When Magic Is Murder (Sky High Pies Cozy Mysteries Book 4) (16 page)

CHAPTER
38

Dina looked up from her desk with
the kind of greeting that confirms you picked a bad time to drop by
unannounced. As I came through her office door and slipped into one of the
guest chairs, she closed the cover on a thick case file and reached for a
coffee mug on the desk.

“If you’re here with anything that
isn’t good news,” she groaned, “please turn around and go bother someone else.”

“No, it’s the exact opposite,” I
said, trying to sound upbeat and optimistic. “I was going to call, but thought
it might be better to tell you in person. I think I’ve got something that could
wrap up your Alec Halstead investigation tonight.”

“That
is
music to my ears!”
Dina gushed, sipping her coffee. “My brain is fried.”

“But I can always talk to you
later,” I said, pulling out the notes I’d scribbled back in my office at Sky
High. “I know it’s been a—”

“No way,” she said. “I’ve been in a
locked room for the past three hours with a guy who reeked of rotten fish, body
odor and cigarette smoke. It’s just refreshing to be able to smell again.” She
took a long, slow breath. “What’s that you’re wearing?”

I smiled. “It’s called Intenso, but
it’s a man’s cologne.”

“Is that what Zack wears?”

I shook my head.

“Oh, no,” she said sadly. “Is there
trouble in paradise?”

The question curled around my brain
for a second. “Why would you ask that?”

“Well, you know,” Dina said.
“You’ve got the residual trace of a man’s cologne on you. And if it isn’t Zack…”
She shrugged. “Then I just thought—“”

“It’s Reverend Tuttle’s new
fragrance,” I said. “He got from his sister as a birthday gift. When he stopped
by Sky High this afternoon, he gave me a big hug.”

Dina sat up in her chair and pushed
a few loose strands of hair from her eyes. “You know what, Katie? You’re a
grown woman. Whatever you and Reverend Tuttle have going on is—”

“Hold it right there!” I cried.
“There’s
nothing
going on between me and Reverend Tuttle. He gave me a
hug as he left Sky High. I guess some of his cologne rubbed off on my sweater.”

She tittered and rolled her eyes.
“I knew there wasn’t anything going on,” she said. “I just wanted to give you a
hard time.”

“Thanks, but there are a ton of
people way ahead of you for that little chore.”

Dina’s phone vibrated on the desk.
She glanced at the display, tapped the screen and muttered something about her
brother.

“Okay, so…” She pushed the phone
away and smiled. “What was this idea you had?”

“Right. That’s where we were before
you dragged poor Reverend Tuttle through the mud.”

She laughed and drummed her fingers
on the desk. “Okay, Katie. Let me hear your genius plan.”

“It’s not genius,” I said. “But I
think it’s pretty solid.”

For the next few minutes, I
reviewed the clues and evidence that had surfaced during the past two days.
Then I explained my theory about what had happened to Alec Halstead. And then I
suggested that we drive over to Crescent Creek Lodge for a little chat with
Connie, Eloise and Jasper.

“We’re looking for motive, means
and opportunity, right?”

Dina glared at me. “What is this,
Katie? Forensics 101?”

I smiled. “I’m just trying to cover
all the bases,” I said.

She drank more coffee. “Okay,
sure,” she agreed, carefully putting the mug back on her desk. “Motive, means
and opportunity. What’s the motive?”

“Revenge,” I said.

Her eyes widened. “Really? You
think a married husband was jealous enough to kill Alec Halstead?”

I shook my head.

“What then?” Dina said. “One of his
ex-girlfriends?”

I didn’t say anything.

“But you truly believe it was
revenge?”

“Yes, I do. But I also think
there’s a chance the killer didn’t actually intend to succeed.”

Dina sipped from the mug again.
“I’m intrigued, Katie. And a little wary. Do you think it was…some type of
twisted game?”

“Not a game exactly,” I answered.
“But I’d agree with the fact that it was a twisted attempt to get Alec
Halstead’s attention.”

After finishing the coffee, she put
the mug down and waited for me to continue the roundabout explanation.

“Based on whatever you’ve uncovered
and the things I learned in Boulder,” I began, “it would seem that the person
responsible for Alec Halstead’s death knew that he suffered from oral allergy
syndrome. They knew that eating plums, pears or peaches would trigger a severe
allergic reaction. But what they didn’t—”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Dina
said. “But can you please explain why you’re telling me things we already know?
And how that’s going to finish this up tonight?”

