by Leena Clover
“I think you were better off watching that movie,” Anna grumbled.
“What were you two talking about, Mom?”
Gino stopped smiling.
“We were trying to figure out what a dead guy’s doing in your mother’s bookstore.”
“Oh, yeah!” Cassie exclaimed. “I totally forgot what happened yesterday, Mom.”
She told them about her visit to the diner.
“You know how that waitress at the Yellow Tulip likes to talk? I didn’t have to work too hard to get some information out of her.”
“Go on,” Anna said, pushing her plate away.
“It’s a bit too fantastic. It seems William Parker did a number on this guy.”
“Was she more specific?” Gino asked sharply.
“This guy was William Parker’s customer. William Parker had an affair with his wife. And that’s not all. She got pregnant and actually gave birth to the child.”
“What is this man’s name? Is he anyone we know?” Anna asked.
“Ethan Lapin. Youngish chap with blonde hair and a broken nose.”
“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Anna said.
“He’s an EMT here in Dolphin Bay,” Cassie told them. “Lives with his wife and kids.”
“Are you saying this Ethan wanted to have revenge?” Gino asked. “It sounds like a motive alright.”
“We need to find out more about him,” Anna said eagerly. “I will go talk to him.”
“Please be careful, Anna. I can go with you if you want.”
“I’ll have the girls with me,” Anna assured him. “Now, how about some dessert? We have strawberry cheesecake.”
“I couldn’t eat another bite,” Gino said, placing a hand on his stomach. “But I can’t say no to dessert.”
Anna got up to bring the cake out. Cassie cornered Gino.
“Can you run a background check for me?”
“Sure. Is someone bothering you, Cassie?”
“Not really. I just want to make sure this person is who they say they are.”
“Tell me more.” Gino folded his hands and leaned back in his chair.
“What are you two talking about?” Anna asked as she came out with a large cheesecake smothered in strawberry compote and fresh strawberries.
She placed it on the table and cut three generous slices.
Cassie gave Gino a warning glance. Anna saw her.
“What are you hiding, Cassie?”
Cassie gave a dramatic sigh. “I want to run a background check on Meg. I was asking Gino if he could do it for me.”
“Isn’t that the young girl who is helping you out at the store, Anna?” Gino asked. “Don’t you trust her?”
“I do,” Anna said, the same time as Cassie stated she didn’t.
“Neither of you are making any sense.” Gino took a big bite of the cheesecake and kissed his fingers. “This is delicious, Anna. I’m going to be lining up every day when you open the café.”
“I trust Meg,” Anna said.
“We don’t know anything about her, Mom,” Cassie said. “I can’t just believe everything she says.”
“Get a DNA test,” Anna blurted out.
“DNA test?” Gino’s eyebrows shot up. “Who is this girl, exactly?”
Cassie gave Gino the Cliff Notes version of how Meg was related to them. Gino rubbed his hand over his head.
“There’s never a dull moment with you two. So this girl Meg turns up and says she is your daughter. Anna believes her but you don’t. What exactly do you want me to find out, Cassie?”
“Is she really the child I gave up for adoption?”
“That’s a tough task, Cassie. It’s going to take time. I think Anna’s right. The quickest and surest way to find out is have a DNA test.”
Anna wondered how long it would take Cassie to come around.
“I want to be reasonably sure who she is before I go in for a test,” Cassie protested. “She could just be conning us, Mom. I think she just read your message on that website and decided you were an easy target. An emotional old woman, reasonably well off, living by herself. She saw an opportunity and took it.”
“I’m sorry, Anna, but Cassie does have a point. I have seen many cases of crooks preying on vulnerable old people.”
“For shame, Cassie,” Anna cried. “How can you be so callous?”
She dabbed her eyes with a tissue and squared her shoulders.
“You can run any checks you want, Cassie. Sooner or later, you will have to accept that Meg is your daughter. I just hope you don’t drive her away in the process.”
Chapter 9
Anna sat in her garden the next morning, sipping coffee and thinking about Gino. He had helped her load the dishwasher after Cassie left them alone the previous night. They had come out in the garden and sat on the park bench under the climbing rose, enjoying the balmy summer evening. Anna had enjoyed talking with him, long after the sun set and the twilight gave way to a starry sky. Gino had told her about his kids and how much he missed them. Anna told him about her illness and how she was coping. The evening had ended on a bittersweet note, both of them reluctant to bid each other good night.
Cassie came out of the house, gripping a large mug of coffee in both hands. She nodded at Anna through swollen eyes.
“I have the worst headache, Mom.”
“Were you drinking last night?”
“What? No. What makes you say that?”
“I know all about your habits, Cassie. Don’t lie to me.”
“I might have had a nightcap,” Cassie conceded. “Or two.”
“You need to deal with this, honey,” Anna pleaded. “Meg is here to stay. You will have to accept it.”
“What do you mean, stay?” Cassie asked, alarmed. “She’s not going to live in this house?”
“Maybe not yet, but eventually. This is where she belongs.”
