by Leena Clover
“Carry on, you two,” Star said.
Jenny had completely forgotten her aunt.
“Will you keep an eye on her?” Star asked Jason. “I have to go to the café.”
“Emily and I will stand guard,” Jason said with a smile. “Don’t worry about a thing, Star.”
“Are you guys in collusion?” Jenny asked after Star had stepped out. “I would be very cross, except, you brought this little bundle of joy. Emily and I are going to have a fine visit.”
Jenny chatted with Jason for a while. Jason brought in his bag after some time and pulled out some files.
“I hope you don’t mind?” he apologized to Jenny. “I need to get this done by evening.”
Emily took a nap after a while. Jenny went down to the kitchen and hunted around in her freezer for a casserole for lunch. She found a pan of Star’s famous six layer lasagna and slid it into the oven.
“You must be getting close,” Jason said as he prepared Emily’s bottle. “You are beginning to threaten someone.”
“I have no idea who,” Jenny sighed. “It’s all like a really intricate web. And there’s something in the water, Jason. Every person I meet seems to be having an affair.”
“You drank a bit of that water yourself,” Jason teased.
“That’s different,” Jenny argued. “Adam and I are in love.”
Jason’s eyelids flickered a bit and he squared his shoulders but Jenny didn’t notice any of that.
“I’m talking about a proper affair, the kind you have when you are cheating on someone.”
“Oh?” Jason asked with interest.
Jenny started counting off her fingers.
“Kelly was having an affair with Binkie, she was sweet on the pool boy too. Ada is having a fling with the golf pro at her club …”
“Wait a minute,” Jason interrupted. “What?”
“Have you met the golf pro at the country club?”
Jenny knew Jason was a member and enjoyed a good round of golf. It was all part of being a successful lawyer.
“I haven’t been on the links in a while,” Jason explained. “I was too busy earlier and now with Emily, it’s out of the question.”
“Zac Gordon is tall and attractive, and he says all the right things.”
“Surely he’s younger than Ada?” Jason sputtered.
“By decades,” Jenny nodded. “They were seen smooching in a deserted alley.”
“Now I’ve heard it all,” Jason sniggered.
“Not really,” Jenny said. “Brandon’s back with Megan.”
“They have been in love since they were kids,” Jason told Jenny. “I was shocked to learn Brandon was marrying someone else.”
“What if Brandon got back with Megan while Kelly was still alive?” Jenny asked. “He knew she was cheating on him. How do we know he didn’t do the same?”
“He would have been justified,” Jason said.
“I don’t know about that,” Jenny said. “But having an affair with Megan gives him a motive.”
They went back and forth over it for a while.
“Are you sure about Ada? I can’t imagine Ada Newbury being friendly with someone of the working class.”
Emily woke up with a cry and Jason hastened to feed her. By the time Jenny set the table and served the lasagna, Emily’s eyelids were drooping again.
Father and daughter left after lunch, Jason urging Jenny to take better care of herself.
Jenny had barely had time to flip through the latest issue of her favorite cooking magazine when she heard some familiar voices outside. She sprang up and flung the door open, just as Heather raised her hand to knock.
“What are you all doing here?” Jenny beamed. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
Betty Sue, Heather and Molly bustled in, followed by Star. Star gave Jenny a withering look.
“You were supposed to take it easy, take a nap or something.”
“I’m fine,” Jenny assured her. “You worry too much.”
She pointed to the container Molly held in her hands.
“Dessert?”
“You bet,” Molly said. “My special espresso brownies.”
Betty Sue settled in a comfortable armchair and pulled out her knitting. Her needles clacked in a familiar rhythm as she spoke to Jenny.
“We decided you needed our help. This whole sordid business has gone on too long.”
“What did you have in mind?” Jenny asked, taking a big bite of Molly’s gooey, rich brownie.
She hadn’t waited for Molly to serve them on a plate. Molly handed the plate around and nodded at Betty Sue.
“We know you’re the real sleuth, Jenny, but maybe if we brainstorm together, we might see something you have missed.”
