Much Ado about Nutmeg

by Sarah Fox

  I watched from my hiding place as Felicia dropped her bag on the ground and parted the bushes at the side of the road. I barely had a chance to wonder what the heck she was looking for when she yanked a plastic shopping bag out from behind a clump of ferns.

  Something told me she wasn’t there to collect garbage from the side of the woodland road. A second later, I knew for sure that she hadn’t picked up trash.

  Felicia opened the plastic bag and pulled out a pair of running shoes, followed by what looked like a spandex racing outfit. She stuffed the shoes, clothes, and the plastic bag into her sports bag and zipped it up.

  I ducked behind the tree and shifted around it as quietly as possible as Felicia rushed past, the bag over her shoulder again. I held my breath, desperately hoping she wouldn’t spot me. I didn’t dare breathe again until she’d disappeared from sight.

  I leaned against the tree for support, relief momentarily robbing of me of my strength. Felicia had passed within five feet of my hiding spot. I didn’t even want to imagine how she might have reacted if she’d found me spying on her. She clearly hadn’t wanted anyone to know what she was up to, and I could understand why. I was pretty darn sure she’d just retrieved the gear she’d claimed was stolen from her earlier in the games.

  Why would she go to the trouble of stashing her gear in the forest and pretending someone had stolen it?

  I didn’t have a chance to mull that over. As I stepped out from behind the tree, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

  Sienna had texted me, and her message sent me hustling out of the woods.

  Need you at my place! she’d written. Hurry!

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I jogged all the way to the Driftwood B&B. By the time I arrived, I was tempted to keep going past the house and into the ocean to cool off. Instead, I slowed to a walk in the driveway as a sheriff’s department cruiser pulled away from the house, heading for the road. Ray was behind the wheel, with Deputy Eva Mendoza sitting up front with him. I stopped short when I realized that Levi was sitting in the back seat of the cruiser.

  I turned to watch as the vehicle left the driveway for the road and disappeared from view. Hurried footsteps pulled my attention back toward the house. Sienna ran down the front steps to meet me.

  “Has Levi been arrested?” I asked.

  Although he’d made it onto my suspect list, he hadn’t been one of the top names on it.

  “Not arrested,” Sienna said. “But they’re taking him in for questioning.” She lowered her voice. “Maybe they’ll arrest him after they interview him.”

  “Do you know why they’re taking him in?”

  “Same reason as before—the half-finished article the sheriff found on Yvonne’s computer. Plus, it sounds like someone overheard Levi arguing with Yvonne about it.” Sienna took my arm and pulled me toward the house. “Pippa’s inside, crying her eyes out.”

  “Your text made me think you were in danger,” I told her.

  She winced. “Sorry about that. I didn’t want you to miss the drama.”

  She put a finger to her lips and led the way into the foyer. In the living room to the right of the entryway, Pippa sat on a settee with Patricia next to her, trying to comfort her.

  “How could everything go so wrong?” Pippa wailed as Patricia handed her a tissue. “None of this was supposed to happen.”

  “Is there anyone I can call for you?” Patricia asked.

  Pippa wiped away her tears and sat up straighter, collecting herself. Her voice was much steadier when she next spoke. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.” She stood up. “I appreciate your kindness. I think I’ll go back to the suite and rest for a while.”

  Sienna and I hurried along the hall to the kitchen so it wouldn’t look like we were gawking. A moment later, the front door closed and Patricia came down the hallway.

  “Goodness,” she said as she joined us in the kitchen. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen such drama here at the B and B.”

  “We’ve never had a killer staying here before,” Sienna said.

  Patricia sank down into a kitchen chair, her face suddenly pale. “Surely Levi isn’t really the killer. He seems like such a nice young man.”

  Sienna opened the fridge. “Isn’t that what people often say about murderers?”

  “I can’t believe it,” Patricia said.

  I sat down at the table with her. “He might not be the killer, but clearly the sheriff thinks there’s a chance he could be. Sienna said Ray mentioned something about a half-written article found on Yvonne’s computer. Did you hear anything more about that?”

  “A little bit. Sheriff Georgeson seemed to know Levi was aware that Yvonne was writing an article about him and Pippa at the time of her death. Apparently she’d referred to Pippa as a cougar and had speculated that the reason she kept a much younger man so close to her was because he was helping her cheat by providing her with drugs.”

  Sienna brought three glasses of iced tea over to the table. “Did Yvonne have any proof of that?” she asked after we’d thanked her for the drinks.

  “I don’t know,” Patricia said.

  “I don’t think she cared about things like proof.” I took a long drink of iced tea. The cold drink felt great going down after my jog out in the heat. “She seemed to like ruffling feathers. I’m not sure the truth really concerned her.”

  “And the paper she worked for would print her lies and gossip?” Patricia sounded shocked.

  I shrugged. “Some of it, anyway. It’s not exactly a well-respected publication.”

  “I don’t know why some people enjoy tearing other people’s lives apart. It’s a shame that’s what she spent her energy on.”

  “I’d have to agree,” I said.

