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

by Ginny Gold

“Lani Silver.”

  “Right, Lani. You’ll never guess who I saw her with last night.”

  Kori’s stomach twisted into knots. Who else did Lani even know in town other than Zach? Had Kori’s fears been right? Was Zach interested in her? Who wouldn’t be? She was beautiful.

  “Jay!”

  “What?” Kori wasn’t sure she’d heard right. As far as she knew, Jay online dated women online who he didn’t have a chance of running into. “Where?”

  “That’s right. I stopped at the bar on my way home and she and Jay were awfully close. She was giggling like a schoolgirl.” Gale held up her hands in defense.

  “Are you sure? Jay told me he’s been seeing someone named Paula.”

  “Well, whoever Paula is better high tail it outa there because he definitely has his eye on Lani.”

  Kori was shocked. She’d even been to Jay’s on her way home. He must have gone out after she stopped by to get Ibis. And he hadn’t even said anything to her.

  “Well that’s . . . great,” Kori said hesitantly. Was it great?

  “I’m off to spin. See you tonight at Red Clover Farm.”

  Gale waved and hurried back out the front door before her words sank into Kori’s consciousness. Gale was going to be at Nora’s opening. And Kori was going to be there on a date with Zach. Was she ready to let her mother know about this budding relationship?

  Kori didn’t have time to dwell on that question as the door opened and Betsy Scoop walked in with Jenna Rhodes. They both waved to Kori and took a booth seat.

  “Morning ladies, what can I get you today?” Kori asked, two mugs with their regular coffees already in her hand that she placed in front of them.

  “Wow, what service,” Jenna gushed. “I’ll just have a muffin. I’ve gotta be quick. I have an early morning with the kiddos today. One mom had an early meeting but I couldn’t pass up breakfast out.”

  “I’ll take the French toast,” Betsy ordered. “I was thinking of trying to make a French toast ice cream to offer at Scoop’s Scoops. What do you think?”

  “That sounds great but I don’t know anything about making ice cream,” Kori admitted.

  “I know the kids in my day care would eat that up,” Jenna added.

  Kori headed back to the kitchen to get their breakfasts ready and the morning rush began. Gale’s friend Jan came in with her grandkids on their way to school. The year was coming to a close and the kids’ energy and excitement for the summer vacation was evident.

  A family of six filled up nearly a third of the café for almost an hour, causing a longer wait time than usual but Kori was happy for the business.

  Finally, Kori was able to close the café and call Jay. She had way too many things to ask him about. She wanted to find out if he’d been on an actual date with Lani Silver or if he was just trying to get information from her about this case. And she needed to know what was really going on with Paula. Had she given him any information about Sharon and their half brother? And was he dating two women at the same time? That was not who Jay was at all.

  He didn’t answer his phone so she decided to clean up and catch up on the office work she’d been putting off all week. Sitting down at her desk, Ibis next to her on the only dog bed she should have bought, Kori couldn’t help looking up Wesley, Brett and Larry online. A search for Larry Downing brought up plenty of newspaper articles already published about his death. It was ruled a homicide and detectives had a few suspects in mind. Kori wished she knew who was on that list and if Jay was one of the people they were targeting. If the same DNA was found at his crime scene, she figured it would only be a matter of time before he was arrested. Looking through the articles, she learned that he was not a well-liked man and likely had plenty of enemies.

  She also found information about his family—never married, no kids, and both parents deceased. But both parents were listed. What a lonely life he had, she thought to herself. With no family, and at most a few friends, he had to have had a lonely existence.

  Kori couldn’t cross him off as her brother but he moved lower down the list. She’d have to verify that the father listed in the newspaper was his birth father and not a step-father or adoptive parent. And since his mother’s name wasn’t Sharon, he was looking like a stranger rather than a half brother.

