Murder at Redwood Cove (12 page)

M
y mind raced through the events of last evening. Relief surged through me. “It couldn't have been Daniel. He didn't have time to get to the headlands to attack Tommy.”

“How do you figure?”

“I called him at home. Between the time I talked to him and when we made it to the headlands was about ten minutes, fifteen tops. Fred began baying as soon as we hit the trail. Tommy said the people arguing above him stopped when they heard the dog. Daniel lives too far away to get there that fast.”

“Okay. I'll buy that. Daniel's off the hook for the attack on Tommy and if, I repeat if, the two events are related, he didn't steal the BlackBerry.”

“That leaves Andy, Phil, Jason, and Charlie.” I shook my head. “I can't imagine any of them doing it.”

“If criminals looked like crooks, my job would be a piece of cake.” He laughed.

The deputy stood and picked up his mug. “Have you seen any of them today?”

I nodded. “All except Charlie. They came to find out how Tommy was doing.”

“Do you know where they are now?”

“The last I knew Phil was at the cottage helping Tommy with a report about Greece. Daniel's with them. I don't know about the others.”

“I'll go talk to him.” Deputy Stanton opened the office door. “And as I said, I want to ask Tommy some more questions.”

I grabbed my coffee and followed him out. “You're welcome to use this room.”

“Thanks. I might take you up on that.”

As we entered the kitchen, Mary fluttered in carrying a wicker basket covered with a red-checkered dish towel.

“Deputy Stanton, Kelly, what perfect timing.” She smiled, and her dimples popped into view. “I have something for you.” Mary pulled back the cloth, revealing saucer-sized chocolate chip cookies.

The fresh-baked smell triggered my crave button. I'd just eaten, but my taste buds convinced me starvation was close if I didn't eat one of those monster treats dotted with chocolate pieces.

“They're still warm. That's when they're the best.” She held the basket out to Deputy Stanton.

“Don't mind if I do.” He picked one up and took a bite. “Delicious. Glad I didn't leave earlier.”

“Thanks, Deputy.” Mary blushed, dimples working overtime.

I didn't try to resist this time. Chocolate chip cookies and coffee together were number one on my list of self-indulgences.

“Ditto what Deputy Stanton said about delicious.” I followed the bite of soft cookie with a long sip of coffee. Heaven.

The officer picked up his hat. “Got to go.”

“Wait. Take some with you. I know you've had a long night, and you have a lot ahead of you today.” Mary placed the basket on the counter.

“I'll get something to put them in.” I pulled open a drawer, took out a plastic bag, and handed it to Mary.

She placed six of the oversized cookies in it and handed the baked goods to the deputy.

“Thanks. These'll definitely help me through the day.” He put on his hat and headed outside.

I looked through the back door window. He put the cookies in his patrol car and then walked toward the cottage to find Phil and Tommy.

“I thought Tommy and Helen might like something to cheer them up a bit.” Mary put the remaining cookies in a bowl on the counter.

“That's thoughtful of you.”

“Honey, I noticed the yellow roses in the side yard are in bloom. They're my all-time favorite flower.” She pulled a paperback from the side pocket of her purse and held it up. “Would you mind if I sat next to them awhile and read my book?”

The cover depicted a young woman with long blond hair blowing wildly around her and a stern-looking, tanned, well-buffed man watching her.

I smiled. “Stay as long as you like.”

Mary took a note from her purse and placed it next to the gift.

“I'll come out with you. I want to see how Rudy's doing.”

“Rudy's here?” Mary asked in her soft voice, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes. He came over to clean the garden beds for the festival.”

“Oh, he's such a sweet man.”

As we approached, Rudy stood and dusted off his pants.

“Good morning, dear ladies.”

“Hi, Rudy.” Mary walked over to a bush exploding with flowers. “These are the ones.” She pointed at the magnificent blooms.

A gentle breeze enveloped me in perfumed air. “Their fragrance is wonderful.”

Mary settled herself on a nearby bench and opened her book. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“No problem. I'm happy to have you here.” And I was. I was becoming fond of this group of senior citizens.

“I'm done for today,” Rudy said. “I'll come back in the morning before the festival to do a little more.”

I surveyed the newly weeded flower bed. “You did a very nice job, Rudy. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” He picked up his kneeling pad and waved good-bye.

I passed the deputy's cruiser as I returned to the kitchen. I glanced down the hallway. The study door was closed. What would Phil have to say?

Had the four stayed at Noah's Place after I left? If so, they were in the clear. It was an easy enough question to ask, but I was a stranger. And this was a very closed community to outsiders.

