Murder on the Half Shell (A Red Carpet Catering Mystery Book 2) (17 page)

Chapter 28

Penelope walked quickly down Ocean Avenue, pausing for a moment when she came to Emilio’s restaurant space. A couple of construction workers wearing hard hats carried boxes of tiles from Emilio’s pickup truck around the side of the building, stacking them against the wall in the parking lot. Penelope crossed the street when she saw Emilio leaning against the truck, his phone pulled up to his ear. He ended his call and crossed his arms, staring up at the roof of his building.

“Chef,” Penelope said, walking up beside him.

“Penelope,” Emilio said. “How are you doing?”

Penelope gripped the straps of her backpack in both hands and said, “Okay. Off early today. I see you got your truck back.”

Emilio nodded and said, “Yeah, they went over the whole thing and didn’t find any trace of the girls. My lawyer argued that it’s a company vehicle, that I’m not the only one with access to it. He did his magic lawyer thing and they released it to me. I still don’t know how Rebekkah’s purse got back there.”

“I might,” Penelope said carefully. “I’m not sure yet, but I think someone might be setting you up, trying to get you kicked off the island.”

Emilio snorted. “Nice. Well, that alone wouldn’t be a big deal, but they’re trying to ruin my life in the process. If this all sticks I could go to jail, lose my wife, lose my business…who would do something like that?”

“I’m still working that out,” Penelope said. “Chef, I talked to Summer. Christine too. We talked about the complaints they filed back at school.”

Emilio eyed her cautiously, then crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “So, you ready to write me off now too?”

“No. Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

“I’m not supposed to say. Like I said before, it’s all sealed in the agreement. They shouldn’t be talking about me…I could sue them.”

“Chef, Summer says you two had had a sexual relationship, and Christine says she just backed Summer’s story because they had done some other things together that could’ve gotten them into trouble with the dean…Who is telling the truth?”

“All I can say is, the witch hunt that happened at the institute is behind me. I got too close to my students, I realize that now, and I paid for it. Literally. I never had a relationship with Summer, romantic or otherwise. If Christine says I did, then…she’ll have to live with herself, I guess, but we both know the truth. Look, I’ve moved on from the mistakes of my past. More than once now.”

“Okay, Chef. For what it’s worth, I believe you,” Penelope said, scuffing the sidewalk with the toe of her sneaker.

Emilio’s expression softened and he placed a hand on her shoulder. “That means a lot, Penelope. Thanks.”

Penelope said goodbye and told him she’d be in touch. She walked north up the avenue heading towards Joey’s cabin, turning over everything in her mind. When she got to Josie’s she saw Joey sitting out on the deck, drinking a beer and talking with Jonny Daniels.

“Joey, hey.” Penelope waved from the sidewalk.

“There she is,” Joey said, waving her over. “Come and join me.”

Penelope went in through the front door of Josie’s. As she headed out to the deck, she noticed a photograph she hadn’t seen before. It was a close-up of Rose and Josie, their heads pressed together, their long hair falling in a cascade over their shoulders. They smiled widely at the camera. Penelope thought it looked just like the selfies everyone was taking these days, only this one had to have been taken in the early seventies. Penelope went out to the deck, joining Joey at his table. Jonny gave her a welcoming smile and said, “Beer?”

Penelope nodded and said, “Please.”

When Jonny left, she pulled her backpack from her shoulders and opened it, pulling out the pink tube wrapped in napkins and placing it on the table.

“What’s that?” Joey asked, eyeing the wad of napkins.

“Lipstick. I found it in Rose’s car,” Penelope said, nodding at the table.

Joey turned to her and smiled. “You’re always bringing me lipstick. What are you saying? Is this one tainted like last time?”

“I don’t think so.” Penelope carefully unscrewed the cap and pulled the wand from the tube, immediately smelling artificial strawberries. “It’s the same lipstick I saw both girls use on Friday night right before I left the beach party. I remember it specifically. Now, how did it get into the back of Rose’s car?”

Jonny emerged from the restaurant, two pint glasses in his hands. “Here you go,” Jonny said.

“Jonny,” Penelope asked, “how does your Aunt Rose feel about Emilio Babineau?”

Jonny’s smile faltered and he put his hands on his hips. “I don’t know. She’s never been a big believer in change.”

