Distortion Control (A Makayla Rose Mystery Book 3) (2 page)

I waited in silence for him to continue.

“First, I want to say I’m sorry for hurting you. There aren’t words to express how much. Next, I want to make something very clear. I didn’t kill Penelope. Do you remember when I told you that it was complicated when I was dealing with her?”

Bitterness assailed me. “Yes.”

“I didn’t mean my feelings for her. The truth is she had just told me she came here because she thought someone was after her. I told her I would look into it. I told her to stick around until I resolved the current murder case.”

“You could have told me that.”

“True. However…”

“However, what?” I shifted from foot to foot, wanting to leave instead of talk about his ex.

“It wasn’t true,” he said, and I started in surprise. Spencer pushed fingers through his hair and spun away to pace. “I suspected she wasn’t telling me something, so I searched her room at the inn. I found a magazine with a half completed ransom note among her papers.”

“You wouldn’t do that, Spencer. It’s against the law, and everyone knows what a stickler you are for the law.” He must have heard my resentment.

“But I would murder her?”

“I’m not sure.”

“That’s fine. Don’t believe me if it helps you, but investigate on my behalf.”

“Now you want me involved? If you really didn’t kill her, someone else did. Wouldn’t it be dangerous for me to start looking for the murderer?”

“It would, and it pains me to ask, but my men think I’m guilty, Makayla. They’re not going to protect you. I’ve heard you don’t remember what happened, but what about when you do? Do you think you’ll be safe?”

I squeaked in fear and backed up a step.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t have any other choice. I’m being framed with a fake kidnapping to cover up a real murder. Please, help me.”

I listened to his plea and went over all that he had said in my head. Something didn’t add up, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I paced as he had done, aware that we were almost out of time. Then it hit me. Even if Spencer was a murderer, he wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t kill his wife in his own basement and tie me up there. He definitely wouldn’t leave his fingerprints all over evidence. I had seen him whip out enough Baggies and rubber gloves at crime scenes to know that much.

“Did you kidnap me?” I had to ask.

“Never! I don’t know what his aim was unless he wanted to hurt you, too.” At the last words, his voice became a croak, which sounded genuine. I refused to allow myself to be swayed hearing it.

“Okay, I’m going to help, but you must be prepared, Spencer. I might prove you did it. I’m pretty darn good at solving mysteries.”

He offered a half smile that didn’t reflect in his sad eyes. “I’m counting on it.”

Chapter Two

As I walked down Main Street, normally I would enjoy the sights, the smells, and the scents of my new small town home in Briney Creek. I say new, but in fact, I had lived in Briney Creek for six months. The town had become where I belonged. However, with thoughts of Spencer locked away in that jail cell, it was hard to prefer Briney Creek to New York, which was where I had come from.

Confusion, fear, and a broad range of other emotions jumbled in my mind. I was afraid that here I was again trusting a man who didn’t deserve my trust, let alone my heart. Even as I thought those sentiments, they produced even more uncertainty and fear, because they provoked the question of whether I was in love with Spencer in the short period of time we had been seeing each other.

I wanted to get out of my own head, at least for a brief while. I knew I had a job to do. I had accepted Spencer’s plea for help to find out who was setting him up, if anyone. I told myself there was a strong possibility that he kidnapped me, and he was the one that murdered Penelope Norwood. However, I wouldn’t be Makayla Rose if I didn’t admit at least to myself that I wanted him to be innocent.

As I strode along the street, new thoughts interrupted these tumbled ones. I looked to my right down a familiar, narrow road, and realized I passed by the town’s used bookstore. Margie’s Used Books was where Inna had worked.

Inna was my eighteen-year-old friend and a good person. Yet, she was found to be involved with the last murder. She had run off. Not an hour passed without me wondering and worrying where she was and whether she was safe. I regretted what happened. I longed for the power to go back in the past and change everything and to influence her to not get involved with the man who had been her downfall.

By that token, I understood exactly what she had gone through with her love. I was there in my past. Funny, here I was again, with a man who might or might not deserve my devotion. Over the years Makayla Rose had grown and matured. I might care about Spencer, and he might not be worthy of that sentiment, but I knew I was strong enough now to serve his bum on a silver platter to the police if he was guilty. With that mindset, I straightened my back, knowing I would see this through to the end.

I headed on to Edna’s, another friend of mine that I had made since I had lived in the town. Edna was a seventy-something elderly woman, who was sweet, and kind, and funny. She was straightforward and as outspoken as anyone I had ever met.

