by Lena Gregory
The woman threw her arms around Tank’s neck, and he lifted her off the ground in a big bear hug.
Oh, boy. “Okay, that doesn’t prove anything.”
Bee stared at her, mouth agape.
“I’m serious.”
“Sorry, Cass, no one cheats on my friends.” He strode toward Tank once more.
There was no stopping him this time, so Cass settled for running beside him, trying to keep up and concentrating on breathing. How in the world he stayed in such good shape with the amount of fast food he ate, she’d never know.
The woman walked away, and Tank looked after her, smiling and shaking his head.
When he finally turned to walk away, he spotted Bee and frowned. After one quick glance in the woman’s direction, he started toward Bee and Cass.
As soon as he got close enough, Bee plowed a finger into Tank’s chest. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Tank backpedaled. He opened his mouth, but snapped it closed again just as quickly. He clenched his teeth and fisted his hands at his sides.
Bee didn’t give him a chance to say anything, even if he’d wanted to. “Stephanie is the best thing that ever happened to you, and this is how you repay her? I don’t think so, mister. Now, you can just break it off with that hussy, and go home and apologize and beg for Stephanie’s forgiveness, or you can stand here with that stupid grin on your face, and you and me are going to go at it.” Bee lifted his fists and crouched in a not-half-bad fighter’s stance he must have seen on TV.
Cass had been so busy watching Bee that she hadn’t even noticed the ear-to-ear grin Tank wore before Bee pointed it out.
Bee’s face reddened, and a vein in his forehead throbbed. She’d never seen him so angry. She thought about stepping in, but she was afraid he’d take a swing at any moment and she’d get decked.
“Look, Bee . . .” Tank lifted his hands. “I apologize.”
“Not to me, you jerk, to Stephanie.”
“No, I apologize to you.” He dropped one hand to his hip and rubbed the other over his hair, his gaze focused on Bee’s platform shoes, then he sighed and lifted his gaze. “I apologize for judging you without getting to know you, for not seeing what a good friend you are.”
Bee lowered his hands but still stood his ground. He’d waited a long time for Tank’s acceptance.
“This is not what you think, but you are an amazing and loyal friend to Stephanie, and to me, and that means a lot.” He studied Bee for another moment. “And now I have to ask you a favor.”
26
Cass walked along the beach toward Mystical Musings. She’d had to leave Beast home so he wouldn’t step on any broken glass. Hopefully, he’d behave.
The insurance company had already assessed the damage, and Tank had called and said she could go back in and start to clean up. And she only had four days to do it if she was going to pull off the party she was planning for Saturday night. She smiled to herself. That was just what she needed, a night spent with friends and no worries. And they had plenty to celebrate, starting with Cass’s vow to stay out of police investigations.
A piece of driftwood caught her eye, and she picked it up and ran her finger along its smooth surface.
She felt bad about not spending more time with Luke over the weekend, but once again, life had interfered. Oh, well, nothing to be done about that. Maybe Stephanie or Bee could be talked into watching Beast for a weekend and she could take the ferry over and visit him. Then she’d get a chance to wear the little black dress that now hung in her closet.
Thankfully, no more visions had plagued her since Kelly had appeared to Artie Becker. Maybe his apology had satisfied her. A memory of the overwhelming sense of fear she’d experienced during the reading came back in full force. Or maybe Kelly was too terrified to return.
Cass tossed the driftwood aside and brushed off her hands.
The art gallery’s back door stood open, so she headed up the beach. She’d invite Leighton to the party, then head to Mystical Musings. Tank had said the damage was confined to the window, which was boarded up and would be replaced the next day, and one wall of shelves. The insurance company would pay for someone to come in and clean up the glass, but she wanted to see if anything could be salvaged first.
She lifted her hand to knock on the open door.
A man’s angry voice made her pause. “. . . had it last, Leighton.”
“You were sleeping with her.” Leighton’s voice was calm and ice-cold. “That wasn’t part of the deal.”
“I told you, I had no choice.”
She snorted. Very unladylike, though Cass couldn’t blame her if that was her fiancé she was arguing with and he’d cheated on her.
Cass started to back away. She’d just leave them to their argument and come back later.
“That’s it, Leighton. I’ve had it.” Something shattered.
Leighton screamed.
Cass’s insides tightened up, and she froze, then crept back to the gallery. No way could she leave a woman in danger. She would not get involved, but she could just sneak a peek and make sure Leighton was okay, then back out and call the police if she needed help.
“I want it, and I want it now.”
Cass peeked through the back door. The door to the gallery stood partway open, but she couldn’t see past it. She ducked behind the center island and crept closer.
“Oh, please. How can you be so sure she was even wearing it?” Leighton sounded a little more frazzled than she had before.
“Because she never took it off!”
“Whatever. I don’t have time for this, Vincent. I don’t know where the necklace is, and the engagement is off. And you are not getting the ring back.”
“That necklace is worth a fortune. I don’t care about the ring.”
“Nice. Glad our engagement meant so much to you.”
