by Leena Clover
“Here’s your muffin, Captain Charlie,” Jenny said, handing him a paper bag and a tall cup of coffee. “What do you think about the new dispensary that’s opening up in town?”
“I already signed the paper,” he told her. “I know they say those pot brownies help with aches and pains, but I ain’t going against the town. No Sir.”
“What paper?”
“Heather’s going around town with it. She’ll get around to you soon enough.”
Heather came in earlier than usual, holding a clipboard.
“Barb put me to work,” she told Jenny. “This is some kind of appeal. It says you’re against the marijuana dispensary. Just print your name here and sign next to it.”
“You really think it’s that bad?”
“I don’t think,” Heather said, stressing the word think. “When Barb says you have to do something, people generally fall in line.”
“I’m not convinced this dispensary is such a bad idea,” Jenny argued. “What about all the people it’s going to help?”
“Barb says it will harm more people than it will help. Anyway, you can talk about all that at the town hall meeting. Just sign here for now.”
“What is Barb going to do with these signatures?”
Heather shrugged.
“I guess she’s going to stop the Newburys from getting the licenses they need.”
“That sounds vindictive.”
“Suit yourself,” Heather said. “But get ready to tackle Barb Norton.”
Jenny stirred a pot of soup and motioned Heather to sit down. She slid a freshly baked cupcake with pretty pink frosting in front of Heather.
“Lemon with a raspberry filling. Try it.”
“I’ve gained ten pounds since you came into town, Jenny.”
“You look as pretty as ever, sweetie.”
Jenny patted Heather on her cheek.
“Are Chris and Molly engaged?” Heather asked with a heavy voice. “Why haven’t they told me?”
“They are not officially engaged,” Jenny explained. “They are somewhere in between.” She hesitated before saying anything more. “You know that day is coming though, Heather.”
“I’ve been doing some thinking, Jenny. I know I acted like a jerk these past few months. No wonder Grandma’s so mad at me.”
“She’s worried about you.”
“I don’t deserve Chris,” Heather said, sounding like her old self. “It’s my own fault I lost him, Jenny. He’s never coming back to me.”
Jenny hugged her friend close, feeling sorry for her. She just hoped there was something better around the corner for Heather.
Chapter 10
“I think you should seize all the records in Gianni’s office,” Jenny argued with Adam. “Have some other doctor study them.”
“And why would I do that?”
“You will get a list of all the people he scammed. Any of those could be a suspect.”
“I talked to Dr. Smith about those scams,” Adam told Jenny. “Gianni was just billing the government for work he didn’t do. Most of the fake records deal with treatment that was not provided to his patients. I know it was illegal but it didn’t hurt his patients.”
“You can’t be sure about that,” Jenny persisted. “Some people got a wrong diagnosis. He might have written fake prescriptions that made their way to the patient. What if someone actually took the wrong medicine?”
“I can’t go running after every wild scenario.”
“This is plausible. Think about it a bit and you will agree with me.”
“I’ll look into it,” Adam said in a resigned tone.
“What about Tiffany? Have you questioned her yet?”
“She’s coming to town today for an interview.”
“She’s a woman scorned, Adam. She had a strong motive.”
“Let me do my job, Jenny,” Adam pleaded. “Please.”
Jenny walked out of his office in a huff. She pulled out her cell phone as soon as she stepped out of the police station and called Tiffany Costa.
“Are you coming to Pelican Cove today? Can we meet?”
Jenny gave her directions for the Boardwalk Café and set up a time to meet.
The Magnolias came in for their mid-morning coffee. Betty Sue was looking better than she had in a long time.
“You look happy,” Star observed. “What are you hiding, Betty Sue?”
Betty Sue put down her knitting and leaned toward Star.
“Heather talked to me last night. I think she’s going to be okay.”
“She’s a good kid,” Star agreed. “I told you she would come around.”
Molly and Heather came in together, arm in arm. Molly looked like she was bursting to tell them something.
