by Cate Conte
I was pretty pleased with myself for thinking that bit up on the fly. But given the look on his face, it must’ve hit some nerve. Public ridicule, especially for a family like his, could be a powerful persuader.
Cole closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he moved to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of vodka. He splashed some into a glass, added an oversized ice cube from a tray in the freezer. He didn’t offer me a drink.
After taking a swig, he dropped into a chair. He didn’t invite me to sit. I didn’t mind. I liked standing over him.
“Well?” I demanded, after a few moments of silence. “I don’t have all day, Cole. Becky’s got the piece ready to go, so if it gets too late she’s sending it as the front page of the living section.”
“I’m not protecting him!” he blurted out. “I have no idea what he did. There were so many people fighting at that house that night that I’m surprised only one person walked away dead!” He frowned. “That didn’t make sense, did it. She didn’t walk away.”
I rolled my eyes. He really wasn’t that smart. “Was Gabe there?”
Cole nodded. “He was with Holly. They’d been on and off for years. But he broke it off with her for good earlier in the summer. She was torturing him. God, she was out of control. She had so many boyfriends I wasn’t sure how she ever kept them straight. She and I have been friends since high school,” he said in response to the question on my face. “She told me all of her drama. Between her boyfriends and the battle to the death she had with her sister, I’m surprised she made it as long as she did.” He sounded sad about this. “She wasn’t a bad person. Just messed up.”
I didn’t think he was in any position to judge, but I held my tongue. At least I had him talking now. “So she and Gabe were split up? Or together?”
“Split, technically, but since he was the one to break it off with her this time, she felt like she needed to get him back just so she could break up with him herself. She had a thing for being in control.”
“She sounds delightful,” I said dryly.
Cole shrugged. “She didn’t have the best role models. Anyway, she got Gabe back for a while, then she dumped him. But he showed up that night to talk to her. He wasn’t angry. Or drunk. He was really sad, she said.”
“So you talked to her after she saw Gabe?”
He nodded. “It was before all the drama with Diane. He told her he really loved her, that he didn’t love the girl he was with, that he wished they could just start over. She told him there was no future for them, that he’d been a lot of fun but she needed to move on.”
“That could’ve changed things from sad to angry,” I pointed out. “Are you sure he left after that? He could’ve pretended to leave then circled back and killed her, Cole.”
Cole shook his head slowly. “He left. I saw him drive away.” He drained his glass then glanced up at me. “He’s not that good of an actor. He wouldn’t have been able to hide it. And honestly? He wouldn’t have been able to do it. Holly always talked about what a pushover he was under all that brawn.”
“Well, someone killed her,” I said bluntly.
“Yeah. And that someone confessed to it.” Cole slammed his empty glass down on the table. “I have no idea what you’re trying to prove here. Gabe didn’t do anything. His crazy aunt confessed. Which means she did it, unless she’s really crazy.”
“Was she there? Did you see her?”
“No, I didn’t see her,” Cole snapped. “But that’s the whole point if she’s the killer, right? No one should’ve seen her. Look. I’m sure she had a way in, since her crazy little friend-in-training was serving that night—”
“Wait. What?” I interrupted. “What crazy little friend? Serving what?”
“That girl. The one who looks anorexic who’s always following Adele around. She was part of the staff serving that night for the party.”
The staff. Serving. Caterers. I hadn’t even thought of that. Had Felicia’s company catered this party? They couldn’t have. From what the group of vipers had said at the restaurant the other night, that whole crowd was boycotting Felicia.
So if Heather and Gigi had been involved in an altercation, how had she landed the gig?
“Do you know what catering company it was?” I asked Cole.
“I don’t know. Food was pretty much the last thing on my mind,” he said. “But I did see their vans in the driveway. They were purple.”
Purple vans. That was something. There couldn’t be a lot of those on the island. “Thanks,” I said, and turned to go.
He called me back. “Are you going to run a story?”
Disgust flooded my body and turned my cheeks bright red. “A better question would be, What’s my wife going to think about all this?” I said.
He dropped his gaze.
“So what is the deal? Are you still seeing your girlfriend?”
“You don’t understand,” he said softly. “I didn’t want to hurt Val. It just … happened.”
“Well. Far be it from me to stand between you and true love. If you had any morals at all you’d cut Val loose and stop messing with her. But honestly, Cole, I hope she files for divorce as soon as she can find the best lawyer in the state. Then you can do whatever you want. Unless your girlfriend’s husband kills you first.”
I walked out, slamming the door behind me.
Chapter 53
Grandpa would be waiting for me to check in. I drove downtown and parked at the nearest coffee shop, then called him.
“Meet me at Grounded,” I told him, then hurried inside.
By the time he arrived I was seated, drinking an almond-milk mocha with an extra shot of espresso and Googling catering companies on Daybreak Island. Along with Felicia’s, there were three others. I went to each of their Web sites, but only found pictures of food and smiling people eating. No pictures of vans, purple or otherwise. I made a sound of frustration as Grandpa slid into the seat across from me.
