Guidebook to Murder (23 page)

“Thanks.” Now, the world was surreal. I walked over to the cabinets and pulled open the drawer. I wished I'd gone to the bank days ago. Before everything went to hell. But instead, I'd been too busy tracking down Crystal and buying paint. My hand found the napkin and something else. I glanced down at the smooth cylinder. Was it what I thought?

I grabbed the makeshift bag, hoping that Jackie had taken advantage of Bambi's absence and run. I heard the door opening right at the same time Bambi had. Her face went gray.

“Here!” I held the bag in the air, trying to distract her from my aunt. “The coins are here.”

“Put them on the table and untie that.” Bambi's full attention focused on me.

I slowly walked toward the table, keeping my right hand covered by the bag. As I untied the handkerchief, the coins tumbled out on the table.

“Oh my,” Bambi leaned closer and picked up a coin. When she did, I swung my other hand as close to her face as I could and sprayed her with the pepper spray I'd bought when I worked in the city. I hoped it didn't have an expiration date, or I'd be dead sooner than later.

Bambi screamed and dropped the gun and the coins. Her hands flew to her eyes.

I grabbed the gun off the table and stepped out of her reach. Now, where the hell was my phone?

“You bitch.” Bambi tried to open her eyes wide enough to find me, but just then, my kitchen door burst open and Greg and Toby stood in the kitchen, guns drawn.

Greg nodded to Toby, who grabbed Bambi, pulling her hands behind her back. He walked over to me and gently removed the gun from my outstretched hands.

“It's over,” he said gently.

“You're paying for that lock,” I said before I fell into his arms.

G
reg had sent Toby off to get Bambi settled into the one South Cove jail cell and wait for the county sheriff to arrive. I'd told Greg about Amy; now all I could do was wait. Jackie kept trying to get me to eat or watch a movie, but I felt exhausted. My aunt had been a trooper, dialing 911 as soon as she hit the porch. Of course, Greg had already arrived after receiving a call from the state troopers who'd heard from the travel agent about my desperate plea.

I grabbed my laptop and keyed
Baratonga
into my search engine. All I got was a bed–and-breakfast website, an article about the surfing, and a Google map showing the island just off the Mexican coast. All I could think about when I thought of Mexico was the horrible drug wars and the fact that shooting Americans had become the new blood sport.

“Please, Amy, just hold on a little while longer,” I kept whispering over and over. At least I knew my friend was somewhere, hopefully alive.

Night came and Jackie made pasta with artichoke hearts with a wine reduction white sauce. I barely touched the food. I was still twirling the noodles with my fork when a knock came to the back door. Jumping up, I almost knocked my plate off the table.

Swinging open the door, Greg walked in. I'd never been so glad to see anyone. The sight of him coming in the kitchen reminded me of his rescue earlier that day. The man played Prince Charming well. He gave me a quick hug before he said anything, rubbing his hands down my hair, probably trying to get it to stay out of his eyes.

“We have her.”

Tears fell and I started sobbing.

“The Coast Guard went down to the island and picked her up, no worse for wear. She was mad as hell that the plane hadn't come for her, though.” Greg smiled. He nodded at Aunt Jackie. “Got any more of that pasta? It smells amazing.”

“Jill, let the man come through the door. I'll dish you up a plate since my niece seems to have lost her appetite.” Jackie hurried over to the stove, but not before I saw her wipe tears from her eyes and grab her Saint Christopher medal.

“Sorry, come in.” I held on to his arm for support, as I wasn't quite sure my legs would carry me back to my chair. “She's all right? Really?”

“She was in the kitchen with the bed-and-breakfast owner when the Coast Guard came up the beach. They were making muffins.” Greg shook his head. “She had no idea we were looking for her. She thought her call on Sunday went through but then she realized she was talking to dead air.”

“And Bambi? What did Bambi say?” Fire flashed through me as I waited to find out what excuse she had given for putting me and Amy through this hell.

“She's down at the station. She admitted sending Amy the trip. And more, she confessed to killing Miss Emily.”

Greg sat down at the table and continued his story. “Apparently, before she met Eric, Bambi Kelly was a history teacher right here in South Cove. But you figured that much out already. She found enough in her research to make her believe that the missing mission story was more fact than fiction. She had been searching on Miss Emily's property, but had run into Sabrina stealing paintings. And when Eric couldn't talk Miss Emily into selling, she slipped into the house and snuck a healthy dose of ma huang into her tea. Which caused a heart attack, killing her.”

