Trouble on the Books

by Essie Lang

  “I know, I’m rushing it a bit, like quite a bit, but I just wanted to leap into the excitement. And Chuck was keen, too. I figure we’ll treat ourselves to a mini-spree a month.” She leaned against the boat railing, adjusting her collar to block out the wind, looking very pleased with herself.

  Shelby reached out and squeezed her arm. “That is exciting. And I think mini-sprees are the way to go; that way you won’t have humungous bills all at once.”

  “Exactly.” Taylor turned to face into the wind, letting it blow through her hair, and Shelby did the same.

  “How are you feeling these days? You will let me know if the doctor says you shouldn’t be working, right? Or if you should just be sitting behind the cash register all day? That would work. Maybe in the village so you wouldn’t have to take the boat every day?”

  “Listen to you. I’m still so far away from having to even consider lighter work or fewer hours. You can’t mother-hen me, you know. Chuck’s already taken that roll.” She laughed and gave Shelby’s arm a squeeze.

  Shelby smiled back and relaxed. She hadn’t realized until that moment the she’d been worried about Taylor.

  By the time they’d reached the store, Shelby was in a good frame of mind, all thoughts of Pellen’s intrusive visit under control. As the day wore on, though, she found the apprehension building. She didn’t go for her usual walk around the castle grounds in the afternoon, and she stuck with Taylor after closing, walking down to the shuttle. When they parted back in Alex Bay, Shelby took a good look around the parking lot and street before walking home.

  She stopped before setting foot on the dock leading to her houseboat. She could see a pair of feet, crossed at the ankle, resting atop the railing of the upper deck. Her heart beat faster as she ran through a list of things she should do. At the top of it was call the police.

  After a few seconds of panic, she took a deep breath and reasoned that anyone lying in wait to do her harm would be out of sight. Not visible to her and the entire community. Although she had to admit, as she glanced around, there wasn’t much community in evidence. She waited until her heart rate dropped back to normal and then headed for the houseboat. The feet hadn’t moved by the time she boarded, so she put her bags down just inside the door and then took the stairs up.

  Zack Griffin looked over at her as she reached the top and grinned.

  “I hope you don’t mind my making myself comfortable while waiting for you. It’s been a busy day.” He wore his reflective aviators so she couldn’t even guess where his eyes were trained. His CGIS ball cap was pulled down low over his forehead, but he’d discarded his jacket, which lay on the other chair. And the sleeves on his blue shirt were rolled and pushed up over his elbows. In total, he looked relaxed and totally at home.

  “I don’t mind, if you don’t count the heart failure you very nearly caused. I could see your feet all the way from the shore.”

  He’d planted them on the deck by this point and even stood. “Sorry about that. I didn’t think you’d mind my waiting for you up here. Did you think your visitor was back again?”

  “Which one?” she asked with a grimace.

  “I’ve heard about two. Have there been more?”

  “No. At least, not that I’m aware of. One never knows what happens during the daytime when I’m not here.”

  It was Zack’s turn to grimace. “Tell me about last night.”

  “There’s not much to tell. Barry Pellen stopped by to see me. I thought he was interested in dating Aunt Edie because he asked me to introduce him to her. I was so wrong. It was just a tactic. He actually wants us to vacate the space at the castle so that he can take it over. Edie said no, so he came to me to convince me to change her mind.”

  “Did he say why he wants it?” Zack had settled back in the chair in a casual sprawl, but J.J. noticed he seemed more alert.

  “No, he didn’t, even though I did ask him. It just sort of flew out of my mind amid the threats. Is it important?”

  “That depends on what his answer is.”

  Shelby shook her head in frustration. “That doesn’t help.”

  “Did he talk about anything else?” He leaned forward.

  “Well, he did say he’d heard I was trying to link Loreena’s murder to smuggling.”

  Zack shot upright. “My point exactly. Everyone around town knows what you’re up to. I’d hoped you would have given all that up by now.”

