by Linda Wiken
Once back in the car, J.J. took a deep breath and leaned back against the headrest. “Gloomy.”
“Eerie. Don’t those people ever speak? Or smile?” Evan shook his head. “I think I’ll revise my desire to work here.”
“The butler did look out of place, though. I would have thought she’d wanted him in black tails at the very least.”
Evan snorted. “She likes to keep the world at large guessing, or so I’ve heard. I really should be getting back, although I know you’re itching to check out the cottage. Do you even think that Connor is there? It doesn’t sound too likely. Not with their history.”
“You could be right. But it’s the only lead we have. But now we also have another suspect.”
“You’re thinking it’s possible Zane killed her even though it’s been a while since she dumped him? Maybe he heard she was getting back with Connor and he just lost it. You should check to see if he was at the casino event.”
“I will. You can count on it.”
“Of course,” Evan said, starting the car, “it could also give Connor another motive. Past history showed him she was flighty, so what if, after they got back together, he found out about the cop? Or maybe there was even another someone. What would Connor have done in that case?”
J.J. thought about it for less than a minute. She shook her head. “No, Connor isn’t a killer, and that’s not even a compelling enough motive to get him to cross the line. No, I think we should operate on the assumption that Connor is at Zane’s cottage, and the killer is”—she shrugged—“somewhere, as yet undetected. But we will find him. Or her.”
CHAPTER 23
The first thing J.J. did when returning home was feed Indie. Then herself. But she was too keyed up for anything substantial. Fortunately, she had leftovers. The chicken pot pie that Ness had brought over the previous week worked out just fine. Just a zap in the microwave and she was all set. She looked out the window as she slowly ate. There should be enough time to make it to the cottage. If she didn’t get lost.
She knew she should leave it until the daylight or even the weekend, but she was anxious to find out if Connor was hiding there. And besides, once she found it, in the dimming daylight, she could easily find her way back home even if it was dark.
She grabbed her purse and a heavy sweater, knowing it cooled down once the sun departed, and had her hand on the doorknob when someone knocked on the door. She thought it might be Ness and maybe she could talk him into going with her. She pulled the door open to find Devine standing there.
“On your way out?” he asked.
“Uh, yes.” She slid past him into the hall, pulling her door shut and locking it. She realized she hadn’t even given him a thought; she’d just wanted to find that cottage.
“Maybe we can talk on the way to the cottage.”
“What?” She bit her tongue. She’d almost asked how he knew. And she knew, that was his ploy. Catch her off guard and she’d say something. Well, she wouldn’t. But maybe it meant something else.
“Does that mean you’ve found it?”
He nodded. “Why don’t I drive?”
How had he found out? He must have tracked it down in the county office. No way could he know about all that history between Connor and Zane. Now that it seemed more likely she’d find Conner, she wasn’t so sure she wanted Devine along, but since he already knew where it was, she liked the idea of his going on his own even less. She followed him out to his car, glancing up to see Ness standing at his window, watching. She could almost see the dialogue bubble over his head. Do not go anywhere with that man.
She slid into the passenger seat and waited for Devine to start the car. When he didn’t seem in any rush, she asked, “Is there something you wanted to talk about first?”
“I want the directions on how to get there.”
“What? I thought you’d found it. Weren’t you checking with the town clerk’s office?”
“Yes and no. First of all, I checked on the name of the restaurant owner and got Zane Anderson. Then, I checked on cottages but there was nothing registered in Anderson’s name. And then I saw you and Evan Thornton driving off earlier, so on a hunch, I followed. I did a bit of checking and see that Mrs. Wallis Redding is Zane Anderson’s grandmother. I’m betting she was very helpful and you now know where the cottage is.”
J.J. turned her face to look back at the apartment. She was furious with herself. She should have known he would pull something like this. But maybe it was a good thing, she reasoned. He might come in handy. Maybe. She sighed.
“Head to North Hero Island.”
They rode in silence for about ten minutes, and then Devine asked, “Does she know if they’re both there?”
“She doesn’t, although she did tell us that Zane is in Turks and Caicos. She has no idea where Connor is, though.”
“So, he’s still on good terms with this ex-partner.”
“It’s not ‘still.’ It appears there may have been a thaw in their relationship lately. And that’s even stranger, given the circumstances. Connor’s engagement to Miranda was broken when she fell for Zane.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. According to his grandmother, that’s what happened.”
After another ten minutes or so of silence, J.J. asked, “What are you thinking?”
“That gives Connor Mac even more of a motive, but it doesn’t explain why he’d be hiding out at the cabin. Unless …”
“Unless, what?”
“He’s holding Anderson hostage there. He killed Miranda, and now he’s building up to finishing off the other person who ruined his life.”
J.J. tried to keep her voice calm. “I think you’re being a bit dramatic. Ruined his life? He seems to have a pretty good life. He’s a media star, and, if you’ll recall, he and Miranda had started dating again. So why go the route of your scenario?”
“We have only his word that’s what was happening. Or did I miss something?”
