Deadly Surprise (The Early Bird Cafe Cozy Mystery Series Book 2)

by Ginny Gold

  “No, I don’t think so.” Ignorance truly was bliss. Jay was still plenty relaxed.

  “Good. I just didn’t see you take anything but I must have just missed it.”

  Jay’s face suddenly blanched. “Oh my God.”

  “So you did forget something?” she asked, trying to remain calm. “Because I checked later and I didn’t see anything.” She realized that this conversation was starting to sound more and more suspicious.

  “No, I did forget something. You didn’t see it?”

  Kori shook her head, starting to reach the same level of panic as Jay.

  “I’ll stop by later and double check,” he said, regaining his composure.

  “Great. What can I get you both for breakfast?”

  Kori was busy the rest of the morning, making more batches of popovers than anything else, even the omelets which were usually the biggest seller.

  At one, Kori flipped the sign around, locked the door and took Ibis outside for another walk. She was thankful that Ibis could spend the whole morning without needing to go out. She wasn’t sure what she’d do otherwise.

  As she rounded the final corner to go home, she saw her mother standing outside the café. It wasn’t part of her routine to show up on Tuesday afternoons so she hoped everything was okay.

  “Hi Mom,” Kori said, coming up behind her.

  “Oh, there you are. And with a dog? When did you get her?”

  “Sunday. I forgot to introduce you to her yesterday. This is Ibis.”

  Gale smiled at the name and bent down to pet her. Ibis sat and let Gale shower her with attention.

  “What’s up?” Kori finally asked.

  “You won’t believe it,” Gale said, hands waving to emphasize her point. Kori refrained from rolling her eyes. “I just found out that Jay’s DNA was at Heidi’s murder! I had no idea he knew her! What was he doing there?”

  “Why are you asking me about this? Shouldn’t you be talking to Jay?” Kori asked, unlocking the door and going inside, Ibis and Gale right behind her.

  “Oh you know how he is. He just closed right up when I started asking him about it.” Kori could imagine. “So I came to you.”

  “How’d you find out about the DNA?”

  “Well, you know my friend Jan Collins?” Kori nodded. “Well, we were at yoga just now—you should start coming with me—and she went to the Auto Body this morning and over heard Jay and Spencer talking about it. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. You knew, didn’t you?”

  Kori nodded.

  “What was he doing in Scoter Circle this weekend?”

  “He wasn’t there. That’s the weirdest part. And it hasn’t been confirmed as his DNA. All they know is it’s a male relative of mine. I’m in the system because of my arrest for Tessa’s murder. But they haven’t been able to definitively pin this on Jay.”

  “And he knew Heidi?” Gale asked, sitting at a booth. Kori took the seat across from her.

  “Not well. They met on an online—” She had to cut herself off before she gave away one of Jay’s secrets.

  “Online? How do you meet someone online?”

  Kori shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe she was a friend of a friend or something. But he talked to her a couple years ago and not since. So it doesn’t make any sense.”

  Gale’s face turned serious and she was unable to look at Kori. “So they just know it’s a male relative of yours whose DNA was there?” Kori nodded and Gale continued. “What about Tyler? Weren’t you asking about him?”

  “Yeah. That’s why. We looked him up on Facebook but we couldn’t figure out if there was any connection to Heidi. And he doesn’t live around here.”

  “Well . . .” Gale started and paused. She looked down at her hands on top of the table. Kori waited patiently for her to continue. “I don’t know how to tell you this.” She paused again. “But there’s something you should know about your father.”

  Kori looked at her mother in shock. Was he still alive? She’d gone to the funeral. Had it all been a ruse to get him out of their lives?

  “He was married before we met.” Gale paused again.

  Realization started to dawn on Kori. “Did he have any kids?” she asked.

  Gale nodded, still unable to look Kori in the eye. “One son. I don’t know his name. All I know is the mother’s name is Sharon. I told your father I didn’t want to know anything else. It was all part of his life before me and it didn’t matter to me that he had another family.”

  “How could we not have known his son, our brother?” Kori asked, more angry that her dad had kept a half brother from her than that he might now be a killer.

  “His ex-wife didn’t want anything to do with him. And your father was fine with not knowing his son. I guess that should have been my first warning sign.” Kori couldn’t agree more. “But what’s done is done. We both know Jay didn’t kill Heidi so it must be whoever this other man is.”

  “Do you know how I could find him?” Kori asked, almost positive that it would be Brett Carr, Larry Downing—who was now dead anyway—or Wesley Sanders. “Where did they live when they were married?”

  Gale shook her head. “I don’t know. That was all so long ago. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us sooner? I have to call Jay.”

  “I don’t know.” Kori was floored by how guilty and ashamed her mother looked. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. But it was part of your father’s life, something he should have wanted to tell you. And then he was gone and you were both grown and it was never the right time.”

  Kori nodded. She didn’t envy being in her mother’s position knowing she had a secret she was keeping from her kids.

  “So, what about coming to yoga with Jan and me sometime?” Gale asked, changing the subject and perking up at a lighter topic.

