Sprinkles and Skeletons

by Leena Clover

Jenny finally smiled.

  “Forget all this stressful stuff. What is this I hear about Heather?”

  “Have you met Dr. Costa yet?” Jenny asked with relish. “Gianni Costa?”

  The two friends spent some time catching up on what was happening in town.

  “How’s Kandy?” Jenny asked. “Haven’t seen her in a while.”

  “She’s busy working on a big case. She’ll be in town for the read-a-thon though. She’s looking forward to it.”

  Jenny made her autumn chicken salad and made a couple of sandwiches with double scoops of salad. She added two slices of chocolate raspberry cake for dessert and put it all in a basket.

  “No need to hurry back,” Petunia told her. “Your aunt is coming over for lunch.”

  Nora, the clerk at the police station greeted Jenny like an old friend. Jenny knocked on Adam’s office and went in, bracing herself for what he might say. Jenny could never predict Adam’s mood. They were often controlled by how his leg was faring that day.

  “You look just like the woman in my dreams,” Adam said. “She brought me cake.”

  Jenny unpacked the basket, fighting to hide a blush.

  “I need to tell you something,” she began. “It’s about Ricky Davis. He’s been lying to us.”

  Adam held up a hand.

  “It can wait. Let’s eat first. You are wilting before my eyes.”

  Jenny snorted with mirth.

  “Love is blind …”

  She bit her tongue and turned red as a tomato. Adam stared at her, his eyes wide.

  Jenny stammered to correct herself.

  “I didn’t mean … that is …”

  “I know exactly what you mean,” Adam said softly, giving her a goofy grin.

  Chapter 20

  Pelican Cove bore a festive look. A huge tent had been erected in the town square for the read-a-thon. Tables and chairs were set up, forming large reading areas. People had lent rugs and carpets. These formed cozy reading nooks, piled with abundant cushions. A smaller tent was set up as a food and drinks zone. Jenny had set up shop inside it.

  There was a modest crowd present for the inauguration at 9 AM on the first day. Betty Sue Morse cut the shiny red ribbon pulled across the entrance to the tent and declared the festival open. The smattering of applause was drowned by the patter of feet as people rushed into the tent and took up positions. Everyone wanted to win the early bird prizes.

  “We need more people,” Barb Norton boomed. She stalked around like a drill sergeant, ordering the volunteers around. “Why don’t you take control of the social media?” she ordered Heather. “As it is, you are glued to that phone all the time.”

  “I don’t need my phone now,” Heather giggled. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “Don’t you mean sugar daddy?” Jenny teased. “Are you that desperate, honey?”

  “Gianni’s fun,” Heather said lightly. “He’s perfect for me.”

  “What about that social media?” Barb Norton reminded her.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll take some pictures and post them online.”

  “Take a picture of that hay wagon too,” Barb ordered. “And tell them about the rides.”

  Heather scurried along, snapping pictures of people with their heads in their books. She started tapping on her phone and gave Barb a thumbs up sign.

  “We have the first break in a couple of hours,” Barb said, taking Jenny to task. “Have plenty of food ready and make sure the coffee’s hot.”

  Jenny didn’t need much prompting. She had her routine meticulously planned out.

  Ann Davis walked up to the reading tent, leaning on Ricky’s arm. They both sat down to read. A volunteer noted the time and wrote down their names.

  Barb declared the early bird prizes just before lunch. A group of tourists turned up in the afternoon, intrigued by the novelty of the event.

  “We already clocked five hundred hours,” Barb announced with a megaphone.

  A cheer went up through the assembled group.

  “How are the donations going?” Jenny asked her. “I still don’t understand how all this works.”

  “People are donating a fixed amount for every hour. They choose the number of hours they want and the rate. It’s easy to calculate their total donation.”

  “And they do this just because they want to help?”

  Barb told Jenny she was being tiresome.

  The Boardwalk Café did brisk business and the concession stand was a hit. Tourists flocked to the café after they tasted the food at the concession stand. Jenny put on a second batch of chicken soup.

