A Fowl Feast

by Lyndsey Cole

  “You’d better sit down.” Jack pulled out one of his wooden kitchen chairs for her.

  “Whose body?” she heard the words but they didn’t sound like they’d come from her mouth. “Is Cal all right?”

  “Sit.” Jack gently put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her into the chair.

  Four

  Hannah’s senses hit overload—from the blood pounding in her ears, her dog’s nails clicking on Jack’s floor, the smell of Jack’s fried fish and potatoes dinner, the ticking of his kitchen clock. Everything hit her all at once, jumbled and magnified.

  “Pam only gave me a few details. She’s looking for Cal and thought he might be with you and that I might know where you were.” Jack’s voice, now calmer, partly soothed her panic as he bent over and stared into Hannah’s eyes. “She needs to talk to him.”

  Hannah checked her phone and realized she had several missed calls from Deputy Pam Larson, Jack’s daughter.

  Hannah had turned the ringer off when she’d gone to the beach since she didn’t like the electronic intrusion. Her mind had a chance to relax when she walked and absorbed the calming effect of the surf’s therapeutic motion.

  She was anything but relaxed now after Jack’s words. Every nerve end bristled.

  “Did you hear me?” Jack had settled across from Hannah and leaned his elbows on the table. His eyes drilled straight into her.

  Hannah’s eyes searched Jack’s face. “The body isn’t Cal if Pam is looking for him.” It wasn’t a question because she could only fathom that one possibility.

  “That’s right.”

  Hannah let out a deep sigh and looked around his kitchen. Knowing Cal wasn’t the victim was a relief, but dread still shrouded her. “Why is she looking for Cal? Did she explain that?”

  “The body was discovered in Cal’s boat. Hannah, do you know where he is?”

  Hannah’s brain had trouble processing Jack’s words. This made no sense at all. Her voice, sounding robotic to her own ears, recited Cal’s schedule. “I met him at the Lowes’ farm where he was working. He finished the barn apartment and I came home. He said he had some errands to do and would come to my cottage for something to eat after he got cleaned up.”

  “So, he was planning to go to his boat?”

  “I suppose so. To take a shower and change.”

  “Listen to me, Hannah. Did something happen at the Lowes? Did Cal have an argument with anyone?”

  Hannah leaned away from Jack, anger replacing her fear. “What are you implying?”

  “Nothing. But did anything happen that you know about?”

  “Cal and I heard Rochelle argue with her cousin, Al Hines, earlier today.”

  “About what?”

  Hannah stared and wondered if she should tell Jack what she and Cal had heard. Maybe Jack knew something, too. He had been Great Aunt Caroline’s best friend, after all. “Ten years ago. Thanksgiving. Do you remember going to Rochelle and Mack Lowe’s house with Great Aunt Caroline for dinner?”

  Jack sat back. A big whoosh of air left his lungs. “How do you know about that?”

  “So, you do remember?”

  Jack nodded. “Yes. I remember. Something very strange must have just happened before that dinner but we didn’t know any details. It was all hush-hush and whispers.”

  “I found a recipe in Great Aunt Caroline’s old cookbook with some comments about that dinner. I’ll show you.”

  Jack stared at the ceiling. “She brought her apple raspberry pie. Everyone loved it.” He looked back at Hannah. “You said you heard an argument today. What was said?”

  Hannah scrunched her lips to one side. “Al wanted Rochelle to give him the money so he could get out of town before,” Hannah put her fingers up for quotes, “‘he came back’. Something from ten years ago.”

  “He?”

  Hannah shrugged. “There was no name. It has to be connected to Caroline’s comments, don’t you think?”

  Jack nodded. “Probably. Did Rochelle know you and Cal heard the argument?”

  “I’m not positive but I think she’s suspicious. She asked me for a copy of Caroline’s recipe after I told her I was bringing the pie to dinner tomorrow night.”

  Jack rubbed his chin, opened his mouth, and squeezed his bottom lip. “There’s something else Pam told me.”

  Hannah waited for another bombshell to drop.

