Locals, many with long hair and ragged jeans, were easily distinguished from visitors. Whenever one saw Suzie, there was a wave or a nod. She led me to a light yellow building with black trim, then opened the screen door and held it for me.
We found a place in the back with menus between salt and pepper shakers. Staff bustled among the tables. The rich smell of baking pizza and the happy chatter of locals and tourists enveloped me. A young boy eating, as well as wearing, his ice cream leaned against his mother's leg. I surveyed the list and determined it was raspberry chocolate fudge by the colors on his T-shirt.
“They have lots of pizza choices, salads, and vegetarian options. Most of the ingredients are organic.” Suzie scanned the menu. “The ice cream is locally made. They have twenty flavors daily and rotate the offerings.” She put the menu down.
“Hey, Suz, how's it going?” A young man with a sunny smile, tie-dyed shirt, and well-worn jeans came to the table. His almost-shoulder-length dark brown hair was tucked behind his ears.
“Noah, I'd like you to meet Kelly Jackson. She's managing the Redwood Cove Bed-and-Breakfast for a while.”
“Nice to meet you.” A cloud passed over his face. “Any news on Ruth?”
“She's out of intensive care,” I said.
“Glad to hear it.” Noah pursed his lips and took out a pad and pen from his back pocket. “What can I get you ladies?”
“I'll have two slices of the Apprentice,” Suzie said, “and a pot of tea.”
I read the menu. The Apprentice pizza listed roasted garlic sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken, and caramelized onions all topped with fresh basil.
“Any suggestions?” I scanned the choices.
He cocked his head at me. “You might want to try the grilled portobello mushroom burger. Like nothing else on the planet.”
The description of Noah's burger won me over. Organic mushroom caps marinated in balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary, among other wonderful seasonings. Toppings included grilled red onions, avocado, spinach, tomatoes, and pepper jack cheese. A seasonal green salad came on the side. “Burger it is, and I'll have tea, as well.”
“Got it.” Noah went to a side bar and came back with a wide array of organic teas from New Way Tea Company.
“You wanted to know about my meeting with Bob.” Suzie put the tea bag into the pot that had whizzed to our table in record time.
“Please.” I placed my purple napkin in my lap and pulled my notebook from my fanny pack.
“Bob came over because he wanted to review the details for the chocolate and wine festival one more time. His thoroughness was legendary.” Her smile was a quiet one, not the usual bright burst I'd become accustomed to. “We also help with breakfast baking when your inn is as full as it is now. We were discussing pastry choices. Bob was conscientious about having new offerings for the guests.”
“I talked with the wine merchant, Phil. He said the same thing.”
“Bob worked hard to build a loyal clientele.”
“Do you know where Bob was before he met you or where he was going afterward?”
“No, we didn't talk about it.”
“What time did he meet with you?”
“It was eleven. Speaking of the festival, I need to show you where some of the food is going to be stored and give you a couple of keys. Would tomorrow morning work?”
“It should. I don't know the routine at the inn yet to feel comfortable setting a time right now. I'll give you a call in the morning.”
“Sounds good.”
A waiter arrived and placed food on the table. Suzie's pizza had mounds of mushrooms; thinly sliced caramelized onions dripped over the sides of the slices. My burger was a riot of color accompanied by a vibrant green salad on the side.
Suzie was a local. She'd know about the Silver Sentinels. I wondered how she felt about them. “There's a group of senior citizens called the Silver Sentinels.” I sipped my tea. “Do you know them?”
“Yes. I think they're a nice group of old folks looking for something to do.”
I poured myself more tea. Should I say something about their belief that Bob was murdered? If rumors were going around, she'd probably heard them. Maybe others besides the Sentinels had the same thought. It was worth asking. “They believe Bob was murdered. What do you think? Have you heard anything?”
“Murdered?” Melted cheese dripped from her pizza onto the plate as she held it still. “No, I haven't heard anything like that. Who do they think did it?”
“They don't have any suspects. They feel Bob wouldn't have an accident like that.”
“Accidents do happen, even to experienced people.” She took a bite of pizza, then set the piece on her plate. “Like I said, a nice group of people looking for something to do.”
I took a bite of my lunch. I relished the blend of flavors and textures produced by the salad, the grilled mushrooms, and the accompaniments. “When Helen and I checked Bob's office, there were a lot of papers scattered over his desk. Helen felt it was unusual.”
“His office a mess? Never.”
I nodded. “That was Helen's feeling. I talked to Deputy Sheriff Stanton about the office being searched. He thinks an employee was likely trying to find something.”