  “What are you serving tomorrow?” a woman asked. “I hope you have a different menu for each day.”

  Jenny assured the woman and started listing the weekend’s menu on a chalk board.

  “We are spending the weekend on the shore and we want to taste the local delicacies.”

  The woman asked for recommendations for dinner and Jenny told her about Ethan’s Crab Shack. The read-a-thon was turning out to be quite a crowd puller. It was going to be a lucrative weekend for the whole town of Pelican Cove.

  “Call for you.” Petunia’s voice broke into Jenny’s reverie.

  It was Adam, wanting to know if she was free for dinner.

  “I’m going to be here till eight. I don’t think I will have the energy to do anything after that.”

  “And here I was hoping for a romantic date.”

  Jenny didn’t want to disappoint Adam. She gave in easily and asked him to Seaview for dinner. Star came in just before she hung up.

  “Jimmy and I are going out,” she announced. “You have the house to yourself.”

  “You don’t have to leave on my account.”

  “Actually, we need some privacy,” her aunt said with a wink.

  Jenny had no response for that.

  Barb Norton came into the café with Dale at her heels.

  “Have you thanked the man who made all this possible?” she beamed. “Dale says the read-a-thon is a success.”

  “You have already surpassed what we accomplished for the whole event. And the first day isn’t over yet.”

  “You were a big help, Dale.” Barb patted him on the back and looked at Jenny expectantly.

  Jenny and Star hastened to compliment the man.

  The read-a-thon wound down at 8 PM. Jenny directed people to the Rusty Anchor and Ethan’s place for a quick bite. She thought about what she could make for dinner as she walked home. She decided on a quick shrimp pasta.

  Adam lit candles in the great room at Seaview while Jenny showered upstairs. She had set the table but he wanted to do something special for her. He went out and built a quick bouquet of flowers using the roses and gardenias she loved so much.

  He went inside and poured the local wine he had brought along. Jenny had liked this particular wine when they went out before. He was ready for her when she came down the wide sweeping staircase.

  Jenny took a deep breath and hesitated on the final step. She clutched the banister nervously as Adam handed her the flowers with a flourish.

  “Thank you,” she said, taking a quick sniff.

  Dinner proceeded a bit awkwardly. They hadn’t spoken to each other since her giant faux pas at the police station. She wasn’t sure how Adam was going to handle it.

  “Are we going to talk about what happened?” Adam asked, almost reading her mind.

  “I wasn’t thinking,” Jenny said quickly. “You don’t have to feel obligated.”

  “I don’t,” he assured her, taking hold of her hand.

  “You have come to mean a lot to me, Jenny,” he said hoarsely. “Maybe we should wait until we start assigning labels to this.”

  Jenny mentally sighed with relief.

  “Whatever you are comfortable with,” she said, bobbing her head.

  “You know I’m not good with words,” Adam said. “But I can feel what we have is special. I want to keep it that way.”

  “There’s no rush, Adam.” Je
nny took a big sip of wine to bolster her courage.

  “You are not going anywhere, are you?” Adam smiled. “Neither am I.”

  “That’s right,” Jenny agreed. “So we’ll take it slow.”

  That seemed to clear the air. Adam asked for a second helping of pasta and they ate voraciously, doing full justice to the fine meal.

  “Do you want to sit out on the patio?” Adam asked. “It’s a fine night.”

  They stepped out into the garden, Jenny stopping to get a wrap for herself. The contractors had finished installing all the features in the garden. They sat on a swing, watching the gurgling stone fountain, the gold and russet fallen leaves and the ocean waves crashing against the shore.

  “I hear the read-a-thon is a success?” Adam spoke, twirling a strand of Jenny’s hair in his fingers.

  “How could it not be? It’s Barb Norton’s pet project.”

  “What about your projects? Have you done anything to find that missing girl?”

  Jenny had put some things in motion. But for the first time, she didn’t expect anything to materialize out of her efforts.

