“That’s great!” Jane said and then turned her attention to the bartender, a fifty-something woman named Donna, who came over to take their drink order. She had been working at the pub for what seemed like forever, and was one of her grandfather’s favorite people. Jane and Jake both ordered draft beers, an IPA made by a local brewery.
“Your grandfather was in last night. Told me he’d run away with me, whenever I was ready,” she chuckled.
“That sounds like Gramps.” Her grandfather loved to flirt with all the waitresses and bartenders at the pub. “Was David with him?”
“Yes, they both had the Fenway.”
Her grandfather and cousin David had a standing pizza date. Just about every week, they came for buy-one-get-one pizza at the pub.
“Pizza?” Jake asked as Donna handed them menus.
“Definitely.” They discussed what kind to get and settled on the Fenway, too, which was sausage, pepper and onion, named after Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
As they sipped their beers and waited for their pizza, Jane filled him in on her latest trip to Mumford.
“So, you talked to Lanny? But you don’t think he’s involved?” he asked and looked somewhat surprised.
Jane hesitated before saying, “Well, I don’t know for sure, of course. But, he was just so friendly. It was hard to picture him harassing Samantha, let alone killing her.”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “Ted Bundy was handsome, and charming.”
“That’s true.” He did have a point. Ted Bundy was one of the all-time worst serial killers.
“I’ve heard he’s a good-looking guy and that the ladies seem to like him. That doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous. Lanny’s in the Irish mob. He’s not a good guy,” Jake insisted.
“I suppose,” Jane agreed reluctantly. Intellectually, she knew that Jake was right, but she’d found Lanny so likable and attractive. Not that she was interested—she wasn’t. But, she could still appreciate and enjoy the attention of a charming, attractive man.
Maxine and Chester had ordered pizza, too. Theirs smelled delicious when Donna set it down in front of them, and Jane’s stomach growled. She didn’t have to wait long, though. A few minutes later, their pizzas arrived, too, and they dug in. Trivia started just as they finished eating and for the next hour, they had fun playing. There was always a break halfway through the game and that’s when Jane tried to talk to Maxine again.
“How’d the first half go for you?” she asked.
“So-so. I don’t expect we’ll have a repeat performance of last week unless we have an amazing second half. What about you two?”
“We did okay. It really all comes down to the last question I think?”
“So true,” Maxine agreed and then a moment later said, “You know, it just occurred to me. You run that coffee shop right? Comfort something or other?”
“Yes, Comfort & Joy.”
“Well, I don’t know if you’ve thought of expanding, but Chester has decided to sell the B & B. I just put the listing up today.”
That was a surprise. “Really? I hadn’t been thinking about expanding. Why is he selling?”
Chester heard the question and leaned forward to answer. “It’s too much work. I just don’t have time for it.”
“But, I thought you and Samantha were fighting over it?”
Chester chuckled. “That’s what people do when they get divorced. Neither wants to give anything up.”
“What are you asking for it?” Jane asked out of curiosity.
Maxine mentioned a figure that almost caused Jane’s jaw to drop.
“That’s a bit too rich for my blood,” she said with a smile. She never would have guessed that the B & B was worth so much.
“It’s a really good price,” Maxine insisted. “We priced it for a quick sale.”
The ‘we’ caught Jane’s attention. Was she referring to the two of them as a couple? Or was she just talking in her capacity as a realtor?
“What will you do when it sells?” Jane asked. She wondered if Chester was planning on leaving the area.
“We are going to take one heck of a vacation,” Chester said with a smile. “Then, we were thinking of maybe buying a place in Florida.”
“That’s nice. Will you be moving there, then? Or just a second home?”
“We’re not sure,” Maxine answered, which surprised Jane.
“Have the two of you been dating long?” Jane asked.
“It’s been what, about three months, honey?” Maxine asked Chester, who immediately shot her a warning look.
“Oh, silly me, three weeks. We’ve just been friends forever, though.”
“Of course. Well, a trip and a Florida house sounds wonderful to me.” She glanced at Jake who had been listening to the exchange with interest and then added, “I have to admit, I wish I was in a position to be able to buy the B & B. It would go well with the shop.”
Maxine’s eyes lit up. “There’s all kinds of loan programs available, you know.”
Jane smiled. “I know. I got one when I opened Comfort & Joy. It hasn’t even been a year yet, so I can’t imagine they’d consider giving me that much more money. In a few years, maybe.”
“Ah, well, if you think of anyone, please send them my way.”
“I’ll do that.”
The second half started, and Jane and Jake both ordered another beer and focused on the game again. As before, it came down to the final question and once again they came in second place, though first place went to a different team this time.
“Congrats on second place!” Maxine said as Chester reached for their bill. Everyone seemed to clear out of the pub as soon as trivia ended and they were no exception. Jake had already asked for and paid the bill, refusing, once again to let Jane contribute.
“Maybe you can treat next time,” he said as they walked out to the car.
“I won’t come again, unless you let me,” Jane said with a smile, and she meant it.
Once they were in the car and buckled up, Jake started the engine and as they drove off, Jane asked, “So what did you think of the conversation in there?”
