by Lyndsey Cole
Cal wolfed down two pieces in the time it took Hannah to eat one, and Caroline to eat about half of hers. She set the remainder on her plate. “I guess my eye was bigger than my stomach. I’ll save that for later.” She wiped her mouth with her cotton hankie. “Now, then, tell me why you two are here.”
Cal looked at Hannah since he was completely in the dark.
“Nate paid us a visit at Cal’s boat.”
“I see,” Caroline said. She folded her hands in her lap but Fred head-butted her arm, insisting on attention. “He spilled the beans in front of Cal? Trying to slice the two of you apart, I imagine. Did it work?”
Hannah threw a smile at Cal. “Obviously not. We’re here, aren’t we?”
Cal didn’t smile. “Will one of you please tell me what’s going on? You do realize that seeing Caroline sitting here is a bit of a shock to my reality.”
Caroline laughed out loud. “Of course it is, but you should have seen Hannah when she first saw me sitting in her brand new cottage. She had to touch me to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Right?” Caroline looked at Hannah over the rim of her glasses.
“That’s true. I almost fainted.”
“Why?” Cal asked.
“Why did I almost faint?” Hannah asked. “I was in shock, of course.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Why is Caroline not dead?” Cal shook his head. “That didn’t come out right,” he said after both Caroline and Hannah laughed at his question. “Why did you pretend to be dead?”
“The short story, Cal, is that I had to protect my property by passing it to Hannah in my will. You see, her father had other ideas about the property but I put conditions in my will. Conditions that Hannah’s father couldn’t touch. In hindsight, which is always twenty-twenty, it may not have been the best way to handle it, but we are stuck with that decision I made.”
Cal nodded. “How does Nate Allen fit into all this?”
“Yes, a million dollar question,” Hannah said. “Somehow he found out about Caroline—that she’s alive, after all, and where she’s living.”
“You have to move,” Cal said, his voice full of concern. “Who knows what he might do to you.”
“Oh, don’t be such a worrywart,” Caroline said. “As I told Hannah already, Nate came back to town looking for revenge from his double crossing partner, Al Hines. Nate spent ten years in jail and Al walked away scot-free. Of course, Al is dead now so getting away with his despicable behavior didn’t do him much good, did it?”
“But still—”
“No buts, Cal,” Caroline interrupted. “Nate isn’t going to do anything to an old lady who everyone already thinks is dead. What I’m worried about is why he’s pressuring Hannah to help him find the money. And why did Al’s body end up on your boat?”
Hannah sighed. “We aren’t any further along with answering those questions. But we might be a tiny bit closer to finding the money.”
“Do tell.”
“Mack noticed that Rochelle’s special box was missing from her tack room. A locked box. Now he’s wondering if it contained the money right in front of him for all those years.”
“And, Rochelle is missing, too,” Cal added.
Caroline thought about that for a minute. “Mack thinks that Rochelle took the box, which may or may not contain the stolen money, and went where?”
Hannah shrugged. “He doesn’t know but he was frantic to find her.”
“Do you think it’s possible he was only trying to throw you off and send you on a wild goose chase?”
Hannah looked at Cal. Their eyes locked. Hannah nodded. “I wonder. At the time, Mack acted so convincingly upset and worried but there is something else. Do you remember his friend Emma when you went to that Thanksgiving dinner ten years ago?”
Caroline’s faced twisted in thought. She stared off into space as if she was looking back in time. “Emma,” she said thoughtfully. “As I recall, Emma and Mack were friends before Rochelle and Mack were married. Childhood friends, I believe.”
“That could explain why Rochelle acted annoyed with Emma during dinner last night. Maybe she’s jealous of their friendship,” Hannah said, thinking out loud.
“Jealousy is one possibility,” Cal said. “My impression from watching the two of them together was that there’s more than friendship involved.”
Hannah stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “It’s late. I’ll be sure to thank Nate for talking about you tonight, Caroline.”
“Why is that, Hannah?”
