Sweetness and Light (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 5) (3 page)

“How very odd.”  The man tilted his head in a questioning posture.  Circe jumped on his lap and curled up.  Finch scratched her cheek.  “It seems clear that Ms. Winston is not very fond of her fiancé.”

Ellie sat down across from Finch.  “Then why do you think she is marrying him?”

“There could be a number of reasons.”  The older man’s forehead creased.  “There probably aren’t many men of such means.  The Winstons must have a very small social circle of families of their position and wealth.  It could be that Ms. Winston does not wish to marry outside of that circle.  Maybe she has known the young man since she was a small girl and they get along, but she really doesn’t love him.  It could be a marriage of convenience for both of them, two very powerful families joining together.”

“That’s sad.”  Ellie frowned.

“Maybe it isn’t.”  Courtney lifted the lid on the crockpot and checked the simmering meat, and then she went to wash lettuce at the sink.  “Maybe it’s just what super rich people do.”

“Then I’m glad I’m not wealthy.”  Ellie’s eyes clouded.  She got up, left the kitchen, and walked to the dining room to set the table.

“I wish I was wealthy.”  Courtney ladled the beef stew from the crock pot into a blue and white serving bowl.  “I prefer love
and
money.”
 

Chapter 4

Courtney snuggled in the easy chair with Euclid who lay next to her sound asleep with his head hanging off the seat cushion.  Ellie sat on the loveseat with Circe curled in her lap.  Angie was supposed to be watching the movie, but she’d dozed off.  Jenna sat with Angie on the sofa and because the air conditioner was going full blast, she pulled a blanket over her lap rather than turn it down because the cool air felt so good.

Just as an important scene from the film was playing on the screen, Euclid bolted up and let out a hiss, waking Angie and causing the other girls to jump.  Circe stared at the orange cat and then she cocked her head focusing on the sound that had alerted Euclid.

The doorbell rang and everyone startled.

“Who could this be?”  Ellie didn’t want to go to the door because she was wearing old shorts and a faded t-shirt.  “It’s eleven at night.  It can’t be one of the B and B guests.  I gave everyone the code to the front door.”

Angie lifted her head from the sofa, looking disoriented.  She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

“It must be someone who forgot the code.  Again.”  Jenna pushed the blanket to one side and stood up. “I’ll go see.”  She hurried down the hall to the foyer.

The cats were on full alert.  They jumped down and followed Jenna into the hall and raced her to the front door.  The bell rang again.

“I’m coming, for Pete’s sake.”  Jenna muttered under her breath before swinging the front door open.

Bethany Winston stood under the porch light, her platinum hair glowing from the illumination.  Taking a glance over her shoulder to the dark street, she hurried into the Victorian without being invited to enter.  “I need to speak with you and your sisters.”

Jenna started, “It’s really not a good time….”

Bethany cut her off.  “It’s very important.  I’ll try to take only a bit of your evening.”

Jenna thought, the
evening
is already over, it’s
night
now, but she didn’t say so.

Circe and Euclid watched warily from the staircase, listening.

“Um.”  Jenna looked down the hallway.  “We’re relaxing in the family room.  We’re not really presentable for guests.”

Bethany moved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care what you look like.  I just want to talk.”  Her big, brown eyes looked hopefully at Jenna.  “It’s important.”

Jenna stifled a sigh from escaping from her throat.  “Why don’t you have a seat in the living room for a few minutes.  Let me go tell my sisters that you’re here.”  She walked down the hallway and into the family room.

Angie was still stretched out on the sofa and had her eyes closed.  Ellie and Courtney were focused on the movie that was playing on the television.

Ellie didn’t move her eyes from the screen. “Who was it?”

“Bethany Winston.”

The television watchers turned towards Jenna.

“She’s in the living room.  She needs to talk to us, she says it’s important.”

Angie groaned without opening her eyes.  “You three go.”

“Really?  She’s here so late.”  Courtney stood up, her face bright with interest.  “What’s it about?”

Jenna shrugged and turned back to the hall.  “Let’s go find out.  You too, Angie.”

“Bah.”  Angie muttered and swung her legs off the sofa.