“Five heads are better than one,” Jenny agreed.
“Where should we start?” Heather asked eagerly. “Enrique?”
“Heather told me that pool boy was blackmailing the poor girl who died,” Betty Sue said. “Why would he kill her? He had lots to gain from her. And he seems to be the greedy type.”
“That’s right,” Jenny said. “But he also has a criminal past. He was forcing Kelly to pay him for his silence. Let’s not forget he was right there at the pool house. He could have let Kelly in.”
“You think they had an argument?” Molly asked.
“They might have been fighting over money,” Jenny agreed. “He could have pushed her in accidentally.”
“What about the bruise on her head?” Heather asked. “I don’t see Enrique hitting her on purpose.”
“I agree,” Jenny said. “But I’m not ready to rule him out completely.”
“Okay,” Molly said. “I think we are all in agreement on that one. Who else?”
“Brandon,” Jenny said, looking at Heather. “I know you are related but we are trying to be objective here.”
“It’s okay,” Heather said. “Let’s get this out of the way.”
“Brandon knew that girl was cheating on him, didn’t he?” Betty Sue asked.
Jenny told the Magnolias about Megan and Brandon.
“I’m beginning to think he was cheating on Kelly too.”
This was news to the other women. They exclaimed over this new theory, amazed at why the young couple had been going ahead with their wedding. Neither of them seemed interested in each other.
“Brandon may have wanted to break it off with Kelly,” Jenny mused. “But Kelly wanted the wedding to happen. That was the whole point of the plan she hatched with Binkie. She wanted to trap Brandon in marriage and then maybe get a big divorce settlement.”
“How does all this implicate Brandon?” Heather asked.
“Brandon decided to confront Kelly. He could have let her into the pool house. Maybe that was their rendezvous point.”
“And then things got out of hand?” Molly asked. “That’s possible. What about Binkie though? Why would Brandon kill him too?”
“Binkie was always hanging around Kelly,” Jenny said. “Remember the night of the party? Those two were literally joined at the hip. Binkie could have followed Kelly to the pool house. He might have seen what Brandon did.”
“And then he blackmailed Brandon?” Star spoke up. “There’s a lot of that going around too.”
“So what? Brandon got Binkie out of the way too?” Heather scoffed. “I can see Brandon losing his temper once but killing someone in cold blood, that’s just not him.”
“I understand your feelings, Heather,” Jenny said. “But the evidence points toward him. He wasn’t in bed when Kelly died, and he was at the country club around the time Binkie died. Like it or not, Brandon is the top suspect.”
“What about that boy Binkie?” Betty Sue asked.
“That’s right,” Star spoke up. “He was a crook from what I can tell.”
“There is one possible scenario,” Jenny said. “Kelly might have changed her mind about ditching Brandon. She must have realized how rich the Newburys really were. What if she wanted
to marry Brandon for real? That would leave Binkie in the lurch.”
“And make him really angry with Kelly,” Molly breathed, licking her chocolate stained fingers.
“Binkie could have argued with Kelly,” Heather said, her eyes shining with hope. “Isn’t it possible he hit her in a fit of anger?”
“There is only one problem with that theory,” Jenny sighed. “Who killed Binkie?”
“That’s it?” Star asked. “Are we out of suspects?”
“There’s one other person who hated Kelly,” Molly said.
“You are thinking of Ada,” Betty Sue snorted. “Ada Newbury hates pretty much everyone other than her immediate family. If she started killing everyone she had an objection to, there would be a bloodbath in Pelican Cove.”
“Funny how you always take her side,” Star quipped.
The two older women squabbled for some time.
“Give it a rest, you two,” Jenny said.
She stood up and began pacing the room. The shadows were beginning to lengthen outside. The sheer white curtains at the windows flapped around in the breeze coming off the ocean. The day had turned cooler, making Jenny shiver all of a sudden.
“Are we missing something?” she spoke out loud. “Or someone?”
