1 Hairspray and Homicide (7 page)

“Come on Trevor, I'll buy you a coffee and explain,” Bekki said and pulled him down the pavement away from Pete's shop.

“Yes, I'd love to know what's going on here. Who was that guy? Some old flame?” he chuckled darkly around his words.

“He's a police detective working on the case,” Bekki sighed with exasperation. “Besides, it should make no difference to you.”

“I'm here aren't I?” Trevor asked as he looked into her eyes. “You called me, said you needed help, and then I came.”

“After you pointed out that I should apologize to you,” Bekki reminded him with a glare. “Really, Trevor? That's a new low.”

He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Do you want my help or not Bekki?”

Bekki knew that if the case proceeded she would need a good lawyer on her side. But Trevor's attitude and dismissive nature reminded her that he had never been on her side.

“No,” she said strongly as she looked boldly back at him. “I don't want your help. I want you to go back to New York City, where you belong.”

Trevor wiped a hand across his face and when he pulled it away he had a smirk on his lips. “Fine. Have it your way. I can see that you're exactly where you belong.”

Bekki had to bite her tongue to keep from launching off a few choice words in his direction as he spun on his heel and walked away.

“Oh, is that for me?” Sammy asked cheerfully and plucked the remaining cup of coffee from Bekki's hands. “Thanks so much, it smells delicious,” she paused a moment and quirked a brow as she watched Trevor walk away. “Not as delicious as he looks, however. Was that Trevor?” she gasped in a scandalous tone.

“It was,” Bekki replied grimly. “He decided to pay me a visit, he graced our little town with his presence,” she sighed with aggravation and shook her head slowly. “I really have no idea what I ever saw in him.”

“Honestly, I don't either,” Sammy replied with a frown. “In fact, I can't figure out why you haven't sealed the deal with Nick.”

“Sammy!” Bekki sighed as they walked down the street together. “Nick and I are just friends. I mean, I think we're friends. We're just...”

“Old flames,” Sammy supplied. “Lovers torn, a romance gone wrong...”

“Enough!” Bekki barked out and rolled her eyes. “It's nothing like that. He and I had a summer, that's it.”

“The most amazing summer of your life,” Sammy reminded her. “Try telling someone who wasn't there each night you cried.”

“Sammy please, can we focus on the fact that I could be going to jail for murder?” Bekki pleaded and shot a demanding glare in her friend's direction.

“Oh yeah that,” she laughed a little, but one look from Bekki silenced her amusement. “All I'm saying is that Nick Malonie could arrest me any time,” she offered a lopsided grin and a dreamy sigh.

“I'm sure Detective Williams would love to hear about that,” Bekki laughed.

“Oh yes, she does like to put a damper on things, doesn't she?” Sammy shrugged casually. “There are ways to deal with those who get in the way of true love,” she grinned devilishly.

Chapter Six

Nick didn't call her until after dinner that night. When he did call, he invited himself over.

“I just want to speak to you about the interview with Pete,” he explained.

“Sure,” Bekki smiled a little and then wiped the expression off her face. Between her encounter with Nick's partner, and with Trevor, she was even more determined to keep her emotions and desires in check.

When he arrived she was waiting on the porch for him. He smiled at her as he ascended the steps and joined her.

“Any news?” she asked hopefully. She was ready to have the pressure of the investigation off her back.

“Not exactly,” he admitted. “My partner and I did the interview with Pete, but he didn't give us too much to go on. We're still waiting for the last of the forensic evidence to clear, since everything else we have is purely circumstantial.”

“Oh,” Bekki frowned with disappointment as she continued to listen.

"Right now we don't have enough evidence on anyone to do anything," Nick explained diplomatically. "So, you can tell that to your lawyer," he added, his eyes gleaming slightly.

"He's not my lawyer," she admitted quietly, trying to hide the surprise in her tone at the hint of jealousy she heard in Nick's voice.

"Oh?" Nick asked as he leaned back against the front wall of the house. "Because he seemed pretty convinced that he was."

Bekki did not take the bait, and remained silent as she stared out across the front lawn.

"Is he the reason you're back here?" Nick pushed, unwilling to let the subject rest. "Some kind of history there?"