“I’m not sure. Obviously, the two of them started their relationship long before Samantha died. But does mean they had anything to do with her death? I didn’t hear anything to suggest that.”
“I didn’t, either. They’re definitely guilty of cheating, but does that mean they killed her? It seems like a reach to me, and we don’t have any kind of evidence to tie either of them to it.”
“We’ll just have to keep digging until we uncover something that will tie someone to it,” Jake said. “Piece of cake, right?
Jane chuckled. “Right.” As Jake pulled into the driveway, she said, “I could actually go for a piece of cake. Would you like one?”
“You have cake?”
“I always have cake. I’m often testing new recipes at home, then make them for customers in the shop. Do you like chocolate?”
“Who doesn’t?”
“I have a double-chocolate fudge cake with orange cream frosting.”
“I’m in,” Jake said as he parked and cut the engine.
They went in and Misty came running to greet them. But once she saw Jake and realized that Jane had company, she turned around and walked away with her tail held high.
“She’s a bit of a snob,” Jane apologized as Jake came into the kitchen and took a seat at the small island counter while Jane got the cake out of the refrigerator. She sliced two pieces and then slid one to him.
Jake took a big bite and then said nothing. Nothing at all, until he reached for a second bite and said, “This is amazing. Amazing!”
“Thanks.” Jane took a bite of her piece and smiled. She had to agree with his assessment. It was an excellent cake.
“Do you want coffee or tea or something else with it?” she offered.
Jake had practically licked his plate clean. It was spotless.
“No, I’m good. I should head out.
Big day tomorrow.”
“Oh, okay.” Jane walked him to the front door and he looked like he was going to say goodbye, but instead he pulled her toward him, leaned over and gave her a quick, firm kiss on the lips. Then he grinned.
“Good night, Jane.”
Jane simply nodded, feeling in a bit of a daze because he completely took her by surprise. She hadn’t seen a kiss coming at all.
Misty reappeared and rubbed against her leg, meowing loudly for attention. Jane reached down to pet her and muttered to herself, “I guess it was a date.”
24
“So it was a date!” Melissa exclaimed after Jane filled her in the next morning at the shop. It was very early, before they opened and the two of them were in the kitchen cooking and baking for the day ahead.
“I’m not so sure about that. But I certainly wouldn’t mind if it was,” Jane said with a smile. She’d smiled to herself more than once since Jake left the night before. She’d always been attracted to Jake, but didn’t think he’d ever really noticed her that way. She also realized that Jake must have completely ruled her out as a possible suspect as well, which was a relief. Plus, he wasn’t officially heading up the investigation anymore, so maybe that’s why he did it. She was just glad that he did, and hoped that it could be the start of something.
“What are you up to tonight?” Melissa asked. “Did Jake ask you out again?”
Jane frowned for a moment. “No, he didn’t mention anything about going out again.”
“Oh, no worries. I’m sure he will. I’m thinking about going to the movies tonight, to see that new romantic comedy. You want to join me?”
“I’d love to, but I told Nick I’d go to a party with him.” It had sounded intriguing when he mentioned it the other day, especially if lamb meatballs might be involved, but Jane was no longer all that eager to go. Even though Boston was less than twenty miles away, it still usually took at least forty-five minutes to get there because of traffic, sometimes even longer. Going there on a weeknight made for a long day, considering how early she had to be up.
“Where is it at?” Melissa asked.
“At the Top of the Hub, one of the large function rooms at the Skywalk Observatory.”
“I had dinner once at the Top of the Hub. The views were amazing.” Jane had been there once for dinner, too, when she and Nick were dating. The restaurant was on the top floor of the Prudential Center, one of the landmark buildings in Boston and one of the tallest, with fifty-two floors.
“I’m sure it will be fun,” Jane said. She would just have to get a second wind, maybe have an extra cup of coffee before she left for the day.
“Are you and Nick getting back together?” Melissa asked. She looked confused and given what Jane had just said about Jake, she couldn’t blame her.
“No, it’s not a date. It’s a work thing for him and I’m just doing him a favor by going. He wants my opinion on a case he’s working on. There’s some people there he wants me to talk to.”
“Oh, okay, then. Good.” Melissa smiled and then added, “I like you and Jake together.”
* * *
Soon after they opened, Gramps, Carl and Eddie came in for their usual coffees and muffins. Once they were all seated, Gramps came back to the counter and waited until Janie finished serving a customer. There was no one else waiting in line at the moment and Gramps looked excited about something.
“Janie, you busy right after work today?” he asked.
“I’m busy later tonight, but I’m free right after work. What’s up?”
“I’m taking you for a ride. There’s something you gotta see.”
“What is it?’
“You’ll see. I’ll fill you in later. You’re too busy now,” he said as a group of customers walked in.
“Well, you’re certainly being mysterious, but okay. I’ll be ready to go at four o’clock.”
“I’ll be here.”
* * *
At four o’clock sharp, Gramps walked in the front door.
“Ready to go?” He had a gleam in his eye.
“I’m ready.” Jane locked the door behind her and followed Gramps to his car and climbed in.
