A Fatal Visit (A Harbor Cove Cozy Mystery Book 1) (6 page)

“Oh!”

“I was shocked,” Momma Avery began, her voice flat, “when they fired you.” She let her fork clatter to the plate. “The newspapers were all aglow with praise of you, of your culinary talent. Surely they were out of their minds to let you go?”

Swallowing, Dustin wrung his hands. A couple of people from the other booths looked over. “I messed up some things…. I stumbled into an important meeting. All my fault, really.”

Nichole leaned forward. “Did it involve Chase Myers?”

Dustin picked up his tray. “I insist you all try the ladyfingers. They came from France.” He locked eyes with Nichole. “The ladyfingers are where it’s at.” Then he turned and quickly walked to the kitchen.

Chapter Nine

Nichole was standing on the sidewalk, scowling and tapping her foot. Skyler exited the bungalow, shrugging.

“Giving up yet?” Nichole asked.

Opening the wooden gate to join her roommate, Skyler nodded. “Yes. I am happy to state that none of Dustin’s relatives who live in town have anything to say that is pertinent to the case.”

“Ugh! What a waste of time.” Nichole began to stalk off down the street. “I know your mother means well, but she’s sent us on a pointless errand here, you can’t deny that.”

Skyler put a hand on her shoulder, and Nichole stopped and turned around. “It doesn’t hurt to be thorough, Nichole.”

“He’s not even a likely suspect!” she snapped back, and then she continued walking.

Skyler sighed and went after her again. “Then what do you think we should do next?”

“I don’t know.”

They walked on in silence down the suburban street. The sky was blue, with intermittent white clouds passing overhead. Children were playing in the street, riding bikes, one of which they had to dodge as a boy of eleven careered down the path, giggling.

“Little maniac,” Nichole grumbled. They paced on in silence for a few more moments. “Sorry. I’m just…wound up is all.” Skyler nodded. “We need to see if we can contact Chase and Bryson’s parents. If we can get them to tell us a little of the brothers’ relationship, then we might have a thread to pull on.”

“Good idea,” Skyler agreed. “We might be able clear up whether or not there was any existing tension between the two, and that would help us to clear Bryson’s name.”

It was a lazy evening for them. But for once, Nichole and Skyler had both decided that they weren’t going to focus on the mystery at hand. Nichole was reading a casebook, something about a trial that had taken place at the turn of the century, and there had never been a case like it. Skyler walked past her to pick her phone up off the coffee table.
Was it about witches? Should I ask? No…I don’t want to seem stupid.

A text from her boss waited for her on her phone. “Progress update?” After she dialed, the phone rang for a while. Skyler twisted her face in irritation.

“Call me back when you get this.” She was in no mood to explain anything to a robot.

She flopped down onto the couch, and Clue jumped up onto her. She flicked the television on.

“Nichole.” There was no response. “Nichole.” Her roommate didn’t look up. “Nichooooole.”

The lawyer sighed and glowered at Skyler. “Yes?”

“Did you want some tea?”

She paused, and then her annoyance faded. “Yes. Yes, I do.”

Sitting on the chair while Skyler meandered about the kitchen to prepare tea and snacks, Nichole found herself fidgeting.
What is that?
She stood up, after feeling as if she were sitting on a lump, but could see nothing on the chair. Clue’s eyes fluttered open from her perch on the sofa, and she watched. Nichole sat back down, and Skyler returned to the room, setting down a tray with muffins and a teapot on it. Nichole squirmed more and stood up.

“There’s something…under the seat cushion.” She lifted it up, and Clue jumped from the sofa, almost knocking the mug from Skyler’s hand.

Nichole turn around, and in her hand was a rawhide bone. Clue sat in front of her, mouth hanging open. “Your dog is trying to torment me, Skyler.”

