by Leena Clover
“That’s not a strong enough motive,” Molly agreed.
“Adam must have had his reasons,” Jenny said, coming to his defense.
“Does Julius know?” Betty Sue asked, referring to Ada’s husband.
“Julius is out of town. He was going to call Jason when I left. I think Jason will bail her out soon.”
Jason Stone was the one and only lawyer in Pelican Cove. He had known Jenny as a teen, when she had spent summers on the island visiting her aunt. He had tried to woo Jenny when she came to live in Pelican Cove again. Jenny was very fond of Jason but he hadn’t made her heart race like Adam did. Jason still flirted with her at every possible opportunity and Jenny took it in her stride.
“Did you talk to that girl yesterday?” Star asked Jenny curiously.
“She was sweet,” Jenny nodded. “And so pretty. No wonder Brandon fell for her.”
Star exchanged a glance with Betty Sue.
“She was there,” Betty Sue nodded cryptically. “The shameless hussy.”
“Come on, Grandma,” Heather grimaced. “That’s all water under the bridge.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Jenny asked them.
“Just some gossip,” Heather dismissed. “Pay no heed, Jenny.”
“Are they talking about Megan?” Molly asked.
“Isn’t that the redhead Brandon was walking around with last night?” Jenny asked. “Who is she?”
Chapter 3
Betty Sue clammed up at Jenny’s question. Molly began to look uncomfortable. Heather took pity on Jenny and spoke up.
“Megan Patterson used to be Brandon’s girl friend.”
Jenny’s mouth hung open.
“He seemed pretty friendly with her last night.”
“Megan dumped him,” Heather explained. “I wonder if Brandon still has a thing for her.”
Jenny’s opinion of Brandon took a nosedive.
“You don’t say? Did Kelly know about their past?”
Heather shrugged.
“How would I know?”
Betty Sue rushed to Brandon Newbury’s defense.
“Brandon’s a good boy. He turned out pretty well, considering.”
“Why don’t you tell her the whole story?” Star suggested.
“Ada and Julius adore Brandon,” Heather supplied. “Ada as good as raised him. He spent a lot of his childhood here.”
“What about his parents?” Jenny asked.
“They like to travel,” Betty Sue grunted. “They are off gallivanting in some little known country most of the time. They never had time for Brandon.”
“What does this have to do with Megan?” Jenny asked, wondering if there was a point to the conversation.
“Megan’s grandparents live here too,” Star explained. “She did some of her schooling here. She was a popular girl, head of the cheerleading squad and all that.”
“So Megan and Brandon met years ago?”
“They are childhood sweethearts,” Heather sighed. “It’s hard to forget that kind of history.”
“What does this Megan do?” Jenny asked.
“She lives in the city,” Heather explained. “I have no idea what she does. No one knows what went wrong between her and Brandon.”
“They must have made up though,” Molly spoke. “Why would he invite her otherwise?”
“Ada threw last night’s party, remember?” Betty Sue said. “Maybe Ada invited Megan.”
“Let me guess,” Jenny smirked. “Ada actually likes this girl?”
“She’s besotted by her,” Heather corrected. “Very few people can gain Ada’s favor. Megan’s one of them. She’s always been welcome at the Newbury mansion.”
Jenny wondered if Ada had been trying to mend fences between Megan and Brandon.
“What sort of man is Brandon?” Jenny asked. “Would he leave Kelly in the lurch if Megan went back to him?”
“Men!” Star spat. “Who can predict what they will do?”
“Brandon’s not like that,” Heather argued. “He really loved Kelly.”
“Where did he meet her?” Jenny asked.
“We were going to talk about that this morning,” Heather said. “I guess we won’t be doing that anymore.”
“Speaking of weddings,” Betty Sue said. “When are you setting a date, Jenny?”
Jenny couldn’t control the blush that stole over her.
“I haven’t thought about it yet.”
“You have had six months to think about it,” her aunt reminded her. “You have to stop dilly dallying now.”
