Forever Hold Your Piece (The Becker Sisters Bridal Series Book 1)

by Elizabeth John

  He did as she requested. With trepidation, he took hold of her cane under one arm, held a shopping bag that contained the hidden newspaper in that hand and looped his other arm through hers. She put the bulk of her weight against him, but used her free hand to grip the railing. Several minutes later, they landed at the bottom of the stairs. They shuffled across the front yard to Lily’s, took a painstaking climb up Lily’s few steps, and reached her front door. Despite the cool weather, sweat trickled down Jake’s temple and soaked through his T-shirt.

  They walked in, and Leo ran up to them, wagging his tail, and sniffed. Voices streamed from somewhere down the hall.

  She jutted her chin toward an old recliner. “I need to sit there a moment, then we’ll sneak into her office to make the copy.”

  Lily and Haley must have heard them because they suddenly appeared. Lily ran by Mrs. Bailey’s side.

  “Are you all right?”

  She patted Lily’s hand. “Fine, fine. Wanted a change of scenery.”

  “We’re almost done with our calls. Can I get you something?”

  Mrs. Bailey snickered at Jake and winked. “How about some tea? And do you have any biscuits?” She looked at Haley. “Why don’t you go in the kitchen and help?”

  Lily put her hands on her slim hips and frowned with suspicion. “Are you two up to something? What did you want to show Jake?” She discovered the shopping bag on the floor near Mrs. Bailey’s foot. “What’s in there? Did you find out something about Sam’s murder?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about.” She shooed Lily away.

  “We didn’t hear anything back from the chief. You?” Jake had to change the subject. He feared Mrs. Bailey would flake out and decide not to share her newspaper, but when Lily shook her head and Haley followed her into the kitchen, he knew he diverted that possible problem.

  She pointed to the hallway. “Hurry before Lily sees it.”

  Jake reached for the shopping bag and inched down the hall to the spare bedroom turned office—equipped with copy machine, scanner, and computer—while listening to the loud chatter of the seamstresses in the other room. He lifted the lid of the copy machine and laid the newspaper down on the glass. As he searched for a way to shrink the size so that the page would fit, he sensed a presence behind him. He whipped around to find Lily frowning at him.

  “I knew you were up to something. What did you find out about the murder? I have a right to know.” She whispered her demands so the seamstresses wouldn’t overhear.

  Caught red-handed, he said, “It’s nothing. Mrs. Bailey wanted to show me a picture of Sam, but she didn’t want you to get upset by dredging up old memories.”

  “What have you got?”

  “Your engagement picture in the local paper.” Jake located the button to reduce the size and pressed it.

  “Oh. I thought I burned all the copies. I should have figured Aunt Bee kept one, considering her collection. She’s right, I don’t want to see it.”

  “I’d like to see it,” a voice squeaked.

  Lily moved aside and Haley came into view.

  “Why?” Jake asked as he pressed the print button. The machine shrieked to life and began making a couple of copies.

  Haley shrugged. “Just curious. Why not?”

  Mrs. Bailey called from the living room. “The kettle’s whistling. Where is everyone?”

  “I’m going to send Denis and the seamstresses home. There’s not much for them to do now that Giselle left. Denis is putting on a good front, but I can tell Sam’s death hit him hard. Not that he was a big fan of Sam’s, but Denis is sensitive.” Lily turned before she left. “I could use a cup of tea. And those muffins looked delicious.”

  Jake grabbed the paper and copies. “Come on,” he said to Haley. “I’ll show you the picture.”

  In the living room, Mrs. Bailey perched at the edge of the seat and clutched her cane with both hands while trying to stand up.

  “Will someone turn off that kettle?” she shouted.

  “I’ll do it.” Jake ran into the kitchen.

  When Jake returned, Mrs. Bailey said, “What happened?”