“So how did it go?”
“Do you know any caterers with purple vans?” I asked.
He frowned at me. “That’s a weird question given the topic of conversation.”
“It’s not though. Do you?”
He thought. “I’m not familiar with a lot of caterers,” he admitted.
“Nothing you can remember seeing on the street? Purple vans aren’t that common.”
“Why are you asking?”
I filled him in on what I’d learned from Cole. “I’m still suspicious about Gabe being there that night. I feel like Adele may have thought that he did something and confessed to cover for him,” I said. “But if Gigi was there, that’s an even bigger red flag. I mean, if her mother’s being blackballed because of something she did, and she somehow got a gig with another caterer … wait a minute.” I stared at Grandpa. “I bet the caterers weren’t from the island.”
“You’re right. Otherwise they would’ve heard about whatever altercation happened and would never have hired Gigi. It’s too small an island for her to disguise herself that well. Smart girl,” he said with a touch of admiration.
“Thanks,” I said, grabbing my phone again.
“I meant Gigi,” he said with a chuckle. “I mean, you’re not so shabby yourself. But really. If she wanted revenge for something, that would’ve taken some careful planning. And research. It doesn’t fit with the persona she projects, but that’s all the more reason to look at it carefully.”
I held up my phone triumphantly. “Nantucket.” Another island off the coast. The caterers were called Purple People Pleasers, known for their catering of high-society events and fleet of purple vans.
What I couldn’t figure out was how Gigi got herself hired. Unless she was a better actress than any of us thought.
* * *
After Grandpa left for some undisclosed errand—I swore he was working a top secret government job, the way he came and went since I’d been home—I ordered another coffee and sketched out my plan for when I called the c
aterers. Then for the heck of it, I called Becky first. “Do you know anything about a catering company called the Purple People Pleasers?”
“Never heard of them,” she said. “Why, do you need a caterer?”
“I don’t. They’re based off of Nantucket. But they catered the Hawthornes’ party last weekend.”
“Really.”
“Yup. And I heard they had an interesting server working that night.”
“Who?”
“Gigi Goodwin.”
“Gigi. Your volunteer? The one whose mother runs a catering company?”
“The very same. Also the one who had some kind of issue with the Hawthornes.”
“So how…?”
“No clue. I wonder if your society person has any insight?”
“I’ll call her.”
“Aren’t you at work?”
“Of course I’m at work. I’m always at work. But she’s off today. Must be nice to have a nine-to-five reporting job.”
I smiled. Becky could complain all she wanted, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her life was in that newsroom, especially during a time like this.
She called me back a few minutes later. “Jodi’s going to call you directly. She wants to know if you want to be her pinch-hit reporter when she needs a day off.”
“Depends on how much it pays, and if I can quit my other two side jobs,” I said. My other line beeped. “That’s her. Call you later.”
“So you wanted to hire a caterer?” Jodi asked when I answered.
“No. I just want to know their deal,” I said. “Why would they be catering a Hawthorne shindig?”
“Well. Word on the street is they have this rivalry thing going with Island Catering. They’re the top dog around here for the fancy people. And they’ve done some jobs on Nantucket, so the purple ones are feeling like they’re encroaching on their territory. Since they’re top dog on Nantucket.” She sounded amused. “Sometimes this beat is better than the reality shows. Maybe I should try writing a TV series. I bet it pays better.”
“Probably,” I said. “So how would they make contact over here?”
Jodi thought about that. “Maybe someone’s used them off island, or maybe they have a contact. You know, an in.”
“Did the Hawthornes use Island Catering?”
“I really don’t know. I only know about the purple people because they were at an event I covered last year. Hope this helps.”
I thanked Jodi and ended the call. Then I dialed the number on the Purple People Pleasers’ Web site. Voice mail. I’d expected that, since it was a Saturday, but had still hoped for a person. But I was ready.
“Hi,” I said. “This is Maddie James, and I’m helping my father, the CEO of Daybreak Island General Hospital, with the annual hospital gala next week. Our caterer just quit, and everyone on the island is so booked. I’d heard about your company and wanted to see if you might be available. Please call me.” I left my number and hung up.
If they were really serious about getting business on Daybreak, they wouldn’t let this go for very long.
Chapter 54
By the time I got home, it was nearly eight. Which meant that the party was just getting started downtown. A ferry had just arrived as I drove by, so I waited for the throng of people to cross the street before I could continue down to our house. It was a beautiful night on the island, clear and warm, the smell of salt air hanging over us. The sky was just beginning to go dusky, and the stars were extra bright against the backdrop. There was a frantic energy as people tried to pack in everything they could before they had to head home to their real lives.
Grandpa’s truck was still gone. I had no idea if Ethan or Val were home or not. I checked in on the cats in the café. JJ was snuggled up on the top of the tallest tree, overseeing the kingdom. I left him to it and went upstairs to my room.
