Wynn in the Willows (23 page)

He watched her with a tight, dark look in his eyes.

“Say something,” she murmured.

“I'm not sure what you want to hear.” His voice remained neutral. “Let's sit.”

Wynn sat next to him, settled back and tossed off her sandals, curling her feet enough to nestle against the side of his hip, wishing she had given herself a pedicure. She felt the muscled bands of his arms and legs. This was the first time she had ever been totally alone with a man at his place.

“Tell me why,” she whispered sweetly.

“Why? I'm not following.”

“The mailbox, the stone, the poem.” She held out her hands as though she felt the weight of the gifts in them instead of her heart.

“You deserve to be happy. I want to give that to you.” He ran his fingers over her lips.

She wished she had a magic wand to make this moment last forever. “I'm probably not like the other women you've known.”

“How do you know?”

“I'm not sophisticated—I feel ill at ease in crowds. I feel natural in the woods. I was raised in my two bachelor uncles' home so I never learned etiquette, or decorating skills. My place consists of presents that nature has given me along the way. I wore clothes from Goodwill; one was a pair of purple jeans, which I hated. But I never knew any other way, so I'm fine with it. However, it didn't go unnoticed by the other kids who made fun of me. I never cared. I only wanted to spend my time discovering things about the woods.”

“The forest is a good place to be.”

“Oh, another thing.” She gave a bounce on the cushions and held her finger against her mouth. “I can't wear high heels. I twist my ankles and fall. So I usually do not wear dresses, except for this one.”

“I like that dress on you. But do you really think I care about any of that?”

“Do you?”

“I care about you, Wynn Baxter.” He pushed hair from her eyes.

“Why?”

“Because high heels make you fall. Because you'd rather be in the woods than at some event. Because you are comfortable in your own skin.” He ran his fingers along her arm. “Now, tell me what I am.”

“You're a gentleman, Doug Reed. You know what you want and you go for it, never taking no for an answer.”

She desperately wanted another kiss. She was uncertain if she should wait for him, or just go ahead and take it. The decision was made when he reached up with his calloused hand, cupped the back of her neck, and dragged her over to his mouth. She felt warm, strong lips against her own. She wrapped her arms around him.

Suddenly he halted.

Her eyes widened. “What's wrong?”

The phone rang again.

Doug left her side to answer. “Really?” she heard him say. “Why is that?”

He returned.

She curled into his side again, but he immediately pulled back.

“Aunt Wilda said you and Roxie spent time on the mainland talking to people about Boone's accident. Even paid a visit to Marilyn's house.”

“True.”

“We were together all day yesterday, and yet, not one mention of it. I thought we were finally open with one another. Close. Am I wrong about our feelings? Can't you trust me? Or is there another reason?”

“What other reason could there be?”

“That with talking to people in Egg Harbor, coming here, to my home, is your way of getting me to talk and maybe finding out I'm not as innocent as you claim that I am.” He scowled.

“Doug. Please listen. We are open. I'm just not ready to disclose everything my aunt and I discovered. But as far as you and I go, I am honest with my feelings. I care about you. Very much. Believe me.”

“I do believe you. What did you find out?”

“I can't say just yet. I hope you understand.”

“Listen Wynn, my life is at stake here. I could be re-arrested at any moment. I need to know what you found out.” He reached for her hand.

“I can't divulge things to you, not yet. Not until after my next Bible study meeting with the women.”

“Sounds to me like you are doing far more than Bible reading.”

“That's right, we are. But we are in this together. All of us.”

“Not all. Not me. You and I went to Egg Harbor yesterday and we've spent hours looking at and discussing the paintings. I cannot help but feel deceived.”

“I'd never do that.”

Doug walked across the room. “Jackie is part of that group. Remember, Jackie, the one who wants me arrested as soon as possible?”

“Not so much anymore. Doug, please listen to me. I've been on the outside all my life. Finally, with these women, I feel I have a place. I can't betray them by giving up evidence to you when they've asked me not to until we make sense of it.”