“So she’d rather not see Craw Daddy’s expand onto the island?” Joey asked, picking up on Penelope’s line of thinking.

“I guess not,” Jonny said. “She worries about this place suffering from the competition, but I told her it’s going to be two completely different places. We’re a local old-school destination spot. His will be corporate. It’s a chain. What is the appeal of eating in a restaurant that is exactly like a bunch of other restaurants? I told her I don’t see how he’s going to make it here. There’s only so much business to go around.”

“So are you worried about your business suffering?” Penelope asked.

“Well, sure, but I think we’re going to do just fine. Rose says we’re making more money this season than the past three years put together. Mostly because of you guys, which we appreciate.”

“Wait, Rose does your books?” Penelope asked.

Jonny laughed, turning when he noticed a couple enter the restaurant and head to the bar. “Yeah, we’re partners in the restaurant and she does the books. So, are you guys okay? I’ve got to get behind the bar.”

“Yeah, thanks, man,” Joey said.

After he left Penelope pulled out her phone to make a call, scrolling through her recently dialed numbers and selecting one. She put the phone up to her ear and said, “Finish your beer. It’s almost time for the Happiest Hour.”

Chapter 29

Joey and Penelope walked back towards the Inn. When they passed Rose’s beach shop Penelope noticed the door was closed, but there was no note on the window about when Rose would return. She quickened her step and urged Joey to walk faster.

The parking lot of the Inn was quiet and it looked like Shane had called an end to the day. The usual hustle and bustle of the busy film crew had given way to a quiet late afternoon. Penelope figured most of them were out on the beach or at the pool. When they entered, Penelope ducked her head into the library and saw that it was empty. Cables and cords were snaked around the corners and a large light tripod stood by the windows. Penelope pulled Joey’s hand and they peered into the restaurant, but it was empty too, except for a few of the sound guys who were sitting around one of the dining tables having a meeting.

“Hey, guys,” Penelope said, looking around the room. “When did we wrap for the day?”

“About a half hour ago,” one of the sound techs said, his large earphones still draped around his neck.

“Okay, thanks,” Penelope said. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was a little after three thirty. “Jeanne must be up on the roof, getting ready,” she said to Joey.

They made their way upstairs, taking the steps quickly all the way to the top. When Penelope opened the door into the bright sunshine, she was out of breath.

Joey wiped his brow and said, “You really wanted to get to happy hour, huh?”

Penelope walked out onto the deck and looked towards the bar, which stood empty. “No one is up here yet,” she said to Joey, pausing to think. “Maybe she’s down in the kitchen.”

“Wait. Look over there,” Joey said.

Penelope turned to look and didn’t see anyone at first, but when she got closer she saw Jeanne’s back. She was standing by the railing next to the canopy, staring out at the ocean. As Penelope approached, she saw that Jeanne appeared to be talking to herself, but she couldn’t make out what she was saying.

“Jeanne?” Penelope called, moving closer.

“Penelope, dear,” Jeanne said, without turning around. “You’re too early. We’re not quite ready yet. Would you be a dear and give us a few more minutes?”

“Sure…um,” Penelope said, looking back at Joey and shrugging. “Are you okay?”

Jeanne continued to stare out at the ocean and said, “Yes, yes, we’re okay.”

“We?” Penelope asked. Joey moved behind Penelope and put his hand on her arm, stopping her from getting closer to Jeanne.

Jeanne’s shoulders shook and she quickly said, “Me, me. I’m fine. Go on, dear. Don’t worry, I’m okay.”

“Can you turn around and look at me for a second?” Penelope asked. Her skin had gone cold even though the sun was beating down on her and it had to be over ninety degrees on the roof.

“No, no, I can’t,” Jeanne said. She glanced quickly towards the canopy, its black fabric blowing lazily in the wind.

Penelope took another step closer to Jeanne, Joey’s body tensing by her side. She saw his hand go to the spot on his belt where he usually kept his gun. Penelope could see the silhouette of someone behind the black fabric that hung down from the canopy.

“Whoever is back there, come out now,” Joey said.

A short gray nose of a gun poked out from behind the fabric, pointed directly at Jeanne. Penelope’s knees buckled slightly when she saw the deeply wrinkled suntanned hand that was holding it.

“Come out from behind there,” Joey said. “And put the gun down.”