  “The body found in Cal’s boat? It was Al Hines.” Jack paused. “Maybe Rochelle will cancel that dinner now. I think she is Al’s closest relative besides his son.”

  Hannah felt her jaw drop. “Maybe the mysterious he is back.”

  Jack’s shoulders jerked up then dropped. “Who else was at the farm today?” Jack asked. “Somehow that body ended up in Cal’s boat. Why?”

  “The only people I know of were Rochelle and Mack, Al, Emma the decorator, and Joey, Al’s son.” Hannah stood. “I’ve got to get back to my place. I want to be there when Cal shows up.” What she left unsaid but thought was, if he showed up. She didn’t want to even consider that possibility, though. Where else would he go? Could whoever murdered Al be after Cal now? And why?

  “I’ll come with you,” Jack said. “At this time of year it’s too quiet at your cottages. I don’t like the idea of you being over there with only Samantha in Cottage One.”

  Hannah nodded. “At least until Cal shows up.”

  Nellie and Patches were at the door, ready for another adventure. They would be disappointed that Hannah was already returning to her cottage.

  Jack switched on his flashlight and the stars gave some additional light. As they approached the parking lot for The Fishy Dish, a truck turned in. Hannah felt her muscles relax slightly.

  “Looks like Cal made it. Should I go back to my house?” Jack asked.

  “No. Come along. Maybe Cal has more information.”

  Cal stood next to his truck. “You heard?” he asked as Hannah and Jack met him.

  Hannah nodded. “Did you talk to Pam? She’s been looking for you.”

  They began to walk up the sloping path to Hannah’s cottage. “When I got to the marina, the whole place was lit up like the Fourth of July. I knew something was wrong with all the police cars, lights, and commotion. I almost came straight here to be out of the way but Pam saw my truck and waved me in.”

  Hannah unlocked her cottage door and switched on some lights. The dogs waited next to their bowls. Nellie wagged her tail and whined. Patches gave Hannah his sad beagle eyes. She felt exactly the same way at the moment. Sad…and worried.

  Hannah poured dry food into the two bowls. “There you go.”

  She found the leftover fried chicken in the fridge and a container of leftover salad. After Jack’s news, she was thankful she didn’t have to make anything for dinner.

  Cal reached around her for a cold beer. “Want one?” he asked Hannah.

  “Please.”

  “Jack?”

  “No thanks. I’m going home to give you two some space. Stop over for breakfast in the morning. I’ll plan on burning something for you.” He smiled and Hannah silently thanked him for keeping his sense of humor during this difficult situation.

  “Sounds delicious, Jack. You know I especially love your burnt toast.” She returned his smile and watched him leave before she turned her attention back to Cal. “What did Pam tell you?”

  “Nothing. She asked where I’d been, who I saw today, was anything out of the ordinary . . . that kind of stuff. She asked if I had somewhere to stay since the marina was a crime scene.” He took a long swallow of the beer. “Can I stay here?”

  Hannah smiled. “Of course. I’m happy for the company.” She put some chicken on a plate and slid it into the microwave. “Pam called Jack.” Hannah was surprised how normal her voice sounded when she felt anything but.

  The couch creaked when Cal flopped down, his legs stretched out in front, and one arm rested along the back. “That figures. She is his daughter. She doesn’t want him to worry if he hears
about a problem before she lets him know the basics.”

  “She was looking for you.”

  “Why?”

  “The body was found in your boat, Cal. Pam didn’t tell you that part?”

  His arm froze midway between his thigh, where the beer bottle had been resting, and his mouth.

  Hannah took the beer from his hand and set it on the side table before it slipped from his grasp.

  Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Does she think I’m the murderer?”

  “She didn’t arrest you.” That wasn’t a yes or no, just a statement of the reality of the moment.

  Cal reached for his beer and guzzled more. “Do you know who the victim is?”

  Hannah nodded. “Al Hines.”

  The beer in Cal’s mouth sprayed across the room. “You’re joking, right?”

  “Unfortunately, no. Something strange is going on; something connected to ten years ago and Caroline’s comment in her cookbook. We heard a small part of that argument today between Rochelle and Al, and I think Rochelle knows we heard it, too. We have to find out more about that secret so we know if we’re in any danger.”