“This is too much on an empty stomach. I need to eat, Mom. Did you throw away my frosted flakes again?”
Anna stood up with a sigh.
“Avocado toast is much healthier. Do you want omelets or poached eggs to go with it?”
“Anything’s fine,” Cassie mumbled, stifling a yawn.
Anna went inside and slid four slices of bread in the toaster. She cut two ripe avocadoes and started mashing them. They sat down to eat five minutes later.
Anna poured hot sauce over her toast and looked at Cassie.
“What are you doing today? Do you want to go with me?”
“Where to?”
“I want to check out where William Parker lives.”
“What about Aunt Julie and Aunt Mary?”
“Julie’s on a deadline and Mary’s got a meeting of the Garden Club.”
“I am expecting a call from my agent,” Cassie said.
“You don’t have to be home for that.” Anna didn’t comment on Cassie’s favorite excuse. “Get ready. We are leaving in fifteen minutes.”
Cassie didn’t know how Anna had obtained William Parker’s address. They drove to an older part of town. One of Cassie’s friends from high school had lived in the area and she vaguely remembered it. The house was old and run down and in much need of repair.
“Wasn’t he supposed to be a handyman?” Cassie asked Anna. “How did he not take care of his own house?”
“He might have been too busy fixing other people’s homes,” Anna shrugged.
She had to admit the Parker residence was an eyesore. It was a small ranch style bungalow on a large wooded lot. The grass was knee high and the path leading up to the house was covered in weeds. Wildflowers bloomed everywhere, giving the place a rustic charm.
Cassie took the lead and walked up the rickety steps leading to a porch. She pressed the small bell she discovered next to a screen door. She waited for a couple of minutes and started banging on the door with her hand.
“I don’t think anyone’s home, Cassie.”
A woman came out of a house two doors down and waved at them. S
he was holding a sniffling toddler in her arms.
“That place is empty now,” she told them. “Were you looking for Handyman Bill?”
Anna nodded.
“He died,” she said, placing a hand over the child’s ears. “It was in the Chronicle.”
“We wanted to pay our respects,” Anna said, holding out the casserole she had brought with her as cover. “He did some jobs for us over the years. He was a good worker.”
“Oh, I hope you didn’t come a long way. It was just him.”
“What about his family?”
“Never saw any. We just moved here six months ago. You might want to talk to old Bertha.” She pointed at a door on the other side of the street. “She’s been here forever. And she’s a busybody. Knows everything that goes on here.”
The toddler began to wail. The woman wished them luck and went inside.
“She might have offered us a drink,” Cassie complained. “It’s too hot to be out in the sun.”
Anna ignored her daughter and began walking toward Bertha’s house. It was a small Cape Cod with a fresh coat of paint and a meticulously kept garden. The door opened before she lifted her hand to knock. Anna found herself looking at a well dressed woman around her own age.
“Hello. I saw you peeping into William Parker’s house. Were you friends with that scoundrel?”
Anna realized she needed to change her cover story.
“William Parker was found dead in my bookstore. I was hoping to meet some of his family.”
The woman’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“So you are the one the whole town is talking about. If you killed him, you did us all a big favor.”
Anna took Cassie’s arm and smiled at the woman.
“This is my daughter, Cassandra Butler. You might remember seeing her in the movies.”
That did it. Anna watched with amusement as the woman fawned all over Cassie. She ushered them into the house and plied them with cake and lemonade. It was a while before Anna could get a word in.
“I’m assuming you didn’t like your neighbor much.”
Bertha snorted.
“That man was scum, let me tell you. His family thought so too. That’s why none of them stuck around.”
“Oh?” Anna quirked an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly, inviting Bertha to go on.
“His wife was the first one to go. I think the poor woman just couldn’t take it anymore. He cheated on her openly, you know. And I think he beat her too. She finally had the sense to leave.”
Anna hadn’t expected that.
“Did he have any kids?”
“The kids went off to college and never came back. I think there was a son who looked in on him about once a year. He wanted the son to come and live here, take care of the business. Obviously, that didn’t happen.”
Anna asked about the partner. Bertha had never heard of him.
“Did he have many visitors?”
Bertha topped up Cassie’s glass with more lemonade and shook her head.
“Not that I know of.”
“Did you see anyone suspicious hanging around recently? Or see him talking to anyone new?”
Bertha’s brows settled in a frown.
“Now that you mention it, I do think someone was following him. I saw the same car parked by the side of the road a couple of times. William noticed it too. He came out of the house and tapped on the window.”
“Was it someone he knew?”
Bertha gave a shrug.
“The man in the car got out and said something. William must have lost his temper. He was screaming at the man, waving his arms around. I couldn’t hear them but I think he was threatening the man in the car.”
“What happened after that?” Anna asked, holding her breath. “Did they hit each other?”
Bertha shook her head.
“The man got into the car and drove away. I didn’t see the car back here again.”
“When did all this happen?” Anna asked.
“About two or three days before they found him,” Bertha said.
Anna pulled out her business card from her bag and handed it to Bertha.
“Can you please call me if you remember anything else?”
