“No.” Rick takes a deep breath. “I’ve asked Marquetta to stay here to help provide coverage for the B&B. She’ll be using my room and I’ll be camping out in my office. I also want her to be able to keep an eye on you.”
“I’m almost eleven, Daddy. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Light supervision, Alex. She’ll treat you the same way I do. Do you understand?”
Hey Journal,
Daddy’s gone and I’m supposed to be asleep, but I had to tell you somebody killed Wimpy Waldorf. And I didn’t tell Daddy about Mr. Malone and Mr. Grayson and how they hate Wimpy. Between you and me, I don’t wanna get in trouble for spying like I did the last time. Christmas is almost here and it would be super disappointing if I got grounded again. Daddy said he didn’t want me to use Wimpy’s nickname, but this is just between you and me so I figure it’s okay.
The awesome news is Marquetta’s gonna be staying here until Daddy and Deputy Cunningham find the killer. It’s awesome ‘cause Marquetta will be around more. Maybe I can get her to help me do some investigating, then I could tell Daddy about being under the table at the party.
And I guess that ‘cause of the murder, Daddy and Marquetta weren’t kissing in the back room at the restaurant. That’s okay. I’ve still got Operation Mistletoe!
xoxo,
Alex
CHAPTER 19
RICK
Rick arrived at Thorne Waldorf’s home shortly before nine and parked behind Deputy Cunningham’s police 4x4. The old Victorian was painted pale green with white trim and dark gray accents. The paint showed no signs of fading or peeling and the exterior exuded a welcoming aura. That, however, was the house. Over the past twenty-four hours, Rick had learned Thorne and his home had very different personalities.
Soggy footprints in the grass led away from the entryway to the side yard. The ground was still wet from last night’s rain, but the prints appeared to be fresh. The trail stopped at a rose bush immediately beneath a window about seven feet above.
The footprints were probably Adam’s, but Rick wanted to confirm that. All of the bushes along the side of the house were neatly trimmed and undamaged. Unless he was misreading the situation, someone making an exit through the window could not have avoided doing damage to the landscaping, which meant Adam’s assessment had been correct—the open window had been used as a way to contaminate the crime scene.
About fifteen feet separated Thorne’s home from the one next door, so a worker on a ladder could not have missed an open window over here—or what might have been inside. Rick scanned the area one last time, then went to the front door. He knocked and Deputy Cunningham answered, his face somber.
“Looks like we have a development,” Adam said.
“What’s that?”
“Follow me.” The deputy led the way through the front room to an arched doorway which opened to a formal dining room. The room was tastefully decorated in a soft color scheme of taupes and pale blues. The upholstered dining chairs coordinated well with the smoky blue-gray textured wallpaper and artwork. But the cardboard box on the tabletop overflowing with women’s clothing was completely out of character. As was the woman sitting next to the box.
“Laurel?” Rick asked. “What are you doing here?”
“She was upstairs when I arrived,” Deputy Cunningham said. “So far, she’s not talking.”
“I didn’t kill him.” Laurel glared at the deputy and raised her handcuffed wrists. “You have no right to hold me.”
“Actually, this is a crime scene, Laurel. I have every right to arrest you. I haven’t so far, but don’t tempt me.”
Deputy Cunningham held up a key and began removing her handcuffs.
“What were you looking for?” Rick asked.
She rubbed her wrists and glared at him and Adam. “Nothing.”
Tears welled in her eyes and she swiped angrily at her cheeks. Rick glanced at Deputy Cunningham, who was wearily shaking his head. “Come on, Laurel. We’re all friends here.”
“You handcuffed me!”
Deputy Cunningham winced. “Sorry about that, but I had to make sure you didn’t try to escape while I let Rick in.”
“Laurel,” Rick said. “I saw how upset you were at the party. Did you know Thorne was dead then?”
“No. I just found out this morning. I went to Crusty Buns for coffee like I usually do. Mary O’Donnell told me.”
