by Leena Clover
“My men are loyal to me, girl. I trust Fabio with my life. I trusted him with my baby girl’s life. He took care of her all these years.”
Vinny and Enzo ate Jenny’s brownies before they went back.
“What do you think, Jason?” Jenny asked. “Was someone taking care of an old grudge?”
“Why wait so long to do that? Petunia lived here without incident for twenty five years.”
Something Enzo had said niggled at Jenny.
“What if this person was unable to track her down?”
“You mean what if he or she was in prison.”
“Is that too farfetched?” Jenny frowned.
“It does seem fantastic at first.” Jason narrowed his eyes. “But it’s not farfetched, Jenny. I have heard of stranger things in court.”
“How did this person find Petunia? She hadn’t talked to any of her family members since she came here.”
“Peter Wilson!” they both exclaimed together.
“He was her only link to her old life,” Jenny said in triumph. “His alibi doesn’t help him here. What if Peter Wilson told someone about Petunia?”
“I think you might have something there, Jenny,” Jason nodded. “But this is bigger than you can handle.”
“I will go to the police station first thing tomorrow morning,” Jenny promised. “They can question Wilson about this.”
Jenny went up to her room after bidding Jason goodnight. She hoped her latest theory would lead them to the killer. She was saddened by the thought of Petunia being the victim of some old feud. She tossed and turned under the covers, waiting impatiently for the sun to rise.
Star accompanied Jenny to the café the next morning. She wasn’t used to early mornings. Jenny forced her to sit down and put her feet up after she had yawned nonstop for fifteen minutes.
Jenny poured her a fresh cup of coffee.
“You didn’t have to come in with me. I have to learn to handle everything myself.”
“This work is too much for one person,” Star argued as Jenny mixed the muffin batter. “You can’t work in the kitchen and serve the customers at the same time.”
“What if I ask them to serve themselves?” Jenny thought out loud. “I can just set everything out on a couple of tables.”
“You need to think seriously about hiring some help, Jenny.”
“I know that,” Jenny said. “Just not yet.”
Adam came in for breakfast.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Jenny told him as she served him the breakfast special, a three cheese omelet with spinach and sundried tomatoes.
“You want to talk here?” Adam asked.
“No. Let me take care of the breakfast rush. I’ll see you at the station.”
Heather came in to help. Jenny packed some fresh oatmeal raisin cookies in a box and walked to the police station. She handed the box to Nora, the desk clerk.
“Just what I needed,” Nora said happily.
“No cookies for me?” Adam teased when she entered his office.
“Too much sugar is not good for you,” Jenny kidded.
She told Adam about the gang logo first.
“The Purple Rooster gang used to be notorious,” Adam told her. “But they have fizzled out in the past few years. Their leader was killed and most of the older members went to prison.”
“So you don’t think they could have a hand in this?”
“The Bellinis don’t think so, do they?”
Jenny shook her head.
“Can you double check, just in case?”
“This is out of my jurisdiction, Jenny. But I’ll put some feelers out.”
Jenny continued her theory about old feuds.
Adam’s eyebrows shot up.
“That’s one line of investigation we haven’t pursued.”
“Do you think there’s any substance to it, though?”
“If it was a gang hit, we may never find out who did it, Jenny.”
Adam had turned serious.
“We are hitting a wall wherever we turn,” Jenny said in frustration.
“I know your efforts helped us solve some murders, Jenny. But things don’t often work that way.”
Jenny turned to Peter Wilson.
“He was the only one who knew Petunia’s real identity,” Jenny stressed. “He has to be involved in this somehow.”
“These fellows are generally pretty loyal,” Adam mused. “I don’t see Wilson going against his boss. He has his own family to think about.”
“That’s all I have,” Jenny sighed. “But none of this helps.”
“We are doing all we can, Jenny. Don’t give up yet.”
“Have you checked Laura Bellini’s finances?” Jenny asked suddenly.
She told Adam about the million dollars Petunia had given her.
“There’s something else about Laura,” Adam said reluctantly. “Police didn’t find the gun registered to her.”
“You think she ditched it?”
“She said it went missing.”
“She has to be lying, Adam.”
“Laura said she reported her missing gun long before coming to Pelican Cove.”
“The first time or the second time?”
Adam was apologetic.
“We are still following up on that.”
Adam’s phone rang. Jenny caught a few random words as the person on the other end let loose a tirade. Adam apologized repeatedly. Jenny stared at him in amazement. She had never seen him so subdued before.
Adam hung up the phone and rubbed his eyes with his hands.
“That was Barb,” he sighed. “She’s not happy.”
“How is she?” Jenny asked with genuine concern.
“Recovering nicely, judging by her energy.”
Barb Norton was well known for making absurd demands of everyone. But Jenny knew she was justified this time.
“She wants to know why we haven’t caught her attacker yet,” Adam disclosed.
“Why haven’t you?”
“We don’t have a single eyewitness,” Adam growled, frustrated. “It’s almost like some phantom figure hit her and disappeared in thin air.”