I loved Edna, and I knew if anyone could help me to sort through my thoughts and emotions, she could do it. If not, I know what you’re thinking. Edna makes a mean pie. If she can’t help me sort out my thoughts, well darn it, she can at least feed me. I have no shame in admitting her treats were a huge perk to being friends with her.

I arrived at Edna’s quaint little house on a quiet side street with the fairytale white picket fence and found myself engulfed in a bear size hug from a pint size woman.

“Makayla, my dear. Come in, come in.”

“It’s good to see you, Edna. How are you?”

She took my hand and dragged me past the doorjamb and slammed the door with more vigor than I would have expected from a woman of her age. I already knew that the elderly in this small town were quite energetic, putting most of us younger people to shame.

Edna’s cute little cat, which we had joked looked so much like Spencer with his silver, staring eyes, came padding into the room to encircle my legs. I reached down and gave him a little pat to the head. “And how are you, Spector?”

He meowed in response, and I followed Edna to the kitchen.

“Sit down,” Edna invited me. “Let me pour you a glass of ice tea, and we can have a nice visit.”

“Thank you, Edna. It’s so good to be here. I always love coming to your house. It’s so warm and inviting. Not to mention how it always smells like something delicious baking.”

Edna twinkled with glee. Her little hands fluttered in the air as she expressed herself. “Oh, that’s because I have some goodies baking for you. It won’t be long before they’re ready.”

“I keep telling myself I’m watching my weight,” I told her. “Such ridiculous plans go by the wayside the moment I pass into your house.”

“Pish posh,” Edna exclaimed. “There will be no dieting when you come here, Makayla. You absolutely must try my latest dessert. I am trying out several recipes that might be included in the menu for Peony’s grand reopening, and you are going to be my taste tester.”

I groaned, both lamenting her announcement and welcoming it. Everyone knew my weakness. Heck, they could see my weaknesses on my hips, my thighs, and my bum. From the way Edna radiated excitement, I doubted she would be waylaid from her plan to use my sweet tooth.

“Edna, how did your trip go?” I asked. “You went to New York, right? To visit your friend there?”

“Oh, yes, Margot. She’s going to be okay,” Edna assured me. “Margot is stronger than anyone ever gave her credit for. She was spoiled most of her life, growing up in a house of privilege. Her husband had more money than anyone could imagine, but now she has to take care of herself. I think she’s going to be fine.”

“How terrible that she lost her husband,” I said, feeling sorry for the unknown woman.

“Lost?” Edna said with amusement that puzzled me. “She didn’t lose him, dear. He ran off with a younger woman.”

“Oh.” I fell silent, knowing no words to comment on this. Sure I was sorry, but the entire circumstance did hold a bit of humiliation for Margot. I shouldn’t have felt so uncomfortable given she wasn’t there physically. Women and their problems with men who weren’t worthy of them earned a special place of sympathy in my heart.

I expressed my feelings of compassion for Margot’s predicament. Edna accepted it on the woman’s behalf, but there was also a resignation, some glimmer of acceptance as if she felt this course was the best for her friend. Edna’s following words confirmed my thoughts.

“No one has ever expected much from Margot. All of her life, she’s been pampered and taken care of, but she’s quite clever. I know through this experience, she’ll grow even stronger and be able to stand on her own two feet.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” I agreed.

Edna’s eyes sparkled in a way that made me wonder if anything ever got her down. I personally hoped nothing ever would.

“In a way,” she said, “this is good for Margot. Even as old as she is.”

I recalled the city Edna had left her friend in and wondered just how clever an elderly lady could be. “Are you sure, Edna? It is New York.”

“Oh, she’ll be fine.” Her confidence helped me to feel a little less concerned. “If things don’t turn out as I expect they will, I left an open invitation for her to come and live with me.”

“You’re a very good woman.”

Edna’s cheeks pinked. “Now you.”

“Now me what?” I said, but I knew immediately what she referred to.

Edna waggled a finger at me. “You can’t fool me, Makayla Rose. You’re worrying, and we both know why.”

I couldn’t very well lie to her. “I’m here to enjoy lunch with you, Edna, not dredge up things—”

“I was worried,” she interrupted, and I thought I heard a tremor in her tone, which brought on guilt for being about to make light of the situation. “We all were, Makayla. You disappeared soon after Penelope Norwood did. I tried not to think of the worst.”

