Serving Up Suspects

by Emmie Lyn

  Maggie stared out the window for a moment at the traffic sliding by as she considered Sue Ellen’s tip. “Yes,” she said, turning back to her boss. “That matches what he told us yesterday. I think I’ll go with you to the library.”

  Chapter Eleven

  By the time Lily and I closed up the diner for the day and arrived at Sea Breeze, Sue Ellen and Maggie were already sitting on the patio with Rose. My grandmother had set out a pitcher of lemonade, and a plate of whoopie pies and invited us to join them.

  Pip charged at me, leaping around until I scooped her into my arms. While the terrier was officially my dog, she spent the days I worked at the diner with Rose. This joint custody arranged seemed to benefit everyone. Rose had the company of a four-legged character she had grown to love, and Pip’s collection of outrageous bandanas increased every time I turned around.

  “Great to see you, too, Pipster,” I said as I tried to avoid her tongue bath but without much success. “Did you get into any trouble today?” The little terrier was an adorable bundle of energy and sometimes she just couldn’t help herself from poking her wet nose into every nook and cranny.

  Her tail smacking my arm let me know that fun was her middle name.

  “We’re not telling,” Rose said with a grin. “But nothing serious, right, Pip?”

  “With Dani and Lily finally here,” Sue Ellen said nibbling on the end of her pen, “we can get started. I talked to my neighbor again and got more details about what she saw on Friday.”

  “Can I take a look at your notes?” Maggie held her hand out. “It’s easier for me to digest the information myself rather than having it read to me.”

  Sue Ellen handed over her red notebook. “Of course. Take a look and then we’ll discuss it all.”

  While Maggie scanned the notes, I helped myself to a glass of lemonade. “More anyone?”

  Sue Ellen nodded. “You are a dear.”

  Maggie was too busy to focus on lemonade just then. She shook her head when I tilted the pitcher her way and instead said, “Sue Ellen, this neighbor of yours, Alice Cross, saw someone at your door at three and again at four o’clock yesterday, right? How reliable is she?” Maggie asked. “I spoke to her and, well, she comes across a bit confused.”

  Sue Ellen paused in her nibbling of a whoopie pie. “That’s true,” she said. “And she does have a habit of nodding off sometimes, but I think we can rely on what she wrote down. She keeps a written list of who does what, when. Almost like she imagines herself as the neighborhood reporter or detective.” Sue Ellen rolled her eyes. “What can I say? Some people have too much time on their hands, but Alice is well-meaning. As a matter of fact, see here?” Sue Ellen pointed to the next page where Alice had listed all the comings and goings to her house. “She noted when Judith and I arrived, the champagne and flower delivery times, and also, when Dani and Lily arrived with the desserts. And, of course, when all the police arrived. I think that’s all accurate.”

  Maggie’s eyebrows jumped. “This is helpful in this situation, but in general I’d imagine she sounds like a nosy pain in the neck.”

  Sue Ellen laughed. “Some people would say that’s an understatement. She complains if the trash truck is ten minutes late or when the teenagers down the street come home after midnight. Actually, those kids are so deathly afraid that Mrs. Cross will monitor them and get them in trouble that sometimes, they turn off their car and coast home. Somehow, she still knows when they go by.” Sue Ellen shook her head. “I don’t know how she does it.”

  “I’m lucky I didn’t have a neighbor like that when I was growing up.” Maggie looked at the others with a straight face. “But I’m not going into any of those details with you people. It might change your opinion of my charming and calm temperament.”

  I snorted. “Right. The calm that sits right on top of a volcano before it erupts.”

  “I think I’ll just ignore that.” Maggie glanced again at Sue Ellen’s notes. “There’s not much detail of who she saw at your door.”

  “Unfortunately, she focuses more on the time of day.”

  “She also gave you a verbal description?” Maggie asked.