  She moved on to Wesley Sanders. She’d bookmarked a few pages with information about him from a previous search and was immediately rewarded with useful information that she’d overlooked. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten all of the clues: Wesley was from Scoter Circle; there was no mention of a father; and he was ten years older than Kori. That would make him only seven years older than Jay, but that was still within the general time period that her dad might have gotten someone else pregnant before meeting their mom.

  She called Jay again. As she listened to it ring over and over until voicemail picked up, she unconsciously reached down and patted Ibis’ head. When she realized what she was doing, she was relieved to have her by her side.

  Kori heard Jay’s recorded voice pick up and she hung up. She wasn’t going to leave a message. She needed to tell him her realization in person. So she headed outside, Ibis at her heels, and got in her car.

  She drove the short distance to HC Auto Body to find Jay, leaving Ibis in the car, and headed into the office. She found Spencer on the phone and pacing behind his desk. He looked up when she closed the door behind her and he held up one finger for her to wait.

  “. . . Sure, I’ll pass on the message . . . Thanks.” Then he hung up and turned back to Kori. “What’s going on Kori? Have you seen Jay?” he asked, sitting in the chair behind the desk instead of continuing to pace.

  Kori was confused. “I haven’t seen him since last night.”

  “He hasn’t been in since lunch. He said he had something he had to help you with and just about ran out of here.”

  Kori had a good idea of where he might be. She waved her thanks and without saying a word left Spencer’s office. She thought she heard him call her back in but she couldn’t be sure. She was on a mission and blocked everything else out.

  Back in her car, she tried Jay’s phone again. She wasn’t surprised he didn’t pick up. Instead of leaving a voicemail, she put the car in drive and headed toward Scoter Circle. She was confident she’d find him there.

  ***

  Kori had too many questions: Why didn’t Jay call her back when he heard from Paula? Did Wesley know about Kori and Jay? Had he set Jay up for revenge at having a present father? Was it all just a coincidence? What did Heidi have to do with it?

  That last question was eating away at her and she couldn’t let it go. Halfway to Scoter Circle she pulled over to take Ibis for a short walk and she used that opportunity to call Heidi’s bank. She wasn’t sure she’d get anywhere but she had to give it a try.

  A hesitant—and young sounding—voice answered after the first ring. She was immediately thankful for businesses answering their phones, unlike her brother.

  “Eastern Credit Union, how can I help you?” Kori pictured a twenty year old working at home for the summer as a teller.

  “Hi, I’m calling on behalf of Wesley Sanders—” Before she could finish her lie, she was cut off.

  “Hi Marsha,” the voice said. “As I’m sure you’re aware, Heidi no longer works here and we haven’t had a chance to hire her replacement to personally oversee Mr. Sanders’ safety deposit box. I know that he likes to know the person overseeing its security, and I can assure you that as soon as we have someone in place we’ll let him know.”

  Kori heard some scuffling in the background and a man’s voice came on the line. “Who is this?” he asked gruffly. “Marsha? Is that you?” Then Kori heard him give the phone back to the younger person and speak roughly to her. “Did she tell you her name was Marsha? Did you confirm her identity? We never just assume who it is.”

  Then the line went dead.

  But that answered Kori’s most important question: Heidi had been Wesle
y’s personal link at the bank where something important to him must have been kept in a safety deposit box.

  Kori got back in her car, Ibis in the back seat, and drove even faster to Scoter Circle, dialing Jay’s number half a dozen more times. As she approached the center of town, she started looking around for Jay’s car. She didn’t know where Paula’s office was but hoped it was near downtown. If she’d called Jay—like Kori suspected—then he probably went to her office to get whatever information she’d come up with.

  Just as she was crawling toward an intersection, a car came speeding from the road on her right and flew toward the stop sign. Kori hit her brakes just in time, but then the other car suddenly stopped, half in her lane.

  Kori continued slowly through the intersection, turning just in time to see the other car start approaching her as she passed. She stepped on the gas and floored it out of the way before she was hit.