“I can’t wait to be a bridesmaid,” Heather hinted.
“I thought Chris and Molly might beat me to it,” Jenny said, trying to divert attention from herself.
Molly obliged them by turning red. She was dating Chris Williams, a young local realtor. Molly and Chris had exchanged promise rings a few months ago, instead of engagement rings. They both wanted to be completely sure of their commitment to each other before assigning any labels to their relationship.
“We are not in a hurry,” she said quickly. “I think you and Adam should take the plunge first, Jenny.”
Heather looked at them irritably.
“You are both one of a kind. You know what I would be doing if I was in your place? I would be knee deep in wedding magazines and stuff, planning the wedding of the century. And here you can’t even set a date.”
“Don’t forget, Heather,” Jenny said gently. “Adam and I have both been married before.”
“So have I,” Molly reminded her.
Neither of their marriages had ended well.
“So what?” Heather rolled her eyes. “This is a new beginning for both of you. Forget those losers you were married to before. Adam and Chris are some of the finest men you could ever meet.”
“I fully agree with that,” Jenny said with a laugh.
“What’s holding you back then, sweetie?” Star asked, looking worried.
Jenny rubbed the tiny gold heart shaped charm that hung around her neck. She did that whenever she thought of her son Nick. Nick had gifted her a gold charm every Mother’s Day ever since he turned eight. Jenny wore them all on a chain now. They provided her a tangible connection with her son whenever she thought of him.
“What does Nick feel about this?” Molly asked, picking up on Jenny’s thoughts.
“We’ve never really discussed it,” Jenny confessed.
“It’s high time you did,” Star quipped. “Nick is a grown man. He just wants you to be happy.”
Jenny humored the Magnolias as they pestered her about her wedding. The group finally broke up when Molly got up to get back to the library. Heather and Betty Sue returned to the Bayview Inn to prepare for the arrival of their new guests.
Star stayed back to help Jenny.
“When are you going to hire some help?” she asked Jenny. “You’ve been running the café singlehandedly for over six months now. It’s taking a toll on you.”
Jenny barely heard her aunt. She had been ignoring her aching back and sore feet for several weeks now. She couldn’t explain why she hadn’t hired some permanent staff for the café. The truth was she still missed her friend Petunia. Hiring someone else felt like she was replacing her. Jenny couldn’t imagine doing that.
Jenny drove home as the daylight waned early under a cloudy sky. Her phone rang moments after she collapsed on the couch in her great room.
It was Adam, asking her what kind of food she fancied that evening. She had completely forgotten their dinner date.
Jenny showered and slipped into her trusty little black dress. She wished she had something new and bright to wear. Maybe she needed a shopping trip with the girls.
Adam was right on time. Jenny had a hankering for Mexican food. Adam drove to a small Mexican restaurant in a neighboring town.
Adam was in a sober mood.
“She was barely 25, Jenny,” he moaned, referring to Kelly Fox. “She had her whole life ahead of her.”
“Are you sure she didn’t drown by herself?” Jenny asked hesitantly. “The champagne was flowing freely last night.”
“I’m sure,” Adam said. “We’ll know more after the autopsy. But I am pretty sure someone killed that girl.”
“But why?”
“That’s what I have to find out.”
Adam took a hefty bite of his taco and chewed thoughtfully. Jenny recognized the grim determination in his eyes.
“She seemed very happy,” Jenny supplied. “Who wouldn’t be? Brandon Newbury is supposed to be a great catch.”
“Ada Newbury didn’t like her,” Adam said flatly. “Almost every member of their staff told me that.”
“Did they have an argument or something?”
“Ada warned her off. Told her no good would come of marrying Brandon.”
“Is that why you arrested her?”
“I didn’t arrest her, Jenny,” Adam sighed. “You have to stop listening to the grapevine. I just brought her in for questioning.”
“Why does she need a lawyer then?” Jenny pounced. “You are hiding something from me.”