  “So is Levi the killer or not?” Sienna had already downed half her drink.

  “It’s possible,” I said. “He does seem very protective of Pippa and her reputation.”

  “And there’s those photos Jay took of him and Pippa,” Sienna added. “Maybe they pushed him over the edge.”

  She quickly explained to her mom about the clandestine pictures.

  “Were they really that bad?” Patricia asked.

  “Not the one that I saw,” I said. “But who knows what other photos Jay took? Maybe he had evidence on his camera that Levi was Yvonne’s killer. Or it could be that Jay was the one who overheard Levi’s argument with Yvonne.”

  “Or maybe Levi’s completely deranged and just likes killing,” Sienna suggested.

  “Let’s hope not,” her mother said. “That’s even more unsettling than targeted murders.”

  “What did Levi say when the sheriff asked him about the article?” I asked Patricia.

  “He admitted that he was mad at Yvonne about it, especially since she’d insinuated that Pippa was using drugs to cheat. He got so worked up while talking about it that Sherriff Georgeson had to tell him to calm down.”

  Sienna finished off her drink and set the empty glass down with a thud. “So he’s definitely got a temper.”

  “If he murdered Yvonne, we’ll probably find out soon enough,” I said. “He could even be arrested before the day is over.”

  “I don’t want it to be him,” Patricia said. “But at the same time, it would be such a relief to have the killer identified and off the streets.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  I stayed and chatted for a while longer before going home. The iced tea had helped to soothe my parched throat, but I was still uncomfortably hot. After spending a few minutes with Flapjack, I changed into my swimsuit and plunged into the ocean. The cool water refreshed me immediately.

  As I floated on my back and thought over the day, I had to fight back against the impatience threatening to tighten my muscles. I wanted to know if Ray had nabbed Yvonne and Jay’s killer, but like everyone else in town, I’d
have to wait to find out.

  * * * *

  After Brett arrived home and we’d eaten some dinner, we decided to head over to the park to take in the party that would wrap up the Golden Oldies Games.

  “Hopefully there’s no more drama,” Brett said as we walked into town.

  “We’ve definitely had enough of that for a while.”

  That said, the drama had shown no signs of stopping so far.

  “Stick close, okay?” Brett gave my hand a squeeze. “I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

  His thoughts had wandered in the same direction as my own. There was a chance that whoever had shoved me onto the road would be at the park again that evening. As much as I didn’t like that thought, I wasn’t about to turn around and go home. I wasn’t going to let anyone scare me into hiding myself away.

  When we arrived at the park, a band was already playing on the stage and food trucks were parked along the street, doing brisk business. We bought a bag of mini donuts to share and found a spot on the grass to sit down and munch on our snack as we listened to the music. Although there was already a good crowd at the park, more people were arriving all the time. The banquet for the athletes had likely only wrapped up recently, so many of the people who’d attended that event were probably still on their way to the party.

  I was surprised to see Pippa arrive a while later. There was no sign of Levi, so I wondered if he was still at the sheriff’s office in Port Angeles. I’d expected Pippa to be too upset to come to the party, but I noted that she had Rowena with her. Maybe they’d both needed the distraction.

  The women had drinks in hand, purchased from one of the nearby food trucks. Rowena waved to someone, and the two of them disappeared into the crowd.

  The next person I recognized was Felicia. I pointed her out to Brett. I’d already told him about how I’d followed her earlier in the day.

  “Maybe I should talk to her,” I said. “See if I can get her to admit to lying about someone stealing her gear.”

  “And what if she’s the killer?” Brett asked in a low voice. “You don’t want to tick her off.”

  “True.”

  I made no move to get up. I didn’t know why Felicia would kill Yvonne and Jay over a lie about a fake theft, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. Brett was right—it was best not to antagonize her.

  I ate another mini donut and focused on the music. Halfway through the next song, someone stumbled out in front of us, blocking our view of the stage. It was Rowena, I realized.

  “Let’s get you back to the yacht.” Pippa put an arm around her.

  Rowena’s shoulders were sagging, and her head lolled slightly to one side. “I’m afraid I don’t feel too well,” she slurred.

  They’d barely made it past us when Rowena’s knees buckled. Pippa was unable to hold her up, so she slid to the ground in a heap.

  Brett jumped to his feet, ready to help. He had first aid training so I left him to it and hung back. Rowena was now murmuring incoherently as she lay on the ground.

  “I’m going to call an ambulance,” Pippa said calmly, already dialing on her phone.

  Claudia appeared at my side, staring at Rowena. “What’s wrong with her? Is she sick?”

  Pippa didn’t answer, instead speaking to the person who answered her call.

  A crowd was forming around us as people shifted their attention from the band to Rowena.

  “Let’s give her some space,” Brett said to the people milling about.

  I moved back as everyone else shuffled a few feet away, clearing a circle of space around Rowena, Pippa, and Brett.

  Rowena’s eyes had closed, and she was no longer mumbling. I noticed Pippa taking her pulse, and for a second fear almost brought my heart to a standstill. I worried that Rowena had stopped breathing, but then her chest rose and fell.