Cass peered around the corner, getting a good view of the gallery’s interior and Vincent DiSilva’s rigid posture as he confronted Leighton.
“I have asked you repeatedly, and every time you either blow me off or come up with another excuse. I tolerated it, because I figured I could find the necklace on my own. But I am about out of patience. There’s nowhere left to look, and you were the only other person who knew about it.” He pointed his finger an inch from her face and started moving forward. “This is the last time I’m going to ask, Leighton, and then you’re going to wind up right next to Kelly. She never took that necklace off, said her father gave it to her, and it was special. He told her to keep it hidden so her mother wouldn’t hock it for drug money. She wore it tucked beneath her shirt. Always. Other than when you were painting that portrait, which took me forever to talk her into posing with the necklace for, and even then she only agreed because that stupid old-fashioned getup she wore made the necklace look like a prop.”
Leighton backpedaled until she hit the counter. “Then she was probably buried with it.”
“She wasn’t. I just spoke to my brother. That stupid reporter he cozied up to told him there was no jewelry found with the body.”
“Oh, please. How would she know?”
“She talked to a cop, Leighton. Now, this is your last chance. This is the last place Kelly was, and she was wearing the necklace. Somewhere between here and her sandy grave, that necklace disappeared.”
“Maybe it fell off. Have you searched the beach?”
He stared at her, but didn’t say anything.
“I suggest you get yourself a metal detector and go search the beach between here and there before you come back in here making accusations.” Leighton shoved him back and shouldered past him, then rounded the counter and stood behind the register. “Now get out of my shop before I call the police.”
“Yeah, right.” His cruel laughter made Cass’s skin crawl. “I’ll be back tomorrow, after I search the bea
ch, and you’d better hope I find that necklace.”
She waved him off, and he stormed out of the shop.
Leighton watched him go, then slumped onto the counter. Her shoulders shook as she cried.
Cass resisted the urge to go to her and offer comfort. She obviously knew her fiancé had killed Kelly, yet she hadn’t reported it, even when questioned by the police. Cass wasn’t excusing what Leighton had done, but Leighton was clearly afraid of him. If she came forward now and told the police what she knew, maybe they’d go easy on her.
Cass backed around the island. She had to get out of there. She’d call Tank and let him decide how to handle it. When she reached the back door, she held her breath and peeked around the corner to make sure Vincent was gone. Running into him on the deserted beach was the last thing she needed.
“Cass?”
She jumped and spun toward Leighton’s voice. “Uh . . .”
“What are you doing here?”
Guilt had to be written all over her face. “I . . . uh . . .”
Leighton frowned and started toward her.
Cass hesitated. Confront her, or let it go? “I came to invite you to Harry’s retirement party. I’m having it at Mystical Musings on Saturday night.” She smiled, she hoped warmly, though her insides quivered. “Everyone will be there, so I figured you might like to come.”
Leighton studied her a moment longer, then smiled. “Sure. I’d love to come, but will you have the shop cleaned up in time?”
Cool as could be. Either she didn’t realize Cass had overheard her argument, or she was a much better liar than Cass.
“I hope so. I’m headed over there now to see how much damage there is.”
“Oh.” She eyed Cass for a second longer, then stepped back. “Come on in for a minute and let me lock up. Then I’ll take a walk over with you.”
Indecision beat at her, but in the end she followed Leighton into the shop. “I don’t think there’s much damage, just a lot of cleanup.”
“That shouldn’t be too hard then. Will you have time to get everything ready?”
Cass shrugged. Sweat trickled down her back, and she kept her distance as Leighton grabbed her keys from her bag and locked the front door. “I think so. I already spoke to Isabella Trapani, and she’ll cater it. Gina, from Tony’s Bakery, will make the desserts. So all I really have to do is set up and make coffee, which I do for the group readings every month, anyway.”
When Leighton turned and started for the back, Cass cut in front of her. As uncomfortable as she felt having Leighton at her back, she didn’t want her to make it to the door first. Then Cass would be trapped between the locked front door and Leighton.
She didn’t dare ignore the apprehension gnawing at her gut. She preceded Leighton out the back door and started down the walkway to the beach while Leighton locked up.
“Wait up.” Leighton hurried to her side, and they headed down the beach together.
She had to get help.
The air in front of Cass shimmered, and she slowed down. Great. Just what she needed.
A hazy figure of a man appeared down the beach, just before Mystical Musings.
Cass stopped and stared at the unexpected visitor.
“Cass? Are you okay?”
The figure held up a hand in a stop gesture.
“Cass?”
“Oh, uh . . . sorry. My mind wandered.”
Leighton frowned at her but resumed walking when Cass did.
The man winked out of existence.
“So, who else will be at the party?”
“Bee and Stephanie, Tank . . .” She’d called Luke and asked him to come, but he already had plans for the weekend. Something important, though he’d been in a hurry and hadn’t told her what. “Emmett and Sara. Have you met Emmett?”
“No. I haven’t had the pleasure yet.”