Normally, Jenny’s statement would have produced an outburst from Adam. But he had mellowed a bit since their engagement.
“I don’t have to tell you everything I know, Jenny,” he said with a smile. “I can’t. It’s part of an ongoing investigation.”
“How did you zero in on Ada so quickly?” Jenny pressed. “Doesn’t she have an alibi?”
Adam and Jenny parried back and forth, Jenny trying hard to squeeze as much information as possible from Adam. They shared a caramel flan for dessert and Adam took her to their favorite beach. Jenny forgot all about the Newburys as she held hands with Adam. They walked silently in the bright moonlight, enjoying each other’s company.
Jenny started the next day with a smile on her face. She beamed at her favorite customer, the first in line when she opened the Boardwalk Café for business every morning. Captain Charlie gave her a knowing look.
“How’s that young man of yours?” he asked. “I hear he hasn’t thrown a tantrum in three full days.”
Adam Hopkins was known for his irascible nature. Everyone believed Jenny had succeeded in taming him.
“Adam’s fine, Captain Charlie,” Jenny sighed. “Are you going to try one of my yogurt parfaits today? You need to start eating healthy.”
Captain Charlie agreed to try Jenny’s fancy breakfast, provided he could still eat his muffin. Jenny packed a blueberry muffin for him along with the berry parfait.
Most of the café’s customers turned out to be like Captain Charlie. They went for the parfait only after they had their fill of muffins and omelets, treating the parfait as dessert.
“Does anyone here understand the concept of a low calorie breakfast?” Jenny wailed.
“I don’t see why you are complaining,” Star laughed. “More business for you.”
“I thought I would help build some healthy habits,” Jenny said reproachfully.
“That’s a noble thought,” Star said sagely. “But it ain’t happening here, Jenny. The people in this town are set in their ways. You should know that by now.”
After a dozen more customers chose a crab omelet over the parfait, Jenny had to admit her aunt was right. Jenny brainstormed about how she could make her parfaits more attractive.
“What if I add toasted coconut, or pecans?”
“Or chocolate chips?” her aunt suggested naughtily.
The Magnolias arrived at ten for their daily coffee break. Heather and Molly dutifully ate a parfait each while Betty Sue stuck to her muffin.
“You might be getting a visitor today,” Heather told Jenny.
A long, black car pulled up outside the café just then. A uniformed driver got out and opened the back door. Ada Newbury stepped out, resplendent in a silk dress and a thick strand of pearls. Her head was held high and her expression was as haughty as ever. She stepped into the café and walked out on the deck.
“You there,” she called out, snapping her fingers at Jenny.
Jenny didn’t appreciate being insulted in her own café. She stood her ground, barely budging an inch.
“What can I do for you, Mrs. Newbury?”
“We need to talk.”
Jenny invited her to pick an empty table. Ada’s lips curled in an expression of disgust. She pulled out a lace handkerchief from her purse and placed it on a deck chair. She sat down gingerly, flicking a speck of dust off her sleeve.
Jenny sat down before Ada and folded her hands. She raised her eyebrows questioningly and waited for Ada to speak up.
“Your young man has gone berserk.”
Jenny was silent, waiting for Ada to say more.
“He thinks we killed that silly girl.”
“Did you?” Jenny asked.
“How dare you!” Ada fumed. “Brandon was in love with her.”
“But you didn’t like her, did you?” Jenny asked.
“She was a nobody,” Ada spat. “Brandon could have done so much better.”
“Looks like you don’t have to worry about her now,” Jenny said with a shrug.
“How I wish that were true,” Ada said.
Her posture seemed to crumple and she suddenly looked frail and old.
“Why are you here, Mrs. Newbury?” Jenny asked. “Are you here to complain about the food at the party?”
Ada looked pathetic as she leaned forward and grasped Jenny’s arm.
“I need your help. Find out who killed that girl. I will pay you anything you want.”
“I’m not a detective,” Jenny protested. “And I don’t want your money.”