  Cal wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Hannah got a dish towel to wipe up the sprayed beer. She carried the warm fried chicken to the coffee table, along with the salad and a bag of sweet potato chips and salsa. “This is all I’ve got.”

  Cal reached for a piece of chicken. Before he bit in, he said, “I’ve got an idea.”

  Hannah gave him time to eat the chicken before he continued.

  “I can’t stay at my boat, and Rochelle has an empty apartment. I’ll ask her if I can use it until I can get back on my boat. Of course, I’ll help clean the stalls and all that stuff. I’m sure I can do it in a fraction of the time that it was taking Joey.”

  “I don’t like that idea. You’ll be putting yourself right in the middle of this mess. How does that help?” Hannah held a chip, the salsa dripping onto her pants. She used her finger to dab it off her jeans.

  “You want to find out more, and what better way than to be in the line of fire? So to speak . . . bad choice of words.”

  A knock on the door made them both jump.

  Nellie rushed to the door, barking her I-know-who’s-here announcement.

  Hannah relaxed. “It’s Samantha. She must have heard the news and wants to get involved.”

  Cal rolled his eyes.

  Hannah opened the door. Her eighty-three-year old friend who lived in one half of one of the cottages in exchange for answering the phone and helping with other odd jobs, waited with her face lit up with excitement. “Did you hear about the murder?”

  “Come on in. Yes. We’ve heard.” Hannah walked back to her seat on the couch. She picked up a piece of fried chicken. “I didn’t think I was hungry until I smelled the food.”

  Samantha pulled a chair close to the coffee table and helped herself to a chip. “You both are looking a little glum. What’s up?” She looked first at Hannah, then at Cal. “Lover’s quarrel? Should I leave?”

  “I wish it was something as silly as that.” Hannah knew Samantha would stick her nose in the murder anyway, so there was no point in avoiding giving her the details that they already knew.

  “The body was found on Cal’s boat,” Hannah said.

  Samantha’s eyebrows rose up under her silver curls. Her hand covered her mouth.

  “We’re pretty sure the dead guy was involved in something that happened ten years ago.” Hannah leaned back against the couch. Cal rubbed her neck with his fingers. She was really, really glad that he was staying with her. Having the two dogs and Cal gave her a sense of security.

  “How can I help?” Samantha asked, her eyes glowing with enthusiasm. “For all my years pretending to be a private investigator, I never fell into so many real mysteries as I’ve been involved in since I moved to Hooks Harbor.” She clapped her hands.

  “Slow down, Samantha. There’s someone dangerous out there. Someone who may have come back to town with ten years of pent-up revenge to take care of. The first thing we have to figure out is if Cal is also in danger.” Or me, she added silently.

  “You have to figure out why the body ended up in Cal’s boat in order to get to the rest of the puzzle,” Samantha said.

  Hannah knew she was right.

  Five

  Thursday, a week before Thanksgiving, dawned with the sun rising above the quiet ocean. Hannah never tired of her view. She could hear Cal moving around in her kitchen. Nice—he had the coffee going. A cup to dislodge the cobwebs in her brain, a walk on the beach with the dogs, and breakfast with Jack would be a good start for this new day.

  There was also a chance that he would have more information from Pam. A small chance, but she could hope.

  While she enjoyed the warm cocoon under her down comforter, she wondered about Al Hines. What was the secret that might have played a big part in his murder? She’d heard Al mention money when he argued with Rochelle. Was it all about money? Whose money?

  “Hey, sleepy head.” Cal pushed the bedroom door open. “Coffee’s hot.”

  Hannah smiled at Cal. She couldn’t help but see the stress etched in his face even as he tried to hide it from her. He was worried. Just when his contracting business was taking off, he had to deal with this problem. In her opinion, Cal was the last person who deserved this distraction.

  The bed sagged when he settled near her feet. Cal stared at Hannah with eyes filled with determination—or fear. “I can't believe this is happening to me . . . I’ll need your help but I don’t want to put you in danger.”

