Third Strike

by Kathi Daley

  “Yeah. I know the type. What else did you find?”

  Jack set another photo in front of me, this one of a young woman sitting behind a group of girls who were talking and laughing. The girl behind them was alone, and by the look on her face, she was throwing mental daggers at the others.

  “Who are we looking at?” I asked.

  “The girl sitting alone is Candy Baldwin. The girls who are laughing and talking are Heather Granger, a girl named Portia Sinclair, who was a friend of Heather’s, and Rena Madison.”

  “Rena and Heather were laughing and talking at the party where Trey was most likely drugged?”

  “It appears so,” Jack confirmed. “All three girls have drinks in their hands and seem to be relaxed and happy. I looked at this photo for a while to see if I could pick up some sort of hidden emotion, but other than Candy, who looks like she’s ready to spit nails, I didn’t see any sign of tension in their body language.”

  “Can I take this and show it to Clara? If someone is faking it, she’ll know it.”

  “Yeah. No problem.”

  “What’s going on in this photo?” I picked up the next photo in the pile, of a very pretty young woman speaking to a nice-looking young man.

  “That’s Quinn Jenkins and Jett Strong. It was taken at the party. Quinn was Parker Wilson’s girl and went to the University of South Carolina, while Jett went to Florida State University. I have no reason to believe the two knew each other before the party, but look at the way Quinn has her hand on Jett’s chest and is leaning in close as she talks to him.”

  I considered the photo. Their conversation did appear to be intimate. “Do you think she’s trying to pick him up?”

  “That was my first thought, but look at this guy here.” Jack pointed to a man standing in the background. He seemed to be watching the couple. The look on his face was one of expectation, not anger.

  “Okay, who’s that?”

  “Parker. It would seem if Quinn was trying to pick up Jett, Parker would have been angry. He might even have interrupted their exchange, but he doesn’t look mad.”

  “He doesn’t,” I agreed. “Maybe Quinn was trying to get Jett to participate in a threesome.”

  Jack laughed. “I don’t think that’s it. What I do think might have been going on was that Quinn was trying to get Jett to help her take Trey down a peg.”

  “By putting something in his drink so he would miss the game,” I realized.

  “Possibly. Trey missing the game would have benefited both Jett and Parker. Or Quinn might have had a plan to get rid of both Trey and Jett, so Parker would really shine. She may be cozying up to Jett so she can slip something into his drink.”

  “But he didn’t get sick.”

  “But that doesn’t mean she didn’t have a plan to get rid of the two of them that didn’t work out.”

  I looked more closely at the photo. It definitely appeared as if Quinn was coming on to Jett for one reason or another.

  “Do you think we might be reading things in to these photos because we know how things turned out?”

  “Maybe,” Jack admitted.

  “Do you have any others?”

  He nodded. “A bunch I’ve pulled off people’s social media accounts, but I don’t want to take the time to go over all of them now. Maybe you can come to my place for dinner and we can see what we can find then.”

  I hesitated. It might seem odd, but despite the fact that Jack had been to the resort many times, I’d never been to his home. I’d been on his yacht, but not his home. Going there felt like we’d be taking a step. It was private and intimate. Was I ready for private and intimate?

  I tried to sound nonchalant, though I was feeling terrified. “Yeah, okay.” I’d pretty much decided I was done acting like a nervous schoolgirl, and I liked Jack and could see us having a relationship. “Tonight?”

  “Tonight’s good for me. You know I can’t cook. Is takeout with a nice bottle of wine okay?”

  “Sounds perfect. What time do you want me to be there?”

  “I’ll pick you up at the resort. Say around six?”

  “Six is good.”

  Jack smiled. “Great. In the meantime, we have a coach, a chef, and a fisherman to talk to.”

  Chapter 4

  Jack and I decided to begin our interviews with Heather Granger. She’d been Trey’s girlfriend for four years and, according to what others had said, she’d held a huge grudge against him on the night of the party, though the photo of her chatting with Rena seemed to indicate otherwise.

  Heather, with her fiancé, Devon Prowder, were in the process of renovating an abandoned storefront on the commercial fishing wharf that they planned to use for the seafood restaurant they hoped to open in the next couple of months. Jack had called ahead, so Heather knew we were coming. She greeted us with a smile and offered us a soda from her ice chest.

  “Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with us,” Jack began.

  “Are you kidding?” Heather, who was casually dressed and looked happy and relaxed, asked. “There was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to meet the famous Jackson Jones. I love your books; I’ve read every one you’ve ever written.”

  Jack smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  Heather turned and looked at me. “I understand you’re a writer as well.”

  “I used to be a newspaper reporter, but I’m working on a mystery novel now that’s taking forever to finish.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be great. I look forward to reading it once it’s published.” Heather turned and looked back to Jack. “You said you had some questions for me about Trey?”

  He nodded. “If you have a few minutes.”

  “Why don’t we sit outside? Devon and I plan to provide outdoor seating during the warmer months, but for now we have a table and chairs outside for when we take breaks. The view from the end of the wharf is spectacular.”