  “I am pretty sure that girl does not exist.”

  “Did you tell that to her mother?”

  “You think I should have? I think the woman is prepared for any outcome. She just needs closure. Maybe you can give it to her when you get an update on Mrs. Bones.”

  “Why are you so sure about this?”

  “Keith had to be involved.” Jenny shook her head. “Ann and Ricky knew about that girl. Keith was obsessed with her, madly in love.”

  “Why would he kill her then?”

  “We’re back to the same point.”

  “Motive is important, Jenny. If Keith was so much in love with that girl, why did he kill her?”

  “I don’t have an answer for that. But he came here, didn’t he? He came here because of the skeleton. I am sure about it. Something spooked him.”

  “He might have thought like you. He thought the skeleton was his girlfriend. He came here to find out.”

  “Who else would have wanted her dead?”

  “What about her family?” Adam asked.

  “Her family knew nothing about Keith, or so they say. In their eyes, she was a good girl who sang in the choir and was going to an Ivy League college.”

  “Learning about her real life would have been a shock,” Adam pointed out. “What if they killed her in a fit of anger?”

  “And did what? Brought her here? Why? To put the blame on Keith?”

  “As long as we are considering wild theories,” Adam said drily, “think about this. What if they followed her here? They found her with Keith. There was some kind of fight and the girl died.”

  “What about Keith? Think he would have kept quiet about it all these years?”

  “They could have forced him to,” Adam said thoughtfully. “Maybe that’s why he came here. Once they found her, there was no need for him to keep the secret.”

  “Keith was in deep shock after Emily went missing. Ann said he started doing drugs after that. He spent his life roaming around the country, possibly looking for his Emily.”

  “Poor guy,” Adam sighed.

  He settled into the swing and put an arm around Jenny’s shoulders.

  “You think love lasts a lifetime?”

  Jenny thought of the twenty years she had spent worshipping her ex-husband. Her whole life had revolved around him.

  “I used to,” she murmured. “Now I’m not so sure.”

  “What about the Davises?” Adam asked after a while. “Any idea why they are sticking around in town?”

  “I know, right? What are they doing here for so long? Ricky says they are taking a vacation. But why now, after all these years?”

  “How is it you haven’t suspected Ricky yet?” Adam asked with a smile.

  “I don’t trust him.” Jenny decided she had to tell Adam about Ricky’s alibi. “He was here in town just before Keith died.”

  “What are you saying?” Adam asked sharply. “Are you sure?”

  “Eddie Cotton told me. Ricky was at the Rusty Anchor with Keith.”

  “When were you planning on telling me?”

  “I was going to,” Jenny apologized. “But I know you believe the suicide theory.”

  “I still do, but this might be worth looking into.”

  “I feel we don’t know enough about Emily Turner.”

  “I thought there was plenty of information about her.”

  “It’s not enough.” Jenny believed Emily would provide the missing piece of the puzzle. “Look, we know Keith loved Emily. He carried her picture in a locket for twenty five years. But did Emily love him?”

  “What are you getting at now?” Adam asked.

  “What if Keith’s attentions were unwanted. Emily felt trapped and ran away.”

  “She could just have filed a complaint for harassment,” Adam said, dismissing the idea. “Or talked to her parents.”

  “She was sixteen, Adam. She must have been scared out of her wits.”

  “So what? She ran away from home? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Keith must have known where she lived. Wouldn’t he have gone there looking for her?”

  “If he did, her parents would have known about him.”

  Jenny thought about Mrs. Turner and the photos on her mantel. Emily had been her perfect little angel. Had the woman managed to shut out anything unpleasant about her daughter?

  “How do you feel about a little road trip?” Jenny asked.

  “You think a man in uniform might make them talk?” Adam asked.

  Jenny smiled and hoped Adam would remember his promise the next day.

  Chapter 21

  Jenny and Petunia started baking at 5 AM. They had a few trays of muffins and donuts ready for the concession stand before the usual breakfast rush started.

