Shrimply Sublime Murder

by Patti Benning

  He paled. “Oh. Wow. That’s terrifying. Um, thanks for letting me in. I wouldn’t want to be stuck out there.”

  “You almost gave us heart attacks,” Rose said.

  “I should have remembered that your shift started soon.” Ellie sighed, looking around. “We’re closed right now, but if you still want your hours, you can stay and help me reorganize the kitchen. We need to do inventory, see how many plates and glasses need replacing, and make sure we’re not running low on any spices or seasonings.”

  “I’d rather help out in here then go back out there,” Jacob said, shooting a glance toward the door. “Count me in.”

  They spent the next two hours going through the kitchen, deep cleaning the shelves and cupboards and doing inventory on the things that they only needed to replenish once or twice a year. They always ended up breaking a few plates and glasses each month; it was just one of the hazards of working in a restaurant, and sometimes the number snuck up on Ellie and they found themselves running low.

  Ellie occasionally took a break from the kitchen and slipped into the dining area to look out the big window. The town was eerily deserted. It was a nice summer day. Normally, the sidewalks would be full of people window shopping and walking around. But now, there wasn't a person in sight. The occasional car drove by, but that was the only sign of life. She watched as a police cruiser slowly drove past the restaurant. She was itching to know more about what happened, but that would have to wait until later that evening. She knew Russell would tell her what he could when they got home, but for now she was stuck not knowing much more than anyone else.

  Ms. White had been killed. She was still struggling to wrap her mind around that. Ms. White had been an elderly woman who had owned and worked at the florist shop in town. Ellie hadn't known her well, but she had spoken to her couple of times. The woman had even come to one of her small business meetings once, though Ellie had stopped doing those around the holidays.

  And now whoever had killed her was on the loose. She shivered and turned back to the kitchen. At least she wasn't there alone, and she had to admit that it felt nice to be getting some of this stuff done. The knowledge that she and her employees were safe would have to be good enough for now.

  Chapter Three

  Russell met her at the pizzeria later that evening. He had offered to have Bethany meet her there earlier and drive home with her to check the house out, but she had declined. The thought of waiting at home alone wasn't a good one, and she was already perfectly comfortable in the pizzeria. She had as much food as she could eat, freshly made lemonade, and a work tablet that she could use to check on emails with Linda after they finished with the kitchen. Once she got the call that Russell was on his way, Rose and Jacob decided to head over to Rose's apartment together. Jacob promised to make sure she got there safely before heading home to his own place. Ellie was glad; there was no way she would be comfortable with Rose going home to an empty apartment with everything that was going on. She asked them both to text her once they were home safely, and promised to tell them anything about the case that she could share with them the next day.

  Russell parked outside of the front door and walked up to the pizzeria. Ellie met him outside. He looked tired, and she could tell by his expression that they hadn’t had any luck with the killer yet.

  “Sorry this took so long,” he said.

  “It's fine,” she said. “I'd be getting home about now on a normal day anyway.”

  “Hold on,” he said as she approached her car. “Let me check it out.”

  He peered through the back window, illuminating the interior of her car with a flashlight to make sure that no one was lying in wait for her, then gave her the all clear. “I'll follow you home, then we’ll make sure the house is secure together,” he said.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  She was glad that she had decided to wait for Russell. She didn’t even feel a flicker of apprehension as they walked into the dark house together. The dogs greeted them at the front door, and Ellie waited in the kitchen while Russell did a quick search of the interior. She knew he tended to be overly cautious, but she was not one to complain about it. He had plenty of reason to be worried, and she would never begrudge him for wanting to keep them safe.

  At last he determined the house was secure and made sure the doors and windows were all locked. Ellie had spent the time getting dinner ready – homemade tacos, leftover from the night before – and he helped her finish setting the table. She wasn't very hungry; she, Rose, and Jacob had snacked on pizza throughout the day, but she still she made herself a small taco and munched on it while Russell filled his plate. He ate like a starving man, and didn't even pause for conversation until he reached for seconds.

  “Sorry,” he said. “We skipped lunch. I'm sure you want to hear more about what happened, though.”

  “Whenever you’re ready, there’s no rush. I’m just happy to be home.”

  “Unfortunately, I don't really have much to tell. We spent most of the day searching for the killer. Poor Ms. White was found dead on arrival. The crime scene technicians took over after I got a look around. Liam was the first responder to the scene, and he’s the one who decided to get Benton Harbor involved with the manhunt. I can’t believe that even after all of that, we still had no luck finding the guy.”

  “You said that you had reason to believe that he may have another target. Why? Did he leave a note or something?”

  Her husband sighed, then nodded. “Yes. It was written in the victim's blood. It said, ‘She is only the first.’ We immediately put a couple of officers on her family in case they were the next targets. We questioned some of her close family members but they didn't seem to know of anyone who might have been out to get her. We aren't sure who the other targets might be if it turns out her family isn’t among them. We need to catch this guy before he strikes somewhere else.”