When the four girls were at the threshold of the living room, Bethany jumped up from her seat.  Her words tumbled out in a rush.  “Thank you for seeing me.  I apologize for running off like that earlier today.  There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Everyone sat down.  The cats watched the woman from their position in front of the fireplace. Ellie hoped that this intrusion into their free time wasn’t about some small wedding detail that could wait until tomorrow.

Bethany seemed to be struggling with what to say.  She fidgeted on the sofa and her expression was tight and tense.

“What would you like to speak with us about?”  Angie gave a small encouraging smile trying to prompt her.

Bethany exhaled loudly.  “I don’t know where to start.”

“What’s bothering you?”  Jenna asked.

“Many things.”  The platinum blonde shook her head, and then made eye contact with the four sisters.  “I read about you in the newspapers.  I need your help.”

Angie groaned inwardly.  In her head, she cursed the news outlets.  The very words that Bethany had just uttered had preceded a development in the sisters’ last murder case.  Angie braced herself.

Bethany went on.  “I have a friend.”

The girls waited for more.

“He and I have been friends since grade school.”  Bethany clasped her hands in her lap.  Her brow furrowed.  “I’m very worried about him.”

“What seems to be the trouble?”  Jenna leaned slightly forward.

“He is going to be my “Man of Honor” or “Best Man” or whatever words would be appropriate for a bride to have a male friend as her “Maid of Honor.”

Ellie bristled, but remained quiet, annoyed that semantics was the cause of this late night visit.  She wondered why the appropriate term to use for the man standing up for Bethany at her wedding couldn’t be discussed during the day.

Bethany eyes watered.  “Something happened.  His life has been threatened.”

“Just because he’s going to be your Best Man?”  Ellie gaped.

“No.”  The young woman shook her head.  “I don’t know.  That can’t be the whole reason.  I need you to figure this out.”

Angie swallowed.  “Have the police been told about the threat?”

Bethany sighed and shook her head.  “We haven’t told anyone.”

“Why not?”  Jenna’s eyes narrowed.

“We don’t want any unnecessary publicity.”

“But if the threat is real….”  Courtney said.

“That’s why I’m coming to you first.  If you can’t find any clues, then we’ll go to the police.”

“How was the threat presented?” Angie questioned.

“My friend has received several letters, two in the mail and one on his doorstep.  There are cut up letters from a magazine that spell out the message, just like in a movie.”  She wrung her hands.

“When did the first one arrive?” Jenna asked.

“Four weeks ago.”

“Was your wedding date common knowledge then?”  Courtney tried to make a connection between the timing of the threats and what might have precipitated the warning letters.

“The first letter arrived just prior to when our save-the-date announcements went out.”

“What did the letter say?”  Ellie looked like she didn’t really want to know.

Bethany cleared her throat.  “It said, ‘I know you love Bethany. Enjoy your last days on Earth.’”

Four pairs of eyes widened.  Ellie covered her mouth with her hand.

“Is that true? 
Does
he love you?” Courtney sat up straighter, intrigued by a possible love triangle.

Bethany gave a slight nod and looked at the floor.  “And I love him,” she said softly.

After a full minute of silence, Angie stood up slowly.  “Let’s have some tea and something to eat.  Why don’t we move to the family room where it’s more private, in case other guests show up and want to use these rooms?”

“Do you have any wine?” Bethany asked.  Her face was pale and she looked a little shaky.

Just as everyone stood up to follow Angie to the hall, some B and B guests opened the front door and entered.  They greeted the group as they passed each other and the guests moved to the buffet table in the dining room to sample the evening treats and sit around the table and chat.  Angie was glad they’d decided to move to a quieter room in order to talk openly.  Once settled in the family room with tea and wine and some shortbread wedges, the questions started up again.

“Is it commonly known that you and this man have a thing?”  Courtney asked.

Bethany’s eyes flashed.  “We don’t’ have a
thing
.”

“Okay, poor choice of word.”  Courtney corrected herself.  “Do people know that you and this man have affection for one another?”

“People know that we’re friends.”

“Did you ever date the man?”  Ellie held her mug on her knee.

Bethany vigorously shook her head.  “Father would have had a fit.”

“So nobody knows that you both harbor feelings for one another?”  Jenna was trying to paint a picture of the relationship and what others might know or suspect about them.  “Except for the person who sent the threatening letters.”