Bekki glanced over her shoulder at Nick and studied him for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be investigating a murder?"

"I'm on a break," he replied with one of his easy smiles creeping across his lips. "So answer the question Ms. Wilson."

"We were together," she sighed as she shook her head. "At least I thought we were."

"And now?" he asked as he stepped forward, laying the palms of his hands on the back of the porch swing.

"Now I'm, home," she replied and glanced up at him so that her nose was nearly grazing his chin.

"You certainly are," Nick breathed, and then abruptly released the back of the swing. "As I said, I'll keep you up to date on any new developments, but please stay away from Pete. He is our prime suspect."

"You mean other than me?" Bekki reminded him with a playful smile.

"I mean, be careful," he warned her. He started down the steps of the front porch.

"Thanks Nick," she called out without even realizing that she intended to speak. Nick looked back at her and nodded his head slightly. Then he continued down the walkway and out to the street. Bekki watched him walk away. She couldn't believe that so many years could pass, their lives could change so much, and yet, there it was, that subtle flutter that was sure to drive her mad.

When she was sure he was gone she jumped up from the porch swing. With a quick check of her watch she knew that she was running low on time. She hurried down the steps and to her car. When she pulled off onto the street she set her cell phone on the seat beside her. When she pulled into the parking lot of Pete's shop she sent a quick message to Nick. She wasn't trying to be reckless, just thorough. She let him know where she was and what she was up to. She had Nick’s number ready to dial and then she left the phone accessible in the front fold of her purse.

Pete was just getting ready to close up for the night when Bekki pushed her way confidently into the shop.

“You,” he glowered in her direction. “You can't be here, you have to go.”

“It's a free country,” Bekki pointed out and closed the door behind her. “I believe there is something also in my rights about being able to confront my accuser.”

Pete winced as he turned away from her and slapped the palm of one hand against the counter. “Bekki, I need you to leave,” he warned her in a menacing tone. Bekki was not intimidated, instead she strode closer to him.

“I want to know why you faked the voicemail Pete. I know, it wasn't because you killed Daisy,” she added coolly. “I know that you were in love with her. You wouldn't do that.”

“No, I wouldn't,” he sniffed, tears beginning to fill his eyes. “I would never do something like that to her. But it was my fault,” he sighed and closed his eyes for just a moment.

“What do you mean?” Bekki asked sharply and crossed the final distance between them. Pete abruptly stood up from the counter and stepped in front of her, effectively trapping her between himself and the counter. The moment he did, Bekki slid her hand into her purse. She dialled Nick directly and left the line open.

“I mean, what does it matter who did it? If it wasn't for me she would still be alive!” he groaned and struggled not to let the tears fall from his eyes.

“Because you killed her?” Bekki prompted him. “Because she wouldn't leave her husband?”

“No! No! No!” Pete slammed his hands down on either side of the counter, his body still blocking hers. "It wasn't me!" Pete hissed as the sirens drew closer. He had Bekki pinned between the counter and the front door and he did not show any sign of moving away from her. "You have to believe me," his eyes widened. "I have an alibi, I can prove it."

"Well, then you can tell Nick all about it," Bekki said breathlessly. She wanted to subdue him, but she knew that she had already gotten herself into enough trouble with Nick. She didn't want to feel handcuffs around her wrists again.

"Nick won't listen to me Bekki," Pete's eyes were filling with panic as the police sirens pulled up in front of his store. "Listen, I had no choice. You have to believe me. It was you or it was me, he didn't give me any choice!"

Bekki stared hard at Pete, unable to fathom a single word of what he was saying. Before she could ask him to clarify, the door to the shop burst open and Nick, along with two uniformed officers and Nick's partner, Detective Williams rushed in with their weapons drawn. The moment Nick saw Bekki, she noted a flash of emotion across his expression, but to her surprise it was not the anger she expected.

"Back away from her now," Nick commanded as the other two officers continued to train their weapons on Pete. Pete raised his hands into the air and backed away slowly.

"Please Bekki, you have to believe me," he whispered as one of the officers pulled his hands firmly behind his back and cuffed him.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked as he holstered his gun and moved quickly to her side. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Bekki replied, still trying to figure out Pete's words. "He says he's innocent," she murmured as she watched Pete led out of the shop.