  “You will,” Ellie said. “I know you will.”

  “I wish I could be as certain as you are,” he said. “If we don't catch them, then whatever happens is my fault.”

  “Of course it's not,” she said. “It's not your fault that someone decided to commit murder. And it's not going to be your fault if they do it again. I know you’re going to do your best to try to find them, and that's all anyone can expect you to do.”

  “If only one of us had been patrolling that street this morning,” he said. “Or if we had managed to get there a little bit sooner, to get the roadblocks up earlier. We looked all over town for him, Ellie. We put out an APB. Nothing. He could be anywhere.”

  “People know to look out for him now,” Ellie pointed out. “He won't have an easy job of it next time, if there is a next time.”

  “Once he gets a change of clothes and cleans up, no one will be able to spot him. The only description we have is very vague. It could match half the guys in this town.”

  “People will be careful.”

  “For a little while,” he said. “What happens if he doesn't strike again for days? Weeks? I just need to figure out who this guy is before someone else gets hurt.”

  “I'm sure you, Liam, and Bethany can figure it out,” she said, placing her hand over his. “For now, let's get some ice cream and go watch something on TV. I think we could both use some time to unwind.”

  Ellie wasn't wrong; they both needed a chance to relax and reset after the crazy day they had had. The ice cream and the rerun of a familiar show made Ellie feel more calmer and more comfortable. She was certain that everything would work out; after all, she had every faith in her husband's ability to do his job.

  Russell, on the other hand, just seemed to get more and more tense as the evening went on. When he noticed her looking at him, he gave her a rueful grin. “I just keep going over everything I could have done differently today,” he said. “Sorry. I know I'm not being great company right now.”

  “It's okay,” she said, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. “I don't blame you. Should
we go to bed? Tomorrow is a new day, and who knows, maybe the killer will march right in and confess to everything.”

  He chuckled. “I can't deny it, that would be nice.” He sat up and offered her his hand, pulling her up from the couch. Ellie clicked off the TV, then turned to head upstairs for the night with her husband.

  Chapter Four

  Ellie woke up while it was still dark out. The bed beside her was empty, and she could hear Russell moving around somewhere else in the room.

  “What time is it?” she muttered.

  “Not quite seven,” he said. “I'm heading in early to see if there's been any progress on the case. You can go back to sleep.”

  “No, it's okay,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I'll get you breakfast. Do you want breakfast?”

  She heard him chuckle softly. “I was just going to grab a piece of toast or something. Don't worry about it, Ellie.”

  “No, I can make you breakfast.” She got up, yawned, and flicked on the bedroom light. It was a couple hours before she usually woke up, but she had been telling the truth when she told Russell she didn't mind. He had a stressful day ahead of him, and she knew she may not see him again until late that evening. Waking up a little bit early to make breakfast and spend some time with him was well worth it.

  In the kitchen, she got out the bread and stuck a couple of slices in the toaster, then grabbed a couple more slices to make a sandwich for Russell's lunch, not wanting to give him an excuse to skip the meal again. She put together a turkey, cheese, and lettuce sandwich and zipped it up inside a sandwich bag, then took the two slices of toast and buttered them before sprinkling cinnamon sugar over the top. She made a couple more slices for herself and handed Russell his just as he came downstairs.

  “Cinnamon sugar toast,” she said. “And I made you something for lunch too.”

  “Thanks,” he said, pausing to kiss her. “I'll let you know if we make any progress. Sorry to just eat and run like this.”

  “Don't apologize,” she said. “Just go catch that guy. We’ll all rest easier once he's behind bars.”

  Once Russell was gone, she ate her own toast and went through her morning routine, letting the dogs out, brushing her teeth, and getting ready for the day. She had more time than usual, so she settled down in the office and pulled up her computer. She had told Linda, the manager at the Florida pizzeria, what had happened the day before, and her friend had already sent reply asking for an update. Ellie wrote one out quickly, telling her friend what Russell had told her about the case.

  She felt a moment of envy for the other woman down in Florida. Things were going great at the pizzeria down there, and Linda didn't have to worry about a serial killer bursting through the doors at any second. Not to mention the beaches. Maine’s beaches were a far cry from the groomed sandy expanses by Miami. She was planning on visiting again, but not until fall when Nonna returned to the retirement community.

  Thoughts of Nonna made her realize with sudden guilt that she hadn't told her grandmother what happened. She knew the older woman would be up, so she used the intercom system to call over to the other house.

  “Hey, Ellie,” the older woman said. Ellie could hear a high-pitched yapping in the background. “I know, I know, I'm getting you your food, Amie.”

  “Sorry, were you in the middle of something?”