“I am meeting the parents,” she beamed. “Chris is setting it up.”
“You know old Pa Williams,” Star said. “You have talked to him hundreds of times.”
“Not as my prospective father-in-law,” Molly said shyly. “I hope he likes me.”
“Ma Williams is a good woman,” Betty Sue told Molly. “She’s going to love you.”
“I’ve known her since I was a kid,” Heather added. “I’ll put in a good word for you, Molls.”
The lunch crowd kept Jenny busy. Finally, she sat down to grab a bite with Petunia.
“Do you need any help with that cake?” the old woman asked.
“I got it, don’t worry.”
Jenny had started baking cakes for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. There was no super market in Pelican Cove where you could just pick up a cake on the fly. So Jenny’s little cake business had taken off.
“What is it this time?” Petunia asked as she took a bite of her fried fish sandwich.
“Lemon cake with raspberry filling,” Jenny told her, “like those cupcakes I made the other day. It’s for a thirteen year old girl. I hope she likes the pink frosting.”
Jenny’s phone buzzed just then.
“I’m waiting for you. You can come any time.”
Jenny hung up the phone and made a fresh sandwich for Tiffany. She took the plate and a pitcher of sweet tea out to the deck.
Tiffany Costa came in, looking like a young Marilyn Monroe. Petunia led her out to the deck.
“Fabulous view!” Tiffany said as she sat down.
Jenny pointed to the sandwich.
“I thought you might be hungry.”
“You’re a doll,” Tiffany squealed. “I’m starving. That grumpy cop didn’t even offer me a glass of water.”
Jenny was familiar with the grumpy cop’s behavior so she wasn’t surprised.
Tiffany drained half the glass of tea in one gulp. She attacked her sandwich as if she hadn’t eaten in days. Jenny allowed her to settle down.
“The cops found out I was here at the restaurant,” Tiffany said.
She narrowed her eyes and looked at Jenny.
“It’s a small town. People can spot a stranger from a mile away.”
“They asked me a ton of questions. I answered every one of them. I have nothing to hide.”
“That’s good for you, Tiffany,” Jenny said encouragingly.
“What did you want to talk about?” Tiffany asked, wiping her mouth with a tissue.
“My friend Heather is a suspect in Gianni’s murder,” Jenny said. “Who am I kidding? The police really think she did it. I’m trying to help her out.”
“Are you some kind of detective?”
“Not really,” Jenny admitted. “I just talk to people and try to find out stuff.”
“How can I help you?” Tiffany asked cagily. “You are not trying to incriminate me, are you?”
“I just want to find out the truth.”
“I know most people point at the trophy wife,” Tiffany bristled. “I’m not just a blonde bimbo, you know.”
“Trust me, Tiffany,” Jenny said. “You have nothing to worry about if you are innocent.”
“Do you think I would be talking to yo
u if I wasn’t?” the girl asked.
Jenny decided not to answer that.
“Tell me about Gianni,” Jenny urged. “Were you a patient of his? How did you two meet?”
“We met online,” Tiffany said wistfully.
Her eyes had a faraway look as if she was remembering happier times.
“He was so handsome!”
“What were you doing at the time?”
“I worked as a dental hygienist in the city,” Tiffany told her. “Gianni swept me off my feet. He took me to fancy restaurants, bought me pretty things. Then on Valentine’s Day two years ago, he proposed.”
“Were you surprised?”
“Not really,” Tiffany said. “I have been chased by many men. They always propose to me. It can get really boring.”
“I am guessing it was different with Gianni?” Jenny quizzed.
Tiffany smiled.
“I wanted him to take the next step. We had a court wedding but he took me to Aruba for our honeymoon.”
“What about your family?” Jenny asked.
“I come from a small town in the mountains,” Tiffany explained. “I was raised by an old aunt. She’s in long term care now. I don’t have anyone else.”
“Was he living in Delaware when you got married?”
“Oh yes. I had known that when we were dating.”
