6 Beach Blanket Barbie (15 page)

I did remember someone saying that Phillip and his wife had gone
sailing and then had had dinner at the Wharf. That must be how he knew about the shoes. Dang; I’d thought I was on to something.

“Well
, I guess I should get going,” I said.

“Yeah, me too. I’ll see you around.”

Not if I see you first.

After leaving Bertie’s
, I went back to the park and the registration booth I’d been heading toward before I spotted Scamp.

“Oh
, good, you came back.” Willa sounded relieved.

“The ticket booth is erected and ready to go,” I reported.

“Excellent. Why don’t you go help Ellie set up the main food trailer? She was here a while ago but seemed out of sorts.”

“Okay, I’m on it.”

When I found Ellie, I could see right off what Willa had been referring to. Ellie not only was less than her jovial self but it looked like she’d been crying.

“What’s wrong
?” I asked as I wrapped her in a best-friend hug.

“Rob and Hannah had to fly
back to Maine to visit his dad,” Ellie informed me. “He’s been sick for a while, but I guess he’s taken a turn for the worse, so they had to leave right away.”

“Oh
, Ellie, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not sure why I fell apart the way I did. I knew Rob planned to make the trip at some point
, but it all happened so quickly that I guess I didn’t have time to prepare. When I kissed Hannah good-bye this morning, I just started bawling and couldn’t stop. Rob said they could be gone for several weeks, depending on how things go.”

“Several weeks is a long time to be away from your fiancé,” I sympathized.

Ellie looked startled by my comment. “Yeah, it is. The good news is that we decided to get married right away after they get back. We decided on June 28th. I called Zak, and we’re all set on using his friend’s house in Hawaii beginning on June 29th.”

“Wow,
that’s really soon. It’ll be hard to get everything together before then.”

“Rob said it would be easier to take one long leave from work rather than taking a leave now to go to his parents
, go back to work for a month, and then take off again for a wedding. We decided to do something small and simple. It’ll probably just be my mom and you and Zak and Levi. I suppose I should invite Jeremy and Kelly as well.”

“Are you sure?” I looked Ellie in the eye. “You only get married once.”

“Yeah, I know, but honestly, I just want the whole thing behind me so I can finally be Hannah’s real mom and not just her dad’s girlfriend.”

Ellie returned to her task of unloading and sorting groceries and I joined in to help her.
Our conversation had made me more uncomfortable than I’d been for a long time. Ellie was upset that Hannah was leaving but didn’t seem at all concerned that Rob was likewise going to be gone. And she was focused on being Hannah’s mother but didn’t seem overly excited about being Rob’s wife. I loved Ellie and didn’t want her to make what sounded like it could very well be the worst decision of her life. I almost blurted out my feelings on the subject, but sanity checked in at the last minute, and I realized that it might be better to wait for a more opportune time.

“What part of Maine is Rob from?” I asked.

“Bangor. It seems like it would be a pretty part of the country to see. I was sorry things happened so quickly and I was unable to go with them.”

“I’m sure he’ll take you to meet his family once his father
. . .” I started to say
dies
, but that sounded really cold.

“Yeah
. I guess he hadn’t been back since he moved to Ashton Falls. He seemed really nervous about the whole thing. I’m not sure why. He gets along okay with his family, as far as I can tell.”

“True
, but if his dad is as sick as it seems, I’m sure the whole thing is very stressful. It’s probably best that you didn’t go along this time. That way he can focus on his dad.”

“Yeah, I guess. I sure am going to
miss Hannah, though. I was really looking forward to bringing her to the kiddie carnival this weekend.”

“There
’s always next year.” I know my attempt at comforting my best friend was completely lame, but I couldn’t think of anything to say, given the circumstances.

Ellie stopped what she was doing and looked out across the park. “I thought Levi would be here.”

“He was,” I informed her. “He helped me set up the ticket booth, and then I made the mistake of informing him that Ethan saw Barbie having dinner with an art dealer from San Francisco on the night she died. He took off to see if he could track down the man’s contact information.”

“Poor Levi. He’s really taking this hard.”

“Yes, he is,” I agreed.

“Do you think this art dealer ha
d anything to do with Barbie’s death?” Ellie asked.

