Pelicans, Piers and Poison

by Cindy Bell

  Mary pushed her chair under the table, then looked at Suzie. “Why don’t you let me talk to the chef?”

  “Okay.” Suzie met her eyes and smiled. “Maybe you can share your cinnamon roll recipe with him, that would definitely win him over.”

  “Speaking of cinnamon rolls.” Mary tipped her head towards the paper bag in Suzie’s hand. “They’re not going to be nearly as good if you wait much longer.”

  “Good point.” Suzie smiled. “I guess it’s time to pay Paul a visit. Maybe he can give me some insight into what Jerome might have been looking for on those cameras.”

  Chapter 21

  Mary waved to Suzie as she headed off towards Pelicans on the Pier. She’d heard rumors that the restaurant planned to reopen that evening, or maybe the next day. She guessed that if that were the case, she might be able to find the chef there preparing food for the reopening. It made her stomach churn to think of the restaurant opening again so soon, but she also knew that if the restaurant had any chance of surviving it had to reopen. Would they really use the same chef? Would anyone be willing to eat there? With these thoughts on her mind she approached the front door of the restaurant. Mary was about to open it, when the door pushed open from the inside. A young woman stepped out. Mary recognized her straight away from when she visited Dune House.

  “Hannah.”

  “Hi there.” She met Mary’s eyes. “I remember you from that bed and breakfast, Dune House.”

  “Mary.” She offered her a smile. “I was wondering if I could speak to your chef.”

  “He’s inside.” Hannah continued to block the doorway. “Why do you want to speak to him?”

  “I’m curious about a recipe I heard he created. I thought maybe I could check the ingredients with him, but I haven’t been able to contact him. I’d really like to speak to him. I’m hoping to make the recipe for a special guest arriving soon.” Mary searched the woman’s eyes. Would she believe her story, or would she see right through it?

  “All right.” Hannah nodded as she stepped inside. “He’s preparing for our reopening tonight.”

  “So, the rumors are true.” Mary started to step through the door. “I wish you luck with that.”

  “Thanks.” Hannah sighed. “We’re definitely going to need it.”

  Mary made her way to the kitchen. As she walked through the dining room, she noticed the arrangement of the tables. She hadn’t noticed it properly the first night as it had been so busy. There were at least twenty chairs at each long table. It did give the environment a homey feel, but the knowledge of what happened to Jerome there, tainted it. She pushed the door open to the kitchen and stepped inside.

  “Excuse me, are you busy?”

  “Always.” The chef glanced over at her, his eyes narrowed. “Do you need something?”

  “Just to speak with you for a few minutes.” Mary allowed the door to swing closed behind her. “I wasn’t sure if you’d still be working here, Cody.”

  “I’m cheap labor. I’ve worked in plenty of restaurants.” Cody shrugged and shifted the bag of carrots onto the cutting board. “I’ve seen them open, I’ve seen them succeed, I’ve seen them struggle, and I’ve seen them fail.” He pulled a carrot out of the bag, then picked up a long, wide knife. The overhead light glinted off the spotless blade as he held it over the carrot. “I don’t get attached.”

  “You go where the money leads you, hmm?” Mary smiled as she watched the knife hover.

  “You could say that.” Cody sliced the knife down through the carrot with a sharp motion.

  “Already, they’re ready to reopen. Doesn’t that worry you?” Mary glanced around the kitchen, then back at him. “I’m sure that after what happened, you could use some time to recover.”

  “It’s all right. I have to pay the bills.” Cody set the knife down and settled his piercing gaze on her. “Why don’t you just drop the small talk and ask me what you want to ask me.”

  “I just asked for a tour of the kitchen.” Mary shrugged, as her heartbeat quickened. “There’s nothing strange about that.”

  “Not at all.” Cody’s fingers remained wrapped around the handle of the knife. “Except, I know that’s not why you’re here. I heard you say you needed a recipe, but you haven’t mentioned that since you’ve been in the kitchen. I know that you’re not interested in a tour of the kitchen. So, Mary was it?” He narrowed his eyes as she nodded. “Ask me what you really want to know.”

