by Lyndsey Cole
“And Joey. What are they doing?” Hannah craned her head around Meg’s shoulder and stared until the small boat carrying the two men was out of view.
Jack pulled the door closed quietly so as not to disturb Caroline. “Nate and Joey out on a boat? And it wasn’t very big.”
“It looked like Nate was following along the shoreline. I don’t like it,” Meg said.
“Keeping an eye on this cottage? Could he think Caroline knows something about the missing money?” Hannah asked. A serving of dread landed on top of the apple raspberry pie she just ate.
“Whatever he’s thinking, he’s doing a good job of making all of us wonder what he’s up to. And what’s Joey doing chauffeuring him around?” Meg asked as they walked to Jack’s car.
“Joey thinks Nate is going to help him double the money, if and when he finds it. He conned Rochelle out of a thousand dollars saying it was for rent, but he told me it was to show Nate he actually had something from his father’s stash.” She slammed the back door closed.
“It sounds like that kid doesn’t know when to keep his mouth closed,” Jack said. “Does he have a clue what he’s walking into by teaming up with Nate Allen? His dad’s possible murderer?”
“At dinner last night, he did blanch when someone mentioned that Nate just got out of jail. Before that, he gave me the impression that he bumped into an old buddy of his dad’s who wanted to help him get rich quick.” Hannah shrugged. “No, I don’t think he has much common sense. He definitely doesn’t have a work ethic and he is convinced Nate is his path to financial freedom and never having to do any real work. The only problem is, he has to find the money his dad always bragged about having.”
“Interesting,” Jack said. “Nate is clever, I’ll give him that. He’s trying to scare you into helping him find the money. He’s befriended his old partner’s son, who double crossed him, with the promise of more riches. When will he get to Rochelle and Mack? I would assume, if anyone knows anything, it would be them.”
“That reminds me, Mack showed up in my parking lot after I left your house this morning, Jack. He said Rochelle got a phone call last night but wouldn’t tell him who it was. Maybe it was Nate and he has started working on her now. I told Mack I’d talk to him sometime today since I didn’t want Nate to see him talking to me.”
Jack parked next to Hannah’s Volvo. “Looks deserted here. Samantha isn’t back yet, I guess. I wonder if she had any luck with her eavesdropping mission.”
Just as Hannah got out of Jack’s car, Samantha pulled in next to them.
Hannah stuck her head back in Jack’s car. “Do you want to come to my cottage to hear Samantha’s story?”
Before the words even had time to drift off in the breeze, Meg was out of the car with Jack right behind.
Silly question, Hannah said to herself.
Samantha, still dressed in her Sam Stone disguise, got out of Ruby’s minivan with a big grin. “You won’t believe the conversation I heard.”
As they walked to Hannah’s cottage, all she could think about was that she hoped Nate didn’t return yet and see them all together. Especially not Samantha in her disguise. Nate had already demonstrated that he wasn’t stupid and his observations were sharper than most people’s.
With one last glance behind her before she walked in behind her friends, she let herself sigh with relief that the coast was still clear.
Samantha threw her cap and glasses on the table. As she kicked off her boots, she dropped down several inches to her normal five-foot two-inch height. She ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing up her curls. “Okay. Can I have a glass of water to go with my leftover salad?”
Hannah got a glass with ice and water while Samantha waited at the table.
She guzzled the drink and let out a loud aah. “I really needed that after sitting in the sweltering diner but I didn’t dare drink a drop. I couldn’t risk going to the bathroom. Which one would I go into—the men’s room or the women’s room? Plus I didn’t want to miss any of the conversation.”
“Did you have any trouble following him?” Jack asked.
Samantha waved her hand dismissively. “Come on, you even need to ask? Nate drove by Ruby’s driveway and I waited a reasonable amount of time before I followed. Why would he be suspicious of a minivan, of all things, following him? That was brilliant advice, Hannah.”
“What about parking and going into the café?” Hannah was concerned about Samantha’s cavalier attitude. She was following someone who was clever and probably dangerous.