  “Yeah . . . maybe.” Kori was too distracted to really think about it.

  “Great. Think it over. I’ve gotta run. Sorry to drop this bombshell on you.”

  Kori waved offhandedly and sent Jay a message: Come now. News about suspects. Going to Heidi’s memorial.

  While she waited, she cleaned up the kitchen but couldn’t get the news from her mother out of her head. She had another brother. And he had to be the murderer.

  CHAPTER 8

  As soon as Jay walked into The Early Bird Café Kori blurted out, “We have a half brother. Mom just told me Dad had another family. He was married before they met.”

  She could see that Jay was trying to make sense of her hurried news without thinking she’d completely lost her marbles and needed to be admitted to a mental institution. She kept talking before he could say anything. “He has to be Heidi’s murderer. And maybe even Larry’s.”

  “Wait, what?” Jay sat down, a dazed look still stuck on his face. “Slow down. Start over. We have a brother? Larry’s murderer? And let’s talk outside so I can check your car for my gun. You really didn’t see it?” he asked.

  Kori shook her head and walked outside. “I’ll start with your first question. Dad was married before he met Mom,” she started and explained everything more slowly about not knowing how to find their brother but knowing that finding him would be the missing key to the puzzle.

  Jay looked at her in shock, waiting for her to unlock her car. Finally, he said, “What if we just called the bank and pretended to be one of these guys. We’d at least find out if they have an account there. It might narrow it down a little.”

  Kori was skeptical. She unlocked the car and got in the driver’s seat. Jay sat in the passenger’s seat and opened the glove box and started rooting around inside it.

  “The first thing they’ll ask is for the account number. Or the last four digits of your social security number. Or your verbal password. They won’t even let on that they know the name until they’re sure it’s really the account holder on the line, and not someone pretending to be them.”

  “You’re probably right.” Jay got o
ut of the front seat and got in the back to keep looking.

  Kori turned around in her seat to face him. “But if we can find out which of them is Sharon’s son, we might be able to narrow it down and take our chances with one call.”

  “I’m on it,” Jay said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Kori expected him to get online but instead he started dialing a number.

  “Who are you calling?” she asked.

  Jay looked at her sheepishly. “The new girl I’ve been seeing—or, well, talking to. She works in Scoter Circle with the Office of Public Records.”

  “And you decided not to tell me until now?” Kori was excited for her brother but annoyed that he’d been withholding information that could have helped them clear his name—and find their brother—faster.

  “It didn’t seem relevant until now.” Jay leaned back against the seat and held up one finger as he listened to the person who answered the phone. After a pause, he said into the phone, “Could I please speak with Paula Short?” Kori waited again for Jay to speak when she assumed Paula came onto the other line. “Hi Paula, it’s Jay . . . I’m good, how are you? . . . No, I’m actually calling about a family thing . . . I just found out I have a brother I didn’t know about and I was hoping he was a resident at some point in Scoter Circle . . . No, I don’t know his name. But his mom’s name is Sharon . . . He’s gotta be about ten years older than me . . . Great. Thanks. Bye.”

  Kori was surprised that he hung up without getting any information. “What was that about? She can’t help?”

  “No, she can. She’s going to pull records for anyone named Sharon with a son close to the age we think he’d be. She’ll call me back.”

  “Well, in the meantime, let’s get going to Scoter Circle for Heidi’s memorial. No gun?”

  “No gun. I have no idea where it is. Again. And I’m not sure it’s the best idea for me to go to the memorial. If I was already recognized in Scoter Circle yesterday I don’t think I should be showing my face there again today. Especially at Heidi’s memorial.”

  Kori knew he was probably right. “Fine. Take Ibis with you. I’m going alone then.”

  Jay nodded, got out of the car and headed back toward the front door to the café.

  Kori couldn’t believe Jay’s gun was really missing. Where could it have gone from the time they left the café, drove to Scoter Circle and she dropped off Jay at home? Could Brett have taken it?

  She drove like a madwoman to Scoter Circle, not missing the turn this time. She was a half hour early for the memorial so decided to drive by Brett’s house. She was thankful that she’d had the foresight to figure out where he lived.

  As she turned down his street, she slowed down and checked her rearview mirror to make sure no one was following her. She knew she had to cover all of her bases if she was going to stay safe. Meri and Brett would likely recognize her, but she didn’t think anyone else in Scoter Circle knew her. That was definitely to her advantage.

  As she drove by Brett’s house, she saw lights on and knew she had to keep going. But she made a mental note to circle back later. He’d likely be at the memorial. Maybe a better plan was to get inside his house and check for Jay’s gun.

  She also wanted to check out Heidi’s house. She pulled over to the side of the road, pulled out her phone and checked the online memorial notice. Thankfully, it listed Heidi’s address. And the memorial was about to start, all the way across town. Instead of heading for the memorial, Kori went to Heidi’s address.

  She parked a block away and calmly walked toward the listed address. The street was empty and Kori figured all of the neighbors were at the memorial. It was probably a close knit, small community and she wouldn’t be noticed because no one was home. At least that was what she hoped would be the case.