  Haley sat on the couch. “Lily is dismissing the others. Jake has a newspaper picture of Lily’s engagement to Sam.” She tapped the space next to her on the couch. “Sit and show me.”

  Jake mouthed “Sorry” to Mrs. Bailey while he took a seat. Exposing her prize possession was like disappointing his own grandmother. He put the copies next to him face down. With care, under the close scrutiny of Mrs. Bailey, he opened the paper to the exact page.

  Haley’s reaction was not what he had expected. Instead of gushing over the handsome couple, her eyes widened, then her face darkened and a deep frown creased her forehead.

  She pointed to the picture. “That’s Sam? But . . .”

  “Do you know him?” Jake slid over and closed the gap between them.

  “No, no, of course not. How could I?” She shoved the paper back at him, earning a disapproving gasp from Mrs. Bailey.

  “Careful with my property!”

  Jake smoothed out the newspaper, and Mrs. Bailey placed the paper on her lap, under her protective flabby forearms.

  Jake was sure Haley recognized Sam. But how was that possible? She hadn’t seen the body. And Lily hadn’t seen him for a year. No way could Haley have met him through Lily. She must have seen him elsewhere. Jake would mention this to the chief. Although Jake was no longer a cop, the chief seemed to rely on his expertise, which gave Jake an advantage.

  The chief was short-handed, and Jake had to solve his first case. One positive word from his client would lead to more cases. His client, Claire, knew lots of affluent people in New Jersey who used private investigators. She had already told him some of her friends suspected their husbands of having affairs and they’d love to catch them in the act. Not that he wanted to spy on adulterers, but for now he had to take what came along. Once established, he could be more choosey and make his family proud.

  To further investigate his case, Jake needed to know more about Haley’s background. The chief had the resources to find out pertinent information about Haley more quickly. Confident the chief would share that knowledge, Jake jotted this next step in his notepad.

  Lily entered, balancing a tray with the teapot, cups, and saucers.

  “I’m sorry, dear,” Mrs. Bailey said. “I didn’t mean to stir up bad memories for you, but it might be helpful if Jake knew what Sam looked like before his sudden demise.”

  “Why would it be helpful? Jake’s a fisherman.” Lily gripped the tea tray and froze in her tracks.

  Lily had a point. What made the old woman think to show him? As far as she knew, he was a former cop. With a watchful eye, he studied the elderly woman. Aside from the glistening sweat on her upper lip, she was as cool as a cucumber. Up until now, Haley was the only one in the room on his radar. Now he’d have to observe Mrs. Bailey more closely too.

  Mrs. Bailey dug a tissue out of the pocket of her housecoat and swiped at her mouth. “He’s a cop, isn’t he? Maybe he can help shed some light on the case with his insight.”

  Haley gasped. “You’re a cop?”

  “Former cop. Fisherman now,” Jake corrected, curious that Mrs. Bailey chose to reveal that fact. What was the old girl up to?

  “Cop, fisherman, what does it matter? You can still help, can’t you, boy? Lily needs to know why that devil broke her heart. And what brought him back here now that got him killed? We were all sick over what he did. Now maybe we can get some answers. Not that anyone in this town would shed a tear over his death.” She stopped. “Except maybe you, baby doll. Sorry, Lily, but it’s the truth.”

  As Lily placed the tray on the dining room table, the cups vibrated and she sighed. “I know you meant well. Haley, I couldn’t carry everyt
hing. There’s another tray on the counter. Would you mind?”

  Haley nodded and hustled into the kitchen a little too quickly. Was she eager to please her boss or did she need to disappear a moment to compose herself? The conversation troubled her considerably as well from what Jake observed.

  “Was it helpful?” Lily asked. When Jake turned back with a blank gaze, she repeated, “The picture. Was it helpful to you?”

  More than anyone had anticipated he’d guess. “Is it possible that Haley knew Sam?”