J.J. bit her lower lip. He was right. No, he wasn’t. “Hennie Ferguson seemed to think they were becoming an item again and so did Kathi Jones. Also, Connor sometimes eats at the Harry’s Haven, so he and Zane aren’t sworn enemies any longer.”
Devine gave a half nod.
A few minutes later, he pulled onto the bridge joining the mainland to the islands. They covered the last part of the drive in silence until Devine said, “Okay. We’re on North Hero. Where to now?”
“Keep driving about four miles, and then there’s a narrow, unmarked dirt road to the right. It meanders its way through the forest and ends at the cottage, which overlooks the water, by the way, but it’s unseen from the water and also from the road. The perfect hideaway.”
“Could be. We’d better find it quickly, though; there’s not much more daylight left. I’ll slow down when we get closer to the cutoff. You keep your eyes peeled.”
“Yes, sir.” She added a small salute for good measure and was rewarded with a slight smile.
She looked at the woods and got occasional glimpses of the lake as they made their way. She enjoyed this drive and told herself she should do it more often. There weren’t any big resorts with beaches, which was fine by her, but Skye had once shown her a great place to go swimming that only the locals knew about. Maybe next summer.
“That must be it,” she shrieked, and Devine hit the brakes and backed up a couple of feet, then turned right.
A well-maintained narrow dirt road wound its way deeper into the woods. J.J. hoped they didn’t meet another car as they followed it. Someone would have to back down and back up.
Devine slowed as the cottage emerged through the trees. “Let’s leave the car here and walk the rest of the way.”
J.J. nodded. They got out and shut the doors quietly in unspoken agreement. J.J. let Devine take the lead. She kept her head on swivel, searching for any sign of Connor out for a walk or down by the water.
“I don’t see his car,” she whispered, feeling disappoint
ed.
Devine gestured to the left. “That looks like a garage. It could be in there.”
J.J. could just barely make out the shape of another building. She realized that it was way darker in the forest, and she was suddenly glad that Devine was with her. They reached the main building, a two-story log house much larger than any cabin J.J. had visited. Devine signaled her to be quiet. He snuck up on the porch that ran across the front of the lower level and cautiously peered through the large picture window to the right.
“What’s taking so long?” she said in a loud whisper.
“Trying to let my eyes adjust. It’s dark inside. I don’t think anyone’s here unless they’re trying to make us believe that.” He tried the door. It was locked.
He pulled a small flashlight out of his jacket pocket and shone it through the windows, then gestured her to the side of the house. He caught up and they continued circling the cabin, peering through all the windows on the ground floor.
“It looks empty except for the fact that there are leaves on the kitchen floor near the doorway. Like when someone leaves quickly and doesn’t sweep behind themselves. Let’s check the garage.”
The door opened easily, showing off a large space, empty except for some ladders and other outdoor equipment propped on the walls. Devine knelt down and shone the flashlight on the ground.
“I’d say there’s been a car here and very recently.”
“You don’t think Mrs. Redding would have phoned and tipped him off, do you?”
Devine stood again. “It could have been her grandson after all, and she did warn him. She was under no obligation to tell you the truth, you know. Now, if you had been the police …”
“They wouldn’t have gotten any information, and you know it. If she’s protecting her grandson, she’ll continue doing so. But if it was Connor, why would she call him?”
“Same reason? He and Zane have history. She felt some loyalty was in order after everything that had happened. Or some payback after the betrayal Zane was part of.” He took his time scanning the property. “I’d say whoever it was has gone, and we’d better get going also while I can still tell where the road is.”
They walked back to the car quickly without another word. J.J. almost tripped a couple of times. It was quite dark by now and she couldn’t see where she placed her feet. She didn’t want to disturb Devine while he found their way back to the main road, but once he turned onto it, she asked, “What does your gut tell you?”
“My gut?”
“Why don’t you ever take me seriously?”
He chuckled. “Oh, believe me, I do.” The softness of his voice sent a shiver down her spine.
After a few minutes he went on. “It probably was Connor. There’s no reason for Zane to be hiding out. He has no reason to believe he’s a suspect. The police haven’t even tried to question him. So, if he were here just to get away, he would have waited around. My gut tells me he’s in Turks and Caicos, as advertised.”
“Oh, but the police were looking for him to ask some questions.”
“How do you know that?”
“Detective Hastings stopped by the office to ask what I knew about the partnership. He said he’d been to the restaurant and it was closed.”
“He may have been hoping to find a link to where Connor’s hiding. He may not yet know about their history. That should make Hastings a very frustrated detective.”
CHAPTER 24
Skye had called in sick the next morning but didn’t want to put off the meeting with her newest client. She asked J.J. to handle it since she knew the account. They’d discussed it when Skye had first thought of taking it on and then had brainstormed ideas for hours over several glasses of wine. J.J. checked her outfit. That would do. Skye had e-mailed her the specs and an update, which she read thoroughly, twice, just to be safe. Was there anything else she needed?
She glanced at the clock. Better not be missing anything. Time to go. She drove downtown along North Avenue and decided to park at the Burlington Town Center. First two hours free, and maybe she could squeeze in some shopping time, unless it turned out to be a complicated meeting. She hoped not, more because she liked to be sure she had all the answers before the questions even appeared, and if not, that could lead to more hours on site. And, of course, less shopping time.
