East Pender Boxed Set: Cozy Mystery Series Bundle of Books 1-14

by Leona Fox

  “Can you think of anyone he had a dispute with?”

  “Not really, certainly nobody who would come back after all this time. That's the thing with Alexander. To the outside world he could be charming and friendly. It was at home, when we were alone, that his worst side came out. It was almost like he knew that he was ashamed of it and had to hide it from the outside world.” Stephanie gulped.

  Ellen felt sympathy for what the young woman had gone through. Maybe it wasn't just the lingering feelings that made it difficult for her to move on, but the ability to trust anyone again. It couldn’t have been easy.

  “But, like I said, there were parts of his life that were a blank canvas to me. So if you want answers I'd suggest that is a good place to look. But to be honest, I mean, obviously I'm going off what I knew of him then, but I'd be careful with him. There's something inside that's been there for a long time. Even if he thinks he's got control of it, I wouldn't believe him. I don't think people can change that much.”

  “Thank you for the warning,” Ellen said, and left Stephanie to her own devices.

  The poor girl was going to ruminate about the past, of that Ellen was sure, and she felt a little guilty for dredging it up like that. It wasn't something that people necessarily needed or wanted, but what she learned far outweighed the guilt. Stephanie didn't seem the vindictive type. So what she said was probably the truth, but it left Ellen feeling a little sick in her stomach. She was scared she had made a mistake in hiring Alexander. She went back to the cafe and greeted him, trying to act as normally as possible, but now she was looking for signs of the behavior that Stephanie had described.

  “How have things been here?”

  “Oh they were fine. I had a bit of a hiccup with the cash register earlier, but I managed to fix it with the help of one of the customers, a nice chap really. You do get some friendly people in here. Since I shut myself away for so long I almost forget how kind people could be. How's the investigation coming along?”

  “Slowly,” she said, offering a sarcastic laugh and a roll of the eyes.

  “I'm out again, just wanted to check in and make sure everything was okay.”

  “It's all under control, cap'n,” he said, saluting her. Ellen laughed and looked at him carefully, wondering if this beast really did exist.

  “...and so I really don't know whether to talk to him about it, or just see how it goes. Then if there are signs that something isn't right, deal with it when they appear,” Ellen said.

  She was sitting in Kelly's lounge. Matthew, Kelly's husband, was in the other room working late, leaving the women alone, with Scampy curled up in Ellen's lap. She absently stroked the dog while she spoke.

  “She really said all that? Sounds like a crazy relationship to me. It was a long time ago; do you think she still remembers that time clearly?” Kelly said.

  “I should think so, although she seemed to miss him as well. So who can say? But with all that's happening it seems like there's more to Alexander than meets the eye. I just can't be sure of anything with him.”

  “Well, when it comes down to it, you're leaving your business in his hands. So you have to be able to trust him and if you can't then you're going to have to find someone you can trust. But really, who can you trust in this day and age?”

  Ellen looked down at Scampy. “I've always tried to look for the best in people. I don't think you should judge people by what they did in the past, but rather what they're doing at this moment. And despite what Stephanie says I think people can change. At least they can recognize their flaws and try dealing with them and improving themselves. That's what life is all about, isn't it? Using our experiences to get a better understanding of ourselves and becoming better people?”

  “That may be what you think the meaning of life is, but a lot of people are happy as they are. You're not responsible for Alexander's rehabilitation, and if you think he's not going to be good for the cafe then, as the owner, you have every right to send him on his way.”

  “I'm not sure I could do that. I also feel a little guilty because it feels as though I've gone behind his back with this. I didn't actually tell him I was going to see Stephanie.”

  “You're investigating the crime; you don't have to tell him all of your movements.”

  “I know, but it's clear he didn't want to talk about it and his personal relationships are none of my business. If this hadn't happened and I never had gone to see Stephanie I wouldn't even be thinking of this. It just doesn't seem fair.”

  “Like I said, it's up to you. If you want to give him a chance, then give him a chance but if the worst does happen then at least you know you went in with your eyes open.”

  “That is true,” Ellen said, realizing she had a lot weighing on her mind.

  “But my instincts are usually right and I hired him for a reason. That has to count for something. So far he hasn't done anything wrong and I haven't seen any sign from him that would justify his dismissal. No, I think for now I have to keep him at the cafe. It's the right thing to do, even if there is risk attached... Besides, at least it'll give me a way to keep talking to him, and hopefully, at some point, he will open up to me about the past. Because right now I have no idea how to progress with the case.”

  With that settled the two of them relaxed into the easy silence of best friends and enjoyed simply being with each other. At one point Matthew came in and had a worried look on his face.

  “I didn't hear talking, so I thought the two of you might have died,” he said, and laughed.

  The two woman yelled at him for his cheeky remark, then joined in the laughter, too. When the hour grew late Ellen returned home.