“I drove past where Nate parked. He never even glanced in my direction. By the time I went in, several other customers were ahead of me so I bribed the hostess with a twenty to seat me next to Nate’s booth. Other than that, it was a piece of cake.”
“What about Joey?”
“He was already waiting for Nate. That poor kid had the expression of an eager golden retriever when Nate sat down across from him.” Samantha looked at Nellie. “Sorry about that, Nellie. I didn’t mean to insult your ancestry.”
“Okay,” Hannah prompted. “You’re sitting near Nate and Joey. What did you hear?”
Samantha leaned forward in her chair. “There was a little bit of small talk, you know, how are you handling your father’s death, that kind of polite stuff.”
“Nate wanted Joey to relax and think of him as his father’s friend, not someone out for revenge,” Jack said.
“Exactly. Nate’s definitely smooth. So they ordered burgers, fries, and sodas when the waitress got to their booth. I ordered a salad but I could barely eat. Once the waitress left, Nate leaned toward Joey and asked, ‘Do you know where it is?’”
“You didn’t sit with your back to them?” Meg asked in shock. What if Nate recognized you?”
“Nope. I wanted to be able to watch the interaction. And, besides, Nate’s back was to me and Joey doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground. I don’t think he pays any attention to what’s happening around him anyway; absolutely zero observation skills.” Samantha walked to the sink to refill her glass. She was clearly enjoying being the center of attention.
Hannah prodded Samantha to continue. “How did Joey answer Nate’s question?”
“Joey said, ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got enough so you can show me if you’re full of hot air or if you actually know what you’re talkin’ about.’ Then, Joey leaned back on his side of the booth with his arms crossed and a cocky grin on his face.” Samantha crossed her arms and forced a grin. “Like this.”
“What did Nate do?” Hannah figured Nate was probably seething inside but he had to play the game according to Joey’s rules.
“He told Joey, ‘You are smart, kid. I had you pegged as a pushover but I can see you’ve got enough smarts to get somewhere.’ Joey puffed up like a big old male turkey after hearing that compliment.”
“Did Joey give Nate anything?” Hannah asked.
“Not that I could see. The waitress came back and they got busy with their food. Before they left, Nate told Joey, ‘I’ll swing by your house later and show you my plan.’ Nate took care of the bill and they left.” Samantha looked at everyone. “So, good info, right?”
“Good info. Where did they go when they left the café?”
Samantha frowned. “I planned on following Nate but by the time I got my uneaten salad boxed up and paid my bill, his car was gone. I expected to see it parked back here.”
“Well,” Meg said, “we saw Nate and Joey out on a boat cruising along the shoreline.”
Hannah didn’t miss the look Jack shot Meg. How was she going to explain what they were doing without revealing anything about Caroline?
“Really?” Samantha’s eyebrows dropped. “Where?”
A slight blush crept into Meg’s cheeks. She realized her mistake.
“Meg took us to see her brother’s cottage. She had to drop something off and there’s a great view of the water. We happened to be there at just the right time, I guess,” Hannah said before Meg ma
naged to compose herself with any sort of believable explanation.
“Your brother has an oceanfront cottage?” Samantha was shocked. “How come I never knew this?”
“Ah . . . well . . . his friend comes and goes a lot so it’s not really anything that’s available.”
“Not even for you?”
“Nope. If anything changes I’ll let you know.” Meg clamped her jaw. “I’d better get going.”
That’s for sure, Hannah thought. Before any other blunders fall out of your big mouth.
Meg pulled the door open just as Cal reached for it from the outside. “Oh, come on in. I’m just leaving.”
Cal walked past Meg. “I’m glad I found you, Hannah. I thought you were coming over to the barn apartment and you never showed up.” His words came out choppy, like he was a little out of breath as if he’d run from the parking lot.
“I was coming soon. Mack stopped by earlier and wanted to talk to me about Rochelle. Did something happen?”
“Sort of. Rochelle went out this morning and hasn’t come back. Mack is frantic. He doesn’t have a clue where she went.”