  Her heart was pounding as she continued driving, glancing in her rearview mirror to see the other car turn right behind her, swerve into the other lane, then overcorrect and drive off the road to the right.

  Kori knew she’d missed an accident by just a few inches and she slowed down to see what was happening behind her. Pulling over and stopping, she assumed the other driver was too drunk to be on the road so she dialed 911.

  She got out of her car and walked slowly back toward the other car that was still off the road. The driver hadn’t yet emerged.

  “Nine one one, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher said.

  Kori continued toward the car. “Hi. I’m in the center of Scoter Circle and a car just went off the road behind me. I think the driver must have been drunk,” she said.

  “Is anyone hurt?”

  “I don’t know. No one was hit. But I can’t see the driver.”

  “I’ll have an ambulance on its way.”

  Kori hung up. She knew she shouldn’t have, but she had to make sure the driver was okay without being distracted by the dispatcher asking her questions.

  As she got closer to the car, she saw that the driver was moving. She could see that it was a man, older than herself, and that he was trying to open his door.

  When he got the door open, she couldn’t believe who stepped out of the car.

  CHAPTER 10

  Kori was only a hundred feet from Wesley Sanders. And he was struggling to stay on his feet. She didn’t know if it was from severe intoxication or the accident or both. But he was coming toward her and he had a look of recognition on his face.

  Kori stopped in her tracks. His expression was not one of happiness; there was a sneer on his lips.

  “If it isn’t Kori Cooke,” he said, stumbling closer to her.

  Kori felt in her pocket for her phone. She suddenly wished she’d let Ibis out of the car. It was still mid afternoon so anyone could see them, but there wasn’t much traffic and of the few cars who’d driven past, no one stopped. She hoped the ambulance would be there soon.

  “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I know you,” she stammered, hoping her voice sounded stronger than she felt.

  “Kori Cooke. Don’t tell me you don’t know me; your own brother. Well, let me introduce myself. Wesley Sanders. I know. You’re thinking I should share your last name since we share a father. But he wasn’t quite what my mom was looking for in a partner so she gave me her name.”

  Kori continued to stare at him blankly, keeping her distance. If it was his DNA at Heidi’s murder, she wondered how she was going to get a confession out of him. And if it would even matter with no other witnesses around.

  “You’re not going to just let me stand here without a hug, are you?”

  Wesley started coming toward her again and she took a step back. She scanned him up and down, looking for anything that could be a weapon.

  “You don’t trust me?” he asked, the sneer growing. “I wouldn’t hurt my own baby sister.”

  The words came spilling out of her mouth before she could stop them. “You have no right to take this out on me. Or on Jay. Our father might not have been the best dad but there was nothing either of us could have done to change that.”

  “Oh, so he wasn’t what you were looking for in a dad either?”

  Kori regretted telling him that now. She didn’t know if or how he’d use it against her. If that was even his intention. But if he had truly done to Heidi what she thought he had—and maybe even to Larry—she didn’t want to think about what else he was capable of. She kept her mouth shut again.

  Thankfully, she heard a siren approaching and she relaxed just slightly, glancing behind her to see if the ambulance was in sight. It wasn’t.

  Before she could turn back around to look at Wesley, he had his arm around her neck, her back to his front, and she panicked. She felt the tip of a gun at her back, safely hidden from any passing cars between their two bodies.

  He said straight into her ear, “I’ve waited years for this moment. I’ve known about you and Jay and Gale all my life. But I used that hatred to fuel my own success. Until Jay got involved with Heidi. That was his downfall.”

  Wesley paused and Kori let those words sink in. His downfall? Had he killed Jay? Was that why he wasn’t answering his phone?

  Wesley started forcing Kori backwards toward his car off the road. She panicked even more, trying to pry his arm off from around her neck, looking around franticly for the ambulance that she knew would show up soon. She needed it to be soon or she was afraid of what would happen to her.

