by Iris Kincaid
*****
The library’s conference room was large, but not quite large enough to hold tonight’s crowd. About thirty members had come—it was standing room only. Normally, life gets in the way, and a regular meeting would have about half that number. Everyone was drawn together in shock over the loss of their celebrity member.
Lorna took a place in the far corner. She just wanted to be a fly on the wall. But a gorgeous face in the room was bound to be a little distraction. She continuously felt curious eyes on her.
Finn had high hopes for some good leads from this group. Given that Stella was difficult and self-absorbed, these were probably the closest things to friends in her life.
“I know you want justice for your friend Stella Kirby. I need your help. Anything you can tell me—we’re looking for enemies, resentments, grudges, jealousies, any kind of bad blood.”
Everyone shifted around uncomfortably, looking around them at the others, reluctant to say anything. Finn held up Lobster Bay, After Hours.
“Anyone in Oyster Cove who might take offense to this book? I just had a quick read. There are lots of really interesting stories in here. Letty Samuels. Those initials stand for someone else, I’ve been told. Who’s LS?”
“Lexi Stokes, the sex-crazed party girl. Everyone knows that one. There’s a lot of her dirty laundry in there, and I’m sure she didn’t appreciate it. It might’ve made her mad enough to kill. Well, it could have.”
Lorna flinched. Poor Lexi. She was no killer. But she was about to become a suspect.
“Thank you.” Finn nodded gratefully at the informant. “All I’m asking for right now is what is probably already common knowledge. No one can get locked up just because they’re referred to in this book. It just gives us a place to start asking questions. Now, Irma Murphy. Who did that stand for?”
“Ivy Morgan. She works the call center now. Can you believe that? After what her life used to be like. Champagne and yachts. I mean, it’s all her own fault that she lost everything, but she was still pretty humiliated, and mad at Stella for talking about it.”
“Very good. And Mr. Crazy Weekend in Vegas—Jim Peters?”
“That’s Jake Partridge.”
Finn jotted down that new name. “And who are Mr. and Mrs. RS and WS?”
“We never knew, and now I guess we never will. Stella always enjoyed keeping us guessing on that one. But RS had an affair on his wife for twenty years. She never found out, and after he died, she still didn’t know and worshiped him like a saint.”
“But she’d be a pretty old lady by now. Old ladies don’t really kill people, do they?”
A few of the characters were discussed. An emotional tribute to Stella followed with most members wanting to put in their two cents about what Stella meant to them. Afterward, they broke for snacks and mingling. All the while, Celeste Piper had sat close to Finn and was clearly in charge. But in the informal socializing afterward, the club members could speak to him more freely, and Lorna listened nearby.
“Celeste can be a little hoity-toity sometimes. She’ll be mad if she heard us saying this, but she tried to get Stella kicked out of the book club. She thought Stella was dragging the club down into a tabloid gossip club, and she wanted it to be all about A Tale of Two Cities and Wuthering Heights.”
“And she was so mad at Stella when Elliot Guest left the group. He and Celeste were kind of on the same highbrow wavelength. Every time Stella opened her mouth, which was a lot, you could see how much it grated on Celeste.”
“So, behind Stella’s back, she emailed us a referendum on kicking Stella out. A few people agreed with her. But for most of us, Stella was a hoot—you know, a guilty pleasure. We made sure she stayed.”
Lorna and Finn took in this clandestine information. Then Lorna remembered that she really needed to write a memo to her supervisor about the books in Stella’s house and how best to go about retrieving all of them.
“I have to head upstairs to do a little work. See you tomorrow?”
Finn had his hands full with a room of very useful informants. “Will do.”
*****
Half an hour later, Lorna approached the office exit to find Finn standing in front of a big community announcement board full of memos, social events, and office photos. He was standing right in front of their summer barbecue picture. Lorna joined him silently, and he gave her a quick sidelong glance and then returned his gaze to the photograph.
