Dying Trade (A Deadline Cozy Mystery Book 9)

by Sonia Parin

  Eve shook her head. “No. And not Steve either. Or William Hunter.”

  Jill brought out the laptop and searched for golfer’s names. “Here. Take your pick.”

  Running through the list, Eve pointed at one. “Palmer. That rings a bell.”

  “Okay. Palmer on the beach swinging a golf club. What does the mental image look like?” Mira asked. “Give us more information, Eve.”

  “Scruffy. You know, long hair and a beard. Dirty clothes.” Eve clicked her fingers. “Like that movie about a man stranded on an island.”

  “Castaway with Tom Hanks?” Jill asked. “Tom Palmer? Hank Palmer?”

  “No.”

  “Oh,” Mira sat up straight. “How about Robinson Crusoe?”

  Eve whooped. “Yes. Palmer Robinson.”

  Mira smiled. “I think you’ll need to revise your mnemonics system, Eve.”

  Or start writing things down, Eve thought and imagined walking around with a notebook dangling around her neck. “Jill, since you have the computer out, search the name and see what you can find, please. According to Lauren Wright, Palmer Robinson is her contact person for the store.” Eve turned her attention to making some coffee.

  “Have you spoken with Jack?” Mira asked.

  Measuring out the coffee, she gave a small nod. “He gave me the go-ahead to resume work at the store.” Setting a mug in front of Mira, she said, “Did I tell you about our dinner date?” Had so much happened since her date with Jack that she couldn’t remember?

  “Jill mentioned something about you enjoying the night without once talking about the case. Surely, that’s a first for you.”

  Eve smiled. “I think we both made the decision to avoid all talk of murder. A part of me must have been afraid of uncomfortable silences but I don’t think Jack and I can ever have those. Not even on smooth sailing days when nothing much happens.”

  “I can’t find anything on Palmer Robinson,” Jill complained. “It’s as if the man doesn’t exist. Why are you interested in him?”

  Eve brushed her hands across her face as she tried to remember. “Oh, yes… Lauren told me he’s her contact person for the building and… Oh… hang on. It’s coming back to me. The owner. Why didn’t I think of it before? The owner would have another set of keys and, therefore, access to the building at any time. He would also have the advantage of not being recognized by anyone.” Eve stepped back and tried to organize her thoughts.

  “That’s Eve’s thinking face,” Jill mused. “See, there’s a tiny wedge between her eyebrows.”

  Eve went into automatic mode and poured the coffee.

  She’d have to contact Jack but she didn’t want to bother him right now. Although, she felt sure the information she had would yield a solid lead for him.

  “I think she’s just come to a decision,” Jill said.

  “How can you tell?” Mira asked.

  “I’ve seen it once too often to mistake it,” Jill said. “She gave a little nod, barely perceptible, but my eye is trained now to pick up on her little signals. I’m sure, one day, it will save my life.”

  Eve snapped out of her reverie. “I need pen and paper.”

  “Right here.” Jill pushed a notebook toward her.

  Eve got busy writing a list. “One. Tell Jack about Denise Glosser. She worked for Phillip and she has to know something. Two. Tell Jack about the owner who doesn’t appear to want to be found. In my books, that’s suspicious behavior. He’s hiding something.”

  “Or, he wants to retain his privacy,” Mira murmured and then asked, “And what did Denise Glosser do?”

  “For starters, she didn’t know about Phillip Manningham.”

  “Few people actually know the victim’s identity,” Mira said. “The police haven’t released the name.”

  “Yes, I put my foot in it and mentioned it to Denise. I’d been so careful when I spoke with Derek Tucker.” Eve grinned. “He wants to cut a deal with me. I provide him with a scoop and… he might do something about deleting my folks’ off the subscriber list.”

  Mira stopped blinking. “Your parents subscribed to the Gazette?”

  “Yes.”

  “They’ll read about everything that goes on in Rock-Maine Island?”

  Eve nodded.

