didn’t think a hike across the field would be part of her planned evening activities.
Jasper, taking advantage of the open door, charged out to greet the newcomers.
Lana shrieked and jumped into Scott’s arms as Jasper barked a deafening hello. “What is that monster?”
Tilly whispered in my ear, “She probably wet her pants from that fright.”
In my most commanding voice, I tried to get control of the situation. “Jasper! Come here!”
With her tail waving, she ignored me like I suspected she would. Always curious, she sniffed Lana’s swinging feet.
When Lana shrieked again, I guessed what Jasper’s crime was.
“It licked me!”
It took me two long strides to get hold of Jasper’s collar. I pulled her with every ounce of my might to get her away from the panicked woman who obviously was not a fan of big slobbery dogs. Luckily, Jasper followed me instead of continuing with her friendly let’s get to know each other activity.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, trying to put myself in Lana’s shoes. Figuratively, not literally because high heels were not my idea of comfort. Even though I knew that Jasper was a giant softy who liked everyone, I couldn’t expect others to be as enamored of her as I was. But, I still found it amusing.
“It’s just a dog,” Scott said as he set Lana down and kept his arm around her shoulders. “But I don’t mind being your savior again. The last time I came to your rescue, the situation was actually serious and about to spiral out of control. Luckily, my quick action forced Andy out of the library before he attacked you.” Scott enjoyed patting himself on the back for a job he deemed well done. And, it also looked like he enjoyed keeping Lana close.
“Oh, I know,” Lana said. “I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about him anymore.” Her hand flew to cover her mouth at the bitterness she’d just spewed. She stared at me with wide eyes. “I mean, it’s sad about what happened to Andy, but…”
Before saying something she might really regret, Lana left her thought unfinished. It wasn’t a leap for me to understand that Lana Adams was glad that Andy was dead.
“Why are you two here?” Scott asked as he stepped in the house with Lana still clinging to his arm. “Isn’t this a gathering for the bird group? And,” he looked behind him, “what’s with Ron’s plastic lawn ornaments? It’s so not his taste.”
Tilly, who’d been standing silently through all the drama with Lana and Jasper, got the opening she needed. “That’s my contribution to the evening. I thought everyone could use something light-hearted after the tragic start to the day. Sunny and I are here for the same reason everyone else is, of course. To pay respects to a man cut down much too soon.” She sniffled and wiped what I assumed was an imaginary tear.
“Interesting,” Scott said. “I was under the impression that Andy mostly kept to himself when he wasn’t out with Peter or one of us while photographing birds. You knew him?”
Tilly and I had never even met Andy Schultz. Sure, I’d heard a few details about how Ron let him stay in the barn. I also knew his talents as a photographer, and how he was nice to Izzy, but that about summed it up. So, I was curious how Tilly would answer Scott’s question.
“Andy had an amazing talent for capturing the little details of birds in his photography,” she said with real feeling in her voice. “Don’t you agree?”
Well, that was a non-answer if I’d ever heard one.
“Oh, yes,” Lana said, agreeing whole-heartedly with Tilly. “Andy was super talented. It’s just too bad he had all that rage inside. I mean, he could have just done his job, got paid, and returned to wherever he came from. But no, he had to stab Peter in the back with his snarky comments about the new book. And, that was after Peter hired him and tried to help him. I guess for some people, it’s just never enough.”
“Oh?” I said hoping to encourage more of that story.
“Yeah, Andy thought that any success Peter’s book received was only because of his stunning photography. He demanded a bigger cut and those two had some nasty arguments over that issue, right, Scott?”
“I wouldn’t say nasty, just a disagreement. It was business, Lana.” Scott wasn’t going to allow Lana to have the last word. “Andy accepted Peter’s original offer then, after the fact, decided it wasn’t good enough.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree about how nasty it was, I guess.” She leaned close to me. “If Ron’s old girlfriend didn’t kill Andy, I’d put money on Peter.”
Interesting.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Lana continued. “I brought some bubbly.” She held up a bottle of champagne. “I hope that’s not in poor taste. I mean, I’m not imply
ing we should drink to his death, more a toast to his life.”
“How thoughtful,” Tilly said, giving me a raised eyebrow suggesting that Lana wasn’t such a quiet librarian after all. “Ron’s in the living room. I’m sure you know the way.”