“Has he gone to the police?” Hannah asked.
Cal shook his head. “He said he can’t but he wants to talk to you. What’s going on, Hannah?”
Hannah grabbed her bag and her keys. “I don’t know but let’s see what Mack has to say. It could be nothing, or—”
“It’s connected to Al’s murder and the missing money,” Jack finished Hannah’s thought.
“At least Rochelle couldn’t have been with Nate. He was with Joey,” Samantha added. “So I’d bet it’s connected to the money.”
“She told me Al gambled it all away,” Hannah said. “She didn’t need it since she already had more money than she knew what to do with.”
“Of course she’d say that.” Samantha put her hand on her hip. “Someone knows where it is and it’s not Nate Allen. If Al Hines ever did know, he won’t be telling anyone, will he? There’s no record of the money being stolen. We only know because Nate told us. Al is dead. Joey doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. Mack is frantic about Rochelle’s whereabouts. Nate is desperately trying to find the money. Who does that leave?”
“Rochelle,” Hannah said. Samantha’s logic made sense. She had wanted to believe that Al gambled it away with the hope that Nate would get frustrated, give up his search, and leave them all alone. Wishful thinking.
“Come on, Cal. Let’s go talk to Mack.” Hannah herded everyone out of her cottage and locked the door.
Nineteen
Lowe farm appeared as quiet and peaceful as the last time Hannah visited during daylight. The Friesian horses looked up when Cal’s truck turned onto the drive. They flicked their tails before returning their attention to the grass.
“Mack’s beside himself,” Cal told Hannah. “He came looking for me in the barn wondering if I had seen Rochelle this morning.”
“Did you?”
Cal parked his truck next to Mack’s Toyota. “She came into the barn, I guess about fifteen or twenty minutes after I got here. Before Joey showed up. We talked and she acted a little distracted but I didn’t put a lot of weight on it at the time.”
“What did she want?”
“Nothing really. She just wanted to make sure I actually showed up to keep an eye on Joey. She didn’t expect him to stick around more than a few hours. She chewed on her nails and checked her phone several times.” He shrugged. “She acted kind of nervous but she is high strung. Her behavior wasn’t all that out of character.”
“Whose car is that?” Hannah nodded toward a black sports car on the other side of Mack’s truck as they walked into the barn.
“Emma’s. She showed up sometime after Mack came down here to talk to me. She had armloads of stuff for the apartment—curtains and I don’t even know what else. I didn’t pay attention. She was in the apartment for an hour or so, then she went up to the house and she’s been there ever since.”
“Comforting Mack?”
“I guess you could say that, but I’m not sure if it’s the kind of comforting that Rochelle would approve of.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows as she pushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear. “You think something is going on between Mack and Emma?”
Cal’s shoulder jerked up and down. “Maybe. Did you notice how they were always standing close together at dinner last night? And there certainly wasn’t a shortage of dirty looks from Rochelle.”
“You probably saw more of that than I did since I was in the kitchen with Rochelle quite a bit. I did notice a few dirty glares though.” Hannah looked at Cal. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
He looked up and down the aisle in the barn and whispered, “That maybe Mack killed Al and now got rid of Rochelle so he could keep the money?”
“Something like that.”
“Geez, Hannah. What the heck are we even doing here? This is getting so out of control—Al dead, Rochelle missing, talk of five hundred thousand dollars gone missing. Where will it end?”
As if on cue, Mack walked in the opposite end of the barn with Emma. As soon as they saw Cal and Hannah, their smiles turned to frowns.
“Oh,” Mack said. “I didn’t realize you had returned. Are you staying here tonight, Cal?”
Cal gave Hannah a quick sideways glance. She gave him a slight shake of her head. “Probably not. But I’ll come back early tomorrow morning to make sure Joey gets the stalls cleaned. That’s the deal I made with Rochelle.”
“I’d like a few words with Hannah.” Mack moved away from Emma, closer to Hannah. “Cal, could you help Emma move a couple of things in the apartment?”
Hannah’s hand shot out and held onto Cal’s arm.
