Before Marquetta could answer, a woman screamed. They all turned in the direction of the commotion. Sasha stood in front of Isabelle Murdoch, whose sweater was splattered with salsa. Mary clucked her tongue a couple of times and shook her head.
“Isabelle hates fussing.” With a smile, she winked at Rick. “Maybe you should rescue her.”
“Keep an eye out for Alex,” Rick said. “I want to know where she’s disappeared to.”
He worked his way through the group, then leaned in close to Isabelle. “I’ve been sent on an extraction mission.”
With her eyes wide, she nodded and let Rick guide her out of the crowd.
“Mission accomplished,” Isabelle said. “Thank you for saving me.”
Rick gave her elbow a reassuring squeeze. “No problem. Anytime.” A moment later, he spotted Alex and Robbie. He pointed at his daughter, then crooked his finger a couple of times and mouthed, “Come here.”
Instead of coming right away, Alex nodded and held up one finger. Rick led Isabelle back to where Mary and Marquetta stood, then released her elbow.
“You’ll get no sympathy in this group, Isabelle Murdoch,” Mary said. “I think you bumped into that girl to liven up this party.”
Isabelle snickered. “I’ll take any abuse you want to dish out, Mary. I’m just thankful you sent this young man to rescue me from all those worrywarts.”
“Let the worrywarts fawn over someone younger. We don’t have time for all that folderol.” Mary leaned sideways and let her shoulder touch Isabelle’s, then pulled away and raised her glass in a toast.
“I’ll drink to that,” Isabelle said. “As soon as I can get something to drink. Rick, would you mind?”
“Not at all.” Rick poured a cup of cider for Isabelle and handed it to her.
She took the cup and her attention seemed to hopscotch between him and Marquetta. A moment later, she nudged Mary’s shoulder. “Don’t they make a cute couple?”
“Aye, they do.” Mary nodded and raised her eyebrows a couple of times. “So…is there something going on between the two of you we should know about?”
The heat began in Rick’s chest and rose slowly into his cheeks. Marquetta was shaking her head vigorously. Good grief, they were adults, not…well, Alex’s age.
“No,” Rick stammered. “I just appreciate how much Marquetta does around the B&B.” He quickly added, “I hope that little catastrophe doesn’t ruin your night.” He glanced over his shoulder, spotted Alex, and mouthed, “Now.”
She started in Rick’s direction, and he turned back to the group.
“Not much stops either of us.” Mary winked at Isabelle. “Right, old girl?”
“Who you calling old?” Isabelle cackled. “I refuse to die.”
“I believe it,” Rick said.
“Unlike Mr. Grinch.” Isabelle rolled her eyes and chuckled as she gestured at a red smear, laughed, and fluffed up her sweater. “Unfortunately, I didn’t wear a shirt under this thing, so unless I want to further embarrass myself and be declared a public nuisance, I have to wear it.”
“I can run you home if you want,” Rick said.
She shook her head. “And miss all the fun? No way. Wear it and bear it is my motto. I’m staying right here. I’m hoping they’ll give me an award for most uncomfortable sweater.”
Alex bumped his side with her shoulder. “What’s up, Daddy?”
Rick looked directly at her, but kept his tone steady. “Where have you been?”
“Me and Robbie were exploring the kitchen.”
No way. He shot a glance toward the kitchen door. He’d checked there. “No more exploring. I want you to stay in the main dining room with everyone else.”
“Okay.” Alex pointed at Isabelle’s sweater. “What happened to Mr. Grinch?”
“He succumbed to a smear campaign. It’s salsa. I bumped into Sasha Bell. It was my fault. I’ve been needing an excuse to get rid of this one anyway.”
“Oh,” Alex said. “It doesn’t look too bad.” She suddenly turned her attention to Rick and said, “Daddy, can I go back and talk to Sasha and Robbie again?”
The other two were both talking to their parents. He suspected they might be receiving the same direction. “Stay where I can see you.”
Alex said a quick goodbye to everyone, and skipped away toward her friends.
