Berries and Birthdays_A Cozy Murder Mystery

by Leena Clover

  They scrolled through dozens of photos featuring the awards ceremony. They spotted many people they knew in the crowd but Ira Brown wasn’t one of them.

  “Where was he, huh?” Jenny asked triumphantly.

  “He could have gone to the bathroom,” Star said meekly. “Why don’t you talk to Barb again? She will have more photos of the whole event.”

  Jenny spent some time talking to Barb Norton.

  “She’s bringing over the photos,” Jenny said as she hung up. “There was an official photographer for the whole event. If Ira was at the awards ceremony, he has to be in one of those photos.”

  Pelican Cove had no traffic to speak of and distances were short. Barb Norton arrived fifteen minutes later. The girls rifled through the photos while Star took Barb aside and gave her a spiel about why they needed to see the photos urgently.

  The girls looked up at the same time and shook their heads.

  “He has no alibi!” Jenny exclaimed. “Wanna bet he’s our guy?”

  Barb Norton was sent home and the girls tried to watch a movie. Jenny was restlessly awaiting some word from Jason.

  “What’s taking them so long?” she wailed for the third time in an hour.

  Finally, they heard a car drive up outside. Jenny rushed to the door. Jason came in, followed by Adam.

  “How is Linda?” Jenny burst out. “And the other Cohens?”

  “Everyone is fine,” Jason said. “Nobody was hurt.”

  Adam’s face was ashen and he leaned heavily on his cane.

  “Why don’t you sit here?” Jenny said, pointing to an arm chair with an ottoman.

  She held herself back from helping Adam. He asked her for some water and pulled out a bottle of pills from his pocket. He popped a couple of pills and sighed heavily.

  “You boys must be hungry,” Star said, giving Jenny a meaningful glare.

  Food was heated and Jenny barely contained herself while Jason and Adam wolfed the food down.

  “Wait till you hear what we found,” Jenny said finally. “Ira Brown has no alibi for the awards ceremony.”

  “Who is Ira Brown?” Adam asked with a frown.

  “Ira Brown is the top suspect. He lied to me about a lot of things. You need to bring him in for questioning.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do, Jenny,” Adam growled. “Don’t interfere in police business.”

  “But…”

  “No buts.”

  “You’ll be sorry you didn’t listen to me,” Jenny said, her hands on her hips. “Ira Brown is your guy.”

  “I’m getting out of here,” Adam barked, struggling to get up.

  “Calm down,” Jason said sharply. “You can both have your say.”

  He looked at Adam.

  “Let’s hear what the girls found out.”

  Jenny gave Adam a brief version of what she had discovered in the city. She explained how Ira Brown had access to the old photos of the real Asher and how he had lied about knowing David Gold.

  “And he wasn’t at the awards ceremony,” Heather butted in. “Isn’t that when Asher was killed?”

  “You mean the man we know as Asher Cohen,” Adam snorted.

  “Yes, yes,” Jenny snapped. “Our Asher.”

  Adam let her ramble on for some time. Jenny finally stopped talking.

  “Are you done?” Adam asked sarcastically. “Do you want to know what we found out?”

  Jason cut to the chase.

  “Todd Buckler confessed.”

  “What?” a bunch of voices chorused.

  “He had a grudge against all the Cohens. Asher wouldn’t give him money and Dawn’s siblings almost talked her into leaving the farm.”

  “So what did he do?” Jenny breathed.

  “He trashed the greenhouse today,” Jason explained. “He told Dawn they were through. He was fleeing back home when the police caught him.”

  “We have a confession,” Adam repeated. “Todd was always a strong suspect. He doesn’t have an alibi for the time Asher was killed.”

  “But did he confess to killing Asher?” Jenny demanded.

  “He said he hated Asher and wanted him out of the way.”

  “That’s not the same as a confession.”

  “No, but he’ll fess up eventually.”

  “I think you need to talk to Ira.”

  Jason spoke up. “I agree with Jenny. I think the man is hiding something.”

  Adam held up his hand.

  “I’m exhausted. Let’s discuss this tomorrow morning.”

