by J A Whiting
Angie’s throat tightened with emotion as Josh pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers. When he came up for air, he told her, “If anyone on earth thinks they’re luckier than me, they’re wrong because the best person I know has agreed to spend her life with me.”
Angie touched Josh’s cheek and kissed him.
After finishing lunch and resting in the sun, the two went back to their bikes and got ready to continue their ride. While attaching the lunch box to the bicycle, Angie looked over at Josh. “You know what? I don’t think Carlie Streeter’s father or Marty was able to push her around. I think she did what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. I bet she ran the household and the dental practice. Maybe she wasn’t overt about it, but I bet quietly and in a low-key way, Carlie ran the show.”
“You could be right.” Josh’s face was serious as he gave the idea some thought. “That’s an interesting take on the couple.”
Angie swung her leg over her bike and they took off up the path. “Everyone is looking at Marty, his expensive taste, his drug addiction, his difficult personality, his selfish nature, implying that something he did may have resulted in the couple getting killed.” Making eye contact with Josh, she asked, “If the reason they got killed had to do with something one of them had done, was it something Marty did … or was it something Carlie did?”
Josh stopped his bike and stared at Angie. “Meek little Carlie’s actions get dismissed and everyone focuses on Marty. That’s an excellent point. You could be on to something.”
“I know that law enforcement will look into both of the dentists’ lives, their contacts, friends, finances, and important details will come out that could lead the police to the killer.” Angie rubbed at the tension in her neck. “But there’s some sort of worry tugging at me.”
Josh searched Angie’s face. “Can you tell what the source of the worry is?”
“Not yet. Maybe it’s just because all of the information is swirling around and I can’t put it in any order.” She gave Josh a little shrug and they continued on their way.
Ideas about the couple raced through Angie’s brain. She needed to have conversations with people and she wanted to hear more news from Chief Martin. Who was the man in the trunk? Did Dr. Chase and Dr. Streeter know him? Who did the blue sports car belong to? If it was owned by the dentists, who did they buy it from? Angie wanted to know more about the couple’s finances and where all their money was coming from. Was Marty using drugs again?
A new thought popped into her head. Was Marty selling drugs? He probably had contacts in the drug world from when he was using opioids himself. As a dentist, could Marty get his hands on drugs to sell by writing phony prescriptions? Angie needed to contact some employees who worked for the dentists and she wanted to talk to people the couple had known when they lived in New Hampshire.
The off-road bike pathway ended at a two-lane road and the path picked up again on the other side about a hundred yards up the street. Angie and Josh stopped their bikes and looked up and down the road. Seeing that it was clear of any traffic, they rode across and pedaled along the side of the street heading for the bikeway entrance. In the distance, the sound of a large truck rumbled behind them.
A pang of anxiety flared in Angie’s chest causing her to pedal faster. The engine sound of the truck got closer and Angie felt like it was bearing down on them. With her heart pounding like a drum, she stood up on her pedals and pumped as hard as she could.
“Hurry, Josh!” She yelled behind her.
The thundering of the truck pummeled against Angie’s eardrums as she moved her bike swiftly off the road and onto the trail with Josh right on her tail.
Breathless, the two stopped their bicycles and looked back as the truck roared past, sideswiping the brush and vegetation on the side of street where Angie and Josh had just been riding.
“That guy wasn’t paying any attention. He must have been texting on his cell phone.” Josh was indignant. “If we were on that road for two more seconds, he would have killed us. We made it onto the bike path just in time.”
Sweat trickling down her back, Angie stared after the truck. She could hear it roaring away down the road.
Some of the words that Josh had just said pulsed in Angie’s brain as a chill raced over her skin. Time. Seconds.
11
The Roseland sisters, Tom, and Mr. Finch sat outside at the wooden dining table under the newly extended pergola eating their dinner of creamy pasta with salmon, grilled vegetables, and green salad. The cats ate plain fish and vegetables from small plates placed on the grass. The sun was setting, the air was warm and pleasant, candles flickered on the table, and Ellie’s garden was bursting with colorful flowers blooming in the beds. Lighted torches ringed the periphery of the garden glimmering in the growing darkness.
Sitting under the pergola, Jenna kept looking over her shoulder. They were sitting right where she’d seen the ghost standing and staring at her the other evening and, being in the same spot with night falling, sent a shiver of nerves over her skin.
Angie had been telling the family about the truck that almost mowed her and Josh down as they rode bikes a short distance along the country road to pick up the bicycle path. “It was frightening. I felt the hot whoosh of air as he roared past us. We’d just made it to the trail. It shook us up and kind of put a damper on the rest of our ride.”
“The driver must have been on his phone or was adjusting the radio,” Finch surmised. “He probably didn’t even see you.”
A shudder ran over Angie’s shoulders. “I think you’re right. We were lucky to make it to the trail before he blew past us. The truck ran up along the side of the road into the brush before he realized he was leaving the street and corrected his position.”
“Too bad you didn’t get the license plate number,” Jenna said.
“The buffoon should lose his driver’s license.” Tom’s face was red with anger. “He shouldn’t be allowed to drive.”
