by Leena Clover
“Zac Gordon?” Jenny asked incredulously. “He’s half her age.”
“It’s not impossible,” Heather said.
Heather had recently been in love with a much older man. She didn’t believe age was a barrier for true love.
“It’s her private business, I guess,” Jenny said.
“But she’s cheating on her husband,” Betty Sue protested.
“Let them handle it, Betty Sue,” Star said diplomatically. “Why should we interfere?”
None of the women really believed that Ada Newbury could be involved with a mere golf pro.
Jason Stone walked down the boardwalk carrying the baby in a carrier. The ladies hailed him and Jenny invited him for a cup of coffee. Heather, Jenny and Molly took turns holding the baby, smiling and blowing kisses at her as she gurgled and smiled.
“When is Emily spending the day with us?” Jenny asked Jason.
“You’re always busy at the café,” Jason pointed out. “When do you have the time to take care of my girl?”
“How about Sunday?” Jenny asked. “Spend the day with us. We can have a barbecue in the evening.”
She invited the Magnolias for the barbecue. Jason told them how he had set up a crib in his office for Emily.
“I still need to go to the city sometimes though,” he said gloomily. “I hate leaving Emily.”
Jenny marveled at how easily Jason had stepped into the role of a father. She couldn’t imagine Adam doing that. But she had to concede he had raised two daughters on his own after his wife passed away. Then she chided herself for comparing the two men. It wasn’t fair to either of them.
The day passed in a blur. Jenny stayed busy making lunch and preparing for the next day. She walked to the seafood market on her way home.
Chris Williams greeted her with a big smile. He and Molly were seeing each other. Chris moonlighted as a part-time realtor and was a kind hearted young man.
“How are you doing, Jenny?” he asked, wrapping up her usual order of whitefish fillets and shrimp.
Jenny chatted with him for a while before heading back.
Jenny and her aunt had a quiet dinner at home. Jenny had pan grilled the fish and made a salad. She put on her sneakers after some time and went for a walk on the beach. A yellow Labrador ran up to her, his tail wagging and put his paws on her chest.
“Tank!” Jenny exclaimed happily, fondling the dog.
She pulled a ball out of her pocket and threw it in the distance.
Adam walked up to her, leaning on his cane. He didn’t look very happy.
“You look tired,” Jenny murmured. “Have you had dinner? I saved a plate for you.”
“I’m not hungry,” Adam snapped.
They walked away from the house, Adam unwilling to say a word. Jenny let him brood for a while.
“Do you ever listen to me?” he burst out suddenly. “What am I going to do with you, Jenny?”
“What have I done now?” Jenny asked, her hands on her hips.
“I told you to stay away from that pool boy.”
“He came to the café. I didn’t go looking for him.”
“What did you talk about?” Adam demanded. “Tell me everything right now.”
Jenny told Adam how Enrique had been blackmailing Kelly.
“And I bet he didn’t stop there.”
“I don’t think he is involved in Kelly’s murder,” Jenny said. “He had a lot to gain by keeping her alive.”
Adam held Jenny’s arms and shook her.
“You need to be more careful, Jenny,” he cried. “There’s a killer on the loose.”
“Why are you so upset, Adam?” Jenny asked. “Has something else happened?”
Adam looked grim when he gave Jenny the news.
“Paul Briggs is dead.”
“Binkie’s dead?” Jenny echoed.
“They found him in his room at the country club,” Adam reported. “Don’t know why he was still hanging around town.”
“What happened to him?” Jenny asked.
“Don’t know for sure. My guess is he was poisoned.”
“Who would do that?”
“Isn’t that the big question?” Adam growled. “Until we catch the culprit, everyone is under suspicion.”
“What does anyone gain by killing Binkie?”
Adam shrugged. They turned around and walked back to Seaview. Jenny barely slept a wink before it was time to get up and go to the café.
Brandon Newbury turned up at the Boardwalk Café for breakfast. Jenny was surprised when she saw him standing in line.