“When did you learn about the affairs?”
“Two months after marriage,” Tiffany said with a scowl. “Gianni was quite open about it. He said it was a ruse. He snared a local girl to get his foot into a new community.”
“What about the shady activities? Did he tell you about them himself?”
“I helped him with some filing a couple of times,” Tiffany explained. “I had noticed some odd things. But I was quiet about it. He started bragging about it one night when he was drunk.”
“And you were fine with that?”
“I had never done anything illegal,” Tiffany admitted. “But he gave me a diamond bracelet two days later. I said nothing.”
“So he bought your silence.”
Tiffany looked uncomfortable.
“I grew up dirt poor. I never had fancy things.”
Jenny didn’t torment her any further.
“Can I look at the files at your place?” she asked.
“Sure! You can come and get them any time.”
“How long did Gianni plan to go out with Heather?”
“Pelican Cove turned out to be smaller than he had imagined. He said he had pretty much exhausted his options here. He had already hired a moving company. He was getting out of here by the end of February.”
“What are your plans now?” Jenny asked her.
“I might get my old job back,” Tiffany said. “Just to stay busy.”
Jenny told her she would visit soon to look at Gianni’s files.
Tiffany didn’t seem worried about her future. Gianni must have left her well off, Jenny mused as she walked to the seafood market. Chris greeted her with a brilliant smile.
“Hey, Jenny!”
Jenny called her aunt to ask her what she wanted for dinner.
“We have an extra guest,” her aunt told her. “That’s five for dinner.”
Jenny picked up fresh peppers and mushrooms from the local farm. She doubled her usual order of fish and shrimp and remembered they were out of Old Bay seasoning.
“Molly’s excited about meeting your parents,” she told Chris.
Chris fingered his shiny new promise ring and blushed.
“She’s a bit tense too. My mother scares her.”
Jenny beamed as she thought of something.
“Why don’t you all come to Seaview for dinner? Star will be there, and Jimmy and Adam. It will be a more casual setting.”
“That’s a great idea, Jenny,” Chris said eagerly. “You sure you won’t mind?”
“We haven’t had company in a long time. Just tell me what your parents like to eat.”
“They’ll eat anything,” he said. “Mom doesn’t like spicy food though.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jenny promised. “Let me talk to my aunt and come up with a date. I’ll call you.”
Jenny was in for a surprise when she reached home. Star had set up an easel on the beach outside Seaview. There was another easel next to hers. Frank, the artist, was standing beside her aunt, brush in hand, talking about something.
“They are having a plain air session,” Jimmy told her with a scowl. “That creep’s been here since noon. And your aunt has been standing out there with him.”
“You mean ‘plein’ air,” Jenny laughed. “It’s a French term for painting outdoors.”
Jimmy sat in a chair on the patio, staring out at the beach. Jenny knew he wouldn’t be easy to spot from the beach, but he had a clear view of Star and her companion.
“Is that the guest we are having for dinner?” Jenny asked.
“He invited himself,” Jimmy grumbled. “Said he fancied a nice home cooked meal. He can cook it in his own kitchen, can’t he?”
“I thought he lived in a bus.”
“He travels in that bus. He’s rented a house in town. The bus is parked in his yard.”
“Star’s just being nice,” Jenny said with a smile.
She wondered what Jimmy was worried about. Although her aunt had never said it out loud, Jenny was sure she really liked Jimmy. She wasn’t going to be impressed by some vagabond artist.
Adam came home and offered to help with dinner. Jenny gave him the job of chopping the vegetables. She sprinkled Old Bay on fish and drizzled it with olive oil. She set it aside, ready to go in the oven just before they sat down to eat.
“I met Tiffany today,” Jenny told him. “Sounds like you were a bit harsh with her.”
“I was just doing my job,” Adam told her.
“Tiffany’s offered to let me look at Gianni’s old records.”