“Once Nate mentioned your safety in front of Cal, I had to bring him here. Just telling Cal you were alive would have made him think I’d lost my mind but seeing you in the flesh, well, it’s shocking, but it’s real. Right?” Hannah looked at Cal.
He nodded. “I suppose you’re right about that.”
“And, if we hadn’t come, we wouldn’t know about Mack and Emma’s longtime friendship. You just gave us that important detail. If they’re having a little affair behind Rochelle’s back, is it too much of a stretch to wonder if Mack would get rid of Rochelle? Especially if he found the missing five hundred thousand dollars?”
“But aren’t they wealthy beyond their needs?” Caroline asked.
“Mack slipped up. He told us that the farm, the house, and everything else belongs to Rochelle. Without her, Mack has nothing. But five hundred thousand dollars in cash would give him the freedom to have Emma if he figured out how to get rid of Rochelle.”
“And you think Mack killed Rochelle and Al?” Cal asked.
“It’s possible, or else he took advantage of the situation. He can wring his hands and worry about Rochelle. With one person dead already, it’s an easy leap for most people to assume the same person killed Al and Rochelle.”
“Slow down, Hannah.” Cal stood next to her. “We don’t know if Rochelle is even dead.”
“Cal is right, Hannah. You need to talk to Pam before you get all gung-ho and try to get to the bottom of this yourself. Promise me that . . . please,” Caroline pleaded with Hannah. “I don’t worry about myself for one second, but I do worry about you.” She looked at Cal. “Can I count on you to encourage Hannah to do the smart thing?”
Cal nodded. “Absolutely. We both want Hannah safe and sound.”
Hannah felt Cal’s eyes on her. Of course she wanted to stay safe, but could she just dump all this information in Pam’s lap and walk away? An unsettled feeling began to bubble and churn inside; frustration at all the people pulling her in different directions.
At Nate who kept popping up like a bad nightmare.
At Rochelle who confided in her, but was it only to pretend to be Al’s innocent helper ten years ago?
And now Mack, who put on such a worried spouse act it made her sick when he was also laughing with Emma.
They were all sending Hannah, like a bloodhound, after missing money that they wanted.
Why Hannah?
Hannah and Cal left Caroline with Fred purring on her lap.
In the truck, Cal’s warm hand found hers as they drove back to her place.
Cal, her rock.
Cal, who someone tried to link to Al’s murder.
Hannah made a decision as she looked at Cal’s strong profile. She would certainly talk to Pam, but she would also circle around those she loved, to do everything in her power to keep them safe.
Twenty-Two
A typical November ocean wind lashed against Hannah’s cottage. The shutters rattled but with Cal’s tight workmanship, it felt snug and warm inside.
“Is a visit to Pam the first thing on your agenda this morning?” Cal poured Hannah a big mug of coffee.
“Not first thing.” She wandered to the big window overlooking her ocean view. “Hey, do you recognize that big SUV in the parking lot?”
Cal carried two coffees and gave one to Hannah. “Where?”
Hannah pointed. “Next to my Volvo.”
“Huh. It does look familiar.” He sipped his coffee. He leaned
forward to get a better view. “That looks like Rochelle’s car. Do you see anyone out there?”
“No, just the car. It wasn’t there when we got home last night, was it?”
“I’m ninety-nine percent sure it wasn’t, but I parked way on the other side. Did we miss it?”
“And what about Nate’s car? It wasn’t here when we got home and it’s not here now.” Hannah reached for her phone and punched in a number from memory.
“Pam? This may be nothing, but Mack was concerned about Rochelle’s whereabouts. It looks like her car is here in my parking lot.”
Pam replied, “I’m at the Lowes’ farm and Rochelle is here.”
“Rochelle is home? Is her car there?” Hannah listened to several seconds of silence.
“No. Come over here. Rochelle has been asking for you. I’ll send someone to tow the car.” Pam’s phone went dead.
“I guess a visit with Pam is first on my agenda after all. I’ll follow you,” Hannah said to Cal. “Rochelle is at her farm without her car.” Hannah put her warm parka on and looked at her feet.
