Steeped in Suspicion

by Eryn Scott

  Althea seemed to realize the same thing because she tugged at her shirt and said, “Anyway, come in. The guests finished with dinner already, but there’s still plenty to eat if you’re hungry.” She ushered me up the porch steps.

  “I’m actually starving,” I said. My day had been emotionally and physically draining.

  She held the door open for me, and a wonderful combination of garlic, butter, onions, and roasting veggies swirled out from inside.

  “Everyone’s up in their rooms already for their nightly meditation time,” Althea explained as we walked into a quiet dining room with a large table with service for at least ten people. The table was cleared of any signs of dinner, each chair pushed in and ready for the next meal. “But we can go into the kitchen to chat.” She pointed to a set of swinging double doors at the back of the room.

  Pushing through them, she led me into a huge commercial kitchen with stainless steel workspaces and racks.

  “This is where that delicious smell is coming from,” I said, closing my eyes as I pulled in a greedy nose-full of the scents swirling around the kitchen. The good smells lingered even though dinner had been cleaned up and put away from the looks of the clean countertops. “Do you do all the cooking yourself?” I asked, shaking my head in disbelief as I considered the amazing workspace.

  “Oh, no.” Althea laughed and walked over to a stainless steel refrigerator. She pulled open the double doors. “I have a wonderful cook, but she only works lunch and dinner prep. She leaves right after dinner’s ready, so I serve and clean up.”

  From inside the fridge, Althea pulled a glass container full of the roasted veggies I’d smelled upon entering the place. On top of it, she stacked a smaller container that held a few cups of fluffy quinoa. Then she tucked a bottle in the crook of her elbow, grabbed a large uncovered bowl of greens with her free hand, and used her shoulder to push the doors closed behind her.

  “Tonight we had a quinoa and roasted veggie salad with our famous citrus avocado dressing. Does that sound okay?” she asked, depositing the containers onto one of the shiny, clean surfaces.

  “It sounds amazing,” I said, mouth watering in anticipation.

  Althea gestured to a barstool across the counter from her. “Sit. We can chat while I get this ready for you.”

  I took a seat, resting my elbows on the cool steel. I followed her movements as she prepared a plate for me. “I can’t thank you enough, Althea,” I said after a moment. “I really needed this. It was a hard day.” My gaze fell to my hands for a quick second.

  Althea paused. Her face crinkled in concern. “I was missing her a lot today too,” she said, assuming I was talking about my grandma and not the fact that I’d scared away my ghostly friend.

  I nodded because it was easier than explaining the truth.

  “You’re sticking around, then?” she asked, pausing in the middle of filling a plate with vibrant green lettuce.

  “I don’t know.” I chewed on my lip. “I’m torn. I think my mom would love for me to sell the place and never look back. She wants me to live down the road and work in the same building as her forever so she can monitor me.”

  I cringed at the way I’d worded that. It made my mom come off badly.

  But Althea only grinned as she put some quinoa and roasted veggies into a bowl and then stuck them into the microwave. “I’m sure she does. She almost lost you, twice. That’s enough to drive most mothers to their breaking point. I’d love to meet her. She sounds like an amazing woman.”

  “She is.” I exhaled my relief. “And I get that she worries about me, but I also know that she sacrificed so much for me … still does. I want her to live her own life now that I’m an adult.”

  The microwave beeped, and Althea grabbed the steaming dish from inside. “Oh, honey, being a mother never ever stops. But it’s very sweet of you to think of her like that. I would say the most pressing question is, what do you want?”

  Without thinking, I said, “I want to live here.” Eyelids snapping open in my surprise, I glanced up at Althea. She was grinning from ear to ear. “I love my grandma’s house,” I continued.

  “Your house,” Althea said, pointing a spoon at me as she arranged the warm veggies onto the bed of lettuce.

  “Right. My house. I love the house. I think I’d like to reopen the tea shop too. I don’t know if I’ll be as good at the tea thing as my grandma, but—” I stopped myself before I said Asher can always help me, like I wanted to. “I can always learn,” I said instead.