I stopped to consider her question. On one hand
, my initial impression was that he most likely didn’t have anything to do with it. Still, he’d been having dinner with her at nine. Salinger had said that the TOD was between eleven and one, and Ethan had told us that they’d just arrived as he was getting ready to leave, which meant they were probably at the restaurant until 10:30. We also knew that Barbie was caught trying to steal an antique clock, and that the lot number on the flyer she left for Levi was assigned to a painting. Maybe this art dealer was our killer.

“Zoe?” Ellie asked when I didn’t respond.

“Sorry. I was thinking about your question. Yeah, I think it’s very possible that this art dealer was involved in Barbie’s death. I’m just not sure why he would kill her.”

“If he’s guilty and you ask him
about it, he won’t tell you anything,” Ellie logically stated. “It might be better not to let him know you’re on to him if you do think he’s involved.”

“True.”

“Maybe Zak can use his magic computer to find out more about the guy.”

“
That’s a good idea. I’ll call him.”

“Oh
, look.” Ellie was gazing past my shoulder after I’d hung up with Zak, who’d promised to see what he could find out. “There’s your mom and dad with Harper.”

I turned a
nd waved as my family approached. Harper might be a little young to really enjoy the kiddie carnival, but her big sister was going to get a photo of her first Memorial Day event anyway. “Take a photo of Harper and me?” I handed Ellie my phone.

“Sure
.” Ellie teared up.

Good going
, Zoe. Make your best friend cry.

“I’m sure Dad can do it if you’d rather not.”

“No. It’s okay.” Ellie wiped her eyes. “I want to.”

Ellie snapped a photo of Harper and
me in front of the carousel, which I was certain would be hanging on my wall for the rest of my life. She really is the most perfect baby. I’m still not certain about my future as a mother of a member or members of the next generation, but as I looked at the photo of me holding my baby sister, I realized it was possible that eventuality wasn’t as impossible as it once had seemed.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I asked my parents after I returned Harper to their care.

“We thought we’d walk around a bit. Maybe have some lunch. And then probably return home so Harper can have a proper nap,” my dad answered. “You should come by later, if you have a chance. We’re making tri tip for dinner.”

“I have the beer crawl tonight,” I reminded him. “At least
, I think Zak and I are still doing that. I haven’t talked to him about it since he’s been sitting for Scooter.”

“How’s he doing with that?” Mom asked.

“Really good. Better than I could ever have imagined. Apparently, he’s as good at parenting as he is everything else.”

“I never doubted it for a minute,” Mom informed me.

The highlight of opening day of the four-day weekend was the sailboat races at sunset. Entrants not only decorated their sails for the popular event but most participants dressed in nautically themed costumes as well. I was sitting on one of Ellie’s picnic tables on the pier. Ellie was helping Kelly serve drinks and appetizers, while Levi and I chatted with Nick Benson. Zak and Scooter had joined us initially, but Scooter soon grew bored and asked to return to the kiddie carnival in the park. Zak had received a message from Scooter’s dad saying that he’d be back in town the following day, so Zak was doing everything in his power today to ensure that Scooter had as much fun as a nine-year-old could.

“Looks like Ethan might win again this year,”
Nick commented as he shoveled one of Ellie’s gourmet burgers into his mouth.

“I don’t know,” Levi countered. “
The boat with the rainbow sail has been biding its time for the final push to the finish.”

“Perhaps,” Nick acknowledged. “But Ethan is familiar with the lake
, giving him an advantage over someone from out of the area. I’m not much of a betting man, but if I were, my money would be on someone who knows the lake.”

“Seems like this race gets bigger every year,” I commented.
“I miss the days when it was reserved for locals only.”

“The more entrants we have
, the more income we make,” Levi reminded me.

“Yeah,
that’s true.” I took a sip of my wine and watched the families on the beach as Nick and Levi discussed the latest upgrades in sailing technology. Nick had a sailboat but was disinclined to deal with the crowd the race attracted, and Levi had grown up sailing but hadn’t had regular access to a boat since his dad died and his mom sold the family craft.

“Try this crab
-stuffed chili relleno.” Ellie set a bowl with the appetizer surrounded by sliced sourdough bread in the center of the table.

I broke off a piece of the bread and tasted the spicy dish made with crab, chili, cheese, and a wonderful red sauce. “This is really good,” I complimented. “And it has just the right amount of kick
to make it spicy without burning your mouth.”

“Is that sour cream?” Levi asked.

“Among other things.” Ellie nodded. “I’m also working on a crab martini and shrimp wontons. The process of coming up with new offerings has been fun, if nothing else.”