  She walked to the corner and then doubled back, checking again for anyone following her. Then she walked to Heidi’s front door and knocked.

  There was no answer so she tried the front door. It was locked, so she started walking around the house, checking side doors and any windows. She found the back door unlocked and let herself in.

  Kori wanted to see if there was any evidence of Heidi personally knowing any of the men she was investigating. She knew Heidi and Brett had a relationship, and Brett was looking more and more guilty, but what about Larry, Oscar and Wesley? Sure, Larry was dead. But maybe the two murders were connected and finding the connection could solve both.

  Kori walked straight into the living room, which was filled with matching furniture and was spotless. She knew enough about Jay that this relationship never would have worked once they met in person and she saw how sloppy he was. She didn’t know if he even washed his own laundry or waited until he was dating someone who would do it. Though that could take months between cycles.

  There was one photo on the wall that caught her eye—Brett with who she assumed was Heidi and their son. If they weren’t together, why did Heidi have a family photo up? Was she trying to hold on to something that wasn’t there?

  The living room was at one end of the downstairs. The whole floor was mostly open so she walked slowly toward the front of the house, careful to keep out of the way of windows. She walked toward the kitchen and dining areas, still looking at anything on the walls.

  The thought suddenly crossed her mind that the house wasn’t taped off with police tape, like half of the conference center yesterday. Where had Heidi been killed? And wouldn’t her house still be off limits? Well, Kori had technically trespassed to enter it, so she supposed it was off limits.

  Kori didn’t see anything that caught her attention and she didn’t want to disturb anything. The kitchen was just as organized as the living room had been so any movement would easily be noticed.

  She made her way upstairs and found two bedrooms, one obviously belonging to a child, and a small office. She started in what she had to assume was Heidi’s bedroom and was met by a similar theme as downstairs—matching furniture, everything in its place, not a speck of dust anywhere. She couldn’t believe that if the police had searched the house they would have put everything back where it went. She had firsthand experience of what a police search looked like. And The Early Bird Café’s kitchen had not been left in order after it was completed.

  Finally, Kori walked into the small office. She was almost afraid to enter it as soon as she opened the door. There was a desk with a computer and a chair, a bookshelf and a filing cabinet. But nothing was in the same state of tidiness as the rest of the house.

  There were no books on the bookshelf; they were strewn across the whole office, which wasn’t a big space. And each filing cabinet drawer was left open, papers clearly out of order as if someone had been in a hurry to find something.

  Kori carefully leafed through the papers that were left somewhat intact in the filing cabinet but couldn’t figure out what kind of filing system had been used.

  Suddenly she realized that it was not quite as bright as it had been when she entered the house and decided she’d maybe reached her limit of safely looking through the house. She wasn’t quite satisfied with what she’d found—or not found—but she knew she had to put her safety first.

  She closed the office door and quietly walked back downstairs. She let herself out the back door and walked through the neighbor’s yard and back on to the street where she found her car waiting for her.

  She calmly got back in, thinking about everything she’d seen inside, and drove back home. This time she didn’t check behind her to see if anyone was following.

  CHAPTER 9

  Kori swung by Jay’s house to pick up Ibis and tell him what she’d found. Neither of them could figure out what the messed up office had to do with the rest of the puzzle pieces and he still hadn’t heard back from Paula so she decided to head home. She was exhausted and after a quick dinner, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  As expected, her alarm woke her up at four and Ibis was still curled next to her. As soon as Kori made
a move to get up, Ibis jumped off the bed and headed to the door.

  “You already know the routine, don’t you?” Kori said to Ibis and chuckled. She might have to start getting up earlier so she could take Ibis for a proper walk.

  Once Kori was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, she led the way downstairs, through the café and out the front door. Ibis never once pulled on the leash, but it was clear that she thoroughly enjoyed her time outside. Kori thought that maybe a near daily visit to Red Clover Farm so Ibis could play with Milo and Otis would be in order soon.

  Back in the kitchen, Kori checked what she had available for breakfast. She didn’t like leaving things to the last minute, but her late night hadn’t given her a chance to get anything prepared ahead of time.

  She pulled out frozen—homemade—blueberry muffins and turned the oven on low to defrost them. She didn’t have the energy to get too fancy with her egg breakfasts so decided on fried eggs, hash browns and fruit. She’d have to make each order as it came but she wouldn’t have to plan ahead.

  There was still a lot of granola and yogurt so she decided to offer that again. And finally, cinnamon French toast. She grabbed three loaves of cinnamon bread from the freezer and started defrosting them in the microwave.

  Just after five thirty, with the sign turned to open and a coffee in Kori’s hand, Gale walked in before her Wednesday morning spin class.

  “Morning, Mom,” Kori said, less than thrilled to see her. She was still waking up and didn’t think she had the energy to sit through any of Gale’s high energy stories.

  “Kori, you won’t believe this,” Gale said, waving her hands around to add to the drama.

  “I probably won’t,” Kori agreed sarcastically.

  Gale opened the fridge and helped herself to juice. “That new detective Zach hired—what’s her name?”