  “Well, I haven’t gone around asking more questions. But I may have mentioned that Loreena’s death at the grotto might just add to the legend. But you already know that.”

  Zack shook his head. “And you still don’t think that might get someone to thinking that you know a whole lot more than you actually do?”

  “No, I don’t see that. What I do see is a Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent who keeps popping up when there’s something related to Blye Island, and since Loreena’s murder fits that description …” She didn’t finish her sentence but instead gestured at him.

  Zack sat forward and laughed. “You have an extraordinarily active imagination, Shelby. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and also, once again, although I know it’s entirely futile, to warn you off asking any more questions. It seems like it’s getting to be an even more dangerous game.”

  “I know,” Shelby said with a shudder. “I’m taking it to heart.”

  “I’m very glad to hear you say that,” Zack said. “And call me immediately if you have any more surprise visitors.” He stood and squeezed her shoulder, looking into her eyes for a few seconds longer than necessary. She held her breath and then slowly let it out when he dropped his hand and walked toward the stairs.

  He stopped when he got to the stairs and turned to face her. “You know, you were lucky, again. Maybe not next time. Please be careful.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Shelby spent the next morning alternating between serving a surprisingly inquisitive group of customers (who had been to the store before, bought some books on local history, and wanted more) and tidying the store. Taylor had called in sick, and Shelby had made the decision to run the store by herself rather than trying to get a replacement on short notice. Cody was working in the afternoon, so she’d just have to manage by herself for the morning.

  She decided to move the display of local books closer to the cash register, hoping to attract the attention of customers as soon as they set foot in the store. While she did it, she thought about why Barry Pellen might want the store space. What also struck her was the fact that he’d been dating so many women at the same time. And, even more curious, she realized, was that the ones she knew about were members of the Heritage Society board. Did that mean anything? Could he be so desperate to get the bookstore space that he’d try to influence the board’s decision to lease the space to Bayside Books? It sounded far-fetched, but he had sounded very determined the other night. Of course, he had dated the hotel clerk, but if there was a plan, that didn’t seem to be a part of it.

  She moved over to shelving some books next to the bay window when she noticed Duncan Caine out on the side lawn. He seemed to be headed toward the grotto. What does he want? Better yet, what a good time to ask him some more questions. Did he know anything about Pellen’s plan? She stuck her phone in her pocket, swapped the OPEN sign to CLOSED FOR LUNCH, and slipped out of the castle.

  She waved at Matthew, who seemed deep in pursuit of a stray limb on one of the trees. She doubted he noticed her as he struggled to hit his target with his long-handled cutters.

  As she approached the pathway to the grotto, she took a minute to look around. There were no tourists within sight, which was good since so much of the area was designated off limits at the moment. She could hear the waves hitting the shore before she actually focused on the whitecaps on the river. She hadn’t realized the wind had come up sometime during the morning, and her walk to the grotto had been through the sheltered part of the island. It looked like too stunning a place for a mur
der to have occurred, she thought, feeling a stab of sadness.

  As she approached the entrance, she was surprised to find the gate to the grotto ajar. Her attention was drawn away from the gate by the sound of a small motor approaching the grotto. Who was it? What was going on? Before she had a chance to do anything, Duncan called out to her.

  “Miss Cox, Shelby. Just the person I wanted to see next. Do you have a minute?”

  Shelby looked around, wondering what to do. Listen to the small inner voice that told her to head back to the store? Or ask him her questions? She moved closer to him, determined to keep the gate between them.

  “I do, in fact, I have a few questions for you. But who’s in the boat?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s one of your smugglers.”

  She could tell he was laughing at her, and as tempted as she was to take a look, she stood her ground, fairly certain Matthew would show up soon—that is, if he was still keeping an ear peeled for boats.

  “I know now that’s highly unlikely,” she said, and glanced behind her to look for Matthew. At the same moment, Duncan stepped around the gate and grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the entrance to the grotto.

