A Haunted Theft (A Lin Coffin Mystery Book 4) (9 page)

L
in and Leonard
sat eating their lunch in the shade of a large Maple tree in the backyard of one of their client’s homes. Nicky was off sniffing near the marsh that was located at the rear of the property. Lin and her partner were discussing the passing of Martha Hillman.

“You must have been surprised when you heard Martha had died.” Lin opened a bottle of orange juice and set it on the grass next to her.

“I’d say more suspicious than surprised.” Leonard removed the wrapping from his sandwich.

Lin eyed her partner. “Why suspicious?”

“I knew that woman.” Leonard’s voice was gruff. “She’d never commit suicide.”

“But you hadn’t really known her for years. She could have changed. She could have had some difficulties no one was aware of. Maybe she’d had enough.”

“Bah.” Leonard didn’t believe it. “That woman didn’t change. And she had difficulties all right. She was a mean-spirited, self-centered, horrible person.”

Lin bristled. “Are you just saying this stuff because she was a strong-willed woman?”

Leonard gave Lin a look. “Look, Coffin. My wife was strong-willed. She could do anything. But she wasn’t mean. She cared about others.
You
have strong opinions and ideas, but you’re not self-centered….” Leonard eyed her. “Well, not most of the time anyway.”

Lin’s mouth opened in surprise and she bopped him on the arm. “Thanks a lot.”

“Martha had a rotten core.” Leonard took a swig from his water bottle. “It’s awful to say so, but she was an awful person. She thought her needs and wants superseded everyone else’s. Her ideas were the best, she was the smartest, she worked the hardest. Marguerite tried to befriend her, but it was impossible. That woman would not kill herself. No way.”

“Who did then?”

Leonard shook his head. “The list is probably a mile long. Good luck to the cops trying to solve this one.”

Lin let out a sigh. “Yeah.”

They ate quietly for a while.

Lin rolled up her empty sandwich bag and put it in her lunch box. “Do you think Martha was the one who stole the antique basket? She was always at the museum. She probably could find opportunity to take it when others were busy or not around.”

“Why would she do it though?” Leonard leaned back against the tree’s trunk. “That’s really the most important question, isn’t it?”

“Why wouldn’t she do it?” Lin said the words under her breath as she thought it over. “To sell it? For the money?”

“If she got caught, it would ruin her reputation. Would a woman who worked that hard and trampled so many people to get where she wanted risk her hard-won status?”

Lin pushed her hair out of her eyes. “Maybe she hadn’t achieved what she wanted. Maybe she felt that her hard work had never been satisfactorily compensated. Maybe she wanted more? Selling the basket would get her a ton of money.”

“That’s possible.” Leonard handed Lin one of the cookies he’d brought in his lunch.

Lin bit into the treat. “Mmmm. Yummy. Where’d you get these?”

“I made them.”

“Really?” Lin took another bite and spoke while she chewed. “If you ever tire of landscaping, you can open a bakery.”

“I like being outside.” Leonard gave Lin a stern look. “You’re not supposed to talk with your mouth full.”

Lin swallowed. “Sorry. Maybe in the off season you can sell your cookies.”

“Maybe not.”

Smiling Lin said, “You are a man of many talents and much knowledge.” She broke off a piece of the cookie and was about to pop it into her mouth when she asked, “You don’t happen to know Avery Holden, do you?”

Lin had looked the woman up on the internet and had come up empty. Avery was listed as an employee of the cultural museum and other entries told of her education and work experience, but there was no phone number or address to be found. Lin planned to ask Anton if he could get the woman’s address from someone at the museum.

“Why do you ask?” Leonard had closed his eyes and was still leaning against the tree.

Lin whirled towards her partner. “You know her?”

“Who’s asking?”

“Me, for heaven’s sake.” Lin poked Leonard. “Do you know her or not?”

Leonard’s eyelids lifted. “Why are you looking for her, Coffin?”

“I think Martha Hillman fired her from the museum. I want to ask Avery if she knows anything about the basket.”

Leonard leveled his gaze at Lin. “Are you looking into the theft?”

“Maybe.”

“Martha was probably killed. Maybe she’s linked to the robbery. Is it a good idea for you to put yourself in harm’s way? This is dangerous stuff.” There was a tinge of anger in the man’s voice.

Lin didn’t say anything.

“I don’t feel like having to find another partner.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Leonard frowned and told her Avery’s address.

