A Fishy Dish (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 3)

by Lyndsey Cole

  “Hey. Get your hands off me, you—”

  “Stop it! Cal, I’ve got this,” Hannah said.

  Cal released Sean’s shoulder but he planted his feet and remained close to Hannah.

  She dragged Sean farther away from the crowd of people. “You’re being railroaded by this Jan person.”

  Sean froze. His normal bravado evaporated. “What are you talking about?”

  “We can’t discuss this here with all these people milling around.”

  Sean scowled and kept an eye on Cal.

  Samantha looped her arm through Sean’s and flashed her sweet grandmotherly smile. “Come on, honey. I’ll protect you from him.” She tossed her head back toward Cal’s looming presence but winked at Hannah at the same time.

  Sean jerked away from Samantha and told Hannah, “I’ve got stuff to do. Don’t wait up for me.”

  “Leaving so soon?” Deputy Pam Larson’s voice made Hannah stop dead in her tracks.

  “Yes, is that a problem?”

  Pam scowled. “I don’t know what you and,” she flicked her hand at Meg, Samantha, and Cal, “are up to, but don’t forget that I’ll be watching. Closely.”

  Pam waited for the others to move out of earshot, then told Hannah, “We’ve got a lead on where Leah is headed. Stay out of the way. I don’t need any interference from you. Got that?” She marched away, dismissing Hannah without waiting a second for a reply. Obviously, nothing was up for discussion with Pam.

  No problem about that, Hannah thought as she watched Pam’s back disappear in the crowd. I’ll stay out of your way and you stay out of mine. She had been about to mention she had Leah’s phone, but since Pam treated her with such disrespect, she kept that juicy tidbit to herself.

  Hannah hurried to catch up to her friends while checking Leah’s phone. She stopped with one foot in the road at the edge of the green and held the glowing screen in front of her face. A car whizzed by too fast and too close for comfort. The breeze from the car sent loose strands of hair away from her face before she had time to jump backwards. She realized that if she hadn’t stopped to check Leah’s phone messages, she would have been right in the path of the speeding car. An image of what-could-have-been flashed through her mind and her heart pounded.

  A black Honda Civic. Sean Payne’s car? Too close for comfort and a nagging feeling it might not have been an accident.

  Or was she just being paranoid?

  She carefully checked both ways before sprinting across the street to catch up with the others.

  As they walked to Samantha’s car, Hannah showed Meg what she found on Leah’s phone.

  Meg snatched the phone from Hannah. “She called Jerry? Whatever for?”

  “I was hoping you might have a clue. You two are sort of a thing, right?” Hannah used her fingers to make air quotes.

  “Not as much of a thing as you think. I can’t figure him out. One minute he’s friendly, even flirty, and then I don’t hear from him. He was standing with me and Leah when you showed up, but I didn’t peg them as friends.”

  “Did he disappear from the vigil at the same time Leah did?” Hannah took the phone back to search for more clues.

  “Actually, we had an argument about why I don’t push more of his haddock. He’s having trouble unloading the extra from The Chowder House’s cancelled order and the little bit you took didn’t make a dent in his supply.” Meg rolled her eyes dramatically. “He left in a huff after I made it clear I didn’t want to discuss business when we were on a date.”

  “So, he left before Leah vanished?”

  “I think so. Just a bit before.”

  “Why does that matter?” Cal asked.

  “I don’t know, except since they’ve been calling each other,” Hannah looked at the call list, “as recently as ten minutes ago, I’m wondering what they talked about. Could Jerry be helping Leah search for Jan and Sally?”

  No one had an answer to her question.

  She looked back toward the town green. The candles from the vigil made a glow in the center of town. Where did Leah go? Was she lost in the crowd of well-wishers? What did fake Jan say to Leah?

  Leah’s phone jingled in Hannah’s hand. She almost tossed it like a hot potato in surprise. She hadn’t made a plan about what she’d do if someone called. She looked at the caller ID.

  Sally.

  Hannah stared at the phone.

  Her hand trembled.

  She tapped the green button and held the phone to her ear.

