Murder So Sweet (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 2) (14 page)

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After the police came to the Victorian and hauled the Foleys away, Tom, Finch, and the four sisters sat on the porch discussing what had just happened.

“Right under our noses.” Ellie fumed. She got up and paced back and forth the length of the front porch. “That’s great advertising for the B and B, isn’t it? People will avoid coming here because they’ll think we harbor criminals.”

“You know,” Courtney said, “people might be drawn to the excitement of staying at an inn where criminals visited.”

Jenna rocked in her chair. “Maybe you should put that information on the B and B website. You can charge people extra to stay in the very room used by convicted felons.”

Ellie groaned and plopped onto one of the chairs.

“How could murderers sit right at the table with us and none of us pick up on it?” Mr. Finch’s face had lost its color. The exertion of wresting with the Foleys and the revelation of their misdeeds had worn him out.

Angie sat on the porch railing next to Euclid and Circe. “So the Foleys killed your brother and stole the artwork from his living room wall?” Something about it didn’t seem right to her.

“It must have been an art deal gone wrong,” Jenna speculated.

“I had several discussions about art with the Foleys.” Finch sighed. “I never sensed that they were the killers.”

Angie said, “Maybe because they’re
not
the killers?”

Everyone turned towards Angie.

“What do you mean?” Tom asked. “The Foleys just stole the painting, but didn’t murder Mr. Finch?” Tom glanced at Mr. Finch sitting near him. “The other Finch, not you.”

Courtney rolled her eyes at Tom. “Obviously.”

“It doesn’t make sense to me.” Angie slid from her sitting position on the railing and stood. “Suppose they killed candy store Finch. It seems pretty stupid to stay in Sweet Cove for so many days after the murder. Wouldn’t you want to get away as soon as possible? Leave the area as soon as you could?”

“I think Angie’s right.” Courtney faced Mr. Finch. “Wouldn’t we have picked up on their crime if they murdered your brother? Some small prick of suspicion? I bet we didn’t sense that they stole the painting because we were so focused on figuring out who the killer is.” She was careful how she worded her statements. Tom didn’t know anything about the “gifts” that the Roseland sisters had started tapping into. Courtney didn’t want to scare Tom away, so she danced around the issue.

Jenna said, “The cats didn’t like the Foleys, but it wasn’t an urgent sense of alarm like Euclid had that night last month when Professor Linden’s murderer showed up here. Remember, Angie? Euclid practically chewed a hole through the kitchen door trying to get out. He knew Lisa Barrows was the killer. He never behaved that way when the Foleys were around. The cats had a more subtle dislike of them.”

“The cats sense things?” Tom looked confused.

Angie said quickly, “The cats are a lot like dogs. You know, lots of dogs are good judges of character. They take a quick disliking to certain people. The cats do the same thing.”

“I didn’t know cats were like that.” Tom gave the two felines admiring looks.

Angie’s phone buzzed with an incoming text. She read the words and let out a sigh. “Chief Martin says it seems the Foleys have an iron clad alibi for the night of the murder.”

“If the Foleys didn’t kill Thaddeus,” Mr. Finch asked, “then who did?”

Chapter 21

The four sisters and Mr. Finch decided to have dinner together at the Pirate’s Den on Main Street. Even though the restaurant was only a few blocks away, Ellie offered to drive everyone there in her van so that Mr. Finch wouldn’t have to walk. Finch declined the offer. He said it was better to exercise his injured leg and if the girls wouldn’t mind strolling at a leisurely pace, then he would enjoy walking to dinner.

The restaurant was crowded when they arrived, but Bessie, the owner, spotted the Roseland sisters and Mr. Finch as they entered, and she ushered the five of them to a table near the windows.

“This is most pleasant.” Mr. Finch placed his napkin in his lap and perused the menu.

Lindsay, the assistant manager, came to the table to take their orders. She was wearing the earrings that she’d purchased from Jenna.

“They look great on you,” Angie told Lindsay.

“I love them.” Lindsay had her hair in a loose bun and the dangly earrings caught the light and sparkled. “I’ve had a million compliments on them.” She nodded to Jenna. “I tell everyone where I bought them.”

Jenna smiled. “I just made a necklace that would match those earrings. Come by the shop some day and I’ll show you.”