  Althea popped a wayward piece of squash into her mouth. “That’s the attitude. Well, I’d love to have you stick around. You know, your grandma sold her teas to me too. We had a bit of a partnership going. I’d love to continue that if you’re going to run the place.” She drizzled some dressing over the plate and then pushed in toward me.

  I grabbed the fork she handed over and speared my first bite. It was divine.

  “Almost everything was grown right here on the property,” Althea said, reading my expression.

  “It’s amazing.”

  It took me much less time than it probably should have to finish that salad. While I ate, Althea cleaned up, returning the containers to the fridge and pouring us each a glass of water.

  Once my plate was empty, Althea cocked her head to one side. “Okay, Rosemary. Are you ready to tell me the real reason you’re here?”

  20

  Gulping down the last chewed mouthful of salad, I asked. “Am I that obvious?”

  Althea took my plate and put it in the large farmhouse sink behind her. “Your grandma had the same tell,” she said, gesturing to my fingers tapping on the tabletop. “She could never keep her fingers still when she had more on her mind than she was letting on.”

  I took a gulp of my water before looking Althea in the eyes and saying, “I think she was murdered.”

  Althea’s lips parted. “What?” She gasped out the word.

  I grimaced, not wanting to hurt the woman who’d been so kind to me. “I’m sorry to spring it on you like that. It’s just some things don’t add up; they don’t seem right. She didn’t die of a heart attack like everyone assumed.”

  Althea placed a hand on the counter to steady herself. “And what made you think this?” she asked quietly.

  Cursing the fact I couldn’t tell her I’d gotten my information from a ghost, I considered my options.

  “I mean, did she seem like she was that sick?” I asked, propping my elbows on the stainless steel countertop. “The last time you saw her?”

  Althea pulled in a deep breath. “No, now that you mention it. I saw her that morning. She came here with a tea delivery. She looked great, actually.” Althea drummed her fingers on the counter. “But heart conditions can turn at the drop of a pin.”

  I frowned, remembering how Asher had told me about Althea’s past as a doctor. “And she’s already been cremated, so we can’t figure out if that was the case or not.”

  “Sorry, dear,” Althea said. “It was in her will. We didn’t have any reason to act otherwise … at the time.”

  I put up a hand. “It’s not your fault. There are a few people who had these huge issues with her. I can’t help but wonder if they could’ve gotten mad enough to try to get her out of the way.”

  “Like Sam Hoff, you mean?” Althea’s expression clouded over.

  My gaze flicked from her face to her grim-set mouth. “Yes, you agree?”

  “That slimeball has been wishing your grandmother would shut up for years, but the fact that she died right before his special election, just in time for him to undermine the lead she was gaining against him, does sound especially suspicious.” Althea pulled a stool toward her and sat on it. “That means I was right about what I overheard …” she scoffed.

  “What did you overhear?” I asked, leaning in close.

  Althea’s eyes widened. “Last year, Sam hired a consultation company to run a report about the financial boost the outlet mall would give our city. At th
e time, Meow was still mayor, and Sam’s group was trying to sway members of the council. The consultants stayed here during their visit. I overheard them discussing numbers, saying the locals would likely lose money on the outlets, but I couldn’t be sure they were talking about our town.”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell people?” I stood as if I might drive down to Pebble Cove right now to tell them.

  Althea raised a hand to calm me. “I didn’t have any actual proof. I only think I heard them discussing it.” She slouched at the admission. “And I’m not exactly well trusted around here, or anywhere, anymore.” Her gaze flitted over to a shelf where a single book rested.

  The title was I’m Okay, Really. The cover featured a teenage girl.

  “Why’s that?” I asked tentatively. Asher had mentioned she’d quit medicine.

  Althea sighed. “I used to be a doctor. Did you know that?”

  Having no way to explain how I would, I shook my head.