  “Mom? Just listen. Jan is acting weird. I’m scared.”

  The line went dead.

  “What?” Meg demanded. “Who called?”

  Hannah repeated the desperate message from Sally, who thought she was talking to her mom.

  “You have to tell Pam. So what if she’s mad at you. This is an important development.” Meg’s voice was urgent.

  Cal added, “She might call back again.”

  Samantha agreed. “Let the police use this information to find her. And, it confirms that Sally is alive.”

  For now, Hannah thought, but refused to say those words out loud.

  People at the vigil were beginning to disperse. The candlelight scattered away from the town green in every direction. Small points of light bobbed through the darkness, like fireflies in the middle of summer.

  “I hope they find her,” Hannah overheard an elderly woman say as they walked upstream against the crowd.

  A sentiment that everyone shared.

  Hannah wanted to scream out that Sally was alive, as of a few minutes ago, but everyone would have to wait for that news.

  Pam stood in the gazebo with Matt and Leah White. Leah hadn’t left, after all. What were the calls between Leah and Jerry about? It certainly wasn’t something like nice weather we’re having or did you see so-and-so at the beach?

  Hannah straightened her shoulders and channeled all the bravado she could muster, even if inside, her stomach churned like an ocean storm.

  “Officer Larson?” she called out.

  Pam scowled when she turned around and saw who was interrupting. She clearly wanted to keep talking only to Matt and Leah. “What do you want and it had better be good.”

  Hannah held out the phone. “I found this.”

  Leah immediately felt the back pocket of her jeans and her eyes popped open wide.

  “Yeah, it’s Leah’s phone,” Hannah said.

  “And? Spit it out, Ms. Holiday,” Pam demanded.

  “Sally just called.”

  A small screech escaped through Leah’s lips. Her hand covered her mouth.

  Matt snatched the phone from Hannah’s outstretched hand. “Did she leave a message?”

  “No. I answered the call. I didn’t know whose phone it was.” Hannah really hoped that Pam never discovered that lie. “All she said was, ‘Mom? Just listen. Jan is acting weird. I’m scared’.”

  “Jan?” Matt’s face twisted into a tortured grimace. He looked around the group of people staring at him. His fists clenched tighter than a bank vault. “Jan? My sister? Sally is with Jan?” Each time he said his sister’s name it came out like venom from a rattler.

  “Sally knew you would be angry, Matt.” Leah rubbed her husband’s arm, obviously trying to ease his anger. “She didn’t want me to tell you that Jan contacted her about a year ago. But you should be happy. This is fantastic news.”

  He flinched as if her touch scorched his skin.

  “Sally can’t be with Jan.” His face went from a healthy glow to pale-as-a-ghost in less time than it took for a lightning bug’s flash of light to flicker off.

  “I know you don’t like it, but Jan is trying to help Sally,” Leah explained.

  The veins on Matt’s neck bulged and throbbed. “Jan is dead.”

  It was Leah’s turn to be shocked. “You never told me.” She turned to look at Hannah. “I didn’t believe you.” She finally stared at Pam. “Who is this Jan person?” Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. “What does she wa
nt?”

  “I don’t know yet but, believe me,” Pam looked into each person’s eyes but lingered the longest on Matt, “we’ll find her.”

  Chapter 16

  Hannah tossed and turned, spinning her sheets into a twisted mess. The black car that had come so close to hitting her, if she had not stopped walking when she did, haunted her sleep. The only difference between her dream and her reality was that Sally White stared through the back window as the car sped by. Her terrified eyes met Hannah’s before the car evaporated into the darkness of her dream.

  With sleep an impossibility, Hannah did what usually helped to still her jangled nerves.

  She called Nellie and they headed to the beach for an early morning walk. The surf calmed her thoughts with its gentle rolling, in and out. The salty breeze and gliding gulls helped to distract her for a few minutes at least.

  She cut up through the well-worn path back toward her home. Each time she walked that path, she etched her life into Hooks Harbor a little bit deeper.

  Jack’s house stood like a beacon, calling to her. A safe haven with a dear friend; someone who behaved like a tolerant father. Jack had the canny ability to keep her focused on what was important with his own unique gruff manner.