  “Yes—she said the man was stocky, dressed in black jeans and boots, black hair. She said he stuck out like a sore thumb in our conservative neighborhood, so she remembered more details.”

  “Exactly what she told me yesterday,” Maggie said, “but she didn’t give me the whole timeline. And her description matches Rudy.”

  “To a T, like you said yesterday. It’s quite troubling. Rudy told me he was at my house at four, which is when I told him to meet me, but I got held up at the library.”

  I sat across from Maggie. “If he went to Sue Ellen’s house twice, why would he lie about it? Did your neighbor notice what type of car the person drove?”

  “Hmm, no,” Sue Ellen said, reaching for another whoopie pie. “She was hazier on that detail. Alice has a clear view of my front door but trees block part of the driveway. She thought it was black or at least a dark color.”

  “At this point,” I said, “we need to find out more about the champagne and flower delivery people and see if anyone on Main Street remembers seeing Rudy. He told us he spent some time at Creative Designs, then walked up and down Main Street.”

  Maggie had her own notebook out and began scribbling in it. “What else can you tell us about your other neighbor, Barry Manning, Judith’s husband? He told us he was at the library doing research and only returned home when we spotted him at his mailbox after Judith’s body was found.” She leaned back in her chair, balancing it on two legs. “What was their relationship like?”

  Sue Ellen pursed her lips and shook her head. Her eyes darkened as she described Barry. “That man,” she said through gritted teeth. “He treated Judith like an object until she smartened up and told him she needed some space to figure out what she wanted to do about their marriage. Then, before she had the sense to think about her finances, he cleaned out their joint account. I was glad to offer her a room until she got back on her feet and figured out her next move.”

  Maggie leaned forward again, her chair thumping to the floor. “They were separated?”

  “Not technically. Judith called it a break.”

  “That’s interesting. If Barry cleaned out their joint account, and Judith decided to file for divorce, I imagine he would have to repay at least half of that money. If she’s dead, the money would be his,” I said.

  “That’s right,” Sue Ellen agreed. “It was a sizable amount, too.”

  “Barry suggested that you were pushing Judith to move out,” I said. This seemed like as good a time as any to clear the air on who might have the most to gain from Judith’s death.

  “Of course, that was the plan,” Sue Ellen said with a strong indignant tone. “But I certainly wasn’t pushing her out or anything like that.” She huffed and said, “You saw my house. There’s plenty of room for me and a long-term guest.”

  She had a good point there. I looked at Maggie. “What’s your next move?” I was ready to take Pip for her late afternoon walk, which was also my time to decompress from the diner chaos. As soon as that thought entered my brain, Pip was on her feet, pacing between my chair and the steps that led to the beach.

  “All I need is an internet connection.” Maggie said, looking around Rose’s patio hopefully. “This would be a great spot for me to work.”

  Lily said, “How about you stay with me again, Maggie, so Dani and Rose can get back to their routine?”

  I could have hugged Lily, but I just nodded and tried not to show how relieved I was.

  “That works,” Maggie said and pushed herself up from the table. “My next move will be to do some searching online. I want to find out everything I can on Rudy Genova and Barry Manning. May we walk you out, Sue Ellen?”

  Sue Ellen sighed and pushed herself up from the table. “I’ll need to order more desserts for the auction. Dani, can you and Lily whip up something for tomorrow night? I’m
assuming everything will be pulled together between now and then.”

  “As long as you aren’t fussy about what we make,” I said, “since I won’t have time to order any special ingredients.” I wracked my brain to come up with some treats with the items on hand in the kitchen. It annoyed me that we couldn’t use the original desserts. They’d be fresh for a few more days. But who would want to eat anything that had been at a crime scene? Granted, the desserts were in the kitchen and not the room where Judith was murdered, but still. AJ had already nixed that idea anyway.

  “Everything you make is delicious but if Lily can whip up more of those brownies, it would be fantastic.”

