by Esme Addison
She stared at the screen. How had she missed this during her first search? Here was a connection. Bryce owned a company that created pharmaceuticals and biological organisms and viruses as weapons. And Dylan had purchased it? Was this the same company that Neve had mentioned in reference to the mermaid gene?
She searched for Neve’s name along with “Bio-Tek” and got several hits. Eighteen months ago, Neve had created a small mural inside the cafeteria of the Bio-Tek campus. Bryce was the CEO of that company. He might want to keep Neve quiet about something she’d learned. Finally, someone besides Celeste with a potential motive. And Bryce had lied. He had to have known Neve before he arrived in town.
* * *
The next day after work, Alex went home for a quick shower, and she and Minka drove to Pepper’s parents’ home to attend a social gathering for the mermaid festival event planners and sponsors. Minka had explained that it was mostly social, but some business would be covered.
Alex was looking forward to the party, not because of the festival but because she wanted to show Pepper Neve’s drawings and finally get the chance to corner Celeste.
The Bellamys lived in a large white Greek Revival home with towering columns, black shutters, and a portico. The property was only a few blocks away from downtown and was one of several large historic estates built by the town’s founders. Alex and Minka parked on the street and were greeted by Pepper, who wore a fancy yellow party dress with a boat collar, butterfly sleeves, and a sash around the waist.
“Don’t laugh,” she muttered as she ushered Alex inside. “My mother made me dress up.”
A waiter in formal attire hovered in the background, providing cold drinks, tea sandwiches, and delicate pastries. The group, including Yuko, Josephine, and Celeste, were already seated when Alex arrived. She hadn’t gotten the memo that the attire was Southern tea party, but fortunately she’d dressed somewhat appropriately in white capris, heeled sandals, and a blouse.
She tried to catch Celeste’s eye, but her friend was busy looking at her notes. Alex telepathed her instead. We need to talk.
Celeste looked up and smiled at her. Sure. Later.
And Alex relaxed. Maybe it was her imagination, and Celeste wasn’t avoiding her.
During the course of the meeting, Pepper’s father stepped in to say hello. Montgomery Blue was with him, and Minka frowned.
Don’t do it, Alex telepathed to her cousin. But it was too late.
“Mayor,” she began, “are you and Mr. Blue discussing mining off our coast?”
The men looked at each other, and the mayor gave Minka a wide grin. “We did just return from a meeting over steak and whiskey,” he said, chuckling. “And we were talking business, but no, of course we weren’t discussing disturbing the beauty of our beaches. I know that people are talking, but I want to assuage any concerns you or anyone may have. Montgomery and I are talking about collaborating on a few civic-minded projects, but nothing related to mining.” He pressed a hand to his heart. “I love this land. My great-great-grandfather founded our town two hundred years ago, making a treaty with the local Native Americans and …”
Pepper leaned toward Minka, muttering, “Why did you ask him about this? He’ll talk for hours about how much he loves the land.”
Montgomery stepped forward. “I’m fortunate enough to have made a lot of money in my life.” He shrugged. “I just want to give back in a meaningful way. My company has a nongovernmental organization that’s done good works, but we can do more.”
His gaze touched everyone in the room, and Alex could feel the silky, soothing effect of his words. “After spending time in this beautiful community, I know helping you all preserve the pristine beauty of your beaches and sea life is the right thing to do. And besides, I would never do anything the citizens of Bellamy Bay didn’t want.” He smiled, his gaze falling on Minka. “You’re a member of the local preservation society, yes?”
Minka glanced at Alex in surprise. “I am. I’m the secretary, actually, and very involved.”
“Perfect. You and I should schedule some time to chat. You’re just the kind of person I’m looking for to join my organization.” His grin widened. “We all want to save the world, don’t we?”
“Of course.” Minka nodded, somehow clearly smitten with the man. “I’d love to talk preservation. It’s my favorite topic, second only to herbs.”