  “Well, then… What are you waiting for? Give him the scoop. Make something up if you have to.”

  “It’s not as easy as that. I can’t risk interfering with Jack’s investigation.” Eve brought out a pretty plate and arranged the strawberry tarts. “Fingers or forks?”

  Jill reached for a tart. “Fingers.”

  “Whatever is easiest,” Mira said and also reached for a tart.

  “Have any new guests arrived today?” it occurred to ask.

  “Not that I noticed and I sat in the living room all day.” Mira took a sip of coffee and sighed. “I’m actually surprised at how much work I’ve managed to get through. I’ve heard of some writers being able to write at a café and I never thought it possible, but who knows…”

  “Have you finished with the laptop?” Eve asked. When Jill nodded, Eve settled down to do some research online.

  “What are you looking for?” Jill helped herself to another strawberry tart.

  “My day was not entirely lost. I took measurements and now I’m going to start looking around for the right refrigerator and stove.”

  “I’m impressed,” Jill said. “You usually immerse yourself in cases and think about nothing else.”

  “Yes, well… I’m beginning to take exception to people calling me a meddlesome woman.”

  “Point them out to me and I’ll deal with them.” Jill turned to Mira. “Can you believe it? I’m young so I shouldn’t care but I do. When did manners stop being fashionable?”

  Eve snorted. “You mean, de rigueur, as my mother would say.”

  Jill helped herself to another strawberry tart and said, “Precisely. Manners shouldn’t be optional. I blame the anonymity of the internet.”

  Both Eve and Mira looked at their young companion with raised eyebrows.

  “Is that the end of your rant, dear? Or do you have more to add?” Mira asked.

  Jill grinned. “I’m done.”

  Eve bookmarked a few pages online and set the laptop aside. “My heart is not in it. I propose going out to dinner. Who’s interested?”

  Jill and Mira raised their hands.

  “Okay. I’m going to make the rounds and make sure everything is running smoothly and then I’m going to shower and change. It’s hard work trying to keep my nose out of other people’s business.”

  Eve should have felt refreshed after her shower but her mind wouldn’t stop spinning. The killer had gone to a great deal of trouble to hide the body. She had already expressed her surprise when she’d told Jack her preference would have been to dispose of the body in the ocean.

  As she dressed, she added another reminder to her list. “Three. Tell Jack about Phillip Manningham moving to other premises.” Surely, that should have raised alarm bells with someone… A new tenant… not turning up. Bills left unpaid.

  She finished dressing. On her way out of her bedroom, she picked up her cell phone and saw that she’d missed a call from Jack.

  Settling down on the window seat, she called him. When he picked up, she made a point of letting him talk.

  To her surprise, he wanted to know if she had any news for him.

  “Do you want the short version or are you prepared to listen while I trudge through a list?”

  “You have a list?”

  Eve smiled. “I’ve been busy.”

  He listened to her in silence.

  When she finished, Jack cleared his throat. “I thought I saw you driving away from Denise Glosser’s house.”

  “Sorry, Jack. I couldn’t help myself. I only really wanted to put a face to the name. Okay, I also wanted to see her reaction. Fine, I’ll admit it, I also wanted to find out when she’d last seen Phillip Manningham. Did you ask her if she remembered w
hen that bookcase had been put there?”

  “Yes, and it was before her time.”

  It didn’t make sense. Maybe Phillip Manningham had just wanted more shelving space and that had been the only spot for the bookcase.

  Jack told her, “No other family has been located. He’d never married. We’ve canvassed his neighbors and came up empty. He used to leave early for work and return home late. Then he put his house on the market and that was the last anyone saw of him.”

  “Did his house sell?” Eve asked.

  “Yes. The realtor said Phillip had to travel so he left instructions to post the contracts and wire the money. So, nothing was handled in person.”

  And Phillip Manningham had used a different realtor to sell his house. “Hang on. This complicates everything. He’d planned on traveling?”

