If Hooks Could Kill (10 page)

C
HAPTER
15

I ended up passing on all three of Mason’s offers. He’d wanted me to stay—overnight—but I put him off. I was not ready to walk in my house the next morning and have to pass Barry pouring a bowl of cereal, so I convinced Mason to wait until my house was my own again.

When I finally pulled into my driveway, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was relieved to find the backyard quiet and without so much as a stray paper plate to show what had gone on there before. The kitchen was empty when I walked in. The trash had been taken out and the counter wiped clean of pizza residue. No animals rushed out to greet me. I assumed they were all sacked out somewhere, worn out from all the earlier activity. I went to turn out the light and quietly go across the house. Okay, it was more like sneak across the house.

I had my hand on the light switch when I heard one of the bedroom doors open. “Oh, you’re home,” Barry said in what I’d call feigned surprise as he came into the kitchen. I did a little double take at his attire. He had on blue plaid pajama pants and a white tee shirt. I guess he was wearing clothes, but just barely. He noticed me noticing his outfit and smiled. “Hey, I see people at the grocery story like this, but it seems to be making you uncomfortable.” He went out of the room and reappeared a moment later with jeans on.

“Jeffrey’s asleep, but he wanted me to be sure to thank you for this evening. It meant a lot to him to have the drama group over.” Barry leaned against the counter. “I’m sorry. I know I should have checked with you first. There isn’t any excuse for it. It all happened at the last minute.”

I could see that he really meant it and in the big scheme of things it wasn’t that big a deal, so I told him it was okay. I watched the tension go out of his expression. “Are you going to have tea, again?” Before I could answer he was already taking out a couple of mugs and looking through my tea stash. “How about some Constant Comment?”

“The tea is a good idea,” I said finally. “We need to talk about some things.”

“Uh-oh,” Barry said in a teasing voice. “I said I was sorry. It won’t ever happen again.” This time he made the tea. Not that it took much effort. All he had to do was drop a couple of tea bags in the mugs and fill them with water from the instant hot spigot. Immediately the air filled with the spicy orange scent.

Before I could even suggest we sit outside, he was on his way out the door carrying the mugs. “If what you want to talk about is Heather being here, I’m sorry for that, too. She realized how awkward it was.”

“It’s your life and you can do what you want,” I said setting my mug on the little glass table. The yard was so still, it almost didn’t feel like we were outside. I looked up at the night blue sky and saw some stars twinkling. Then I gathered my strength and turned toward him. “You seem okay and you’re back to work. If you moved back home, whatever you did and with whoever wouldn’t matter. What does your doctor say about you doing stairs?”

“I know you’re probably curious what’s going on with the investigation into your crochet friend’s murder. Heather talked about it a lot.” Barry let it hang in the air for a minute. I knew he was just trying to change the subject by dangling information in front of me. I wish I could say that I was strong and went right back to asking when he was going to leave, but all I could think about was sharing the information with the group the next day, and well, flaunting it in front of Adele. I’m not proud of it, but at least I was being honest.

“Did she say anything about finding the gun?” I said, doing my best not to notice that Barry’s lips had curved into a triumphant little smile. I told myself I could get back to trying to pin down when he was leaving later.

“That’s the problem, she hasn’t found the murder weapon,” Barry said. I didn’t bring up Adele’s golden triangle of guilt, but said I’d heard she’d found Dan Donahue’s gun.

“Oh, that gun,” Barry said. “Heather had it tested, and it hadn’t been fired. Not only that, Dan’s hands were swabbed and his clothing checked and there was no gunpowder residue, which should have been there if he’d fired a weapon. His gun is registered and legal, so she had to give it back to him. Even so, her gut tells her Dan killed his wife.”

Well, at least now I understood why Dan hadn’t been arrested. Adele wouldn’t be happy to hear that her golden triangle had just lost one of its corners. I asked Barry if Heather knew that something was missing from Kelly’s room. He said she had discounted it as being a robbery gone bad from the start. Then it was as if he realized exactly what I’d said.

“Are you saying you know something is missing from the room?” he said, and I nodded. This time it was my turn to have a little triumphant smile. “Well, are you going to tell me or what?” Barry said.

I explained our two trips to Kelly’s before she was killed. “Adele just about knocked over a lamp with a leaded glass shade. But when I went back there today, it was gone. Dan said he didn’t know anything about it.” Barry asked for more details about the lamp and I described what I remembered about the colors of the shade.

“Did Heather talk to Kelly’s brother, Stone?” I was going to mention that Stone thought Dan had done it, too, and might be able to help her, but Barry was already shaking his head.

“The surfer dude wasn’t even in town when it happened. Heather checked out his story about going to Denver to meet someone about his coconut energy drink. She talked to the person he’d met with in Denver and even looked at his boarding pass from Kahului Airport in Maui to Denver.”

