Murder at the Lakeside Library

by Holly Danvers

  “What’s that?” Rain leaned in closer and lowered her voice, too.

  “He’d heard that Thornton had bid in to buy the campground and was planning to tear it down to put up condos or time-shares or some damn thing.” Julia’s hand flitted in the air as if totally annoyed.

  “And the town would allow that? That kinda surprises me.” Rain took a sip of her coffee and, noting how hot the liquid was, rested the cup upon her leg. “The campground has been part of Pine Lake forever. People come from all over the state with their families, year after year. It’s quite a tradition for some people. So much so that some of the campers are also considered Lakers. No?”

  “Trust me, I wasn’t happy to hear about the expansion plan either. I don’t want some tall ugly condo complex going up with a slew of piers filling the lakefront with it. Can you imagine the added boat traffic? As it is, the lake is way too overcrowded on the weekends.” Julia huffed and then took a sip of her tea. When she finished drinking, she added, “The extra boat traffic is polluting our clear lake, too. Many of the boaters don’t follow the rules and wash their boats before launching, which is corrupting Pine Lake with algae and zebra mussels. It makes me so mad.” She clenched a fist and punched her leg with it. “I wish people wouldn’t be so irresponsible.”

  “A new condo development? You really think the town would go for it?”

  “Hey, money talks.” Julia rubbed her thumb and index finger together. “And Lofty Pines is no different than any other small town when it comes to filling their pockets.”

  Rain agreed with a nod. “I suppose.”

  “And apparently Thornton had money. A lot of it, according to Nick.” Julia continued. “At least he flaunted that attitude around town with his swanky apparel and fancy car.”

  “Well, I guess a condo development won’t be happening now … will it?” Rain grimaced as an image of Thornton’s distorted body re-entered her mind.

  Julia shrugged. “Unless there are other bids out there to buy the campground, which we’re not yet privy to. Maybe Thornton wasn’t the only one interested in this kind of development? I for one, am hoping that’s not the case. The lake needs to stay the way it always has … zero condos!”

  “That could prove to be a motive,” Rain said pensively. She took a sip of her coffee and held it in her mouth briefly before slowly swallowing to avoid aggravating the burn on the back of her throat. “Wouldja get a load of us!” Rain’s eyebrows danced in amusement, “We both read all those Nancy Drew novels as kids, and now suddenly, we have a real-life puzzle on our hands. Who knew this would be in our future?”

  “Yeah, nothing like a good whodunit,” Julia said reflectively. “Money is always a strong motive for murder. So are power and prestige. Which do you think is the greater motive? The money? Or the condo development?” Julia shifted on the bench and crossed her legs at the ankle before taking another sip of her tea and letting out a sigh.

  “Both,” Rain said.

  A middle-aged woman holding a leash attached to a small white husky approached and the excited puppy rushed toward them, bringing their conversation to a sudden halt. The woman jerked the dog back at the last second. “Toby, stop!” she said sternly.

  “No worries.” Rain smiled at the woman and brushed the top of the pup’s head before the woman shook her head at her overly friendly dog and redirected the husky to move along.

  “I’m sorry!” the woman added over her shoulder as she attempted to direct the puppy to stay on the sidewalk, and not run out into the street. The inexperienced dog owner seemed to have her hands full.

  Rain took one last sip of coffee and decided to drop it in the nearby trash can.

  “Done already?”

  “No, it hurts too much to drink it. I sorta burned the back of my throat this morning. Long story …” she added when Julia looked at her questioningly as she rubbed at her throat and grimaced.

  “Boy, you’re just an injury-a-minute today.” Julia playfully jabbed Rain with her elbow. “Do I need to cover you in gauze?”

  Rain laughed along. “Probably wouldn’t hurt.” She looked down at the wound on her arm covered with the Band-Aid.

  “Okay, if you’re done with your coffee then I’ll just bring my tea inside the store. Let’s get going in case Jace needs to take off soon. I know my brother, and he won’t step foot off your property until he knows you’re completely safe. I don’t want to hold him up any longer than we need to.” Julia rose from the bench and Rain mimicked her action before the two stepped through the entrance of the hardware store.

