Fitness Witness

by Wendy Meadows

  “Somber?”

  “Depressing,” she said. “Everyone’s here as usual, except for, well, you know, for Tina. Gosh, I just can’t believe it happened in our gym.” She sniffed and drew a crumpled Kleenex from her pocket and dabbed at the end of her sharp nose. “Sorry, sorry. I’m just a bit emotional after what happened. I still can’t believe it. I –”

  “It’s okay.” Olivia placed her hand on the woman’s back and patted. “Everything will be okay.” She searched for a topic of conversation to ease the tension. “I’m surprised you’re operating, actually. I thought the cops would have you closed down for longer than this.”

  “Oh, they planned on it,” Vanessa said, and gave one final sniff. “But they decided to shut off just the dance hall. It’s sealed from both ends so no one can go in there.” She shuddered. “Not that anyone would want to after what happened.”

  “I see,” Olivia said, and scanned the half-empty center, the fitness machines standing silent and unused in most places. Except in two. Her eyebrows shot up. “Is that Fat Joe?”

  “Yes, he came back this afternoon. He’s been assigned a new trainer but he’s not too happy about it, I’ll tell you. He misses Tina. We all do.” She broke into another bout of sniffs and tissue dabbing.

  And beside Fat Joe, laboring along on a treadmill, was none other than Mike Cox, Tina’s neighbor. “And Mike too,” Olivia breathed. She’d had a feeling she should return to the fitness center, and that gut feeling had been correct once again.

  “What did you say?” Vanessa asked, and stowed her moist Kleenex.

  “Mike Cox,” she said. “He’s a friend. I didn’t know he worked out here.”

  “Yes, he was one of Tina’s clients. He wasn’t really friends with Joe before this happened, but I’ve noticed them hanging out together since. I wonder if they’re seeking comfort in these troubled times. I’ve got no one to talk to.”

  “I – sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s all right.”

  “You say they were Tina’s clients? For how long?”

  “Joe for months now, and Mike for even longer. I’m surprised they stuck it out this long,” Vanessa said, then went pale. “Oh, I’ve said too much. It’s terrible of me to speak ill of the dead.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Vanessa licked her lips and looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “Well, it was Tina. She wasn’t exactly the easiest person to be around or get on with.”

  “Oh?”

  “She was notoriously hard on her clients. She said it was because she wanted what was best for them, but sometimes…I don’t know, sometimes I felt there was another reason for it.”

  “Like what?” What on earth would drive a trainer to be overly strict? Heavens, she had no idea. Olivia was way out of her depth here.

  “I don’t know,” Vanessa replied, but her gaze darted away and she didn’t look back again.

  Olivia let the silence brew between them. Vanessa had a secret about Tina. One she wouldn’t tell, which made Olivia’s intrigue double. “I wonder,” Olivia said, and tapped her chin. “Would I be able to speak with Mike and Joe?”

  “I – well, you’re not allowed into the fitness center without a membership or an employee as an escort. It’s company policy.”

  “Oh,” Olivia said. She didn’t have money on her to pay a joining fee, and if she did become a member, she couldn’t see herself using it. “I don’t have the cash to pay for a membership now.”

  “That’s fine!” Vanessa rushed around to her side of the desk. “You see, you can sign up to join and give us your banking details. Then we’ll just take the money straight from your account each month. No hassle for you.” She smiled as if it was a good thing.

  Olivia couldn’t envision anything that would make her more uncomfortable. She glanced over at the treadmills and blinked. Fat Joe and Mike Cox were off them now and on their way to one of the halls.

  “Where are they going?” Olivia asked.

  “Yogalates. You want to sign up for that too?”

  There was no use hanging around if the men would be busy with a class for the next hour or so. And she certainly wasn’t prepared to take one of those classes herself – not where everyone could see her stretching and gasping for breath. “On second thought, I’d probably never use it. Thanks anyway, Vanessa.”

  “But, you would love it here. There are so many people to talk to. It’s like a party every day.” Except with spinach juice and murder.