“Chocolate chip muffin?” she asked. “My treat.”
“Can I talk to you?” Brandon pleaded.
Jenny led him out to the deck. A brisk wind whipped her hair against her face. She shivered a bit as she waited for Brandon to speak up.
“A cold front’s coming in,” Brandon began.
“Are you here to talk about the weather?” Jenny asked impatiently.
She had a mountain of work waiting for her in the kitchen.
“Did you hear about Binkie?” he asked.
Jenny nodded affirmatively.
“The police think I did it.”
Jenny sat down at a table and motioned Brandon to do the same.
“What did you have against him?”
“He wasn’t Kelly’s cousin,” Brandon explained. “He was her lover. The police think I wanted revenge.”
“Did you?” Jenny asked simply.
Brandon ran a hand through his hair. His blue eyes looked troubled as he stared beseechingly at Jenny.
“I never had a clue,” he said. “At least not at first. Binkie was so friendly. He was a guy’s guy, you know. He was the only family Kelly had, or so I thought. Then I saw them together. I got the shock of my life.”
“You had no idea?”
“I knew Kelly was up to something,” Brandon admitted. “I thought maybe she was just having a last fling. But I never guessed she was carrying on with Binkie.”
“Do you know what their plan was?” Jenny asked.
“My grandma told me,” Brandon said. “I still can’t believe it.”
“Anyone in your position would feel cheated. You might have decided to get revenge.”
“I couldn’t stand the sight of him,” Brandon admitted. “But I didn’t do anything to hurt him. You have to believe me.”
“Can you tell me anything about him?” Jenny asked. “What did he do in the city?”
“Binkie was between jobs,” Brandon told Jenny. “As far as I know he didn’t seem concerned about it.”
Jenny didn’t want to make any tall promises.
“Nothing about this business makes any sense,” she told Brandon. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to help you.”
“You are close to the sheriff, aren’t you?” Brandon said. “At least put in a good word for me.”
Jenny felt her temper flare.
“I don’t interfere in Adam’s work.”
Brandon knew when to shut up. He implored Jenny to help him in any way she could. Jenny was relieved when he left.
The Magnolias came in for their daily ritual. None of them said anything much. The news of Binkie’s death had spread through town. People were beginning to look worried. They huddled together and talked in soft voices, blaming the police for inaction.
Jenny was too distracted to cook anything elaborate for lunch. She made her strawberry chicken salad and added in some freshly picked basil for flavor. She packed a lunch basket and headed to the police station, hoping to get the latest scoop.
Adam greeted her with a scowl.
“Thanks for getting lunch,” he said. “I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you.”
“I can go back to the café and eat on my own,” Jenny said meekly. “Actually, I might look in on the baby. I need something to cheer me up.”
Adam gave in, just as Jenny had expected.
“You can eat here,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Just make
sure you don’t talk shop.”
“We don’t have to talk at all,” Jenny said.
Adam ate half his sandwich in a couple of bites. Jenny took one dainty bite and chewed slowly. The phone on Adam’s desk trilled, shattering the silence.
Adam picked up the receiver and listened. His face turned darker with every passing second. He slammed the phone down after a while and muttered something under his breath.
“Bad news?” Jenny asked sympathetically.
Adam stuffed the remaining sandwich in his mouth, refusing to answer Jenny. She could sense he was bursting to tell her something. He guzzled the lemonade Jenny had brought along and looked at her.
“A witness has come forward. Brandon Newbury was seen at the country club two nights ago.”
“So he spent time at his club,” Jenny shrugged. “No big deal.”
“He was seen skulking around Binkie’s room,” Adam thundered.
“How do you know this witness is telling the truth?” Jenny demanded.
“It’s my job to determine that,” Adam said. “Lunch is over.”
Jenny took the hint and picked up her basket. She walked back to the café, trying to guess who might have called the police against Brandon. Did someone in town have a grudge against him?
Ada Newbury was waiting for Jenny at the Boardwalk Café.