  “That’s not unusual,” Jack said.

  “Yes, it is. He went to the trouble of organizing the move. His office furniture would have been sitting there… What about his clients.” Eve shook her head. “No, that doesn’t make sense to me.”

  “Not everyone thinks the way you do, Eve.”

  Eve couldn’t help thinking the world would be a better place if more people thought the way she did. “When did Phillip leave instructions to post the contracts and wire the money from the sale?”

  “I wondered if you’d ask. He did it roughly at about the time he died.”

  Eve’s mouth gaped open. So, he was either alive, about to die… or dead. If he’d been dead, the killer must have been confident Phillip Manningham wouldn’t be missed. He must have known a great deal about his private life.

  “Did I hear you ask how we can be sure?” Jack laughed.

  “Actually, you didn’t sound at all sure of his time of death.”

  “No, but… He left instructions after the house sold. That happened at the same time as his lease expired and he supposedly moved out.”

  And he could not have been in two places at the same time. Traveling and dead.

  “Palmer Robinson,” Eve chirped.

  “Who’s that?” Jack asked.

  “The owner of the building. Actually, he represents the group of owners. I assume you’re interested in talking with anyone who had access to the store. I’m thinking he would have access to a key.”

  “Yes. Now I remember. Lauren Wright provided us with that information. By the way, I missed you only by a few seconds today.”

  “Did you? When?”

  “When I saw you driving away from Denise Glosser’s house.”

  Eve silently grumbled. She’d hoped Jack wouldn’t bring it up again. “Oh… really?”

  Jack laughed. “Now it’s confirmed. You saw me too.”

  They compared notes. Neither one thought Denise had been involved. “She said the bookcase had been there when she started working for Phillip. I’ve been wondering why it was put there in the first place.” Were they looking at it all wrong?

  “What’s on your mind, Eve?”

  “A secret compartment used to keep something from prying eyes. Although, it can’t have been something requiring easy access.”

  “The bookcase might have been easier to move at some point,” Jack said. “Exposed to heat or cold, wood expands. It’s been sitting there for over a year. What sort of secret did you have in mind?”

  “I don’t know. Something used for blackmail. He was an accountant. He might have had proof of misappropriation of funds.”

  Jack agreed. “We’ll be looking at his clients, just as soon as we find his files.”

  “Have you located his other office?” Eve asked.

  “Yes, and we weren’t surprised to find it empty. Paid for but empty.”

  Phillip had certainly planned ahead, Eve thought. “Well, what does that tell you?”

  “Possibly, that he was killed right at the time he made the move and that someone wanted to delay the discovery of his body.”

  She’d already reached that conclusion.

  “What about phone records? Jill is always fond of checking those.”

  “I have an officer trawling through his land line records. We couldn’t find a cell phone. Hard to say if he even had one.”

  “This all sounds complicated and… dare I say it, organized.”

  Jack hummed under his breath. “Organized. That sounds like a key word.”

  Yes. It did.

  Chapter Eleven

  “You were unusually quiet during the drive,” Mira remarked.

  “I could say the same about you and Jill.” Eve had spent the drive to town trying to clear her head. She had enjoyed dinner with Jack so much, she had decided she wanted another fun night with Mira and Jill. “Let’s not talk about the murder, please.”

  “Agreed,” both Jill and Mira responded.

  Shelby greeted them at the door and showed them through to their table. “Twice in one week. I’m honored.”

  “And I’m so relieved we have the option of dining at such a fine establishment,” Eve said.

  Mira and Jill got busy studying the menu.

  Eve chuckled. “Really, after the steak you had today?”

  Jill grinned. “There’s always room for more. Besides, you’re paying.”

  “And what’s your excuse?” she asked Mira.

  “Oh, lunch was hours ago. It’s amazing how much fuel one burns while writing.” Mira shifted and resumed her careful reading of the menu. “What do you recommend?”

  “Everything is always good. In fact…” Eve closed her eyes and pointed with her finger. “There. That’s what I’m having.”

