“Okay, well, then we need to walk, not jog.”
“Fine,” I said. “I should probably save my energy for tomorrow’s run, anyway.”
“Good,” Allie said, and started walking. We were about a half mile farther down the trail when she took a deep breath. “This is so much better.” We both laughed. The air was crystal clear and the sky dark. It was just after six
AM
. A couple of other Santas jogged past us in the dark with calls of “On your left.”
“Any more ideas on who killed Tim?” I asked.
“Albert is still a good suspect,” Allie said. “Frances told me he’s staying at the Heralds’ cabin. There’s only a quarter mile between there and the place Tim was staying.”
“But he said he didn’t fly in until the morning I found Tim’s body,” I said as we drew closer to the spot where Tim died.
“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t here the night before,” Allie said. “I texted Sophie last night. She said that Rex had contacted her to confirm Albert’s story. Sophie remembered flying him in that afternoon, but she said that Brad Hutchin, the other charter pilot who works in the winter, mentioned that he remembered flying Albert in and out the day before.”
“That still doesn’t fit the time frame of Tim’s death,” I said. “Based on when Tim was last seen, Albert couldn’t have done it.”
“I have a text in to Brad. I wondered if he could remember exactly when he flew Albert in and out. Don’t you think it’s funny that Albert flew in and out one day, and then back in the next afternoon, and failed to mention that to anyone?”
“It does seem sort of suspicious,” I said. We rounded the corner close to where I had first spotted Tim’s body in the snowbank. “This area is sort of creepy now, isn’t it?” I mentioned as I slowed and looked up at the steeply climbing woods on the right side of the trail. “I mean, it’s dark and the trail is empty. Anyone could come bounding out of the woods and attack you.”
Allie giggled. “You have a strong imagination.”
I stopped. “Look around. It’s so dark and quiet. You have to admit it’s kind of scary. Especially if you’re alone.”
A rustling in the trees startled us, causing us both to gasp and turn toward the sound. Marley came bounding out of the snowy woods, carrying his candy cane rawhide in his mouth. Allie screamed a little and ducked behind me. That made me laugh.
“Hello there, happy guy,” I said, and rubbed Marley on the head. His full tail wagged fast, sweeping the snow. “You want to play?” I tugged the rawhide out of his mouth and threw it down the trail. Marley took off after the bone, grabbed it, and turned to bring it back. He dropped it at Allie’s feet.
“He wants you to throw it,” I said.
Allie picked up the rawhide and paused to look at it. “Wait, this doesn’t look very old, does it? I mean, wouldn’t a dog have chewed it up more if he’d had it awhile?”
I looked at the bone in the strengthening daylight. “Yes, you’re right,” I said, frowning. “It does look like it’s only a couple of days old.” Allie tossed it. Marley raced after it and brought it back to us. This time he dropped it at my feet. “He’s taking turns,” I said with a smile.
“Marley had this rawhide when we first found him, didn’t he?” Allie asked.
I looked at the candy cane shape. “Sure,” I said, and tossed the bone. Marley chased after it. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I saw this bone somewhere else, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Somewhere on the island?”
“Yes,” Allie said.
“That means Eliza or Tim bought the bone before Tim was killed.”
“Or the killer bought the bone,” Allie said as Marley dropped it at her feet. She picked it up. “Yes, now I remember. I saw a bone like this the night Tim was killed.” She looked at me. “I think I know who did it.”
“Wow,” I said. “Want to clue me in?”
Allie tossed the bone and let Marley go after it. Then she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Rex Manning. “I need to get concrete proof first,” she said. “Let’s get everyone together. I think I can get a confession.”
“Awesome,” I said. “Just like on a television show!”
“I’m becoming a regular detective.” Allie winked. “Rex?” Allie said into her phone. “I think I know who killed Tim Slater. Can you meet us at the Bonds’ cabin, say in half an hour? Can you make sure that Albert Gray and the Golds are there? Thanks!” She hung up. “Come on, let’s get Marley to take us up to his house through the woods.”
“Oh, do you think Marley is the key to this murder?”
“I think he can help,” Allie said. She snagged the rawhide and headed off the trail. “Come on, boy, show us how to get to Eliza, okay?”
Marley barked and dashed up the hill. Allie followed behind. I glanced around to make sure we were alone and safe; then I followed up the hill. I took my cell phone out and kept my thumb close to the 9-1-1 button. Allie had proven this summer that finding a killer could be dangerous. I was going to be prepared.
Chapter 6
“This better be good,” Albert Gray said as he came around the side of the cabin. Eliza and Bill and Karla stood outside with Allie and me, while Rex and Officer Brown stood nearby. Marley growled at Albert as he approached. The sound was a little scary. I pegged Marley for the kind of dog who loved everyone. But it was pretty clear he didn’t love Albert. “Keep that dog on a leash,” Albert said. “I don’t want to be bitten.”
