Cliffhanger (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book One)

by Amy Saunders

  Belinda stepped away from the door, her sneaker squeaking on the wood floor. She winced, keeping perfectly still. After a few seconds, she relaxed. Then the door swung open and Bennett stood on the threshold. Belinda's face turned the color of pink tulips as his mouth turned up and gray eyes glistened.

  Busted.

  When the head spinning passed and Bennett's face came into focus, his gray eyes the color of those funny dogs with a weird name that are famous because of a photographer, he expected her to do something. Then she realized he had stretched out his hand. My he has hairy arms, she thought, but he actually gave her hand a firm shake instead of the half-hearted business most people offered.

  "Tell me about Victoria's party plans," Bennett said, his eyes glinting.

  "Oh...well, there isn't much to say really. I imagine there will be a few people here. Or, a lot since she's hiring you. Your company that is. To do security." Belinda glanced at the kitchen. What was Victoria doing?

  "So this isn't a joint affair?" he said sarcastically.

  So that's how it was going to be. Belinda slanted her eyes. "Do you work parties a lot?"

  Bennett shrugged. "A few here and there. It's mostly more official events." He crooked one bushy eyebrow. "Are you planning something too?"

  "You'd be the first to know." Belinda flushed. "I mean...you come well recommended."

  Bennett's eyes glinted all the more. Well, enjoy it, gray-eyed eagle, Belinda thought. Eventually, when she regained her wits, he'd have a hard time keeping up.

  "The murder hasn't put you off?" he said. At first, Belinda thought he was attempting to make light of things, but between his tone and expression, especially the lack of luster in his eyes, he was obviously concerned that it would.

  She swallowed, feeling her pants for non-existent pockets. "You did your job and that may not have even happened when you were there." Belinda's stomach churned thinking how close she had been to an actual murder. "Plus, you weren't the only person in the house."

  "True. But most of the people were in the living room, and with the music so loud and the waves crashing, I doubt anyone would have heard if he—" Bennett stopped in his tracks, aware that Belinda's eyes had about doubled in size. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

  Belinda smiled, fascinated and disturbed simultaneously. "You sound like a police detective. In fact, you were once, weren't you? I read it on your site."

  The light returned to his eyes. "You looked at my website?"

  "Mostly your bio." Belinda felt her face grow hot again. Why couldn't she censor better? And, furthermore, why did he have to enjoy it so much? "Why did you leave? You seem like you're made for the job."

  Bennett shifted his gaze to the side. "I like the puzzles. I don't like the politics. Let's leave it at that."

  "So how did you get into security?" In the back of her mind, Belinda knew that Victoria had disappeared for quite a long time.

  "Primarily because of happenstance. I did some private investigating work with Parker—"

  "The detective who interviewed me?"

  Bennett half-smiled. "That's him. A client asked if we did security. Jonas wasn't interested, but I liked the sounds of it, and one thing led to another and eventually I retired from the force and started Tate Security full-time."

  "Do you ever miss it? The police work?"

  "I never made it to Jonas' position so I'd have to say no. Most of what we did was tedious and boring. The private investigating was a smidge better, but—" He cut himself off. "It was still dull."

  Belinda doubted the "but" in that sentence was supposed to lead to a repeat of the previous one. "So security isn't boring?"

  The little flicker came back into his eyes. "Not right now."

  Belinda's heart rate picked up. "Well, I'm glad. That you're not bored. Right now." She clasped her hands, pressing them together to try and stop the rambling.

  Victoria materialized, looking pleased as punch, a twinkle in her hazel eyes.

  Bennett crossed his arms and looked down at both of them like two naughty students in his class. "Am I hired, or should I assume the party's a charade, Mrs. Victoria Hart?"

  Victoria looked surprised. "How did you—?"

  "Your names are out front on one of the garden gnomes."

  "I forgot about that," she whispered guiltily to Belinda.

  Bennett half-smiled.