The cats looked up from their dinner and hissed as the ruff of fur around Euclid’s neck puffed up making him look even bigger than he was. Circe’s tail flicked back and forth.
“Thankfully, nothing happened.” Angie blew out a breath. “We returned safe and sound. I just want to forget it.” She looked over at Tom and smiled. “The vegetable kebobs are delicious. Compliments to the grillmaster.”
The chat turned to everyone’s businesses and how things were going now that the tourist season was kicking in. Tom told them about a new construction project he was excited to be working on. “It will give my company some nice word of mouth advertising.”
Mr. Finch and Courtney reported on a new fudge flavor they’d attempted and they wanted the group to sample some for dessert to give their opinions on the taste.
“What are you calling the new flavor?” Ellie asked reaching for the bowl of salad.
Courtney said, “It doesn’t have an official name yet, but it’s a combination of marshmallow, graham cracker, chocolate, and caramel. It’s sort of our take on the camp- side summer s’mores.”
“My mouth is watering,” Tom announced. “Can’t wait to try them.”
“I made something for dessert, too,” Angie told the family. “It’s a lemon chiffon freezer cake.”
“I’m going to gain five pounds tonight.” Tom chuckled, as he patted his tummy. His happy face lost its smile and the others followed his gaze to see what had caused the swift change of emotion.
Chief Martin walked into the backyard from the driveway. “Evening. Sorry to bother. I rang, but no one answered so I thought I’d check back here.”
“It’s no bother.” Angie stood up. “Have you eaten? We have plenty of food. Join us.”
The chief started to make excuses about why he shouldn’t interrupt the gathering when Jenna said, “You should know by now that you’re always welcome here with us.”
“I bet you haven’t eaten for hours.” Ellie pulled over another chair.
“And I
bet you could use a drink.” Tom removed a beer from the cooler and handed it the chief.
Courtney went inside and returned with another place setting.
“Lucille is out with her sister. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Chief Martin eyed the pasta and vegetables. “It sure smells good.”
“Sit,” Angie said. “No excuses. You can’t run yourself into the ground.”
“You must take care of yourself, Phillip.” Mr. Finch passed the bowl of creamy pasta to the man. “You have to keep up your strength, especially during such difficult and disturbing cases as this one.”
Angie’s heart started to race when she realized the chief must have come to tell them some news. Wanting him to have a break from his work and knowing he’d speak about it eventually, she didn’t ask him anything about the murdered dentists.
After he’d eaten his dinner, sampled the desserts with everyone, and finished his beer, Chief Martin took a deep breath and placed his napkin on the table. “Thank you for a terrific meal and for the enjoyable company.”
Letting out a sigh, he said, “I assume you know why I came by.” He looked from face to face. “I have some information to share. The team has identified the young man in the trunk. His name is Jeremy Hodges, age twenty-nine. Estranged from his parents. His girlfriend, Tara Downey, went to the police because Jeremy hadn’t come home the night before he died and he didn’t show up at work on the day of the murders. Jeremy and Ms. Downey shared an apartment together in Miltonville, New Hampshire.”
“Does he have a connection to the dentists?” Courtney asked.
“He does indeed.” The chief gave a slight nod. “The young man was a dental hygienist. He worked for Dr. Chase and Dr. Streeter when they had their practice in Miltonville.”
“Ms. Downey told you this?” Jenna asked.
“She did. She came down to talk to us.” The chief took a sip from his water glass. “The couple had been together for about two years. Ms. Downy is a nurse practitioner. She and Jeremy met in university while studying for their respective careers. Mr. Hodges worked at another dental office for about five years and then moved to the Chase-Streeter dental office.”
“Did his girlfriend mention any trouble between Jeremy and the dentists?” Ellie asked.
“She reported no trouble at all. Jeremy liked his job with Dr. Chase and Dr. Streeter.”
“Why was Jeremy Hodges in Sweet Cove?” Angie questioned.
“No one knows the answer to that. No one alive anyway.”
“Had Jeremy kept in touch with the dentists?” Mr. Finch leaned forward.
Chief Martin said, “Ms. Downey said she didn’t think he had. She reported being shocked to learn that Jeremy and the doctors had been killed. She appeared distraught when she was talking to me, but it seemed forced.”
“You say that as if you’re suspicious of her,” Tom observed, his eyebrow raised.
The chief gave a shrug. “I’m suspicious of everyone. Present company excluded, of course.”
“Did Jeremy have a drug problem?” Ellie shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
“The girlfriend says no. Jeremy was against drugs. She said he had nothing to do with drugs at all. She was adamant about it. Ms. Downey does not believe he died from an overdose of opioids. She said it was impossible.”
“If he wasn’t doing drugs,” Angie said, “then did someone kill Jeremy by injecting him with drugs causing an overdose?”
“A possibility,” the chief nodded.
“What about the blue car?” Courtney asked.
“The car had been purchased by Dr. Chase and Dr. Streeter from a car dealer in Sudbury three days prior to the murder. The dealer has all the paperwork. Everything is in order.”
“Did the dealer know Jeremy?” Finch asked.
“I brought some photographs of the young man to show the dealer. The salesman said he’d never seen Jeremy before.”