Skyler stifled the laugh for half a second. Then she burst out into a fit of giggles as the dog happily gnawed on her bone at Nichole’s feet.

~~~

“You’ve reached the voicemail of
Maureen Myers.
Please leave a message after the tone.” Skyler hung up in annoyance and put her phone down on the table.

Chase parent’s and his ex-wife all seemed to have their phones diverting directly to voicemail. She scrolled through the search results in her browser window, and nothing came up of any use. Her face twisted in annoyance. Clue put a paw on her leg, staring at her. She rub her between the ears, and she wagged her tale and closed her eyes in contentment. Skyler leaned back in the dining chair and poured over her notes once more. They didn’t provide any further enlightenment. Evening was drawing in outside, and she could see seagulls flying toward the horizon out of the kitchen window. Clue curled up at her feet under the table, and her body heat warmed Skyler’s toes.

“Any news?” a text from her mother enquired.

“Nothing. Dustin is clean right now.”

“That seems unlikely.”

Skyler shook her head. Her mother’s insistence that Dustin Cole had committed the crime was really starting to wear thin.

Nichole entered the room in her dressing gown, a towel wrapped around her head. She was one the phone.

“That would be very helpful for us. When can you speak to him?” She waited as she listened. “Great. You can text the number to this phone or call me back, whichever is more convenient for you. Thank you.” She paused. “Have nice day.”

She hung up and place the phone in one of the baggy pockets in the front of her robe. Skyler threw a questioning look her way. She picked a cookie out of the jar on the counter and joined Skyler at the kitchen table.

“I was just on the phone with the office of Chase’s lawyer.” She took a bite of the cookie. Skyler edged forward on her chair in anticipation. “They’re going to get back to me with the man’s number once they’ve okayed it.”

“Yes!” She leaned over and hugged Nichole, who blinked in surprise. “After a day of dead-end leads, this was exactly what we needed.”

Busy Body’s Book Club had met in Momma Avery’s living room this week. They were a varied group: the young Swedish couple from two doors down, who always dressed smartly and both wore glasses; her gardener and his son, both tanned and jovial; the local librarian, a woman in her mid-forties who rode horses on weekends; and Hester Cole, an outspoken woman, older than Momma Avery, who had a beaklike nose and wore a shawl no matter the weather.

“Then we shall end this session of the Busy Body’s Book Club here,” Momma Avery said to them.

There was some murmur and chatter as everyone filtered out of the room. Hester Cole had hung behind. She was speaking politely to the man (Momma Avery always had trouble remembering his name; he’d only been a member for a month) who had brought them all tomatoes that he’d grown to the first meeting he’d attended. He left, and she strode over to address Momma Avery, who was stacking chairs to return to the kitchen.

“Mary Beth, I’d like a word, if I may?” Her voice was a croak. Hester had been a prolific smoker in her day, when it had been fashionable.

“How can I help you, Hester?” Momma Avery kept her voice light and sweet.

“I hear from my grandson that you came into his new place of work to give him a hard time. I’d like to know why, dear,” the seventy-three-year-old woman said with an artificial smile plastered onto her face.

“Just asking some questions, dear. We have a real-life mystery on our hands, and it seems like your grandson may be the key to solving it.” She turned fully to the other woman, straightening her cream blouse and fixing her glittering brooch as she did so.

Hester placed her rabbit fur hat atop her head and patted it down. “Are you implying something?”

“Nothing at all, dear. Young Dustin previously worked at the scene of the murder. It is my belief that he may have some
vital
information that will aid us in solving this mystery. I’m sure you understand.”

The reply came through a wolfish smile, one that contained plenty of threat and no warmth. “I do so hope that is the case, Mary Beth. The book club wouldn’t be able to continue if you were caught trying to slander the name of an honest young man.”

“Of course, Hester. I appreciate you offering me fair warning. I assure you, I shall not cross any lines that you may deem inappropriate.” She inclined her head. “This book club means the world to me.”

The hug they shared could likely be considered akin to a gangster’s kiss of death. “Goodbye, dear.”

“Have a safe journey home, Hester.”

The other woman turned around and exited the door. Then the front door slammed shut with more force than a septuagenarian should have been able to muster.

“Ridiculous old prune,” Momma Avery muttered to herself. “If I had half a mind I’d remove her from the club.” She sighed. “She knows too many people. It wouldn’t do to openly feud. No…” She picked up a tray from the coffee table that had held a selection of shortbread and took it to the kitchen. “But, if I can convict her grandson…” She placed the plate in the sink and the tray in its cupboard. “I’d have leverage.” She chuckled as she pulled on her rubber gloves to wash the dishes. “Oh yes, Hester Cole. You’ve just given me even more of a reason to get this case solved.”

The person on the other end of the phone had a low-pitched voice and he spoke quickly. “Yes, I believe it’s only right and proper to honor Mr. Myers’s death by solving this case swiftly.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Skyler replied. “Which is why I’d like to ask a few questions, if I may?”

He hesitated for a moment. “There are things that I am unable to talk about.” He paused again. “But I’ll endeavor to help in any capacity I’m able to.”

She thought for a moment about how to phrase the questions she needed to ask. “Mr. Myers changed his will to have his fortune be inherited by his daughter. Was there much outcry or resistance from his family?”

“From his ex-wife certainly. There wasn’t much comment from his parents, but from what I can gather they aren’t particularly approving of Ms. Perkins.” He paused. “Bryson Myers was supportive, agreed to sign off on the appropriate documents when the time came.”

Nichole entered the living room with a cookie in hand and Clue trotting along at her heels. “Shoo! You aren’t getting one.”

Skyler had to stifle a laugh. “Would you say that the brothers had an amiable relationship then?”

“Oh yes, certainly. They were good friends. I often saw them together in my office. Bryson was as flighty as his brother, though. Often disappearing for months at a time.”

Skyler thought for a moment, “If need be, would you be willing to state that the brothers had a healthy, working friendship?”

The man went silent as he pondered this. “Yes. I believe I could do that without getting into any personal trouble.”

“Thank you. I think that’s all I’m going to need. You’ve been a great help.”

“My pleasure, Ms. Avery.” With that, he hung up.

Skyler cast her eyes over to Nichole. She was attempting to watch television while Clue sat directly in front of her. The dog’s stare was intense. Skyler chuckled.

“Make her stop.” Clue’s tail twitched. “Please.”

Skyler grinned playfully. “She’s just trying to tell you that she loves you, Nichole.”

Clue’s tail enthusiastically brushed the floor, as if signaling her agreement. Nichole patted her head. “I love you too, dog.” She turned to Skyler. “So, anything of use?”

“No clues as such. But we have something to better defend Bryson with. Chase’s lawyer is willing to attest that the brothers had a healthy relationship,” Skyler told her.

Her roommate nodded. “We could use that. It’s not one of the family, either. So there’s a lack of bias that adds to the strength of the claim. Or at least, I’d tilt to that angle.” She grinned, and Clue took this as a cue to jump up onto the sofa and give her a thorough tongue bath.

Skyler burst into giggles as Nichole tried to push the huge black dog away from her. When she’d finished the washing, Clue curled up at the end of the sofa. Nichole glowered at Skyler and stood up.