“He doesn’t bite,” Eliza protested.
Marley growled low and the fur on the back of his neck stood on end.
“He looks like he wants to go after my throat,” Albert said, and stopped at the corner of the house. Albert’s fat, bald head was sweating in the early-morning cold. His piggy eyes narrowed in terror.
“Thanks for coming, Mr. Gray,” Allie said. “I needed to see how Marley reacted to you.”
“Well, you’ve seen it,” he said, and put his hands out. “Keep that mutt under control, okay?”
Allie motioned to Eliza, who held Marley’s leash. “You can put him in the dog run now.”
Eliza muscled the usually friendly dog into the dog run, where he bounded over toward the corner closest to Albert Gray and barked.
“Marley, quiet!” Bill Gold commanded; the dog sat down silently.
“I don’t know what has gotten into him,” Eliza said. “He’s always so good with people.”
“I know,” Allie said. She looked at Rex. “Albert Gray didn’t hurt Tim.”
“How do you know that?” Karla asked. She put her hands on her narrow, jean-covered hips. Her hair was pulled back into a single braid. “It seems to me that Marley just proved that Albert was the one who hurt Tim.”
“It’s just the opposite,” Allie said. “Marley liked whoever killed Tim.”
“What do you mean?” Bill asked.
“Whoever killed Tim had to get close enough to smash his head with a rock and toss him down the hill. To do that, they would have to know that Marley was here and have to distract the dog.” She pulled the candy cane rawhide out of her pocket. “Whoever killed Tim gave this to Marley to keep him away.”
“No!” Eliza and Karla said at the same time.
“That was the only way to get close to Tim, wasn’t it, Bill?” Allie asked.
I turned toward Bill and saw his face darken with shock and then anger.
“What are you saying?” Bill asked. “You think I hurt Tim? What about Gray here? We all know he was on the island at the time of the murder.”
“I told you I just got here,” Albert said.
“But that pilot said you left and came back,” Bill pointed out. “That means you could have killed Tim and then left, returning after to cover your tracks.”
“Oh for crying out loud. Do you really think I would come back if I’d killed someone?” Albert asked.
“Why did you leave and come back?” Karla asked.
“Like I told the cops, when they asked, I had an emergency work meeting,” Albert said and put his hands on his hips. “I’ve got people who will back me on that.”
“It doesn’t really matter,” Allie said. “Albert Gray didn’t do it.”
“So, what, you’re back to accusing me?” Bill asked. “That’s ridiculous.”
“You bought this rawhide for Marley the evening that Tim was killed, didn’t you?” Allie said.
“What if I did?” Bill said, and crossed his arms over his chest. “It doesn’t prove I hurt Tim.”
I noticed Officer Brown and Rex shifting their weight as if preparing for a fight. Charles’s hand went to his sidearm.
“I saw it in your backpack that first night of the pub crawl,” Allie said. “I remember thinking how funny it would be to get one for Mal—my bichon. You see, it’s twice Mal’s size.”
“Wait, that’s why you two gasped,” I said as I turned to Karla and Eliza. “You know Bill bought it and gave it to Marley.”
“Even if I did,” Bill said, “it doesn’t prove I killed Tim.”
“He was with us all night,” Karla protested. “Right, Eliza?”
“Yes,” Eliza agreed.
“Really?” Allie asked. “Did you see him give the rawhide to Marley?”
They both looked startled and thought about it. Karla opened and closed her mouth, but neither woman spoke. They both looked at Bill.
“You brought us coffee in the morning,” Eliza said, horror dawning on her features. “You slipped out and brought us coffee.”
“It still doesn’t prove anything,” Bill said as he leaned onto the balls of his feet.
“You wear a size thirteen, width four-E, don’t you?” Shane said as he came up behind us. I noticed that Marley reacted to Shane’s presence by whipping his wide tail against the dog run fence with a
whoosh, clang, whoosh, clang.
“How do you know?” Bill stuck out his chin.
“He does,” Karla said, and she stepped away from Bill, toward Eliza. She locked her arm with Eliza’s.
“The test results of the footprints I processed yesterday showed a person who wore size-thirteen boots, width four-E, and a second person, with size ten narrow, fought outside the cabin. Our victim wore a size ten, narrow.”
“Albert Gray could wear a size thirteen, four-E,” Bill said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Yes, but Marley wouldn’t let him near Tim,” I said. “And you bought the rawhide.”
“You slipped out of the hotel that morning, didn’t you, Bill?” Allie said.
“I went to check on Tim,” Bill admitted. “It doesn’t mean I killed him. Why would I kill him? He was my friend.”