“That little girl is up to something, if you ask me,” Mary said.
Rick nodded. “I agree, Mary. I just wish I knew what it was.”
CHAPTER 16
ALEX
Oh man, Daddy knows. I can tell. So I gotta make it look like I’m not worried at all. I go to the soda machine and wave at Sasha. She says something to the adults, then leads Robbie over to meet me. While I’m waiting, I fill three glasses and hand the first one to Sasha.
“Awesome job, Sash!”
“That was close. I totally had to time it just right. I feel bad about Mrs. Murdoch’s sweater.”
“She’s cool with it. We’ve got a bigger problem. My dad is watching me now.”
“Oh, no,” Robbie whispers. “We’re not gonna get in trouble again, are we?”
“Not if we all stick together. We totally have to keep this a secret.”
The front door opens and Deputy Cunningham walks in. He looks super tired. He’s wearing his uniform. What’s up with that?
“You’re not gonna tell your dad what we heard?” Robbie asks.
My eyes get real big ‘cause the deputy is walking toward my dad. And now he’s pulled him away from Marquetta and the others. “I can’t. Not yet.”
“What are you gonna do?” Sasha asks.
I shake my head and kinda wave off her question. “I gotta see what’s going on.”
“What’s that mean, Alex?” Robbie’s looking at me with those big blue eyes.
Sasha has her hands raised like she’s saying ‘what?’
I guess neither of them get it. Deputy Cunningham wouldn’t have come to the party in his uniform unless something important happened. And he wouldn’t have pulled my dad away unless it was really bad. There’s totally something going on.
CHAPTER 17
RICK
“Thorne Waldorf is dead?” Rick asked.
Deputy Cunningham nodded silently. Gone was the craving for another of Mary O’Donnell’s muffins, replaced instead by a tight ball that felt like a lump of raw dough.
“I was just heading home to get cleaned up when the call came in,” the deputy said. “Traci and I were going to get all fixed up for the party and head over here early. She wanted to help Ken with the setup. Because of this debacle, she’s stuck at home and I’ve spent the last few hours securing the scene.”
“Who reported it?”
“One of the workers who’s helping Mrs. Chambers turn her place into a B&B.” Adam stopped, peered at Rick, and added, “Oh, I thought you knew. She’s going to be renting out two bedrooms. Word has it she needs the money to help pay her expenses.”
Rick stroked his chin as he considered what this meant to the B&B. Seaside Cove was small, but it had seen a surge in tourist traffic over the past year. Both the B&B and the Seaside Cove Inn had been packed lately, so maybe a boutique B&B would be a good addition. “I had no idea, but I wish her well. I’ll have to stop by and introduce myself. So what happened?”
“Her roofer was doing some minor repairs when it started to rain. On his way down the ladder, he noticed there was an open window at Thorne’s place. He went over to tell the owner about it, but there was no answer. That’s when he saw the body through the front window. It was right there on the floor. Guy called 9-1-1 on the spot.”
“Are you sure it’s not natural causes? How did he die?”
“Blow to the back of the head. That’s what it looks like, anyway. There’s nothing natural about this one. The medical examiner will make the final determination, of course. I spent several hours going through the debris and couldn’t find any kind of weapon. The crime scene looks like it was hit
by a tornado.”
Rick shook his head in disbelief. “If the office was such a mess, Thorne must have put up quite a fight.”
“I’m not so sure, Rick. You’ll have to see it for yourself. It almost looks to me like the mess was made after the fact. It’s possible Thorne and his killer had quite the kerfuffle, or maybe the killer was covering his tracks.” Adam regarded Rick. “Hey, you feeling okay? You’re looking a little unsteady.”
Rick shook his head to clear his thoughts. “I think so. Everything’s kind of fuzzy.”
Adam regarded Rick closely for a moment, sniffed, then smiled. “Maybe that’s because you’ve been drinking.”
“No way. All I’ve had is punch and…” Rick stopped and looked at the plastic cup in his hand, then the punchbowl. “Somebody must have spiked this.”