They had almost reached Mystical Musings when the figure appeared again. An older man with a full white beard and a fisherman’s cap, the brim pulled low over his eyes. Tattered clothing hung from his robust frame. He held up his hand again as if holding her back, or warning her away.
Sweat soaked her shirt and dripped down the sides of her face. Her heart hammered painfully against her ribs, and she could barely suck in a breath with the pressure on her chest.
She stood on the beach staring at the man, then let her gaze play over the back of the shop. The door was closed, but she couldn’t see in with the boards over the back window.
“Is something wrong?” A note of impatience had crept into Leighton’s tone.
“No, I . . . ummm . . . We should go around the front. There’s a ton of glass all over in the back.”
“Oh, right. You never said, did they catch whoever did it yet?”
She shook her head and rounded the shop, then pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I just have to call Bee and let him know I’m here. He was going to meet me here when I was ready.”
When Leighton didn’t protest, Cass dialed. No way would she put Bee in danger again.
Tank answered on the second ring. “Hey, Cass. What’s up?”
Her voice shook, but she couldn’t help it. “Hey, Bee. I just wanted to let you know I’m at the shop and ready to start cleaning up now if you want to come over.”
Leighton narrowed her eyes as she watched Cass.
Tank didn’t say anything at first. Had he understood? “Sorry, Cass, you got me, not Bee.”
“Yes, thanks. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Yes.”
“I’m on my way.”
Her hand shook as she disconnected, and she dropped the phone in the sand. “Great,” she muttered.
Leighton bent to retrieve the phone for her, and a heavy opal fell out from beneath her shirt and swung from the silver chain around her neck. She pulled a small gun from a holster on her ankle beneath her wide pant leg, then tossed the phone aside and looked around the deserted beach.
The shops hadn’t opened yet, and tourist season hadn’t started. Unless a jogger or a dog walker happened by, she and Leighton were alone.
“I’m sorry, Cass. I really am.”
“I don’t understand.” But she was terrified she actually did.
“Walk.” Leighton gestured ahead of her. “Around the shop and straight to the front door.”
Cass nodded and started walking. “Why are you doing this?”
“There’s no way you missed my conversation with Vincent.”
Probably best to just fess up. “No, I didn’t.”
“Then you understand why I can’t let you live. If it makes you feel any better, though, you were going to die, anyway. At first, I thought you were nothing more than a nuisance, that I could just scare you off. You actually proved to be a little more . . . adept than I gave you credit for. Couldn’t have dear, sweet Kelly giving you any tips that would lead you to her killer, now, could we? Now start walking. And don’t bother stalling. Bee can either get here in time to find your body, or he can get here early and join you. I don’t care either way.”
“Did you kill Kelly because Vincent was sleeping with her?”
“Stupid . . .” They reached the front steps and Leighton shoved her toward them.
Tank wasn’t going to make it in time.
“He actually thought I wouldn’t figure it out. He left her alone with me while I painted her portrait so he’d have a picture of that stupid necklace, wanted to show it to someone who’d know for sure how much it was worth. He was obsessed with that stupid thing. Did he really think she wouldn’t talk about her lover?”
The old fisherman appeared again, this time on the boardwalk to her left.
Cass started to reach into her pocket.
Leighton pressed the gun against the small of her bac
k. “What are you doing?”
“I-I-I . . .” She took a deep breath. “The key.”
Leighton stepped back. “Go ahead.”
Cass stuck her hand in her pocket. She gripped the small ring with the keys to her house and the shop, positioning the two keys between her fingers. She closed her fist over them, with the pointy ends sticking out, and watched Leighton’s reflection in the front window. She’d only have one chance—
Ice-cold wind whipped across the decking from her left.
Cass swung around, knocking the gun away with her left hand and plowing her fist and the keys into Leighton’s face. Without waiting for Leighton to recover, she dove over the deck railing and rolled underneath.
Tank’s car barreled around the corner into the parking lot and skidded to a stop in the gravel. He flung the door open and crouched behind it, gun aimed at Leighton. “Drop the gun. Now.”
Harry jumped out of the other side, gun drawn.
Cass crawled beneath the boardwalk decking. When she reached the edge closest to the parking lot, she stopped and tried to signal to Tank.
Leighton fired. A small spray of gravel in front of Tank’s car shot up.
“This is your last chance, Leighton. Drop the weapon.”
Cass held her breath. She could see Leighton’s feet in the spaces between the boards above her, but she couldn’t see what she was doing.
A police cruiser slammed on its brakes in the middle of the street, screeching to a stop before two officers jumped out, weapons drawn.
Leighton’s gun landed in the sand in front of Cass with a small thud.
Cass sat in the sand, her back pressed against the cool, concrete foundation of Mystical Musings. She pulled her knees up to her chest, lowered her head, and cried.
Footsteps pounded above her as the officers arrested Leighton.
Tank crawled under the decking and sat beside her. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“You really need to stop doing this to me, you know.” He put his arm around her and pulled her close.