  Chapter 5

  With a heavy sigh Andy came out of the interview room and went to the water cooler, where he grabbed a paper cup and held it under the tap, letting it fill up with liquid. He drained the cup dry in one long gulp, crushed it in his strong hand, and threw it into the trash, smiling as it went straight in without touching the edges. He stretched his back and moved his neck from side to side. He reached up and massaging the right side to try easing away the tension knotted inside. Then he rubbed his eyes and yawned.

  The day had been a long one. Aside from reading reports and writing reports about reports and doing evaluations of the officers, he also had looked into criminals who had a history of vandalism, and had called them in for questioning. Most of them had been young kids who had grown into adults and all of them had alibis for the night in question. But the work had to be done. So he questioned them over and over again, just in case one of them let anything slip.

  However, the truth was that in recent years petty crimes had been down in East Pender and the only graffiti, Andy had to admit, was more artistic than extreme or gang-related. It still was defacing private property, so it had to be dealt with, but some of the artists were talented. He hoped they would find a way to express their talents that didn't break the law.

  “How's it going in there?” Iris said.

  Somehow she didn't seem tired at all even though she had been sitting in with him during the interviews. He put it down to the fortunes of youth. She'd just taken a break to go file some more reports and do some legwork while Andy had been finishing up with the interviews. Now they finally were done for the day.

  “Same as all the rest, looks like that theory was a bust.”

  “Has Ellen had any luck?”

  “Not that I've heard. She went to see the ex-girlfriend today but she only sent me a message saying she didn't get anything helpful. So we're back to square one. I don't suppose you have any ideas?”

  Iris rolled her bottom lip under her teeth, a habit Andy noticed she had whenever she tried to work through a case. He enjoyed giving her little tests like this to see the way she thought through the evidence. When she first had come to him he hadn't been sure if she had what it would take to be his deputy, but she had steel and determination in abundance, and she was growing into a fine officer. Not that he was going to t
ell her that just yet, for he didn't want her to get complacent.

  “Well, so far there haven't been any other attacks. So we can assume it was directed at him and wasn't a random act of vandalism. His reluctance to talk about it either means he really doesn't have any idea who it is. That suggests the criminal will commit another crime, because eventually the person is going to want Alexander to know who they are. Or else Alexander does know who it is and is not telling us for some reason. Maybe he's scared. Maybe it's in retaliation for something Alexander himself did, but that's all speculation.” As she spoke Andy responded with supportive nods.

  “Personally, I think we're going to have to wait and see if there are any more incidents because we need more information. The danger there is if the incidents escalate and whoever is doing this moves from vandalism to more threatening actions.”

  “That sounds about right to me,” Andy said, and Iris was unable to hide a smile as she basked in the understated praise from her superior. Iris quickly had learned that Andy wasn't one to give compliments easily, but when he said something positive he truly meant it.

  “I'm supposed to do your evaluation soon, but honestly, I really don't like these things. Do you just want to come into my office for a quick chat?”

  Iris glanced at her watch, and then nodded.

  “You sure you don't have somewhere to be?” Andy asked teasingly.

  “No, it's fine. I just have plans to meet up with a friend when my shift ends, but I have time for a quick chat, as long as it's quick,” she said, matching Andy's tone. Andy smiled as they walked back to his office.

  “You have a friend? Cops aren't supposed to have friends,” he said sarcastically, “we're married to the job.”

  “In that case, I hope Ellen isn't the jealous type.”

  Andy smiled at her. “So who is this friend?” he asked with raised eyebrows, trying to see if it was a friend or a 'friend'. Iris rolled her eyes.

  “I'm just meeting up with Emily. Since everything happened with the mill she stayed in town and we've been hanging out. She's cool.”

  “How is the mill doing?”

  “Yeah, I think it's okay. She said she only was going to take care of the place until she hired another manager but I think she secretly likes it. I don't see her leaving anytime soon. In fact, she always used to go home at the weekends, but now she stays here. I think this actually is becoming her home.”

  “She'll do fine there. It's in her blood, and the town is the better off for it. Anyway, enough about Emily, let's talk about you. How are you finding your role? Are you enjoying it? Is there anything more I can do to help your progress?” Andy asked as he walked around to his large chair and gestured for Iris to sit down. The chair creaked under her weight.

  “I think it's going just fine. I'm really enjoying it. It's not like I expected when I came out of the academy, but that's a good thing. I think I've learned to think on my feet more and I've been exposed to some more...unconventional ways to approach crimes, thanks to you and Ellen. I think it's really helped me develop my own thought process.”

  “That was the intention,” Andy said with a knowing smile, “and what about your ambitions? Do you have any targets or goals you're eager to hit?”

  “I think right now I'm just happy to learn and gain experience. I have to admit,” she cast her eyes down and wore a look of embarrassment, “when I first got the assignment to come to East Pender I wasn't exactly enthused. I thought I'd be dealing with boring cases like rescuing cats from trees and that I'd be missing out on a lot of things that happened in the city. But I've been talking with some of my classmates and they're amazed at the things I've seen already. Most of them are stuck on traffic duty or are just beat cops, but I'm actually hands-on in the thick of things.”

  “Do you think you'll still want to go to the city one day?”