But Alex was concerned. She wasn’t sure why, but she was. Montgomery didn’t have an alibi for Neve’s murder, for starters. She needed to speak to him. He turned to look at her, almost as if he’d heard her thoughts and smiled at her. A little taken aback, Alex returned the smile. She’d probably been staring at him, and he’d felt her gaze on him. She looked away, feeling embarrassed.
After the gathering broke up, Alex saw Montgomery at the mayor’s side. And then Bronson excused himself. Now is my chance, she thought to herself.
She approached him and stuck out her hand. “Alex Daniels. Nice to meet you.”
He took the proffered hand and gave it a firm shake. “Montgomery Blue. And I know who you are.”
“You do?”
“You’re one of the Sobieski clan.”
“That’s right.” Alex felt a little off-balance under his piercing gaze. “How are you finding our town?”
“It’s lovely. And might be perfect for what I have in mind.”
Alex couldn’t bite her tongue fast enough. “Mining?”
“You people have a one-track mind.” He chuckled. “No, I’m interested in buying a beach home. I’m looking at Ocracoke, Bald Head Island, and here.”
“Ah. That’s why you want to save our beaches. Sorry, you had to come when we had a murder. Did you know Neve Ryland?”
He chuckled, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. “I’ve heard about you and your sleuthing. On the case, are we?”
She noted that he hadn’t answered her question.
“I’m familiar with her work. Her loss will be felt in the art community, I’m sure.” He glanced toward the mayor, who looked up and waved him over. “If you’ll excuse me?”
Well, that went nowhere, Alex thought, sighing. Then she looked around to find Celeste, who was standing by a dessert table, selecting mini-pastries from a beautiful tiered silver tray. She went to her, smiling. “How are you? We haven’t talked since—”
“Please don’t remind me,” Celeste said as she took her saucer of petit fours and moved to a chair. Alex followed, sitting beside her.
“Maybe you should talk to someone, if you don’t want to talk to me, about what happened. About what you saw?”
Celeste closed her eyes, a pained expression on her face, and shook her head. “That’s the thing. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Are you sure? I’m here for you if—”
“Look, I got all of your messages. And I appreciate your concern. But I don’t want to talk about it. And that’s final.” Her voice was firm as she turned to Alex with a hard look. “Please.” She softened her voice. “I just want to forget it happened.”
Alex placed a hand on her arm. “You know Jack thinks you did it. Where were you between eight thirty and nine pm?”
“I went outside.”
Alex groaned. “Alone?”
“Yes. I know it looks bad, but I just needed some fresh air. Can you just leave this alone, please?”
Alex crossed her arms. “You know me better than that, right?”
Celeste rolled her eyes then nodded. “I’d just confronted Jasper about Neve. He said it was nothing, that I was imagining things. I didn’t believe him. I was upset, I needed to calm down, so I went to the gardens in the back of the museum and sat on a bench by the statue of Captain Bellamy. It’s by the little pond and just … It was a full moon, okay? It’s appealing the way the moonlight glistens off the water. It was calming for me.”
“And no one saw you out there? Nobody can vouch for your whereabouts?”
“I wanted to be alone,” Celeste repeated, h
er voice firm. “No one was there.”
“I’m afraid Jack is going to try to blame this on you. If you know anything that could help your case, you need to—”
Celeste stood abruptly. “There’s nothing that can prove my innocence. In fact, it’s probably the opposite.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just forget it.” Celeste set her plate on a nearby table, grabbed her purse, said her goodbyes to everyone, and left without another word to Alex.
Alex stared after her wondering why she was acting so strange. Almost acting like she was… guilty.
After Celeste stormed of, Alex went to the coatroom, where she’d stored her purse and the portfolio, and retrieved the leather-bound book. She gestured for Pepper to join her, and they stepped onto the porch together.
“This is the portfolio I was telling you about.”
Pepper leaned over her shoulder with interest. “Oh right, the weird sketches.”