  After the door closed and Rose and I were alone, I let out a deep sigh. “How do I always end up in the middle of these things? I barely knew Sue Ellen or Judith before yesterday, and now? Smack in the middle of a murder investigation.”

  Rose drained her glass of lemonade. “If you stop stumbling over bodies, you wouldn’t be in this situation again. But, consider this, Dani—you’ve developed a knack for getting to the truth. Aren’t you proud of that?”

  Was I? Yes and no. I didn’t want anyone’s expectations to be too high about what information I might uncover, but I did admit to myself that the excitement was a bit addicting. I smiled to myself as I searched for Pip’s latest bandana. Time to get ready for our walk. Asking questions, listening carefully, putting clues together—yes, I was good at it and in the end, what difference did it make who figured out the mystery?

  Chapter Twelve

  “Are you heading back to the diner to whip up those desserts for the auction?” Rose asked. “You won’t have time tomorrow.”

  “That’s a good point. Lily has Maggie to entertain and Sue Ellen is on a mission of her own, so this would be the best time to do some baking. Want to help?”

  Rose stood up and adjusted her floppy straw hat. “I thought you’d never ask. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and get going on a baking marathon. I miss not working with you and Lily in the diner on a regular basis. If we work together, it won’t take any time at all.”

  “I’ll take Pip for her walk, then head to the diner. Meet you there?”

  “Okay. With all the frozen blueberries, I’ll make more blueberry whoopie pies to go with the brownies Sue Ellen wants. Anything else?”

  “We can figure that out when we see what’s at the diner.” I patted my thigh. “Come on Pipster. We’ve got some waves to chase.” And stress to drown, I added to myself.

  I heard Rose laugh as I took the steps two at a time down to the beach. I sure did love this place. I was thrilled how Rose and I had figured out how to share her beautiful home without getting in each other’s way and annoying each other. Rose had bent over backwards to make it work. She wanted the company.

  Pip darted off to chase the first wave that dared break on the sand. This never got old.

  I walked briskly while Pip dashed back and forth, covering three times as much distance as I did before we turned around and headed back to Rose’s beautiful home, nestled in a stand of pine trees set above Blueberry Bay.

  The drive from Sea Breeze into town lasted long enough for me to focus my thoughts on the to-do list for the auction. I figured they would need at least six-dozen whoopie pies, at least that many brownies, and I’d decided to add enough lemon donut holes to satisfy a crowd. That would make for a good contrast.

  The white exterior of the diner with red trim and door made me smile with its cozy appeal. The Little Dog Diner sign, adorned with blueberries, added a nice touch to the whole look. I parked in front and gave Pip a chance to sniff around for a couple of minutes.

  “Fancy meeting you here this afternoon.”

  Startled, I turned around and forced a smile. “Detective Crenshaw, what brings you to the Little Dog Diner? We’re closed.”

  AJ patted my shoulder. “If you’re heading inside, could you manage a cup of coffee for me? I have a couple of questions.”

  Of course, you do, I said to myself. “I’m kind of busy. How about we talk out here?”

  AJ’s hand latched onto my arm. “Inside is better, away from the hustle and bustle and gossipy ears out here.”

  With a glance at AJ’s hand, I said, “I guess I don’t have much choice.”

  “Come on, Dani. What’s with the icy attitude?”

  “Excuse me? You’re the one who’s turned into a grumpy Detective. This isn’t any of my business, but in case you have one iota of interest, you’re treating Maggie worse than smelly garbage stuck to your shoe. She came here to spend time with you, and you put your work above everyone. All. The. Time.”

  I breathed. I couldn’t believe I unloaded on AJ like that, but it was about time someone told him that his interpersonal relationships were less than desirable.

  AJ’s jaw dropped. His teeth clenched, and if anger was in his eyes, it was hidden behind his sunglasses.

  “You’re right,” he snapped. “It’s none of your business. Forget that I wanted to ask your opinion about something.” He climbed into his black Jeep, slammed the door, and screeched away.