And almost jumped a foot when I realized Val was curled up on my bed. I couldn’t see her face to tell if she was sleeping or not. But as I moved quietly through the room she spoke.
“I’m not asleep,” she said.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “Were you waiting for me?” Although I had a feeling I knew why she was here.
“I was.” She sat up and hugged her knees into her chest. “Cole called me. Again.”
“Oh yeah?” I pulled out my desk chair and sat, stalling for time and trying to look innocent. “What did he say?”
She looked me in the eye. “That you went to see him.”
“Val. Don’t be mad. I hate him for treating you like this and I wanted to know what he’d been up to that night—”
“I’m not mad,” she interrupted. “I just wish you’d told me about the thing at the restaurant.” She half smiled. “I’d have liked to imagine him getting punched in the face.” The smile faltered. “What did you tell him?”
I hesitated. “I told him he should do the right thing by you.”
“The right thing. That’s funny. I don’t think Cole would know the right thing if it jumped up and bit him.” She didn’t sound mad, simply resigned. “I know he’s been seeing someone else. I’m glad it’s not the dead girl, but it’s still … a lot.”
“I’m sure.” I took a breath. “So what do you think you’re going to do?” I asked casually. I didn’t want her to think I was prying, or pressuring her.
“I don’t know yet,” she said. “I’m really dreading dealing with his parents. I’m expecting a summons from them any minute now.”
“So what?” I asked, outraged. “You ignore them. You don’t owe those jerks anything. They owe you.”
She waved me off. “They’ve got that whole boys aren’t responsible for their actions, she must’ve seduced him mind-set. They’d do anything to defend him. They’ll expect me to march home and forgive him.”
I couldn’t imagine our parents ever giving us that much leeway. They were our staunchest supporters and would do anything for us, but if we did something wrong we were always held accountable. “They can expect all they want. Doesn’t mean you’re doing any of it. No way.” I got up and walked around the room in a circle. “You didn’t sign a prenup or anything, did you? You’ll at least get the house in the divorce. Then you can sell it and move wherever you want. We can find you a place. I’ll help.”
“Maddie.” Val cut me off. “Stop. I can’t think about that right now. I have to figure out how I actually feel first.”
“You’re not saying … Val. You aren’t considering staying with that dirtbag, are you?”
She looked away. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated?” I shook my head, trying desperately hard to retain control of this conversation. Val would shut me right down if I got too judgy or adamant about what she needed to do. It’s her life, I heard Cass say in my mind. “Val. It’s really not. Are you happy?”
She cocked her head at me. “What do you mean?”
“Happy. You know. With Cole. With your life.”
Val was silent for so long I thought she’d fallen asleep. When she finally spoke she didn’t look at me. “Happy,” she said slowly, as if she was testing the word on her tongue and found it strange, exotic. “What does that even mean, Maddie?”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I’m not often speechless, but my twenty-six-year-old sister sounded like a middle-aged woman who’d come to terms with the fact that her life was pretty much the same mundane thing day after day, like a life prison sentence with no chance of parole.
“Happy,” I said finally. “It shouldn’t be something you have to look up in the dictionary. It means you wake up every day looking forward to what’s going to happen. You love spending time with your husband. You do fun things together. You have friends. You enjoy your house. I didn’t think it was that foreign of a concept.”
She shrugged. “We’re fine. I mean, we don’t do a lot of things together, but we have different interests, you know?”
Fine? Clearly he didn’t think they were fine if he wa
s seeing someone else. “There are different interests and then there are incompatible people,” I said.
“We’re compatible enough.”
I resisted the urge to press that specific issue and instead tried another tack. “Val. You haven’t even hit thirty yet. If you can’t be happy in your twenties…”
“Are you happy, Maddie?” she asked, leaning forward. I could hear the edge in her voice. “Do you wake up every day looking forward to what it will bring?”
I felt my cheeks heat up. I’d always thought of myself as happy. But was I? I spent so much time running around fixing things and people and running businesses and helping everyone, but at the cost of other things that meant a lot to me. Like Lucas. And a chance at a real relationship. Not that relationships were the only way to be happy, but they were a big piece of happiness. A big piece that I’d been missing out on for a long time.
Val was still waiting for an answer. “I’m happy enough,” I said. “And yeah, I think every day brings a new set of possibilities. That shouldn’t change just because you’ve been married to someone for a couple years.” I knew that lately I hadn’t exactly been living this mantra, but deep down it’s what I believed. And she was right. I needed to do a better job of practicing what I preached.
She watched me, an unreadable look on her face. Then she took a breath. “I’ve sort of started something with Ethan.”
I didn’t have to feign surprise—I was shocked that she’d actually told me. “What kind of something?”
“I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s just because he was nice to me after everything that happened. Lord knows he’s not my type. But I like him. He makes me feel good. He’s kind. He can talk me off a ledge. Do you know how many people can talk me off a ledge? Pretty much none.”