“He could be lying,” Tom said.
“He could be,” the chief acknowledged. “But I didn’t get the sense he was lying to me.”
“Did the salesman say anything about the dentists?” Angie’s mind worked on the new information. “Were they acting like everything was okay? Did they get along with each other during the purchase of the car?”
“The guy said they seemed like a normal married couple. He said Carlie didn’t want to buy the car. He heard them arguing about it out in the lot. The salesman reported that Marty came back alone a few days later and bought the car.” The chief frowned. “Not a whole lot to go on there.”
“How did Jeremy Hodges get to Sweet Cove?” Ellie’s brow furrowed in thought.
“We’re not sure. Jeremy’s car was parked in the lot of the New Hampshire dental office where he was working presently. He didn’t show up for work that morning, of course, but the staff noticed his car was in the lot. The office staff called Tara, the girlfriend, to ask where Jeremy was and if he was okay. That sealed Tara’s worry and she went to the police.”
Everyone sat quietly pondering the news.
“What about the dentists’ finances?” Jenna asked. “Where were they getting all their money?”
“The dentists had a very healthy income from their dental practice and they’d made good investments.” The chief paused.
“There’s something more?” Tom guessed.
“A certified public accountant is looking into it for us. We always have suspicions when someone is blowing a lot of money, but they need to be confirmed. The couple could have been spending every dime they brought in. They may have been overextended with loans.” Chief Martin looked around the dark yard and at the blazing torches with their flames dancing in the occasional evening breeze. “If their lavish spending was supported by loans and mortgages, it would be impossible to sustain such an expensive lifestyle for much longer.”
“Were they involved in something illegal?” Finch pushed his eyeglasses back up his nose.
“Unknown.” The chief’s face looked tired and drawn. “Hopefully, we’ll learn something soon.”
“Do you think Jeremy went to see the dentists about something and ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time?” Courtney asked the question that had gone through everyone else’s heads. “Do you think he walked into the murders and ended up getting killed because he was a witness?”
“It’s possible,” the chief said. “A strange coincidence though, isn’t it? The young man comes down from New Hampshire and shows up within seconds of the couple’s attacker? I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I just don’t know.”
As a shiver of unease washed over her, Angie’s throat tightened at the chief’s words.
“There’s more to it than that, don’t you think?” Jenna asked, her voice tinged with tension.
The chief’s jaw tightened. “If I had to guess? Yes, there’s more to it than coincidence. I don’t think that Jeremy Hodges just happened to walk into the Chase-Streeter home at the exact time the two doctors were being murdered.”
Angie’s sinking heart told her the chief was right.
12
Tara Downey was in her late twenties, petite, and athletic-looking. Her short, brown hair had blond highlights running through it and her big brown eyes shone with intelligence. At Chief Martin’s request, Tara had come to the B and B to talk with Angie and Jenna. The three sat under the pergola at the wooden table with large glasses of iced tea in front of them and a platter of cookies and sliced fruit in the middle of the table. Euclid and Circe sat in the shade listening to the conversation and watching the newcomer carefully.
After giving the young woman their condolences, Jenna and Angie began their questioning.
“Was Jeremy friendly with Dr. Chase and Dr. Streeter?” Angie asked the first question.
“Jeremy loved working for them. He was upset when they decided to move to Massachusetts. He and Dr. Chase loved cars and talked about them all the time.” Tara’s hand shook slightly when she reached for her glass.
Jenna asked, “Did Jeremy keep in touch with them after the move?”
“I didn’t think so.” Tara took a long swallow of tea. It was an unusually hot day with little breeze. A bead of sweat showed at the young woman’s hairline.
“You went to the police in your town after Jeremy didn’t come home that night?” Angie questioned.
“I went the next morning. Jeremy didn’t come home. He was usually home before me. I was surprised he wasn’t in the apartment when I got back from work. I texted him over and over, but he didn’t answer. Even though we hadn’t had a fight or anything, I checked the closet to see if his clothes were still in there. I don’t know why I did that. I had the silly idea that he’d left me and hadn’t said anything to me. I texted his friend, Joe, but Joe hadn’t heard from him either. I drove around town to see if he’d been in an accident or if his car broke down. I even drove by the dental office where he works. I went home and tossed and turned all night. The next morning, his office called and asked where Jeremy was. They told me his car was in the lot.”
“But the night before you drove by the place and didn’t see his car?” Jenna tilted her head in question.
“His car wasn’t there the night before. It wasn’t in the lot.” Tara’s face was serious. “I’m sure of that. The lot was empty.”
Angie had a puzzled look on her face. “Is it possible you missed it? Was it dark when you were there? Maybe the car was in shadow?”
Tara shook her head. “It was dark, but I drove into the lot. The parking area is small. I would have seen his car if it was there. It wasn’t.”
“Is it possible that either Dr. Chase or Dr. Streeter called Jeremy?” Jenna asked. “Maybe asked him to come down to see them about something?”
Tara stared off across the yard, thinking about the suggestion. “I suppose it’s possible. I don’t know why they’d do that. I think Jeremy would have told me if one of the doctors had called him.”