“You know, the general consensus is that LS in the book is Lexi Stokes, but LS could also stand for Lorna Sinclair. So, I hope you understand, but I had to ask. I asked the ladies in the book club if the sex-crazed party girl could possibly be Lorna Sinclair. And you know what? They laughed their heads off. Not even a remote possibility. And they told me what you looked like, not so very long ago. And now I can see it for myself.”
He looked Lorna in the eye. “That had to be rough. Very, very rough. Not to mention losing your family. I’m very glad to see you doing so well now.”
Lorna was touched. It had been such a long, lonely road, and most of the time, most people seemed oblivious to what she had gone through.
“There’s just one thing that gives me a little pause. Plastic surgery? Miracle plastic surgery? I don’t think so.” Finn glanced at the librarian attending the office counter. “Why don’t we take a walk?”
As soon as they had crossed the parking lot and reached the residential area, Finn resumed his line of thinking. “I’m no stranger to plastic surgery. I’ve hunted down some of America’s Most Wanted. I searched for a lot of people who didn’t want to be found. They used a lot of plastic surgery, trying to look as different from themselves as they could possibly look.”
Finn shook his head. “This is not plastic surgery. Maybe techniques have gotten really good the past couple of years. All right, I’m no doctor, and I have to confess, I know a lot more about witches than I do plastic surgery.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Finn got just the reaction he was expecting.
“You know about witches?” This was an exciting development. Besides Dr. Svenson, Ruby, and Delphine, Lorna had not been able to talk about what had happened to her to a single soul.
“I know about Lilith Hazelwood. I know that Dr. Svenson has been a very busy guy. Sometimes maybe a little too busy. But he saved my girlfriend’s life, so I’m gonna let the man keep doing what he does best.
“And I know that there’s more to you than meets the eye. Although, what meets the eye is pretty darn impressive.”
“Thank you.”
“Not a compliment. Just an observation. I’m thinking you probably have some special talents. What do you do, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“When flowers are dry and drooping, I can make them fresh and beautiful.”
“You kidding me? So, you’re like a good fertilizer. C’mon, there’s got to be something more.”
“Apparently, I have a natural talent for love spells.”
“Wait a minute. That does not sound like a good idea. Love is something that just happens all by itself. You don’t trick people into falling in love.”
“Said the handsome young man who is so head over heels in love that he doesn’t notice how many people around him have never been that lucky.”
That was enough to impose a moment of speechless reflection on Finn. “I have sometimes been accused of being lacking in the empathy department. Just proceed with caution on that talent, that’s all I’m saying.”
They had circled back to the parking lot.
“So, tomorrow, we have a lot of people to check out. I’m going to set up appointments with Lexi Stokes, Ivy Morgan, and Jake Partridge. Between the two of us, maybe we’ll hear something that means something.”
“That sounds fine. But, full disclosure.”
“Oh, now you’re all about the full disclosure. Go ahead, Ms. Witch. Whatcha got to disclose?”
“I know Lexi Stokes. And I like her. She’s not your killer.”
>
“The sex-crazed party girl. Friend of yours?”
“A new friend, yes.”
Finn gestured for Lorna to get into her car. “All this disclosure is going to keep me up all night. I’ll give you a call before noon.” As he turned to leave, Finn shook his head again. “Making flowers bloom. That is so lame.”
“Oh, yeah? You know someone who could do something better?”
Finn grinned proudly. “I sure do.”
That goofy, dopey lovesick look was one that Lorna had seen before. Of course! His girlfriend. Was. A. Witch!
*****
Lorna would dearly have loved to give Lexi a heads-up before the interrogation. This was a very promising new friendship for her, and she didn’t want anything messing it up. But Finn would undoubtedly have cried foul.
They met at the deservedly popular Rainbow Gelato, where Lexi was already chowing down on a pumpkin brownie concoction. Lexi had agreed to talk to the police about Stella Kirby, but she couldn’t have been more surprised to see Lorna accompanying Finn.