The phone rang.

“Hello. Redwood Cove Bed-and-Breakfast. Kelly speaking.”

“I just heard what happened to Tommy,” Suzie's normal cheer lacked in her voice. “Is he okay?”

“He seems to be doing fine. I think staying home from school helped brighten his day.”

“Who would do something like this? Is there anything I can do?”

Her questions suddenly gave me an answer—how to get information from the locals.

“Suzie, I have no idea who'd try to hurt Tommy, but I'd like to find out. Will you help me?”

“Of course. What did you have in mind?”

I hesitated. I wanted to know who left Noah's Place right after I did, but that was coming on pretty strong. A local could've pushed Tommy. Maybe even someone Suzie knew. That might be too close to home for her.

“I'd like to find out who was at Noah's Place during the time of the attack on Tommy last night. Those people can be ruled out.” I decided to put a positive spin on it. “It's not much, but it's a starting point.” I paused. “I'm new here, and I don't think anyone will talk to me about their whereabouts. But they'll talk to you. You're a local. You're one of them.”

“Good idea. Can you meet me there at two? We can talk to Noah and see what he knows.”

“You bet.” I checked my watch. Ten o'clock. “Would eleven this morning work for me to come over and get the keys?”

“Fine. There's a converted garage at the back entrance to the hotel we use for storage. I'll meet you there.”

Suzie was the first stop on Bob's list. Maybe there was time to see the other two before the meeting at Noah's Place. I retrieved the list from my room, along with my jacket, and headed for Helen's cottage. Would the people at Redwood Ranch or Javier be able to give me some information to help solve Bob's death? And, if connected, reveal Tommy's attacker? I sure hoped so. Tommy's life was in danger until the police arrested the person.

I
followed the flagstone path to the cottage. The large slabs of stone ranged in color from deep red to slate gray. Bright green moss sprinkled with miniscule white flowers grew between them.

I knocked on the door.

“Who's there?” Helen asked.

Good. She was being cautious. “It's Kelly.”

Helen opened the door. “Hi. How can I help you?”

“I have Bob's schedule from the day he fell.” No reason to mention the word
murder
after what happened last night. “I'm getting up to speed on what was happening before he died. I'd like to see these people. I thought maybe you could help with directions and background on what Bob was doing at these places.”

“Happy to.” She signaled me in, and I followed.

On my left in the living area I passed a meadow green couch with yellow pillows placed at each end. They sported a pattern of white daises with green stems and made a picture-perfect accent. Yellow-and-white-checked gingham curtains with a thin line of green trim carried the colors to the other side of the room. A fireplace built with smooth, round stones occupied the right wall. Windows on both sides of it framed a blue ocean view.

A dining room table was visible at the far end. A short hallway led off to my left with three doors. The bedrooms and the bathroom I'd read about in the company information. Cozy.

“Give me a few minutes,” Helen said. “I need to put some flowers in water. I just cut them.”

The kitchen alcove was off to the side of the dining area and not visible when I first walked in. A bunch of white calla lilies lay on the counter. Helen put water in a vase and started arranging them.

“Okay.” I wandered over to the mantel above the fireplace, where rows of pictures formed a straight line. A black-and-white one showed a young woman in a long black dress with a full skirt, her hair wound up in an elaborate braid on top of her head, a small hat perched on top. Next to her stood a tall man in a vest and slacks. Then came a photo of a young man in a soldier's uniform.

The next one showed a couple on their wedding day. Small white pearls adorned the bodice of the bride's dress; the man wore a black morning tuxedo, the tails elegantly curved, and pin-striped gray trousers. The woman's long hair flowed down her back, and her face glowed. She looked like a model featured in a picture frame for sale in a store. In the next photo the same couple held an infant. The infant became a young boy as I wandered down the row.

With a start, I realized it was Tommy. The young woman must be Helen. I backtracked. The shape of her eyes and her brow were the same. But that was it. I glanced over at her. Helen's chin was sharp, her shoulders poked through the thin pink cotton shirt, and the bones of her hands protruded.

“Done.” Helen wiped her hands on a towel and walked over.

“I love your photos,” Kelly said.

Helen nodded at the first two.

“Those are my husband's parents on their first day in this country.”

I was in front of the military picture.

“That's Ken, my husband.” She straightened the already neatly arranged pictures, then walked back to the kitchen and refolded a dish towel. She fussed with the vase of flowers on the dining room table, moving it a smidge to the right and then putting it back where it was.