  "You wouldn't tell me anything," Belinda said in a huff. "You're at Stellan's party, but clearly not for that reason. You act like I should know you at the market. I thought I was going nuts. How else was I supposed to find out who you are?"

  "You could ask."

  Belinda's eyes flashed, gold flecks shining like the lights on the bridge at night. "You should have your photo on the website!"

  "Why? This is much more interesting. Maybe a waste of time, but still."

  "I am not a waste of time, sir." Belinda stood with her hands on her hips, stretching to her full height. "I'm a Kittridge."

  Victoria glanced from Belinda to Bennett.

  "You have a paint smudge on your nose," he said matter-of-factly. "And I never said you were a waste of my time."

  Belinda's eyes widened and he excused himself with a smile on his lips and left while Belinda ran to the bathroom. "Why didn't you tell me I had a pink paint smudge on my nose?"

  "Calm down, Kittridge. It's not that bad."

  "Not that bad!" Belinda pointed at the tip of her nose. Right on top of her ski jump was a strawberry pink smear. "Honestly! Every moment of my life since I got back has been a scene from a sitcom."

  "It's not just since you got back, hon."

  Belinda glared.

  "So I was totally right about him." Victoria leaned against the door frame. "I don't think you need to worry about seeing him again. He's going to work it out one way or another."

  Belinda shrugged. "So what if he does? It doesn't mean I want to see him." She scrubbed her nose, but it only grew red with pink icing.

  "Don't even bother playing that card with me. I know you're anything but indifferent."

  "If I didn't have to think about Baby Hart, I would whack you in the face with a throw pillow. You're a terrible best friend."

  "What are you talking about? I'm an awesome best friend. I just got you your third encounter with Hot Security Guy."

  "You can tell yourself that as the evening news cuts to an unflattering candid of me reporting that I'm missing."

  "Would you feel better if I choose a flattering candid of you?"

  Belinda rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. "Maybe."

  Victoria smiled. "So that was exciting. What do we do next?"

  Belinda gave up and dried her face off. "I think I should talk with Stellan. He's always in the know."

  "You want to see if he knows anything about Jarrett?"

  Belinda dabbed her nose with the towel. "I'm worried about him. He's been really upset since I got back."

  "He's a kid. He doesn't get it—yet."

  "As true as that may be, it doesn't mean he won't do something completely stupid. Besides, Lily's acting all kinds of suspicious."

  "I think that may just be her nature."

  "Well, nature or not, I want to know what she's up to."

  Chapter 7

  That's not the way Bennett planned on going, but the one-way lane he'd wanted to take while trailing Belinda was blocked off because of a house demolition, so he took a longer route along the cobblestones and onto the main loop through town. Bearing right into the nucleus of shops and places to eat, Bennett took a sharp left up a different one-way street to turn back the direction he actually wanted to go.

  Squeezing past the parked cars on a road that was barely larger than an alley, he rose to the peak where it curved left and dipped back down. In the cemetery nestled amid the townhouses, he made out two people talking in the shade. One of those people was Belinda Kittridge. Bennett pulled up the next street and parked cockeyed, jogging back to the cemetery. He hung around jus
t before the wrought-iron fence protecting the graveyard, straining to hear. He hadn't been able to get a good look at her companion, but Belinda was still talking rapidly. She sounded frantic.

  "This is going to open up everything," she whispered harshly. "It's probably connected, and that means we...all of us will be suspects."

  "I still don't know what you want me to do about it."

  Bennett listened closely while pretending to check something on his phone, but his head shot up instantly when he heard his client talking—Stellan Mayhew. Bennett's brow furrowed trying to put that together.

  "I just want to know what actually happened that day," Belinda said. "You two haven't told us the whole truth."

  "Why do you think we've been lying? You and Kyle constantly seem to forget that Mark was our friend too. And we were just as upset and just as frustrated as you."

  Belinda was quiet. Bennett's mind had been racing to figure out the topic of their conversation, but now he knew. They were talking about the sailing accident.

  "You could just as easily know something I don't," Stellan said.