  “I don’t have anything to ask you.” Mary looked from him, to the knife, and all at once recognized just how isolated the kitchen was from the rest of the restaurant. Obviously, he had been listening in on her conversation since the moment she arrived. He was on edge. He could easily attack her before anyone had the chance to hear her call for help. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” She began to back up towards the door.

  “Ask me, did I poison that poor man?” The blade of the knife scraped across the counter as he adjusted his position so that he could face her. “Did I pour poison into his mashed potatoes, and mix it up all nice?” A wicked smile spread across his lips.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Mary’s heart pounded. Her mind spun with a mixture of panic and disgust.

  “Sure, you don’t.” Cody shook his head and turned back to the carrot on the counter. “I didn’t kill anyone, Mary. Not that it matters. The suspicion will hover over me until the real killer is caught.” He sliced another piece of carrot. “My career is ruined. I have a job here because the owner couldn’t get another chef to walk in here, but this restaurant won’t stay open long. I’ll have to beg and hope that someone will take pity on me.” He pointed the knife at her as he continued to speak. “You don’t know humility until you see that look in someone’s eyes.”

  “I’m sorry for your troubles.” Mary winced the moment the knife pointed in her direction. “But I didn’t cause them. A man lost his life, and everyone has a lot of questions.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not the cause of it. Perhaps people should stop trying to blame me.” Cody tipped his head towards the door. “Go on, go pick out a table. I’ll make you something special.” He chuckled. “Oh wait, I guess you probably weren’t planning on eating.”

  Mary gritted her teeth as she walked out of the kitchen. He claimed that he had nothing to do with the crime, but his attitude left her wondering if he might have been involved after all.

  Suzie stepped onto Paul’s boat and smiled as he turned to face her.

  “I brought you something.” She held out the bag to him.

  “Oh, Mary’s cinnamon rolls?” Paul grinned as he opened the bag and took a big sniff. “Wow, thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome.” Suzie hugged him. “Sorry they’re not warmer. Mary and I stopped by the library to see if we could figure out what Jerome was investigating while he was here. About the only thing it led to was the live camera feed that’s on the dock here.”

  “Oh?” Paul raised an eyebrow. “I wonder why he was looking that up.”

  “I’m not sure.” Suzie frowned, then leaned back against the outside of the cabin of the boat. “I keep hoping that something will pop up to give me some direction, but I just end up with bits and pieces that don’t fit together. Jerome was interested in a crime family that operated hundreds of miles away. What could that have to do with Garber?”

  “I don’t know.” Paul ran his hand back through his hair. “Maybe he was tracking one of the members?”

  “Maybe.” Suzie crossed her arms as she looked out over the dock. “So many people come and go through here. Jason said there has been an increase in out-of-towners. Have you noticed that?”

  “Not really. I mean, on the weekends we get some out of town charter boats, or those that have heard it’s a good spot to fish, but during the week it’s usually just the regulars. The only person out of the ordinary that I’ve noticed, is Freddy. He’s still hanging around, too.” Paul narrowed his eyes. “I saw him with a couple of guys this morning
. They weren’t locals, that’s for sure.”

  “What made you think that?” Suzie met his eyes.

  “The way they were dressed. Suits, long jackets, it looked like they were dressed for a funeral, not for a day on a boat, and certainly not for a stroll around Garber. No one here is that formal.” Paul shrugged. “I just got a strange feeling about the whole thing. But then I’ve had a strange feeling about Freddy since the first time I saw him.”

  “Freddy might have some seedy connections we’re not aware of, interesting.” Suzie leaned into Paul’s shoulder and took a deep breath of the salty air as it coasted off the water. “I’ve been trying to find anything about him that would make me second guess my instincts that he’s up to no good, but so far I haven’t been able to find much at all.”

  “Maybe he’s just a private person?” Paul wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Maybe there’s not much out there to find.”