  She screamed, but he clamped his hand over her mouth, twisting her arm behind her and shoving her forward. She stumbled and wrenched free, only to feel a gun jammed in her back.

  “Stand up and don’t try anything foolish.”

  She got to her feet and looked back to see if it really was a gun. Duncan waved it in her face. “Yup, it’s a gun, and I do know how to use it. Now, get inside.”

  She stepped gingerly through the opening, pausing to let her eyes adjust to the change in light. When she was able to focus, she saw Barry Pellen stepping out of a small boat and tying its rope around a rock.

  “Miss Cox, so sorry you had to join us. You would have been much more useful as an ally,” he said, nodding at Caine.

  “I don’t get it,” Shelby finally said.

  Pellen walked right up to her. “You don’t? That’s odd, you seem to be so adept at sticking your nose into everything. Shall we tell her, Duncan?”

  “Might as well. She won’t be sharing it with anyone.”

  Shelby felt herself shivering and took a deep breath to calm down. “Does it have something to do with why you’re wining and dining the female members of the Heritage Society?”

  Pellen sat down on a large boulder and looked thoughtful. “Well done. Yes, you see, I need them on my side when the announcement is made.”

  “Which announcement is that?”

  “The one that I’m intending to buy Blye Island on behalf of my consortium and turn the castle into a hotel and casino.”

  “You wouldn’t.” Shelby felt outraged.

  “Oh, but I would. Think of what a hit it would be. We’d make loads of money, and who knows, maybe even the good folk of the village would be on our side. After all, they didn’t like the idea we first floated of a resort right in the bay. But it wouldn’t be in the middle of everything if it was on the island. Isn’t that right, Duncan?”

  “Exactly. I think I can get the council to give their approval to this plan.”

  “But what was Loreena’s role?” Shelby asked.

  “Loreena? She was a romantic old fool. Thought she was still in high school,” Caine answered, not sounding at all upset about his old friend. “We needed her on our side because she has … had … so much influence in the town.”

  “But both of you dating her?”

  “Why not? She was happy,” Pellen answered.

  Shelby shook her head in disgust. He sounded so smug. “But why kill her?”

  “That wasn’t the plan. But she stumbled across Barry and me that day. We were pacing off locations on the island for various attractions. We’d come over in Barry’s small boat and tied up in the grotto so we wouldn’t be spotted. I thought we’d done well to avoid Kessler, and then, there she was. We steered her into the grotto and finally had to explain. She started screaming and pushed me, so I pushed her back and she fell, hitting her head, and then tumbled into the water. It was an accident,” said Caine.

  “In your version, anyway,” Shelby said, eyeing the dark waters and wondering if she could swim to the public dock before they caught up with her. “According to the autopsy, she was struck on the head, fell into the water, and then held under until she drowned. Doesn’t sound too accidental to me.”

  Caine looked ready to strangle Shelby, and she could hear Pellen made a strange sound in his throat. Her mind flashed on the water. She could probably make it. She was a strong swimmer, but first she had to knock the gun out of his hand. And hope they didn’t follow in the boat. Where was Matthew? Surely he’d heard the engine.

  “It worked the first time. Kessler’s still the prime suspect,” Caine said. “So, why not go for a second?”

  Pellen stood up. “I don’t know, Duncan. You can BS about the whack on the head and holding her under if you’re caught. But a second drowning?”

  “What do you mean I can do that? You’re in on it too.”

  “I did nothing to harm her.”

  “But you watched, didn’t you?” Shelby glanced at him. “You didn’t even try to help get her out of the water or go for help, I’ll bet.”

  Pellen took a step forward. “There was nothing I could do.”

  “You were in full agreement,” Caine shouted. His attention was fully on Pellen.

  Shelby made her move. She ducked behind Pellen, shoved him into Caine, and dove into the water.