“Where have you been?” she complained. “I have been waiting for an hour.”
“How can I help you, Mrs. Newbury?” Jenny asked, ignoring the old woman’s outburst.
“My Brandon’s in trouble,” Ada sobbed. “That poor boy! Please say you will help him. I will pay you anything you want.”
“It’s not that easy,” Jenny said, trying to be honest. “Nothing about this affair has made any sense.”
“You know my Brandon works for a senator?” Ada asked. “He has big aspirations. Who was this Binkie? A good-for-nothing loafer. Why would my Brandon risk his life’s work over someone like that?”
A tear rolled down Ada’s rheumy eyes. Jenny felt sorry for her. She decided not to mention the witness.
“Calm down, Mrs. Newbury,” she consoled. “If Brandon’s innocent, he has nothing to worry about.”
Jenny wasn’t sure he was. Brandon had motive and opportunity and it was going to be difficult to prove he was completely free of blame.
Chapter 17
Jenny smoothed her hands over her golf dress, gazing at herself in the mirror. She hoped it wasn’t hopelessly out of fashion. She didn’t want to look out of place.
Jenny needed an excuse to go scout around the country club. She had decided to take advantage of Zac Gordon’s offer. She had called him the previous day and set up a lesson with him.
“Are you sure they will let me in?” she had joked.
Zac had boasted about the clout he wielded at the club.
“The golf course is my domain. Don’t worry about a thing.”
Two hours later, Jenny stood on the green, ready to tee off. Zac Gordon had painstakingly given her some directions, and attempted to correct her posture.
Jenny found out her game wasn’t too rusty after all. She chatted with Zac as they traversed the famous course.
“This place is beautiful,” Jenny breathed. “Do you like working here?”
“It’s more than just a job,” Zac told her. “I’m not complaining. I get to do what I love most. And the tips aren’t bad either.”
Jenny spotted a familiar figure in the distance. She waved at the tall black haired youngster and called him over.
“What are you doing here?”
Enrique looked surprised to see her.
“I’m here to pick up my girlfriend. Her shift ends in a few minutes.”
“Do you come here often?” Jenny asked.
Enrique shrugged.
“Pretty much, I guess.”
Jenny turned to smile at Zac.
“You know Enrique, don’t you?”
A look of annoyance flashed across Zac’s face.
“Sure,” he said. “The pool boy.”
“Yes,” Enrique grinned. “I’m the pool boy.”
He said goodbye to Jenny and started walking away.
“You don’t like him much, do you?” Jenny asked Zac.
“Is it that obvious?” Zac asked. “I told Ada, I mean Mrs. Newbury, she should fire him. He’s a crook if I ever saw one.”
“He’s just a kid,” Jenny said mildly. “He’s a bit cocky, I guess.”
“He’s hanging around here all the time,” Zac spat. “I saw him 2-3 nights ago, prowling around.”
Jenny’s mind connected the dots. That was the night Binkie had been killed. What had Enrique been doing at the country club?”
“Are you sure it was Enrique you saw?” Jenny asked Zac.
“I’m pretty sure,” Zac nodded. “I had just finished a lesson and was going to the café to grab a drink. He came over to say Hi. Wanted to know if I could give him a free lesson sometime.”
Jenny thought about Zac’s words on her way back home. What could Enrique possibly have against Binkie? Binkie, on the other hand, could have had a grudge against Enrique for blackmailing Kelly. None of it made sense.
Jenny took a long hot shower, trying to relax. She decided to have a quiet evening at home, reading a book or watching some cooking show on TV. She had barely put her feet up when her phone rang. Heather and Molly were at the local pub for drinks. They wanted Jenny to join them.
Jenny pulled on a dressy top over her jeans and drove to the Rusty Anchor, Pelican Cove’s favorite watering hole. Molly and Heather sat at a table, facing Chris and Jason.
“Where’s the baby?” Jenny asked Jason as she greeted everyone.
“Betty Sue’s watching her.”
