Killer Colada: a Danger Cove Cocktail Mystery (17 page)

"So, what have you found out?" I asked Vernon, sitting down and popping an olive in my mouth.

Vernon broke a piece of toasted chickpea bread apart and stared at it. "This isn't real bread."

"It's gluten free," I said. "From Veggie Tables."

He sniffed it. Shrugged. Dunked it in some hummus and took a bite.

"It's lovely," Ruby said.

"Tastes like sawdust." Vernon pulled off a bigger chunk and stuffed that in his mouth.

"Yeah?" Ruby said. "Well, if it tastes so bad, why are you eating so much of it?"

"I'm hungry! Anyway, wait till you hear this." He looked at me. "Donna's confessed to killing Jenna."

My eyes nearly popped out. "What? After all this time?"

"It's just a terrible shame she didn't do it before Pandora died." Ruby traced her fingertip around the edge of her cup.

"Blimey." Harvey ran a hand through his hair.

Vernon leaned his elbows on the table. "Apparently, when Donna met Tim at the university, she wanted to be more than friends. She was in love with him, obsessively so, but he was seeing Jenna at the time. My contact told me Donna said she knew if she could get rid of Jenna that she and Tim could be together."

I shook my head, flabbergasted.

"On the night of the fair, Donna saw Tim there and asked if he wanted to watch the fireworks with her later on, but he said he couldn't, as he'd arranged to meet Jenna at the lighthouse. Donna figured that was her perfect opportunity, so she found Jenna and told her Tim had asked her to pass on a message that the meeting spot had been changed to the tavern. The place was closed that night because of the festivities in town. Donna followed Jenna up there, then strangled her with her belt."

I thought about Jenna, who was petite and fragile looking, and Donna, who was tall and big boned. And with an insane jealousy spurring her on, I supposed it would have been easy to overpower Jenna, especially if she was taken by surprise. "How did she hide the body?"

"She found some garden tools in the storage barn at the back of the tavern, dug a hole, dragged Jenna down there, and buried her."

"Didn't anyone notice the area had been disturbed when they were all out searching for Jenna?" Harvey asked.

"Donna said she took a lot of time covering the exposed soil with rocks and patches of grass from other areas of the cliffs outside the tavern so it wasn't obvious. And we all know how uneven and rocky that land is."

"But what about Pandora?" I asked. "I thought Donna was in the shop at the time Pandora was murdered, so who killed her?"

"Lester now thinks that when Pandora called Tim that day, she'd worked out somehow that Donna had killed Jenna and wanted to tell Tim about it. But Tim wanted it covered up so Donna wouldn't go to prison, and became so angry he killed Pandora to shut her up." Vernon shook his head. "Lester thinks they were both protecting each other to stop the truth from coming out."

"Like some kind of Bonnie and Clyde!" Ruby gasped.

I sat back, stunned, letting it sink in. Something was still bugging me, but I couldn't work out what.

"Unless Donna is actually covering for Tim," Ruby suggested. "If she knew all along Tim had killed Jenna, maybe she's confessed in order to cast reasonable doubt to try to get him off for Pandora's murder?" Ruby suggested.

"No, I think this throws a totally different light on things. When Donna heard about her belt being found with Jenna, she knew the game was up. It would probably only have been a matter of time before someone who knew her back then identified it." Vernon stared out of the window into the dusky sunset. "Looks like we were wrong about Tim's guilt all along, and Lester's theory is right, even though I hate to admit it. Donna killed Jenna out of jealousy. Then Tim killed Pandora to protect Donna and stop everyone from learning the truth"

"It's so sad," Ruby said. "Donna obviously didn't know Jenna was meeting Tim that night to break off their relationship. If she had, things could've turned out so differently for everyone." Ruby slipped a slice of tomato into her mouth. "I spoke to Ian this morning. The police told him about the latest development."

"How did he take it?" Harvey asked.

She chewed and swallowed. "I think he was still in shock, not surprisingly. The police called him this morning to let him know they'd matched Jenna's dental records to the skeleton they found here. So at least he's finally got some answers. He wanted to postpone Pandora's funeral until they release Jenna's remains. He wants Jenna and Pandora to be buried next to each other in a single ceremony. He thinks it's what they both would've wanted."

"I'll let Tara know." I stood up and grabbed my cell from my bag, dialing her number. Since Tara was doing the catering for the wake, we'd have to try to salvage what food we'd already bought for it. Luckily, Tara came up with the bright idea of turning the surplus food into a couple of specials on the menu, so it would all be recycled to good use. "So, that's it, then." I shook the niggling feeling away and sat back in the chair, lacing my fingers through Harvey's. "The killers are in custody, and Ian can hopefully start to move on with his life."

We had a busload of tourists in the tavern the next day, along with a whole bunch of locals wanting to find out what the gossip was about Jenna and Pandora. I tried to answer their questions politely without giving too much away, and I was glad it was busy so I didn't have time to stop and chat to people. The day passed in a blur of potato wedges, cocktails, and daily specials.