“Maybe.” Suzie finished her first slice. “I don't know who it would be, though. I was handling most of the business issues. Our suppliers were pretty much the same. I did the inn's orders when I did mine. Daniel knows a bit, but Helen is pretty clueless. I can't think of anything they or anyone else would be looking for.”
I didn't realize how isolated I'd been feeling. Hearing Suzie mirror my doubts reassured me. An ally.
“What do you think?” Suzie asked.
“I think someone was searching for something. Did you see anyone go in Bob's office yesterday afternoon?”
Suzie thought for a moment. “Charlie Chan.”
Chapter 10
N
oah put the bill on the table. “How was it?”
“Wonderful!” I said. “A creative menu that delivers. What more could someone ask for?”
“I'm glad you enjoyed it.” He cocked an eyebrow at Suzie. “Music here tonight. It'll be the Road Travelers playing. Good stuff.”
Suzie laughed. “We'll see how things go at work.”
We paid the bill, thanked Noah, and left.
“There's Charlie.” Suzie pointed down the narrow alley at the back of the restaurant.
As we walked toward the young man unloading his truck, my cell phone rang.
“Hello.”
“The deputy sheriff returned Bob's cell phone. Should I put it in the office desk?” Helen asked.
“That works for me. The center drawer of the desk will be fine. Thanks.” I closed the phone. “The sheriff dropped off Bob's BlackBerry. That should help me track his movements.”
Charlie glanced in our direction. “Hey, how're you doing?” The future dentist displayed his perfect teeth.
“Hi.” I slipped the phone into my backpack. “Charlie, I have a question for you.”
“Sure, shoot.” He heaved one of the large bottles off the truck and placed it near the back door of Noah's Place.
“When you went in Bob's office yesterday, did you notice what his desk looked like?”
Charlie didn't look at me. “No.” He grabbed another jug and turned to me. “Why?” The smile was gone.
I faltered. Why, indeed? If I was going to question people to try to figure out if they'd searched the desk, I needed to have a reason. I snatched the first thought that entered my mind. “We're trying to track down some paperwork.” I paused. “You've been in the office before. I thought you might have noticed something.”
“I haven't been with the company that long.” He took off his gloves. “Sorry.”
“Thanks anyway.”
Suzie and I said good-bye and walked down a rutted gravel road toward the inn.
“I appreciate the information you've given me and the assistance you've given Helen and Daniel.”
“Happy to do it.”
The sound of a rattling car engine approaching us interrupted the conversation.
“Would you two like a lift?” Daniel pulled alongside us in a faded blue Volkswagen van.
“We're fine walking,” I replied. “I'm getting a lesson in local history.”
“Thanks for asking, Daniel.” Suzie smiled.
“You're welcome.” The vehicle sputtered down the road.
“He and Bob tinkered on that thing for hours together. Daniel's love. Bob's way to be with him.” Suzie seemed to be ready to say more but stopped and shoved her hands into the pockets of her red jacket. Her blond ponytail swung with her long strides.
“Were they close?”
“Daniel was one of Bob's âsaves.' He was always the first to step forward when someone needed help.” She shook her head. “Daniel's wife left him, clearing out their bank account, taking most everything except for the VW and . . . Allie. Bob loaned him the money to keep the house and hired him full-time when the opportunity presented itself.”
I imagined the pain Daniel felt. Too easy to remember the aching heart. I wasn't ready to go down the relationship path again anytime soon. And Allie, how devastating for her.
“Here's where I split off,” Suzie said.
“Thanks for taking me to Noah's Place.”
“You're welcome.” Suzie waved. “If you need anything, let me know.”
We parted. The tall Victorian steeple of the B&B on the next block was framed by a sky dotted with small puffs of white and the blue-green ocean in the background. Had Charlie been lying? The happy persona he displayed had disappeared for an instant.
I glanced to my left. Tommy, Allie, and several boys were on the far side of the empty lot I was passing. Tommy's bike was on the ground, his legs spread apart, his fists clenched as he faced the boys. The ever-present Fred sat next to him. As I watched, Allie put her bike down and stood next to Tommy. She jabbed her finger at the boy in front and leaned down toward him. Allie was a commanding head taller than any of them. I decided to detour in their direction, following a dirt path through the weeds.
As I got closer, Tommy's flushed face became more pronounced and Allie's yelling became clearer. Allie took a step closer to the boy, towering over him. “You leave him alone, or you'll have me to deal with.”
