Trouble on the Books

by Essie Lang

  The server arrived to take their orders, and they sat in comfortable silence until he returned with their bottle of wine, a California red chosen by Drew. He’d also recommended the Spaghetti Carbonara, which she’d chosen.

  “So, tell me, what got you interested in the restaurant business?” she asked after taking a sip of the wine.

  Drew chuckled. “Food, basically. You can probably tell, what with Erica into the chocolate business and me a chef, that food was important in our family. My mom wasn’t much of a cook, but she encouraged me to play around in the kitchen and experiment. I appreciate that. I don’t think I’d be doing this today if it wasn’t for her support.”

  “That’s nice. I was very impressed with both your cooking and your restaurant, you know.”

  He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I know. You did tell me that. But I can’t hear it enough. So, tell me what Shelby Cox likes to do in her spare time.”

  “Spare time? What’s that? Seriously, I haven’t had much of it since I got here. In between learning the book business and trying to help Aunt Edie with errands and things, I’ve spent what time I had left enjoying living on a houseboat.”

  “Do you cook?”

  “Not so you’d notice,” she admitted after a moment’s hesitation.

  Drew laughed. “Good. I don’t like to be upstaged. It must be unique living on a houseboat.”

  “I love it, and I’m really not looking forward to the late fall, when it will be dry-docked for winter and I’ll be living elsewhere, probably with my aunt.”

  “I can imagine it would be hard to go from being on one’s own to living with an older relative.”

  “I’ve thought about that; hence, no firm decision as yet.”

  Their meals arrived, and Drew spent several minutes sampling each item on his plate. “Very good,” he finally remarked. “I’m impressed.”

  “I’d say that’s a major compliment for them.”

  He smiled at that. “So, tell me what’s happening with the murder investigation on the island.”

  The abrupt change in topic surprised Shelby, but she guessed they’d really exhausted the personal stuff anyway. That said something right there.

  “I don’t really know. Chief Stone isn’t one to share information.”

  “But you must have some theories. Erica said something about smuggling?”

  “That’s my theory, but no one else seems interested in it.”

  “Why’s that? It sounds plausible to me, although I seriously doubt it’s happening.”

  “Why do you say that?” Shelby was getting tired of people dismissing her theory.

  Drew smiled, a “Come on, now” look. “That belongs to the old Joe Cabana days. It makes an exciting tale for the castle to tell, that their grotto was once part of the operation, but that time has long passed. No, I think it’s something more personal.” He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice. “Like a jilted lover. Isn’t that usually the prime motive?”

  So, back to Duncan Caine as the main suspect? She’d have to give that more thought, but certainly not at the moment. She wanted to enjoy the rest of the evening.

  She finished her meal and decided to skip dessert, settling for a cappuccino instead. Drew joined her and they sipped in comfortable silence.

  After Drew dropped her at home, with a kiss that didn’t send sparks down her spine, saying he’d call soon, she went inside. She poured herself a glass of water and went up on deck to enjoy the mild evening. Thoughts of the evening raced through her mind. The main one turned out to be that, while it had been a pleasant evening, she didn’t see any romance in their future. It would be good to be friends. But what if he was the smuggler?

  Where had that thought come from?

  He had been the one to bring up the topic of the murder, certainly not a romantic topic. And he’d been quick to discount her theory about the smuggling.

  She sat for several more minutes trying to clear her mind and then went back inside. As she got ready for bed, she wondered how she could possibly even momentarily have considered that Drew might be involved in a smuggling scheme. He was Erica’s brother, after all. And when she thought back on the evening, he was handsome and charming but also a good listener and interested in what she had to say. All very positive attributes. But from the crime novels she read, she knew that the point men in the smuggling rings were often able to charm their way out of sticky situations. No, not Drew.

  She was just being silly or desperate. Why was she so determined to go down the smuggling path? What if she was totally wrong? There were the other possible motives, and although she was a bit reluctant to admit it, the police might have gone down a totally different path with suspects she’d never even considered. Which would mean that Matthew was off the hook, right? So she could back off and put an end to all her investigating.

  She shook her head but decided to stop by and have a talk with Erica after work the next day. She still had questions about Drew’s love life, and she’d probably need more chocolates anyway.

  * * *

  In the morning, she changed that plan to stopping by for a coffee and to pick up the chocolates on the way to work. She didn’t think this could wait.

  Erica greeted her with the usual big smile. “The usual?”

  “Please.” How to bring it up? “By the way, guess who I had dinner with last night.”

  “My dear brother.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Why else would you ask me? On second thought, it could have been someone who has something to do with guarding our coast. Again. Now, that date I’d really want to know all about. You can spare me the Drew details.” She made a face but leaned over the counter, looking eager to hear all.

  “You can put together a variety of two dozen truffles while we’re talking, if you don’t mind. So, tell me a bit more about this girlfriend of his. What’s the secret of her charm?”

  Erica straightened and grabbed a small white box. “Uh-oh. Don’t even go there. It’s money.” She opened the door to the display of truffles and began choosing some.

  “What?”