“No. You can talk to the both of us and then I’ll help Emma.”
Hannah squeezed Cal’s arm. “Is it about Rochelle?” she asked.
Emma, who had been looking at her phone, jerked her head up at the mention of Rochelle. “What about Rochelle, Mack?”
“Nothing to worry about. Go ahead and get started in the apartment.” A noticeable pulse throbbed at Mack’s temple. “I’ll be there in a few minutes to help you.”
Emma didn’t make any move toward the apartment.
Tumbleweed, the Shetland pony, whinnied and knocked his hooves on the stall floor near where they all stood.
“He must be ready for his afternoon hay,” Cal said. He opened the top half of the stall door and dropped a flake of hay in the rack. “There you go.”
Hannah moved next to Cal and held her hand open for Tumbleweed to sniff. She rubbed her fingers over his silky smooth muzzle. “Is she gone yet?” Hannah whispered to Cal.
“They seem to be arguing but I can’t hear what it’s about.”
Tumbleweed lost interest in Hannah’s attention, deciding the hay was more interesting, so Cal closed the door.
“Okay, then,” Mack said. He looked around. “For some reason, the tack room is unlocked so let’s go in here for a little privacy.”
Hannah saw Emma’s retreating figure—long strides, ram-rod straight back, and a furtive backward glance—before she disappeared into the barn apartment.
Mack held his arm out, ushering Hannah and Cal away from the sweet hay aroma into the rich leather scented tack room. Saddles and bridles hung neatly on the wall with nameplates identifying which saddle paired with which horse. A tidy polished desk was placed just right for the perfect view out the window. A calendar, pens lined up neatly, and a phone were the only items on the desk. Hannah noticed a blinking call button on the phone next to an intercom label. That made sense to have a way to communicate between the barn and the house. A place for everything, and everything in its place. Or so it seemed at first glance, anyway.
“What’s going on, Mack?” Hannah asked. She wanted to push him for information instead of letting him control the situation.
Mack stood in front of the small window, his back to Hannah and his hands clasped behind his
back. “As I told you already, Hannah, Rochelle got a phone call rather late last night. She was agitated, to say the least, but she refused to tell me who called.”
“But you have a suspicion, don’t you?” Hannah asked.
“This is difficult. I don’t know what Rochelle already told you, but I suspect it’s more than you’ve let on. That being said, you must understand why I can’t go to the police. At least not yet.”
Hannah squared her shoulders and stepped toward Mack so she could look at his face. “Listen, Mack, just spit out what you want to say. Either tell us your fears and stop playing this weird guessing game, or we’re leaving. If you think Rochelle might be in danger, you have to go to the police.”
He turned to face Hannah. “I don’t know. That’s the problem. You see, we argued last night. Then she got that mysterious phone call. Now she’s gone.”
“Who do you think called?”
Mack rubbed his hand over his mouth, leaving it clenched on his chin. “I’m afraid it was Nate Allen.”
“Looking for the money?”
Mack’s shoulders sank. “I thought Rochelle might have discussed that problem with you. Did she tell you why Mr. Allen might come asking questions?”
“Yes. You two provided Al with an alibi after that botched break-in ten years ago. Nate went to jail and Al got away with the money.” Hannah paused. “What happened to the money, Mack?”
“As far as I know, Rochelle hid it somewhere. But where would you hide five hundred thousand dollars for all these years?”
Hannah grabbed Mack’s arm. He flinched. “Rochelle told me that Al kept the money and lost it gambling. Who’s lying?”
Mack shrugged. “I wish I knew. But, in the end, it doesn’t matter. The problem is, Nate is in town trying to get his hands on the money, one way or another. Plain and simple. I suppose he expected to get it from Al but that road is a dead end.” He coughed. “Now he has to move on to someone else.”
“And you think that someone else is Rochelle?”
“It wouldn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out who provided Al with an alibi. I warned Rochelle something bad would happen but she laughed at me. I think she really expected Al to deal with Nate.” He looked at Cal. “We all know how that turned out.”