Carmen sashayed in about 7:00 p.m., dressed in tight leggings and a low-cut top, and sat at a booth, tapping her fingernails on the table as she studied the menu.

I walked over to her table, pad and pen poised. "Hi, can I get you something?"
A new personality, maybe?

She put the menu down and gave me a snooty look. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you. About Harvey."

Uh-oh!
I could guess what was coming. Harvey had decided he'd rather be with Carmen than me. They'd rekindled their relationship, and yesterday was just his way of saying good-bye. Is that what Harvey had been trying to tell me all along when we kept getting interrupted?

I sat opposite her, wanting to hear what she had to say and not wanting to at the same time.

"You know I told you Harvey and I used to be together?"

"Yes." I swallowed back the bitter taste in my mouth.

"Our relationship lasted a year." She leaned forward, eyes formed into thin slits. "One year! And we were good together. We met at work and fell in love. Then suddenly he started becoming obsessed with the
Ocean's Revenge
and persuaded our boss to let him come out to this"—she glanced around the room as if searching for a suitable word—"this crap hole and look for it. He only came here to put a notch on his career, you know. And when we've finished this recovery, we'll both be going back to the UK.
Together
! So you might as well stop things with him now. You're only going to get hurt when he comes back to me."

Anger was bubbling to the surface now. How dare she! I took a deep breath, trying to think of something polite to say, but I was struggling.
Do not lower yourself to her level!
"And what does Harvey think about that?" I folded my arms and waited for her answer.

"Harvey wants to get back with me, but he's too shy to tell you himself. I just need
you
to get the message, too, and leave him alone." She poked a finger in my direction. "Leave
us
alone so we can get on with our lives without your interference."

"Actually, that's not what Harvey thinks at all." Harvey's voice sounded to our right. I'd been so busy concentrating on not swearing at Carmen or poking her eyes out with the toothpicks on the table that I hadn't noticed his approach. Neither had Carmen.

Carmen stood up, a saccharine-sweet smile on her face. "Of course it is, babe. You only ended things with me because you were coming here. You still love me. You know you do." She ran a hand up and down his arm.

Harvey glanced around the busy tavern. Luckily, the hum of talking, scraping of cutlery on plates, and the music were drowning out what we were saying. He sighed and gave Carmen a sympathetic frown. Then sat next to me. "Look, Carmen, we went through this before I left England. You know things weren't working out between us. It was time to move on. For both of us. I'm sorry if you still believe otherwise, but it's over."

"So why did you ask me to come out here and help you then?" she screeched. "You wanted me back but were too shy to say it to my face!"

"I didn't ask for you! It was Steve's decision who to send out here to assist me. He told me he was going to send Kevin! I didn't know until you got here that he'd changed his mind."

She folded her arms, hugging her elbows, her gaze darting between Harvey and me, finally taking in what Harvey had said. "Well, how cozy for you both," she snapped viciously.

"I'm sorry, Carmen, but it's finished between us. It has been for a long time," Harvey carried on. He grabbed hold of my hand and squeezed it. "I'm with Hope now."

Carmen leaped to her feet, lips in a puckered scowl, fists balled at her hips. "Well, not for long! You're making a big mistake!" She treated me to a final glare before flouncing out.

"What do you think she meant by that?" I looked at Harvey.

"I'm not sure. She can be a bit unpredictable and highly strung at times." He twisted in his seat to face me, his arm sliding over the backrest toward my shoulders. "I've been trying to tell you about what happened with her, but we either keep getting interrupted or it never seems like the right time."

I held a hand up to stop him. "You don't have to tell me. We all have a past. All have previous relationships. I knew she was your ex and guessed she was still in love with you, but I just needed to know that you didn't feel the same."

"I don't. It was over long before I came out here, despite what she said. I don't know why it took me a whole year to work out that she wasn't a genuine person. It's been difficult though. We obviously still have to work together, so I was trying to be as gentle as possible about the split. Looks like she wouldn't take no for an answer though." He pulled me toward him, his lips close to my ear, breath tickling my skin, sending goose bumps darting all over. "What I've been trying to tell you is…there's no one else but you, Hope. How could there be when I'm stupidly in love with you?"

My heart did a little happy sigh.

I wrapped my hand around his neck and kissed him, but before I could tell him the same, his phone rang out.

"I guess you'd better get that. It could be important," I said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Harvey groaned and pulled his phone from his pocket, looking at the screen. "It's Lester Marshall." He answered and had a quick conversation that involved a lot of "yes" and "okay" answers. He hung up and turned to me. "Sorry, they want me back at the forensic lab in Seattle to finalize something to do with Jenna's remains. I have to sign a statement about my involvement with the site."

"Okay, go." I gave him a gentle push. "What I have to say can wait."

He kissed me, and I watched him walk out the door.

He loves me.

I couldn't wipe the happy smile off my face for the rest of the night.

"Someone's had some good news." Ruby cocked her head with a grin later as the crowds began to peter out. "What was all that about with Carmen and Harvey?"

