by Leena Clover
Jenny was already dialing her phone.
An engine sputtered to life just then. Jenny peeped from behind the car to see the boat speed away from the shore, leaving a frothy wake.
“He’s getting away!” she cried, jumping up. “Do something, Jason!”
“What can I do?” Jason shrugged. “I don’t see another boat here.”
The speed boat was a mere speck by then.
“Jenny!” a voice crackled through Jenny’s phone. “Hello, Jenny! Are you there?”
Jenny plastered her cell phone to her ear.
“He got away, Adam. Where are you? You need to get here soon.”
Adam rattled off a string of questions. Jenny calmed down enough to explain that Mason Bush had escaped using a boat.
“I’ll be there in five minutes!” Adam said before hanging up.
Jenny leaned against Jason’s car, frustrated.
“I’m sure they will catch him,” Jason consoled her.
“But is he our man?” Jenny wanted to know.
“He shot at us,” Jason said. “He also fled the scene. So he must be guilty of something.”
“Do you think he’s just crazy?”
“Be patient, Jenny,” Jason reasoned. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
A police cruiser arrived in a cloud of dust and screeched to a stop. Adam hobbled out, leaning on his cane.
“I called the Coast Guard,” he told them. “They have patrol boats out on the water. Now tell me everything from the beginning.”
Jenny began with what the man with the shopping cart had told her.
“You sat on this all this time?” Adam fumed.
“I told you about the man with the gun,” Jenny said. “But you never brought him in.”
Jason stepped in.
“Stop fighting, you two. What do we do next?”
“We wait,” Adam said. “Why don’t you two go home now?”
Jenny realized Adam was right.
Two days later, the Magnolias gathered at the Boardwalk Café, eager for the latest update.
Jenny brought out a plate of fresh blueberry muffins. Star was right behind her with a pot of coffee.
Betty Sue barely glanced at the food.
“So? Was it him? Tell us what you know.”
Jenny sat down and poured herself a cup. She gave her friends a watery smile.
“Mason Bush confessed last night. He fired the shot that killed Petunia.”
“Why?” Betty Sue cried. “What did she ever do to him?”
Jenny felt the weight of her pent up emotions.
“It was a mistake.”
The Magnolias started speaking at once. Jenny felt their outrage. She had been battling the same feelings since the previous night.
“What do you mean, Jenny?” Heather’s question filtered through. “Was he just shooting his gun off on the beach?”
“He wanted to kill someone,” Jenny said, stressing the last word. “It wasn’t Petunia though.”
“I’m guessing there is more to this story,” Star said. “Start at the beginning, Jenny.”
“Mason Bush was a decorated soldier,” Jenny started. “He retired from the army and started looking for a job. He got one worthy of his qualifications.”
“Is that when the Newburys hired him?” Molly asked.
Jenny nodded.
“The dispensary project was going to be big. Mason was hired as security chief. He had a bunch of people reporting to him. Unfortunately, the project fell through. The Newburys didn’t have any need for him so they had to terminate his employment.”
“Didn’t he look for another job?” Heather asked.
“He must have. But he had a streak of bad luck. His wife left him. She took the kids. What’s more, she refused to let him meet them.”
“All because he lost that job?” Betty Sue asked.
“That part is not clear,” Jenny shrugged. “Maybe they had some other differences. But Mason hit an all time low.”
“Is that when he started roaming around like a homeless guy?” Molly queried.
“He was never homeless, really. He had a severance package and a house to live in. He probably had a pension too. He was just depressed.”
“What does that have to do with our Petunia?” Star glowered.
“I’m coming to that. Mason started playing the blame game. He figured the town was responsible for him losing his job. And then he remembered the person who was at the forefront in all those protests.”
“Who?” All voices yelled together.
“The person who made sure the Newburys didn’t get the necessary licenses for their project. The person who saw to it that the project got scuttled.”
“Barb Norton,” Betty Sue said under her breath.
“Barb Norton?” Molly and Heather cried.
Jenny gave a deep sigh.
“Mason wanted revenge. He decided the only way he would get it was by killing Barb.”
“What happened on the beach that day?” Star asked.
Jenny paused to recollect what Adam had told her.
“Mason couldn’t sleep. He was walking on the beach when he saw Petunia sitting on that bench. She was the same height and build as Barb. And she was wearing a scarf that looked a lot like something Barb has.”
“He thought she was Barb,” Star said, welling up.
Jenny nodded.
“He pulled out his gun and shot her. He said he didn’t give it much thought.”
“He must have fled the scene though, huh?” Heather asked. “He didn’t come forward when the police were making their inquiries.”
“I guess his survival instincts kicked in when he realized what he had done. He drove his car out of the parking lot. He had done a survey of the town’s security systems. He knew about the traffic cameras. He parked his car in the woods and just walked home. He retrieved his car later.”
“What about that jacket?” Molly asked. “Wasn’t that what led you to him?”
“Mason realized the jacket might put him on the spot. He handed it over to a man on the beach.”
There was a stunned silence as the Magnolias digested the story.