“Then take pity on me,” Ada pleaded. “I’m innocent. I may have disliked that girl, but I didn’t do anything to harm her.”
“I can’t guarantee anything,” Jenny sighed.
Ada’s voice wavered as her eyes bore into Jenny’s.
“Just promise me you’ll look into it.”
Chapter 4
Adam and Jenny were having an old argument. Adam was incensed as he cut into his eggs.
“I don’t see why you have to be involved this time.”
“Ada Newbury needs my help. She personally came over here and begged me to help her.”
“That’s convenient,” Adam jeered. “Have you forgotten how that woman treats you most of the time? What about the way she snubs your aunt?”
“I know all that. And I am also sure she won’t change even if I manage to bail her out of trouble.”
“Then why are you bending over backwards, meddling in police business?”
“Don’t forget I have helped you out in the past,” Jenny said. “And I don’t meddle. You do your thing. I’ll do mine.”
“Things are different now, Jenny. People know about us. They will assume I tell you everything about the investigation.”
Jenny let out a snort.
“You’re not giving out any state secrets, Adam. And here I thought you were worried about my safety.”
Adam had the grace to look a bit guilty.
“Of course I worry about you. I haven’t forgotten all those close calls you have had in the past couple of years, Jenny. What would I do if something happened to you?”
Jenny poured a fresh cup of coffee for Adam and rolled her eyes.
“You’re making too much out of this.”
Adam shook his head in disgust. He and Jenny agreed about most things. But he couldn’t curb her sleuthing. Jenny called it helping people. He called it poking her nose into someone else’s business.
“Time to go,” Adam said, pushing his chair back and struggling to his feet.
He was a war veteran who had been injured in the line of duty. He had a pronounced limp and needed a cane most of the time. His recent therapy had led to a lot of improvement though. He was secretly hoping to get through his wedding without the cane. It was supposed to be a surprise for Jenny.
Jenny waved goodbye to Adam and went inside. She hadn’t tol
d him about her plans for the day.
Star was chopping vegetables in the kitchen.
“I will get the soup started before I leave,” Jenny told her. “I should be back in time for lunch.”
She started sautéing vegetables in a knob of butter.
“Are you going alone?” Star asked.
Jenny nodded. She usually took Heather along with her for moral support. But she had to stop being in awe of the Newburys at some point.
Bright blue skies studded with fluffy white clouds brought a smile to Jenny’s face. Watery sunlight bathed everything in a soft glow as Jenny drove to the Newbury estate. She handed over a bag of muffins to the security guard at the gate. He thanked her profusely, looking surprised.
A maid ushered Jenny into the opulent living room. Jenny stood in the center of the room, looking around, wondering where to sit.
“Are you going to stand there all day?” Ada Newbury griped, snapping at Jenny as she came in.
The maid entered with a tray loaded with tea things. There was a three tiered stand with tiny cakes and cookies, and a big kettle of tea.
Ada poured tea for them and added milk and sugar to Jenny’s cup. Jenny wasn’t sure if Ada remembered how she took her tea, or she just assumed.
“Try the shortbread,” Ada said. “It’s our cook’s specialty.”
Jenny obliged her and bit into the buttery, crumbly cookie.
“Let’s talk about Megan,” she said.
Ada looked surprised.
“Did you invite her to the party?” Jenny cut to the chase.
Ada nodded.
“Did Brandon ask you to do that?”
“I don’t think he knew Megan was in town.”
“I’m guessing you had something to do with that too,” Jenny asked.
“Megan is such a sweet girl,” Ada sighed. “She and Brandon always got along like a house on fire.”
“But Brandon was seeing someone else,” Jenny reminded her. “He was engaged to Kelly.”
“Megan used to be here all the time, running after Brandon. She would come here after school. They would do their homework together and beg Cook for more fruit cake.”
Ada sounded wistful as she reminisced about years gone by.
“What did you hope to achieve by inviting Megan?”