I filled her in on the details.

"See, I told you everything would work out okay." She tapped her nose knowingly. "Maybe I should buy a hat for the wedding. We could do with some happy news around here."

I held my hand up and laughed. "Whoa! Now you're getting way ahead of yourself."

"Stop hassling the poor girl," Vernon said.

"I'm not hassling her. I'm projecting."

"Projecting? What are you raving on about?"

"If you want something, you have to project your intentions out to the Universe and visualize it happening. That's how you manifest your desires."

"Really?" Vernon closed his eyes, arms moving in exaggerated circular motions as if he was doing some kind of conjuring trick. "Oh, yes, I can see it now." He snapped his fingers. "I'm projecting a thick, juicy steak with all the trimmings. I can visualize it. A dash of mustard. Chunky fries. Onion rings. A side of slaw and—"

"Oh, stop it!" Ruby elbowed him gently.

His eyelids shot open, giving her an innocent, "
What
?"

After closing time, I kissed them both good-bye and locked up the tavern's front door. Flicking off the lights, I made my way along the internal corridor and up the stairs to my apartment.

Zen was waiting behind the door, staring at me expectantly.

I picked him up. "And what mischief have you been up to since I've been gone?" I plonked him down in the kitchen and refilled his and Karma's bowls. I glanced around for Karma, who usually came at the slightest sound of chow. "Where's Karma?" I asked Zen.

He glanced around briefly before tucking in.

I called out to my kitten and searched the apartment, but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he'd gone out the kitty door and not been able to get back inside for some reason. I headed down the other staircase that led to the external door and unlocked it, stepping into the darkness and being treated to a blast of cold night air. The only light came from the full moon glowing above my head and the abundance of stars shimmering in the coal-black sky.

"Karma! Chow time!" I called out. No sign of him. Usually, he didn't stray far—he was much too timid, and he hated being without Zen, so I was starting to worry now. "Karma!" I walked around the outside of the tavern.

Wait, what's that?
I thought I heard a sound in between the waves crashing against the rocks below the tavern. Was it some kind of muffled mewing? "Karma?"

I strained my ears, listening. Another sound then. Like a groan. And it was coming from…where? My head spun around, trying to locate the source of the noise. "Hello? Is someone out here?"

"Get me out of here, you idiot! I think I've broken my leg!" It was Carmen's voice, mixed with a definite meowing sound, and it came from the entrance to the caves behind the tent.

I rushed over, stumbling on a patch of uneven ground. Pulling the flap back, I peered inside the tent, but it was so dark I couldn't see much. I pulled my cell from my pocket and turned on the flashlight app, pointing it down into the dark entrance to the caves.

Carmen lay sprawled on her back, one leg bent at an unnatural angle. Karma was trying to scramble up the ladder at the entrance.

"Omigod! What happened? Are you okay? Is Karma okay?"

Carmen glared at me, then winced and groaned. The light from my phone reflected off her pale face. "Sod the cat! Get me out! I'm in"—she took a deep breath—"agony!"

I dialed the emergency services, asking for an ambulance and a fire truck, then climbed down the ladder. Karma leaped up at me, begging to be in my arms. I picked him up, cradling him as he nestled into my elbow. "What happened, Carmen? Can you move?" I crouched down in front of her on the rocky ground. "The ambulance is on its way. They'll be here in no time. Don't worry. What were you doing out here in the dark?"

"It was that stupid cat! I tripped over it and fell…" She groaned again, reaching out to touch her leg, then thinking better of it and resting her head back on a rock. Tears of pain sprang into her eyes. Beads of sweat broke out on her upper lip.

I glanced down at Karma, who'd buried his head into my skin, trembling. "But Karma's scared of this tent. He never comes near here, so how could you trip over him and fall in?" Then I noticed some fresh scratches on her arms. Scratches that looked suspiciously like claw marks. And that wasn't all. There was a dead fish lying next to her foot. "Did you do something to my cat?"

"Don't be stupid."

"Well, what's this fish doing here? Were you trying to entice Karma into this hole? You've got scratch marks on your arms."

"I was trying to teach
you
a lesson to stay away from my man!"

"By doing what?" I held Karma tighter, stroking his shivering body.

"You stole something I love from me, so I was going to do the same to you!" she spat.

"What, by leaving a poor defenseless kitten down here to starve?" I asked incredulously. "Is that what you were up to?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I was going to do. It's only a cat!"

"How low can you get!" I fought the urge to kick her broken leg really hard, instead feeling all over Karma's tiny soft body, checking for broken bones.

"Oh, shut up," she snarled. "If I hadn't tripped over the stupid thing when he leapt out of my arms, you'd never have known it was me."

When the sirens and flashing lights appeared in the parking lot, I climbed out of the cave, clutching my terrified cat toward me. Part of me felt bad that I'd previously wished Carmen to fall down the hole and break her leg. But because of what she'd been about to do, the other part of me thought it was Karma. Literally.