“There is the staff at the Newbury mansion,” Heather said. “I don’t care how many times they change the access code for that pool house, some of them must have known what it was.”
“Why would they have a grudge against Kelly though? I don’t think any of the staff has a clear motive. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“What about the people at the party?” Molly asked. “Maybe Kelly pulled the same racket on someone else before. This person could have followed her to Pelican Cove.”
“It was a very exclusive gathering,” Heather said. “You know how snobbish Ada is. She went over the guest list with a fine toothcomb. Anyway, the party was for her friends, not Kelly’s.”
“We are back where we started,” Jenny groaned. “Looks like whoever it was escaped long ago.”
“That’s not true,” Star spoke up. “You must be getting close, Jenny. That’s why someone tried to hurt you.”
Heather and Molly bobbed their heads in agreement. Betty Sue summed up what they were all thinking.
“Whoever it is, he or she is watching every move you make, Jenny.”
Chapter 20
“I still can’t believe Ada invited me today,” Jenny said, tapping her hands on the steering wheel.
Jenny had become familiar with the winding road that led into the hills and the Newbury estate.
“She’s warming up to you, Jenny.” Heather laughed shrilly and teased her friend. “Ada Newbury is giving you time of day. Count your blessings.”
She sniggered again, shaking her head.
“That’s enough,” Betty Sue Morse said from the back seat. “Make sure you behave yourself when we get there.”
“Yes, Grandma!” Heather said with a roll of her eyes.
“What’s the occasion?” Jenny looked into the rearview mirror and caught Betty Sue’s eye.
“Brandon said it’s a surprise,” Heather spoke up before Betty Sue had a chance to respond.
“We’ll find out soon enough,” Betty Sue nodded. “Why are you so impatient?”
“I just hope I am dressed appropriately,” Jenny said self-consciously.
She was wearing a figure hugging silk dress in a light peach color. It was from an expensive label and she had worn it several times over the years. She hoped it was fancy enough for whatever event Ada had invited them to.
“You look fine,” Heather reassured her friend.
“Is that fella of hers going to be there?” Betty Sue asked. “Maybe I can get a good look at him this time.”
Ada had been spotted with Zac Gordon again. Star had come upon them when she was walking on the bluffs, trying to look for a good spot to set up her easel. Molly had seen them driving out of town once. The Magnolias had concluded that Ada Newbury was definitely involved in some way with the golf pro. Whether it was a light flirtation, an amorous affair or just an innocent friendship, they had no idea. The younger women were willing to bet that it was a hot affair. Especially since Ada’s husband Julius had been away on business for the past few months.
“She wouldn’t dare!” Heather exclaimed. “You think Brandon knows what Ada has been up to?”
“Brandon has been keeping himself busy,” Jenny reminded her.
Brandon and Megan had been hanging out together for the past few weeks. There was nothing hidden about their relationship.
Heather’s face assumed an ‘I told you so’ expression.
“Brandon and Megan are meant for each other,” she parroted.
Jenny pulled up at the Newbury’s entrance and the security guard waved her in through the big iron gates.
A maid took their wraps and ushered them out to the garden at the back. Fairy lights glittered in the dusk, covering the extensive veranda. Paper lanterns were interspersed between them and hung on trees, bathing the surroundings in a soft glow. Jenny had a déjà vu moment as she thought of the night of Kelly’s party.
Brandon rushed forward to greet them. Jenny saw Ada holding court over a small group of people. Megan sat next to Ada on a sofa. Zac Gordon reclined in an armchair.
Brandon showed them to their seats, making sure they were comfortable.
Greetings were exchanged. Betty Sue sat with her back ramrod straight. She gave Zac Gordon a withering look.
“I don’t believe we have met before,” she said loudly.
Zac Gordon opened his mouth to speak. Ada beat him to it.
“Zac is a close friend, Betty Sue.”
Betty Sue’s cheeks turned pink.
“Friend, huh?” she murmured. “Nice to meet you, Zac.”
Brandon offered the ladies a drink.
