by Leena Clover
“You’re good at research, aren’t you? I need a pair of sharp eyes.”
Jenny spoke to Dr. Smith and asked for the patient records from Gianni’s clinic. He pointed them to a small room at the back.
“See those four boxes?” he said. “Have at it.”
“We are going to go over these again,” Jenny told Molly.
“But what are we looking for?”
“Anything unusual?” Jenny shrugged. “I’m not sure, Molly. We are looking for a needle in a haystack, anything that can take the limelight away from Heather.”
Jenny noticed Dr. Smith had marked some of the files. He had written remarks in the margins like ‘fake diagnosis’, ‘wrong prescription’ etc.
Molly turned out to be more efficient than Jenny. She got through a box much faster than Jenny and arranged the papers in neat piles.
“I know most of these people,” Molly told Jenny. “Some are friends or acquaintances, others just sound familiar. But there’s a bunch of names that don’t seem to be from around here.”
“They might belong to his patients in Delaware,” Jenny mused. “Or they might be fictitious names. Gianni billed the government for nonexistent patients.”
“What do you want to do with those?”
“Keep them in a separate pile,” Jenny said thoughtfully. “I want to go through them.”
The piles grew as Jenny and Molly worked through the boxes. Jenny finally turned to the pile Molly had set aside as out-of-towners. She read each file carefully, paying special attention to the names. One name caught her eye right away.
“Why does this sound familiar?” she wondered out loud. “Francis Lopez.”
“Never heard of him,” Molly shrugged.
The girls worked diligently for a couple of hours without much success.
“I don’t know about you, Jenny, but I’m starving.”
“Let’s go grab a bite at the café.”
They weren’t in the best of spirits when they went back to the café.
“No luck?” Petunia asked sympathetically.
She placed two plates of chicken salad sandwiches before them and ladled tomato soup in earthen mugs.
“Do you know someone called Francis?” Jenny asked Petunia.
“Doesn’t ring a bell,” the older woman said, shaking her head. “Why don’t you ask Betty Sue? She’s coming here for lunch today.”
Betty Sue walked in with Heather following close behind. Heather was carrying their black poodle Tootsie in her arms.
“I’ll tie her out on the beach,” she told Petunia immediately. “She didn’t want to stay back home.”
Everyone moved out to a table on the deck. Betty Sue sipped her soup and looked hopefully at Jenny.
“How’s it going? Any luck?”
Jenny sighed in frustration.
“I feel I’m close, Betty Sue. But I feel I’m forgetting something.”
Betty Sue had never heard of Francis Lopez either. Heather had been sitting on the café steps, playing with Tootsie. She looked up sharply.
“Isn’t that the artist your aunt is going around with?”
“My aunt is not going around with anyone other than Jimmy,” Jenny said sharply.
“Pay attention, Jenny,” Heather pressed. “Frank Lopez? He’s that new artist.”
Jenny felt a chill run down her spine. She looked around at her friends.
“You think Frank Lopez is Francis Lopez?”
The ladies shrugged.
“I need to talk to Adam right away,” Jenny cried, springing to her feet.
She skipped down the steps and hurried down the beach to the police station. Nora, the desk clerk, waved her through.
“Have you brought my lunch, Jenny?” Adam asked with a smile.
“Frank Lopez!” she panted. “You need to bring him in.”
“Stop screaming in my ear, Jenny. I haven’t had lunch yet.”
“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Jenny asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“You’re always making outlandish demands. Now sit down and tell me what’s going on.”
“I think Frank Lopez is our guy. You need to bring him in right away.”
“Who is he?”
“He’s that new artist in town. Don’t you remember?”
“And why should I arrest him?” Adam asked patiently.
Jenny launched into what she had been doing all day. She reminded him about the woman who had been Gianni’s wife a few years ago.
“I think this guy is related to that girl Maria. There has to be a connection.”
“Sounds farfetched to me,” Adam shook his head.
“What is this Frank Lopez doing in Pelican Cove, Adam? Why is he here now?”
“We have absolutely no proof he knew Gianni.”
“He was Gianni’s patient. That’s your connection.”
Adam finally decided to humor Jenny.
“I’ll send a car out to bring him in.”
Jenny thanked Adam and stood up. She had decided to go confront Frank herself. Adam recognized the resolve he saw in Jenny’s eyes.
“Don’t do anything foolish,” he called out after her.