They were more than just sketches, though. They were full-color drawings so bright, so vivid that they were garish in the depictions they portrayed. Alex begin to flip through the pages. “What do you think?”
Pepper put a hand to her mouth. “Oh my. What am I looking at here?”
“Not sure. It seems to be mythological in nature. Gods reigning down destruction on the mortals?”
“Neve was such a positive ray of light. Why on earth would she draw such … darkness? It’s just horrible.” Pepper looked away, pained, and then returned. “Let me see more.”
Alex had just flipped to another page when Yuko stepped onto the porch, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she saw Alex smiling at her, and she laughed.
“Sorry, these types of meetings masquerading as tea parties are so tedious. I just need some air.”
“Of course,” Alex said. “We all do.”
Yuko came closer. “What are you two looking at?”
“Just some drawings,” Alex said quickly, trying to close the portfolio.
But Pepper was too quick for her. “This is Neve Ryland’s work. Pretty gruesome. Take a look.”
“Poor woman,” Yuko began. “After she came to town, she made me think I should have a mural created in the restaurant. Something—” She glanced down at the artwork. “Oh.” She stopped and frowned at the pages. “Well, not like this. I was thinking cherry blossoms, pineapples, kudzu, and scuppernongs.” Lines creased her forehead. “I know about this …” She looked at the women. “Do you know what you’re looking at?”
Pepper shook her head. “Not at all.”
“My father used to tell me this story. It’s about a Japanese sea god who used magical gems to control the tides.” She laughed. “It’s a fantastic story of dragons and sea gods that terrified me when I was younger. In fact, I used to tell my son the same story. But instead of frightening him, I think it made him join the Marines like his father did.” A fond smile moved fleeting over her lips. “He’s always wanted to slay a dragon.”
* * *
After work, Alex was sitting at a table for two at Sushi Ya’ll.
Jack texted her when she and Minka were on their way home from the meeting. He wanted to meet for dinner, and she had agreed, suggesting Yuko’s restaurant. Once seated, they took a moment to look at the menu of items that fused down-home Southern entrées with Japanese delicacies. After the waitress took their order, Jack asked Alex about the festival planning. She gave him an update and then asked him about the case.
The waitress brought their drinks, bubble sweet tea—a mixture of black tea, sugar, lemon juice, milk, and tapioca pearls—for Alex and a cold bottle of Japanese beer for Jack. Jack sipped at his beverage. “I’m afraid you’re not going to like it.”
“Celeste?”
“Yes. I’ve reviewed footage from around town. And we found something very surprising.”
“What?”
He hesitated before bringing the bottle to his lips. “I used facial recognition software to find all of the video with Neve on it, and in several locations Celeste is also there. Apparently, Celeste was following Neve. She can be seen in several clips, skulking in the background.”
“Skulking?” Alex scoffed. “Really?” He nodded. “Can’t it just be an odd coincidence?”
“Celeste thought Neve was having an affair with Jasper Collins, right? And she was angry enough, emotional enough, to slap him.”
“Yes.” Alex pressed her lips into a grim line. “So why haven’t you brought her in for more questioning? Or arrested her.”
“Don’t worry. I will. I’m just compiling more evidence, so when I talk to her, she’ll see the futility of her situation and just cave.”
Alex couldn’t hide the look of anger and disgust on her face. She pushed away from the table, rising. “You’re doing it again,” she said, her voice low but insistent. “You’re going after someone I care about.” She looked around the restaurant, saw that customers were watching her. “I need some air. I’ll just—I’ll be back.” She hurried to the reception area, which was thankfully empty.
A moment later, Jack appeared. His lips were pressed in a grim line, and the lines between his eyebrows were deep. He took a step toward her. “Alex, I’m sorry. I know you and Celeste are close. But I’m just following the evidence. I’m just doing my job. You know that.”