"Of course he does," Nick sighed and ran his fingers across his forehead. "You know Bekki..."

"I know, I should have stayed out of it," she said, hoping to speed up the lecture.

"Yes, of course you should have," Nick all but growled. "He could be a killer Bekki, and you were here alone with him. When I got the call, you can't even imagine the things that went through my mind."

Bekki looked up into his passionate eyes with surprise. She realized the expression she had witnessed was relief. He had been worried about finding her the same way that Daisy had ended up.

"I'm sorry," she uttered gently and reached out to lightly touch his forearm. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Didn't you?" he asked with a light chuckle. "Why else would you be running directly into danger?" he shook his head as he turned away from her. "Well, at least not much has changed. It's always me chasing you."

"Excuse me?" Bekki laughed. "I don't recall any chasing."

"Well, then you weren't paying attention," he replied casually and opened the door to the shop. Bekki stared at his back as he stepped out and onto the sidewalk. She had to gather herself for a moment before she followed after him.

"I was paying attention," she said sternly and tried to get him to turn to look at her. "What do you mean by that?"

Detective Williams shot a look of displeasure in their direction, which Nick received loud and clear.

"Now's not the time," Nick smiled tensely. "As you said before, it's all in the past."

Bekki nodded slowly. His words were the reminder she needed to keep herself on track. It was true. It was all in the past.

"You know what bugs me?" Bekki asked in a soft voice.

"What?" Nick asked without turning back.

"If Pete is the killer, then why did he plant the voicemail? I mean, why me?" she frowned.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked as he turned back to look at her.

"Well, Pete doesn't know anything about me. I'd assume he didn't know I'd returned to town, it would be a stretch to think that he was there in the salon to overhear our conversation. So why would he pick me to frame?"

Nick seemed to be considering her words as Bekki rolled over the evidence in her mind.

"Nick, you said that Daisy was killed only a short time after Daisy and I fought. When I left, Teddy was trying to calm Daisy down. So how did Teddy leave, and Pete show up within such a short span of time? Wouldn't they have had to cross paths at least to make the timeline work?"

Nick stroked his fingertips along his strong jaw line. He had been so focused on trying to prove that Bekki was not the killer he had overlooked truly paying attention to who the killer might be.

"Pete said, it was you or me Bekki," she said with a frown. "I'm not sure what that means just yet, but I know it means something."

"Are you sure you're not a detective?" Nick asked Bekki with a furrowed brow.

"Certainly not, but I can tell you this much Nick, I think you've just arrested the wrong guy."

***

Bekki paced around her living room. She couldn't sit still. She was relieved that Pete had been arrested, temporarily taking the pressure off her as a suspect, but at the same time she was puzzled. She was nearly certain that Pete had not been responsible for Daisy's death after all. However, that left her with an even more troubling question. If not Pete, then who?

“It was you or me,” she repeated out loud as she continued to walk the same path along the carpet. Her mind was spinning with so many mixed emotions and thoughts that it was hard for her to clarify anything. With a heavy sigh she stepped out onto the porch. She sat down on the porch swing and stared up at the stars, hoping they would offer some kind of sign or road map as to what direction her thoughts should take. Instead they merely glistened against the passing clouds. As always the stars reminded her of Nick. It was right at the end of junior year that she had grown brave enough to approach him. When she did, she was sure that he would laugh in her face, or ignore her, but when she confessed her crush, he smiled in return. That easy smile, so languidly spreading across his lips had been the high point of her youth.

They spent the entire summer finding ways to be together. Each moment she spent with him felt so magical, so special, as if they had been the only ones in the universe to find true love. Of course she knew better now. She knew it had just been a combination of youth and hormones that made the affection they shared so intense. When summer came to an end Bekki expected their relationship to continue, but instead Nick disappeared. He was gone for two months. By the time he returned, Bekki had assumed that their relationship had just been a summer fling, and moved on with a new boyfriend. Nick never did explain to her where he had been, or why he had gone so suddenly. They spent the rest of high school ignoring and avoiding each other and then Bekki moved away.