Fred's doleful eyes rolled in my direction, and he wagged his tail.
“And my dog's not a retard,” Tommy shouted. His white-knuckled fists curled even tighter.
“What's going on, guys?” I asked with my schoolteacher voice.
“He was going to hit Fred with a stick.” Tommy's face was blotched red and white.
“No, I wasn't,” said a chunky boy in a gray T-shirt that sported a picture of a skull with flaming eyes. “I was only messin' with you.” He tossed the branch he'd been holding.
“What's your name?”
He scowled at me from under heavy dark eyebrows.
“Micky Donovan,” Allie spat out.
“I'm Kelly Jackson, Micky. Tommy works for my company. Fred's the inn's mascot.” Okay. I was inventing a bit. “If I hear of you doing anything to either of them, I'll not only contact your parents, but I'll let the deputy sheriff know.”
“C'mon, guys. Let's go.” Micky shot me a mean look. The one in black leather with chains, greasy hair, and acne peeking through the strands moved away. The younger, plumper version of Micky followed.
“And, Micky,” said Allie, “remember what I said. Tommy's my friend. You mess with him, you mess with me. And another thing, your trick with the e-mails to get me in trouble didn't work.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.” He sneered at her.
“I got called in to the principal's office because teachers had been getting nasty e-mails supposedly from me. You snuck up behind me when I was logging on this morning in computer class, and I bet you saw my password.”
“Did not.” His eyes shifted from side to side.
“The principal knows it's not me because you sent one of the e-mails when I was talking with my math teacher, Mrs. Owens. I told him what happened in the computer lab. He'll be calling you in for a talk.” She placed both hands on her hips. “So there!”
“Like I said, I didn't do anything.” His sullen voice lacked conviction. “Let's get out of here,” he said to his friends.
The boys walked off, their steps stiff and awkward. Any attempt at being nonchalant failed.
“You kids okay?” I asked.
“Yes, Miss Kelly,” Allie replied. “They're a group of bullies. Turn tail and run if anyone fights back.”
“Allie.” Tommy opened and closed his fists. “Did you mean what you said to Micky? That he's got you to deal with if he tries anything?” His face began to regain its natural color.
“You bet. We're buds.” She grinned at him. “Though, on second thought, that depends on how much algebra we can get through before tomorrow.”
Tommy picked up his bike, and Allie did the same.
“And I need help changing my e-mail password.”
“You got it,” Tommy said. “Thank you, Miss Kelly.”
The two jumped on their bikes and raced toward the B&B.
The gut-wrenching anguish of growing up. Red hair had been my bane. Redheaded woodpecker. Carrot top. Tomato head. Tormentors and the tormented.
When I got back to the inn, Tommy and Allie's bikes were resting on the side of Helen and Tommy's cottage. I opened the back door of the B&B, and warm air scented with afternoon baking rushed out. Helen was rinsing grapes.
She looked over her shoulder. “How was lunch?”
“Good food and enjoyable company.” I put my fanny pack on the table. “Suzie's a sweet person, and Noah's Place is a lot of fun.”
“It's one of the few places where locals and tourists mix.” Helen put the grapes in a colander. “No airs and affordable.”
I sat down at the counter. “On my way back, I found several boys confronting Tommy and Allie.” I explained what had taken place.
“Like sharks smelling blood.” She turned the water up and vigorously washed another bunch of grapes. “Hint of someone a little different, and they're after him.” Helen plunked them down next to the other ones.
She twisted the water off with such force I thought the knob might snap.
“He has a staunch friend in Allie.”
“She's been a godsend.” Helen covered the grapes with plastic wrap.
“I don't think those boys will bother Tommy again.”
“Allie and Tommy have really helped each other.” She put the fruit in the refrigerator. “She was failing in school and getting in fights.” Helen reached into a cupboard and took down dessert plates. “You heard her yesterday. Completely turned around.”
“She certainly was a bundle of happiness.”
Helen pulled out silver forks and knives. “She's gaining so much confidence in herself. It's a pleasure to watch.”
“I'm going to get the BlackBerry and see what I can find out.”
The Oriental runner muted my steps as I went down the dim, windowless corridor. Would the phone reveal anything of interest? I stopped in front of the office, reached for the antique metal doorknob, and gave it a twist. I pushed the massive oak door open and walked toward the desk.
A violent blow was delivered between my shoulder blades, and I catapulted forward. I slammed into the floor, and a sharp pain erupted as my head grazed the side of the desk. The door closed. I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn't breathe. I willed my arms to move. Nothing.