“You can never go wrong with onion soup
mix and sour cream,” I contributed.

Ellie laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

“It looks like the leaders are about to make the final turn.” Nick refocused our attention on the race. “Ethan is still in the lead, but you were right about rainbow guy closing in to establish a close second.”

“The boat with the yellow sail has been gaining ground as well,” I offered. I watched the various boats jockey
ing for position as they headed into the final leg of the race.

“Yellow sail guy is lining up all wrong for the turn,” Nick
said. “By the time he gets straightened out, he’ll drop back at least three positions.”

“Opening things up for the
boat with the red, white, and blue sail,” Levi speculated.

“Exactly. My predict
ion is Ethan in first, the boat with the rainbow sail in second, and the boat with the red, white, and blue theme in third.”

“The all
-woman crew in the boat with the pink and white sail are lining up to make a tight turn,” I pointed out. “My money is on them for third.”

“
No, they don’t . . .” Nick stopped speaking in midsentence. “Well, who do we have here?” he asked.

I looked away from the water to see what Nick was referring to. Scamp was not only sitting at his side but had one of his grubby paws on his lap.

“That’s Scamp,” I informed Nick. “He’s a stray I’ve been trying to catch for a week. I can’t believe he’s just sitting here, calm as can be. He seems to like you.”

“Is this the dog you were telling us about at book club?” Nick asked. “The one who molested poor Muffet?”

“One and the same. I wish I had my leash. I’d like to grab him before he takes off again.”

“Oh
, I don’t know.” Nick scratched his head. “He looks pretty content to me.” Nick picked a piece of the half of hamburger he had left from his meal and fed it to Scamp, who swallowed it in one bite. “Have Ellie bring him a patty of his very own.”

I waved Ellie over and put in Nick
’s order. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and Scamp to scamper away. Apparently, he must have realized that food was on the way because he lay down at Nick’s feet and waited for his order to arrive.

“You say the dog is a stray?” Nick asked.

“I’ve already run a list of missing pets and he’s not on it. I forwarded his photo to other shelters in the area but didn’t have a single bite. I keep hoping I can catch the guy and bring him back to the Zoo. He’s a crafty little thing. I’m betting that if I can get him cleaned up, I can find him a home.”

“I’ll take him,” Nick offered.

“Really? That would be great.”

“That is
, if Scamp wants to come home with me. How about it?” he asked the little dog.

Scamp raised his head and thumped his tail on the deck
.

“Since I never actually took custody of him
, I don’t have to require you to adopt him. If he’ll go with you, I guess he’s yours.”

Scamp enjoyed his burger while Ethan completed the race
, taking home another first-place trophy in the process. After the race was over and congratulations had been offered, I nervously watched as Nick stood up and started toward the parking lot.

“Well I’ll be,” I whispered as Scamp happily followed Nick to his car
, and then jumped into the front seat when Nick opened the door.

“Guess the dog knows what he wants
,” Levi commented.

“Yeah, I guess he does. Jeremy and I have been trying to catch him all week. Every time we got close enough to nab him
, he took off.”

Levi shrugged. “Of course he took off
. You were going to take him to doggie jail.”

“First of all
, he couldn’t have known where I was taking him, and second, it’s a very nice doggie jail.”

“Jail is jail,”
Levi said.

“Speaking of jail
. . .” I watched as Sheriff Salinger approached us from the parking area.

“What do you think he wants?” Levi was
n’t a fan of the man.

“Maybe he has news
,” I replied, hoping Salinger was here to share with us, not interrogate us.

“I still can’t believe you are working with him after what he did to you.”

“You want to catch Barbie’s killer,” I pointed out. “Working with Salinger is our best bet at doing that. Be nice,” I warned.

“Mind if I join you?” Salinger asked.

I gestured toward an empty bench across from where Levi and I were sitting, indicating that he was welcome to take it.

“I have news you might be interested in,” Salinger began. “The owner of One Man’s Tr
ash regained consciousness. He identified this man as the one who shot him.”

Salinger showed me a photo of a man with dark hair and eyes.

“Lifeguard guy,” I confirmed.

“I don’t suppose you’ve seen
him since we spoke?”

“No. Sorry. Have you tried Googling him
?”

Salinger actually smiled.
“I did. Problem is that he moved out of his last known residence two months ago. Since that time he seems to have simply dropped off the grid. We have an APB out on him, but the man has gone to a lot of trouble to disappear, so I doubt we’ll find him.”