Deputy Cunningham muttered, “Crap. How’d she find out?”
“I don’t know. But everybody was talking about it.”
“Oh great. I thought we’d have a little more time,” the deputy said.
“When did you get here, Laurel?” Rick asked.
Her shoulders slumped and her jaw quivered. “Just after eight-thirty.” She choked back a sob. “I didn’t kill him. I swear.”
“When I arrived, you were on Thorne’s computer,” Deputy Cunningham said. “Do you know how much trouble you’re in?”
Rick held up a hand, hoping Adam got the message—he had Laurel talking and he needed to keep it that way. The deputy seemed to understand because he nodded and backed away.
“Were you hoping to find something in particular on Thorne’s computer?” Rick asked.
Laurel gripped her sides while she avoided looking at either him or Adam. If she wouldn’t listen to reason, what more could they do? He leaned sideways until he was in Laurel’s field of view.
“Look, even if you’ve erased the drive, it can be reconstructed. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Tell us what you were looking for—” Rick stopped mid-sentence. How obtuse could he be? “You were in a relationship with Thorne, weren’t you?”
There was a long pause, then Laurel choked out a single word. “Photos.”
“Of you?” Rick asked.
Laurel closed her eyes and shuddered. She rubbed her shoulders as she spoke. “Letting him take those photos was a mistake. I knew it at the time, but I went along. Maybe I was just desperate to keep him interested.”
Rick put his hand on Laurel’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. Were you planning on coming here before you heard the news?”
“Yes. Thorne was supposed to have some big business thing this morning. I’d decided to break things off with him and I wanted to erase those photos and get back my stuff. His back door lock never worked right, so it I knew it was easy to get in.”
“Thorne just had a locksmith out a week ago,” Deputy Cunningham said.
“That’s true, but it still stuck.” Laurel glanced toward the back door. “The lock is original and it was going to take a special part to fix it. Thorne had the part on order from a locksmith in San Ladron. I guess it had to be made by a machine shop on the East Coast. It was supposed to be here next week.”
Rick pointed at the box next to Laurel. “Are those your clothes?”
“Yes.”
“You were wearing the same sweater as Ken and Dennis last night. Why?”
“Thorne said it was going to be this big Christmas reveal. He was going to make things right with everyone in town.” She choked back a strangled laugh as she tugged on a strand of hair. “Until Friday night, I believed him. I thought he was going to do right by me. I was so naive.”
“Do you mean you thought he might marry you?”
She nodded, then said, “He was never going to do that.”
“What makes you so certain?” Rick asked.
“Darcy Willoughby—or whatever she’s calling herself this year. I’d heard rumors about them, but thought it was just people talking. When I spoke to her at the party I realized she was looking for Thorne. So I asked her point-blank and she told me she had been with him for a while. She made me swear not to tell her mother.”
“She told me the same thing last night,” Rick said. “I guess she’s decided to tell everyone what happened, but swear us all to secrecy.”
“That girl is so deluded,” Laurel screwed up her cheeks into a sneer. “There’s no such thing as a secret in this to
wn. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before her mother hears about it.”
Rick studied the box again and cocked his head to one side—Thorne wanted to make everything right with the town? A big Christmas reveal? What was this, reality TV? “Adam, something isn’t making sense about these sweaters.” He looked at Laurel. “So you have no idea what Thorne was up to—none at all?”
Laurel’s forehead creased as she contemplated Rick. “I don’t. But knowing Thorne, he had something devious planned.”
CHAPTER 20
ALEX
Me and Marquetta have been cleaning up from breakfast. We’ve already put the dishes in the dishwasher, washed up the pots and pans, and taken out the trash. This is one of my favorite times of the day ‘cause this is when me and Daddy and Marquetta all sit around together. But with Daddy off helping Deputy Cunningham, it’s just the two of us. I’ve got juice and Marquetta has coffee. Everybody says she makes the best coffee ever, but I think it tastes too bitter. I think I would like it if I could add lots of chocolate and sugar and milk.