  Jack and I followed Heather through the building, which looked to be nearing the final stages in the remodel, and out onto the deck area. Heather was right; the view from the edge of the wharf was great. I had a feeling Devon and Heather were going to have a huge success on their hands.

  “So, what can I tell you?” Heather asked.

  “I understand you dated Trey all through high school,” Jack began.

  “Yeah, we were a couple for almost four years. I really loved him and believed we had a future together, but it seemed he had other plans.”

  “Had you been in touch with Trey during the three and a half years between your breakup and the party you both attended the night before his death?”

  Heather nodded. “A few times. His folks still lived on the island when Trey was in college and he came back to visit every now and again. The gang we hung out with in high school was pretty tight, so we ran into each other a few times at parties and other get-togethers. We even saw each other over Christmas break during his junior year, but it didn’t work out in the long run.”

  “How was that for you?” Jack asked.

  “Hard. At first it was really hard. I was devastated when Trey first ended things, but time really does heal all wounds, and eventually seeing him when he came to town became easier to deal with. When we got together that Christmas, I guess I hoped it would lead to something permanent, but it didn’t. I don’t think Trey wanted to be tied down.”

  Jack took out his small notebook. “Is it okay if I take notes while we chat?”

  “Fine by me. I’m not sure I’ll have anything noteworthy to say, though. I know there are people who figured I’d be outraged when Trey brought his new girl to the party the night before he died, but they were wrong. After our Christmas fling, I realized we were never going to be together, so I made up my mind to move on. By the time the party came around almost eighteen months later, I was over him. I found Rena to be funny and interesting. We got along just fine, especially when she told me she’d heard a rumor Trey was planning to dump her after they graduated colleg
e. I felt like we were kindred spirits in a way.”

  “So Rena did know Trey was planning to dump her,” I confirmed.

  “She suspected. I don’t think she had any concrete proof, but during the party she overheard something Hudson had said to a bunch of his buddies. Hudson and Trey were tight, and it stood to reason that Trey would have discussed his plans with him.”

  Jack jotted down a few things while Heather looked on. It seemed she was really starstruck and totally into watching Jack’s every move.

  “Do you think Rena was angry enough to want to hurt Trey?” Jack eventually asked.

  Heather frowned. “She was definitely pissed off, and I don’t think she’d been dumped much before that. She’s both beautiful and assertive and it seemed like she was used to getting her own way. But was she angry enough to hurt Trey? I think that’s doubtful. She did say something about breaking up with him before he could break up with her, and I overheard her saying she was going to get even with him for treating her badly, but she was totally smashed by that time. I don’t think she would have carried out her threats. Still, I only just met her, so I guess I can’t really say what she was capable of.”

  Jack paused, then said, “I understand Candy Baldwin was your best friend in high school.”

  “Was and still is. She married Hudson, so she’s Candy Dickerson now. They bought a cute little house over on Elm Street. It’s a tiny little thing, but it has character.”

  “We’ve been told Candy was extremely upset when Trey broke up with you.”

  Heather nodded. “She was furious. Candy and I have been besties since kindergarten. When I hurt she hurts and vice versa. She could see how devastated I was, and I know she struggled with the urge to strangle Trey for what he’d done to me. What he’d done to both of us.”

  “‘Us’?” Jack asked.

  “Trey and me and Hudson and Candy weren’t only best friends; we were best couple friends. We hung out all the time. Candy and I used to talk about buying houses next door to each other with a connecting gate in the fence. We were going to have our kids at the same time and take family vacations together.”

  “It sounds like a nice plan,” Jack said.

  “We’d planned the perfect life, although if I’m honest with myself, I guess I knew deep down inside that our dream was never gonna happen. I knew Trey would pursue a career in baseball, so the idea of us having adjoining houses was pretty slim. Still, Candy and I sort of shoved the reality into a corner of our minds, and when Trey broke up with me, he not only ended my dream of a life with him but Candy’s dream of this awesome best friend future.”

  “Did Candy ever forgive Trey?”

  Heather shook her head. “No. She hated him until the end. She never could understand why I eventually decided to let it go and get on with my life. Hudson and Candy got married, as I said, but to this day I can see Candy still mourns the life she believes she would have had if Trey and I got married too.”

  “Was she angry that you and Rena were friendly at the party?” I asked.

  Heather scrunched her brows. “I’m not sure I’d say she was angry, but she hated Rena on sight, so maybe. I remember Candy acting sullen and moody the entire evening. I just wanted to focus on having fun and hanging out with my friends. I won’t go so far as to say we had a fight that night, but we were somewhat on the outs. She just seemed intent on bringing me down and I wanted to have fun.”

  “Did both of you go to the baseball game in Charleston the next day?” I asked.

  Heather’s smile faded. “Yeah, we were there. That had to be one of the worst days of my life. I think I died a little when Trey didn’t get up and I realized he was gone. Things may not have gone as I’d hoped, but we were together for years. Important years. He was and will always be a part of me. I love Devon and I’m very happy to be building a life with him, but I still think of Trey almost every day.” Heather looked at Jack. “The medical examiner told Trey’s parents his death was an accident. Do you think differently? Is that why you’re asking these questions?”