“How do you know her?” Lin asked.

“Someone gave my number to her. There’s a tiny garden off the back of her apartment. She wanted to know what she could plant in the shade.”

For a few seconds, Lin pondered the address that Leonard had given her. It sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

As if reading her mind, Leonard said, “The apartment is off the back of Lacey Frye’s basket shop in town. You know it?”

A shiver ran over Lin’s skin. The ghost of Sebastian Coffin had appeared to her right outside of Lacey Frye’s shop when Lin and Viv exited the store a few days ago.

What was he trying to tell her?

* * *

L
in and Nicky
walked into town and headed to Lacey Frye’s shop. After her last client of the day, Lin hurried home, showered, and changed clothes. Her long brown hair was still damp. Approaching the basket shop, Lin’s heart started to beat faster. She looked around to see if any ghosts were standing on the sidewalks.

Lin noticed the brick walkway on the side of the store that led to the back of the building and she and the dog followed it to the rear garden. Leonard said that the spot behind the store was a tiny space and he was right. A large tree grew in the center of the space and hostas were planted around the edges of the small square of lawn. A wrought iron table and two chairs sat under the tree and pots of pink impatiens were placed here and there for bursts of color.

The calm, shady spot relaxed Lin and made the tension start to drain away. She walked to the door of the apartment and knocked. After waiting a few minutes, she raised her hand to knock again when Nicky turned towards the walkway and woofed low and deep in his throat.

A short, slender woman with straight chin-length strawberry-blonde hair came around the corner of the building carrying two grocery bags. She stopped when she spotted Lin at her door.

“Hi.” Lin took a step towards the woman. “Avery?”

The woman’s face was stern. “Who’s asking?”

“I’m Lin Coffin. I was wondering if I could speak to you. I’d just take a few minutes of your time.”

The woman advanced, but looked like she didn’t trust Lin. “I have plenty of time. I’m not sure I have anything to say though.”

Nicky whined at the woman.

Lin didn’t know how to respond to Avery’s statement. Finally she asked, “Would you be willing to listen for a few minutes?”

Avery stared at Lin and then said, “I don’t let strangers into my house.” She nodded to the two wrought-iron chairs. “You want to sit out here?”

When they were settled, Lin told the woman that she was Leonard’s landscaping partner and that he had met with Avery not long ago about how to plant the rear yard.

“He was helpful.” Avery gestured around the space. “This is the result of his advice. The woman who gave me the apartment has been kind to me. I wanted to do this for her.”

“It’s lovely.”

“What do you want to talk to me about?” Avery held Lin’s eyes with her own.

Lin decided not to beat around the bush. “I’d like to talk to you about your job at the cultural museum.”

One of the woman’s eyebrows went up. “My former job.”

“I heard that you’re going to law school.”

“I always wanted to study law. I think it’ll be a good addition to my experience.”

Lin looked Avery in the eyes. “Did Martha Hillman fire you?”

It felt like a full minute went by and Lin was sure that Avery wasn’t going to answer, but then she spoke. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why do you want to know?” Avery tilted her head slightly to the side.

Lin took in a deep breath and told the woman what she and Viv had heard in the hallway of the cultural museum while standing outside Martha Hillman’s closed office door. “Then Martha said ‘do something and get it off the island before someone finds out.’”

“I don’t know what she meant by that. I’m not going to tell you why she fired me.” Avery shifted in her seat and Lin thought she was about to get up.

Lin blurted out the next question. “Did you steal the antique basket?”

Avery grunted. “No, I did not.”

Lin shot questions out rapid-fire. “Do you know who
did
steal it?”

“No.”

“Was Martha trying to pin the theft on you?”

“I don’t know.” Avery looked flustered. “No.”

“I’ve heard that you and Martha didn’t get along.”

A shadow of annoyance flicked over Avery’s face. “No, we did not.”

Lin tried again. “Why did Martha fire you?”

Avery’s voice was firm. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Do you think Martha killed herself?”

A grunt escaped from Avery’s throat. “How would I know?”

Lin said. “I think someone killed her and staged it to look like she committed suicide.’

“Maybe you’re right.” Avery leaned down to pick up her grocery bags. “Now I need to get these things put away.” She stood.

“Can I talk to you again another time?” Lin got out of her chair.

“Maybe.” Avery headed to her front door and pulled her key from her pocket. “Maybe not.”