“How did she? I mean, she doesn't look that strong.”

“Miss Emily was poisoned, not strangled. The marks on her neck happened after death, according to Doc Ames. I guess Bambi wasn't sure the ma huang had worked.” Greg smiled wearily at Jackie when she put a plate in front of him. “Thanks, this is the first food I've had since the sandwich at the hospital last night. Your aunt has been the main source of my meals the last few days.”

I didn't understand. “Your wife doesn't cook?”

Greg choked on the bite of garlic bread he'd just taken. “My wife? Well, when we were married, she might have cooked once in a while. But now, Sherry's too busy dating the hospital staff to cook for me. You thought I was married?”

“Your brother said . . .” I stopped, not wanting to open a can of worms between the two men.

“Jim thinks marriage is forever. He lost his wife in a car accident and has been at me ever since to make it right with Sherry. He doesn't understand that there's too much water under the bridge for me to go back there.” Pain crossed his face.

“I didn't mean to bring up bad memories.”

“You didn't cheat. She did. End of story.” Greg dug into the pasta.

I took a bite of the pasta on my plate. Amy was on her way home, Bambi was in jail along with George and Sabrina, Jimmy was fighting the council to save the house, and I had only one more loose end to tie up. I stood up.

“Where are you going?” Jackie asked.

“I need to make a quick phone call.”

 

The house was filled with people. Half the town had to be in my backyard, some taking pictures of the mission wall, even though Frank Gleason was still undecided about the wall's origin. I had set up a display area with Miss Emily's paintings, letting the townsfolk view the talent of my friend. Sadie and the women from the Methodist Church had been the first to arrive, arms filled with covered dishes.

Greg had set up the galvanized tub on the deck and filled it with ice and a variety of soda and adult beverages. He'd been a regular on the back porch these last few months, and we'd gotten a lot closer, now that I wasn't having to worry about somebody coming up and knifing me from behind. He'd even come with me when I spoke in front of the council about the advantage of mixed use property codes. Apparently that had been Amy's grand plan all along, to convince the council that single family dwellings brought up everyone's property value over large apartment buildings. I had to admit, she'd done her homework on the subject. I was in the kitchen setting up another appetizer tray to take out to the backyard.

“The grill's ready anytime you want to start up the hot dogs and hamburgers.” He put his arms around me and pulled me close. “Happy housewarming.”

His lips found mine, and I melted into his kiss. Soft, warm, promising.

“Ahem,” a woman's voice came from the kitchen door.

I broke away from Greg and handed him the tray to take outside. “Make yourself useful.”

He grinned and headed out the door, nodding a greeting to the newcomer.

I studied the young woman in front of me with the baby in her arms. “Crystal! I'm so glad you could make it.”

Annie pointed to the pile of yellow lying on the kitchen floor. “Puppy.”

Emma's head popped up at the sound of the child's voice. Greg had brought the golden retriever over to the house the weekend after Amy came home. The dog stretched and skidded over to meet her new best friend.

“Annie, meet Emma.” I put my hand on Emma's head, hoping that would calm her down just a bit.

Crystal put Annie down, and she toddled over to pet Emma.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“No problem, I'm glad you agreed to come. We have lots of food and room. Did you see Miss Emily's paintings?” I kept my eye on Emma, but so far the dog was too busy giving Annie kisses to worry about the child's hands being a little too rough.

“That's not what I mean, Jill. You didn't have to set up those scholarship accounts for Annie and me.” Tears glistened in Crystal's eyes.

“It wasn't much, just enough for you to get through school. Now, Annie's should be worth some cash when she's ready. Maybe she'll want to go to Harvard or Yale.” I squeezed Crystal's shoulder.

“No one's ever done something that nice for me, ever.”

“Then it's about time. Just study hard and make her a good life.” My voice got raspy, but I wasn't going to cry. Jimmy Marcum had thought I was a fool for setting up the education accounts, but I viewed the gift as paying my good fortune forward. And I was sure Miss Emily would have agreed with me.

“We are all waiting for you outside. Greg wants to start up the grill.” Amy's voice came through the screen door before she did. My friend was no worse for wear, but I still gave thanks every time I saw her.

“We're heading out now.” I grabbed Crystal's hand. “Let's go eat.”

Keep reading for more adventures with Jill and the residents of South Cove.

Look for MISSION TO MURDER,
the next Tourist Trap Mystery,
available Summer 2014
from Lynn Cahoon
and
eKensington