  Lily poured tea into one of the cups, then furrowed her brow. “She’s lived in New York the last couple of years and before that South Dakota. I met Sam almost two years ago.” She stirred sugar into her cup and poured in some milk. “I don’t see how she could have met him.”

  These were the same stories he had heard. They seem too convenient and weren’t necessarily factual. “You mean he worked summers here and our winters there?”

  “Yes, he’d been doing that for a few years. Since his early twenties. Until he met me of course. Then he started to learn the wedding business and was thinking of going back to school for accounting so he could help us with our books.”

  I’ll bet. Jake wrapped his hands around the dainty cup.

  As if on cue, Haley appeared and offered everyone a plate of rectangular shortbread cookies. “I cut the muffins in half since there were a few left.”

  He listened to the three women turn the conversation to the weather. The subject was far from the one on his mind, and he’d bet the ladies preferred to talk about Sam. But the topic of weather was safe. Murder wasn’t.

  As the ladies discussed the impending storm, Jake curled his fingers around the tea cup, listening for hidden meanings and watching for clues in their body language.

  Lily was rattled, Haley was hiding something, and Mrs. Bailey was instigating, stirring the pot. He could understand why Lily was shaken up, and whether she was guilty of something or not, he still wasn’t sure.

  Now Haley was a different story. He had to find out what she was hiding. And he didn’t know what Mrs. Bailey was up to, but Jake was determined to find out.

  Chapter 9

  During teatime, Lily couldn’t help but notice that Haley’s demeanor had changed when Jake showed her Sam’s picture. The photo shocked Haley, of that Lily was certain. But why? Why did Haley tremble throughout their benign stories of neighborhood gossip?

  Up until that point, Haley had acted skittish around her, but Lily chalked her odd behavior up to being a new employee. To her credit, Haley had worked calmly with the customers. Lily had commented to Denis the previous day about Haley’s performance. He had agreed she was a bit flighty and promised to watch her more carefully.

  Lily suggested Haley go home since there wasn’t anything left to do, and by the time they got Aunt Bee settled back into her own home, Leo was itching for a walk. She hooked on his leash.

  Jake sat on her couch, his phone glued to his ear as he spoke to the chief. From his serious expression, whatever the chief was saying, the news didn’t appear to be good.

  When he ended his call, Jake said, “The chief has no new information. He is not releasing to the media that Sam was dressed in a wedding gown, and he’s interviewed your seamstresses and Giselle and her family. And he spoke to Denis, with one ‘n’.”

  In spite of the circumstances, she couldn’t stop the smile that grew on her lips. “The chief always needs to point out that Denis spells his name differently.”

  “Why? He doesn’t like him?”

  “He tolerates him because my sisters and I depend on Denis. He’s our manager and a fashion stylist. He helps the sales consultants choose the right dresses for their clients. He’s also an expert in men’s fashion and works with our male clientele. You know, tuxes or evening wear for weddings, proms, special events.” She couldn’t manage without Denis, especially with her sisters gone right now.

  Tightening her hand around the leash, Lily peered down at Leo who tapped his tail while waiting for her next move. “I’m taking Leo for a walk. Want to come?”

  Jake jumped off the couch and winced. “Sounds great. I’m getting a little stiff with all this sitting around.”

  “Your injury?” she asked, as they left the house.

  He nodded, bringing up his step as they picked up the pace. “I keep forgetting I can’t move around like I used to, but I feel better if I’m active.”

  A few cars zoomed by on the main road, and they paused on the shoulder waiting a minute before crossing the street to reach the bay. Despite the cool weather, the sun shone high in the sky promising to warm up the approaching afternoon.

  “What did you mean about the chief tolerating Denis?”

  Lily took in a deep breath and inhaled the refreshing salt air. “Ah, where do I begin? The chief doesn’t trust any strangers in our lives, even though Denis has been with us for about three years now.”

