A Fishy Dish (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) (13 page)

Hannah’s phone beeped with a text message from Meg.

Hannah read it to Cal as she picked up her pace. “
Hurry up. Leah White has big news!”

Chapter 15

The town common was mobbed. Everyone in Hooks Harbor was gathered with the hope for Sally White’s safe return home.

With a beating heart, Hannah scanned the crowd until her eyes settled on Meg standing with Jerry Sewall and Leah White, off to one side of the green. Meg jumped up and down and waved to Hannah. When their eyes met, Meg gestured for Hannah to hurry.

Hannah sent Cal and Olivia on a mission to find Ruby before she and Samantha skirted around the edge of the crowd toward Meg.

“What’s your hurry?” Deputy Pam Larson asked as she fell in step next to Hannah.

“I don’t know yet. Would it be too much to ask you to stay here for at least the next fifteen minutes?”

Pam glared at Samantha. “Only if
she
stays with me. I have some questions for Ms. Featherstone. And I’ll be keeping my eye on you, too, Ms. Holiday.”

Samantha gave Hannah’s arm a squeeze. “My pleasure, Deputy Larson. I’m always happy to work with such a brave and dedicated public servant.”

Before Hannah was out of earshot, she heard Pam growl at Samantha, “You can be assured that this has
nothing
to do with working together, Ms. Featherstone.”

At least Samantha could keep Pam distracted while Hannah found out Leah’s big news.

Hannah hurried toward where Meg stood near Leah.

Meg grabbed Hannah’s arm a little too roughly and Hannah wondered if there would be a bruise. “You won’t believe this. Leah got a call from Jan.”

“Leah?” Hannah quietly asked as she rubbed her arm. “Are you okay?”

Leah stared at her phone as if she was expecting Sally or Jan to jump through the screen. She remained silent; no response to Hannah’s question.

“Where’s Matt?”

Leah pointed to the gazebo where all the organizers for the vigil were huddled around Matt.

“Does he know that Jan called you?” Hannah wondered if Leah could possibly be working with this fake Jan or if she was being duped like everyone else.

Leah shook her head.

Hannah carefully put her arm around Leah’s shoulders. “What did Jan say to you?”

“I can’t tell you.” Leah whispered the words so softly that Hannah barely heard her. “She knows where Sally is but I can’t tell you anything more.”

“Leah, look at me.” Hannah moved in front of Leah and put her hands on Leah’s cheeks, forcing her to focus on what Hannah was going to tell her. “The woman that called? She’s not Matt’s sister. She’s only pretending.”

The color drained from Leah’s face. “Why?”

“I’m not sure why, but Deputy Larson told me that Matt’s sister died a year and a half ago.”

“I don’t believe you.” Leah jerked away from Hannah. “That’s about the time when Sally was first contacted by Jan. It has to be her. She’s going to lead me to my daughter.”

Matt White got everyone’s attention from the gazebo when he started talking through a microphone. He thanked all the people of Hooks Harbor for showing their support for his daughter. He lit his candle and hundreds of candles on the green lit up in the growing darkness.

“For Sally,” several people near Hannah murmured.

Deputy Pam Larson bumped into Hannah’s side. “Where’d she go?”

Hannah’s head swiveled from side to side. “She was right here. She can’t be far.”

A glint at Hannah’s feet caught her eye. She bent down to retrieve the glowing object. Leah must have dropped her phone when she disappeared in the crowd. Hannah slipped it into her pocket.

“I can’t believe you let her get away. What did she tell you?” Pam demanded to know.

“She told me that Jan called her and she knows where Sally is.”

“The dead woman knows?” Pam said with sarcasm dripping from her words.

“I told her Jan died and this person that called her is not who she claims to be, but Leah didn’t believe me.”

“Of course she wouldn’t. She has to believe there’s hope.” Pam walked away from the crowd and gave some orders into her police radio.

Hannah whispered to Samantha, “I’ve got Leah’s phone.

“What are you two plotting over here? You can’t leave me out; I got you the information about Leah,” Meg said. She had her hands on her hips and waited for an answer.

“No plan yet.” Hannah looked around to survey the people standing near her. “What happened to Jerry? I thought you were here with him?”

Meg shrugged. “He vanished too. I don’t know what’s up with him. He said he’s had a lot on his mind lately trying to pick up new customers. With The Chowder House closed, I think it’s a bigger impact on his business than I imagined. He told me he’s hoping Chef Belair takes charge and reopens. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s better for The Fishy Dish if The Chowder House stays closed.”

“Is Chef Belair still in town? I’d love to have a chat with
him
about what happened when he and Gavin disappeared into the kitchen. He’s got to know
something
.”

“He’s still around. He’s not allowed to leave, according to Jerry. At least, not until the murder is solved.”

“Good to know.” Hannah put that thought on the back burner and gave Meg a quick summary about the recent events connected to Sally and fake Jan. “If she calls Leah again, I’ve got her phone so that might be something.” Hannah patted her pocket.

“You’re not going to tell Pam? I heard her chew you out a few minutes ago,” Meg said.

“Deputy Pam Larson is a tough cookie,” Samantha said. “I tried to butter her up, but nothing I could do was working. Why’s she such a sour puss?”

“Long story. You’ll have to get the details from Jack, even though he struggles with his own relationship with his daughter, just like everyone else does.” Hannah moved away from the crowd. “Here comes trouble,” she said to Samantha.

Sean Payne, with an,
I’ve got a bone to pick with you
look on his face, marched straight into Hannah’s personal space.

“How did you manage to get in touch with Jan?” Spit flew from Sean’s mouth along with the words he hissed at Hannah.