  “I figured I’d check to see if they have bags of dirt in here first. Hank might have topsoil, and then I won’t have to make the extra stop at the greenhouse,” Julia said over her shoulder as her eyes darted through the aisles. “I’ll go sneak a peek and check, but Hank should be at the back of the store. If you want, I’ll meet you back there.” Julia shook her finger toward the back of the store before heading in the opposite direction.

  “Sounds good,” Rain said and continued down the center aisle. She walked until she came upon a long counter that extended almost the entire length of the store.

  An older man with salt and pepper hair and a thick beard to match was bent over the counter looking down at a notepad in front of him. He reached for a carpenter’s pencil tucked behind his ear and began to write something down.

  Rain unintentionally cleared her throat to ease the burn and the man looked up.

  “Can I help you?” His eyes narrowed as if he was trying to place her.

  “Are you Hank?” Rain asked.

  “Yep,” he looked down at his navy shirt where his name was embroidered into the fabric in bright yellow and pointed. He then looked up and shared a friendly smile.

  Rain returned the smile. “I was wondering if you had time today to change the locks at my cabin. I seem to be missing a key, and I’d feel much better if the locks were changed before nightfall.” She wondered if Hank had heard the news about the murder, or if the chatter hadn’t reached his ears yet. She hoped for her sake it hadn’t.

  Hank looked over his shoulder as if to look for something he’d misplaced. He then stroked his beard as if petting a stray kitten. “Let me see if Ted’s here the rest of the day to cover for me. If that’s the case, then it should be no problem.” He looked around, but still couldn’t seem to focus on the elusive Ted, so he turned back to her. “Where do you live? Are you here in town?” He pointed a finger down and pressed it to the countertop.

  “I’m close … over on Pine Lake? The Russo family cabin. Maybe you know it?”

  His eyes suddenly popped with recognition, and Rain instantly wondered if Hank had heard the horrible news.

  “Oh! Are you Willow’s kid?”

  “Yep, that’s me.” Rain placed her hands on the counter and leaned into it, rebalancing her weight.

  “Great to meet you. Your family’s been coming in here for years.” Hank nodded. “I took over the hardware store when my granddaddy passed away a few years ago. Yes, I’m very familiar with the Russo cabin, isn’t everyone?” he chuckled. “It’s one of the most beautiful properties on Pine Lake. A real standout.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Rain said.

  When Hank seem confused, she added, “About your grandfather.”

  “Ahh, don’t be.” Hank waved her off with a casual hand. “Granddaddy had a great life. He sure did.” The hardware store owner tapped the counter twice as if to seal the comment. His lips came together in a fine line at the remembrance.

  “Well, I’m sure he’s really proud you took over. It’s the only hardware store around for miles, this community certainly needs you.” Rain shifted the weight on her feet and then rested her elbows casually atop the counter and laced her fingers.

  “I appreciate that. I really do.” He nodded. “Your folks sure talk fondly of you, too. It’s really uncanny, you could be your mother’s twin. Now I really see it. I was wondering why you looked so familiar to m
e.” Hank’s smile grew, showing aged teeth, which she hadn’t noticed due to the fullness of his beard. His one front tooth was completely gone, and Rain secretly wondered if it hurt when he had a cold drink or if he needed to use a straw.

  Hank’s animated welcome made Rain think he hadn’t heard the news of Thornton’s murder. It wasn’t possible.

  He would’ve said something by now, wouldn’t he?

  “Well, I’m surprised your father sent you in here instead of stopping in himself to hire me for the job.” Hank scratched the side of his head with the end of the carpenter’s pencil before setting it to land back behind his ear.

  “My dad’s not in town this summer, so here I am.” Rain leaned away from the counter and displayed jazz hands.

  “Whad’ya mean? Of course he is!” Hank leaned in closer, folded his hands together, and waited with a friendly smile.

  “I’m sorry? Did I miss something?” Rain chuckled. “I think one of us is a little confused?” Rain wasn’t sure where Hank was going with this.