“So, on the way over this morning, I saw something interesting. I took the scenic route, to change things up a bit, and drove along the waterfront. I noticed a new house going up. Looks like it’s going to be a big one, right on the water. I slowed down to get a good look and saw something that surprised the heck out of me.”
“What’s that?”
“That Chester guy, Maxine and Lanny were all there together. They were looking at the house and Maxine was writing something down. Then they walked along the edge of the foundation, all around the house. Looked like they were in deep conversation about something. Made my something-is-off radar go on.”
“Interesting that they know Lanny,” Janie said, wondering what the significance of that relationship was, if anything.
“Here it is. Looks like it is going to be a beauty. Location can’t be beat, anyway.” Gramps slowed the car to a stop. No one was there, so he pulled into the driveway.
“Let’s check it out.” Gramps was out of the car before Jane could even respond. She got out of the car and walked over to where he was standing, looking out at the sea. The property looked like it would be impressive. There was nothing there but the foundation, but it was large and the lot was oversized and lovely, sloping down to the ocean. It was a corner lot, so most of the rooms would have water views.
He walked over to a stake in the ground that had a permit nailed to it. They both leaned in to get a closer look. The owners were listed as both Maxine Underwood and Chester Sellers and the construction company was Chester’s.
“So they’re building a house together. That’s pretty serious, and expensive. No wonder Chester wants to sell the B & B. This can’t be cheap.”
“Maybe Samantha’s life insurance policy was bigger than we thought?” Gramps wondered.
“But where does Lanny figure into this?” Strange that he knows them. Maybe one of his businesses is real estate or construction related.” Jane said.
“So, it might not mean much of anything. But, I thought it was kind of interesting. Especially when I saw the three of them together,” Gramps said as they walked back to the car.
“It is kind of strange. Neither one of them seem to be grieving much for Samantha,” Jane commented.
“We’re on for tomorrow night, right?” Gramps asked as they drove off.
“Gambling in Mumford? Yes, I’m actually looking forward to it.” Jane had to admit she enjoyed playing blackjack, and she was most curious to talk to Lanny again and see if she could find out a bit more about his other businesses.
“Good, because Carl has been talking about it all week. I think he enjoys it a little too much, if you know what I mean.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him. You can cut him off if he gets out of hand.”
“Oh, you can count on that,” Gramps said with a chuckle.
25
Jane stared at her closet, willing the perfect outfit to reveal itself. Finally, she settled on her go-to fancy dress. It was a classic, little black dress, sleeveless, with an elegant boat-neck and low-cut in the back. It was cocktail length and slimming as it hugged her body and made her waist look smaller. She paired it with black patent leather, open-toed heels, a tennis bracelet and diamond stud earrings that her mother had given her for her college graduation years ago. She blew her hair straight, kept her makeup simple except for a fire-engine red lipstick, a color that made her feel happy.
She drove into Boston and parked at the Prudential Center parking garage. Nick had said they would meet for a drink first at the Top of Hub bar and then go to the party on the SkyWalk. When she walked into the bar, Nick was already there, sipping a dirty martini and gazing around the room. He smiled when he saw her and she walked over and gave him a hug.
“You look fantastic,” he said appreciatively.
He looked
good himself, as he always did. Nick wore a business suit well. Today, he was in charcoal gray with a red tie and crisp, white shirt.
“So do you. Where’s Liza?”
“She should be here any minute. Have you met Ben before? I’ll be sure to introduce you as soon as I see him.”
“No, I haven’t had the pleasure. Does he know that his stepfather is having him and his brother investigated?”
Nick shook his head. “No, all he knows is that I agreed to take on his father’s case, and to file an appeal. He said he’ll do whatever he can to help.” He raised his eyebrows at that.
“What, you don’t think he’s sincere?”
“Just wait until you meet him. Let’s just say the apple doesn’t seem to fall far from the tree. The only question is who is more of a criminal, him or his brother?”
“You don’t think Alex Drummond is just blowing smoke? He really thinks one of his sons was behind those murders?”
“He really does. He made it sound quite reasonable, actually.”
“He’s a good salesman,” Jane agreed.
“Liza’s here!” Nick said. Jane turned to see Liza Armstrong making her way toward them. Jane liked Liza. They had worked together a few times on bigger cases. The older woman was very thorough and analytical. She didn’t miss much. She had learned a few things from Liza during her time with the firm.
“Jane, it’s so great to see you!” Liza gave her a big hug.
“Liza, what are you drinking?” Nick asked.
“Um, a cosmo I guess,” Liza said, and a minute later, the bartender handed her a pretty, pink martini.
“Ladies, shall we?” Nick led the way to the SkyWalk Observatory and the large function room where the party was being held.
The room was already buzzing when they walked in. Moments later, a server came by with a tray of beef wellington bites and they all took one. A few more servers came by with appetizers as they stood near a window, admiring the breathtaking, wraparound view of Boston. From their vantage point, they could see all of the Back Bay and from the Commons and Public Gardens to the financial district, Boston Harbor and the airport beyond. It was dizzying, being so high up and seeing so much.
Motive Page 9