“We are all having champagne. Will that do? I can get you a soda or tea if you like.”
They chose champagne and Brandon poured some bubbly into flutes. Jenny noticed he had another glass beside him filled with a dark, amber liquid.
“Are we all here?” Heather asked. “Or is anyone else coming?”
“It’s a small group,” Ada said. “Just people I care about.”
“What’s the occasion?” Heather asked again. “Are we celebrating something?”
Brandon took Megan’s hand in his. They looked at each other and beamed at the assembled group.
“We wanted you to be the first to know,” Brandon began. “Megan and I are engaged.”
Heather squealed in delight. She stood up and gave Brandon a tight hug. Then she turned around and hugged Megan.
“I knew it!” she exclaimed. “You two are meant to be together.”
Megan blushed like a new bride.
“Congratulations, you two,” Jenny said, raising her champagne flute toward them. “Aren’t you having a proper engagement?”
“We feel it’s too soon,” Brandon said. “You know, after Kelly …”
Megan put a hand on his shoulder.
“We’ll have a long engagement and then have a lavish wedding next year. Right, Mrs. Newbury?”
She turned toward Ada, seeking her approval.
“That’s right, dear,” Ada said. “And how many times have I told you? Call me Grandma, like Brandon does.”
“Okay, Grandma Ada,” Megan said shyly.
Jenny felt she was seeing a new version of Megan.
“Do you approve of this one then, Ada?” Betty Sue asked from her perch. “She may be local but she’s not a Pioneer.”
The five oldest families in Pelican Cove were called the Pioneers. They considered themselves superior to the rest and generally married among themselves.
“The Pattersons have lived in Pelican Cove for many generations,” Ada said. “That’s good enough for me.”
“Are you sure about that, Grandma?” Brandon asked.
His voice was a bit slurred. Jenny
decided he had imbibed a bit too much of hard liquor.
“Of course, dear,” Ada said sharply. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Make sure she likes you, Megan,” Brandon said, shaking Megan by the shoulder. “Or you’ll be gone. Just like Kelly.”
Megan looked weary. She picked up a tray of stuffed olives and offered them to Brandon.
“Why don’t you eat something, sweetie?”
Brandon swept her hand aside.
“Grandma will make you go away. Look what happened to Kelly. She made her go away.”
Megan’s eyes darted between Ada and Brandon. She stood up and began to coax Brandon to his feet.
“Let’s go get some solid food,” she urged. “That whiskey’s gone straight to your head.”
“I’m not drunk, Megs,” Brandon said, swaying on his feet.
He threw back his head and laughed. Then he pointed a shaky finger at Ada.
“You think I don’t know what you did? You made Kelly go away. You, you witch…”
Ada’s face turned white first, then red spots appeared on her cheeks.
“Take him inside, Megan,” she said sternly. “Let him sleep it off.”
“I’m not a child,” Brandon cried suddenly. “And I’m not helpless like Kelly. You can’t kill me off, you witch!”
Before Ada could respond to this latest insult, Zac Gordon shot out of his chair and lunged toward Brandon. His fist flew and caught Brandon on the jaw. Jenny heard a crack as the next punch broke Brandon’s nose. He flailed his arms and crashed to the floor.
“Stop it!” Ada cried. “Stop fighting at once.”
Megan had pulled out her phone and called the police.
Jenny and Heather huddled together and watched as Zac sat on Brandon’s chest, continuing to pummel him. Betty Sue had obliged everyone by fainting on the spot.
Jenny finally spurred Heather and Megan into action. Together, they grabbed Zac by the arms and the collar of his shirt and tried to drag him away.
Ten minutes later, sirens sounded outside and the police rushed into the garden. Adam hobbled up to Jenny, his eyes full of concern.
“What just happened here?”
Brandon was sitting in a chair, holding a linen napkin against his nose. The girls had torn off Zac’s sleeve and he sat opposite Brandon, shooting daggers at him. Ada was sobbing openly and Betty Sue fanned herself, muttering a prayer.