  “I just seen your father in town this mornin’ … comin’ out of the coffee shop next door.” He flung a sausage-sized finger toward the front of the store, where she and Julia had recently bought their hot drinks.

  Rain slowly shook her head and smiled. “Nah, you must be mistaken.”

  “Am I? No ma’am I’m pretty sure it was him.” Hank nodded his head vigorously as if he was thoroughly convinced and then began stroking his beard again.

  Rain was growing slightly irritated. “That’s impossible. My father is away on business in Japan, far, far from Lofty Pines.” Trying to be amiable, she patted his laced hands as if to soothe a child. As if she was saying, there, there little one.

  “I think you’re the one mistaken. He’s the only guy in town that would dare wear that old Cubbies jacket. Especially given the heat!” Hank grinned. “Besides, no one could ever mistake that limp. I bet he’s on his way over to the cabin to see you right now, this mornin’. Geez, I hope I didn’t crush the surprise.” He lay a weathered hand aside his cheek. “I sure would feel like a heel if I did. In any event, I’ll be over just as soon as I can get outta here. You’re on your way home after this, yes?”

  Rain nodded as a trickle of sweat ran down her spine. Hank was right. Her father was the only Wisconsinite brave enough to proudly don Chicago Cubs apparel. And he most definitely walked with a limp, due to a long-ago water-skiing injury, when he’d hurt his back.

  What on earth was her father doing in Lofty Pines and why hadn’t he stopped at the cabin first thing?

  Chapter Nine

  The ride back to the cabin was unusually quiet. Rain’s mind bounced back and forth as if she was watching a professional tennis match in her head. Views volleyed, making her afraid to voice aloud some of the dark questions bobbing around her mind.

  Was her father in Lofty Pines? If so, why hadn’t he come to the family cabin? Why would he lie about a business trip? She needed to call him, just as soon as she had a moment alone.

  Was Hank just imagining things?

  “Hey, it’s great Hank has time to change the locks for you today, right? He’s a great guy, he really is. Always willing to help wherever he can.” Julia looked in the rearview mirror and then over her shoulder out the driver’s side window, before safely taking the final turn onto Birch Lane.

  “Huh? I’m sorry, I missed that. What did you say?” Rain spun toward Julia after readjusting her seatbelt and shifting to face her squarely in the driver’s seat. She brushed her dark hair away from her eyes that had fallen from her long ponytail, and then smoothed it with her hands.

  “What happened back there? You’ve barely said two words all the way home? Something wrong?” Julia reached over as if she wanted to check her temperature. “You feeling all right?”

  Rain debated whether she should tell Julia what she’d heard in town, and then the words finally spilled from her lips. “Hank said he saw my father this morning coming out of The Brewin’ Time.”

  Rain cleared her throat and then swallowed. She wondered how long the back of her throat would burn as she touched her hand to her neck and swallowed again with a frown.

  “That’s impossible.” Julia held back a sneeze by cuffing a hand over her mouth and holding her breath. “Didn’t you mention that Stuart was away on business? Surely, Hank must be mistaken.”

  “Bless you,” Rain said before continuing. “The man is awfully convinced he saw my father in that old tattered Cubbies jacket. You know, the old nylon one that he wore when we were kids? Honestly, I didn’t even know he still had it. I’d hoped he threw that old thing away years ago.” Rain rolled her eyes and then turned her focus on the police personnel that were littered across both ditches, on either side of the road. She counted three of them. Apparently, they were still hard at work and she secretly wondered if they’d found anything that would help move the investigation along. She really hoped they’d wrap this up soon, as having a murderer on the loose in Lofty Pines was very unsettling. Then Rain’s eyes darted in search of her father’s car, which as she’d thought, proved to be noticeably absent.

  Julia’s body shook as she fought back another sneeze. “Didn’t you say Stuart was in Japan?”

  “Yep.”

  “Hank probably saw someone with a similar jacket and misjudged. If your dad was in town, certainly he’d have stopped over at the cabin by now. I’m sure it’s just an honest mistake.”