  “About ten years ago, I misdiagnosed a young girl.” Althea nodded toward the book. “Her parents kept coming in, telling me something was wrong. One week it was meningitis, the next it was mono, then the next it was multiple sclerosis. She didn’t show the right symptoms for any of it, so I became sure one or both of them had Munchausens.” Althea rested her head in her hands for a moment. “It turns out, she had a late-onset case of a very rare disease caused by an enzyme deficiency.”

  “All doctors make mistakes sometimes,” I said, unwilling to believe there had been such fallout from one mistake.

  “Yes, but not all our patients get book deals and a line of television appearances after the truth comes out. I’d talked with her privately once about how I worried her parents might be creating an illness that wasn’t there. I recognized it was wrong, that I shouldn’t talk to a minor like that, but I was really worried for the girl’s safety at that point, before we found out what it really was. That was my biggest mistake. She sued me for emotional damages, told everyone how I’d made her doubt her own parents.”

  I leaned forward, taking Althea’s hand in mine. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I left the practice, knowing I would never be taken seriously again. And I ran here. I still like to help people feel better; I just do it holistically now.” She gestured to the surrounding house. “But I keep her there.” She pointed to the book. “That reminds me I have to keep professional boundaries with the people I treat here. It reminds me I’m not always right. And as welcoming as the people of Pebble Cove have been, they don’t hesitate to remind me of my mistake if I ever question the way they do things around here.” She let out a long exhale. “If I questioned Sam Hoff, Pebble Cove’s golden boy, he would throw that mistake back in my face and convince people not to believe me. Plus when he shared the report, it showed the outlets would be profitable, so I doubted what I heard. But Sam seemed to know the consultants. He could’ve paid them to put out a false report.”

  Folding my arms in front of my chest, I said, “I wouldn’t put it past him. But if he knows it’s a bad investment, having a secret stake in the development wouldn’t help him. Why would he still push for it?”

  Althea’s nostrils flared. “Secret stake in the development?”

  “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time—well, maybe right time—and saw evidence that he is behind the development company that’s pitching the outlets.”

  “Even though he swore he wouldn’t get involved since it would be ethically wrong.” Althea’s eyes narrowed.

  “Yep. But if he had the study done, why would he go ahead with this if he knows it’s not going to be profitable?”

  Her face lit up in recognition. “When I overheard the consultants, they mentioned the only ones who would get rich would be the developers.”

  “So he’s willing to hurt the town and the townspeople to line his pockets.” I balled my fingers into a fist.

  Althea brought a hand up to her mouth. “And your grandmother was in his way. Rosemary, you might be right. How do we prove this?”

  I wet my lips. “I’m working on it. I need to get into the town hall, though. There might be more in there that we could use as evidence.”

  Determination leaked from her features. “I don’t have any way to help you with that.”

  “It’s okay. I might have an in.” I stood. “In the meantime, if you can find any evidence of where he was the night my grandma died, that would be helpful.”

  Althea said she would do her best.

  “We need to prove he was by her house just before sunset,” I added. “That’s when he switched her medication.”

  “Got it,” she said, but her face screwed up in confusion for a moment. “Wait, you said a few people were suspicious. Who else are you looking into?”

  I dipped my head to one side. “Well, I suspected her neighbor, Carl, for a bit.”

  Althea widened her eyes. “Oh, they hated each other for sure.”

  I waved a hand to dismiss her thoughts. “He didn’t do it though. The man’s grumpy but harmless.”

  Althea exhaled what sounded like a pent-up breath. “That’s good. I’d hate to think of you right next door to that man if he could’ve hurt Helen.”

  “I suspected Jolene, the other tea shop owner, for a while, but I discovered she’s been in a cast for a few weeks now.”

  “Yes,” Althea said. “The poor woman slipped by the marina during a late frost. It was like a perfect storm of bad luck. She lost her footing at just the wrong place when no one else was around to help, hit one of the big rocks down in the marina in just the wrong spot, and broke her leg in two places. We’ve been bringing her meals since she can hardly get around her house.”

