Cozy Creek

by K M Morgan

  Sasha didn’t deviate from her story. “You said you wanted the truth. I just told you what happened.”

  “You told me a story, all right. I’m trying to figure out if it’s fact or fiction.”

  “Hey, that’s the truth. If you don’t want to believe it, that’s your problem,” Sasha said.

  Sasha then went to close the door.

  Chloe’s chance was slipping away. She had to find a way to prolong the conversation.

  “Ok, I believe you,” Chloe lied. “Just hold on a minute.”

  Sasha stared her down.

  Chloe continued. “You said earlier that if I wanted to find the killer, I was at the wrong place. Where’s the right place then?”

  “Why don’t you ask Adam Foster?”

  “Why?”

  “Figure it out for yourself. This conversation is over.”

  There was no more delaying Sasha. She’d reached her boiling point. She slammed the door in Chloe’s face.

  Chapter Twenty

  What a day! Suddenly Chloe found herself going from a baffling conversation to a potential hornet’s nest. Sasha had been mysteriously vague about her reasons for pointing the blame at Adam Foster. While she wasn’t able to figure out why Sasha was so non-specific, Chloe at least knew where her next stop would be.

  Chloe had deliberately saved confronting the Fosters for last. It was much easier to draw information out of a suspect when she was one-on-one with them. As Chloe drove over to the Foster house, there was a good chance both Adam and Lily would be there. That made for a sticky situation. They could easily team up against Chloe if they wanted.

  Chloe prayed that one of them would be out of the house when she arrived. Surprisingly, she ended up getting her wish…kind of. A dramatic scene unfolded as Chloe pulled up to the Foster residence. The old saying was that timing was everything in life. It couldn’t have been more spot-on at that moment.

  Just as Chloe parked on the sidewalk across from the Foster’s house, the front door opened. Lily Foster made a tearful exit, wiping her eyes as she walked to her car in the driveway. As Chloe sat in her car, she was amazed that she didn’t see Adam Foster anywhere. Not in the doorway, the living room window, nowhere. Whatever happened between Adam and Lily, it must have been major for him to not even see her out or walk her to her car.

  Before Lily got in her car, she turned back towards the doorway and yelled. “If you change your mind, I’ll be at my sister’s.”

  Lily didn’t look like she was expecting a response. She didn’t get one either. She wiped another tear from her eye, then got into her car and drove away.

  Normally in this circumstance, Chloe would follow Lily. She didn’t need to this time. She knew exactly where Lily was headed—her sister’s house. Adam Foster was more the wild card in this instance. He could either stay inside his house, or he could leave shortly to go off to some unknown destination. Chloe felt it would be better to strike while the iron was hot and confront him now.

  As she approached the front door, she realized her worries had been confirmed. She was definitely walking into a hornet’s nest, of emotions at least. As far as she was concerned, she’d already been blown up at plenty for one day. It seemed inevitable that another drama-filled encounter was on deck.

  With her defenses up, Chloe reached the front door and rang the bell.

  She stood there impatiently as she received no answer. Chloe waited a minute, then rang the bell again. This time, she knocked as well.

  Twenty seconds later, she heard Adam’s voice through the door. He started yelling as he swung the door open.

  “Lily, I told you, it’s over—”

  When Adam realized it was Chloe on the doorstep and not his wife, he got really embarrassed.

  “You’re not Lily,” he said.

  “You got that right,” Chloe replied. She then became very confused. “Why would you think I was Lily? Your wife wouldn’t knock. She’d just use her keys to come in.”

  Adam suddenly found himself tongue-tied. He stammered while he tried to explain himself. “Right. Yeah, of course.”

  “Unless you changed the locks,” Chloe suggested.

  “That’s neither here nor…” Adam was quick to switch gears. “What are you doing here, Chloe?”

  “I wanted to see how you’re doing.”

  He was startled by that response as if it was the last thing he ever expected to hear out of her mouth. That made his reaction even more odd. Chloe couldn’t have made a more innocuous statement.

  “Um, you know, I’m hanging in there,” Adam said.

  “You must be wrestling with so many emotions.”

  “I am.”

  “I mean, with your brother having been murdered and all.”

  Adam tensed up. He looked completely uncomfortable in his skin. The one thing that was completely absent on his face was any form of remorse.

  He tried his best to pretend he was sad about his brother’s murder but wasn’t able to fool Chloe in the least.

  “Right. Yeah, that’s a terrible way to go.”

  Chloe decided to switch gears herself, hoping she could throw him for a loop.

  “Although, he did ruin your life,” Chloe said.

  Adam grimaced. “I don’t really want to talk about that, or him really. It’s uh, too painful.”

  If Adam was trying to come across as sympathetic, he was doing an awful job of it. Judging by his face, it was hard to believe he used to be part of an acting troupe, even if it was back in college.

  Chloe had him on the ropes and decided to push him further. “Let’s talk about Lily for a second then. When you opened the door a minute ago, you said it was over between you two. Is that because she still had feelings for your brother even though she’s pregnant with your child?”

  Adam started to back away. “You know what? This really isn’t a good time.”