Suddenly she covered her face with her hand for a moment, dropped it, and turned to me. She took in a deep breath. “I'm trying so hard to hold myself together. If I don't keep everything I have control over in perfect condition, I think I'll fall to pieces.”

I wanted to hug her, but sometimes that was the final straw to someone's composure. She had a slim hold on her emotions right now. The neatness gave her structure.

“My husband's death, then moving here. I thought it would be a dream place for Tommy. Instead, it's become a nightmare. And then last night.” She began sobbing. “Someone tried to kill my son.”

“Helen, we'll find who tried to hurt Tommy. When that's behind us, we'll work on creating a life here for the two of you.”

Helen wiped her eyes. “Thanks, Kelly. You have enough to do. Tommy and I will figure it out.”

“No. I mean it. You haven't met Michael Corrigan yet, the owner of Resorts International. He believes employees are part of the company family, and those aren't phony corporate words. It's how he operates. We'll work this out together.”

Helen went over to the table and sat.

I sat next to her and put my hand on her arm. “You'll see what I mean when you meet Michael. He'll be here Saturday.”

“I'm looking forward to it.” Helen straightened her back. “Where's the schedule?”

I wanted to say more, but Helen seemed to need to step back at this point. “Right here.” I handed it to her. “Suzie's first at eleven. I already know what they talked about.”

While Helen read the list, I looked around. Magazines were arranged in a neat stack on an end table, a newspaper folded next to them. The meticulously arranged photographs had the exact same distance between each one. Not only was nothing out of place, everything was evenly spaced.

Then chaos exploded into the room in the form of Tommy and his short-legged hound.

“Mom! Daniel said I can help him with stuff he needs to do on the van.” Tommy skidded to a stop in front of her. Fred didn't have as much traction, and it took him a couple more feet on the wooden floor to come to a stop. “Is that okay?”

Daniel waved from the doorway.

“Will that work for you? He can stay here with me, you know,” Helen said.

“He can be my assistant and hand me tools. He'll be a big help.”

“Well, if you're sure.”

“Oh boy.” Tommy grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge, and he and Fred bounded after Daniel.

Helen studied the appointment list. “I don't know what the visit to Redwood Ranch was about or who Diane is, but I know where the place is located.” She pointed to the last name. “Javier is our produce supplier and a longtime friend of Bob's.”

“I want to find out what Bob talked about with each of them.”

“I'll jot down directions for you and bring them over.” She got up, pulled open a drawer, and took out a tablet and pen.

“Sounds good.” I stood. “I saw the fruit and vegetable orders when I reviewed the inn's receipts. There was contact information on them. The number for Redwood Ranch should be easy to find. I'll phone them and get my stuff.”

As I walked back to the inn, I thought about what a tenuous hold Helen had on her composure. She had already been under severe stress before the attack on Tommy. The sooner the murderer was caught, the sooner she could start a new chapter in her life.

I called the sites Bob had visited and lucked out. The people on the list could see me today. I put on my fleece jacket and headed out. Helen had left the directions and the schedule on the kitchen counter while I made the calls.

I walked the short distance to Suzie's hotel. A building at the back of the inn was painted in off-white with white trim. I knocked on the door, and Suzie opened it.

“Come on in and welcome.” The sparkle had returned to her voice.

I stepped into a large room with rows of wire shelves stacked to the ceiling filled with large cans and boxes. Four large steel refrigeration units lined the back wall.

“This is a nice setup. Spacious with open access to everything.”

“It works really well.” She held up a couple of keys. “These are what you'll need for Saturday. The shed and the refrigerators are kept locked. Transients come through town regularly, and food walks off if it's not under lock and key.”

“I understand.”

“The festival food will be in the first unit on the left.” She pointed to a key with a red plastic cover. “This is for the refrigerator. The other one unlocks the building.”

I put the keys in my fleece pocket and zipped it closed.

“What are the other two appointments? I might know something about them that would be helpful,” Suzie said.

“He went to Redwood Ranch and then to Javier's produce market.”

“I don't know anything about the ranch. We both had problems with the produce from Javier.”

“What kinds of problems?”

“Much of it went bad shortly after delivery. Some of the strawberries already had mold on them when they arrived.”

“Thanks. That'll be helpful when I talk to Javier.” I checked my watch. “I'd better get going if I'm going to be back in time for us to meet at Noah's Place.”

I did a fast walk back to the inn and got in the truck. I pulled out and started for Fort Paul, about fifteen minutes away. Hopefully, I'd find clues that would lead to Bob's murderer.