  “Yes, money, and lots of it. Daddy’s in the auto business and making lots of money, and Serena is in the business of spending it. Although I think she must also make tons as a model. Drew lucked in as one of her interests, and she’s been investing in his restaurant right from day one. He was very worried she’d withdraw her money when they broke up. You know, it’s really hard to get a restaurant going these days and keep it viable. But she said it was an investment and the money would stay put. He was very relieved, I can tell you.”

  Erica placed the box of truffles on the counter. “But that leads to my asking why you want to know about Drew. Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for my charming bro after only one date?” She reached across the counter and grabbed Shelby’s hand. Her voice was pleading as she said, “Please don’t tell me that.”

  Shelby laughed. “Not to worry. You’re right, he is a charming guy and I had a great time, but there weren’t any sparks. I don’t think for either of us.”

  “Whew. Consider yourself lucky. But I have to warn you, that could make you seem like a challenge to Drew, so don’t let down your guard. Your total will be one girls’ gossip night, for the advice, and twenty bucks for the truffles, or shall I add it to the bookstore tab?”

  “Bookstore, please. And, thanks again for the advice. I’d better run now. Hope you have a busy day.”

  As she walked to the shuttle, Shelby mused on the news about the source of investment in Drew’s restaurant. Maybe when they’d broken up, he’d been so worried about losing the money he’d gotten involved in the smuggling. On the other hand, maybe it was because he needed even more money. Then she spent the ride over to the island wondering why she was determined to make him the bad guy in this, since she’d already eliminated him from her suspect list. She liked him, he was a terrific cook, and he had a girlfriend. None of that added up to a motiv
e. Besides, there were plenty of others still on that list.

  So why couldn’t she figure it out? Because she wasn’t a trained investigator, that’s why. And she didn’t have the same type of access to the suspects. So she’d better try a different approach. And she’d better do it quick.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  When she finally arrived home after work, Shelby kicked off her shoes and sat with a thunk on the nearest tub chair. The cat had followed her indoors, much to her delight, and jumped on her lap immediately. He did seem happy to see her, what with all the rubbing of his head and purring. Shelby indulged him, and herself, for several minutes just stroking his soft coat, and then, because her stomach was growling, stood up and placed him on the warm spot where she’d been sitting.

  She noticed the message light on the phone flashing as she walked around the kitchen counter. She couldn’t imagine who it could be. Most people called her cell. She picked it up and listened to the message, stunned to hear that Felicity wanted her to call her back. What now? Had she thought of something belittling to say? Shelby did a mental head slap. That wasn’t likely; after all, Felicity was the one who had felt offended at their meeting.

  She dialed, and the call was answered almost immediately. Felicity was still at her store and sounded mildly cheerful and not in the least upset.

  “I’m so glad you called tonight rather than leaving it for tomorrow. I wanted to let you know that Barry Pellen is back in town. If you want to talk to him, now’s as good a time as any. He’s staying at the Inn on the Bay, apparently, because his place is being repainted.”

  Felicity obviously had a good pipeline. That was a lot of information. “Do you know how long he’s in town?”

  “I’m not sure; that’s why I thought tonight would be best. He’ll tell you how it was between him and Loreena. You’ll see that Duncan had no place in her life.” It sounded like her voice caught on that last bit, and Shelby felt sorry for her.

  “Thanks, Felicity. I’ll go over right now and hope I’m not interrupting his dinner.”

  “Good,” Felicity said, and hung up without saying goodbye.

  Shelby looked at the receiver and made a face. Nothing subtle or muddled there. She was onto Felicity’s personal agenda here, but she did want to talk to Barry Pellen.

  She took a few minutes to feed J.T. and then grabbed a banana for herself. She decided to drive, one of the few times she took her car these days, since there was no direct road across Otter Creek. And although the walk would have done her good, she didn’t want to take the time.

  She checked at the main desk at the Inn and asked if there was a house phone to call Barry Pellen’s room.

  “I could, but that wouldn’t do you any good.”

  Shelby stared at the desk clerk, who looked to be a few years younger than her. Her name tag read WANDA. “He is staying here, isn’t he?”

  “Oh, yeah. He’s a guest, but he just went into the bar, over to your left.”

  “You’re sure that’s where he went?”

  “Definitely. He invited me to join him there when I get off shift.” She looked at her watch. “Which is in about twenty minutes. Short shift today, ya know.”

  Shelby thought the girl’s smile said she’d be joining Pellen and was definitely looking forward to it. It seemed he certainly wasn’t pining for Loreena. Did that mean something? Was that another theory shot down? Wanda looked as different from the older, more conservatively dressing Loreena as was possible. Hmm.

  Shelby thanked her for the information and followed the directions. She took a minute to enjoy the bay and view of the river, then she walked into the bar and straight over to the bartender, waiting until he turned around to face her.

  “What can I get you?” he asked, leaning an arm on the bar and flashing a smile.

  Shelby returned the smile. “I’m looking for someone. Do you know Barry Pellen?”