  “Possibly...for what I set out to do with my career I think I'll have to, but I'm still young and there's no hurry. I'm enjoying my job right now and I'm happy. So I'm afraid you're going to have to put up with me for a while longer.”

  “Damn,” Andy said, his eyes twinkling.

  Then he turned serious. “I'm glad to hear that, though, and you are an asset to this force. I've been impressed with the way you've taken things on board and I see a bright future for you. And now I think I'll let you get on with your drink. Say hi to Emily for me.”

  Iris nodded enthusiastically and left with a bright, beaming smiling. Andy chuckled to himself as she left. Had he ever been that young? If he had it seemed a world away now.

  Once Ellen learned what Andy knew, she knew she had no choice other than to try talking to Alexander again. While in the cafe he was better than she even had hoped. The one weakness she had been aware of was no longer present; he chatted happily with the customers and they were engaged and content at all times. He also had come up with a few ideas for events that the cafe could host to compete with the exciting nights that Maggie's promised.

  Ellen hoped things would continue in this vein. However, there still were question marks regarding his past and Ellen didn't want to let the vandal get away with the crime they had committed. If Alexander knew something that could help her then she wanted to try everything she could to get it out of him. When a quiet moment occurred she took him aside and nudged him again, trying to eke some information out of him. But the moment she tried talking about the case the transformation within him was remarkable. It was almost as sudden as when Stephanie's body language had changed the moment Ellen mentioned Alexander's name. The friendly smile disappeared and his body went rigid. His eyes became more focused, as though there was danger around. If she listened closely enough she even could hear his breathing become more rapid. Yet, he still did not offer any hint at what really was going on. His silence spoke volumes, though, and told Ellen that, indeed, there was more to this case than was suggested on the surface.

  However, there were so many possible motives that it was difficult to come up with a solid theory from which to proceed. She was thinking along much the same lines as Iris, that something must have happened to Alexander, or as a result or something Alexander did, that would explain his silence. (His silence was indeed ironic when contrasted with his openness about his mental health over the past few years, and his insistence that being able to express himself and talk freely about things was the right way forward.) Until he spoke freely about it or until the vandal struck again, there was little Ellen or anyone could do to proceed further with the case. While it would be in the public interest for it to be an isolated incident, it would mean Alexander had no reason to shed light on the truth. Ellen would be left wondering about what really happened.

  There was nothing Ellen hated more than an unsolved mystery, or a mystery with loose ends. All through the day she tried probing but still she got nothing from Alexander. When she sensed she was pushing too hard she stopped. She did not want to make him uncomfortable and uneasy at work. It was clear that, whatever the nature of this matter, it was sensitive and affected him deeply. That only made it more gnawing that Ellen had to wait for an external act to make the case progress.

  As fate would have it she did not have to wait long. That evening Alexander walked home from work since he had finished a little earlier than the previous night. He also didn't want to be trapped in a car with Ellen since he knew she would use the opportunity to try getting him to reveal the truth of things. He stopped when he reached his front yard and sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes as he tried wishing away what he had just seen.

  On his tidy patch of grass there was a symbol burned into the green surface. The charred black lines formed a circle with a crisscross pattern overlaid on it, making it appear as though a huge brand had been lowered from the sky and pressed into the ground. Alexander almost could hear the hiss it would have made as the heat caused the grass to sizzle and instantly turned it black. He turned away and walked into the house, pausing as he saw the remnant
s of the graffiti. The police had done a good job of cleaning off most of it, but there were still odd letters that echoed in his mind. He slammed the door behind him, went inside, and cried.

  A while later he summoned the strength to call Ellen and told her that she'd better get to his house because something else had happened. When she arrived she was shocked to see the symbol and practically begged Alexander to tell her the truth. She implored him with everything she had, but still he refused. Then he shut himself in his house while she and the police examined the symbol. Nobody recognized it, so Ellen took a picture and made a note to look it up at the library the following day. It was certainly different than the obvious message that was left before, and she wondered what connected the two. This must have held particular significance for Alexander because when she arrived she could see his eyes were raw from crying. So the symbol meant something...but what?

  “This case just got weirder,” Ellen said when she arrived at Kelly's, throwing her hands up in the air as she sank into the couch and exhaled deeply. She tossed Kelly her phone and told her to check out the photo she had taken.

  “I wonder if that's a swear word in a different language,” Kelly said glibly. Ellen glared at her.

  “I'm going to go to the library to check it out but I have no idea what it could mean. And why burn it into the ground this time? Why not use paint the same as before? And you know what? I can't believe those neighbors. Yet again, none of them saw anything. Even if Alexander's home wasn’t being vandalized I'd still advise him to move!”

  “I can tell you're getting frustrated,” Kelly said, then disappeared for a while.

  Ellen heard banging in the kitchen, and Kelly emerged with her patented cure-all happy bowl of treats. There were two big scoops of ice cream, lashings of chocolate sauce, m&m's (original, not peanut) buried in the ice cream, and whipped cream to top it off. Ellen took hers reluctantly.