  He thanked Star for dinner and limped out without saying a word to Jenny.

  “Adam is so stubborn,” Jenny fumed. “Why doesn’t he believe us?”

  “Let him sleep on it,” Jason said mildly. “He’ll come around.”

  “We might be too late,” Jenny moaned.

  Heather let out a yawn and that set everyone off. The girls left and Jason sat with Jenny on the porch.

  “I wish I could take you away from all this,” he murmured.

  “Why?” Jenny asked. “I love it here.”

  She sidled closer to Jason and they sat there, staring at the waves lapping against the beach.

  Jenny was up at 5 AM as usual. She headed to the café and started baking her first batch of blueberry muffins. Her favorite customer, Captain Charlie, arrived at six as usual. She chatted with him as she served him his coffee and muffin.

  She reeled back in shock when the next person in line stepped up to the counter.

  “Mr. Brown!”

  “Good Morning,” Ira Brown greeted her cheerfully. “How about that muffin?”

  “You are up early,” Jenny said as she wrapped his muffin for him. “Going somewhere?”

  “I’m driving up to the city,” Ira Brown smiled. “Got a meeting at my college.”

  “But you are coming back?”

  “In a day or two…”

  “How about a hot breakfast before you hit the road?” Jenny asked. “I’m making crab omelets.”

  Ira seemed to waver.

  “I need to be on my way.”

  “It won’t take long,” Jenny assured him. “Why don’t you have a seat? Your food will be out in a few minutes.”

  She rushed into the kitchen and dialed the police station.

  “Adam,” she said urgently. “He’s getting away.”

  The clerk told her Adam wasn’t in yet. Luckily, he walked into the café just then.

  Jenny almost dragged him inside.

  “That’s him by the window,” she whispered. “Ira Brown. He’s leaving town. You need to talk to him now!”

  “I thought about what you said,” Adam nodded. “You may have a point.”

  “You want to let him eat first?”

  “Let him have his last supper,” Adam quipped.

  Adam Hopkins sat at a table near Ira Brown, enjoying his own omelet. He stood up as soon as he saw Ira push his plate aside.

  Jenny watched from the counter as Adam spoke to the man. Ira shook his head from side to side and waved his arms in the air. Finally, his head dropped as he seemed to give in. Adam took him by the arm and ushered him outside.

  The phone in the kitchen rang ten minutes later.

  “You want to sit in on this?” Adam asked.

  Jenny almost ran the two blocks to the police station. Nora, the desk clerk, waved her through. Ira sat in a small room, tapping his fingers on the desk. Adam came out and spoke to Jenny.

  “He admits being a volunteer at the July 4th event. He says he attended the awards ceremony.”

  “Then why isn’t he in any of the photos?”

  “He was backstage.”

  “That’s a lie!”

  Adam shrugged.

  “I have nothing to hold him here, really. Is there anything you want to ask him?”

  “Adam Hopkins!” Jenny exclaimed. “Are you actually allowing me to question a suspect? Isn’t that part of police business?”

  “Just this once, Jenny,” Adam warned.
“Don’t get used to it.”

  Jenny entered the room and sat down next to Adam. Ira Brown was surprised to see her.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Jenny didn’t beat around the bush.

  “You lied to me about David Gold.”

  “David who?”

  Jenny pulled out her phone and began dialing David.

  Ira held up a hand.

  “I know him, okay. So what?”

  “Why are you here in Pelican Cove?”

  “I’m here for the birds. I am writing a book on birds of the Delmarva.”

  “So you are a bird professor? What do they call them, ornithologist?”

  Ira Brown leaned back in his chair before he answered.

  “I teach a lot of things. Let’s say the birds are a hobby.”

  “You are a professor of Jewish Studies, aren’t you?” Jenny challenged.

  Ira shrugged.

  “Why did you volunteer for the July 4th parade?”

  “I like to keep busy. The long weekend can get kind of lonely for a single person like me. It was a way to be around people.”

  “Oh?” Jenny said. “Have you made any friends in town?”

  “I met a few people,” Ira said.