Lindsay frowned. “I’m here all the time now that business has picked up with the tourists. Could you come by with the jewelry some night after we close?”

Jenna offered to bring some new pieces of jewelry to the restaurant the next night and Lindsay readily agreed.

Ellie introduced Mr. Finch and tilted her head towards the candy shop across the street. “He and the other Mr. Finch were brothers.”

Lindsay’s smile faded as she eyed Finch.

Courtney whispered to her. “This Mr. Finch is nice.”

Lindsay looked unsure. She pulled her order pad from the pocket of her apron. “Would you like to order appetizers?”

A woman’s raspy voice called out. “Oh, look. It’s the Roseland sisters.”

They all turned to see Agnes and Mildred Walsh bustling towards their table. Lindsay let out a groan.

“Look at you all out together. It’s hopping in here isn’t it?” Mildred turned to Angie and Courtney. “Did you have any luck with that phone number we gave you from the dry cleaners?”

“It was a promising lead, but it turns out the man is innocent,” Angie said.

“Ah. Too bad.” Mildred glanced about the front dining room and waved and nodded to several people she knew.

Agnes smiled at Finch. “And who is this fine gentleman you have with you?”

Ellie introduced Mr. Finch as a B and B guest and left out his name in order to avoid the inevitable comparison between this Finch and the dead one.

Mildred was about to press for their guest’s name when Bessie arrived with menus and showed the Walsh sisters to a table on the other side of the room.

“Those two.” Lindsay scowled. “They’re always up in everyone’s business. Such busybodies.” She leaned down. “And they are such complainers. I’m glad they’re not sitting at one of my tables tonight. When they worked at the candy store, they were in here all the time. I dreaded waiting on them.”

“They have forceful personalities, for sure.” Angie grinned.

The girls and Finch ordered their meals and shared nachos for an appetizer.

“There’s quite a good view of my brother’s candy store from here.” Mr. Finch looked out the restaurant window.

Angie followed Finch’s gaze. The now familiar thrumming started beating in her veins. After only a few pulses, the sensation faded away.

Courtney shot Angie a look. “What is it?”

Angie met her sister’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I felt something from you.”

“The thrumming started.” Angie kept her voice low.

Courtney’s eyes narrowed. “Do you still feel it?”

Angie shook her head.

“I felt it, too, but it was coming from you,” Courtney said.

Finch looked from sister to sister. “What’s going on?”

Jenna explained as best she could. Finch looked impressed.

Ellie blinked. She was sitting ramrod straight. She asked warily, “What did you feel?”

Angie took a gulp from her water glass. “I looked across the street at the candy store. The thrumming started up, but it faded really fast.” She took a quick look around the busy dining room. Her heart was beating double-time. “It has something to do with this restaurant.”

“What could it be?” Ellie twisted a strand of her long blonde hair. She seemed like she might get up and flee.

“Is the killer in here?” Courtney whispered. “We should go get the cats.”

“I don’t think they’d allow cats in here,” Finch observed.

Jenna made a suggestion to Angie. “Look out the window again. Look at the candy store. Does the thrumming start again?”

Angie trained her eyes on the building across the street. She waited for something to start in her blood. She shook her head. “Nothing.”

Jenna let out a sigh. “Why are these abilities such a puzzle? Why are they shrouded in mystery? Why can’t the stupid powers be more straightforward?”

Courtney glanced over her shoulder. “It has to be someone in here. Either the killer is in here or someone here knows who the killer is.”

“How can we figure it out?” Jenna whispered. “I wish we could lock the restaurant door and keep everyone from leaving.”

They were so engrossed in the conversation that they didn’t hear Lindsay come over to the table. “Want anything else?”

Ellie jumped. “No,” she said quickly. “Just the bill.”

Lindsay removed their bill from her order pad.

Mr. Finch held out his hand. “I’ll take that. It’s my treat.”

The girls protested but Finch insisted. Lindsay passed him the piece of paper with the charges written on it and then she moved to the next table. Mr. Finch opened his billfold, removed some cash, and counted out the necessary amount which he placed in the middle of the table. The five of them got up and left the restaurant. They started down the sidewalk back to the Victorian. Stars sparkled in the sky. The main street was crowded with people heading out to browse the stores or to eat in the many restaurants that lined the center of Sweet Cove.