  “It’s possible. But it just makes me wonder why?” Suzie looked into Paul’s eyes. “I’m not one to blather on about my personal life on social media, but I do post things now and then, especially for the business.”

  “Never about me.” Paul quirked an eyebrow as he looked at her. “I’ve noticed.”

  “You have?” Suzie frowned and straightened up. “I didn’t realize.”

  “Don’t worry.” Paul grinned as he pulled Suzie close again. “I like it. I think our business, should be our business. I don’t really understand why everyone is so quick to post pictures of their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I certainly don’t need to see pictures of us parading around the internet.”

  “Good to know.” Suzie smiled as she stroked his cheek. “But Freddy’s quite a bit younger than us. I think it’s just a little unusual that he has such a small digital footprint.”

  “Maybe you’re not looking in the right places?” Paul tipped his head to the side as he studied her. “You think Freddy is a criminal to start with. Maybe that has colored your investigative technique.”

  “Listen to you.” Suzie laughed as she gazed at him. “Critiquing my methods.”

  “Never.” Paul shifted against the railing so that he could face her. “I would never critique anything about you, Suzie.” He smiled. “I just hate to see you frustrated, and since I know that if there is something to know about Freddy, you are the person that will be able to find it, I thought I’d offer a little advice.”

  “It’s not terrible advice, I suppose.” Suzie smiled as she searched his eyes. “Maybe I did assume too quickly.”

  “Only one way to find out.” Paul leaned in for a kiss. Suzie warmed to the touch of his lips, to the attentive way he stroked her cheek with his fingertips, but her thoughts remained on Freddy, and on the murder that she wanted to solve. As if he could sense it, Paul pulled back and looked at her. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow? You’ve already disappeared back into the case.”

  “At least I brought you cinnamon rolls to keep you warm.” Suzie winked at him.

  “They’re cold, Suzie.” Paul called out to her as she climbed off the boat. “But I’ll still enjoy them.”

  “I know you will.” Suzie smiled, then hurried down the dock towards the main office. If Freddy had chartered a boat, and taken it out with friends, she might at least be able to find out where they went and how long they planned to be gone. Maybe Freddy was a legitimate business man that wanted to start an operation out of Garber. If that was the case, she guessed it would be fairly easy for her to prove.

  Before she could reach the office however, she noticed footfalls behind her. They were timed almost to match her own. She glanced over her shoulder expecting that it might be Paul. Instead she spotted Freddy, his eyes locked to the wooden plank beneath his shoes, and his approach towards her still steady. He wasn’t out on a boat at all. Was he following her? Suzie pushed the thought away. Of course, he wasn’t, he had business on the dock. Tempted to ask him some questions she started to turn to face him, but something about his determined gait made her change her mind. Instead she felt the sudden urge to get away.

  Chapter 22

  Mary pulled back the curtains to the front window that overlooked the parking lot and the road that ran in front of Dune House. She wasn’t sure when Suzie would be back, but she hoped that it would be soon. After her encounter with Chef Shouder, she didn’t like the idea of being at Dune House all alone. She smiled with some relief as she spotted Suzie on her way towards the house. Then she noticed someone else a few steps behind her.

  “Freddy?” Mary leaned closer to the window as she watched Suzie turn and hurry up the walkway to the front porch of Dune House. The man behind her looked up at the house, hesitated a moment, then continued to walk past the entrance of the parking lot.

  Suzie burst through the front door.

  “Mary?” Suzie rushed into the living room. “Is he still out there?”

  “He just walked past.” Mary looked over at her. “Was that Freddy?”

  “Yes. I’m pretty sure he followed me.” Suzie peered through the living room window, her breath expelled in short bursts. “I’ve never felt nervous walking back from the dock alone, but this time, I did. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it here.”

  “Suzie.” Mary peeked out the window as well. “That must have been so frightening. What do you think he wants?”