Scott headed away from us, practically dragging Lana along. He leaned his head close to hers. “Why’d you say that about Peter?” I just barely heard him ask her. “Don’t be spreading rumors about him. We all have to stick together, remember? That’s what Peter told us. What happens in the bird group, stays in the bird group. I don’t like these outsiders barging in on our meeting tonight. I heard a rumor that Ron’s old girlfriend might come. I hope that’s not true. It would be incredibly awkward.”
And then they walked through the door into the living room and disappeared from sight.
I called Jasper inside and closed the door. “Tilly, did you hear what Scott just said?” My heart pounded from shock. “Peter is trying to control the information that comes out of the group.”
“Which means they have something to hide.” She rubbed her hands together. “I knew it, Sunny. Now, we have to figure out what the real story is behind Andy Schultz. The details that got him killed. Was he just a homeless guy, down on his luck like we heard? Or was there something more sinister going on?”
“I think a glass or two of bubbly might help Lana reveal some more secrets that Peter or one of the others would prefer never come to the light of day,” I said.
Now, to get her away from Scott long enough for her to talk without him interrupting.
18
“There you are, Sunshine.” Hitch waylaid Tilly and me as we headed into the living room and hurriedly pulled us off to the side for a private conversation. “You were gone for so long, I thought you two deserted me here with these bird people.”
I laughed, as if Hitch would ever mind being the center of attention. People flocked to his good nature the way this crowd did to a rare bird.
“Nope, just playing meet and greet the guests and it’s been illuminating, right Tilly?”
“Extremely. Hitch, you have no idea. There’s so much tension lurking just under the surface between all these bird aficionados. They might love birds, but I’m positive they don’t feel that way about each other.”
Hitch glanced around the room. “Just before you came back in here, Ron suggested that we take a walk around the fields while there’s still enough light. He thought it would be a nice goodbye gesture to remember Andy. I guess he’d joined many of the birding hikes to photograph the birds around the farm.”
“Yeah? And how’d that go over?” I asked not sure that any of them cared much for any kind of goodbye to Andy. I supposed they’d only shown up so it appeared that they cared. And, for Stacy’s delicious cooking.
“There was plenty of grumbling,” Hitch said. “I think it’s safe to say that Andy didn’t have many, if any, real fans in this group. They tolerated him, is the way I’d describe it. So, want to come on the walk?” he asked, obviously eager to get outside.
“Are you kidding? I can’t wait,” I said. I felt pretty sure we might uncover something of interest. “I doubt Lana will come with those high heels she’s got on, though. Is she staying behind all by herself? With the bird?” I said as quietly as possible.
“Stacy offered to loan her some sneakers. Insisted, actually, but Lana refused. No way did she plan to tromp around the fields in her dress. She insisted she could remember Andy in the comfort of Ron’s living room. Probably with another glass of champagne,” Hitch said. He leaned against the wall, looking casual but at the same time keeping an eye on the guests.
“Stacy won’t be happy about someone staying behind,” Tilly said. But from the grin on her face, she was enjoying the potential conflict. “That woman rules this place with an iron fist and probably wants everyone out from under her feet so she can finish getting everything ready for dinner. I tried to help when I arrived, but all I got for my trouble was a cold shoulder.”
“Did you offer to cook anything?” I asked knowing that would have ended up badly at best.
Tilly playfully slapped my arm. “You know me better than that, Sunny. I offered to carry food to the side table. How could I mess that up?”
Before I could answer, which probably saved my arm from another slap, Lana loudly blurted out, “Oh, Scott! Stop hovering and worrying about me. I’ll be fine.” She pushed his hand off her shoulder and inspected her red nails like she’d broken one. Scott scowled, clenched his teeth, and stared straight at us. If only I could have read his thoughts. His expression sent tingles up my spine, and definitely not the good kind.
Ron clapped his hands. Everyone looked in his direction and away from Lana’s outburst. “Okay, everyone. Let’s get our walk underway. Stacy wants space to have everything ready when we get back.” He inhaled deeply. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but that fresh bread smells amazing.”
Izzy grabbed my hand. “Want me to show you the trails, Sunny? I know all of them.”
“Perfect.”
“Besides,” she whispered. “These other people were never very nice to Andy. I don’t think they care at all about what happened to him. It’s different for my mom. She told me that she didn’t know Andy. That’s why she didn’t want me alone with him. I get it now. And, she was mad at Ron, too, because he let me come over anyway.”