“Marquetta? Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course, Sweetie.” She looks at me over the top of her Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast mug. It’s super awesome and even has a logo with a lighthouse on the side.
“Why is everyone so mad at Mr. Waldorf?”
“Oh.” Marquetta’s smile gets big and she kinda laughs. “So now he’s Mr. Waldorf? I thought he was Wimpy Waldorf.”
Uh oh. How’d she hear? “My dad told you about that?”
Marquetta shakes her head and puts down her mug. I’ve got my hair pulled back just like she does except she’s got a red scrunchie and mine is purple. I hope I’m as pretty as she is when I grow up.
“No. I heard it from someone else. Alex, do you see now why it’s not good to call people names? It’s way too easy for it to get back to the other person.”
“I’m sorry. I thought only me and Sasha and Robbie knew it.”
“And maybe a few of the kids at school?”
“Well…I guess.”
“And maybe someone who might have overheard you at the party?”
My cheeks feel all hot. I guess our secret wasn’t so secret.
“It can be very demeaning, Sweetie. For both you and the other person.”
“What’s demeaning?”
Marquetta winks at me and picks up her mug. “It’s how you feel right now—embarrassed.”
My cheeks get even hotter and my jaw gets all tight. “But what do I do when the other kids use nicknames?”
“That’s up to you. You’ll have to decide what’s right at the time.”
She reaches out and puts her hand on mine. It’s warm and friendly and reminds me of having a hot chocolate on a foggy morning.
“So, back to your question. Why did so many people dislike Thorne Waldorf? Where do I begin? Most recently, he’s been trying to get downtown business owners to sell out.”
“Is this ‘cause of that museum they want to build?”
“I assume so. Nobody knows for sure. He’s put a lot of pressure on some of those owners these past few months and it’s made life difficult for them. I’ve known most of them all my life and they’re good people.”
“Was Mr. Waldorf a bad person?”
Marquetta frowns and looks away. She shakes her head. “Probably not. I can’t figure out why he chose to stand with the outsiders trying to take over, not with those of us here. I suppose he might still have felt like an outsider even though he’d lived here for ten years. Or maybe he just wanted the money.”
“Did he sue a lot of people?”
“I really don’t know. Thorne was a strange man. It’s almost like he never fit in. You and your dad both made friends right away. But I don’t know if Thorne had any. Anyway, whatever was going on with him, I’m sure your dad will get to the bottom of it. We need to get back to work. That means you need to go get your teeth brushed. We’ve got supplies to stock, some cleaning to do, and then we have to bake for tomorrow.”
“Can I take a few minutes to write in my journal?”
“Sure, Sweetie. Meet me back here in half an hour, okay?”
“Perfect!”
December 18
Hey Journal,
I only have a few minutes ‘cause I’m gonna have to go back and help Marquetta. Since so many people hated Mr. Waldorf, that could mean me and Robbie heard the killers talking while we were under the table! But I’ve gotta be sure before I say anything. When Daddy was a reporter, he said he always double-checked his sources, so that’s what I’m gonna do.
Wish me luck!
Alex
When I get downstairs, Marquetta is sitting at the kitchen counter. She’s got her mug in front of her and she’s staring off into the corner. It’s like she’s waiting for me. The last time I saw her like this was a couple months ago. My breath catches and I hope everything’s okay. I swallow hard ‘cause I’m not sure if I wanna know what’s going on.
“Marquetta? Is something the matter?”
“I’ve been thinking, Sweetie.” She wrinkles her eyebrows and looks right at me. “What are you up to?”
“I brushed my teeth and wrote in my journal.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. Why are you so interested in Thorne Waldorf? It didn’t occur to me until just a few minutes ago, but I believe you have an ulterior motive.”
I can’t be busted again! No way. “What’s an ulterior motive?”