“So there's evidence?” Doug folded his arms.

“Maybe that's the wrong word choice.”

Doug crossed back to Wynn and took her hands in his. “Wynn, tell me.”

She turned away.

“But I'm the one who is in trouble. The accused. Remember?” His voice had an edge.

“I can't forget.” She gazed at the floor.

“Then help me out.”

“Look, talk to your aunt; she's part of the group. After we reveal all our information at the next meeting, she can tell you everything. I will turn over all the findings to you and your lawyer. But right now, I don't feel it would help you, anyway.”

“Let my lawyer be the judge of that.”

“I think I should go.” Wynn felt her beautiful relationship with Doug was ruined. She started for the door.

“Stop!” Doug snapped the word astonishing loudly in the quiet room.

Wynn froze.

“Please sit down,” he said more quietly.

“No.” Her hand was on the doorknob and she wasn't letting go.

“Sit down!”

She reached for a kitchen chair by the door and sat, crossing her arms and legs. She looked up at him.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. Forgive me.”

“I forgive you. But, I better get going now.”

Doug walked towards her. His hands were trembling. The circles under his eyes were more prominent and his mouth was set in a tight expression.

She wished she could wipe away the dark circles, turn his lips into a smile. She wished she was the kind of person who could go to him and put her arms around him spontaneously. Wynn lowered her gaze, not wanting him to see her tearing eyes.

He knelt in front of her and drew her back to him. He feathered her hair with his fingers and swept the tendrils from her face.

“Again, I'm sorry. I may have over-reacted.” He apologized.

“I would never betray you.”

“Are you going to be around in the morning?”

Wynn stood and opened the door. ‘Call me to come back to you', she thought. ‘Call me back, one more time and I will tell you everything.' She felt tears trickle down her cheeks.

Doug remained silent.

She left the lighthouse and went to her car.

The lamplight behind him made his features impossible to make out.

She looked up and counted the stars until the tears dried.

‘Call me back.' She looked at the window.

It was empty.

 

 

 

 

28

 

Jackie, Owl, Faith, Sheri, Wynn and Roxie assembled on Roxie's front porch for the task force meeting.

No one smiled this morning. Today they had serious matters to discuss. Everyone held their private notebook and a pencil, ready to take notes as packets of information each had gathered about their discoveries was handed out.

Faith served dessert—crème Brulee with a thick seared coating of sugar covering the top.

Wynn shuffled her notes. “Ready?”

Everyone nodded.

“Let's start with updates. Anything current happening with the case that we should be aware of?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“OK, let's move onto evidence. At our last meeting we assigned Faith to speak with Frank about anything else the police may have divulged about the case when he personally served them lunch at the Inn last week. Owl was to talk to Doug's lawyer to find out how tight the case against him was, Jackie you were bringing lab results; I have the police report, and Roxie and I interviewed witnesses together.”

“You also spoke to Marilyn.” Jackie cut in. “She wasn't happy with that unexpected visit.”

“And we have some interesting information on that one.” Roxie finished her dessert.

“I can't wait to hear.” Jackie clasped her hands together. “I always felt that Marilyn saw Boone on the day he died, but she is adamant that isn't true. What did you discuss with her?”

“We need to go one at a time. Who wants to start?” Wynn asked.

Everyone pointed to Wynn.

“OK. I will begin with the police report.” She read what was found at the accident scene focusing on the shoes. “Jackie, here is a picture taken of the shoes. Do you recognize them?”

Jackie narrowed her focus. “Marilyn has a pair just like those.”

“Could they actually be Marilyn's?” Faith asked in horror.

“That's what we are trying to find out. If so, it puts her at the crime scene.”

Roxie picked up where Wynn left off.

“As you see there is a short list of witnesses and we visited almost every one of them!”

“What did you discover, dear?” Owl wanted to know

“A sweet lady said that someone fitting Marilyn's description took the homeless man's wallet, but Marilyn vehemently denied it. And Wynn spotted the dry cleaners receipt on Boone's suit.”