  “Was Asher Cohen one of them?”

  “You mean that 100 year old guy? He was a bit hoity toity.”

  Jenny wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Adam. Adam read it, nodded, and stepped out.

  Jenny waited until he came back.

  “Are you writing a book about the Holocaust?” she resumed a few minutes later.

  “Who told you that?” Ira asked. “I’m just getting started.”

  “What kind of research are you doing for it?”

  “How is that relevant?” Ira demanded. “Why am I here, anyway?” He pointed a finger at Adam. “You can’t just keep me here and ask these nonsensical questions.”

  “You saw the old photos that David Gold has, didn’t you?” Jenny pushed on. “You saw the photo of a man called Asher Cohen.”

  Ira said nothing.

  “You saw an opportunity to blackmail an old man. You asked him for money. When he didn’t agree, you killed him in a fit of rage.”

  Ira laughed.

  “You’re crazy. Most of those photos are faded. And they are from before the war.”

  “And they show Jewish people living in luxury,” Jenny snapped. “You couldn’t take that, could you? You came here and saw another Jew living a life of luxury. You couldn’t tolerate that. So you killed him.”

  “You have it all wrong,” Ira Brown said.

  “I know I’m right, Mr. Brown. You are an antisemite. That’s why you killed Asher Cohen.”

  Ira Brown’s eyes bulged in disbelief.

  “Me? An antisemite? My grandfather was at Auschwitz. I grew up hearing stories of Nazi brutality. Do you understand? And I am Jewish myself. Have you forgotten that? How can I be an antisemite?”

  There was a knock on the door. Someone handed a note over to Adam. Adam’s face changed as he read it. He looked at Ira with a sneer.

  “You went fishing with Asher Cohen. You knew him well. We have a witness who saw you talking to him after the parade.”

  “So why did you kill a fellow Jew?” Jenny asked.

  Ira Brown banged his fist on the table. His ears had turned red.

  “He wasn’t a Jew,” he thundered.

  Then he sang like a canary.

  Chapter 22

  Linda Cohen sat on a couch with her youngest daughter Dawn by her side. The other Cohen clan sat on chairs and couches around the big parlor. Emma and Heidi huddled close together and Walt had an arm around his wife’s shoulders. Luke Stone leaned against a table.

  Jenny took a deep breath before she spoke. Jason patted her on the shoulder, giving her an encouraging look.

  “Hello everyone,” Jenny began. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Why is she calling a meeting?” Heidi grumbled. “Haven’t we suffered enough?”

  “Be quiet, Heidi,” Walt ordered. “None of this would have come to light without her help. We owe her.”

  “Owe her what? A lifetime of disgrace?” Heidi muttered.

  “That’s enough, Heidi,” Linda said. “Go on, Jenny.”

  “Ira Brown killed your father,” Jenny told Walt. “He gave a full confession.”

  “And he did it because our father was a Nazi?” Emma asked.

  “It appears so,” Jenny said.

  “Can you tell us the whole story?” Linda requested. “Please?”

  “I can tell you what I pieced together,” Jenny said. “There may still be some missing elements.”

  A heavy silence settled around the room as Jenny began her story.

  “Let’s refer to your father as Asher for the sake of simplicity,” Jenny started.

  “Apparently, Asher was an officer in Hitler’s army. He used the name of Asher Cohen to escape to Switzerland and later come to America. He spent his whole life under that name. As you all know, he had a family, a business, a normal life. He never spoke much about his past. He didn’t have any obvious religious affiliations, preferring to immerse himself in his work.”

  “Where does Ira Brown come in?” Heidi asked.

  “Ira Brown is the son of Jewish immigrants. His grandfather was a Holocaust survivor. Ira grew up listening to tales of Nazi brutality. He chose Jewish Studies as his subject and did more research on that period in history. We can say he was completely immersed in it.”

  “So he hated Nazis with a vengeance,” Walt nodded.

  “I suppose we can say that,” Jenny agreed. “Some of what Ira Brown told us was true. He rented a cottage here on the island for the summer. He wanted a break from his usual life. He is an avid bird watcher. He had planned to spend the summer studying the birds of the region. He was looking forward to a quiet summer.”