  Jason came in with Kandy. She wasn’t wearing one of her power suits for a change.

  “We thought we would get breakfast here. We are going to read for the rest of the day.”

  “How about those famous crab omelets?” Kandy asked with childlike enthusiasm. “Jason can’t stop raving about them.”

  “Can I talk to you?” Jenny asked Jason after serving them. “It’s about Keith.”

  “Sure.” Jason sprinkled some Old Bay seasoning on his fluffy omelet and cut a piece. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Someone mentioned Keith had a trust fund. Who gets all that money now that he’s gone?”

  “It depends,” Kandy spoke up. “Did he have a will?”

  Jenny wasn’t too pleased with the interruption. She tried to hide her displeasure.

  “We don’t know anything about it.”

  “His father’s still alive, right? If Keith didn’t make a will, his father gets it all as next of kin.”

  “But he’s incapacitated,” Jenny reminded Jason.

  “Well, in that case, the money will eventually go to whoever the old man’s heir is. He might have appointed a trustee to handle his estate.”

  “Someone like Ricky Davis?”

  “Could be anyone,” Jason shrugged.

  “So Ricky could be coming into a lot of money now that Keith is dead.”

  “You think Ricky Davis killed Keith for his money?” Jason asked skeptically. “Sounds farfetched to me.”

  Jenny agreed. She was beginning to think Keith’s death was going to remain a mystery. Her gut feeling told her his killer was still out there. She wasn’t ready to accept he had taken his own life.

  “What are you planning to read?” Jenny asked Kandy. “Not law books?”

  Kandy assured her she had a list of bestsellers she needed to catch up on. Jason and Kandy walked out of the café, arm in arm. Jenny felt a tiny twinge of jealousy but she ignored it.

  “Are you ready?” Petunia asked.

  Petunia had hired a few people to carry the food over to the concession stand. There was a big rush for breakfast before the first
reading session started. Jenny put in a few hours, reading her old favorite - Treasure Island.

  Adam sauntered over just as the lunch rush was winding down.

  “Someone mentioned a road trip.”

  “Can we grab a bite first?” Jenny’s feet ached and her stomach grumbled.

  “Do you want to eat at Ethan’s?” Adam asked.

  “Tempting, but this will be quicker. Let me make a sandwich for us.”

  They sat on the deck, eating the chicken salad sandwiches Jenny had quickly put together. She packed two cupcakes for the road and poured fresh coffee into travel mugs.

  Adam looked at Jenny as they drove out of town.

  “Have you thought about what you want to ask them?”

  “I’m going to wing it. I want to make her open up. Let’s hope your presence does that.”

  “Are you saying I am intimidating?” Adam teased. “You talk like I’m an ogre or something.”

  “If they are hiding something, the sight of your uniform might rattle them.”

  “I checked with the forensics lab. They are running tests on your Mrs. Bones. We should know something soon.”

  Jenny hadn’t called ahead. It was all part of her plan to catch Mrs. Turner at a disadvantage. She hoped the woman would be home.

  Mrs. Turner stared at them with puffy eyes when she opened the door. She shivered when she spied Adam.

  “Have you found her?” she gasped. “Have you found my Emily?”

  Jenny hastened to explain.

  “Calm down, Mrs. Turner. We are just here to ask you some questions.”

  The woman stumbled as she led them inside. Jenny held her by the shoulders and led her to a chair. The woman looked like she had been crying. An empty box of Kleenex lay toppled on the coffee table. A bunch of crumpled tissues littered the carpet and the couch.

  “Have we come at a bad time?” Jenny asked nervously. “I am sorry we didn’t call ahead.”

  All her bravado had deserted Jenny. She could almost feel the pain radiating from the older woman. Jenny wasn’t sure how she could console her.

  “Today’s her birthday,” the woman broke out in a sob. “My baby’s birthday. She would have been 42.” She looked up at Jenny. “About your age, I think.”

  The woman was off by a few years but Jenny didn’t correct her.