  I tugged at the hem of my shirt. “And the last one I’m looking into is Doc Gallagher.” Althea opened her mouth as if to combat my claim. I held a hand up to stop her. “I understand now that they had a weird love slash hate thing going, but I have a few more things I want to ask before I scratch him from my list.”

  “Need help?” Althea asked.

  Thinking of the ghosts telling me to visit Lois, I wrinkled my nose. “No, I’m okay. This is one person I need to question myself.” I took a step back toward the door. “But thank you so much for your kindness tonight, for listening, and feeding me.”

  She grinned, following me. “You’re welcome any time, Rosemary. I mean it.” She reached out and took my hands in hers. “I miss Helen so much, but having you around is almost like having a piece of her back.”

  The warmth expanding through my heart ever since I walked into this house burst and filled my whole body.

  “I feel the same way around you,” I said, squeezing her hand before letting it go.

  “I’ll let you know if I can dig up anything about Sam’s alibi or lack thereof.” She led me to the front door.

  I gripped the handle. It had to be Sam. Suspicion surrounded the man. Heck, he was steeping in it. Althea hugged me goodbye, and I followed the lights down the pathway, feeling full and happy for the first time since Asher disappeared.

  On the drive home, I called my mom.

  “Hey, honey.” Her familiar voice didn’t just fill the car because she was on speakerphone, but also my heart because she was exactly who I needed to talk to.

  “Hi, Mom.” I smiled. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  “Sure. What’s up?” Silence filled the space after her question.

  Althea had been right. Mom loved me and wanted what was best for me. I needed to be honest with her. She would understand; she would be happy for me. I exhaled as I turned onto Misty Drive.

  “I want to stay.” I didn’t blurt out the words but said them in a slow and measured way, so she would understand that I was serious.

  There was a long pause. “I was worried about this.” She sighed. “Honey, I don’t think that’s the right decision.”

  “Wait, why? Mom, I know you want me to stay close, but I’m twenty-five, I need to live my life … we both do.” I
cringed at how harsh that sounded.

  “Rosemary, what’s the real reason you turned down the first offer?” she asked but then didn’t even give me time to answer. “Did the locals talk you out of it? I know he was there to develop, but he swore Helen’s house wouldn’t be part of that. He wanted to live nearby during the development and construction of a different job.”

  I pulled into the teahouse parking lot and stopped, my foot stomping down on the brake so hard that the car and my body swayed forward. But it was nothing compared to the lurch that happened in my heart and lungs.

  “Mom, what did you say?” My question came out a shaky whisper.

  “Okay, so I may have talked to the guy who made the offer on the house. He came by the library and was chatting with Sally about his upcoming trip to Pebble Cove, how he might be looking to move there. I simply nudged him toward Helen’s house.”

  A cold sweat crept down my neck. “What was his name?”

  “Frank, of course. Didn’t the realtor tell you that when she explained his offer?”

  “Mom, this isn’t good. You knew Frank Mastronardi?” My voice rose along with my heartbeat.

  “Honey, calm down. What’s the problem?”

  “Mom,” I said, cutting her off. “Frank is dead. His body washed up on the beach the day I got here.”

  The gasp she gave sent a chill down my spine.

  21

  Once Mom had replenished the air in her lungs, she used it to tell me exactly what I didn’t want to hear.

  “Rosemary, you need to get out of that town right now. If not, I’m coming to get you.”

  Even though I’d just turned off my car, the cold, not-quite-spring air already seeped in through the windows. The waves rolled in the distance, almost giving the illusion I wasn’t alone in this conversation with my mother.

  “Mom.” I closed my eyes. “I’m okay, really. Frank Mastronardi killed himself. He jumped off a cliff near Grandma’s house and washed up on her beach. No one killed him. Well, the police chief might think I did, but now you can call him and explain why he had my name written in his date book.”