“What on earth are you doing here, with his handsome guy? Are you two . . .?”
“Nope. Nope. No. Not at all,” Finn was anxious to clarify.
“I was working at the library the night Stella Kirby died. In fact, I'm the one who found her. Yeah, I know. It was pretty bad. But I knew more about Stella than even I realized, so officer Cochran has asked me to help out with the investigation.”
“Really? I guess the library isn’t as dull as it sounds. Just kidding. Sort of.” With a wink at Lorna, Lexi turned back to Finn. “And you’re here to talk to me about Stella Kirby’s charming book. Have you read it?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have. I’m sorry to have to question you on such personal intimate details of your life, but I’m afraid they are pertinent to this investigation. So . . . Letty Samuels?”
“Is that a question? Of course, I’m Letty Samuels. Red hair. Import/export jewelry and art supply business. She even described what kind of car I drove.”
“So, it would be safe to say that most people in Oyster Cove understood you to be a character in the book?”
“Even Lorna here knew it was me, and by all accounts, this girl had been living under a rock. Doesn’t even know where all the good bars are.”
Lorna smiled. For her, this was a whole new kind of friend. The last evening she spent with her library friends had been a Scrabble-athon.
“So, there were activities described in the book that I would imagine must’ve caused you quite a bit of embarrassment and distress.”
“What scenes could you be referring to, I wonder? I was featured in so many.”
“I’m thinking specifically of the scene where you had sex on the beach. Not the drink. Actual sex on Oyster Cove Beach.”
“I wouldn’t be the first to do that.”
“Also, that you had more than one boyfriend with you on that occasion.”
Lexi cocked her head, unrepentant. “Officer Cochran, exactly what is it you think I’m guilty of?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. The murder of Stella Kirby. Was I unclear about that?”
Lexi sputtered. “How, exactly, did you arrive at that conclusion?”
“More a line of inquiry than a conclusion. There is good reason to believe that many people found Stella Kirby’s book to be damaging and hurtful, and maybe they wanted to retaliate.”
Lexi turned to Lorna with a big question in her eyes. Lorna shook her head vigorously.
“No, not for a moment. Never considered it as a remote possibility. And if we could tie Officer Friendly down here, and jab him with truth serum, even he would admit that he doesn’t think you did it. He’s just following all leads.” Speaking directly to Finn, she added, “Well, there’s no reason to get her all wound up, is there?”
“Hmmph. Okay, Ms. Stokes. One last question. How did having this book come out affect your life here in Oyster Cove?”
“Well, it turned me into a celebrity, didn’t it? A big fish in a little pond. It made everyone know who I am. Grandmas on the street. Bank tellers. Grade school principals. The cable guy.”
“And how do people generally respond?”
“Grandmas, not so well. The cable guy—very enthusiastically. Oh, Officer Cochran, I made you blush.”
“I guess were done here,” Finn conceded.
Lorna reached for the menu. “We don’t have the next interview till four PM. I want to stay here and have a gelato with Lexi.”
Finn and Rainbow Gelato were no strangers. “Chocolate hazelnut with coconut stripes would be my recommendation. You ladies have a good day.”
As they watched him stroll down the street, Lexi couldn’t help but admire his disappearing figure. “He’s annoying but cute. I’d go for it, if I were you.”
“Oh, no. He is a man who is so in love. The way that I want to be in love. I actually envy him. I really do.”
“All right, order that gelato and let’s talk about something more interesting than dead bodies. Like maybe live bodies.”
Lorna took Finn up on his suggestion, and it was indescribably yummy. She didn’t even have to get two different flavored scoops. The coconut stripes added a fantastic contrast to the chocolate hazelnuts.
“All right, you just had a couple of dates recently, didn’t you?” Lexi grilled. “How did they go?”
Lorna shook her head. “I suppose they might be okay guys for someone else. But they weren’t kind enough. Or really interested in cultural things, or just the world around them. They cared about such silly things like designer labels and luxury cars. I just didn’t have a whole lot in common with them.”