Jenny vaguely remembered Frank talking about a house he had rented in town. Her tires spun as she raced to the address. She was looking for the trailer belonging to Frank. The house looked deserted when she got there. Her phone rang just then. It was Star.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t say goodbye.”
“What? Where are you?” Jenny asked, dazed.
“I’m with Frank. We are going to paint the mountains, remember? We talked about this.”
“But I thought you weren’t going.”
“I’ll be away for three days,” her aunt said. “Frank’s trailer is just awesome, Jenny. It has a bed and a TV and a small kitchen. I’m going to have fun.”
Jenny cringed as she thought of the close quarters her aunt was sharing with Frank.
“Is Frank with you?”
“Of course he is. You don’t sound too good, Jenny. Are you coming down with something?”
“I just feel bad I didn’t get to say bye to you,” Jenny laughed nervously. “Why don’t you stop at the next rest area? I’m on my way.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“No, no, I insist,” Jenny said in a weird voice. “It’s such a beautiful day. I’m looking forward to a nice drive.”
“We’re twenty miles out of town,” Star said. “Can you catch up with us?”
“The trailer goes slower than a car, doesn’t it? I’ll be there, don’t worry.”
“Whatever you say, my dear.” Star sounded confused but Jenny was glad she was playing along.
Jenny called Adam right away.
“You need to stop them. If I’m right, Star could be in danger.”
“Aren’t you getting carried away?” Adam asked.
“I’m driving out to meet them,” Jenny said firmly. “You can meet me there or not. I leave it up to you.”
Jenny broke the speed limit trying to reach the rest area as soon as possible. Luckily, she didn’t get pulled over. A car belonging to the Pelican Cove police overtook her just as she turned into the exit lane. Adam was already out of the car by the time Jenny parked next to him. A couple of deputies stood by, waiting for a signal from Adam.
Jenny spotted Star by the vending machines and ran toward her. She flung her arms around her aunt and hugged her tight.
“Thank God, you are safe.”
“What’s going on, Jenny?” Star asked sharply. “Are you going to tell me why you are acting like this?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Frank walked up, holding packets of potato chips and cans of soda.
“They didn’t have the diet cola so I got regular.”
He smiled at Jenny.
“You can visit with your aunt as long as you want. There’s no rush.”
For a moment, Jenny wondered if
she was wrong about Frank.
Adam had walked up to Jenny. Frank looked at the uniformed sheriff standing before him and his shoulders slumped. He dropped the food he was carrying on a bench and held up his hands.
“I’m not sorry I avenged my daughter.”
Star’s eyes popped open as Adam arrested Frank and took him away.
“I’m so glad you are okay, Star,” Jenny said, hugging her aunt again.
The Magnolias arrived early at the Boardwalk Café the next day. Heather was grinning widely.
“Jason just called. Frank Lopez gave a full confession.”
“Tell us what happened, Jenny,” Betty Sue commanded. She was looking relieved, now that Heather had been vindicated of any involvement in the crime.
“I don’t have all the details,” Jenny began. “This is what Adam told me at a high level. Frank’s daughter Maria was married to Gianni. As far as I can tell, she was his first wife. She found out about his shady business and threatened to go to the police if he didn’t clean up his act.”
“So he was always crooked,” Molly observed.
“Gianni promised her he would do whatever she wanted. They went on a trip after that. Maria never came back. Gianni said she walked out of the hotel room. There was a big investigation but Gianni got away because there was no evidence against him.”
“Are you saying he killed that poor girl?” Petunia asked with a gasp.
Jenny nodded.
“She never surfaced anywhere else. Frank believed Gianni murdered his daughter. He hired investigators and tried hard to get Gianni convicted but he didn’t succeed. Then Gianni vanished.”
“How could he do that?”
“He went to a different state and took on a new identity,” Jenny explained. “But he didn’t change his ways. He carried out the same scams. When things got too hot, he moved and changed his name again.”
“So Gianni wasn’t his real name?” Heather asked.
“No, sweetie,” Jenny said. “Not by a long shot.”
“What do you mean, Maria was his first wife?” Star asked.
“Gianni went to small towns and wooed a local girl. He chose someone who would help him build contacts and set up his clinic. He got rid of the girl when he moved.”
“So he killed more than one woman?” Heather gasped.
“That’s what the police think now,” Jenny told them. “We will know more after a thorough investigation.”
“How did Frank know Gianni was here?” Star asked.
“Frank had been looking for Gianni ever since he disappeared. He drove around the country, following Gianni’s trail. He traced him to Delaware and then to Pelican Cove. He posed as a patient and made sure Gianni was the man his daughter had been married to.”