I smiled. “I think if we get everyone
in the same room,” I explained, “the guilty party will tie up the last loose
ends for you on the spot.”

As Dina drank her coffee and nodded
silently, I explained my revenge theory. When I finished the review of evidence
and my suspicions about the guilty party—especially the initials changing the
desserts on the event order, Dina pushed her chair back from the desk.

“I think you’re right,” she said.
“It’s time to have a little chat with Connie and her cousins. While you’ve been
exploring one theory and talking to the folks in Boulder, we’ve collected some
unquestionable evidence that I believe dovetails quite nicely with your
premise. Want to meet me at the Lodge in about a half hour?”

CHAPTER
39

Connie Larson was waiting outside
the front entrance at Crescent Creek Lodge when I arrived shortly before seven.
Her arms were folded across her chest and the expression on her face was rooted
in shock and doubt.

“Is this even happening?” she
sputtered nervously as I approached the front steps. “Dina told me that she’s
figured out who is responsible for what happened to the magician.”

I nodded solemnly. “The evidence
seems to point in one direction,” I said. “Is she already inside?”

Connie gestured toward the door.
“In my office with Eloise and Jasper. She asked me to wait out here for you.”

I followed Connie into the lobby.
The man behind the front desk glanced up briefly, but averted his eyes quickly.

“Everyone knows what’s going on,”
Connie whispered. “Word spread quickly after Eloise started crying in the
kitchen when she heard Dina wanted to talk to her again.”

We walked in silence across the
reception area, down the hallway and around the corner. Amanda Crane and Denny
Santiago stood outside Connie’s office. Their Crescent Creek PD uniforms added
an even more somber tone to the atmosphere. As I approached, Amanda nodded and
Denny touched the brim of his hat with one hand.

“Evening,” I said. “Is Dina ready
for us?”

Amanda opened the door without
saying anything and stepped to the side. I followed Connie into her office,
sensing the crackle of nervous energy in the air.

“Ah, Katie!” said Dina, getting up
from the edge of the desk. “Thank you for coming.”

There was a commanding edge in her
voice, the sort of subtle tone that elicits respect and compliance. I scanned
the room quickly. Jasper was slumped in one of the guest chairs in front of the
desk. Eloise sat at the end of the sofa on the far wall, a grim, vacant
expression on her face and a can of Coke in her hands. Neither one acknowledged
my arrival; their eyes were fixed on Dina.

“Okay, Kate?” She waited until I
glanced across the room. “Would you mind sitting over there with Eloise?” One
hand pointed at the vacant spot on the opposite end of the sofa. “And Connie?
Why don’t you go ahead and sit behind your desk?”

I walked to the pale peach sofa and
took my position. The room smelled of coffee and furniture polish with a faint
trace of garlic. I guessed it was from Jasper; he was wearing a chef’s coat and
apron, so Dina probably interrupted him in the kitchen when she arrived.

After everyone was settled, Dina
took a deep breath, gave me one last nod and launched into an introduction that
she’d probably delivered more times than she could remember in meetings under
similar circumstances.

“First of all, thank you for
agreeing to meet with us,” she said in a warm, friendly tone. “It’s been a
difficult few days for everyone, and I appreciate your willingness to help with
our investigation.”

Connie shifted nervously in her
chair. “We’re all dying of curiosity,” she said. “Can you please explain why
you wanted to talk to the three of us again?”

Dina lifted her chin slightly.
“Because I’d like to give the person responsible for Alec’s death a chance to
confess.”

The declaration instantly changed
the mood in the room, replacing the nervous buzz of inquisitiveness with an
arctic chill. I kept my eyes on Dina before slowly turning to glance around at
the others. Eloise had one hand clamped tightly over her mouth, like she was
fighting not to cry. Connie’s face had gone white with the dismayed expression
of someone who can’t believe what they’ve just heard. And Jasper leaned forward
in his chair, elbows planted firmly on his knees.

“What’s this about anyway?” Eloise
suddenly asked in a low, shaky voice. “Did you find out who attacked the dead
guy or something?”

Dina cleared her throat and nodded.
“Actually, we don’t believe that he was attacked. At least, not in the
traditional sense.”

“What?” Eloise stared blankly. “I
don’t see…I mean, like what’re you even talking about?”

Connie tossed an anxious smile at
her cousin. “Hon? Why don’t you let Detective Kincaid tell us what they know?
I’m sure she’ll answer—”

“She just said he wasn’t attacked,”
Eloise hissed. “But I
saw
his head. And I saw the blood everywhere.”