“She thought he was a suspect?” I said surprised. “I don’t suppose you saw him. He’s adorable.”

Barry’s lips went into a straight line of consternation. “Adorable people can be murderers. Heather is very thorough. She thinks everybody is a suspect, including the neighbor woman who was trying to get Donahue to renege on letting the production use the backyard. Heather talked to the prop guys who’d been arranging all the plants, too. They said Kelly Donahue was alive when they left to go to lunch. Heather had no way to prove what they said was true, but she put them on the back burner of her suspect list. Where’s a motive?”

“Did they tell Heather they knew Kelly from before? She was a production assistant on a show they worked on.”

Barry appeared surprised. “They didn’t tell Heather about that. I’ll be sure and pass it along.” I was amazed at how much information Barry had shared and how much attention he had paid to what I’d said. It had never been like this when we were a couple.

He leaned closer and checked my expression. “You sounded kind of gushy when you talked about the surfer. Is there something going on between you two?”

I laughed. “What if there was? It’s none of your business. Remember we’re over and done with.”

“Somebody better tell Mason he’s got competition. And what was with that fake detective from
L.A. 911
? What was he doing coming home with you?”

I just glared at Barry. “Right,” he said. “It’s none of my business.”

“I know you were trying to change the subject when I asked when you’d be moving back home. If you can’t give me an exact date, how about a rough time frame?” Barry drank some of his tea and set the mug down. There was no triumphant smile this time.

“My doctor thinks I should avoid stairs for a few more weeks. And since we’re out of my place, it seemed like a good time to get the floors done, along with painting and a few odds and ends. You know workmen. They say it’ll take a few days and it turns into a few months.” I must have looked stricken because he said he was just joking. “I’m hoping we’ll be good to go in two weeks. If that’s okay.”

How could I say it wasn’t? So, I told him it was fine.

“This was very nice,” he said as we walked inside. “Just two friends having a cup of tea.” He was right we were two friends. But then I blurted out. “So what’s going on with you and Detective Heather?”

Barry laughed. “I’ll give you the same response you gave me when I asked about surfer dude. None of your business.”

C
HAPTER
16

“Why don’t you suggest he move into Detective Heather’s place?” Dinah said. Though it was barely nine in the morning, it was already hot walking along Ventura Boulevard. Dinah and I had agreed to eat at Le Grande Fromage and I’d picked her up at her house and we were in the process of walking the couple of blocks to the neighborhood bistro.

I could have eaten at home, but now that Barry was back to work, it was just too weird to watch him come through the kitchen at 8:47
A.M.
while I was nursing my morning coffee that he had made. Dressed in a suit and tie, he’d pour some of the coffee into a commuter mug, eat a bowl of cereal standing at the counter and head out.

I never knew how to act. Should I make conversation? Invite him to sit at the table? It was just awkward. He seemed to have adjusted to the situation and always wished me a good day on his way out. I wished him the same, but most of all I wished he was starting it from someplace else.

Jeffrey, like other boys his age, slept in. Barry had tried to talk him into going to day camp. Day camp for a fourteen-year-old? Instead, on his own, Jeffrey had found a summer acting program that he got to and from on his bicycle.

“I wouldn’t do that to Jeffrey,” I said in reference to Dinah’s suggestion. Having Jeffrey at my place was no problem. I had liked the kid from the day I’d met him. Maybe after bringing up two sons, I had a weakness for boys. When the end had come for Barry and me, one of my regrets was losing Jeffrey in the process. Luckily, there was no awkwardness between us and he kept me posted on how much he missed his girlfriend Autumn, who was away at camp. “You should have seen Detective Heather trying to be motherly. If Barry and Heather do get together, I think Jeffrey is going to find that boarding school is in his future.”

We’d reached the small café and it was pleasant to walk into the cool interior. It was bright and airy inside and filled with plants. Almost all the tables were full with a combination of people stopping in after their morning exercise walk and the people who used the tables as their office. Dinah placed our order and I found a table.

Imagine my shock when I realized Adele was at the table behind us. She had her back to the room and was bent over, focusing on something. A mug and plate with a residue of breakfast sat across from her and I guessed she must have been eating with Eric. I tried to see what she was doing, but she had herself positioned so that whatever it was was completely hidden.

Dinah came to the table a moment later and I gestured toward Adele. Dinah was still standing and tried to look over the top of Adele’s head, but it didn’t work and my friend sat down.

The door whooshed open and I automatically looked up. Stone Thomasville came in with three men who had the same streaked hair and tanned skin and followed him like disciples. I admit that I stared at Stone for a moment. He had the kind of looks that made you do that.

“Should we invite them to sit with us?” Dinah asked, noting that all the tables were full.