“Just like Petunia,” Jenny said softly.
She sat straighter, her eyes growing wide as a sudden thought hit her.
“What if the two incidents are related? Could someone be targeting older women?”
“I don’t think so, Jenny,” Adam dismissed.
“Why not?” Jenny argued. “They were both the same age. They were both the same height and build although Petunia’s hair was darker.”
“Stop right there, Jenny,” Adam warned. “I have too many things to work on already. I don’t want you to start a panic in town with these silly theories.”
“It’s not silly,” Jenny said coldly. “I think it’s worth thinking about. It’s not like you have any tangible leads, anyway.”
“I can’t stop you, Jenny. Do what you want.”
“Let’s not fight, please,” Jenny urged.
Adam’s voice turned softer.
“That’s the last thing I want to do, Jenny.”
“Why don’t you come to Seaview for dinner tonight?” Jenny wheedled. “I’m making enchiladas. Bring Tank with you.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Adam smiled. “We’ll get dessert.”
“Are the twins coming here for fall break?”
“Probably,” Adam said. “I plan to make it worth their while.”
“Planning something special?” Jenny asked.
Adam hid a smile but said nothing.
Jenny set a brisk pace back to the café, enjoying the pleasant weather. She decided it was a good time to call her son.
“When are you coming home, Nicky?”
“Looks tough, Mom,” her son said, breaking into a coughing fit. “I have too many classes this time.”
Jenny knew her son always started coughing when he was lying. She wondered what he was hiding this time.
“Are
you and the twins stirring up trouble?” she asked suspiciously.
Her son and Adam’s twins went to different colleges but they talked to each other regularly.
“Of course not, Mother,” Nick said, starting to cough again.
Jenny smiled all the way back to the café. She could be patient when needed. She guessed Adam had a surprise for her. Maybe there was still some hope for them.
Chapter 15
A crisp breeze blew over the ocean the next morning, signaling the arrival of fall. On the deck of the Boardwalk Café, the Magnolias stared with amazement at Molly, their coffee forgotten.
“What do you mean, you were mistaken?” Heather cried. “How is that possible?”
Molly blushed.
“You know …”
“How did you find out?” Jenny asked gently, placing a hand on Heather to calm her down.
“At the doctor’s,” Molly said. “It was so embarrassing.”
“Was Chris with you?” Heather asked.
Molly nodded.
Betty Sue leaned forward in her chair, her knitting needles clacking in a fast rhythm.
“You do know how these things are supposed to happen?” she asked Molly.
Molly looked like she was about to burst into tears.
“Begin at the beginning,” Star ordered. “I think I am missing something here.”
“It’s all pretty straightforward,” Molly shrugged. “Chris and I went to our doctor’s appointment. It was my first appointment for the baby. Turns out I am not pregnant. I never was.”
All the women at the table looked sorry.
“I was knitting this for the baby,” Betty Sue said, holding up something fluffy in a peach color.
“How did Chris take it?” Jenny asked.
“He was disappointed. So was I.”
“What now?” Star wanted to know.
“This whole misunderstanding forced us to consider parenthood,” Molly admitted. “I was very impressed by how Chris reacted to it.”
“Chris Williams is a good man,” Betty Sue sighed.
For the past twenty years or so, she had believed he would marry her granddaughter Heather.
Jenny knew Molly hadn’t been very sure about how committed Chris was to her.
“Do you trust him now?” she asked Molly.
“I trust him more,” Molly said diplomatically. “I know he is going to be a good father.”
“So when are you planning a family?” Star laughed. “For real, this time.”
Molly blushed prettily.
“Soon.”
“Let them get married first,” Jenny nudged her aunt. “Have you thought about setting a date?”
Earlier that year, Chris and Molly had started wearing promise rings.
“Don’t you want a proper engagement first?” Star asked.
“We are talking about it,” Molly told them.
“I think you should just elope,” Heather winked.
“No, thanks!” Molly said firmly. “This might be my second wedding, but I want to do it right.”
Jenny secretly looked forward to planning Molly’s wedding. She had come to love Molly like a sister, and she hoped to be in the wedding party.
Jenny spotted Vinny walking on the beach, accompanied by his posse. Molly followed her gaze.
“How’s your search going, Jenny?” she asked.
“I have a lot of theories,” Jenny admitted reluctantly. “But there is no proof to support any of them.”
“You just haven’t found it yet,” Star said encouragingly. “Keep looking, sweetie.”
“I almost forgot,” Jenny exclaimed. “Jason and I are meeting Adam in a few minutes.”
Jason stepped out on the patio just then. He greeted the Magnolias and looked inquiringly at Jenny.
“Ready to go?”
Jenny pulled off her apron and nodded. They went down the steps to the beach on their way to the police station.
“Do you think Adam will agree?”
Jenny was feeling doubtful about their mission.
“What does he have to lose?” Jason quipped.
Adam wasn’t too happy to see them.
“I have a long day ahead of me, Jenny. What are you two doing here?”
“We have a request,” Jason said. “We want access to the traffic cameras.”