  “You might think I’d want to frame Brett. That would have been perfect, wouldn’t it? The history of abuse. A broken household. A son he doesn’t care for. But no. I needed something to make me feel better after Heidi made that mistake weeks ago. I never should have trusted her with my safety deposit box.”

  Kori wasn’t sure what he was talking about. What had Heidi done? What did he have to feel better about? And why did he have to kill Heidi?

  She didn’t know how close to his car they were but they continued moving backwards.

  “Larry had no business seeing what I was keeping in there. And Heidi knew it. But she couldn’t help herself. He was such a smooth talker. That’s how he made all his billions—by preying on young women who were financially insecure and taking advantage of the people they knew. But he picked the wrong person to mess with.”

  What had Wesley been hiding?

  “Heidi claimed it was an accident that she opened up my box when Larry came in for his. But she knew both of us personally, if you know what I mean. There was no way it was an innocent mistake. And now my career has been ruined. Those documents were never supposed to be found. I should have just burned them.”

  Documents? What documents? Was that why Heidi’s office at home had been torn apart? Had Wesley broken in to look for those documents?

  She pulled at his arm harder and suddenly he released her. She stumbled forward, landing face first on the ground, and then turned around to see Jay standing over Wesley. The trunk was open and Jay was holding a tire iron.

  “I don’t know what he was thinking. If he killed me, he would have been the only one left to blame for Heidi and Larry’s death. Without my DNA, he was doomed,” Jay said, calmer than Kori could imagine.

  Just then, the ambulance arrived, followed by two police cars.

  “I believe this is the man you’ve been looking for,” Kori said, pointing to an unconscious Wesley lying in a heap on the ground. “He’s responsible for Heidi Fischer and Larry Downing’s deaths. He’s my half brother so you can check his DNA for a match.”

  ***

  It was hours later that Kori and Jay finally made it back to Hermit Cove. They’d had to wait for Wesley to wake up before he was arrested and they gave their statements. Then they started asking questions to figure out what had really happened. Thankfully, with a call from Zach to convince Scoter Circle Police Department to tell them what happened, their questions were finally answered.

  Wesley had been a long time customer of H
eidi’s bank and had trusted her as soon as he’d met her. He’d almost solely communicated with her through the online dating website to conceal any conversations they had. The documents he’d been hiding in his safety deposit box had contained information about all of the insider trading he’d been doing during his sixteen year career on Wall Street. Heidi hadn’t known what it was but Larry had bribed her to let him see what was inside.

  Wesley knew that if word got out about his trading habits he’d be ruined. He’d lose everything and spend the rest of his life in prison. So he’d gone after Heidi and Larry.

  But in the process he decided that he could also satisfy his need for revenge against his unknown father and the family he’d been abandoned for. It was easy enough to get his hands on Jay’s gun since Gale was so scatterbrained and had left it in sight in her car during the yoga retreat.

  And Jay had been just as careless when he and Kori showed up in Scoter Circle to talk to Brett. He’d taken it a second time and had it in his hand when Jay knocked him out with the tire iron. The previous night, he’d seen Kori back in Scoter Circle and had followed her back to Hermit Cove where she’d gone straight to Jay’s house. He’d used that information at lunch to track down Jay and kidnap him. He was planning to finish his revenge and fully frame Jay when Kori interrupted it.

  Wesley’s fingerprints and DNA were at both crime scenes and Jay was easily cleared.

  Once they were finally satisfied with the information Scoter Circle Police Department had given them, Kori drove Jay home for some much needed rest. She couldn’t help herself from asking him, even after the long day they’d endured, about Lani. “We’ve been in touch for a couple months online. She didn’t move here for me,” Jay told her. “But it sure is a plus.” Kori noticed his larger than normal smile.

  “What about Paula?” she asked.

  “She never was able to find Wesley’s information.”

  Kori glanced at him. “That’s not what I meant. You said you’ve been seeing her.”

  “Just online. It’s not going to work out. She’ll be fine.”