The fact that he went off grid
two months earlier lined up with the time when Barbie had disappeared. I suspected the two of them were in cahoots on whatever it was they were into. “Did the owner of the antiques store know why the man shot him, or what might have happened to Barbie?”

“He said the man was after a painting he’d bought at the auction
. At which he also bought the clock Ms. Bennington was trying to steal. The store owner didn’t know why the man might want the painting since it didn’t seem to have any real value, but he’d already sold it. He said the guy shot him and torched the place once he realized the painting wasn’t on the premises.”

“Okay. So what’s the deal with the painting?” I had to wonder.

“I contacted the auction house. They had a photo of the item that was sold.” Salinger handed me the photo. It was an appealing landscape with a nice color palette, but it certainly didn’t look like anything worth killing over.

“Did you find out who bought it
from One Man’s Trash?” I asked.

“A man by the name of Pinkerton Lowell. Apparently
, he’s an art dealer in San Francisco.”

“Pinkerton Lowell had dinner with Barbie on the night she died
,” I pointed out.

“I
’m aware of that. I called Mr. Lowell’s business and learned that he flew to Europe after leaving Ashton Falls. His assistant told me that he must have taken the painting with him since he hadn’t dropped it off there. I checked with the airline and was told that he hadn’t checked baggage of any type. The painting was much too large to carry on.”

“So where is it?” Levi asked.

“Good question. I was hoping you might know.”

“Why would I know?” Levi wondered.

“Apparently, Ms. Bennington left you a clue as to what was going on. Zoe told me about the newspaper during an earlier conversation. I was hoping there might be a clue that would point us in the direction of the artwork that seems to be behind all of this.”

“The only thing I found in the post
office box was the flyer with the lot number for the painting,” Levi answered.

“Is there a way to get hold of this Pinkerton Lowell even if he is in Europe?” I asked.

“If he’s guilty of Barbie’s murder, he’s most likely long gone,” Levi pointed out.

“I don’t think he
’s guilty,” I said. “The owner of One Man’s Trash bought the painting at the auction. We have to assume that Barbie was supposed to buy it but was unable to for some reason. Maybe she overslept or got held up in traffic or whatever. By the time she got to the auction, the painting was gone. She talks to the people at the auction house and finds out who bought it. She later breaks into the place, hoping to steal it. We have to assume that either the painting was already gone or she didn’t have time to find it before she was caught.”

“The painting was sold on Saturday and she wasn’t caught breaking into One Man’s Tr
ash until the following Wednesday,” Levi pointed out.

“Okay, so maybe she didn’t find out who bought the painting right away. Maybe the people at the auction house wouldn’t give her the information she wanted
, so she had to get it another way.”

“Or maybe the painting wasn’t delivered to the store right away,” Salinger supposed. “I can make a note to ask the store owner about that.”

“Anyway,” I added, “s
he must have found out that Pinkerton Lowell bought the painting from One Man’s Trash, which is most likely why she was dining with him on Friday. She must have been either trying to buy it or steal it from him. She ends up dead shortly after their dinner, so it would seem that Pinkerton must be involved in some way.”

“
The fact that lifeguard guy broke into One Man’s Trash the week following Barbie’s death seems to indicate that he wasn’t aware that the painting had been sold. Maybe Barbie was planning to double-cross whomever she worked for,” Levi speculated.

“The pain
ting does seem to be the key,” Salinger agreed. “Perhaps if we can find it, we can unravel why it is that people are willing to kill for it.”

“Maybe Barbie was successful,” Levi s
aid. “Barbie was supposed to buy the painting at the auction but failed. She tried to steal it but failed. She did, however, discover who bought it, so she decides to use her best weapon, her body, to get it back. We know Barbie and Pinkerton had dinner on Friday. Maybe the reason that Pinkerton didn’t have the painting on the plane was because Barbie was successful in getting it from him.”

“Okay
, so why did her partner in crime break into One Man’s Trash the next week?” Salinger asked.

“Maybe Barbie was planning a double
-cross. Or maybe she didn’t tell anyone she’d managed to get the painting,” Levi added.

“But someone fo
und out and killed her,” I realized. “If her partner was still looking for the painting the week after her death, he couldn’t be the one who killed her if we assume the reason she was killed is because she had the painting. That means someone
else
figured out what was going on.”

“Okay, then who killed her
, and where is the painting now?” Salinger asked.