“Why?” Adam asked, tapping his pencil on the desk.
Jenny reminded Adam about the car in the parking lot.
“I am almost sure the killer escaped in that car. We need to find out where it went.”
“The cameras might have caught the tag plates,” Jason said hopefully. “Who knows? We may even get a glimpse of the driver.”
“Okay,” Adam said grudgingly. “I am only doing this because I need a break in the case. But you will have to watch the tapes here.”
Jason and Jenny agreed readily.
“How are we going to do this?” Jenny asked.
One of the techs at the police station helped them. They decided to focus on the road around the parking lot. They chose a time slot of 5 to 8 AM, the approximate time of Petunia’s death.
“We should watch for a dark sedan with a dent around the trunk.”
It was slow work. Nora, the desk clerk, came around to chat with Jenny. Jenny made some polite conversation. They drank the sour coffee Nora offered. Jenny took one sip and set it aside.
“I don’t see any cars matching the description,” Jason said after some time.
He was beginning to look frustrated.
“Let’s widen the search,” Jenny suggested.
Jason was staring at one camera which showed a gas station.
“You think that guy might have gone in here?” he wondered.
They decided to look at all the cars going into the gas station. None of the cars stopping at the station matched the description of the car they were looking for.
“What’s that kid doing there?” Jason asked, pointing at a figure. “He seems to be in and out of that door a lot.”
“That must be Skinner,” Jenny said. “He works at the gas station. He does a lot of odd jobs in addition to managing the cash register.”
Jenny grew bored as the tapes rolled slowly. She yawned and that set Jason off.
“Hold it,” Jenny cried suddenly.
She was pointing to something on the screen.
“What’s that? That right there?”
Jason paused the picture and peered at the screen.
“Looks like the same kid.”
“What is he wearing?” Jenny asked in a hushed voice.
“A jacket?”
“Look at the back of the jacket, Jason,” Jenny said.
“Hmmm … looks like something’s printed on the back.”
Jenny made Jason zoom in to the picture. She could make out a few feathers.
“Wanna bet it’s the same jacket?” Jenny banged a fist on the table. “That little creep. He lied to us.”
“Hold it, Jenny. What are you blabbering about?”
Jenny explained her theory to Jason.
“Let’s go talk to him,” Jason said, leaping up.
Jenny’s cell phone rang when Jason was driving to the gas station. It was Adam.
“What’s going on? Where did you rush off all of a sudden?”
Jenny gave him the condensed version.
“Turn around right now!” Adam ordered. “You are not going there alone.”
“Jason is here with me.”
“You are both crazy. What if this kid is really the person we are looking for? He could have a gun.”
“Relax!” Jenny said. “I’ve met that kid. He’s harmless.”
Adam became more incensed.
“You don’t know that, Jenny. Please stop the car immediately. Let me talk to Jason.”
“Jason says we can handle it.”
“Stop right now, or I will arrest you both for messing with police business.”
“Don’t be such a grouch, Adam.”
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Jenny hung up the phone.
“What did he say?” Jason asked her.
“That’s just Adam being Adam.”
A police car with flashing lights and a blaring siren overtook them two minutes later. It pulled into the gas station’s parking lot ahead of Jason. Adam stumbled out, leaning on his cane. He looked ready to burst.
“That was quick,” Jenny said glibly.
“I’ll deal with you later, Jenny.” He turned toward Jason. “Let me do the talking.”
“Fine by me,” Jason shrugged.
The kid working at the gas station came out to see what was happening.
“This is Skinner,” Jenny introduced him.
“Do you work here?” Adam asked.
The kid looked like he was about to bolt.
“I ain’t done nothing wrong,” he said sullenly.
“No one’s saying you did,” Adam snapped. “I need to ask you a few questions.”
The kid shrugged.
“I got nothing to hide.”
“You remember what we talked about?” she began. “You told us you didn’t know the guy in the hoodie.”
“So what?”
“We saw you wearing the same jacket later that day,” Jenny said. “How did you get it if you didn’t know that man?”
The kid’s eyes filled with fear.
“I found it in the dumpster. I swear.”
“You better not be lying, son,” Adam said sternly.
“I’m not lying. I found it in the dumpster out back. It was a windy day and I was feeling cold. So I wore it.”
“You picked it up from the trash?” Adam asked.
Skinner was defensive.
“I don’t go dumpster diving. But there was nothing wrong with that jacket. Can’t be too picky, you know. I don’t even make minimum wage.”
“I think he’s telling the truth,” Jenny said supportively.
“Thank you for your opinion,” Adam said coldly. He turned toward Skinner. “We will need to look at your security cameras.”
“You have to talk to my boss,” the kid said. “But we don’t have any cameras near the dumpster.”
“Are you sure?” Adam asked.
“There’s a camera out back but it’s broken. The dumpster’s out of its range anyway.”
Adam asked a few more questions but he had to let the kid go.
He stalked back to his car and left without a word.
“Looks like he’s really mad at you, Jenny.”