Lin moved slowly to the walkway that led to the front of the building with Nicky at her heels. “Thanks for talking with me.” She heard the squeak of the hinges when Avery pushed her apartment door open.

Just as Lin was rounding the corner, Avery called to her, “You know, some people aren’t what they seem. You better watch your back.”

A chill raced down Lin’s spine.

H
urrying to the sidewalk
, Lin saw movement at the front of the basket shop and turned to see Lacey Frye unlocking the door. Lacey looked surprised when she saw Lin coming from the rear of her property.

Lacey nodded a greeting. “Were you visiting Avery?”

“Just for a few minutes.” A strange pulse of adrenaline washed over Lin and she didn’t understand why.

Lacey’s silver-gray braid hung over her shoulder. “You’re friends?”

“No. We just met. I needed to ask her something.”

The wrinkled skin on Lacey’s face drooped a bit at the jowls and her shoulders were stooped as she stood by the door, but there was an intelligence and energy that emanated from the woman. “Did you find out what you wanted to know?”

Even though Lacey’s questions made her feel uneasy, Lin shook her head and replied, “Not really.”

Lacey eyed Lin. “That was too bad about Martha Hillman.”

“Yes. It was a shock.” Lin took a few steps towards the street.

“I hope they figure out what’s going on soon. The theft … a death.” Lacey let out a sigh and gave Lin a quick nod before entering her store.

* * *

L
in scurried away
and headed up Main Street with her head practically spinning from Lacey’s questions and her brief visit with Avery Holden. She nearly stumbled into Viv’s house and when Viv turned around and saw her cousin’s pale face and worried expression, she rushed to her side.

“I met Avery Holden,” Lin managed. “I don’t know why I feel so shook up.”

“What did she say to you?” Viv maneuvered Lin to the deck and sat her at the table. She brought her cousin a glass of sparkling water.

“Not much really.” Lin rubbed her forehead. “When I think about it, she basically avoided almost all of my questions. She admitted that Martha fired her, but she wouldn’t say what the circumstances were that brought about the firing.” Lin shook her head. “That’s understandable. It’s personal. She doesn’t know me. Why confide anything in a stranger?” She looked across the yard, thinking. “I thought for a few seconds that we had a connection though. It felt like she might tell me something.” Lin made eye contact with Viv. “But she didn’t.”

“Nothing?” Viv asked. “What about her manner? The nonverbal stuff? Did you pick up on anything? Did she seem guilty? Did she seem shy? Remorseful? Angry?”

One corner of Lin’s mouth turned up. “If you decide to sell the bookstore someday and make a career change, I suggest you look into becoming a prosecutor or an interrogator of some sort.”

Viv made a face. “Did you know that nonverbal stuff makes up a majority of our communication with one another? It’s not just what a person says that’s the whole message.”

Lin’s face clouded. “You’re right. When I think back on the conversation, nothing much stands out, but it unnerved me and I don’t know why.”

“Did you feel like Avery was hiding something?”

“I don’t know.” Lin had a feeling that Avery knew some things, but was holding that knowledge close. “She told me that she didn’t steal the basket and that she didn’t know who stole it.”

“She could be lying about one of those things, or both of those things.” Viv’s expression revealed skepticism about the young woman.

“She also said she didn’t think Martha would ever kill herself.”

Viv sighed. “Avery’s opinion about how Martha died is only an opinion. She doesn’t know what was going on with the woman, what struggles she might have had. Just because Martha was hard-driving and full of herself doesn’t mean that she could handle every stressor that came her way.”

Lin sat quietly and then said in a soft voice, “
I
don’t think Martha killed herself.”

“I know that and you’re probably right.” Viv pushed her hair behind her ear. “But Avery doesn’t have your skills and abilities. Avery might say anything just to get you off the right track. You can’t trust her.”

“She told me that I better watch my back.”

Viv leaned back in her chair. “That I agree with.”

“We have two things to consider.” Lin sat up straighter. “Who stole the basket and who killed Martha?”

Viv gave a nod and took a sip from her glass. “Could be two different people or could be the same person.”

“I’m voting that it’s one person.” Nicky came up to Lin and rubbed his head against her leg. “We need to think about motive.”

“Why would someone kill Martha?” Viv asked. “We know she wasn’t such a good person, but that isn’t a reason for murder.”