  “We’re looking in to the possibility that Trey may have been slipped the drugs that led to his death, although at this point it’s just a theory.”

  “That actually makes sense. Trey was an athlete. He took care of his body. I know he drank sometimes, but I’d be very surprised to hear he’d taken drugs voluntarily. Especially the night before a big game. The whole thing never seemed right to me.”

  “Can you think of anyone at the party who might have been motivated to prevent Trey from playing in the game, or perhaps simply wanted to get back at him for some reason?”

  Heather considered Jack’s question. “Drugging a guy is pretty serious business. I know Trey ruffled some feathers, and there were people at the party who thought he was a jerk. We’ve already said Rena and Candy were angry with him, but I don’t see either one killing him. I saw him arguing with Coach Cranston that night, but the coach is a nice guy who really cares about his boys, so I can’t see him intentionally hurting one of them.”

  Heather tapped her chin as she continued to think. “There was a guy there named Jett. I’d never met him before; he wasn’t from the island. I’m not sure why he was even at the party unless he came with Trey, although they didn’t seem to be getting along all that well, so it would be odd if Trey invited him. I heard he played for a rival college, so he and Trey must have known each other. Wouldn’t it be strange to invite a competitor to a party in your hometown? Still, if Trey didn’t invite him, I don’t know who did.”

  “What about Coach Cranston?” I asked.

  “Why would Coach Cranston invite some guy he didn’t even know to a party?”

  “Trey had recently told the coach he was looking elsewhere for an agent. Maybe Coach Cranston was hoping to sign Jett in his place.”

  “Maybe,” Heather said, although she looked doubtful.

  “I understand Dexter Parkway was at the party,” Jack said.

  “Dex? You can’t think Dex would hurt Trey. Dex idolized Trey.”

  “Yes, but I have to wonder if Dexter continued to have fond feelings for a man who’d treated him like a second-class citizen when they were in high school. He was a senior in college by that time and I understand he’s quite brilliant. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’d started to look at things differently once he came into his own.”

  “You’re totally off with that one. Dex is a pussycat. He would never hurt anyone. In fact, I can’t think of a single person at the party who…” Heather stopped speaking abruptly.

  “Did you remember something?” Jack asked.

  “No,” she said as a tear slipped down her cheek. “It’s nothing. It just hit me that someone might actually have murdered Trey. He could be a jerk, but he didn’t deserve that. He was self-centered, but he could also be sweet and thoughtful. I really did love him. In some ways, I always will.”

  Jack closed his notebook, then placed a hand on Heather’s arm. “I’m sorry we had to ask such painful questions.”

  She wiped away a tear. “That’s okay. I can usually talk about Trey without falling apart, but this conversation brought back some memories of happier times.”

  I could see Jack felt awkward about having made Heather cry because he changed the subject and chatted with her for a few minutes about his upcoming book. That seemed to lighten her mood considerably. When he went to his car to find a book in the trunk and signed it for her, you would have thought she’d won the lottery. I guess most of the time I forgot how popular he and his books were to so many people. As I watched him charm Heather, I realized being on all the time must be incredibly exhausting. For the first time, I understood why Jack would want to run away to Gull Island, where most of the time he could be just Jack.

  “It was nice of you to autograph a book for Heather. I could see it meant a lot to her.”

  He shrugged. “It was no big deal. I’m asked to sign books all the time. Do you want to grab some lunch before we head to the high sc
hool to speak to Coach Cranston? I don’t think he’ll be available for another hour.”

  “I am hungry. There’s that new sandwich shop just down the street. They have an outdoor patio and it’s a nice day.”

  “Sounds perfect,” Jack said as he turned the car in that direction.

  We placed our order, then found a place to sit. The patio was surrounded by a large garden that would be lovely most of the year but was mostly dormant in late fall.

  “So, what did you think about what Heather had to say?” I asked Jack.

  “I believe she cared for Trey and would never have hurt him, but I also think she’s hiding something. She said her tears were because our conversation brought up memories, but the timing told me something had suddenly occurred to her. Something painful. Something she wasn’t ready to talk about.”

  “I agree. She must be protecting someone. I’m just not sure who.”

  We fell silent as we ate our lunch. I’m sure my sandwich was delicious, but I could have been eating cardboard for all the attention I paid to it. I was anxious to speak to Coach Cranston. If he’d invested time and money in Trey’s career only to be pushed out just because things were beginning to happen for Trey, he must have become furious at the young man many had indicated he thought of as a son. I wasn’t certain where our interview with him would lead, but I was eager to find out. I’d never met him, but Jack knew him because he reported on Gull Island’s sports scene as well as its news. I’d be taking notes while Jack conducted the interview.

  Gull Island High School was small, with a modest enrollment, as were many of the others scattered among the islands. The fact that any athlete from a tiny school would receive national attention was a testament to how good Trey really was. Not only had the team gone undefeated during his reign as baseball king, but, based on what I’d heard, it had not only beaten its competition but massacred them. In the years since Trey had graduated, the team was mediocre at best.