Alex shook her head, pushing away his outstretched hand. “Did you know Celeste and I are cousins? Distantly but still. She’s family. My entire life it was just me and my dad. Do you know how lonely I felt?” Jack began to shake his head, to open his mouth to say something, but she interrupted him. “And then I came to Bellamy Bay and I have so much family, so much love. I’ve never experienced anything like it. I just want to protect them, to protect what I’ve found.” Her nose began to smart, her eyes filling with tears—angry tears. She wiped them away. “And then there’s you, always you trying to take away the people I love.”
Gently, he grabbed her by both arms and brought her close to him forcing her to look into his eyes. “Alex, I promise you it’s not like that. I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m not after your family. All I want to do is keep this town safe. I want to keep you safe. Protect you.”
Alex remained tense for a moment, but his calm voice and steady demeanor soothed her, and she relaxed in his grasp, her anger gone as quickly as it appeared.
He caressed her cheek, one finger outlining her lips. “I care so much about you, even if you can’t see that.”
She closed her eyes, pressing her forehead against his chest for a moment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—I know you’re doing your job. It just feels so personal. And I have this compulsion to do something.” She pulled back, looking up at him, taking in his sincere gaze. She knew his sentiments were heartfelt. She’d grown up around men like him—her father, his friends. Men who just wanted to do the right thing no matter what. Sighing, she mustered a smile for his benefit. “I get it. Serving justice is important to you. It was the same with my father.”
He gave her a tired look. “I’m glad you understand. It’s not always fun, but I do sleep well at night, knowing I’m on the right side of things.” He watched her for a moment. “You okay?” She nodded and he smiled. “How about we return to our meal then?”
Moments later they were back at their table, and the waitress brought their food. Alex had ordered the fried chicken sushi rolls with a side of tempura bread and butter pickles, and groaned when she saw all of the food.
“This is too much. You’re going to have to help me—with the pickles at least.”
He chuckled, glancing at his own curry rice dish with sweet potatoes, buttered corn, honey carrots, and a side of fried chicken yakitori in a vinegar-based BBQ sauce. “I don’t even know what bread and butter pickles are.”
“They’re just sweet and spicy instead of sour and flavored with dill. Aunt Lidia cans her own and they’re delicious.”
“Give me good ol’ dill. But I’ll live dangerously and try one.�
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Alex pushed her plate toward him, lifted up a golden-fried chip, and took a bite after a quick inspection. His eyes widened and he moaned in satisfaction. “Wow. These are good.” He forked several more and put them on his plate.
Alex laughed. “Told you.”
They ate in compatible silence, and Alex tried not to think about how much trouble Celeste was in. But then Jasper entered the restaurant, standing at the take-out counter. She stood, excusing herself.
Jack looked toward the entrance and shook his head. “Alex,” he said in a warning voice.
“I’m just going to say hello.”
Jack pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Right.”
Alex smiled, hoping she looked friendly as she approached Jasper. He was just paying for his order when she arrived at the counter. “Hi, Jasper, how are you?”
“As well as I can be, considering someone I worked closely with was bludgeoned in my office.” He glanced over her shoulder at Jack and raised an eyebrow. “Has your boyfriend found the culprit? Please tell me he’s at least making headway.”
“Jack doesn’t discuss his investigations with me.” She gave him a curious look. “But since you brought it up … any idea who did it?”
His hand tightened on his brown bag. “No. Why should I?”
“Neve was found in your office for starters. And Celeste seems to think that you had a relationship with her. Did you?”
A look of indignation disturbed his refined features. “Of course not. She asked me if she could use my office to make a private call, and I agreed.”
“A call. She wasn’t meeting someone there?”
“Not to my knowledge, no.” He frowned, taking in her expression. “You don’t believe me, do you?”
“You’ve really upset Celeste, and now she’s mixed up in this murder investigation—”
“Because of me, you think?” He cleared his throat. “I had nothing to do with Neve’s murder.”