She sighed a heartfelt release of emotion. Too much to deal with for a little girl.
“I like them all. I mean, I love my mom best, but Andy and Ron are nice, too. I just wish everyone could get along and not be mean.”
Wow. I thought. This little girl just blew me away with her common sense. She could teach us all something… if we’d listen.
“Come on, Jasper,” Izzy called in a sing-song voice. “We’re taking a walk.”
I followed Izzy and Jasper outside. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the dimming of the evening light. Goosebumps rose on my arms from the cool air. Hitch draped his arm on my shoulder. “Do you need your jacket?”
I rubbed my arms. “I didn’t bring one.”
He gave me a friendly tug. “I grabbed it on the way out of your house. Just in case.”
I relaxed under his strong, warm arm. This was nice. Did I dare risk my heart again with this man?
“Oh, Hitch?” Melanie called from behind us, annoying me with her terrible timing. “Can I tag along with you on the walk? Peter didn’t come out yet, and I don’t want to get lost. I don’t know these trails as well as everyone else does.”
I looked up at Hitch and rolled my eyes. “Helpless female act, you think?”
“The worst kind,” he answered then waited for her to catch up to us. “Of course, Melanie. I think Izzy and Jasper are our tour guides.”
“Oh. A little girl and a dog?” Her voice fell dramatically. “I hope they don’t get us lost. I’m a city girl, you know.” She waved her arm in a big circle. “All this space, all this dark, don’t laugh, but for me, it’s really scary. One night, I came out and tried to push myself through my fears. You won’t believe this, but I discovered Andy photographing me. He really creeped me out and set me back big time.”
“I would hate that, too,” I said and meant it. It was definitely inappropriate and also a possible motive.
When we walked past the parked vehicles, Hitch grabbed my jacket from the back seat of the truck. “Here you go, Sunshine,” he said, draping it over my shoulders.
I didn’t miss Melanie’s scowl at Hitch’s tender gesture.
I picked up the pace to catch up with Izzy and Jasper before they disappeared out of sight. We walked through a gate into a field. Tall grass swished against my legs. A sharp turn brought us onto a narrow wooded trail.
Melanie pushed in between Hitch and me, forcing me off the trail. I tripped but caught myself and walked behind them.
She chummed up to Hitch while I watched and listened. Pushing my annoyance aside, I decided this was my chance to dig a litt
le deeper into Melanie’s feelings about Andy.
“I imagine that experience did it for you ever liking Andy, right?”
She stopped and turned around to look at me. “Hey, I’m not glad that he’s dead. All right? But, maybe he got what he deserved. All I know is that everyone in this birding group has been amazing except for Andy. Well, mostly. Peter’s a little clingy, but I can handle him. It’s totally different since he’s teaching me so much about birds, and I do love this town. Scott is too quick to get angry. And, Lana? Who knows which Lana will show up?” She held onto Hitch’s arm and I almost had to stop to throw up. Could she be more obvious?
We walked as Melanie babbled about herself. I half listened, but mostly tried to ignore her chatter while I enjoyed the salty breeze blowing off Blueberry Bay and the hoot of an owl in the distance. I loved this time of the evening when day was almost night, but not quite. It was like a curtain falling on one scene before a new one lifted.
Maybe talking helped Melanie with her fear of the falling darkness. I didn’t know, but her monotone was beginning to annoy me. And then she said, “Scott invited me to go with him to look for shore birds this morning. He said Lana was busy, so I guess I was his second choice. Like I care about him. Anyway, I’m glad I told him I wasn’t up for it. The last thing I need is to be placed anywhere near the scene of the murder.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her why. Did she have something to hide? But then Jasper started barking. It wasn’t her friendly greeting either. It was her ground-trembling, deep throated warning to whoever or whatever was lurking in the shadows that she meant business. Seriously.
Melanie screeched and clung tighter to Hitch’s arm. He shook her off, almost knocking her to the ground, and ran forward into the growing darkness. Of course. He always ran toward danger, but I think he was only thinking of Izzy who was with Jasper.
What was waiting for us ahead?
19
Bright spotlights instantly blinded me. Melanie clung to my back. Was she using me as her human shield? I fell to the ground with her landing on top of me.