• • •
J.J. drove back to the village and popped into Cups ’n’ Roses at the height of the noon rush hour. The meeting had ended just short of two hours, and J.J. had opted to do her lunch hour vigil rather than stay downtown and shop. She stood in line for about three minutes and finally made it to the counter and a harried Beth.
“Wait when you pick up your coffee. I have to talk to you,” she whispered. J.J. nodded and made her way to the other lineup at the coffee pick-up spot. She had to wait another few minutes after getting her latte for Beth to slide over.
“When you walk over to your table,” Beth said, her voice barely audible, “check out the woman at the table in the far corner wearing a pale blue jacket and sunglasses. I think she looks a lot like the woman from the other day. I think she’s the one.”
“Why, because she’s wearing sunglasses and it’s cloudy out? Never mind, there’s no sun inside.” J.J. smiled to show she was kidding.
Beth gave her head a slight shake. “Oh, you. I’m pretty sure I saw her pocket a sugar bowl. I can’t be one hundred percent sure, though, so I’m not about to confront her. Just keep tabs on her, okay?”
“Sure.” J.J. had to use strict discipline not to turn and stare while they were talking, but when she wandered to a free table with a good sight line of the woman, she swept the room with her eyes, trying to appear like she wasn’t singling anyone out.
When she took her first sip of the latte, she was able to eye the woman for a longer period of time. She did look nervous. But she didn’t look anything like the person they’d decided was the number one suspect. Bummer. Although, it could be the same woman, only today she had her hair pulled back, not half covering her face. And she was wearing sunglasses. Maybe as a disguise?
Beth brought J.J.’s panini over just as the woman stood to leave. “Follow her, please. I’ll keep your lunch warm.” She grabbed back the plate and watched the woman’s receding back while J.J. grabbed her things.
J.J. had just started down the street when Beth appeared at her side. “I need to follow this through for myself. You can go back and eat if you want, although I’d like a witness.”
“No way am I missing out,” J.J. said. “After all the hours I’ve been waiting for this. Not that they haven’t been delicious hours.”
She glanced at Beth, who’d added a scarf around her head and her own set of sunglasses. “Disguised?”
Beth nodded. “She sees me every day but not in my jacket. And she shouldn’t recognize you. I hope.”
After a couple of blocks, Beth started breathing harder. “I didn’t realize I was so out of shape.”
“Maybe she’s training for a marathon. I wonder if she knows she’s being followed.”
“She hasn’t tried to shake us, just outwalk us.”
“No. Look, she’s turning left onto Jefferson Street.”
They scuttled up to the corner and cautiously peered around just in time to see the woman enter a parking lot on the left. By the time they got to that point, she was sliding into the backseat of an older model silver Buick Century. So far, she hadn’t looked back at them and appeared to be lost in checking something, head down. They strolled over to the car next to her, pretending to be getting into it, then peered in the Buick through the back window.
Beth signaled to J.J. to get over on the other side. “She’s taking my stuff out of her purse,” she whispered as she met J.J. at the trunk of the second car. “It’s her. She is the thief.”
“What do you want to do? Call the cops?”
“No. I want an explanation first.” She marched over to the car door and rapped on the window.
The wo
man looked up in surprise, which changed to horror as Beth removed her scarf and sunglasses. She moved as if to lock the door, but J.J. had already jumped into the front seat, searching for the power lock, as Beth moved quickly to the other side and slid into the back next to the woman, who looked about to cry.
Beth stared hard at her, then glanced down at the cardboard box in the woman’s lap. She pulled it over and began sorting through the items inside. “These are all from my shop.”
The woman cringed but said nothing. She looked defeated, shoulders slightly hunched over, wringing her hands. Her shoulder-length light brown hair hung loosely, lacking body and shine. It had been a while since she’d been to a stylist, J.J. bet. Up close, her pale blue jacket looked to be of good quality, as was the brown blouse peeking out from it. J.J. guessed she was in her late forties or so.
“I’d like to know what you think you’re doing. This is theft. You could go to jail for this,” Beth continued, her voice sharp.
J.J. didn’t know if that was true but it sure sounded scary. Surely the woman would explain, but would she tell the truth?
Between sobs, the woman explained, “You’re right, it is yours. Please, I’ll give it all back, and I promise not to go to your coffee shop anymore. Only please, please, don’t call the police. I can’t take that.”
“Why shouldn’t I get them involved? I know these are small items, but they belong to the shop and I did pay for them.”
“I know.”
“What’s your name?”
“Ilsa Grimes.” She’d stopped crying but her eyes were puffy and red.
“Why, Ilsa? Why did you take them?”
Ilsa looked out the car window, and it seemed like she’d finished talking. J.J. glanced at Beth, wondering what she’d do next. Then Ilsa blew her nose and cleared her throat.
“My husband left me a few months ago. And then he actually kicked me out of the house because he wants to sell it. All I got to take were my clothes and some personal belongings. And my car.”