  “I’ve got to get back to the store,” Olivia said, and waved to the receptionist.

  Poor Vanessa looked positively heartbroken. “Oh, okay.”

  “I’ll catch up with you another time.” Olivia rushed out and down the stairs before Vanessa could ply her with offers of berry smoothies. But intrigue burned in her mind – Mike and Joe, both of them Tina’s clients, and one who lived next door.

  There was something there, Olivia just wasn’t sure what it was yet.

  CHAPTER TEN

  O livia passed the rest of the day in the Block-A-Choc Shoppe serving customers. She tried her hardest not to think about Tina’s death or the circumstances that surrounded it, especially not the fact that Mike and Joe were friends. Or that Tina had been impossible to please.

  No, especially not that.

  By the end of the day, Olivia was exhausted from the constant back and forth mentality, and having to avoid concerned looks which would only lead to questions from Albie.

  She shuffled up the stairs – Alphonsine had already gone up and likely retired to her bedroom for the evening – and let herself through the front gate. Dodger padded down the hall, claws clicking on the boards and tail wagging.

  “Hello, darling,” she said, and dropped into a crouch in front of him. She held out her hands and Dodger almost bowled her over in his excitement for a hug. She squeezed him tight, then rose and walked through to the kitchen to check on his food and water bowls.

  More of those questions twirled through her mind and she brought her cell out of her pocket and stared at the screen. Nothing from Jake or from Lulu – thank heavens for that last one.

  Olivia topped up Dodger’s bowls, then made herself a mug of coffee and traipsed through to her bedroom, stifling yawns. It was barely past six and she was already exhausted.

  She placed the coffee mug on her bedside table, then sat on the edge of her bed and eyed the dying light that pierced through the gloom in the bedroom. Rays of faded orange streaked across the carpet and slanted against the dresser.

  Chester at peace.

  She clicked on the bedside lamp, then picked up her laptop from where she’d left it on her pillow that morning. She fired it up and waited, drumming her heels against her bedspread, impatience building.

  “The center,” she muttered, and opened up her internet browser. Something about the center and its back entrance bothered her. The murderer had to have known a route into the dance hall, one that avoided the cameras.

  A back route.

  Did Mike or Fat Joe know where the cameras were? If they’d spent that much time in the fitness center, surely they would’ve had the best chance of finding that out, especially if they had intent to harm Tina.

  But what if they weren’t the only ones with intent?

  Tina had been hard on them. Had she had other clients like them? “Shoot, I should’ve asked,” Olivia whispered. Vanessa would no doubt have known, but she’d probably have found the question strange.

  Olivia typed out ‘Chester Fitness Center’ then hit enter.

  A list of results popped up and she clicked on the first one – the fitness center’s website. She scrolled through the information, slurping on coffee and frowning. There had to be something here, but what?

  Olivia clicked on the About Us tab and scanned the picture of the staff that popped up, all their faces smiling, but for one. Tina’s. Next to her stood Christopher Robin.

  “What?” Olivia’s jaw dropped.

/>   Why would Christopher be in the picture? She scrolled past the pictures and scanned the names. There it was. Christopher Robin, personal trainer. Except he didn’t work there anymore, did he? She hadn’t seen him there once.

  Shoot, she’d assumed too much. If Christopher did work at the fitness center, he’d surely know where the cameras were and how to get around them if necessary. And Mike had said that he’d overheard that argument between the two lovers.

  Olivia bit her lip. She needed to know the truth here.

  She scanned down the list of names and stopped on the one near the bottom – the gym’s manager; Stella Jacobsen.

  Olivia grabbed a pen and notepad from her bedside table and nearly spilled the remnants of her coffee. She scribbled down the fitness center’s contact number, then wrote Stella’s name beneath it and underlined it twice.

  She’d get the answers she needed tomorrow morning about Tina and Christopher and everyone else.

  A message pinged through on her cell and she shifted it out of her pocket, then unlocked the screen.