“Because you’re in love with Eliza,” I said. “You had enough of the way Tim acted around Eliza. It was you, Bill, who suggested that Eliza spend the night with you and Karla. Wasn’t it?”
“I didn’t think she should be alone with that drunken jerk,” Bill said. “It was safer for her to stay with us and let Tim sleep off his beer.”
“You couldn’t sleep knowing that Tim had humiliated Eliza yet again, could you?” Allie said. “So you slipped out to confront Tim, but Tim told you he figured out that you loved Eliza. He threatened to tell Karla. You couldn’t have him do that,” Allie said. “So you grabbed the nearest rock and smashed Tim’s head in.”
“He attacked me,” Bill said. “It was purely self-defense.”
Eliza and Karla gasped and hugged each other, distancing themselves from Bill.
“You have to believe me,” Bill said, holding his hands up. “It was self-defense.”
“If it was self-defense, why did you toss Tim’s body down the hillside?” Allie asked. “Why not call the police and tell them what happened?”
“I panicked,” Bill said, and sent Eliza a pleading look. “All I could think was what he was doing to you—how you deserved better.”
“Bill Gold, you are under arrest for the murder of Tim Slater,” Rex said, and took Bill’s hands and cuffed them behind him. “I’m certain the prosecutor will also be leveling charges for obstruction of justice and harm to a corpse.”
“Eliza, I did it for you,” Bill said over his shoulder as Rex and Officer Brown hauled Bill away. “Karla, call me a lawyer.”
“Well, I take it I’m free to go?” Albert Gray asked.
“Sure, thanks for coming over,” Allie said. “I wanted to prove my point.”
“You certainly did that,” Albert said.
“What are you going to do now, Eliza?” I asked. The two women stared in shock at the retreating back of Karla’s husband.
“I don’t know,” Eliza said. “Go back to New York State, because I really need to think this through.”
“And Karla?” I asked.
The raven-haired woman’s dark eyes glittered with outrage and shock. “Oh, I’m going to call a lawyer, all right—a divorce lawyer. I always knew Bill was half in-love with Eliza, but I never expected him to act on it. Come on, Eliza, let’s get out of here.”
Allie put her arm through mine and turned us toward the drive that led down to Main Street and the McMurphy Hotel. “Another murder solved.”
“And this time without Mal,” I said.
“Yes, well, the snow is a little too deep for her puppy legs to navigate,” Allie said. “Besides, it’s nice to know I can solve one on my own.”
We both laughed.
Chapter 7
The day of the Santa race dawned clear and cold. There were at least one hundred runners out in Santa gear. As soon as the pink light of dawn crested the waters of Lake Huron, we lined up. Allie wasn’t running, but she and Mal were at the starting line to cheer me on, and I knew they would be at the finish, too. The trail around the island was eight miles. It was a stretch for me in the winter, but I knew it was well shoveled. Plus, I could stop for water and warm cocoa along the way.
If I made the route, I would raise two hundred dollars for the women and children’s clinic. That alone made me feel good.
“Runners to your mark,” the mayor called.
Everyone tensed up, ready to spring into action, Santa suit or not.
“Go!” He shot a popgun into the air and the mass of runners took off down Main Street.
I jostled my way through the pack. By the time we rounded the curve and the trail narrowed next to the school, people had begun to thin out and run along in packs. The serious runners were already half a mile ahead of me and everyone else. I let them go, wistful that it wasn’t me in the lead. I had figured out a few years ago that I wasn’t competitive as a runner, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t try to better my own time. I glanced at my watch and saw that I was doing well.
The island was gorgeous in the winter. Snow covered everything in a soft white blanket. The sound of the waves cresting along the shore kept time with my breathing. I passed the spot where I’d found Tim Slater, and my thoughts turned to how satisfactory it was to catch a killer. Then my thoughts turned to how sad I was not to have spent time with Shane. I wanted to tell him about my plan to return in the spring and build my event-planning business. As the business grew, I could put down roots.
This felt like the place of my heart. I knew I was in love with Shane. My chest squeezed at the idea that he didn’t love me back. Or that leaving for my gig in Chicago meant I lost him forever. Worse, my mind kept thinking he found someone prettier or smarter or . . . I tried not to think too much as I hit the halfway mark. I grabbed icy cold water, guzzled it down, and kept going.
Over the short time frame of nine months, Allie had built a solid foundation for a life on Mackinac Island. I envied her. I didn’t have family ties to the area. I’d pretty much grown up in the Chicago suburbs. My parents had divorced when I was in seventh grade, and my family—such as it is—was small and disjointed. I made up for it by making as many friends as possible wherever I went. If one person left me, there was always another.
But with Shane it was different. I didn’t want another guy to take Shane’s place. It was time to tell him and see what he said about it. That is, if he was still on the island. Since the investigation wrapped up, I wasn’t sure if I’d even see him again.