  But with Pam’s car in his driveway, she hesitated.

  “Come on, Nellie. We can’t let Pam scare us away. I’m sure Jack will be happy for a distraction from her lectures. We can do that for him, right?”

  Nellie woofed and wagged her tail.

  Hannah lifted her hand to knock at the same time the door opened.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Pam said. The bags under her eyes and her stringy hair revealed she had seen better days. The lack of sleep had definitely sapped her energy.

  “How’s Jack?” Hannah asked.

  “Come in and quit talking about me behind my back. I’m not dead and I’m not deaf.”

  Hannah grinned. “I can tell he’s about back to normal.”

  Nellie streaked passed Pam and made a beeline toward Jack’s voice.

  “Pam. Put some coffee on before you leave.”

  Pam managed a small smile. “Yeah, he’s better, as you can tell. I’ll get the coffee going.”

  Hannah joined Jack in the living room. He lounged on the couch, barely visible under all his blankets and pillows. Hannah smiled, but the sight of Jack looking small and vulnerable, made her pause with concern for his health.

  “She,” he gestured toward the kitchen where Pam poured water into the coffee maker, “won’t let me get up.”

  “Does she have you tied down under all those covers?” Hannah joked as she plopped down onto a chair across from Jack.

  “Don’t tell Pam, but as soon as she leaves, I’ll be up and I’ll come over to hang out in your office. Ruby needs me to watch Olivia so she can help Meg in The Fishy Dish.”

  “Sounds like Olivia was the one watching you yesterday,” Hannah teased. She lifted her eyebrows for emphasis. “She’s the one that got you help.”

  “I know. That one’s a smart little cookie for sure.” His hand dangled over the edge of the couch and stroked Nellie. “And Nellie never left Olivia’s side. What a duo.”

  Pam entered with a tray of mugs, coffee, sugar, and cream. She poured a mug for Hannah and helped herself to another one.

  “What about me?” Jack asked. He tried to push himself higher on the couch.

  Pam hurried over to help him. She tucked several pillows behind his back while he held himself up. “How’s that?”

  “Perfect. I’ll take some coffee, too, please. And what about food? I haven’t had anything decent since early yesterday. I won’t even count the dry toast and tasteless eggs they tried to feed me at the hospital.” Jack grimaced and stuck his tongue out for emphasis.

  Hannah laughed. “I’ll be happy to fix you eggs and toast. How does that sound?” She set her coffee down and stood, waiting for Jack’s answer.

  “As long as you burn the toast, I’ll think I’m eating my own cooking.”

  “I can manage that,” Hannah replied on her way to the kitchen.

  Pam joined Hannah. She sat at the table, her coffee forgotten in front of her.

  Hannah opened cupboards and moved around Jack’s kitchen, feeling self-conscious with Pam following her moves.

  “Have you been up all night?” Hannah asked, trying to fill the awkward silence.

  “We didn’t find her,” Pam said, her fingers wrapped around her mug. Her body looked defeated.

  Hannah froze. She wanted to know if Leah’s phone helped the police locate Sally but Pam’s comment wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Her dream of seeing Sally whiz by in the back of Sean’s car flashed before her eyes. Not something to share with Pam unless she wanted to be ridiculed. She would find a way to get information from Sean on her own time.

  Pam slowly rose from her chair. “I’m heading over to talk to the Whites now. It will be a difficult conversation.”

  “I can imagine,” Hannah sympathized. “Matt White won’t give you any slack.”

  Pam raised her eyes and looked at Hannah. “What’s your opinion on a connection between Sally’s disappearance and Gavin Abbott’s murder?”

  Hannah was slightly taken aback at Pam’s question. Was she asking as a mother or a police deputy? Was her normal abrasiveness merely a hat she wore when she was doing her job?

  “I think they are connected, but I don’t think Matt White is the killer,” Hannah offered.

  Pam nodded. “I agree.” She rose from the chair. “Thanks for being here for him.” She tilted her head toward the living room.

  Hannah smiled. They had Jack’s well-being in common, if nothing else.