“I don’t have a clue what you’re accusing me of,” she told him and hoped she looked appropriately shocked at his accusation.

“Someone told her I know where Sally is and I’ve been talking to the police. Now, she’s refusing to meet with me.”

“Everything okay here, Hannah?” Cal grabbed Sean’s shoulder and yanked him backwards.

“Hey. Get your hands off me, you—”

“Stop it! Cal, I’ve got this,” Hannah said.

Cal released Sean’s shoulder but he planted his feet and remained close to Hannah.

She dragged Sean farther away from the crowd of people. “You’re being railroaded by this Jan person.”

Sean froze. His normal bravado evaporated. “What are you talking about?”

“We can’t discuss this here with all these people milling around.”

Sean scowled and kept an eye on Cal.

Samantha looped her arm through Sean’s and flashed her sweet grandmotherly smile. “Come on, honey. I’ll protect you from him.” She tossed her head back toward Cal’s looming presence but winked at Hannah at the same time.

Sean jerked away from Samantha and told Hannah, “I’ve got stuff to do. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Leaving so soon?” Deputy Pam Larson’s voice made Hannah stop dead in her tracks.

“Yes, is that a problem?”

Pam scowled. “I don’t know what you and,” she flicked her hand at Meg, Samantha, and Cal, “are up to, but don’t forget that I’ll be watching. Closely.”

Pam waited for the others to move out of earshot, then told Hannah, “We’ve got a lead on where Leah is headed. Stay out of the way. I don’t need any interference from you. Got that?” She marched away, dismissing Hannah without waiting a second for a reply. Obviously, nothing was up for discussion with Pam.

No problem about that, Hannah thought as she watched Pam’s back disappear in the crowd. I’ll stay out of your way and you stay out of mine. She had been about to mention she had Leah’s phone, but since Pam treated her with such disrespect, she kept that juicy tidbit to herself.

Hannah hurried to catch up to her friends while checking Leah’s phone. She stopped with one foot in the road at the edge of the green and held the glowing screen in front of her face. A car whizzed by too fast and too close for comfort. The breeze from the car sent loose strands of hair away from her face before she had time to jump backwards. She realized that if she hadn’t stopped to check Leah’s phone messages, she would have been right in the path of the speeding car. An image of what-could-have-been flashed through her mind and her heart pounded.

A black Honda Civic. Sean Payne’s car? Too close for comfort and a nagging feeling it might not have been an accident.

Or was she just being paranoid?

She carefully checked both ways before sprinting across the street to catch up with the others.

As they walked to Samantha’s car, Hannah showed Meg what she found on Leah’s phone.

Meg snatched the phone from Hannah. “She called Jerry? Whatever for?”

“I was hoping you might have a clue. You two are sort of a
thing
, right?” Hannah used her fingers to make air quotes.

“Not as much of a
thing
as you think. I can’t figure him out. One minute he’s friendly, even flirty, and then I don’t hear from him. He was standing with me and Leah when you showed up, but I didn’t peg them as friends.”

“Did he disappear from the vigil at the same time Leah did?” Hannah took the phone back to search for more clues.

“Actually, we had an argument about why I don’t push more of his haddock. He’s having trouble unloading the extra from The Chowder House’s cancelled order and the little bit you took didn’t make a dent in his supply.” Meg rolled her eyes dramatically. “He left in a huff after I made it clear I didn’t want to discuss business when we were on a date.”

“So, he left before Leah vanished?”

“I think so. Just a bit before.”

“Why does that matter?” Cal asked.

“I don’t know, except since they’ve been calling each other,” Hannah looked at the call list, “as recently as ten minutes ago, I’m wondering what they talked about. Could Jerry be helping Leah search for Jan and Sally?”

No one had an answer to her question.

She looked back toward the town green. The candles from the vigil made a glow in the center of town. Where did Leah go? Was she lost in the crowd of well-wishers? What did fake Jan say to Leah?

Leah’s phone jingled in Hannah’s hand. She almost tossed it like a hot potato in surprise. She hadn’t made a plan about what she’d do if someone called. She looked at the caller ID.

Sally.

Hannah stared at the phone.

Her hand trembled.

She tapped the green button and held the phone to her ear.

“Mom? Just listen. Jan is acting weird. I’m scared.”

The line went dead.

“What?” Meg demanded. “Who called?”

Hannah repeated the desperate message from Sally, who thought she was talking to her mom.

“You have to tell Pam. So what if she’s mad at you. This is an important development.” Meg’s voice was urgent.

Cal added, “She might call back again.”

Samantha agreed. “Let the police use this information to find her. And, it confirms that Sally is alive.”

For now, Hannah thought, but refused to say those words out loud.

People at the vigil were beginning to disperse. The candlelight scattered away from the town green in every direction. Small points of light bobbed through the darkness, like fireflies in the middle of summer.

“I hope they find her,” Hannah overheard an elderly woman say as they walked upstream against the crowd.

A sentiment that everyone shared.

Hannah wanted to scream out that Sally was alive, as of a few minutes ago, but everyone would have to wait for that news.

Pam stood in the gazebo with Matt and Leah White. Leah
hadn’t
left, after all. What were the calls between Leah and Jerry about? It certainly wasn’t something like
nice weather we’re having
or
did you see so-and-so at the beach
?

Hannah straightened her shoulders and channeled all the bravado she could muster, even if inside, her stomach churned like an ocean storm.

“Officer Larson?” she called out.

Pam scowled when she turned around and saw who was interrupting. She clearly wanted to keep talking only to Matt and Leah. “What do
you
want and it had better be good.”

Hannah held out the phone. “I found this.”

Leah immediately felt the back pocket of her jeans and her eyes popped open wide.