  “Me and my big mouth. Why did I have to let my thoughts out today?” I mumbled to myself. “I wonder what he planned to ask me.”

  Footsteps tapped on the sidewalk, but I had no idea who was behind me. If the last interaction meant anything, getting inside the diner ASAP was my best bet to steer clear of any more confrontations.

  And then I heard a familiar, sweet greeting. “Hey, Dani, what’s going on?”

  Kelly’s voice. My business neighbor from across the street at Creative Designs. “Nothing except that I just stuck my foot in my mouth and told AJ off.”

  She treated me to a sympathetic smile framed by her strawberry blonde hair. “Oh boy. That’s bound to end badly. Listen, I had an odd visitor at Creative Designs yesterday. He said he was working for Rose.”

  “You must be talking about Rudy Genova.”

  “Yeah. That was the name. He asked a lot of questions about the auction and the people running it.” Kelly matched her pace to mine as we walked closer to the diner. “It was awkward.”

  I checked to make sure Pip scampered behind me before I said, “He came into the diner yesterday. He’s working for Rose, making a video for her website. But the main reason he’s in town is to work with Sue Ellen to film the auction that got cancelled. I think it’s supposed to be part of the Misty Harbor website. You know, highlighting this event that benefits the library.”

  Kelly’s sky-blue eyes opened in surprise. “Oh. He didn’t even mention that last part. So, he was at Sue Ellen’s house yesterday?”

  This whole conversation felt forced to me and smelled of the worst tag team effort ever. In addition to her sweet face and demeanor, Kelly had an interesting connection to this case. She was AJ’s sister.

  “Kelly, are you asking me these questions for AJ? If he wants to know what I know, he should ask me directly. He was here just a few minutes ago but stomped off in a big huff.”

  A pink tinge crept up Kelly’s neck and into her cheeks. She looked away, and I said, “That’s what I thought. Are you trying to do AJ’s job now? What the heck is this all about?”

  Kelly stopped when we reached the door of the diner. “I’m sorry, Dani. AJ thought you might be more open with me than you would be with him. He thinks you’re on Maggie’s side.”

  I threw up my hands in frustration. “I’m not on anyone’s side, Kelly. I just don’t like to be subjected to their childish behavior. Has he told Maggie he’s not interested in her? What the heck is going on?”

  Kelly squatted so she could scratch Pip’s belly, her pale yellow sundress fluttering like a cloud around her knees. I think it also gave her time to decide how much she wanted to share with me. “Here’s the thing,” she said while Pip’s back leg churned in a circle. “Maggie only shows up in Misty Harbor every once in a while. AJ does like her and that’s the problem. He wants her to stick around, maybe move here.”

&nb
sp; I leaned against the doorjamb, wishing I could shake some sense into AJ. “Kind of what I suspected. I don’t suppose he’s told her this, right?”

  Kelly stood up, and Pip groveled for more attention. Just like some people I could think of, where nothing’s ever enough. “You got it. He just buries his feelings.”

  “Well, He needs to tell her and let the chips fall where they may. Who knows? She might surprise him and move to Misty Harbor.” I put my hand on Kelly’s arm. “And it’s totally unfair for AJ to shove you in the middle of our friendship. That’s pretty thoughtless on his part. Besides, I don’t know much.”

  “You haven’t heard that Judith made Sue Ellen the beneficiary of her life insurance policy after she moved in with her?” Kelly clamped her hand over her mouth. “Oops, AJ told me specifically not to mention that last part. Don’t tell him I told you, okay?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You are a good friend. Nothing will change that even if you’re related to Detective Crenshaw, which makes things a little…uncomfortable at times but I think that’s more on you than me, Kelly. Don’t worry about it. With the way gossip is flying around here, I’m sure that tidbit will come out sooner rather than later anyway.”

  What was going on with Sue Ellen? I would play that card carefully.

  Chapter Thirteen