  “Oh, just getting myself and the dog our breakfast. Is everything all right? You're up early.”

  “I know. I'm fine, but I've got a lot to tell you.”

  “Why don’t you come over and eat with me? I’ll put some coffee on.”

  “That sounds perfect. Let me throw something other than my pajamas on, and I’ll head right over.”

  A few minutes later, she was sitting at her grandmother’s kitchen table, a steaming mug of coffee in front of her, and a happy chihuahua sniffing her ankle.

  Even though she and Russell had lived in their own home for nearly a year, Ellie still felt a sense of peace whenever she walked into Nonna's house. It had been her first home in Kittiport, and still held a special place in her heart.

  It hadn't changed much since she had moved out. The furniture was all the same, and though the paint had been refreshed, the colors were the same. The biggest difference was Nonna’s tiny dog, Amie. The little dog was about half the size of Bunny, Ellie's papillon, and Ellie just couldn't get over how minuscule she was.

  She told her grandmother all about what had happened the day before while she sipped her coffee, not leaving anything out. It felt good to get everything off her chest.

  “I don't know how you manage to lead such an exciting life,” Nonna said when she was done. “Are you safe at your house, dear? Do you want to stay here in the evenings until Russell gets home?”

  “I think I’ll be fine,” Ellie said. “Russell said he doesn't have any reason to believe that the killer is targeting him or me, and I trust his judgment. But of course my tone might change later tonight when it’s dark and I’m coming home to an empty house.”

  The older woman chuckled. “Ellie, you know that you are always welcome to come over.”

  “I know. Sorry I haven't managed to get over here for the past couple of days. How are you doing?”

  “Compared to your life, mine has been perfectly peaceful,” Nonna said. “Water therapy is going well, and I’ve been going out to lunch with my friends a couple of times a week. I have to say, though, I do miss Florida sometimes.”

  “Do you think you're going to keep living six months in each place?”

  “For now,” Nonna said. “As long as I can manage the traveling.”

  “That makes sense,” Ellie said. “I can't complain. It's nice having an excuse to fly down there to visit you in the winter.”

  “You don't really need one, not with the store,” her grandmother pointed out.

  “Well, at least it makes traveling for business more fun.” She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.

  “You look tired, dear. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to bed?”

  “No. I don't think I'd be able to get to sleep. I’m worried about Russell.”

  “I thought you said that he didn't think that the killer was after him or you?”

  “He doesn't, but he is still in danger since he's on the case. If he corners the guy, there's no telling what could happen. It's not just that, though. If they don't catch the killer before he strikes again, I'm afraid Russell is going to blame himself. He won't listen to me when I say it's not his fault. He has this terrible habit of holding himself responsible for everything.”

  “I know,” Nonna said, sighing. “He's a man who takes his responsibility seriously. That's a good thing, but if it goes too far, he's just going to end up driving himself crazy.”

  “I don't know how to help him if this goes bad,” Ellie said.

  “Just do whatever you've been doing,” her grandmother said softly. “He knows you love him and that you think highly of him. Even if he doesn't catch the killer before something else happens, you'll be there for him, and I think that's important for him. The two of you support each other, and that’s not something that everyone has.”

  “I just hope it's enough,” Ellie said.

  She left her grandmother's house shortly before she had to start heading in to work. She stopped back at her house to let the dogs out a final time and say her goodbyes to them and to Marlowe, the greenwing macaw she had inherited from her grandfather.

  On her way to town, she eyed the ocean, wondering if she would have any time to visit the marina this weekend. The weather the past week had been almost perfect, and she was itching to get out and enjoy the sun a little bit. The winter had been long and cold, and now that it was over, she wanted to make the most of it.

  She was halfway to town when her cell phone rang. She routed the call through the car’s Bluetooth system and hit the answer button.

  “Hey,” she said, glancing at the caller ID on her screen. It was Russell.

  “El
lie, I'm on my way to the hospital in Barton Harbor. Your friend Joanna has been attacked.”

  All of her good feelings about the day vanished in the blink of an eye. Her blood turned to ice and she gripped the steering wheel. “What happened?”

  “We believe the suspect is the same man who killed Ms. White yesterday,” he said. “She’s going to be okay, but I thought I’d let you know in case you wanted to come visit her. Her husband is out-of-town for work right now and is on his way back, but it will be a couple of hours.”

  “Of course I'll come and sit with her,” Ellie said. “I’ll call Pete and let him know he will have to open on his own today. How is she? Is she… is she badly hurt?”

  “She'll be fine,” Russell said. “She was attacked with a knife, and got a couple scratches, but after some stitches and some antibiotics, she’ll be as good as new. She also got a knock on her head, so they're keeping her for observation for a bit. We've got an officer posted on her floor already, but I don't want to leave her there alone, and I thought of you.”