“That’s great,” Adam said eagerly. “Dr. Smith is looking at the stuff we found here in Pelican Cove. But that’s all I can do for now. The other stuff is off limits for me.”
“Adam Hopkins,” Jenny said with her hands on her hips. “Are you actually asking for my help?”
“You might be able to go where I can’t,” Adam said. “Who knows what those records will yield.”
“Does Tiffany come into a lot of money?” Jenny asked.
“She’s the spouse,” Adam shrugged. “Unless we find a will or someone turns up with one, she is his next of kin.”
“So she could have killed him for his money.”
“We are trying to establish her alibi. We already know she was in town that night. Unless she can prove what time she left town, she had as much opportunity as Heather.”
“She also had access to Gianni’s clinic and all the drugs he kept there,” Jenny reminded him.
Adam agreed with Jenny for a change. Tank came in and sat down on the floor next to Jenny.
“Who’s that dude out there with Star?” Adam asked. “And why is Jimmy hiding behind the rose bushes?”
Chapter 11
Adam Hopkins walked into the Boardwalk Café at noon.
“Hello Sheriff,” Jenny smiled. “Taking the day off?”
“I’m here for lunch,” Adam said. “Care to join me?”
Jenny ladled pea soup in two bowls and placed strawberry chicken sandwiches on a plate. She took the tray of food out to the deck. It was a sunny spring day and the fresh breeze coming off the ocean perked her up.
Adam slurped the soup and pronounced it delicious.
“I asked around,” he told Jenny. “Old Asher Cohen had sponsored the toll both all those years ago. He paid the people who worked there.”
Jenny’s face fell.
“Asher’s gone now.”
“Asher may not be around but his company, Cohen Construction is,” Adam reminded her. “I spoke to Luke.”
Luke Stone was Jason’s uncle. He ran Cohen Construction, one of the biggest employers in town.
Jenny took a bite of her sandwich and nodded for Adam to go on.
“Asher was very meticulous about keeping records. Luke is sure they have everything from back when the booth was still running.”
“When can I look at them?” Jenny asked eagerly.
“Luke’s having someone pull them from their records section. You can go there later this afternoon. They are expecting you.”
“Sounds great,” Jenny said. “You think I’ll find something?”
“Whatever you find will be something we don’t know now,” Adam told her. “Think of it as another piece of the puzzle.”
“Yes Sir!” Jenny gave him a mock salute.
Her enthusiasm waned a bit when she saw the three foot high pile of paper set aside for her at Cohen Construction. She sat down and started looking for the right year.
Apparently, the toll booth had been operational for barely a year. It had never actually collected toll. Its only purpose had been to note down the cars entering and leaving the city. Jenny noted down the relevant information and struggled to her feet. Her legs were stiff after sitting in one spot for hours. She hoped the information she had found would provide some value.
Jenny walked back home, thinking about Lily. Lily had grown up in Pelican Cove. She had left town at nineteen and come back several years later with her husband and children. Her husband worked in the city and was traveling most of the time. Her daughter died from a freak virus. Lily’s son was in college at that time. According to Betty Sue, Lily had shut herself in her house after her daughter’s death. It didn’t seem like she had any enemies. She hardly talked to anyone. Why had someone taken her life?
Jenny walked on for a while before she found herself in front of the library. She remembered something Betty Sue had said. Molly greeted her at the desk, looking radiant.
“Chris told me you are hosting us for dinner, Jenny,” she beamed. “Thank you so much. To be honest, I was a bit intimidated at the thought of going to their home for dinner. But I’ll feel right at home at Seaview.”
Jenny spent some time chatting with Molly about the dinner party. She went in to the reference section and began looking at newspapers from 1991. There was no news item related to Lily’s disappearance. Jenny found it odd. Why hadn’t the Pelican Cove Chronicle printed anything about Lily? She moved to the classifieds section next. She spotted the ad for the sale of Seaview right away. Her eyes popped open at what she saw on the page. Had grief really addled Lily’s brain?”