  “I disagree. I think now is the only time. After all, it was your brother who was murdered, and you two had a bitter rivalry, not just with each other, but over your wife. As an outside observer, you had plenty of motive. I can see people pointing the finger of blame at you. The way I see it, it’s in your best interest to prove you’re innocent.”

  Adam went into denial mode. He started pointing the finger of blame elsewhere in a hurry. “You say that, but if anyone looks guilty here, it’s Paige O’Doul.”

  He was certainly quick to throw Paige under the bus.

  Chloe wasn’t about to put up with that. She fired back. “Oh yeah? Then why did Sasha Irwin tell me if I wanted to find Ryan’s killer, you’d be the one to talk to?”

  Adam began simmering with rage. He looked like he wanted to blow his top, but found enough restraint not to. “I don’t know.”

  “Really? You had plenty of motive for wanting your brother dead...without even bringing up the fact that your wife may be pregnant with his child.”

  Chloe knew that would set Adam off. She hadn’t planned on bringing that up, but when Adam pointed the blame at Paige, the gloves came off.

  Adam was having a hard time containing his rage now. Because of that, Chloe reached into her purse and put her hand on her can of pepper spray in case she needed it.

  She continued pressing him. “Tell me that hasn’t occurred to you. That it doesn’t burn you to the core. That it isn’t just a reason for you to want Ryan dead, but one of the main reasons you broke it off with your wife.”

  Chloe was hoping that in a fit of rage, Adam might let some vital information slip, or possibly even a confession.

  Instead, Adam saw through her plan and calmed himself. “I see what you’re trying to do. It’s not going to work.”

  Chloe played dumb. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m on to you and your mind games. Nice try, but there’s no denying the truth here that Paige killed my brother, plain and simple.”

  This time, it was Chloe who was having trouble keeping a level head. “Why would you say that? What proof do you h
ave?”

  “You saw it yourself at the crime scene. Ryan was killed with the same golf club as in the play. On top of that, Paige admitted that she confronted my brother around the same time as the murder.”

  “You say that, but Paige doesn’t have a motive.”

  “Oh yeah, she does. A killer motive. My brother drove Paige’s old roommate to suicide,” Adam revealed.

  That answer gave Chloe some serious pause. She had trouble getting words out. Then finally, she mouthed a reply. “You know about the suicide?”

  “Of course. My brother and I were still on speaking terms back when he was dating Becca. She loved him so much, which only made it all the more devastating when Ryan cheated on her with her sister. Paige has blamed Ryan for Becca’s suicide ever since. Last night, it looks like she finally got her revenge,” Adam explained.

  Chloe shook her head. “No, that’s not true.”

  “For someone so devoted to finding out the truth, you have a hard time admitting it when it is staring you in the face. Now get off my front porch,” Adam demanded.

  He didn’t wait for her to comply. Adam closed the door and left Chloe completely hanging.

  Maybe he was a better actor than Chloe gave him credit for. He seemed entirely convinced of his argument. Perhaps it wasn’t just an act. He seemed to truly believe that Paige killed his brother.

  It couldn’t be the truth, could it?

  After that encounter, Chloe was completely rattled. She walked back to her car, struggling to straighten her thoughts out. That was a huge bombshell to have dropped on her.

  Chloe got a queasy feeling in her stomach. This case was tying her up in knots. All the suspects were so eager to point their fingers at each other. There were so many misdirection’s and lies to wade through. It would take a while for her to make sense of them all. But before Chloe could do that, there was still another suspect to confront.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lily Foster was the last suspect that Chloe needed to talk to. Chloe wasn’t looking forward to this. Lily was already an emotional wreck, especially given the fact that her husband had just kicked her out of the house. There was a high probability that Lily could take out her frustrations on Chloe. She had to take that chance.

  Chloe got the address of Lily’s sister’s house from Paige, then drove over there. She had no idea what to expect. It had been an afternoon of high-octane drama. Chloe was due for a break. Would this confrontation be easier than those that had come before it?

  Chloe walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

  Lily’s sister, Jacqueline Nettell, answered the door. She was a petite woman in her late thirties, with curly brown hair, and hazel eyes.

  “Yes?” Jacqueline said.

  “I’m here to talk to Lily,” Chloe replied.

  “She doesn’t want to see anyone.”

  “I understand she’s been through a lot, but it’ll only take a moment.”

  Jacqueline started to shut her door. “No.”

  Chloe wasn’t expecting an answer that abrupt.

  Then again, Jacqueline looked eager to close the door. It was at that moment that Lily Foster walked out of the living room and emerged in the hallway.

  “Is it Adam?” Lily asked.

  Jacqueline turned to her sister. “No.”

  Lily looked confused to see Chloe at her sister’s house.

  “What are you doing here?” Lily asked.

  After getting this much friction already, Chloe had to curry some favor. She didn’t want to be shut out so quickly. This conversation was too important.

  “I just wanted to extend my sympathies,” Chloe said.

  “For what?”

  “I know what happened between you and Adam, and I’m so sorry. I hope you two can find a way to work things out. It would be a shame to have your child grow up in a broken family.”

  Lily gave her a curious look. “How do you know all this?”