  Hope you’re having a good night. We should go out again sometime. I’ll call you tomorrow morning.

  Olivia bit her lip and read the text again. No hearts or kisses, none of his usual enthusiasm. That was another problem she’d have to deal with sooner or later. She hesitated, then typed out a message.

  Sleep well, Jake.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  O livia sat opposite Stella Jacobsen and rested her hands in her lap, one on top of the other to keep from fidgeting out of nerves.

  Stella wasn’t a fitness nut, that was for sure. She was too skinny to be into the gym machines. Perhaps she was more interested in the smoothie side of the business. She wore a stark black pant suit and gazed out of the window that overlooked Chester’s Main Street, its quaint stores, and the folks who walked the sidewalk.

  “Ha,” she said, and finally turned to Olivia. “Have you ever felt like you don’t fit in?”

  Olivia blinked. Not what she’d expected to talk about, but okay.

  The businesswoman lowered herself into her seat. “No? I’ve never felt it before, but here? I feel as if I don’t belong in Chester.”

  “How long have you been here?” Olivia found her voice at last.

  “Me? Oh, two years. Since I opened the fitness center and the Juice It Bar,” she said. “You’re fresher than me, correct?”

  “Yes. I haven’t seen you in town before,” Olivia said.

  “Well, I don’t really mix with the local riff-raff. I suppose that’s why I don’t fit in,” Stella said, then tittered a laugh. “Ah well, what can I do about it? I don’t like the people here and they don’t like me.”

  That was a heck of a way to talk about paying customers. “It’s my experience they reserve judgment until they know you better,” Olivia said.

  “Ha, that’s how it appears on the surface. No, the people here are toxic and the rumors about the gym, about Tina’s death, they’ve spread like wildfire. This wasn’t the most popular place to start with and now it’s even worse. They think the gym is cursed. Superstitious yokels.”

  The woman didn’t help her case talking like that.

  “Funny you should mention Tina,” Olivia said, and steered the topic toward her intended reason for the visit. She hadn’t gone into much detail on the phone about what she wanted. “I wanted to talk to you about her and how she performed at the gym.”

  “Why?” Stella asked, and dropped her shadowed lids. “Why do you want to know about Tina?”

  “Let’s just say I’ve taken a personal interest in the case.”

  “No, let’s not just say that,” Stella replied, sternly. “Generally, when someone pokes around about murder victims, it’s because they’re guilty themselves.”

  The gall of this woman. “I’m no such thing,” Olivia said. “I’m – look, you probably don’t know but I take a personal interest in cases like these and I investigate them. In fact, I’m part of the reason Detective Keane is no longer working Tina’s murder case.”

  “You’re the woman,” Stella said, and brushed her short black hair behind one ear. “Oh yes, I have heard about you. The one who interferes in murder cases. Why? Why do you do that?”

  “I don’t fit in,” Olivia replied, glibly. “It’s my way of finding a niche. Apart from the chocolates.”

  “Ha, very funny. Smooth. All right, I’ll bite. You want to investigate Tina’s murder.”

  “I do. I found her and I feel beholden to her because of that,” Olivia replied. “I like this town. I like the people. I don’t want anything to break the peace here, least of all the presence of a murderer.”

  “We differ in that,” Stella said. “The – uh, the part about liking the town. Not the murderer thing.” She checked her nails and avoided Olivia’s eye.

  “So you’ll talk to me about Tina then?”

  “What’s the harm? I’ve barely dealt with the police, apart from a few updates on when I can have my dance hall back in operation. Fire away, Miss Cloud.”

  “I’ve heard rumors that Tina was quite hard on her clients,” Olivia said. “Is that true? Is there anyone who might’ve considered her an enemy?”

  “Ha, you heard right there. Tina was a piece of work, a fantastic one. Dedicated, a hard worker, always here at the crack of dawn, waiting for me to unlock the doors. She was truly passionate about fitness. Driven.”

  “I bet she rubbed a few people the wrong way.”