“People know we’re friends,” Bethany repeated.

Ellie didn’t think they were getting enough information.  “Can you tell us about your interactions with this man?  How often do you see him?  Where does he live?  Do you socialize together? Things like that?  What’s his name?”

Angie looked at her sister, impressed at what a good detective she was turning out to be.

Bethany seemed to wrestle with revealing the details of the situation, probably because she was afraid to disclose particulars of the “friendship.”  She rested back against the sofa.  “His name is Todd Moore.  He lives in Boston.  He works as a teacher.  He volunteers at an animal shelter.  Todd runs marathons, enjoys camping and hiking.  Things I’d never done before.  My father would rather die than take part in such activities.”  She sipped some wine.  “Todd and I have always gotten along perfectly, we understand each other. He cares about me.”  Tears started to fall and Ellie passed the young woman some tissues.

“Why are you marrying someone else if you love Todd?”  Courtney wanted to hear the explanation to the question that was on everyone’s lips.

Bethany dabbed at her eyes.  “My father would kill Todd if he knew I loved him.”

Four pairs of eyes bugged out of their respective sockets.  The words
kill Todd
echoed in the sisters’ heads.
 

Chapter 5

Angie tried to keep her voice even.  “Is your comment an exaggeration or do you really feel that your father would hurt Todd because you are in love with each other?”

Bethany sat quietly picking at her tissue considering Angie’s question.

“Could your father be the one who sent those letters to Todd?”  Courtney’s eyes were like saucers.  She wondered if Senator Winston was truly a dangerous man.

“It’s possible.”  Bethany’s voice was soft and low. “But I don’t think he did.”

“Could he just be trying to frighten Todd off?  He wouldn’t really harm him, would he?”  Ellie hoped she was right.

Bethany shrugged.  “My father has some powerful contacts.  He doesn’t have to get his hands dirty when there’s a problem.”

Ellie nearly jumped out of her chair.  “Has your father caused harm to people?”  Her voice was shrill.

“I don’t think so.”  Bethany didn’t make eye contact.  “He certainly hasn’t killed anyone.”

“Where is Todd now?”  Jenna wanted to change the subject so that Ellie wouldn’t run off.

“He’s in Sweet Cove.  He’s staying at an inn near the beach.  He arrived this evening.  I haven’t seen him yet.”  Bethany let out a sigh.  “What a mess my life is.”

Angie asked, “Why is Todd here?”

Bethany’s long lashes blinked over her eyes.  “He is my Best Man.  He’s going to help me with the wedding details.”

“You’re kidding.”  Courtney was aghast.  “You love each other and he is going to help you plan your wedding to another man?”

Bethany just looked at Courtney with sad eyes.  Dark circles showed under her lower lids.

Courtney ran her hands through her hair.  “You didn’t really answer my earlier question.  Why are you marrying Nelson Rider if you don’t love him?”

Bethany’s shoulders slouched making her look small and fragile.  It was a strange contrast to the confidant, assured woman who had appeared at the Victorian earlier that day.  “My father thinks it’s a good match.”

Angie’s phone buzzed on the side table next to her.  She reached for it, stood up, and took the call out in the hallway.

Courtney pressed.  “But
you
don’t think Nelson is a good match.  You’re letting your father make one of your biggest life decisions for you.  Maybe you can’t marry Todd Moore right now, but you don’t have to marry Nelson.”

Angie came back into the room.  Her shoulders were pulled up close to her neck and her lips were pressed together in two tight, thin lines.  Jenna knew something was wrong, and she didn’t have to see Angie to know.  She could feel it floating in the air.  “What was the call about?”

“We all need to go down to the resort.”  Angie swallowed hard and took a quick glance at Bethany.

“Now?”  Ellie frowned.  “It’s so late.  What on earth for?  Who called you?”

“Josh called.  We need to go.  Now.  He’ll explain when we get there.”  She turned for the door and spoke to Bethany over her shoulder.  “I didn’t tell Josh that you’re here.”  She quickly left the family room with the others staring after her.

Slowly everyone rose from their seats and headed for the hall.

“What’s going on?”  Bethany’s voice shook.  “Is something wrong?  Why do you have to go to the resort at this hour?”