“It’s not fair!” Molly wailed indignantly. “So Petunia’s only fault was she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“We have to send her off in style,” Betty Sue said in a heavy voice, dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “Pretty much all we can do now.”
Jenny and the ladies banded together to fulfill Petunia’s last wishes. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea, the girls saying their final goodbye as they stood on the deck of Captain Charlie’s boat.
Jason covered Jenny with his jacket and held her as she cried her eyes out.
Petunia had approved a memorial. The Magnolias got busy planning a grand party. The whole town was invited. Jenny made all her signature dishes, ones Petunia had loved. There were crab puffs, and pimento cheese, chocolate cupcakes and strawberry cheesecake. Jenny made tiny meatballs using a recipe she found in Petunia’s diaries.
The Boardwalk Café wore a festive air the day of the memorial. Any tourist might have mistaken it for a happy occasion. But the moist eyes and bittersweet expressions on the women’s faces told a different story.
Adam stood close to Jenny with a protective arm around her shoulders.
“Let’s get away somewhere,” Jenny said.
“You mean now?” Adam asked.
“Not now. Tomorrow. Later. I’m beginning to suffocate here, Adam. I want some time away from here.”
“Okay,” Adam agreed. “Where do you want to go?”
“Enough with the questions,” Jenny snapped, leaving Adam bewildered.
Heather pulled Jenny aside and hissed in her ear.
“What is she doing here?”
Barb Norton had arrived, wearing her usual pompous expression.
“She’s got some gall, coming here,” Star bristled, coming to stand beside Jenny.
&n
bsp; Mason Bush had confessed to attacking Barb in the street. The police told her how he mistook Petunia for her and shot her. Barb hadn’t been seen around town after that. Everyone hoped she would go visit her daughter in Florida for a few days.
“I’m asking her to leave,” Heather seethed.
Betty Sue had sidled up to them.
“It’s not her fault,” she sighed. “Let her pay her respects.”
Barb walked up and opened her arms. She hugged each of them.
“I am so sorry,” she said sincerely. “I know that doesn’t change anything. I am going to miss Petunia.”
“It’s not your fault,” Betty Sue said again. “Thank you for coming here, Barb.”
Jenny gritted her teeth and spoke about the weather.
A screech of tires sounded outside. A stream of big, black SUVs with dark windows came to a stop outside the café. The Bellinis had arrived.
Vinny and his cohorts got out of one car. Vinny wore a dark suit and a dark fedora. Enzo Bellini stepped out of the second car, wearing a black track suit with his signature white hat. Charles and Laura stepped out of the third car. They made a grand entrance into the café.
Enzo pumped Jenny’s hand and thanked her profusely.
“Thank you for catching my baby girl’s killer.”
Vinny had spotted the meatballs-on-a-stick. He popped one in his mouth and walked toward Jenny.
“Great party, sweetheart! Thanks for doing this.”
“Thank you for coming,” Jenny muttered, feeling overwhelmed.
She wondered why the Bellinis were still hanging around Pelican Cove. Vinny answered her unspoken question.
“Had to tie up some loose ends ... we are getting out of town after this party.”
“Your mother would be glad you came,” Jenny told him.
Vinny looked around the packed café.
“Our Ma had a good life here. Are you going to keep the café going?”
Jenny nodded.
“I love this place. You don’t mind Petunia left it to me?”
“Not at all. You take care of this place for her.”
He pulled out a card from his pocket and handed it to her.
“Call me if you need anything. We take care of our own.”
He tipped his hat and wished her good luck. He walked out, flanked by his three men.
Jenny and her friends began tidying up the café. The party moved to Seaview, Jenny’s seaside house.
Jason took drink orders from everyone. Adam sat next to Jenny, peering at her with concern.
“I’m not going to break, Adam,” Jenny grumbled. “Relax!”
“I know it was a tough day,” he said, rubbing Jenny’s palm. “But you handled it well.”
Heather raised her glass in a toast.
“To Petunia … may she rest in peace.”
Everyone raised their glasses and toasted their dear friend.
“To Petunia.”
Star sat up suddenly.
“I almost forgot, Jenny.”
She went inside and came out with a big sketchbook.
“These are just some designs I have been working on.”
Jenny opened the book curiously, and gasped when she saw the drawing inside.
“You talked about sprucing up the café,” Star explained. “I thought you might want a new logo.”
Jenny stared at the lifelike caricature of Petunia juxtaposed next to some pretty lettering.
“I love it,” Jenny squealed, handing the sketchbook to Heather.
Everyone wholeheartedly approved the new logo.
Adam’s phone rang shrilly, making Jenny jump. He stood up and walked into the next room to take the call.
Jenny was the only one watching when he came back.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, dreading his reply.
“That was the station,” Adam said, dumbfounded. “Mason Bush is dead. He was found stabbed in his cell.”
Epilogue
The car climbed into the mountains, following the serpentine road. Tall firs towered over them, ablaze in vivid tones of yellow and orange. There was a riot of color wherever Jenny looked.
“Skyline Drive stretches over a hundred miles in the Blue Ridge Mountains,” Adam told her.