“You can’t undo what’s already been done. How many kids are here?”
“Just a few. I’ll stand guard and steer them to the spiced cider until we can get a nonalcoholic version set up. You know what, Adam? This party has had enough drama for one night. It’s about time the mood lightened up. I’ve heard so many stories about how Thorne is tearing this town apart. The killer could be anyone in this room. Can we keep this quiet for tonight?”
“It’s not exactly like I blend in. You know?”
“You’re right about that.”
The deputy rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. “Tell you what. Say there was a sewer issue over near your place and that’s why I had to talk to you. Tell them I had to get a crew out from San Ladron, and they asked me to let you know what was going on. That should work—at least for tonight. I’m going to need some help tomorrow, though.”
Rick took a long breath and then blew it out. “My deal with the mayor to be your consultant is coming back to haunt me already. I guess that’s just life. So what time do you want to start in the morning?”
“How about nine? We can meet at Thorne’s office.”
“See you tomorrow.”
As Adam made his way back to the front door, Rick considered what he should do next. He needed to make arrangements with Marquetta for morning coverage at the B&B—maybe even the next few days. Somehow, he had to keep Alex busy while he was helping Adam. After all, knowing how much his daughter loved snooping, investigating a murder would be exactly the kind of Christmas present she would love.
The hum level in the room was rising steadily. Instead of a bunch of sourpusses, people were laughing and joking. It appeared the holiday spirit was alive and well in Seaside Cove—thanks in part to the spirits in the punch.
He spotted Alex with Sasha and Robbie. Thank goodness they all had soft drinks. Isabelle Murdoch was standing with Marquetta, probably peppering her with questions about why he’d been called aside by Adam.
There were three things he could count on with Isabelle. First, she’d want to know why he’d been talking to the deputy. Second, she’d promise to keep quiet the fact that there had been a “sewer problem” at the B&B. Third, she’d be flitting around the room after he shared his news, telling everyone what she’d promised to keep quiet.
He strolled forward, taking his time and preparing his delivery. When Isabelle saw him, her eyes lit up and she grabbed Marquetta’s arm. It wasn’t hard to read her lips.
“Here he comes.”
Rick rolled his eyes deliberately as he approached the two women. “You won’t believe it, Adam’s been working on a sewer problem in front of the B&B. I guess he had to get a crew out from San Ladron and…what a mess.”
“Is everything okay?” Marquetta suddenly peered at her glass and frowned. “Isabelle, there’s alcohol I this punch.”
“I believe so,” Isabelle cackled. Her eyes flicked to Rick, and she winked. “Can’t blame an old lady for trying to liven things up a tad.”
“It was you?” Marquetta stared at Isabelle.
“No. It was Ken, but who cares?” Isabelle clapped her hands together. “At least this party’s getting into gear. Well, sorry to hear about your troubles.” She waved across the room at Devon and smiled. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“You realize everyone in this room is going to know about this sewer problem,” Marquetta huffed.
“Exactly,” Rick said. “Come with me.”
He grabbed her hand and led her back to the same room where he’d been talking to Deputy Cunningham. Marquetta stood to one side watching as he checked to make sure the room was empty.
“What are you doing, Rick? And why are you acting so strange?”
He told her about Thorne’s death and how he’d been asked to help with the investigation. When he’d finished, the little lines around the corners of Marquetta’s eyes crinkled.
“Is that what you want to do? Do you really want to help Adam?”
“I’m not sure I have a lot of choice. The deal I made with the mayor was…well, rather one-sided.”
“There’s always a way out if you don’t like the hand you’ve been dealt.”
Rick swallowed hard. Was it that he didn’t like ‘the hand,’ or that he liked it too much? “Did you know you always make me think about things twice?”
Marquetta turned away, but he reached out and took her hand. She looked down, but didn’t pull away.