“Flip-flops?” Cal asked.
“It’s even too cold for me.” She found her sneakers and called the dogs. “No walk on the beach, but you can run at the Lowes’ farm with her corgis,” she told Patches and Nellie.
Samantha opened her cottage door as Hannah and Cal walked by. “Got a minute?”
“No.”
“Well, I’m coming with you, then. I’ve got some news.” Samantha rushed out with her shoes untied and her coat clutched under one arm. “Where are we going? And why is Rochelle’s car here? You know, I saw Nate talking to her last night.”
Cal, in front of the two women, kept walking to his truck, got in, and left. Hannah stopped dead in her tracks. “Where? When?”
Samantha leaned on Hannah’s car and lifted one foot to tie her shoelace. “I’ve been dying to tell you.” She lifted her other foot and tied that lace. “I decided to do some driving around yesterday late afternoon and just happened to see the CHASEU license plate. Nate was parked at Joey’s house. I wasn’t too surprised since Nate told Joey he’d see him later when they had lunch together.”
“Think back, Samantha. Was Rochelle’s car there, too, by any chance?”
Samantha didn’t need time to think about the question. “Definitely not. Nate’s car was parked behind Joey’s dumpy truck. I parked at the marina but nothing much was going on except the police were finishing up with their investigation around Cal’s boat. I stayed well clear of that crew.”
“Okay. You spied on Joey’s house again.” She was a little impatient with Samantha’s round-about explanation of when she heard Nate and Rochelle arguing.
“Yeah, they—Joey and Nate—went out in a boat; kept close to the shoreline for as far as I could see. Didn’t you tell me you saw them out in a boat, too?”
“Yeah, around noon I think.”
“So, this must have been their second outing. What do you think it’s all about?”
Hannah shrugged as if she didn’t think it was a big deal at all. She couldn’t tell Samantha about her concern that Nate might be keeping tabs on Great Aunt Caroline.
“Well, it’s good they were gone because that’s when Rochelle showed up.”
Hannah opened the back door for the dogs to jump in. She twisted her head to look at Samantha. “She showed up at Joey’s house?”
“Yeah. Rochelle drove in as if she was going to a party. Isn’t that weird? Do you think she knew they were gone?”
“Was she carrying anything?” The only explanation Hannah could come up with was that Rochelle brought the money to give to Joey and get him and the money out of her life.
“Only a big ugly shoulder bag.”
“How long was she inside?”
Samantha lifted one shoulder. “Long enough to do a quick search of the house, if that was her intention, but it didn’t look like she came out with anything more than she went in with. At least nothing I could see.”
“Let’s go before Cal worries that I’ve been in an accident or something.” Hannah got behind the wheel. “Follow me with your car, Samantha. We may both need our cars. You can tell me the rest when we get there.”
Samantha didn’t need to be told twice. She got in her Mini Cooper and backed around, staying right on Hannah’s bumper all the way to the Lowes’ farm.
Hannah stopped next to Cal’s truck outside the horse barn at the farm. Mack’s Toyota truck and Emma’s sports car were both parked closest to the barn. Pam’s car was pulled in at an odd angle, as if she’d arrived in a hurry and parked with no concern for where she left her car.
As soon as Hannah opened the back door, Nellie and Patches made no delay sniffing and marking their scents around the barn. Hannah left the door open so they could get in if they got tired of exploring. Samantha parked on the far side of Hannah’s car.
“You said you saw Nate talking to Rochelle. When was that?” Hannah asked Samantha before they walked into the barn.
“After I got back to my cottage, maybe eight or even a bit later.”
That made sense to Hannah since she and Cal would have already been in her cottage and it explained why she didn’t notice Rochelle’s car when they got home.
“I forgot something in my car and went back to get it,” Samantha continued. “I saw Rochelle’s car parked by The Fishy Dish but she was standing at the entry to the parking lot next to Nate’s car yelling at him. Something about money and Joey. I tried to stay hidden behind the snack bar, so I didn’t hear the whole conversation very well. When Rochelle turned around to walk back to her car, I skedaddled back to my cottage.”