  “Oh yes, she did. She definitely made her fair share of enemies, but she never lost a client. I always had the feeling – no, perhaps it’s too personal,” Stella said, and shook it off, her black hair flicking free and falling to her cheek.

  “Please, do tell. If it’s something that can help me solve her murder.”

  “Well, I always felt that Tina was deeply unhappy. I think she worked as hard as she did because she couldn’t reconcile the fact that she’d failed in the rest of her life. And I don’t say that lightly. I know what it was like when her boyfriend worked here.” She grimaced. “Unpleasant. That’s an understatement.”

  “Christopher,” Olivia prompted, and her pulse ticked up a notch. “He doesn’t work here anymore?”

  “No,” Stella replied. “I had to let him go. He wasn’t as good as Tina and they argued too much. I think they came close to breaking up because of work issues. If I hadn’t fired one of them they wouldn’t have stayed together. Not that it matters anymore.”

  “So you let go of Christopher.”

  “Yes, and some of the issues around here dissipated right away. They disagreed on just about everything. Honestly, I don’t know what they saw in each other. They’re both pretty people, Tina was and he still is, but other than that…” she trailed off and opened up her desk drawer. She drew out an ash tray and a pack of cigarettes. “Want one?”

  “No, thank you,” Olivia said.

  Stella lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply, then blew smoke out of the side of her mouth. “Sorry, just talking about it gets me worked up. I might be a businesswoman, but it wasn’t pleasant firing Christopher. He wasn’t terrible at what he did. But like I said, it was either Tina or him, and when it came down to it, there was no choice between them.”

  “When did you fire him?”

  “Oh about a month ago,” Stella replied, and puffed on the cigarette. “He stormed out right after it happened. It was bad business. Lots of shouting and screaming, and Tina followed him out into the street. They argued outside in front of everybody. I’ve never seen either of them that angry. He was red all over. Looked like he was on the verge of hitting her. He didn’t, though. Christopher isn’t like that.” Stella’s fine skin wrinkled on her brow. “I’m not suggesting he hurt her. Don’t take what I’m saying the wrong way.”

  “I’m not taking it in any particular way. I’m listening,” Olivia said, and flashed her a smile. Hopefully it reassured her. “Christopher doesn’t have keys for the gym, does he?”

  �
�No. None of my trainers have keys for the fitness center. No one except for me.”

  “But he worked here for a while?” Olivia asked, her stomach tightening up. Could it be that the simplest answer was the true one? A jealous lover?

  “Since the beginning. That’s what made it so awkward. Ha, I guess I’ll have to ask him to come back now that Tina’s gone. If he will. I hear he’s taking it badly.”

  “Yes, very.” So badly that he’d asked for details of what Olivia had seen at the scene of the crime. His questions seemed ominous in retrospect. “Thank you for answering my questions, Miss Jacobsen. I’ll be in touch if you need me.”

  “Just like the cops,” Stella said. “Smooth line. Smooth all around, Miss Cloud. Be careful you don’t push too hard. I know there’s no one around to reign you in, but I fear what will happen when the police find out what you’re up to.”

  Was it a threat?

  No, it couldn’t be. Stella’s expression was amicable enough.

  “Have a good day,” Olivia said. Because what on earth else was she supposed to say?

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  O livia smiled and handed over another box of chocolates – Mint Crème Caramels this time. “I hope you have a lovely afternoon, Mrs. Malone,” she said. “And may I say you look stunning today?”

  “Oh, you’re too kind, dear,” said the elderly woman, and patted her gray curls. “I just had my hair done this morning. That must be it.” She gave a final wave, then trotted off toward the exit.

  Olivia had finally grown accustomed to serving the regulars in the store, and making real connections with them. It was an issue she’d struggled with ever since her separation and eventual divorce.

  Now, she forced herself into social interactions and put herself right out of her comfort zone. It was good for her. Just as it’d been good for Alvira to come out of her shell and shake some of her shy tendencies.

  “Ah, there you are,” Alberta said, and bustled toward the front counter with another tray of chocolates. “I thought you were still out.”