  “I don’t know exactly, but as soon as I got close to Dune House, he kept walking, as if he was never following me in the first place. But I still think he was.” Suzie stepped back from the window and took a deep breath. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

  “I don’t think so.” Mary narrowed her eyes. “I saw him look towards the window. I bet he was checking to see if anyone was watching him.”

  “Did he see you?” Suzie’s eyes widened.

  “I’m not sure.” Mary squeezed her hands together. “I don’t think he did. But maybe he spotted me and decided to continue on.”

  “Maybe. We can’t be too careful.” Suzie frowned as she began to pace across the carpet, one way, and then back the other.

  “Suzie, let me get you some tea.” Mary felt the draw of the comfort of the kitchen. There she could make everything better with a pinch of this and a dash of that.

  “No.” Suzie’s fingers wrapped around Mary’s. “If he’s going to follow me, then I think we should follow him back. It’s time we figured out exactly what Freddy is up to. He’s one of our main suspects, and we still hardly know anything about him. If we can at least get an idea of where he’s going, then we might find a clue as to what his intentions in Garber are.”

  “All right.” Mary nodded. “I can tell you about Chef Shouder on the way.”

  “Please do.” Suzie grabbed her keys from the hook by the door. “Just in case. I’m sure he has to have a car around here somewhere.”

  “You’re right.” Mary opened the front door and pointed at the street that ran in front of the parking lot of Dune House. “That’s him, isn’t it?” She squinted at the figure in the car.

  “Yes, I think it is!” Suzie gasped as a gold sedan drove by Dune House. “We have to hurry if we’re going to catch up with him.”

  “I’m right behind you.” Mary followed her down the steps of the front porch and out into the parking lot. As they reached the car, the gold sedan stopped at the traffic light at the end of the road.

  “We can still catch him.” Suzie jumped into the car and started the engine.

  Mary did her best to move just as quickly.

  Suzie steered the car onto the road and managed to trail after the gold sedan, which remained a few car lengths ahead.

  “Maybe we should call Jason.” Mary crossed her arms as she looked through the windshield at Freddy’s car. “It’s not a good idea for us to tail him without backup.”

  “It might not be, but if we call Jason and wait for him, we’ll lose him.” Suzie shook her head as she sped up a little bit. “No, I want to know what this guy is up to once and for all. If he was follo
wing me, I want to know why, before he comes after me again.”

  “Don’t get so close.” Mary frowned as she watched the taillights through the windshield. “He’ll realize he’s being followed.”

  “I’ve never been out this way before.” Suzie glanced at the signs they passed. “It’s so desolate.”

  “Not completely.” Mary pointed to a tall sign in the distance. “That must be some kind of truck stop. Which means the highway can’t be far from here.”

  “You’re probably right.” Suzie shifted forward some in her seat and slowed the car down. “But I have no idea how to get to it.”

  “He’s probably going to the truck stop.” Mary tugged at the seatbelt that rested too snugly across her shoulder. “Maybe he’s meeting someone.”

  “I just hope he does something to incriminate himself.” Suzie sighed as she watched Freddy’s car turn into the parking lot of the truck stop. There were several semi-trucks lined up along one side of the parking lot. A small gas station, that appeared to be closed, stood in the middle of the pavement. “Who could he be meeting here?”

  “Maybe we should drive past.” Mary frowned. “He’s going to notice if we turn in after him. There aren’t any other cars around.”

  “But if we drive past, we won’t have any idea what he’s up to.” Suzie’s heart pounded as she realized that she needed to make a quick decision.

  “If you pull in that entrance, the trucks should block the view of our car.” Mary pointed to a second entrance farther along the road.

  “Perfect, Mary.” Suzie smiled as she turned into the second entrance. She pulled up behind the row of trucks. “He parked over there.” She pointed out the gold sedan. “But if he’s meeting someone, I still don’t see anyone else around.”

  As Suzie spoke, the door of the cab of the truck she’d parked behind, swung open. One man climbed down, then a second. Suzie’s heart raced as she took in the sight of their suits and long coats. Were they the men Paul had seen?