I stood and walked around the table to hug her. Edna submitted to an embrace all of a few moments and then shooed me back to my seat. “I’m sorry to worry everyone. Trust me when I say I didn’t want to be kidnapped.”

She gave me a look as if to say who would? “And now you’re worried about your young man, the sheriff.”

I had wondered if she knew about Spencer, but of course she did with half the town camped outside the police station. Word must have spread far and wide. “He’s not mine,” I corrected her. “And it looks like for the time being he’s been stripped of his position.”

I was proud of myself. My voice hadn’t wobbled in the least. While I was scared for Spencer and fearful of whether or not he was guilty, the reality of what I had lived through kept hitting me between the eyes and knocking me off center. Edna pushing me to return to my seat was a good thing because otherwise I might have fallen down. Thinking of
falling down
, I recalled Spencer’s voice when he had shouted out that someone should catch me as I fainted in his basement. The memory of his concern tightened my chest painfully.

To combat the softer emotions that began to arise, I told Edna, “Spencer and I were—” Here I faltered and pushed on. “We were…um…
something
. Now we’re…”

“
Not
something?” Edna suggested, amused.

I laughed. “Yes.”

“Well, someone tried to hurt you, Makayla, but they failed.”

“Did they?”

Confusion colored her expression. “Well you’re not a ghost pretending to be alive, for heaven’s sake.”

I smirked. “Of course not. That’s ridiculous. No, I mean, maybe they didn’t intend to kill me in the first place.”

Edna appeared to consider my words. “That would only work if it was the sheriff. He wouldn’t want you dead, but he might want his wife permanently out of the way.”

“Edna!”

I didn’t know how to respond. The thing about Edna was one couldn’t prepare for what would come out of her mouth. She was as direct as Talia, my crotchety upstairs neighbor, but usually held no malice. Edna never bit her tongue but laid out what she thought and darn the consequences. Sure, I thought of the possibility of Spencer being guilty, but I didn’t want anyone else to think so, least of all Edna.

“I’m just going over the possibilities, dear,” Edna said, echoing my thoughts.

I sighed. “Of course you’re right.”

“Do you remember the man’s face?” Edna rose from the table and walked to the counter. She stretched above it to the cabinets that appeared low to me, but I realized someone must have built them to be a custom fit for Edna’s diminutive size. When she brought out two plates, she set them on the table and began dishing baked chicken, potato salad, and green beans for each of us.

I tried not to salivate, but my stomach grumbled. When I knew I would be dining with Edna, I always had a light breakfast. My older friend loved to feed people more than anything, and I enjoyed being one of her more favored guests.

“That’s the problem,” I told her, and my appetite took a sudden dip, which worried me. “I don’t remember anything before Spencer rescued me.”

I decided not to mention the details of how he had found me. If no one had relayed those facts, I wouldn’t. They horrified me, and I wouldn’t be a party to scaring poor Edna worse than she had been when no one knew where I was.

“A face, a smell, a scent, a sound?” Edna suggested. I smiled.

“You’re like a regular detective, Edna. Maybe I should employ you to help me investigate.”

“Investigate?” She shook her head. “No, no, no, Makayla. Leave this to the professionals. Let the police handle it. You remember how you and your friends were almost run down in the street?”

“I know.” I shivered, recalling. “This has to do with me and, well, Spencer asked me to look into it.”

Disappointment reflected in her gaze. “I liked him from the start, but I can’t approve of him asking you to get involved with a madman.”

“Believe me when I tell you I don’t want to get involved.” I clutched my hands together in my lap to keep them from shaking. “I went to visit him, Edna, at the jail. I can’t leave him there even if there’s just the slightest chance he’s innocent.”

“And if he
isn’t
innocent?”

“Then I will find that out, too, and I will hand over evidence to keep him there.”

“What about your heart?”

I pretended ignorance. “What about it?”

“Will you hand it over, too, my dear?”

Too late for that,
I thought and just smiled.

For the rest of my visit with Edna, we went through recipes she was considering for Peony’s grand reopening. Apparently, Peony was giving her much more license after she had tasted Edna’s creations. While we enjoyed the treats Edna made, Edna regaled me with stories of Talia’s behavior being jealous of what she deemed as Edna’s success. I managed to push my fears and doubts to the back of my mind during the time I spent with her. Soon enough, it would all return, and I would have to seek the truth whether I liked it or not.