  After another sneeze, Rain looked at her friend and was about to ask when Julia said, “Allergies. I forgot to take my medicine last night before bed. After the pollen settles later in the summer, I’ll be totally fine. I’ve got a few more weeks of this unfortunately.” She moped.

  Rain felt bad for Julia as she noticed her friend’s labored breathing and saw her red nose was running like a stream. “You better take one of those allergy pills as soon as you get home.”

  “Trust me, I’m all over it.” Julia said then redirected by saying, “I don’t see your dad’s car in the driveway. See, he’s not here. I wouldn’t worry about Hank, clearly he misunderstood what he saw.”

  The two were silent for a few moments and Rain wondered if Julia was thinking the same awful thing and just not voicing it. What if there really was a relationship between her mother and Thornton. And if her father had found out about it—and come to investigate for himself? She’d often heard it said that anyone was capable of murder. Not someone from her family, though. It just wasn’t possible. She couldn’t believe she let the thought even cross her mind. Rain could feel her palms growing moist. No. Clearly, she was letting her mind spin out of control yet again. The thought that she could even consider her father could hurt another person sent a wave of nausea to her stomach. How could she even think such a thing? How disloyal! Her father was in Japan. He’d so much as told her so. She felt awful for mistrusting his word. And to even have let the thought cross her mind made her feel so ashamed. With all the lies from her past not yet fully confronted, Rain found it difficult to trust anyone—even those closest to her. And she hated that.

  Julia blew her nose with an old balled up tissue she’d resurrected from inside the truck’s door. “I know one way you can find out,” she said, as if reading Rain’s mind.

  Rain looked at Julia and mirrored the puzzled look that had washed across her friend’s face. “How?”

  “Look in the closet. If your dad’s jacket is in there, then maybe you’ll know.” Julia lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug, as she gripped the steering wheel. She then eased the truck slowly onto Rain’s driveway, as if not to kick up dirt or stones on the nearby police car.

  Rain slapped a hand to her leg. “You’re brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that? Instead, I’ve been stewing all the way home, defending my father’s trip to Japan in my head. Besides, I know it’s only a light nylon jacket, but why would he have been wearing a jacket this morning, when it’s so humid outside? Why would anybody? It’s not supposed to cool down until later thi
s afternoon.” Rain felt instant relief. She was wasting her time worrying over something she knew was impossible anyway. If she found the Cubbies jacket, it could certainly answer the disturbing questions that were bothering her.

  “I’m gonna go help Nick unload the topsoil so he can continue his landscaping project, but then do you want me to come over? Maybe we should take a boat ride this afternoon?” Julia wagged a finger between them. “The stress has been overwhelming for all of us, and I think we both could use a diversion. Besides, I wanted to see if Portside Bar and Grill is open for the season yet. I’ve been craving their food all winter long. How about we do lunch? Hopefully Hank will be finished with your locks by then. What’ya say?”

  “You know, I say that sounds amazing. I’d love that. And the weather is perfect, you’re right, we shouldn’t miss it.” Rain said as she hopped from the pickup truck and added, “Just as long as you get that allergy pill in you … stat!” She lifted her hand in a friendly wave and Julia slowly maneuvered out of the driveway in an attempt not to hit any police cars or personnel that might cross her path.

  Instead of heading into the cabin right away, Rain walked out into the street until she locked onto a visual of Jace. She thought she might ask if he’d seen her father’s car this morning, since he and his coworkers had been out there since dawn. She found him hunched over the tall grass along the tree-lined shaded road and she walked over to meet him. Had her father been the one who had taken the key? She didn’t think so, because the rule always was, if anyone took the key out of the outhouse, it was to be immediately returned after opening up the cabin—no exceptions.

  Jace abandoned his position and turned to face Rain when she arrived at his side. “Everything go okay? Hank coming over?”

  “Yep, he’s not long behind; he asked if I was heading home right away.” Rain nodded. “I appreciate the suggestion; I think I’ll sleep better tonight knowing the locks are changed. My luck, I’ll find the lost key just as soon as they’re replaced.” She smiled and held her hands up in defense even though she knew without a shadow of doubt that’d be impossible.