  The front door closed.

  Jack hollered. “Where are those eggs you promised me?”

  Hannah pushed the toaster down a second time to be sure the bread was good and burnt. “Hold your horses. It’ll be ready when the alarm goes off.”

  “Are you kidding? You have to time the eggs?”

  The smoke alarm shrieked and she laughed right along with it.

  Hannah brought a tray with eggs, juice, and black toast to the table next to Jack after she pulled the battery on the smoke alarm.

  “Just wanted to be sure the toast was done to your perfection.”

  They both laughed.

  Jack dug into the food like a sailor who had been lost at sea. “Not bad, but I think you might need a bit more practice. Tomorrow morning work for you?”

  Hannah pointed her finger at the old man. “I know exactly what you’re doing. You’ll be perfectly capable of making your own breakfast tomorrow morning. How about I come over and keep you company though?”

  “Deal,” Jack replied, spraying toast crumbs over the blankets. He took a few more bites and then set his plate on the coffee table. “So, tell me about you and Pam bonding in the kitchen.”

  Hannah sipped her coffee, pursed her lips, and said, “It’s complicated with her. One minute she’s throwing me in the dirt and stomping on me for good measure. And then she does a one eighty and asks for my opinion. I’m not sure where I stand with her.”

  Jack nodded. “She doesn’t know where she stands with herself. That’s what I think. And until she figures it out, well, I try to keep her going in as straight a line as possible.”

  Hannah stacked the empty dishes on the tray and brought everything into the kitchen. It only took her a few minutes to clean up, bring Jack a big glass of water, and help him get comfortable on the couch.

  “I’ll be over after a nap. Eating sapped my energy.”

  “Take your time. We’ll manage. No one is checking in or out of the cottages today, so, with some luck, I’ll be able to help Meg.”

  Hannah fluffed his pillow one more time before she and Nellie quietly left.

  “Okay Nellie, now to find Sean Payne. He has some explaining to do.”

  Nellie trotted alongside Hannah, her tongue out, and her attention focused on the snack bar.

  Se
an Payne was camped out at the same table he occupied the day before. Now or never, Hannah decided.

  Without a hello or an invitation, she slid in across from Sean. “Where is she?”

  The space between Sean’s brows wrinkled. He sat up straight and stared at Hannah. “Good morning to you, too. Who are you referring to?”

  Hannah leaned across the table and continued her bluff. “You know exactly who I’m referring to. You tipped your partner off before the police could find Sally. She’s scared. She wants to come home. Where is she?”

  The color drained from Sean’s face. His shoulders sagged. “I don’t know. Something went horribly wrong.”

  “Isn’t this a cozy duo?”

  Hannah kept her eyes on Sean but his gaze moved to the figure behind her.

  She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. Pam’s presence was obvious from her angry, no nonsense, and the determined-to-get-answers tone in her voice. It was all business, Deputy Pam Larson, not worried daughter, Pam.

  Fortunately, Pam’s portable radio called her. Before she left, she pointed at Sean. “Don’t disappear. I’m not finished with you.”

  Hannah snickered, glad someone else was the recipient of Pam’s don’t even think about hiding from me order.

  “So, Sean, how about you come clean with me and I’ll put in a good word for you with Deputy Larson. It might save your career, although I doubt I can do anything about Deputy Larson’s plan to eat you alive.”

  He slowly finished his bagel loaded with cream cheese and smoked salmon. He chewed slowly and swallowed with difficulty. He needed a big swig of coffee to wash it all down before he could make his voice work.

  Hannah knew her offer was a big fat bluff, but Sean had to weigh his choices—have Hannah help him deflect some of his troubles, or face Pam alone.

  He chose plan number one. “I’ll level with you. I could use someone on my side, but you have to promise to make me look good.”

  Ha, Hannah thought, there wasn’t enough magic to make Sean Payne look good, but she knew he wasn’t thinking of that kind of look anyway. He had a career as a newspaper reporter, and if Hannah’s hunch was correct, he gambled on it with the wrong person.

  “Sure,” she answered, knowing she had absolutely no clout with Deputy Larson.