  Hannah put her hand over his. “It’s always better together. We have to be smart. I can’t get Samantha’s words out of my head—why did the body end up in your boat?”

  “I’ve considered that question all night from every possible angle. I think it’s a warning.”

  “From Rochelle? You think she’s the murderer?”

  “Not necessarily. I’ve been working at the farm for the better part of a month. Lots of people have seen me there and any one of them could wonder what I heard, what I saw, you know? A warning to keep my mouth shut, just in case.”

  Hannah was wide awake now, even without the help of any caffeine. “We need to make a list, connect the dots, search for anything strange.”

  She slid her feet into her fuzzy slippers and led the way to the coffee. Two mugs were already on the counter so she filled them before she sat down with her mug, paper, and a pen.

  “Rochelle is at the top of the list.” She looked at Cal. “Motive?”

  “From their argument yesterday, it sounded like Al had the problem and Rochelle wanted it out of her life.”

  “Okay. How about her husband, Mack? Did you ever see him interact with Al?”

  “Oh yeah. Those two looked at each other with daggers in their eyes. Remember that I told you I couldn’t wait to be done working there?”

  Hannah nodded.

  “Now, in hindsight, it’s easier to pinpoint the underlying tension that was so uncomfortable—Al. Al interacting with anyone when he showed up was always a bad situation. The guy was rude, loud, and didn’t try to hide his dislike for both Rochelle and Mack Lowe. Al was a truly miserable person.”

  “Who else? What about this Emma person—the decorator? Rochelle said she was Mack’s friend.”

  “I didn’t see much of her. She came a few times but she always went to the house. I guess she only wanted to see the apartment when it was finished and cleaned.”

  “Joey?”

  “Geez, Hannah. Al was Joey’s dad. Does he have to be on the list?”

  “Of course. He might know something. I’m not saying he’s the murderer. This list is the people who might know Al’s secret, or just know some detail.” She shrugged her frustration. “Joey was always in the barn. Maybe he saw or heard something.”

  Cal finally sipped his coffee. “Joey. For someone in his early twenties, he acted more like a young teenager, in my opini
on. He didn’t have much motivation, work ethic, or even any basic manners. You could tell he was one of those kids that felt the world owed him a lot more than he was getting. He expects life to be easy street.”

  Hannah scribbled notes on her paper. “Maybe with Al dead Joey benefits financially to get to that easy path of riches.”

  “I don’t think Al had a lot of money. He was always showing up and begging for a loan from Rochelle for a car payment or rent money and even groceries.”

  “But Rochelle is loaded, right?”

  “Right. Her father made a boatload of money. I think Rochelle’s father and Al’s father, two brothers, ended up on opposite ends of the financial pages. One wealthy and one struggling. My guess? Al was jealous and probably resented that about Rochelle.”

  Hannah leaned back in her chair. “So, maybe Rochelle snapped; had enough of Al begging for money. It sure sounded like she was done with him yesterday when she told him to take Joey and get off her property.”

  “Maybe. But family is family and she might have cooled off with time.”

  “That’s possible,” she agreed.

  Nellie scratched at the outside door. Patches looked at Hannah from his dog bed. His sad brown eyes tore at her heart.

  Hannah put her pen down. “Do you have time to come with us for a walk and stop at Jack’s for breakfast?”

  “I do. The Lowes’ apartment is done and I’m not planning to start my next project until after Thanksgiving.” He carried the two mugs to the sink and rinsed them while Hannah went into the bedroom to get dressed.

  When she returned, she asked Cal, “Do you think the Lowes will still have that dinner tonight?”

  Cal wobbled his hand back and forth. “Fifty-fifty. No, I’ll change that to sixty-forty. If they want to find out what we know, or don’t know, they’ll keep to the original plan. I hope you can go with that.”

  Hannah smiled. “With you at my side? We’ll outsmart that whole bunch.” It wasn’t exactly what she felt on the inside, but, heck, weren’t appearances ninety percent of the image? As long as she could pretend confidence and the appropriate amount of ignorance, she’d be fine.