  They reached the end of the street, which overlooked the bay. The tide was high and the water lapped against the bulkhead, threatening to spray them if they got too close. Leo marked a corner of the pilings where many of his male counterparts had gone prior to him, then he circled around a spot, sprigs of sparse grass, the last reminders of another summer gone by.

  Water lapping against wood, separating salt water from sandy earth, lulled Lily into a state of peacefulness. A gift from the sea. For a moment she almost forgot Sam’s murder. She wished the calm that washed over her could erase the morning’s nightmare. She wanted to pretend she was with a friend, walking her dog, and enjoying the beauty of the sea.

  Lily licked at her lip surprised at her reaction to Jake’s stare. He was handsome, a fact no one would challenge. But the way he looked at her, deep into her eyes, like he saw something there that pleased or amused him, as if they shared a private moment, made her feel special. No one had ever looked at her that way before. And she liked it.

  She could sense he was in cop mode, taking on an even more attractive seriousness. She liked this side of him. Maybe having him around wasn’t going to be bad. Maybe she could use that bonus time to her benefit. Maybe she could convince him to break his lease, and she could get the store for her expansion.

  “Denis is a conscientious employee. And he’s become a great friend. He was furious when Sam left me. He and I ate a lot of cotton candy ice cream together.”

  Leo finished his business, then Lily whipped out a plastic bag from her windbreaker and cleaned up her dog’s mess.

  Jake looked out over the bay, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets. He must have been freezing. She should have offered him a sweatshirt to wear over his T-shirt. She had an old one of her dad’s lying around.

  “Want to head back?” she offered.

  “Sure. Whatever you want.”

  She hid a knowing smile. Just like a man. He’d stand outside with her all day with his teeth chattering before admitting he was cold.

  On the way back, she asked, “What are your plans for the day? I mean you must have things to do. You don’t have to babysit me.”

  He shrugged, then peered at the horizon ahead. “Nothing important. I cancelled the appointment with the contractor. I’m all yours today.”

  Lily studied him while Leo took a moment to mark his territory again. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew Jake was hiding something. “Hmm, nothing?” she tested him.

  “I do have to make a few phone calls, but I’m not leaving your side.”

  “I still can’t believe someone killed Sam. Although Denis is too much of a gentleman to say, I’m sure he didn’t like Sam very much.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “A few times I caught him staring at Sam in an odd way, like he didn’t trust him or something. And Sam was very guarded around Denis. Come to think of i
t, I don’t remember them ever really having a conversation together. And when Sam left me standing at the altar, Denis went ballistic. Stormed out of the church. For weeks afterward he searched for him saying Sam shouldn’t get away with treating me that way. Denis is a bit of a drama queen.”

  “Sounds like Denis cares about you a lot.”

  “Besides my sisters, Denis is my go-to guy. He’s wonderful with the brides and the grooms. Knows how to calm people down, deals with all kinds of family dynamics. Like I said, I don’t know what we’d do without him.”

  When they arrived back at Lily’s house, she said, “Since my bridal shop is off limits, why don’t we go to your store? I’d love to hear your plans for it. Maybe I can work my magic and convince you to break your lease, and my sisters and I can snatch it back. If not, I hope you’ll consider putting in some sort of barrier that will keep the fish smells on your side of the walls.”

  He chuckled and grinned at her as if amazed at her wit. Her body instantly betrayed her. She flushed and smoothed down her hair. No one ever thought she was funny. She was the worrier, not the comedian. But Jake laughed at things she said. Not only was he easy on the eyes, but he was easy to be around. Unlike some of her past relationships, he actually listened to her when she talked.

  “Sure, I can make my phone calls there. I’ll ask the contractor what we can do to keep the fish and bait smells in my shop. But forget about me backing out of the lease. That’s not happening.”

  Hmm, not if she could help it. She’d find a way to get him to change his mind. She wasn’t sure how she would do it, but she wasn’t about to renege on her promise to her mother. And no one was going to destroy the pact she had formed with her sisters. No one.