“Did any of them at least have any talent in the sheets?” Lexi wondered.
Now Lorna tried not to blush. “Well, I didn’t like either of them well enough to find out.”
“Honey, sometimes, you’ve got to salvage a bad evening as best you can. Haven’t you ever been out with a guy who was kind of a lunkhead, but dynamite in bed?”
“No, I can’t say that I have. Maybe I’m just the kind of person who needs a psychological connection to enjoy intimacy.”
“Okay, Juliet. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m missing out on something. Tell me about the best sex you ever had.”
“Oh, well, you know you’re not supposed to kiss and tell.”
“That’s for gentlemen. And even they don’t let that hold them back in the locker room. But you don’t need to protect anyone. Believe me, whoever he is, he would be delighted, thrilled, and flattered beyond belief to have you describe him as the best sex you’ve ever had. So, go ahead. Spill the beans.”
The truth was too embarrassing. Which was peculiar, considering that throughout history, women were usually stigmatized and punished for having premarital sex. But in modern times, a grown woman who had never shared her bed with anyone except a clingy kitten was pretty darn freakish. And pathetic. And unbelievable.
“Okay, maybe that memory is too precious to share, Princess. Tell about your second-best. Or your worst. I love hearing worst stories. My girlfriends and I swap them all the time.”
Lorna almost wished she had a bad story to share. Because everyone has bad stories, and at least that would make her normal. Her silence was puzzling to Lexi, who first had to wonder whether Lorna just didn’t consider her trustworthy. And then she started to wonder something else.
“How old were you when you lost your virginity?”
Lorna looked away awkwardly.
Lexi gasped with disbelief. “No. It can’t possibly be true. I refuse to believe that it’s true. You can’t possibly be telling me that you have never, ever . . . because that would make my head explode. Nobody’s a virgin. Even Elizabeth the Virgin Queen wasn’t really a virgin.”
“Oh, Lexi. Please stop saying that word. And stop looking at me like I’m a Martian.”
“It’s just that I’m speechless.”
Lorna looked at her pointedly. “If only . . .”
“How did this not ma
ke it into Stella’s book?”
A split moment later, they were both laughing hysterically.
“I hardly think that this is a scandal comparable to a threesome on the beach,” Lorna protested.
“Who said it was only a threesome?” Lexi taunted. “Oh, man. I just don’t understand how the men of Oyster Cove have allowed this to happen. You’re almost as pretty as me. Incidentally, that’s an inside joke. You’ve got a few notches on me. But apparently, not on the bedpost.”
Lorna had always hoped that this revelation would never come to light. She had known the humiliation would be more than she could bear. Instead, astonishingly, it was helping to solidify a singular friendship. And unexpectedly, it felt like an enormous weight off her shoulders.
*****
Lorna and Finn were waiting in the parking lot outside the Pearce Call Center. It had been a long time since she had read Stella’s book. Finn, having read it more recently, was able to refresh her memory.
“So, her money manager turned out to be like one of those Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme characters. ’Cause her husband left her a fortune, and she didn’t know what to do with it, investment-wise. So, she got this guy who all the other rich people said was the perfect guy. Thing is, some of those rich people were just part of this guy’s scam team. Don’t know if Stella’s numbers were accurate, but it says he took over five million off her. She lost a mansion. She lost her cars. She lived alone though. Who needs four cars? Everything’s gone. Now, she works at the call center and rides the bus.”
“I remember that now. It felt very mean-spirited, like kicking someone when they’re down. I mean, Stella didn’t cause her misfortune, but there was no reason to be so cruel about it.”
“Hold on. I think that’s her.”
Ivy Morgan, a former young trophy wife, now in her mid-thirties, approached them with a look of dread on her face.
“Ms. Morgan, I’m Officer Cochran, and this here is Ms. Sinclair. We’ll try not to take up too much your time.”
