Tj Jensen Cozy Mystery Boxed Set 2: Books 6-10

by Kathi Daley

  “You’re awake.” Rosalie stated the obvious when I walked down the stairs and entered the living room, where she was sitting quietly staring out the window.

  “Yes. I guess I was tired after all.”

  “Are you feeling better?”

  “A little.”

  “Can I get you something to eat?”

  I was about to remind her that I wasn’t a baby and could feed myself, but one glance at the look of fear and hopelessness on her face made me pause. “Thank you. I would like that. A sandwich is fine. I’m going to call Roy while you make it, but I’ll join you in the kitchen as soon as I finish.”

  Rosalie smiled at me. She appeared weak and tired, and I felt petty for being so prickly. She had to be going through her own sort of hell.

  “And thank you,” I added as Rosalie turned to the kitchen. “Thank you for sitting with Dad and taking care of things here at the resort and making me feel welcome now that I’m home.”

  Rosalie started to say something and then paused. I could see she had a lot on her mind, and in the end she simply asked if I’d prefer turkey or roast beef. I chose turkey, and she turned and headed off to make my dinner.

  I took out my phone and dialed.

  “Hey, Roy, it’s Tj,” I greeted when he picked up.

  “Tj, I called you earlier, but Rosalie said you were sleeping.”

  “Yeah, I was. It had been…” I thought about it. “…I don’t know, days since I’d slept. I laid down to rest my eyes and I guess I crashed.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  “I need you to tell me everything. Jenna said it wasn’t an accident.”

  “She’s correct. It appears Judge Harper was targeted.”

  “Do you have any suspects?”

  “I have a ton. The problem is that none of them stand out over any of the others.”

  I stopped to consider the fact that not only was Judge Harper a retired judge who must have made enemies during his time on the bench, but he was the current mayor, who, in the course of running the town, had probably made new enemies in the year he’d served.

  “We’ve had tough cases before,” I reminded him. “We can figure this out. We should meet.”

  “I agree, but I’ve been warned by Hunter, Jenna, and Rosalie not to put you in a situation where you’ll overdo it.”

  “I’m not a child.”

  “I realize that. In fact, you’re probably the most capable person I’ve ever known. Still, I don’t want to make matters worse by bringing you into this before you’re ready.”

  “I’m ready. Murphy’s in an hour?”

  “Murphy’s in an hour,” Roy confirmed.

  Murphy’s was a popular local hangout. It had been my grandfather’s favorite place to grab a cold one since before I was born, and some of my earliest memories were of sitting next to him at the bar, sipping a soda and watching a game on television. Although I had visited Murphy’s many times as an adult, the smell of beer mingling with tobacco still created a welcoming feeling as soothing as a warm hug.

  I headed to the table Roy had saved as soon as I walked in. “I’m so sorry about your dad,” he greeted me.

  “Thank you.”

  “How’s he doing?”

  I slid onto the barstool across from Roy. “He’s doing okay, considering. I called Hunter before I came over. He said nothing has changed since this afternoon, but every hour of stability is a good thing that improves his odds of a full recovery.”

  “You know I’m pulling for him.”

  “And I appreciate it. Now tell me what you know.”

  Roy hesitated. “Are you sure you want to get involved in this one? You already have a lot on your plate worrying about your father, dealing with the resort, and getting your family moved back across the country.”

  “I’m sure. I not only want to be involved, I need to be.”

  Roy waved the bartender over and ordered us soft drinks before he began. I could see he both did and didn’t want my help this time. I was certain he was struggling to make the right decision. Luckily for him, as far as I was concerned, it wasn’t his decision to make.

  “You should know the sheriff has assigned a new deputy to the Serenity office since you’ve been gone. She seems like a competent cop, and I really could use the help, but I’m not sure about her opinion regarding the involvement of civilians in open investigations. You might want to tread lightly until we see what her response is.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Kate. Kate Baldwin.”

  “Okay. I’ll tread lightly around Kate. Now what do you know?”

  Roy took a sip of his soda, then leaned forward with his elbows on the table. “When the accident was initially called in, I believed it to be just that: a horrible, tragic accident. After the car was retrieved and the crime scene guys filed their report, I realized I had a bigger problem than the death of one friend and the injury of another. It was evident that the brakes on the judge’s car had been tampered with. Your dad was a last-minute passenger, so it seemed clear it was Judge Harper and not your father who was the intended victim. I’ve spent most of the day identifying and checking out possible suspects. I hate to admit it, but I haven’t gotten anywhere. There are just too many variables. Too many people with grudges against the judge, who we know was a fair but opinionated man.”

  “I assume you didn’t find any physical evidence on the car to indicate who might have tampered with it?”

  “No. The brake line was sliced to create a slow leak. The crime lab guys didn’t find anything that might help identify who would have done it.”

  I took a sip of my soda as I considered the situation. The only way to approach it was from a structured analytical perspective: make a list of those individuals with means and motive and eliminate them one by one until all we were left with was the guilty party.