  “Eye of newt?” Jill asked.

  Eve reacted before thinking. Her eyes widened and she looked down at the menu. “It says no such thing.”

  “Oh, now I feel like one of the mean girls, putting my foot out and tripping you.”

  “Go ahead, say it. I’m gullible.”

  “Yes, you are a bit of a chump, and bless your heart for it. By the way,” Mira said, “The other day, I heard a guest wondering if I would do an author signing. I was sitting right there in the living room. I know she saw me, but she appeared to be shy about approaching me.”

  Eve laughed. “So, she talked within your hearing, as if you were a monkey on display?”

  “Some people forget authors are human.”

  Jill pinched her hand.

  “Ouch,” Mira exclaimed.

  “She’s human and as sensitive as the next person, which makes her relatable.”

  “Well, I’m glad we sorted that out. You’re welcome to use the inn for an author signing, but I would have thought the bookstore would be a more suitable venue.” Eve smiled and looked around them. Shelby’s Table had a dedicated client base and did the town proud by remaining constant and never straying from delivering the best service and food in a comfortable, rustic environment. “I feel as though I’m playing hooky from school.” When she’d first set up her inn, she’d expected to be tied down to it 24/7. Instead, she had employed more staff and had delegated responsibilities. In her restaurant days, she would never have dreamed of taking a night off and had always been the first to arrive, right after making the rounds for the freshest produce.

  “Ready to order?” Shelby asked.

  Smacking their lips, Jill and Mira placed their orders.

  Sitting back, Eve smiled at Mira, “What? No dessert? Didn’t you hear Jill say I’m paying?”

  Mira gave her an impish smile. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your generosity.”

  “Does that have anything to do with the fact Gerard baked a chocolate mousse cake today?”

  “Maybe. I wouldn’t want to offend him.”

  “Mira, I know you’re a wonderful person. I just didn’t realize you were so considerate.

  More diners came in. They were served drinks. Mira talked about her current book. Eve glanced around again and, as she did, she saw Derek Tucker striding in. Instead of looking away again, Eve continued looking his way, in case he happened
to catch sight of her and waved.

  Derek didn’t stop at the entrance to wait for Shelby to show him to his table. Instead, he made a beeline toward the back of the restaurant. Eve followed the trajectory to see which table he might be aiming for. She saw a couple and two men deep in conversation. Two tables further away, a man sat alone in the corner. He looked up and nodded.

  Eve’s gaze skated back toward Derek in time to catch him giving a small nod, possibly a nod of acknowledgment.

  In the next instant, his gaze clashed with Eve’s.

  She smiled and then she frowned because Derek did something rather odd. He hesitated. Stopped and turned. Looking around him, he edged toward a table and sat down only to get up again and head toward the bar.

  Eve’s instinct kicked in. She looked toward the corner table. The man sitting there stood up, buttoned his jacket and strode out of the restaurant.

  “What was that about?” Eve whispered under her breath.

  Shelby approached their table and began serving. “Capellini with tomatoes, basil & garlic for Eve. Smoky Atlantic Salmon for Mira and Jill. Enjoy.”

  They all looked down at their plates. Eve knew she’d picked up the habit from her mom who’d always told her to appreciate food from the moment it was set in front of her, even before, if you happened to see it being brought to you. Yes, food should be a celebration, Eve thought.

  She was about to dig in when it occurred to look over at the bar.

  Derek Tucker had left.

  Eve plumped up her pillow. “I’m so glad you called.” She’d only just settled into bed and had been about to run through the day’s events when her phone rang.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jack said. “You can’t go to sleep without first hearing my voice. That’s very reassuring.”

  “You read all that from my simple statement?”

  “What can I say, I’m a romantic at heart.”

  Jack sounded weary but still cheerful. “I’m guessing you were run off your feet chasing down leads,” Eve said. “Did you even have time to stop for lunch or dinner?”