  Whatever was wrong with her, at least she was still alive.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  An ambulance arrived at the park and took Rowena away to the hospital in Port Angeles, Pippa riding along with her. After that, the crowd’s attention quickly shifted back to the band that had resumed playing up on the stage. I couldn’t refocus my attention so easily.

  “Was she drunk?” I whispered to Brett, remembering the way Rowena had slurred her words.

  “I didn’t smell alcohol on her breath,” Brett replied. “And Pippa said she’d only had half a glass of wine at the banquet.”

  I couldn’t oust the worry that had taken up residence in my stomach. “Whatever’s wrong with her, I hope she’ll be okay.”

  “She’s in good hands,” Brett said.

  I knew that was true, but she’d already been through so much. Her time in Wildwood Cove wasn’t likely to leave her with any happy memories.

  Despite my best efforts, I still couldn’t focus on enjoying the music, and it didn’t take long for Brett to pick up on the fact that I was restless. He was happy enough to leave the park, so we decided to call it a night even though it was still early.

  We’d made it to the sidewalk when a sheriff’s department cruiser parked down the street. As Ray climbed out of the vehicle, someone gasped behind me. I spun around in time to see Felicia dodge behind a tree.

  I moved around the trunk until I could see her. “What are you doing?”

  “Nothing!” She had her back pressed against the tree.

  “Hiding from the sheriff?” I guessed, pretty sure I was right.

  “Of course not!” She scowled at me, but I didn’t buy her lie.

  I glanced over my shoulder. Brett was talking to his uncle, just a stone’s throw from where I stood. Now that I was right next to Felicia, I couldn’t stop myself from prodding her with questions.

  “Are you afraid he knows you faked the theft of your running gear?”

  Fear flashed in her eyes, but anger quickly rushed in to replace it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I saw you in the woods,” I said. “Maybe I should tell the sheriff how you hid your gear in the bushes.”

  Her anger disappeared, and her fear made a comeback. “No! He’ll think I killed Jay.”

  “Jay knew?”

  “He at least suspected. He insinuated that he had photos of me hiding my gear, but I don’t know if it was true.”

  “If it was true, Sheriff Georgeson most likely already thinks you had a motive to kill Jay.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Felicia closed her eyes briefly. “What a mess.”

  “Did you kill Jay?” I figured I was safe enough asking the question with Brett and Ray only a few feet away.

  “No! I’m not a killer. I’m not a criminal of any sort.”

  “You faked a theft,” I reminded her. “You wasted police time. Why did you do that?”

  “Because all the media cared about was Beryl Madgwick. Just because she’s ancient!”

  She was jealous of the attention Beryl had received? That seemed so petty, but it explained the evil look I’d seen her send Beryl’s way before.

  “Why hide your gear in the woods?” I asked. “Why not stash it in your hotel room?”

  “I’m rooming with another athlete. I didn’t want her to come across it.”

  I sensed a presence behind me at the same time as Felicia’s eyes widened.

  “Ms. Venner,” Ray said. “I’d like to speak with you.”

  Her shoulders sagging with resignation, Felicia stepped away from the tree. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.”

  Ray shot me a stern glance before returning his attention to Felicia. I took Brett’s hand and walked away without looking back.

  I wasn’t sure if I believed what she’d said about not killing Jay, but I decided to leave that to Ray to figure out. If he arrested Felicia, the whole town would know about it soon enough.

  *
* * *

  As soon as I thought Patricia would be awake the next morning, I texted her to ask if she had any news of Rowena or Levi through Pippa. She soon wrote back and told me that Pippa and Levi had returned to the B and B late the night before. Rowena had spent the night at the hospital, recovering.

  When I asked if Patricia knew what Rowena was recovering from, she said she didn’t. Pippa had simply said that she’d fallen ill at the park.

  Now that the Golden Oldies Games had wrapped up, most of the coaches and athletes were packing up and leaving town. The Flip Side was still plenty busy, thanks to the many tourists, but the line out the door lasted only for a brief spell during the breakfast rush. After that, business became more manageable.

  I felt so bad for Rowena and all that she’d been through lately that I decided to take her some flowers. Leigh and Sienna didn’t mind me leaving the pancake house for a couple of hours, so I popped over to Blooms by the Beach and purchased a bright bouquet of gerbera daisies. I hurried home, where I picked up my car and then drove into Port Angeles.

  I didn’t have too much trouble finding a parking spot at the hospital, and I only had to pause briefly at the information desk to find out Rowena’s room number. Once I was in the right part of the hospital, I slowed my steps, checking the room numbers as I passed by each door. When I found the right one, I stopped outside the open door and raised a hand to knock on the door frame. I pulled my hand back as I heard soft voices inside.

  “It’s the same drug that was found in Yvonne’s body during her postmortem.”

  That was Pippa’s voice, I realized.

  “So someone was trying to kill me?” Rowena’s voice held a note of panic.

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Pippa said calmly.

  “Why else would someone drug me?”

  “I don’t know,” Pippa admitted. “I’m going to call the sheriff. He needs to know this happened.”