  Bennett could hear the surprise, or even alarm, in Belinda's silence, but she recovered quickly.

  "I wasn't there."

  "But you saw him before, didn't you? Or am I not supposed to know that?"

  Bennett strained to hear as a car passed.

  "...not meant to be a secret."

  "But it was," Stellan said, "even after. You never came out with it."

  "What was the point?" Now she sounded angry. "It was just as well that no one knew."

  "So you wouldn't have to go head-to-head with Lily?" Stellan snorted. "You're afraid of her, just like Mark."

  "I am not afraid of her, and neither was he."

  "Prove it."

  There was a pause as if Belinda was deciding how to respond. "Mark broke up with her."

  Bennett worked to keep pace, but it was tough not knowing the point of their debate.

  "Did Lily know that?"

  Bennett was pretty sure Belinda scowled. "I think you're confusing Mark with yourself."

  Bennett raised his eyebrows. She had an acidic undercurrent to her, didn't she?

  "And I think you're confusing Mark with the hero he's been played up to be since he died." Stellan's tone turned venomous. "Turns out he was just as imperfect as the rest of us when he slipped and cracked his skull open on the deck of his own boat."

  Bennett heard a thwack, and realized Belinda slapped Stellan.

  "If you hadn't been smashed," Belinda choked out, "you would have been able to save him!"

  Stellan was quiet long enough for Bennett to wonder if he'd left. But then he spoke, and he sounded weary. "No one could have saved him, Belinda. Not even you."

  Bennett heard crunching and when no more conversation was forthcoming, he figured they'd split. He walked over to the fence, taking a cautious peek. Belinda was huddled under a tree, her face hidden but body convulsing from sobs. Bennett turned to leave, but couldn't just walk away with her like that.

  "Hey!" he said through the fence. It seemed rude, but it was easy to fake just walking by that way. "Are you all right?"

  Belinda stood up with a jerk, hastily wiping her face with her sleeves. "I'm fine." She stayed under the tree, looking ready to bolt the other direction.

  Bennett wrapped his fingers through the fence posts, the metal sending a shock of cold up his arms. "Can I help?"

  Belinda took a hesitant step forward, coming out of the shadow of the tree. She looked like a scared rabbit. "I doubt it."

  "Try me." Bennett forced one corner of his mouth up. Smiling put people at ease, right?

  "I'm...I'm just scared by everything that's happened."

  "Do you want to talk about it?"

  Belinda's eyes went to the ground, processing his question. "Maybe later."

  Well, it was worth a try. Bennett shrugged casually.

  Belinda took another step toward the fence. "You always seem to be here for the catastrophes."

  "Well, you know, you're like a type of car."

  Belinda's eyes narrowed.

  "I—I mean, I'm like a type of car." He struggled to remember the metaphor Jonas had used. "You've never seen me before and now...now you see me...all the time." Bennett felt his neck grow hot under his collar. This is why he preferred to keep quiet.

  Belinda approached the fence, placing her hands above his on the posts. Her brown eyes started to regain some of their golden sparkle. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but thank you for wanting to help."

  Bennett swallowed. "Would you like me to walk you back to your car or something?"

  "What kind of 'or something' do you have in mind?"

  Bennett just threw that in there without thinking about it. He didn't have a response planned. "The kind that includes pastries?"

  Belinda laughed. "Thank you. I'd like it if you walked me back to my car."

  Bennett nodded and waited patiently for her to walk back around. They strolled along, Belinda gazing off thoughtfully. "Mark is buried at that cemetery," she said after several minutes. "It's Jeff's murder, you know? It's taking us all back there."

  Bennett fought to think of something to say that wasn't what he wanted to say. He couldn't let her know he'd heard her conversation with Stellan, but his curiosity wanted to get the better of him.

  "Do you have any moment in your life that you just wish you could do over with what you know now?" she said.

  Bennett got the feeling she was talking about Mark again. But which moment in particular? He hated to acknowledge the one thing that immediately came to his own mind. "Honestly, more than one. But, yeah."