“I do have to ask him about something,” I said. Adele heard us talking and turned around in her seat. She followed my gaze and saw who we were talking about, as Dinah went over to invite him to join us.

“What’s going on? Who’s he?” she asked quickly stuffing something in her tote bag. I told her he was Kelly’s brother and then asked what she was being so secretive about.

Adele hesitated. “Can I trust you?’ she asked, glancing around furtively.

“Adele, I had you over for French toast. Just you and no one else. You said after that I was your best friend. You can trust me.”

Adele did another sweep of the room and then took out a skein of worsted weight acrylic yarn and a size K hook. She’d made a foundation row and on top of it she started another stitch. She wound the yarn around the hook a bunch of times and picked up another loop. “Watch this,” she said. “She began to pull the hook through all the loops. For a moment it went okay, then the whole thing started to unravel. “It worked before,” she said in a frustrated tone. “I almost have the bullion stitch.”

“I promise I won’t tell CeeCee you haven’t mastered it yet, but you have to give her the things Kelly made. They are Kelly’s last creations and she meant them for the fair. You can’t leave them stuffed in one of the yarn cupboards.”

“Just give me a little more time. Please.”

I hadn’t realized Dinah was standing right behind me until I took a step back and almost fell over her. Stone grabbed me just in time.

He thanked us for the offer of sharing our table, but said he and his group were just picking up something to eat in the car on the way to the beach. “Dan tried to push some cereal on me. It probably tastes fine,” Stone said rolling his eyes. “But the name—Corporal Crack?” He gestured toward the group. “Some old surfing buddies and I are hitting the waves.”

“Ahem,” Adele said and, when I didn’t immediately react, she poked my shoulder.

I introduced him to Adele and she threw her arms around him. “I’m so sorry about your loss. We were like blood sisters, only it was yarn, but for we crocheters, yarn is even thicker than blood.” As soon as she started talking about her cop boyfriend and that she knew who had really killed his sister, I stepped in.

“This place is full of ears,” I said to Adele in a pointed tone.

“Pink, you’re right.” She narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the customers in the restaurant, focusing on the two prop guys eating breakfast sandwiches. She hugged a surprised-looking Stone again. “I just want you to know that I’m working in adjunct with the police.”

Maybe if she hadn’t been wearing her hair in pigtails, with a blue and white gingham pinafore over a white blouse with puffy sleeves and her version of ruby slippers that were red sneakers, he might have taken her more seriously. I quickly explained that she was running the summer kids’ reading group and she was reading them
The Wizard of Oz.
He glanced around her and said she must have misplaced Toto.

Without missing a beat, Adele pulled out such a lifelike stuffed dog that I jumped.

Stone heard his order number called and made a move toward the counter. I stepped in front of him and apologized for Adele. “She means well,” I said. He seemed a little doubtful and, when I didn’t move out of the way. asked if there was something else.

“I apologize for this under the circumstances, but we were wondering if you’d be willing to do an informal book signing one night.” I explained Mr. Royal had shown me the book, with the photograph and story about him, and was ordering a stack of them.

Stone barely took a moment to consider the request. “Sure. Why not? I can give out some brochures about the coconut water energy drink.”

“You could even give out samples,” I said. It was hard not to keep looking at his face. His blue eyes sparkled and had little crinkles around them when he smiled. And then there were those family dimples. All that and a great body. It was hard not to notice it since he was wearing just swimming shorts and an open shirt.

“Too bad they’re all gone. I don’t even have an empty bottle to show off. No way to get any more, either. The only place you can buy it now is in one store in Wailea, Maui.” I asked him if he’d rather wait until after Kelly’s funeral, but he said he’d be leaving right after. He leaned in close. “I hope I’m here when they finally arrest you know who. I told the cops he had a big insurance policy on my sister. How much evidence do they need?”

I tried to calm him and told him I knew for a fact the cops had zeroed in on Dan, which seemed to make him feel a little better. It was a little bit of a segue, but I went back to the book signing and we agreed on a day and time. Finally, he picked up his breakfast sandwich and latte and headed out.

When Dinah and I finally sat down, I noticed Adele had moved to our table. I knew if I so much as mentioned Barry, she’d launch into her superior relationship with Eric “Cutchykins.” She considered herself an expert now on relationships with cops and I didn’t want her advice or even any comments. So the easiest subject to talk about was Kelly’s murder.

“Ha,” Adele said. “I don’t know why Stone wasn’t including me in what he said. I’m probably already ahead of you two in the figuring-it-out department. The problem here isn’t figuring out who did it, it’s getting some evidence. There have been lots of murder cases around here where everybody knows who did it, but there isn’t enough evidence to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt.” Adele’s comment surprised me for its rational quality, but then her tone became Miss Know It All. “Eric thinks I can find the evidence they need to nail Dan.”

“He said that?” I said.