  “How did he meet my Asher?” Linda asked.

  Jenny looked at Jason and shrugged.

  “We don’t know that for sure. He might have run into him somewhere in town.”

  “That’s right,” Luke Stone spoke up. “Asher met him at the bait and tackle shop. They got talking about fishing.”

  “I guess Asher invited him to fish in our creek?” Linda asked sadly.

  “Yes,” Luke said. “They met a few times. Asher told him about the centennial and even invited him to the party at our house.”

  “It’s all pretty straightforward so far,” Walt said. “What went wrong?”

  “Ira Brown knew this man called David Gold. David’s grandfather was also a Holocaust survivor. His family escaped before the war. They had plenty of keepsakes in the form of journals and old photographs. David played an active part in some Jewish association. They brought those photos out during the meetings. People liked to see the photos and talk about the good old days, days when their ancestors were rich and famous and led lavish lives in Germany. Ira attended these meetings.”

  “He saw those photos?” Heidi asked, now drawn into the story.

  Jenny nodded. “We can only guess.”

  “And you think my Asher was in one of them?” Linda asked.

  “I have seen those photos,” Jenny told the assembled people. “They are old and faded but you wouldn’t believe the life they depict. Extravagant parties, ladies decked in jewels, men in dinner suits and uniforms – all kinds of people congregated at these functions. One of the men appeared in a few photos. The writing at the back labeled him as Asher Cohen.”

  “But he wasn’t our father?” Walt burst out.

  “No, he wasn’t,” Jenny said, shaking her head. “That was the first clue I got.”

  “Is that all?” Linda asked. “My husband could have used the name for any reason. Why did this Ira Brown murder him?”

  “Call it fate or coincidence,” Jenny explained, “but Ira Brown got to know our Asher pretty well. He spotted him in the old photos, wearing a uniform. The enemy’s uniform, as he called
it. He just saw red after that. He assumed our Asher killed or tortured the real Asher Cohen and hid out here. As far as Ira Brown is concerned, our Asher was a war criminal and deserved to be punished.”

  “Why didn’t he turn him over to the police?” Walt asked.

  “Who knows?” Jenny shrugged. “He had strong feelings on the subject. He said he wanted justice. He wanted to avenge the life of every poor Jew who ever suffered under the hands of the Nazis.”

  Linda dabbed her eyes with a lace handkerchief.

  “Did he plan it all?”

  “He tried to. He got more desperate as the centennial drew close. He volunteered for the July 4th event, hoping he wouldn’t be noticed if he was dressed like the locals. He was right in a way.”

  Luke Stone stood behind Linda and placed his hands on her shoulders.

  “Are you sure you want to hear about this?”

  “Yes,” Linda said bravely. “I want to know about my Asher’s last moments.”

  Jenny cleared her throat.

  “It’s not pretty,” she warned. “Ira said he wanted the man to suffer just like all those folks who were killed back in Germany. He sought Asher out during the awards ceremony and led him to his car. He had already rigged the car up so it became a gas chamber. He held Asher at gunpoint, forcing him to stay in the car and inhale all that smoke.”

  Jenny stopped talking after that. Linda let out a sob.

  “I wasn’t too crazy about the old man,” Walt said soberly. “But surely nobody deserves that?”

  “What if he did?” Heidi exclaimed. “What if he was responsible for killing innocent people all those years ago?”

  “We’ll never know about that,” Emma whispered.

  “I don’t know who my husband was before he came to this country,” Linda said strongly. “But I know who he was here. He loved his family. He built up a business that supported hundreds of other families in the region. He led an honorable life. You will talk about him with respect.”

  “Isn’t that too much to ask?” Heidi protested.

  “Actually, it isn’t,” Jason spoke up. “I have something for you.”

  He held up an envelope and waved it in front of the assembled group.

  “You know I was Asher’s lawyer. He left a letter for all of you. I was supposed to reveal its existence only under certain conditions. I think those conditions have been met.”