  Belinda stopped and turned to face him, her arms wrapped around her body and eyes red from crying. A breeze rolled up the street and Bennett inhaled the fresh smell of spring. Even the red and blue and yellow houses flanking them, hundreds of years old, looked like they stood a little taller next to a tree in bud. Belinda dug her toe between bricks on the sidewalk.

  "I have something I wish I could do over," Belinda said softly. Bennett tuned out the spring air and general good feeling of the world around him, positive she was about to reveal something important. "I went to get something I'd left on Mark's boat the night before he died, and—"

  A car broke into her speech, but instead of passing, it careened to a stop right next to them. Jarrett's head popped out of the driver's side. Bennett steamed, his face blackening as Jarrett's teeth flashed in a smile. He wanted to bulldoze the kid's car with his SUV.

  Unlike at the market, Jarrett pretended like Bennett wasn't even remotely an obstacle to his romancing Belinda and ignored Bennett's glacier stare. Either the kid was running on hormones or he was really happy about something. Belinda tensed, rubbing the back of her neck, as Jarrett chatted, perfectly oblivious to her discomfort.

  As soon as the kid paused to take a breath, blabbing on about the new song his band was trying to learn, Bennett jumped in. "I think we better move on." Belinda's eyes betrayed relief when she met his, and a joy Bennett couldn't quite understand swelled inside of him.

  "Are you late again?" Jarrett spat. Apparently, he'd met his happiness quotient for the day.

  Bennett wrapped his arm around Belinda, slipping his fingers around her hip, and shot a smile Jarrett's way. Belinda seemed to regain some of her usual verve and stood up a little straighter. "I'm sorry, Jarrett. I need to get back to packing. With everything that's happened, I'm dragging my heels on it."

  Jarrett's eyes softened and he nodded. "Yeah, I get that. You've got to get ready for the demo and all." He paused, probably hoping to draw out the conversation more, but Belinda wasn't biting. "I'll catch you later then." With one more cold look at Bennett, Jarrett sped off.

  Bennett could feel Belinda relax next to him. "You've been polishing your armor, haven't you?" she said.

  "You shouldn't apologize."

  "To who?"

  "To Jarrett. He's being a pest and ignoring the f
act that you're uncomfortable with his attention."

  Belinda looked surprised. "He's only—"

  "He's old enough to stalk you."

  "He hasn't been stalking me." Belinda glanced at him reprovingly.

  "He seems to show up everywhere you are."

  "He lives next door."

  Bennett shrugged. "It's still odd."

  "About as odd as, let's say, you showing up at every turn? And I can't say you live anywhere near me." Belinda folded her arms, her eyes back to normal.

  She was smart, and catching on. Bennett liked that.

  He decided to take the conversation down a different street. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

  Surprise lit up her eyes. "I haven't decided yet."

  "Then maybe I should give you more time."

  Belinda's arms dropped and she rubbed the tip of her finger. "Just as long as you don't kidnap me again."

  Bennett smirked, falling into pace with her down the sidewalk. "Where were we? Before Jarrett interrupted us?" Bennett knew exactly where they were, but he wanted to give her a chance to volunteer.

  Belinda's face look troubled. "I...I can't recall."

  So much for that. Bennett guessed that he and Jarrett were now even after the market incident. It made no difference. She'd now given away that she welcomed his presence, so he wasn't about to disappoint her.

  ~ * ~

  Victoria took several turns down side streets the next afternoon, heading towards Lily's house. They went uphill, Belinda putting down her window to inhale the salt air. In an enclave beyond where most people traveled, Lily's family's house was nestled behind a gate. Belinda wanted to check it out to learn why she was back in Portside—and what she might want with a kid like Jarrett.

  "So we just watch to see what happens?" Victoria said, biting into a candy bar. "What if she doesn't leave?"

  Belinda shrugged.

  "What if you can't get inside if she does leave? Unlike your house, this woman appears to be serious about her security. And they have a much bigger gate and wall than you guys do."