“When did he decide to murder him?” Molly asked.
“Revenge was always on his mind. Once he located Gianni, it was just a matter of when and how.”
“How did he do it?” Heather asked in a hushed voice.
“That shadow you thought you saw that night,” Jenny said, “that was Frank. He got into Gianni’s clinic and powdered a few drugs. He added them to the whiskey decanter, knowing Gianni would probably drink from it after coming home.”
“What if I had drunk from it?” Heather cried.
Jenny shrugged.
“Frank was single minded in his determination. I don’t think he cared about collateral damage.”
“So I almost died too?” Heather gasped.
“You had a narrow escape, girl,” Betty Sue’s voice boomed. “That’s what comes of associating with scum.”
“But he was so nice to me!”
Heather looked shocked.
“What did Frank do that night?” Molly asked, prompting Jenny to go on.
“He just stood in the shadows and watched Gianni drink from the decanter. I think he was prepared to pour it down his throat if needed.”
“I don’t understand one thing,” Heather said. “Why did he stick around in town after that? All he had to do was get in his bus and drive away.”
Jenny looked at her aunt.
“We’ll never know that, I guess.”
Star looked around at the group of friends gathered around the table and shook her head.
“He was a really good artist.”
Epilogue
The town of Pelican Cove was busy celebrating Spring Fest. People had turned up in droves. A big marquee had been erected. Food stalls lined one side. A band was setting up on a makeshift stage on the beach.
Jenny sat among her friends, finally catching her breath after a hectic day. All the food from the Boardwalk Café had been sold. Tourists had come to the festival especially to taste Jenny’s cupcakes and pimento cheese sandwiches.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Heather gushed. “You saved my life, Jenny.”
“You were innocent all along,” Jenny said lightly. “You had nothing to fear.”
Adam Hopkins limped up to the group of women. He gulped as he tried to catch Jenny’s eye. Jenny had been giving him the cold shoulder for a while.
“Go talk to that Hopkins boy,” Betty Sue said, tipping her head at Adam.
Jenny stood up reluctantly and took a few steps toward Adam.
“What is it?”
“Can you spare a few minutes? Please?”
The sun was low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and mauve. Jenny accompanied Adam to the beach. He was quiet while they walked away from the crowd.
“Are you going to say anything?” Jenny prompted.
Adam cleared his throat.
“You know I’m not big on words, Jenny. But I hope you know how much you mean to me.”
He pulled a small gift wrapped box out of his pocket and held it out to her.
“What’s this?” Jenny asked suspiciously.
“Aren’t you going to open it?”
Jenny pulled off the blue satin ribbon and tore the wrapping paper. Her heart thudded a bit as she lifted the lid of the small box. A shiny key lay inside.
“Err… what’s this, Adam?”
“Jenny King, you already hold the key to my heart. This is the key to my house.”
Jenny’s brows settled into a frown.
“I want you to move in with me, Jenny.”
Jenny stared into Adam’s blue eyes. She was dismayed at the hope she saw there.
“I can’t do that,” she said under her breath. “I’m sorry, Adam.”
“Why not?” Adam asked, trying to maintain his composure.
“I am just getting settled in at Seaview. I’m not leaving it now.”
“Jenny, it’s just a house.”
“No, Adam. It’s my home. It’s where I am going to spend the rest of my days.”
Adam took Jenny’s hands in his.
“Will you at least think about it?”
Jenny stared into the sand at her feet. She gave Adam a slight nod. Then she turned around and started walking back to her friends.
***THE END***
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Acknowledgements
This book would not have been possible without the support of many people. I am thankful to my beta readers and advanced readers and all my loved ones who provide constant support and encouragement. A big thank you to my readers who take the time to wr
ite reviews or write to me with their comments – their feedback spurs me on to keep writing more books.
Books by Leena Clover
Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series
Strawberries and Strangers – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Book 1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSW34GB/
Cupcakes and Celebrities – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Book 2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CYX5TNR
Berries and Birthdays – Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Book 3
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7GG8KV
Sprinkles and Skeletons
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DW91NKG
Have you read all the Meera Patel books?
Gone with the Wings – Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071WHNM6K
A Pocket Full of Pie - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072Q7B47P/
For a Few Dumplings More - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072V3T2BV
Back to the Fajitas - Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 4
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748KPTLM
Christmas with the Franks – Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Book 5
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077GXR4WS/
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