Grey froze solid in place, going white and finally blood red. “Get in there,” he said, cursing as he shoved Ben in the back seat.
“You killed Hank,” Ben continued once they were on the road down to the waterfront. “Why?”
“I told you to shut up,” he ordered, pressing the gas. They made it to the pier, which was only two blocks away, quickly.
Soon, Grey had Ben out of the car and walking toward the cordoned off area.
“Why did you kill Hank? What did that poor old guy ever do to you?”
“Get on that boat,” he ordered, pushing the handcuffed man into the door.
Ben, not wanting to push the corrupt police chief’s temper, did as he was told and shakily climbed aboard. Grey was right behind him. “Take a seat.”
“Why? Are you going to kill me too? Did I learn too much about your scheme with Leland?”
“I said, sit down,” he shouted.
Ben sat as Grey got on the boat controls and started the engine. The breeze off the ocean was freezing, cutting right through Ben and into his ears. If he made it out of this alive, he would have a headache for sure.
In a matter of seconds, they were motoring out onto the water, using the boat’s engine instead of the sail.
“You’re a nosy little pest, you know that? Always have been.”
“Is that why you killed Hank? Did he get too nosy as well?”
“He knew too much and was threatening to expose us.”
“You and Leland you mean? I thought it was odd how he seemed to manage to push past so many legal signposts without so much as a hiccup. Have you been working behind the scenes to make sure everything for this resort goes through without a hitch?”
“Well, seeing as you’ve always failed in business, I doubt you’d understand.”
“You have been taking bribes to be his little errand boy, haven’t you? Don’t you realize that so many people in this community look up to you and respect you.”
“Admiration doesn’t pay the bills,” he snapped.
“You were sucking on a sucker this morning. It was from Leland’s office, wasn’t it? You left the wrapper in Hank’s truck after hiding it, by the way.”
“It doesn’t matter what you say. Soon you’ll be swimming with the fish.”
“And does Leland know you’re doing this? Killing me? Wouldn’t it be easier and safer to just have me go to jail? Plant evidence like you already did?” he questioned, hoping to make his captor more flustered than he already was.
“No, that won’t work. You’d still be alive. If you’re still alive, Cheryl would never give into finally marrying me.”
Ben was taken aback by this news but didn’t let it phase him too much. “Oh, so this is more of a personal thing. The original plan was to kill Hank and then frame me since he dropped Leland’s name to me. It would just ensure I was out of the way.”
“Yes, yes, that was the plan, but it isn’t good enough.”
“Not good enough for you, you mean. I bet Leland was even willing to keep me quiet by giving me a job and keeping me close, but you called him and insisted you would take care of it by arresting me and framing me for murder.”
“You sure think you’re smart for a guy who is about to be tossed overboard into freezing waters.”
“You’re making a mistake,” he said flatly.
“Oh, am I?”
“What happens when they ask where I am?”
“They won’t.”
“What if the police officer who saw us leaving starts saying things?”
“I’ll make sure he stays quiet.”
“What about my body? What happens when it washes up on shore with your police issued handcuffs on?”
He stopped the boat and stood up. “I’ve had about enough of you. It’ll be a pleasure to finally get rid of you once and for all.” He grabbed Ben and forced him to his feet.
His hands pushed him on the back, shoving him toward the edge.
Then just as he was about to tip over the edge, a huge beam of light shot across the water towards them. Ben shouted out, hitting the water with a gasp.
As he began to sink, he could see the flash of red and blue lights blurred through the water.
13
“How are you feeling?” a voice echoed through the fuzzy darkness. Hues of red, pink, and white seemed to dance in the distance. Where was he?
Blinking away his unconsciousness, Ben glanced up from his bed in the boarding house to see Cheryl sitting in the seat next to him. Looking around the room he saw that there were all sorts of Valentine’s decorations hanging up. “What happened?” he asked, trying to sort everything out in his mind.
“You almost drowned.”
A wave of images came back to his memory of flashing lights. “But I didn’t?”
“No, thankfully. The Coast Guard got to you in time.”
“Coast Guard? How did they know to come help me?” he wondered, sitting up in the bed. He recognized the decorations. They were the ones he’d purchased for the boat.
She looked down at her folded hands timidly. “That would be my doing.”
“Huh?”
“Well, you see, I came to the station the other evening. I knew you weren’t a killer and I thought maybe I could talk some reasoning into Grey. Right when I came in, the officer at the front desk notified me that you’d just been taken out by Grey through the back door.”
Ben smiled. “I thought that guy would help me out.”
“Anyway, I ran outside to see the police cruiser driving away. I followed and saw him force you onto the boat.” She shrugged. “That’s when I called the Coast Guard.”
“And Grey? What happened to him?”
“Behind bars. Over half of the crew on that Coast Guard boat watched him shove you over the edge. Between their eyewitness accounts and my own, the state police have intervened. Turns out your fingerprints weren’t on the weapon at all. It was fabricated by Grey.”