  Chloe had to think on her feet. She wasn’t about to tell her that she’d just come from Adam’s house. “The Cape is a small place. As you know, news travels fast here.”

  Lily rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me.”

  Chloe was trying her best to get Lily comfortable and slowly open up, but Lily was proving to be a tough nut to crack.

  It was time to mix things up a little. Chloe decided to come at the situation from a slightly different angle. “You know, if it makes you feel any better, I think if you give him time, Adam might be willing to take you back eventually.”

  “Really?”

  Chloe had her right where she wanted her. Now it was time to turn the conversation on its head. “As long as the baby is his. It is his child you’re pregnant with, isn’t it?”

  Lily narrowed her eyes. “That’s none of your business.”

  “There’s a murder investigation going on, and you’re one of the main suspects. You shouldn’t be trying to hide away, you should be doing everything you can to prove your innocence. It’s in your best interest to remove the cloud of suspicion around you. Instead, here you are, acting defiant while you’re pregnant with a child that may belong to a murder victim.”

  “You have it all wrong,” Lily insisted.

  “About which part?”

  “The baby.”

  “So it is Adam’s kid then?” Chloe asked.

  Lily averted her gaze, then sighed. “I guess with Adam kicking me out, there’s no reason to keep up the charade anymore.”

  “I don’t understand. Are you saying you’re pregnant with Adam’s child, or Ryan’s?”

  Lily shook her head. “Actually, it’s no one’s.”

  Chloe was more confused than ever. “What are you talking about?”

  Lily finally remade eye contact. “I’m not really pregnant.”

  Chloe was having trouble putting the pieces together. “But I heard you say at the party—”

  “I made it up. The pregnancy was all just a hoax.”

  Chloe had to keep her jaw from dropping to the ground. That explanation only led to more questions. “What were you going to do in nine months when you didn’t give birth? Or even in six months, when your stomach didn’t start showing?”

  “I planned on waiting four or five months—then I was going to tell Adam that I had a miscarriage,” Lily revealed.

  Talk about a bombshell. Chloe took a moment to let that sink in, then replied.

  “Why would you put him through that?” Chloe asked.

  “Our marriage was in serious trouble, even before I cheated on Adam. My husband was just so focused on getting ahead at work. He poured all this energy into the hotel while completely ignoring me in the process. I could feel Adam slipping away. That only got worse when he found out that I was sleeping with Ryan. So I came up with a plan to get my husband back. I thought if I told Adam I was pregnant, the idea of him becoming a father could get us back on track as a couple. That it would bring us closer, and even save our marriage,” Lily explained.

  Chloe had to take a moment to process what she’d just heard. It was such an “out there” story. She didn’t sugarcoat her response. “That’s one of the most twisted things I’ve ever heard.”

  “It’s also the truth. So there you have it. Not only did my plan backfire, but it also managed to make me look like a murder suspect.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but you’re still very much a suspect.”

  “I just told you the truth. I didn’t kill Ryan.”

  “I heard what you said. But think of it like this, your plan, your pregnancy hoax, it might have actually worked had Ryan not crashed the party last night. The fact is—Ryan ruined those plans. When Adam saw how you were looking at his brother last night, he realized that you were still attracted to Ryan. On top of that, your husband began to worry that your fake child was Ryan’s. If that wasn’t enough of a motive, I saw how much it burned you that Ryan had moved on and was now dating Olivia Ellerby,” Chloe explained.

  Lily started to
panic. “I didn’t do it. I’m not a killer.”

  “How can I believe that’s the truth when you’ve been trying to pull off one of the biggest lies I’ve ever seen with this pregnancy hoax of yours?”

  “Look, I’ve told the truth. You’re not getting anything else out of me,” Lily insisted.

  “But—”

  Lily cut her off. “Goodbye.”

  Lily then slammed the door.

  Chloe groaned.

  She didn’t know what bothered her more, having another door slammed in her face or feeling like she was so close, yet still so far away from finding out the real truth?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After all Chloe had been through, the last thing she needed was to be dropped into the middle of another stressful situation. Yet that was exactly what she was about to happen. When she walked back to her car, she found a surprise waiting for her. Unfortunately, none of the recent surprises in her life were positive experiences. It’s not like she’d found out she’d won the lottery or was getting a big promotion. Instead, she was staring down bad news, this time in the form of Detective Thicke waiting at her car.

  Chloe had been loathing this moment. It was almost inevitable that they’d run into each other again. They were both investigating the same suspects. Chloe was just relieved that she’d managed to question each of the suspects once before the detective stepped in to flex his authority. She would have preferred to do some follow-ups, but after the first round of confrontations, a lot of those bridges had already been burned.

  Not so secretly, Chloe wished the detective would work with her in solving this case instead of being so dismissive of her sleuthing. Chloe’s pluck could only take her so far. She’d love to be able to dip into the police department’s considerable resources. She knew that if they joined forces, they could become a formidable foe for any would-be killers.

  Judging by Detective Thicke’s folded arms and disapproving stare, it was clear he had other plans. The detective made no secret of his distaste for Chloe’s amateur detective work. He’d been pretty clear in telling her that he wanted her to go back to selling makeup and leave this case alone.