That was interesting, Hannah thought. She talked to Nate on the dock next to Cal’s boat, around four, before they got pizza and went to visit Caroline. She remembered that Nate said he was looking for Rochelle. At some point Nate and Rochelle met up at The Fishy Dish parking lot and had an argument. It didn’t explain why Rochelle’s car was still there and she was here, but Hannah suspected that the answer would bring her one step closer to locating the money and Al’s murderer.
Hannah led Samantha into the barn. “Listen, but try to keep your mouth shut, okay?”
Samantha grinned. “I’ll do my best.”
A small group of people were talking at the far end of the barn outside the apartment door.
Samantha craned her neck at every stall door but somehow managed to keep up with Hannah who was focused on the people.
“When did you find Rochelle’s car?” Pam asked as soon as Hannah was within hearing distance.
“I saw it first thing this morning when I looked outside.” She looked around at the other long faces staring at her. “The car was there. I wasn’t actually looking for it since I didn’t even know it was missing.”
Pam was busy jotting notes in the small notebook that she always carried in her back pocket. “How do you know it’s Rochelle’s car?”
“I’m not sure. Cal thought it looked familiar and said it might be hers. What’s going on, P—Deputy Larson?” Hannah hoped no one noticed that she almost used Pam’s first name. Pam expected formality during an investigation but Mack and Emma were too busy whispering with each other to catch the potential slip.
“Mack, here, says he found Rochelle in the apartment this morning. She suffered quite a blow to her head and can’t remember anything.”
“Someone hit her?” Hannah asked incredulously.
Pam cocked her head. “Now, why would you suspect that? And who do you think might have hit her? Mack thought she must have fallen. He says it has happened before.”
At the sound of his name, Mack looked at Hannah. There was a definite blush of pink at the base of his neck that was visible through the opening of his jacket. The blush crept into his face. He cleared his throat. “Yes. That’s true. Rochelle sometimes has low blood sugar and faints. She usually feels it coming on but I’m guessing that this time she fell and hit her head. She’s got a pretty good lump on
her head, but she’ll be fine.”
That was a rambling explanation if Hannah ever heard one. She didn’t believe it for one second and she doubted that Pam did, either. Mack acted more like he was covering up something. But what?
“You said Rochelle was asking for me?” Hannah asked Pam. “Can I talk to her now?”
“I’ll take you in.”
Pam held Hannah’s arm and they walked into the barn apartment together. Hannah was impressed how the apartment was already transformed into a completely furnished space. A colorful Oriental rug muffled their footsteps in the entryway and the curtains were pulled closed to keep the sunlight from streaming in.
Pam pulled Hannah to a stop before they entered the living area. She whispered, “I wanted to get you alone. Rochelle didn’t ask for you but I’m telling her she did. I need to figure out if she’s really lost her memory or if she’s hiding something.”
“Samantha saw her go into Joey’s house yesterday.”
Pam didn’t give away any surprise at this revelation. “Was Joey there?”
“No. He was out on his boat with Nate.
“Okay. Good to know.” Pam led Hannah the rest of the way into the living area. Rochelle was reclined on a La-Z-Boy, her head back and her eyes closed. She didn’t appear to know they were standing in front of her.
“Rochelle?” Pam said quietly. “Hannah’s here now. You asked for her when I first spoke to you. Do you remember?”
Rochelle’s eyes opened. She blinked and shook her head. “I don’t remember anything except . . .”
“Except what, Rochelle?” Hannah sat on an ottoman close to Rochelle’s chair. “You had a fainting spell last night?”
“I fainted?” Rochelle frowned. “That’s never happened to me before.”
Hannah nodded and looked at Pam. She raised an eyebrow. “That’s what Mack thought. What do you remember?”
She closed her eyes again. “A phone call.” She paused. “Someone called me. He was angry.”
Pam moved back toward the door, leaving only Hannah in Rochelle’s line of vision.