“We insisted Jason join us for a pint,” Molly explained. “He hasn’t had an evening to himself since the baby got here.”
“I can spare thirty minutes,” Jason said, glancing at his watch. “Then I’m gone.”
“What’s Adam doing tonight?” Chris asked Jenny.
“Working,” Jenny said with a shrug.
“No he’s not,” Heather said, looking up.
Adam Hopkins had just entered the pub. He spotted Jenny and limped toward her, leaning on his cane.
“When are you two setting a wedding date?” Heather asked Adam.
“What is this, an ambush?” Adam asked grumpily.
He looked at Jenny.
“Did you put her up to this?”
“No, she didn’t,” Heather butted in. “I’m asking because I am getting too old to be a bridesmaid.”
“No Heather, you’re getting too old to be a bride,” Adam smirked. “Why don’t you take pity on your poor grandmother and find someone who will tolerate you for the rest of your life?”
Heather looked like she had been punched in the face. Jenny gave Adam a quelling look and went around the table to console her.
“What’s the matter with you, Adam?” she cried.
“Sorry, long day,” Adam apologized. “Don’t mind me, Heather.”
He stood up to leave.
“I should go.”
He looked at Jenny.
“I need to take Tank out. We’ll come to Seaview in a bit.”
Jenny stopped at Mama Rosa’s on her way home. She picked up two large pizzas and salads for dinner. She drove home, telling herself to be patient with Adam.
Star was chatting with Adam when Jenny got home. Tank gave her his usual exuberant welcome. They devoured the food Jenny had brought and sat in the living room, eating bowls of chocolate ice cream.
Adam offered to call Heather and apologize again.
“It’s your leg, isn’t it?” Jenny asked. “Have you been doing those exercises the therapist recommended?”
“It’s not just my leg,” Adam sighed. “It’s this case. It gets more complicated every day.”
Jenny knew a direct question would not get her any answers. She stayed quiet.
“I did a
background check on Paul Briggs,” Adam said. “He just received a big sum of money in his bank account.”
Jenny sat up, looking surprised.
“There have been multiple deposits into his account, all from different places in the area,” Adam continued. “They add up to a pretty large amount.”
“What does it mean?” Jenny asked.
“Looks like someone was paying him off,” Adam said. “But I don’t understand why.”
“The only people Binkie knew in town were Kelly and Brandon,” Jenny said.
“Brandon Newbury is implicated again,” Adam said, rubbing his eyes.
“How so?” Jenny asked.
“Binkie must have seen something. Say he named a price for his silence. Brandon paid him once but Binkie got greedy and asked for more. Brandon decided to silence him forever.”
“That’s just a theory,” Jenny protested.
“It’s a strong motive,” Adam said seriously.
“Can you prove Brandon deposited the money in Binkie’s account?”
“Not yet,” Adam said, clenching his jaw. “The money was deposited in cash. It will take us some time to locate the person who made those payments.”
“I’m sure you will get to the bottom of this soon,” Jenny soothed.
They went for a walk on the beach after that. Adam and Tank left around ten, Adam feeling considerably better after stretching his legs.
Jenny spent a restless night, tossing and turning in bed. She had to prove Brandon’s innocence, but she needed to believe in him herself before she did that.
A bright and sunny day dawned in Pelican Cove, putting a smile on Jenny’s face. She hoped they had seen the last of the dark clouds. The citizens of Pelican Cove turned out to enjoy the fair weather. The Boardwalk Café was packed for breakfast, with some people waiting in line outside to get a table. Jenny stayed busy baking batches of muffins and making her special puttanesca omelets.
Once the breakfast rush receded, Jenny started a pot of tomato soup and cooked teriyaki chicken for lunch. The Magnolias arrived as usual, eager to talk about Jenny’s day on the golf course.
“Can you handle the lunch crowd again?” Jenny asked her aunt. “Please?”
“Don’t worry about the café,” Star assured her. “But promise me you will be careful.”