  The zing of the cold water knocked the breath out of her, and she struggled to get back up to the surface. She swam at an angle, hoping she was heading toward the grotto opening. Maybe she could work the boat loose before either man reached it. She surfaced and saw Pellen stepping into the boat and pulling the cord to start the engine, with Caine close behind. She looked toward the opening. She had about a yard to go but knew she wouldn’t make it before they reached her. So she snaked under and swam toward the light, hoping her limbs didn’t freeze and fall off before she made her goal. She surfaced again and felt momentarily blinded by the midday sun, but then she heard a motor heading her way. Terror washed through her. She swam even harder but felt her strength giving way to the cold. Just do it.

  At some point she felt two hands reach down for her from the side of the boat. She couldn’t even put up a fight. She waited to be pushed under the waves but instead felt someone lifting her into the boat.

  She heard Zack’s voice. He bundled her up in a blanket and pulled her close to his chest, saying things, comforting, nice things, she thought, but she wasn’t really focusing.

  * * *

  Zack, Matthew, and Edie sat in Edie’s sun-room later that afternoon, drinking beer and filling Shelby in on what she’d missed when she’d been taken to the hospital to be checked over. Mainly, that Zack had handed her into the waiting arms of Matthew while he went back to head off the two men, force them to shore, and arrest them.

  Shelby smiled. “Thank you, thank you.” She pressed her hands together as if praying and bowed her head toward Matthew. Then she turned to Zack. “You see, I told you Matthew was innocent.”

  Zack and Matthew shared a conspiratorial glance.

  “What?” Shelby asked. “I saw that. What’s going on? I know, I was wrong about the smuggling.”

  Zack leaned closer to her. “What I’m about to say stays in this room for now, agreed?”

  Both Shelby and Edie nodded.

  “No, you’re right about the fact that there’s smuggling going on, Shelby; it’s just not tied in to the murder.”

  “I thought that’s why you got involved in the investigation.”

  Zack smiled. “Right again. But I’ve been focusing on the smuggling and I have a suspect in sight. I’m just waiting for him to make his move, and I’ve been worried your investigating would scare him off. So now that the murder is solved, just leave it to me, okay?”

  “Okay.” She shifted in he
r seat and glanced at him before asking, “But what does that have to do with Matthew?”

  “We’ve been aware of the operation for some time now but were never able to figure out the schedule or the route. So I asked Matthew to keep an eye on things. He’s made note of every time he’s heard a boat go by and he’s been checking on the grotto, once we guessed that it was a hiding place for the smugglers when they thought they were being chased.”

  “Seriously?” Shelby turned to Matthew. “That means you were never really a murder suspect?”

  Matthew shook his head. “They needed it to look like that, though, so that I could continue keeping an eye on things.”

  “So,” Edie jumped in, “there was no need for me to be so worried about you at all?”

  Matthew moved over beside her on the love seat, put his right arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. “No, but it meant a lot to me. It really did, and does, Edie.”

  Shelby felt like she was intruding, but she had her own questions to ask Zack.

  “And you’ve been humoring me?”

  “Well, maybe a bit, but mainly I’ve been trying to keep you out of all this. You see what happened today? And believe me, it could have been much worse if Matthew hadn’t heard the boat and gone to check it out. He phoned me when he saw you being forced into the grotto.”

  Shelby thought about it a moment. “I had to do something.”

  “I know you think you had to. And Barry Pellen did end up confessing, but I stress again, it wasn’t really smart to get so involved.”

  “Perhaps.” She wasn’t about to give in so easily. “But you—”

  Edie interrupted. “I’d say we’re at a draw here. Everyone had their own reason for doing what was done. Shelby, honey, I can’t imagine what I would have done, though, if anything had happened to you. And, Matthew, you can’t believe how relieved I am to hear you’re not a suspect or even being hounded. But what about Tekla? Does she know? I can’t imagine that she went along with the subterfuge.”

  “Chief Stone? Yes, she’s been read in,” Zack answered, “but she insisted that she needed to keep riding Matt so that no one would suspect.”