I rounded the final corner with the finish line in my sight. My breathing was ragged and my legs hurt in a pleasant way. I saw Allie standing with Mal on a leash beside her. Frances and Allie’s curmudgeon handyman, Mr. Devaney, were there as well. I saw Rex Manning and Trent Jessop in the crowd, calling my name. They were cheering me on and I smiled. I’m sure I looked a fright in my loose-fitting Santa top of red flannel with white faux-fur trim. My Santa hat was securely clamped down on my head. My face was sweaty, but my heart was pumping and my body was strong.
With their encouragement I sprinted to the finish. “Yes!”
“Yay!” Allie said, and came over to give me a hug.
I put my hands on my thighs and bent over to catch my breath.
“Congratulations!” Allie said, giving me a squeeze. “You did it! Fifty-three-point-five minutes. Great job!”
“Wow,” I said, straightening. “That’s a personal best.”
“Good job, Mrs. Claus,” Trent said, and patted me on the back.
“Wonderful time,” Frances said, and gave me a quick hug.
“Congrats,” Mr. Devaney said.
“Thanks,” I said as Allie brought me a cup of hot cocoa. I took a sip and let the warm liquid slide down my throat.
“Good job, Jenn,” Rex said.
We waited another twenty minutes and cheered on the other people who completed the course. Then there was a short medal ceremony where the winners in each age bracket were celebrated. I kept sipping cocoa to rehydrate and stay warm. I found myself searching the crowds for Shane.
“Come on, guys,” Allie said while Mal danced beside her, trying to get in on all the commotion. “Let’s go back to the McMurphy. I’ve got a brunch spread set out to celebrate Jenn’s victory.”
I laughed. “Really? I’m ten minutes behind the front runners and no medal to be had.”
“Hey, finishing is a victory,” Allie said with a twinkle in her eye. “Let’s celebrate.”
We walked over as a group, dodging the street full of runners and families in red-and-white Santa hats and costumes. My fingers were growing stiff from the cold. Sweat had frozen onto my face. I could tell because I tasted salt when I licked my lips. Maybe it was a good thing that Shane wasn’t there. That way he didn’t see me all messy and most probably red-faced from my run.
Trent opened the door to the McMurphy and held it for us all to enter. I was last in the group; and as I stepped up to the door, I heard my name. I turned to see Shane standing near the corner of the building. His hands were in the pockets of his parka. His hair was mussed and standing up in places. His gaze seemed earnest from behind his horn-rimmed glasses.
“Oh, hi,” I said.
“You coming in?” Trent asked me.
“In a minute,” I said. “You go ahead.” Trent went inside and I waited for Shane to approach. My heart tripped in my chest. He was so adorable. “Hi,” I repeated mindlessly.
“Congrats on finishing the run,” Shane said.
“Thanks.”
“Listen—”
“I’m glad to see you—”
We both talked at the same time and smiled.
“You go first,” I offered.
“Okay,” he said, and took a deep breath before looking me in the eye. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for blowing you off yesterday.”
“Yeah,” I said, and then softened my comment with a smile. “That was pretty mean of you.”
“I just . . .” He blew out a breath and pushed the hair out of his eyes. “I’ve been afraid of seeing you again.”
“Why?” I asked, drawing my eyebrows together.
“I didn’t want to know that you met someone in Chicago. That maybe this would be the last time I see you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “But then I thought if this is the last time I see you, I want to talk to you. I want to tell you how I feel.”
“I love you,” I blurted out, and then held my breath and bit my lip.
“What?”
“I love you,” I said in a near whisper. “I’m not seeing anyone else. Are you?”
“No,” he said, with his expression still stunned as if trying to catch up with the turn in the conversation. “No, I’m not seeing anyone else. Jennifer, I love you, and I want to know if you’ll consider leaving Chicago and moving to St. Ignace or Mackinac Island?”
I threw my arms around his neck. It didn’t matter that I was sweaty and cold. The sun was shining and my heart was light. “Yes,” I said, and kissed him. He kissed me back and my happiness was complete. Then I pulled away. “Wait . . . is this a proposal?”
He swallowed hard. His arms tightened around me. “Yes.” He got down on one knee. “Jennifer Christensen, will you marry me?”
I smiled wide and took his hand, drawing him up off the snow-covered walk. “Yes, yes, Shane. I will.”
People broke out in cheers around us. I threw myself into his arms and we kissed. Trent opened the door to the McMurphy and Mal rushed out to pounce on me. Frances held Mella in her arms as she and the others filed out onto the street. We were surrounded by Allie and Trent and Frances and Sandy and Mr. Devaney and Rex and so many other friends. There were hugs and congratulations all around. I took Shane’s hand as we walked into the McMurphy. Indeed it was going to be a truly happy Christmas.