“Maybe not in those exact words,” Adele said. “But that’s what my cutchykins meant.” She adjusted a pigtail that was about to be dipped in her drink. “He takes what I say very seriously.”

“You do know that Dan’s gun isn’t the murder weapon.” I said and Adele waved her arm broadly.

“Pink, that’s such old news.”

After breakfast the three of us walked outside. The sun was heating up the air and it promised to be another scorcher. We headed up the street and stopped when we got in front of the bookstore and Dinah said something about having a faculty meeting later in the morning. The new semester now started in August. Whatever happened to waiting until after Labor Day?

“I’ll see you in a while,” I said to Adele motioning toward the door of the bookstore as if I could will her to go inside.

“Where are you going?” Adele said with a whine in her voice. I pointed toward the side street and said I was going to walk Dinah home. Adele glanced at her bulging tote bag with the stuffed Toto’s head sticking out of it and started to go in, but hesitated.

“I’m coming with,” she said. “I’ll just drop this off.”

“I’ll be back before you get out of the store,” I said. “You don’t have to come.” I motioned to Dinah and we began to walk toward the corner.

Adele ditched her plan of leaving the tote bag and rushed after us. “You know Molly had me over for French toast,” Adele said to Dinah. “Just me.” She let the words sink in before continuing. “Did she ever have just you over for French toast?”

I saw that Dinah was stifling a chuckle before she said no. Adele gave her a knowing nod.

“Maybe you’re not the best friend you thought you were.” Adele threaded her arm through mine. “Pink and I are French toast sisters.” First it was yarn sisters, now French toast sisters, what was next?

The street curved up ahead and at first all we could see was Dinah’s house on the next corner. Only when we got closer, did the production come into view. Eric stood at the curb next to his motorcycle.

They must have been planning to film a scene in the street as all the trucks had been moved out of view. Several cars were parked at the curb, including a police car.

A group of people were congregated in front of a house, several down from Dinah’s.

Without saying a word, the three of us stopped in front of Dinah and watched, mesmerized. I knew there’d be no embarrassing interventions from me this time. Not only was I very aware that whatever was going on in front of me was fake, but now that Barry was out and about, I wasn’t as sensitive anymore.

The scene in front of us did not look at all like what it would look like on television. All the audience would see was North Adams, in character, trying to console a distraught woman. The audience wouldn’t see all the people standing around the pair, or the large reflectors bringing more light into the shot, or the camera and other equipment.

I stepped a little closer to get a better view and I had to laugh. It appeared that North had listened to Barry’s advice and this time his dress shirt had a few well-placed wrinkles. But while he had the right amount of stubble on his face, his close-cropped dark hair was still a little too perfect to believe he’d been working all night.

They seemed to be rehearsing and then all the outer activity stopped as they began to actually film the scene. Suddenly an angry voice yelled “Cut!” and everything stopped. I recognized the tall jean-clad director from before.

Adele turned toward me. “Did you do something, Pink?”

I put up my arms in a sign of annoyance. The director motioned to Eric and a few moments later, the motor cop appeared holding the handlebars of a bicycle in one hand and someone’s arm in the other.

Jeffrey? Again?

Eric walked the bicycle and Jeffrey toward us as the director joined them. Barry’s son gave me a weak wave.

The director glared at me, clearly remembering me from before. “You know him?” he said with an annoyed shake of his head. “It figures.” His gaze moved to Adele and her Dorothy from
The Wizard of Oz
outfit and he rolled his eyes. He stepped in front of Jeffrey. “Kid, stay out of the shot—now and forever.” The director walked back to the setup.

“Don’t tell my dad,” Jeffrey said with a touch of panic in his voice. Eric with his duty done, had turned his attention to Adele. He winked and blew her a secret kiss.

“See you later, cutchykins,” he said in a low voice before going back to his station.

We withdrew from our position and moved around the corner while Jeffrey explained about his reel, again.

“I was riding by Autumn’s house,” he said. “I was going to ask her mother when she’s coming home from camp. But when I passed the street and saw they were shooting, it was like fate, or something. So I just drove my bicycle up the sidewalk.”

He gestured around the corner. “I might as well go see if Autumn’s mother knows anything. Some camp,” he said with a groan. “No cell phones or e-mail.”

I was prepared to let him go, but Dinah turned to me. “I think we should make sure he gets where he says he’s going.” All the years of dealing with unruly freshmen at Beasley Community College had given her an intuitive edge. “We want to make sure he doesn’t just go back around the block and show up in their shot again.”

I’m sure the last thing in the world Jeffrey wanted was three women escorting him to his girlfriend’s house, but he was stuck with us.

“Where does Autumn live?” I said as we started down the block. I could tell he didn’t want to answer and hoped we’d disappear, but he finally pointed and I nudged Dinah.