Jenny had finally caved and agreed to go on the foliage trip with Adam. She fought against the happiness bubbling inside her. Wasn’t it wrong to feel such joy when she had just lost her close friend?
“You up for a small hike?” Adam asked, clutching her hand tighter and planting a feather light kiss on her forehead.
They had been holding hands since they left Pelican Cove. Adam had refused to let go. Jenny thought it was romantic. Her heart beat in anticipation of what was coming next.
Adam parked near a trail head and they got out. Adam packed some snacks and drinking water in a backpack and slung it over his shoulder.
“It’s about three miles to the falls but they should be worth it,” he told Jenny.
Jenny set a leisurely pace as they walked down the trail. They passed a few hikers on the way. They heard the falls before they saw them.
Adam helped Jenny onto a rocky ledge that provided a good view of the waterfall. Jenny looked down on the water, drinking in the beauty of the scene.
She heard a throat clear and whirled around instinctively. The sight before her took her breath away, more so than the churning water below.
Adam Hopkins was down on one knee, holding up a tiny box. He popped it open, making Jenny’s eyes go wide and her mouth drop.
“Will you marry me, Jenny King?”
***THE END***
Thank you for reading this book.
Are you caught up on all the Pelican Cove books? Visit this page to find out. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DBFMWJG
Acknowledgements
I can’t believe this is the sixth book in the series. I have been overwhelmed by the positive response and encouraging emails that are pouring in. I owe thanks to a lot of people – beta readers, advanced readers, family, friends – above all, my readers who take the time to leave reviews or write to me telling me how much they like Pelican Cove.
I am grateful for all the support and encouragement. I hope you keep it coming because it motivates me to write more.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Parfaits and Paramours – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series Book 7
By Leena Clover
Chapter 1
Jenny King maneuvered her van around a steep curve and climbed over a small hill. She was still in awe of this exclusive part of Pelican Cove. The island’s wealthy residents had their estates in this part of town. Sprawling mansions, extensive grounds and private beaches were the norm here. So were sparkling swimming pools and an army of domestic staff.
“Can you turn the heat on, please?” Jenny’s friend Heather Morse asked with a shiver.
Spring had come early to Pelican Cove, bringing warmer days. Flowers were beginning to bloom along Main Street, promising a riot of color in the coming weeks. But the temperature dropped as the sun crept closer to the horizon. A large mosaic of pinks and mauves was scattered across the March sky, heralding sunset.
Jenny fiddled with the temperature knob and muttered an oath. The van was a relic, rarely used unless Jenny had any deliveries or catering jobs. Jenny didn’t remember the last time she had paid for a full tank of gas for the rundown vehicle.
“We’re almost there, Heather,” she said in a chiding tone. “I told you to wear a warm sweater.”
“Why don’t you fix the heat?” Heather asked with a pout. “At least get an estimate from the auto shop.”
“I did that,” Jenny sighed. “I need to replace the thermostat. It’s going to cost more than this pile of junk is worth.”
The two friends bickered as the sky darkened and the sun set on the horizon.
“Give it a rest, Heather,” Jenny pleaded. “I need to catch my breath before Ada Newbury launches her list of complaints
.”
Ada Newbury was one of the richest women in Pelican Cove. The Newburys belonged to an elite class of the island’s population, the Pioneers. Their ancestors had come to the island hundreds of years ago and had been one of the first settlers. People still murmured about how the Newburys had become rich overnight, thanks to sunken treasure. But no one could deny that the Newburys were now rich as Croesus.
“She won’t,” Heather dismissed. “She loves your food. Why do you think she’s paying double to have you cater this party?”
Jenny’s face broke into a smile. Her life had taken an unexpected turn. She couldn’t believe people from far and wide came to Pelican Cove to visit her café and gorge on her delicious food.
Jenny King had been a suburban soccer mom for most of her life. One day, her husband of twenty years had come home with devastating news. He was going out with a much younger girl who was now in the family way. He asked Jenny to clear out.
Jenny had sought shelter on the remote island of Pelican Cove. Her aunt, Star, had welcomed her warmly and opened her house and heart to Jenny. After letting her mope and sulk for a few weeks, Star had cajoled Jenny into starting work at her friend Petunia’s café. The rest, as they said, was history.
Jenny had started working her magic in the kitchen and now the whole town of Pelican Cove was singing her praises. People lined up to taste her food. Jenny didn’t disappoint, coming up with delicious new recipes every few days, using the area’s abundant local produce and fresh seafood.
She had built a new life for herself on the island. She had made lasting friendships and found something she had never imagined she would have in her life again. Jenny King was in love.
Instead of settling into the mid forties’ drudgery she thought was her lot in life, Jenny was writing a new chapter in her life.
“Do you think we have enough food?” Jenny asked Heather worriedly.
Ada Newbury had been too busy to go over the menu with Jenny. She had just wanted it to be fresh and modern. Jenny wondered what that meant. She just hoped the dishes she had come up with would pass muster with the old harridan.
“Everyone’s going to be licking their fingers, Jenny,” Heather said loyally. “Just wait and see.”