“You know exactly what it is. It’s a reason other than the one you gave me. Now fess up, young lady. Why were you asking those questions about Thorne?”
I am so dead. Marquetta won’t stop until I tell her the truth. I twist the bottom of my T-shirt in my hands as I look up at her. “‘Cause he died?”
She shakes her head and gives me her real serious look. “Not good enough. Why are you suddenly so interested in him? And don’t give me any excuses.”
She is so not gonna let this go. “I…”
“Alex, I know you have an unhealthy curiosity when it comes to this sort of thing. I want the truth. Now.”
This totally sucks. “I kinda heard something at the party.”
The corners of Marquetta’s mouth get all tight and she starts nodding. “Sit.” She points at my stool and takes the one next to it. “What did you hear?”
“All the people were talking about how much they hated Mr. Waldorf, so me and Sasha and Robbie decided to find out why.” I climb up on the barstool, but now Marquetta is shaking her head.
“It would be more accurate to say you concocted a plan and recruited them to help you. Am I right?”
When Marquetta becomes my mom, I hope I don’t wind up getting grounded all the time. I hang my head and look at the counter. “Yes.”
“Oh, Lordy, what am I getting into? Sweetie, I’ve come to realize you’re not going to change. Your dad still thinks he can protect you and keep you from trying to help him. I don’t think that’s possible. So here’s the deal. I’ve covered for you before. I will not continue to cover for you if you lie to me or your dad.”
I wrinkle my nose like I’m smelling something bad. I totally know what’s coming next. “Am I grounded?”
“No.”
What? I’m not?
“You’re going to tell me what you’ve done. Then, we’re going to figure out a way to tell your dad.”
I groan. Marquetta’s not going to ground me, Daddy is.
“I will also help you.”
My mouth drops open and I gawk at her. “You are?” I hold my breath and wait for her to answer. She looks like she’s making a super hard decision ‘cause she’s taking a long time. When she nods, I finally breathe again.
“You are not going to stop. I know that. Your dad may not accept it, but we’ll work on him. So with that in mind, here are the ground rules. First, you are not to ever, under any circumstances, do anything that could put you in danger. You do not confront people, ask questions of them, or interact in any
way with someone who might be connected to the crime. Do you understand?”
“That’s kinda limiting, isn’t it?” I raise my eyebrows and wait, but I know she’s not gonna give in on this.
“It’s for your own safety. In other words, you are allowed to investigate from a distance. Am I clear?”
I think that’s one reason I love Marquetta so much—I know she wants what’s best for me. “How am I gonna find out anything if I can’t ask people questions?”
Marquetta leans forward and looks at me real close. “If you violate my rule, I will have your father ground you until you’re twenty-one.”
“That’s like ten years!”
“Correct.”
“Is there anything else?” This is totally gonna mess with my plans.
“You are going to keep me informed of everything you do.”
My life is over. “Marquetta…”
“This is not a negotiation, Alex. I’m putting you under close supervision for your own protection. And since I can’t keep you from spying on people and digging into a murder investigation, you and I are going to become partners.”
“Really? You and me? Partners? Why?”
“You have a very vivid imagination and have come up with some wild theories before, but the reality is you’ve also seen things everyone else missed. So, as of now, you and I have no secrets about these investigations.”
“None?”
“I’m not sure you realize what that means, Alex. I said ‘we’ don’t have secrets.”
“Oh…so you’re gonna like tell me what you know, too?”
“Exactly. If I know something that’s relevant to your investigation, I’ll tell you about it.”
Wow. Marquetta hears all the juicy stuff about what’s going on in town. “So you’re gonna tell me everything about everybody?”
She shakes her head. “No. I never have spread gossip, and I’m not starting now. I will, however, tell you things I know to be a fact that are relevant. Also, you are not to share what I tell you with anyone except your dad. You are not to tell your friends what we’re doing because that could jeopardize your safety.”
“My friends wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”
The Killer Christmas Sweater Club Page 7