“That’s not a bad thing,” he said. “Actually, it’s really good.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When Adam told me what happened, all I thought of was how Francine roped me into this agreement to consult for the Seaside Cove PD. At the time I made the deal with her, I didn’t think I’d have to do anything. But when Adam told me Thorne was dead, I was in shock. I’ve always wanted Alex to think she should be in control of her life—which brings me to why I need your help.”
Marquetta bit her lower lip, slipped her hand from his, and wrapped her arms around her. “This isn’t sounding much like you’re getting a chance to do what you want. It sounds more like you’re being pressured from all sides.”
“That’s not it at all.” Rick smiled and shook his head. “Sure, Francine twisted my arm, but I could have said no. Pressure is all part of life. It’s one of the lessons I want Alex to learn. She can’t just muddle along without thinking. She’s got to work through the adversity. Would my absolute preference be to never have to investigate another murder? Sure. But, since it’s here, would I want Adam to struggle through on his own? No.”
“So you’re saying…” Marquetta let her words trail off and raised her eyebrows.
“I’m saying I’m okay with this. Adam needs help. I feel a need to be there for him. And by pitching in, I show Alex it’s important to contribute as best she can. But I could use a little help.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“I don’t know how much time I’ll be spending with Adam. Could you stay at the B&B with Alex? That way I know she’ll have supervision.”
Marquetta eyed him for a moment, then pursed her lips. “We don’t have any spare rooms right now.”
“You can stay in mine.” He quickly added, “I’ll camp out in my office. It will all be perfectly above board.”
“I’m a grown woman, Rick.”
He had a thousand answers to that statement—not one of them felt right, with one possible exception. He took a deep breath, then blurted it out. “I don’t want Isabelle Murdoch or any of the other busybodies in this town to ever have reason to look down on you.”
She held his gaze, then she finally nodded. “Assuming we do this, there is one other problem.”
“Alex?”
“How are you going to keep her from seeing this as anything other than what it is?”
“Maybe we already learned a lesson on that score—the less said, the better. My bigger problem is how do I keep her from sticking her nose into this investigation?”
CHAPTER 18
ALEX
December 16
Hey Journal,
There’s totally something going on between Daddy and Marquetta. They went
into the back room at The Crooked Mast and when they came out, they kept looking at each other for the rest of the party. And then she came back here with us. She’s still downstairs!
I wonder if they kissed at the party? That would be awesome!
Uh oh, Daddy just knocked. Gotta go.
“Come in!”
Daddy pokes his head in the door and comes inside. “Hey, kiddo,” he whispers. “Time for you to get in bed.”
I put my journal into the top drawer of my desk and look at him. “Daddy, why are you whispering?”
He clears his throat and rubs his chin, then smiles at me. “You’re right. That’s silly. Now, hop into bed.”
Grown-ups sure do some weird stuff sometimes. Like right now, Daddy’s fussing more than usual. That’s how I know he’s got something to tell me. Maybe it’s about Marquetta…
“Daddy, did you and Marquetta have a good time at the party?”
“We did, kiddo. That’s what I need to talk to you about.”
Oh my God! It totally happened!
“Do you remember when Deputy Cunningham showed up?”
“Sure. He still had on his uniform.”
“That’s because he was on duty. You see, Thorne Waldorf has been killed. It appears to be a homicide.”
What? Wimpy Waldorf is dead?
“Adam’s going to need my help for a couple of days and I’ve asked Marquetta…Alex? Are you listening?”
“Somebody killed Wimpy Waldorf?”
Daddy’s face gets kinda red, like he’s not happy with me. “Is that what you kids call him?”
“Well…”
“Do you have nicknames for all the adults?”
Uh oh. This is so going the wrong direction. I scrunch up my cheeks and mutter, “Maybe a few.”
Daddy puckers his jaw and shakes his head. “The man is dead, Alex. I don’t want to hear you call him that again. Do you understand?”
“Okay. I promise.”
“I also don’t want you reading more into Marquetta using my room than there really is.”
“Wait! What?” My head is totally gonna explode. “You and Marquetta…”
The Killer Christmas Sweater Club Page 6