“How will we ever figure out who the killer is?” Courtney moaned.

Mr. Finch leaned on his cane. “Talk to our waitress.”

Under a streetlamp, the four sisters stopped short and stared at Finch.

“She handed me the bill,” Finch said. “We held it at the same time. Something passed to me.” He held each of the girls’ eyes. “She knows.”

Chapter 22

Chief Martin sat in the living room of the Victorian with Angie, Jenna, Courtney, and Finch. Ellie had just finished cleaning up the kitchen from the morning breakfast preparations. She hurried to join the group. Euclid and Circe lay curled up on the rug in front of the fireplace.

“The Foley’s have been charged with stealing the painting from your brother’s home. We’d like to hold onto it for a few more days if you don’t mind, Mr. Finch.”

Finch sat straight in a side chair. He held the top of his cane with both hands. “I have no intention of keeping that painting. I plan to donate it to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, unless you discover that it is stolen property. Which wouldn’t surprise me in the least.”

“That’s very generous of you, Mr. Finch.” The chief rubbed his forehead. “As I mentioned, the Foleys have an alibi for the night your brother was murdered. They were at the resort having dinner late that night and then they spent several hours at the bar. A number of people are able to vouch for them.”

Finch nodded slightly. “I see.”

The chief went on. “They did visit the candy store prior to going to dinner. They mentioned seeing the resort manager in the store at the same time, and they also noted that Finch sent his regular employee home early. This was because the Foley’s had arranged with Finch to make a purchase from him, other than candy. Finch had brokered an art deal for the Foleys that didn’t come to fruition. The Foleys had sent Finch a deposit. Finch refused to return the money to the Foleys, saying it was his fee for his troubles. It was quite a large sum. They argued. Finch threatened to badmouth them to his art world contacts. He planned to make sure that the Foleys would be blacklisted from any future private art deals.” The chief cleared his throat. “When the Foleys heard that Finch had been murdered, they hatched the plan to go to his house and steal some artwork from him. They claim they were justified since your brother owed them money.”

Finch clutched tightly to his cane. “So many unscrupulous people in the world.”

Chief Martin nodded. “I want to assure you that we continue to work to find your brother’s killer.”

“Thank you, Chief Martin,” Finch said. “I hope that your investigation will prove fruitful soon. In my opinion, my brother was a blight on humanity. But it is also my belief that no one deserves to be murdered. I hope you find the killer, not for Thaddeus’ sake, but to keep the good people of Sweet Cove safe.”

Chief Martin said, “We’ll do all we can.”

The chief made a move to get up to leave when Angie cleared her throat. “Um. Chief, we want to tell you something.”

Chief Martin turned expectant eyes to Angie.

Angie, Jenna, Courtney, and Finch took turns relaying what had happened the previous night at the restaurant. Ellie stayed quiet. Euclid and Circe both sat up, listening with interest.

“I have a strong feeling that our waitress has knowledge about the crime,” Finch said.

“Hmm.” Chief Martin looked across the room, thinking. “It might be a good idea to talk to Lindsay again.”

“You know.” Jenna leaned forward in her seat. “I’ve walked by the Pirate’s Den late at night. I’ve seen Lindsay sitting near the window after the restaurant is closed. She goes over the evening receipts and cashes out the register to reconcile the money from the night’s business.”

Ellie’s eyes widened and she almost jumped up from her chair. “I’ve seen Lindsay in there at night, too. Every time I’ve seen her, she’s sitting at the table that we all sat at last night. She always sits by the window.” Ellie looked straight at Angie. “In the seat you were sitting in last night.”

Courtney turned to Angie. “That’s why you felt something during dinner. I bet Lindsay saw something or someone the night Finch was killed. She had a direct view of the front of the candy shop. You picked up on it. That’s what the thrumming was trying to tell you.”

Euclid arched his back and let out a low hiss.

Chief Martin stood up. “I think I’ll pay Lindsay a visit right away.” He thanked the girls and shook hands with Finch. Courtney showed him to the door.

Before Courtney could return to her seat, the doorbell chimed. “I’ll get it. The chief probably forgot something.” When she opened the door, Betty Hayes stood on the porch.