“What are you, some kind of modern Miss Marple?”
“You know what the people are saying?” Anna asked. “I’m just trying to help myself.”
“Smart move,” Bertha nodded approvingly. “I would do the same.”
Anna nudged Cassie as they walked out. Cassie turned around and thanked Bertha. Bertha pulled out a DVD from a shelf and made Cassie autograph it.
“That went well.” Anna smiled as Cassie pressed her foot on the gas pedal.
“Do you think we have another suspect, Mom?”
“Sure looks like it, sweetie.”
“Where do you want to go now?”
“Let’s have lunch in town. What do you feel like eating?”
“Wonton soup and Hunan Chicken.”
“China Garden it is,” Anna nodded. “I’m craving some Lo Mein noodles and shrimp myself.”
A large, noisy group of women was already seated when they entered the Chinese restaurant. Anna spotted Mary among the women.
“The Garden Club decided to have lunch here,” Mary whispered as she got up and gave Anna a hug.
“Are you still discussing the Rose Show?” Anna asked with interest.
“The meeting spilled over,” Mary nodded. “A few members suggested we should go big this year. They are proposing we accept entries from the neighboring counties. But the old guard is against that. We are still going to and fro over it. It’s going to be hard to reach any consensus.”
“Good luck with that, Mary. What is your stance?”
“The more, the merrier. It’s a great fund raising opportunity for the club.”
A loud, imperious voice broke into their conversation, startling them.
“What do you think you are doing, Mary?” Agnes, the head of the Rose Show Committee demanded. “Are you talking about club business with that murderer?”
Chapter 10
Cassie laced up her sneakers and checked herself in the mirror. Birds were chirping outside her window and a light mist hung over the early morning. Cassie had come up with a plan while she binged on some old movies the previous night. She knew that Teddy Fowler, the detective, went for a run on the Coastal Walk every morning. She planned to meet him accidentally and get him talking. Teddy had a loose tongue and an inclination to boast about his work.
Anna nodded toward a glass of orange juice as soon as Cassie stepped out of her room.
“Freshly squeezed, just for you.”
“You didn’t have to, Mom. Thanks.”
Cassie sipped some of the juice and asked Anna about her plans for the day.
“I’m making blueberry pancakes for breakfast. I hope you work up an appetite.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
Cassie walked toward the Coastal Walk and started jogging toward the sprawling castle like building at the far end. She picked up her pace after a while and didn’t slow down until she reached the Castle Beach Resort. She flopped down on an empty bench that offered a spectacular view of the bay.
“Howdy!” a familiar voice greeted her.
Cassie waved at Teddy and patted the spot next to her.
“Take a load off, Teddy. There’s plenty of room here.”
Teddy sprawled on the bench, panting from the exertion. Cassie waited until his breathing returned to normal.
“Nice day. How’s it going, Teddy?”
“I can’t talk about it, Cassie, but you know I’m working on the latest murder.”
“Do you mean that guy they found in our store? That’s a tough one.”
“I call it a slam dunk.”
“How so?” Cassie asked innocently. “There are so many suspects, it’s hard to say who’s guilty.”
“Of course you would say that,” Teddy countered. “Your mother’s
the guilty one, Cassie.”
“From what I’ve heard, that guy was hated by one and all. Too many people had a motive to kill him, Teddy.”
“I don’t agree. As far as I am concerned, your mother has the biggest motive. He knew something incriminating about her and so she silenced him. It’s as simple as that.”
“That’s a load of nonsense, Teddy.”
“Everyone in town is talking about it, Cassie.”
Cassie tried to control her anger. She didn’t want to upset Teddy.
“What kind of detective are you? You can’t believe something just because the gossip mongers are saying it.”
“Come on, Cassie. I have solid information. I can’t tell you everything the police are privy to.”
“Are you talking about the autopsy report?” Cassie asked him. “What does it say about the cause of death?”
“Look, Cassie,” Teddy sighed. “The timing is highly suspicious. Don’t you see? This guy dies right after we reopen the investigation in your father’s death. He witnessed something at that time and Anna had to silence him.”
Cassie shook her head.
“You are wrong.”
“Forget about all this. When are you coming to dinner? My wife wants to know.”
“You’ve got some nerve,” Cassie huffed. “You think I’m going to come to your house after listening to all that rot about my mother?”
“I’m just doing my job, Cassie!”
Cassie stood up without a word and started jogging away from Teddy, ignoring his pleas to stop and hear him out. She was exhausted by the time she got home.
“What’s the matter?” Anna’s eyes shot up in alarm when she looked at Cassie’s defiant expression.
“Teddy thinks you are guilty. It’s like he doesn’t have a mind of his own.”
“Forget about that for now and come eat.”
Anna stood over a towering stack of fluffy pancakes bursting with blueberries. She fixed a plate for Cassie and urged her to calm down.
“Our problems aren’t going anywhere, sweetie.”
“I know that,” Cassie said, generously pouring maple syrup over her pancakes. “I’m going to meet Aunt Mary. I have a job for her.”