  “That’s me,” she heard a male voice boom to her left, and she leaned forward, looking past a young couple sitting at the bar, to see a hulk of a man, at least six feet and broad at the shoulders, like a football player, or maybe a wrestler, tip his drink toward her. His light, sandy-colored hair was tied back in a ponytail, and a small gold hoop pierced his left earlobe. Both looked out of place with his black suit, mauve shirt, and dark-purple striped tie. She was truly at a loss for words. Especially since it was the same man she’d seen having dinner with Felicity Foxworth.

  “What can I do for you?” he prompted. His smile spread across his face and put her at ease.

  Shelby quickly marshaled her thoughts and walked over to him. “I hope I’m not interrupting your evening plans. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk? I’m Shelby Cox, co-owner of Bayside Books.” She held out her hand.

  He grasped it and gave a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Shelby Cox, and I’m intrigued. It so happens that I do have a few minutes. Would you care to join me for a drink?” He pointed to the empty chair next to him.

  She almost felt like she was taking advantage of him. Almost. “That would be nice, but I want you to know, I’m here about Loreena Swan.”

  He looked surprised and then chuckled. “Well, that requires a drink for sure,” he said. “I’m having a whiskey on the rocks. What about you?”

  After she’d ordered a glass of red wine, he asked, “What are your questions about Loreena? And why are you asking them?”

  “I’ll start by answering your second one. I’m asking questions because I’m the one who found Loreena’s body.” She watched him closely because she’d been surprised that he’d seemed rather jovial when she first mentioned Loreena’s name. Not exactly the suitor in mourning.

  “Fair enough. And why did you want to talk to me about Loreena?”

  Her drink was placed in front of her, and she took a sip before answering. “I’m just trying to get a feel for who Loreena was. I didn’t know her well. I’m fairly new to town. But we were both working at Blye Castle. I’m asking people who knew her, and I’d heard that you two were dating. Is that true?”

  He shrugged. “Yes, I suppose it is. That’s a rather outmoded word though, isn’t it? And besides, I don’t see what this can add to your profile about her except that she had a bit of a life outside that damned castle.”

  Shelby caught his tone and wondered what his problem was with the castle. “She was fairly involved in the day-to-day running of the castle.”

  “You can say that again. And she was always trying to drag me over to see how things were going as they were getting it ready for the grand opening.” His voice added quotation marks around the last two words. “I have a limited amount of time to spend in Alexandria Bay, and when I’m not involved in business meetings, I wanted to spend it with Loreena, not at her job.”

  That was pretty straightforward, Shelby thought. “May I ask what your dealings are in Alex Bay?”

  He raised one eyebrow in a quizzical gesture. “You mean you haven’t heard? Are you really that new to the area?”

  She nodded. “I’ve only been here for a couple of months.”

  “Okay. Fair enough. Well, I’m negotiating to buy a tract of land to build a hotel and casino. It should be quite straightforward, but I hadn’t counted on some of the local citizenry getting so involved in the decision. I expected the usual concerns about increased traffic in the town and the strain on the environment, but the bottom line is, it’s a good deal for the economy in the area. The businesspeople know that, but it’s the others, the do-gooders and the retirees, who are causing delays. Loreena was also stubborn about it, towing the line of the Heritage Society, saying the casino would distract tourists from the castle.”

  “I would have thought more tourists in the area would automatically mean more touring the islands.”

  “Exactly my point.” He leaned toward her, his enthusiasm showing. “But the real problem for some of the locals, I’m sure, is the casino. They don’t think that gamblers are sightseers.”

  “And are th
ey?”

  He shrugged.

  “That must be a bother, if that’s holding up the project.”

  He made a face and finished off his whiskey, ordering another. “It’s more than a bother. It’s costing me money, each day this drags out. I was hoping Loreena could use some of her influence in the town, being from such a longtime well-known family, to help persuade her neighbors.”

  “Is that why you were dating her?” Shelby knew it was cheeky to ask, but she wanted to see his reaction.

  He burst out laughing, a deep, belly-shaking roar. “To someone as young and attractive as you, she must have looked old and possibly a bit past her prime. But let me tell you, she was very good company.” He finished off his drink and winked at her.

  “So, you mustn’t have been too happy to have some competition on that front.”

  He cocked his head to the right. “What do you mean?”

  “Duncan Caine. You must know who he is, given that he’s one of the major realtors in the area. And I’d heard that he and Loreena were also an item. That must have been a bit hard to swallow.”

  Barry looked taken aback and took his time answering. “I suppose it would have if I’d been serious about Loreena. It was just fun, you know? We’d said nothing about not seeing anyone else. I certainly played around, and I assumed she did also. It was all quite civilized.” He sighed. “I will miss her, you know.”

  Feeling a bit unsettled, Shelby finished her wine and looked at her watch. “Oh, look at the time. I’ve really taken up too much of yours, but I thank you for the wine and the chat. I really appreciate it, but I must get going, and you’ll be late for dinner.”

  She grabbed her purse and slid off the stool. He stood and nodded. “Anytime. I’m always happy to have a drink with a beautiful young woman.”

  Shelby gave him a small smile in return for his almost too-subtle one, then left at what she felt was a respectable pace. When she reached the door, she stopped herself from looking back at him and left quickly.

  As she drove home, she went over the conversation in her mind. What had she proven?