  “Do you have a list of everyone you’ve talked to?”

  Roy handed me a copy of his list. I looked at the names he’d added and eliminated. It was, as he’d suggested, extensive. I wanted to be with my dad, and Rosalie could use help with the resort, but I needed to find Judge Harper’s killer.

  “There are too many suspects. We need a plan. A strategy. Randomly working through this list will take forever.”

  “Do you have something in mind?”

  Did I? I wasn’t sure. There must be a way to prioritize. I was noodling on an answer when my phone buzzed. It was one of the nurses from the hospital, letting me know that Hunter had requested she call me.

  “I have to go,” I gasped, tears gathering in the corner of my eye. “It’s my dad. He’s in cardiac arrest.”

  “I’ll drive you.”

  I shook my head as I wiped at the tears that threatened to pour down my face. “I have my grandpa’s old truck.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Roy insisted.

  Serenity Community Hospital wasn’t all that far from the bar. Hunter had left permission at the desk for me to go up to the ICU, and Roy, as the local deputy, was ushered into the elevator as well. I was intercepted by a nurse the minute the door opened on the third floor.

  “Dr. Hanson wants you to wait in the visitors’ area.”

  “I want to see my dad,” I insisted as my heart pounded in my chest. I took a deep breath and slowly blew it out as I tried to control my emotions.

  “They’re working on him right now. There’s nothing you can do to help. Please wait as Dr. Hanson instructed.”

  Roy took my arm and led me to the waiting area before I could argue any further. After we’d been waiting for several minutes, Rosalie got off the elevator and joined us in the waiting area.

  “How is he?” Tears were streaming down her face.

  I let out a long breath. “I don’t know. Hunter is with him now.”

  Rosalie look
ed like she might pass out, so I got up from my chair and led her over to a small sofa where we could both sit.

  “I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. But Dad is strong. He’ll pull through.”

  Rosalie stared at nothing in particular. She didn’t respond, but I really didn’t blame her. My dad had been in a serious accident. There actually was a very good chance he wouldn’t make it, and all the brave speeches in the world wouldn’t change that. I sat back and took Rosalie’s hand in mine. She squeezed it in return.

  “That night,” Rosalie whispered, “when I first arrived. Everyone was running around trying to save Mike’s life. They tried to comfort me the best they could, but I could see it in their eyes: they didn’t believe he was going to make it.” Rosalie paused, tears streaming down her face. She was speaking to me, but she was staring off into the distance. “I remember feeling numb. It was as if I was watching the scene from afar, cognizant as to what was going on but not really part of it. I know I must have been scared, but somehow my emotions were frozen in some sort of stasis. It wasn’t until Hunter came in and told me that he was stabilized for the time being that I finally broke down and fell to pieces.”

  “You were in shock.” I knew this to be true because in a way that was how I felt at this moment.

  Rosalie didn’t respond. She seemed to have drifted away in her own thoughts, so I tightened my hand in hers, closed my eyes, and prayed. We remained seated with our own thoughts and fears for what seemed like hours.

  Hunter finally came into the room. “He’s stable.”

  “Thank God.” Rosalie turned and hugged me so tightly I couldn’t breathe.

  I hugged her back and then turned to look at Hunter. “What happened?”

  “A blood clot. I’m afraid with the extent of his injuries clotting is always a danger. We have him on blood thinners, so I hope we won’t have any more problems.”

  “Can I see him?” Rosalie asked.

  “Just for a minute,” Hunter answered.

  I started to follow, but Hunter grabbed my hand. “Give her a minute.”

  “He’s my father.”

  “Yes. But he’s her life.”

  I supposed Hunter had a point. Since becoming engaged to my dad, Rosalie had moved her practice and place of residence out to the resort. She had altered almost every aspect of her life to fit into Dad’s. If something happened to him, she’d be lost. I would be as well, of course, but I understood what Hunter meant. I sat back down and waited. After ten minutes Hunter motioned for me to follow him. Rosalie had gone down the hall to the chapel, so I had a few minutes alone with Dad.

  “Don’t you die on me,” I insisted as I placed my hand over his. My instinct was to be weak, but I wanted to be strong. “I know you’re tired and it’s hard to fight, but you aren’t done here. You still need to marry Rosalie and walk me down the aisle someday and hold your future grandchild, should there be one. Ashley and Gracie would be lost without you. You’re the closest thing to a real father they’ve ever had. And Grandpa…I know it seems like he’s a strong man, but I’m afraid losing his son would kill him. Please, Dad, you have to hang on.”

  The room fell into silence except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. I closed my eyes and prayed harder than I’d ever prayed in my life.

  This simply couldn’t be happening. This shouldn’t have been happening. My dad had so much life ahead of him. He couldn’t die. Please, God, don’t let him die.

  I wiped at the tears that were streaming down my face when the nurse came to the door and motioned that my time was up. I held up one finger to indicate one more minute, and then I turned back toward Dad.