Connie clenched her teeth and
repeated her hint that Eloise let Dina do the talking. For a long, awkward
moment, I pictured Eloise lurching up from the sofa and across the room with
both hands aiming for her cousin’s throat. Instead, after exchanging a silent
glance with Jasper, she shifted further back into the sofa.

“Okay then,” she said, sounding a
bit calmer. “I’ll just sit here and listen.”

“Thank you,” Dina said. “I know
this is a very uncomfortable situation, but I appreciate your patience and time
this evening.”

“Like we had a choice,” Jasper
murmured.

Connie gasped softly. “Jasper?”

He grunted. “Sorry. I just don’t
understand why we’re going through all of this again. We both already told you
everything we know.”

Dina reached for a folder on
Connie’s desk. “Actually,” she said, opening the file. “I don’t think that’s
quite correct, Mr. Turner.”

Jasper grumbled again, but I
couldn’t make out what he said.

“First of all,” Dina continued, “we
received a tip about your backpack.” She paused, as if giving Jasper a chance
to question the statement. When he kept his eyes on the floor, she went on.
“And after my colleague came over to the hotel about a half hour ago, do you
know what he found inside?”

Jasper looked up. “You talking to
me?”

Dina nodded. “Yes, Mr. Turner. Do
you know what my colleague found in your backpack?”

“Beats me.” Jasper’s chin jutted
up. “Just my stuff for work probably, aprons and chef hats and whatever.”

Dina waited until he finished. Then
she said, “Actually, he found what we believe to be Mr. Halstead’s missing
glove. Our techs will examine it in the lab for touch DNA, but it appears to be
a match for the one Mr. Halstead was wearing when he was found in the gazebo.”

“Am I supposed to know who that
is?” Jasper snarled defiantly. “Because I never heard that name and there’s
nobody working here named Halston.”

“It’s Halstead,” Dina said in a
clear, crisp tone. “And I believe you know
exactly
who I’m talking
about.”

Eloise inched forward on the sofa.
“Jasper?” she whispered, putting the soda can on the coffee table.

Her brother ignored the question.
He kept his eyes on Dina, glaring as she stood and began to slowly circle the
room.

“We also obtained a copy of the
event order from that night,” Dina continued. “With your initials beside a change
in the dessert for the bachelorette party.”

Jasper laughed. “That’s bull! It
wasn’t my idea.”

Eloise lurched to her feet. “Shut
your mouth, Jasper! Stop lying about what you did!”

The outburst from the diminutive
young woman happened so quickly that it felt like a dream, as if I was watching
the exchange through a hazy veil of sleep instead of in Connie’s office at
Crescent Creek Lodge.

“Me?” Jasper yelped. “It was your
idea, Wheezy. I only went along with it because I wanted you to be happy for
once.”

After making the puzzling remark,
Jasper got up from where he’d been sitting and moved toward the door.

“Take a seat, Mr. Turner,” Dina
said firmly. “We’re far from being finished here.”

Jasper reached for the handle and
began to turn it when Connie suddenly bolted across the office, pressed her
hand against the door and leaned forward with all of her weight.

“You’re not going anywhere!” she
hissed. “Except back to that chair!”

As I watched the surreal scene
unfold, my heart thudded wildly in my chest. I glanced quickly at Dina, but her
eyes were locked on Jasper. For a few seconds, it wasn’t clear what would
happen next. I imagined the unruly chef suddenly pushing his cousin away from
the door in a vain attempt to flee. Since two uniformed officers were in the
corridor, I knew that wouldn’t end well. I also pictured him spinning around
and lashing out violently at everyone else in the room, particularly his
sister.

But in the end, after holding the
same awkward position for several anxious moments—one hand on the brass knob,
the other in midair—Jasper slowly lowered his arms and backed away from the
door. His breathing was erratic and rapid, the propulsive panting of someone
after a huge wave of adrenaline has raced through their body. His eyes flicked
around the room from one face to the next, as if he was hoping to find an
explanation in our expressions.

“Can we continue?” Dina said
quietly after Jasper made his way across the room and sat down.

“Maybe it was a robbery or something,”
he suggested in a faint whisper. “Those kinds of things happen all the time.”

“True,” Dina said. “But we found
the man’s wallet later. It had a large amount of cash and several credit cards,
so the idea that someone tried to rob him doesn’t really hold water. It looks
more like his things were intentionally discarded in an attempt to delay his
identification.”

“I can explain some of what
happened,” Eloise said. “Beginning with—”

“Don’t say a word!” Jasper shouted.
“They can’t
prove
anything!