Sighing, Ben shook his head. “Sheesh. I know he was getting paid off by Leland, but why go to such extents?”
She hesitated but answered, “Because of me.”
Ben smirked sympathetically. “I knew that much already based on what he told me. I just still can’t understand being so entitled that you resort to murder to get something you want.”
“Not something. Someone. It’s so disgusting,” she grunted, “and Leland Drouse has been arrested as well, simply based on Grey’s testimony against him.”
“I guess he decided he wouldn’t go down alone.”
“Nope. I guess the state police have been trying to find grounds to bring Leland in for a while.”
Ben slumped back against the headboard. “Which is exactly why I didn’t want to work for him.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized.
“Oh, no. Don’t you worry about it. You were looking out for me when you suggested I go to that meeting with him. I’m glad I did too. Otherwise, I might never have figured out Grey was the killer before it was too late.”
“Well, I’m just glad you’re okay. The paramedics gave me the okay to care for you here at the house.”
“Thanks. The last thing I need is a big hospital bill,” he chuckled, looking around the room again. “Those are all the decorations from the boat, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, the ones I could get. The boat itself has been impounded by the police.”
“I see,” he said with a sigh. “There goes another idea down the drains.”
“Don’t worry about it, Ben. Next year, we’ll get a better boat and do the whole thing ourselves.”
“Ourselves?” he inquired, looking at her.
“Well, if you want help. I’ll help you.”
He reached out and touched her hand. “I’d love that.”
Glancing down at his hand touching hers, she looked him in the eye. “Before you got arrested you said you had something to tell me.”
Ben’s heart instantly leaped up into his throat again.
“Y-Yeah. About that.”
“What was it you wanted to say?”
Fear gripped his throat, almost keeping him from saying the words. It was now or never. “I was just going to say that I like you . . . romantically . . . not just as friends anymore. I don’t know what that would accomplish at the last second like that before I got arrested, but I just had to finally tell you.”
The room fell silent for a minute while he waited for her to answer. Finally, she leaned forward close to him. “It’s about dang time, Mr. Winters.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve always liked you, too. I’ve just always waited for you to be the gentleman and make the first move.”
“Are you serious?” he blurted out, hardly believing his ears. He’d wasted years of his life wondering when he could have just asked.
“So, all I have to say is, about time,” she chuckled.
Getting over the initial shock, Ben smiled. “Well, in that case, do you have a date for the Valentine’s Festival?”
Also by Carolyn Q. Hunter
Diner of the Dead Series
Book 1: The Wicked Waffle
Book 2: Battered and Buttered Waffle
Book 3: Sinister Strawberry Waffle
Book 4: The Wayward Waffle
Book 5: Pumpkin Pie Waffle
Book 6: Turkey and Terror
Book 7: Creepy Christmas Waffle
Book 8: Birthday Cake Waffle
Book 9: Spooky Sweetheart Waffle
Book 10: Eerie Irish Waffle
Book 11: Savory Spring Waffle
Book 12: Benedict Waffle
Book 13: Scary Sausage Waffle
Book 14: Murderous Mocha Waffle
Book 15: Red Velvet Waffle
Book 16: High Steaks Murder
Book 17: Hole In One Waffle
Book 18: Fireworks and Waffles
Book 19: Games, Ghouls and Waffles
Book 20: Waffling in Murder
The Wicked Waffle Series
Book 1:Hot Buttered Murder
Book 2: Bacon Caramel Murder
Book 3: Thanksgiving Waffle Murder
Book 4: Christmas Waffle Caper
Book 5: Buckaroo Waffle Murder
Book 6: Wedding Waffle Murder
Book 7: Cactus Waffle Murder
Book 8: Zombie Waffle Murder
Book 9: A Very Catty Murder
Book 10: Halloween Waffle Murder
Pies and Pages Series
Book 1: Killer Apple Pie
Book 2: Killer Chocolate Pie
Book 3: Killer Halloween Pie
Book 4: Killer Thanksgiving Pie
Book 5: Killer Christmas Pie
Book 6: Killer Caramel Pie
Book 7: Killer Cocoa Pie
Book 8: Shamrock Pie Murder
Book 9: Killer Easter Pie
Book 10: Killer Cheesecake Tart
Book 11: Summer Smore Murder
Book 12: Maple Nut Murder
Book 13: Tea, Thyme, and Murder
Book 14: A Harvest of Murder
Book 15: Perfectly Pumpkin Killer
Book 16: Killer Acorn Pie
Book 17: Killer Chocolate Pecan Pie
Dead-End Drive-In Series
Book 1: Sisterly Screams
Book 2: Moans, Mummies and Murder
Book 3: Blue Eyed Doll
Book 4: Movies and Murder
The Cracked Mirror Series
Book 1: The Biker and The Boogeyman
Holiday Standalones
Hooked on Holidays
Author’s Note
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