“Do you think she knew something about the theft? It could be that someone wanted her out of the picture so she wouldn’t reveal what she knew. Maybe she saw something or overheard something.”

“Could she have been a partner in the theft and then the partnership went bad?”

Lin’s eyes widened. “That’s an interesting idea. If she was a partner in the crime that could explain some of the things we overheard when we were outside Martha’s office.”

Viv looked pensive. “Do you think we should tell the police what we heard? They could pull the phone records and see who she was talking to at that time?”

“I think we should, especially with Martha dead. Things are escalating. Our information could help. Let’s go tomorrow.”

The girls went inside to the kitchen to start dinner. Viv announced what was in the fridge and they decided to make a shepherd’s pie. Lin started to brown the beef in a frying pan while Viv peeled potatoes. The dog and cat sat near the stove in case any stray beef made its way to the floor.

Lin chuckled. “We can always count on these two to clean up anything that drops.”

Viv agreed. “They always manage to show up when they think it’s important.”

Lin froze. Her hand holding the wooden spoon was suspended in mid-air. She turned slowly to face Viv.

When Viv saw the look on her cousin’s face, she stopped peeling the potato she had in her hand. “What? What’s wrong with you? Why do you have that look?”

“What you said.” Lin removed the frying pan from the burner. “Just now.”

Viv didn’t know what she meant. “What did I say?”

“What you said about Nicky and Queenie. That they always show up when they think it’s important.”

Viv just stared. “So? They do.”

Lin’s heart was beating fast. “It made me think of something. The ghosts. They show up when they think it’s important.”

Viv cocked her head. “Yeah?”

“I saw the Wampanoag ghost twice. Where was I?”

“He showed up outside the cultural museum. Right after the theft.”

“And the second time?” Lin smiled.

Viv’s eyes brightened when she recalled the second time Lin had seen the ghost. “You saw him in the garden behind the cultural museum.”

“Is it a message? Is he trying to tell me something?” Lin’s voice trembled with excitement.

Viv’s eyes widened. “It’s not just because the theft happened at the museum. There must be a clue in there. That’s why you’ve only seen him in that one place.”

Lin nodded and the girls high-fived one another.

“And Sebastian,” Lin said. “He showed up outside Lacey Frye’s shop.”

“Oh.” Viv’s mind raced. “What is he trying to tell you? Is it something about Lacey? Is there something in her shop that could be a clue?”

“Or is he trying to tell me that there’s something about Avery Holden? She lives behind Lacey’s shop.”

“This is progress.” Viv smiled and returned to peeling the potatoes. “We’re figuring things out.” She placed the vegetables in the pot of boiling water and set the timer.

Lin finished browning the meat. “We need to go back to those two places.”

“When are you starting the job on the cultural museum garden?”

“Soon. The exact day hasn’t been worked out yet.” Lin grinned, happy that she and Viv had made some progress understanding the ghosts’ appearances.

They finished assembling the shepherd’s pie and placed it in the oven. Viv poured two glasses of wine and they took their drinks out to the deck. The sun had set and shadows covered the back garden. The dog and cat nestled in the grass at the bottom of the deck steps.

Viv and Lin made plans to go out to a pub for dinner on the weekend with their boyfriends and they tried to figure out a day when the four of them could head for the beach for an afternoon of swimming in the ocean. Lin yawned. It was nice to sit and relax and think about other things besides a stolen item and a death.

Suddenly, Nicky leaped to his feet and let out a low woof. He scrambled up to the deck just as Queenie jumped onto the porch railing, arched her back, and hissed.

Lin sprang to her feet, her eyes flashing about the yard.

Viv hunched in her chair and pulled her sweater tight around her. “What is it?” Her voice shook.

The front doorbell rang and Viv vaulted out of her seat. “Now what?” She stared at her cousin.

Lin swallowed and gave a slight shrug of her shoulder. Her heart pounded like a drum had settled in her chest. Sucking in a deep breath, she said, “Let’s go find out.”

The girls walked through the house to the front door with the dog and cat racing ahead. Viv put her hand on the doorknob and hesitated. Lin nodded and Viv unlocked it and slowly opened the door a few inches.

A young woman’s unsteady voice spoke. “It’s me. Can I come in?”

Viv opened the door fully to reveal Mary Frye standing on the front porch under the light.

“Mary?” Lin’s eyes were wide with surprise.

Mary slurred her words. “I … I need to talk to you.”