Jackie came up out of her seat. “That proves Boone was with Marilyn! I knew she lied! She is holding something back! I'm calling my lawyer and the police, right now.”

“No, wait.” Wynn held out her hand towards her. “We aren't finished with all the reports. There will be time for all that once we've all had our turn.”

Jackie reluctantly returned to her seat, but sat jiggling her right foot anxiously.

“Sheri, you are next.”

“Well, there was so much gossip and people just plain making things up. I kept up with it and took notes. I, too, have made copies.” Sheri handed out the papers. “As you can see, the consensus on the island is that Doug is in love with Jackie, whom he was having an affair with.”

“Stop right there!” Jackie was on her feet again. “I most certainly was not!”

“Jackie, please don't take this personally,” Wynn pleaded.

“I didn't say you were having an affair with Doug, I just said that is what people are saying.”

“I'm as angry as you are, Jackie. I don't understand why people have to make up stories about others,” Wynn said. “But it's still good to know what people are suspecting.”

Roxie fanned her with a copy of the police report to calm her.

“Please continue Sheri, we want to know everything.” Wynn prodded.

“I stuck up for you Jackie, don't worry. You'd never have an affair with Doug, or anyone else, for that matter. There are two camps of thought, actually. I just reported what the first camp believes.” Sheri took a sideways glance at her friend, not wanting to repeat it. “The second camp believes Boone somehow hurt himself on the schooner and died quickly. Oh, and a couple from the mainland, which I shall refer to as the third camp, said they thought Boone was Joseph Reed re-incarnated and that is why he suffered a similar death.”

“Re-incarnation is totally preposterous!” Roxie said.

All the women nodded in agreement.

“Similar? It's not similar at all.” Jackie protested.

“That's correct,” added Owl. “Especially since we don't know how Joseph Reed died, and we may never find that out.”

“And that's all I have about gossip and innuendoes. Who's next?”

Owl raised her hand. “I would like to speak next. The lawyer said it looks very bad for Doug.”

“What is the motive, then?” Wynn asked.

“They are still digging for one.”

“Of course, because there isn't one.”

“Careful Wynn. Remain impartial. It's the only way this can work,” Roxie pointed out.

“Excuse me.” Faith was soft spoken. “I spoke with Frank again to ask about any added information he might have been told by the police. Of course, I didn't tell him about our task force. The police feel it has to have been done by someone familiar with the schooner because they knew about the hiding place. It also had to be someone very strong in order to hoist Boone up onto the deck like that.”

Wynn thought about Agatha's brooch and wondered if she may have been an accomplice. Then again, she appeared to be way too small and weak to hoist her brother onboard. Agatha was odd, but Wynn was fairly sure she was not a murderer, if it turned out Boone was murdered.

“Who discovered the hiding place, anyway?” Roxie wanted to know.

“There was a note sent to the police department saying where Boone's body was. The smell by that time was so horrid that he was easily located.” Faith continued. “Sorry Jackie, I know that must have been hard for you to hear. The police also discovered that one of the ropes for the jib had been wrapped around him and they suspect he was taken aboard by pulleys.”

“That tidbit hasn't come out in the news.” Owl said. “I wonder if the police have released this information to the defense and prosecutor. Is that the cause of death? Strangulation by hanging?”

“Jackie, for a time, you received anonymous notes. Have you gotten any recently?” Sheri asked.

“No, I haven't. I guess it's my turn now to share. The cause of death is determined. I have the lab report.” Jackie held it up in the air before passing it to Wynn. “I don't understand all this. Perhaps you will.”

“I'm certainly not a medical examiner, nor a doctor, but I might be able to interpret some of the terminology and blood results.” Wynn scanned the report. “It says here everything was within normal ranges. Wait. There was an extremely high level of retinol in Boone's body which is extremely toxic. That means he also has signs of acute toxicity.”