Rose emerged from the corner, still holding the gun, aiming it at Jeanne.

“Okay, I’m going to need you to put the gun down and step away from it,” Joey demanded.

“You don’t have any authority here, Detective. You’re a guest on this island…an outsider. Where do you get off telling me what to do?”

Rose’s hand shook slightly but she seemed pretty sure of her grip on the gun.

“Rose, what are you doing?” Penelope pleaded. “Jeanne is your friend…you guys have been friends for over forty years.”

“Ha, friends, that’s rich,” Rose said. “Who could be friends with someone like her?” Rose waved at Jeanne with the gun, a disgusted look on her face.

“Rose, you have to stop this now,” Jeanne said, her voice shaking. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I don’t know what I’m talking about?” Rose laughed. “I know everything…don’t you forget that. I know what you did and I know what you’re trying to do. But this time I’m going to put a stop to it. Betty Jeanne isn’t going to win.”

“Win?” Jeanne said, turning and looking at Rose. “What do you mean, win? I haven’t won anything…only a life of heartbreak and disappointment and loss.” She looked down at the gun, which was leveled at her birdlike chest.

“Betty Jeanne always gets her way,” Rose said to Penelope. “That’s how it’s always been. Spoiled little rich girl, but that wasn’t enough for her. She had to win at everything, take anything she wanted. And now she’s trying to sell out our island right out from under us.”

Jeanne’s voice remained quiet but quivered with emotion. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, yes, I do,” Rose said. “You brought that drug addict over here, sold him your uncle’s store and look what happens. Another innocent girl is dead because of you! Just like when we were younger. You only think about yourself.”

“What do you mean
another
girl is dead?” Penelope asked.

Rose spoke to her but kept her gaze on Jeanne. “Betty Jeanne here fell in love with Josie’s husband. She had no problem stepping into her dead friend’s shoes and marrying him before she was even cold in the ground.”

Jeanne looked out at the ocean and then back at Rose. “Josie chose to take her own life. She was very depressed after little Jonny was born. I had nothing to do with that.”

Rose snorted. “But you did! You were right here when she fell off the roof. You could have stopped her.”

“How would you know, you weren’t here!” Jeanne yelled. Penelope jumped, surprised at the normally placid Jeanne showing her anger.

“I know you. I know if you had wanted to, you could have stopped her from going over. But you wanted her to die so you could have her husband. You probably even encouraged her to jump. Did you give her a boost up onto the railing?”

“Shut up,” Jeanne said. “You’re a miserable person and you always have been. Sneaking around, lying about everything, causing trouble. You thought Josie was your best friend, but she didn’t trust you as far as she could throw you.”

Rose stepped closer, tightening her grip on the gun. “I loved Josie like a sister and you just watched her die. You’re finally going to pay for that. We’re going to watch you fall just like you watched Josie fall. Get up on that railing,” she demanded, waving the gun at Jeanne.

“Rose, give me the gun,” Joey said. “You don’t want to do this.”

“But I do,” Rose sneered. “I’ve wanted to do this for forty years.”

Rose took a step closer towards Jeanne and began to squeeze the trigger.

“No!” Penelope yelled loudly. Joey lunged for Rose, grabbing her thin wrist and aiming the gun into the air just as she pulled the trigger. A single gunshot sounded and Penelope could hear shouts from the pool area below.

Joey gripped Rose’s wrist tightly with one hand and pulled the gun from her grip with the other.

“You’re hurting me,” Rose spat at him. He handed the gun to Penelope. She couldn’t believe how heavy it was in her hand, and warm to the touch. She stared at it in shock, realizing she had never held a gun before in her life.

“Police! Drop your weapon,” a woman’s voice said from behind them. Detective Torres came out onto the patio, her gun drawn and her arms rigid.

Joey stood behind Rose, pinning her arms behind her back. Jeanne was leaning against the wall of the patio, one hand over her heart, and Penelope stood frozen, still looking at the gun in her hand.

“Ma’am, put the gun down,” Detective Torres said loudly.

Penelope snapped back to the present and laid the gun carefully down on a nearby table. Detective Torres walked over to the table and picked up the gun, tucking it in her waistband at the small of her back.

“What’s going on up here?” she asked, relaxing slightly. “I heard a gunshot.”