  “I have to go now, but I’ll be back. Don’t give the nurses any lip,” I said, trying for a light tone that I was far from feeling. I leaned over and kissed Dad’s cheek before turning and following the nurse back down the hall to the waiting area, where Rosalie was talking to Roy.

  “Where’s Hunter?” I asked.

  “He had to respond to another call. You both should get some rest,” Roy said. “Hunter said he’d let you know if there were any changes.”

  Because Hunter had done just that this evening, I believed he would keep me informed rather than trying to protect me, which made me feel better about going home, although there was a part of me that felt I needed to stay. I glanced at Rosalie, who looked so lost. I knew I needed to be strong for her. Dad loved Rosalie. He would want me to help her through this.

  “Are you ready to go home?”

  Rosalie nodded.

  I looked at Roy. “I’m going to drive her back to the resort. I’ll call Murphy to let him know I’ll pick up the truck tomorrow.”

  “I’ll grab someone and run it out to the resort for you,” Roy offered.

  “Thank you. We’ll talk tomorrow?”

  “Text me when you’re ready.”

  I nodded my assent before taking Rosalie by the arm and leading her out to the car.

  Chapter 3

  Friday, June 30

  I hadn’t thought I’d be able to get any rest that night, but I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. By the time I woke up the sun was high in the sky. I looked over the side of the bed expecting to see Echo, but when my gaze fell on the empty rug I remembered he was still on Gull Island. Kyle had left several messages the night before that I’d never returned.

  I picked up my phone and dialed his number.

  “Hey, Tj. I’m glad you called. How’s your dad?”

  I felt a tear threatening at the corner of my eye, which I wiped away before answering. “I have no idea. Hunter assures me that he’s stable, but Dad still hasn’t regained consciousness and he had a setback last night that terrified me. I hate seeing him so weak and fragile. I hate that he hasn’t woken up, and I hate that when he does wake up he’s going to have to deal with not only months and months of recovery but the fact that one of his best friends is dead. It’s all just too much.”

  “I know. I’m doing everything I can to get home.”

  I sat up and tucked the pillows behind my back. Now that I was talking to Kyle, I realized I found strength in the sound of his voice and never wanted to hang up.

  “How are Grandpa and the girls?” I asked.

  “They should be almost home.”

  “Almost home? I thought you couldn’t get them on a flight until today.”

  “I found an earlier flight and they all wanted to go. I had a car pick them up at the airport. They should be home in about thirty minutes. I left a message on your phone, but I guess you haven’t had a chance to check it yet.”

  “I’m sorry. Everything has just been…”

  “I know. It’s okay.”

  “It’ll be so good to have them home.” I glanced in the mirror and realized if I didn’t want to scare the girls I needed to take a shower and wash the puffiness from my eyes from last night’s crying jag before they saw me. “I should jump in the shower before they get here. I’m a total mess. I don’t want to upset them.”

  “I’m sure you look beautiful as always, but I understand.”

  “I want to talk to you about your plans for the trip home as well as the investigation into the accident. I’ll call you back as soon as everyone gets settled.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait for your call.”

  “Kyle…”

  “Yeah?”

  I wanted to tell him what was in my heart, but I wasn’t sure I could articulate the emotions I still hadn’t had time to fully process. “Nothing. I’ll call you in a bit.”

  I had time to shower and apply some cover-up before Grandpa, Ashley, and Gracie arrived. Ashley and Gracie had moved to the resort to live with my father, grandpa, and me, after our mother died leaving me as guardian of two half-sisters I barely knew. Rosalie volunteered to take Grandpa over to the hospital while I got the girls settled i
n. They were tired and worried, which made them cranky and agitated, so I jumped at Jenna’s offer to take them to her house for a couple of days, where they could hang out with her girls in a less tense and more relaxed environment.

  The girls left and I called the hospital. I’d assumed nothing had changed because no one had called, but I needed to stay involved and informed for my own piece of mind. The nurse I spoke to informed me that Dad was still resting comfortably, that his vitals were stable, and that nothing had occurred to indicate that he might wake up soon.

  I wanted to spend time with him, but Rosalie and Grandpa were at the hospital should anything change, so I decided to use the free time I suddenly seemed to have to jump into the investigation into Judge Harper’s murder. Grandpa was here to help Rosalie with the resort once they got back from the hospital, Jenna had the girls for a few days and would make sure they were okay, and Dad was in Hunter’s capable hands. Everyone had a job to do, and mine was to bring the lowlife who had cut the brake lines and caused the judge’s car to run off the road to justice.

  I thought about calling Roy, but what I really wanted to do was snoop around to see what I could find at Judge Harper’s house. I wasn’t sure to what degree Roy’s hands might be tied with a new deputy in town, so I decided to snoop first and call him afterward. Judge Harper most likely had locked his house before leaving for the town council meeting that evening, but I’d become pretty good at breaking into places meant to keep out intruders and I had nothing to lose by trying. Thankfully, Roy had Grandpa’s truck dropped off as promised, so transportation wasn’t going to be a problem.