Athletes and Alibis, page 7
part #14 of Dune House Cozy Mystery Series
“Maybe not.” Simon pulled his hand from hers. “But it sure feels like it is. Thanks for stopping by, Mary, but I really should try to get some rest.”
“Of course.” She stood up and gazed at him with some concern. “Simon, don’t beat yourself up about this. Stuart wouldn’t want you to.”
“I guess.” He shrugged, then walked her to the door.
As Mary stepped out, she turned back to let him know he could contact her if he needed anything, but he closed the door before she could. Her heart ached for the young man who had lost his friend, and for the young man who had lost his life. Maybe Stuart wasn’t exactly a good person, but he’d never had the chance to be. He’d been abandoned by the person who was supposed to love him the most. Was it possible that she was cruel enough to kill her own child? Mary couldn’t believe that it was.
Suzie noticed the pure shock in Alana’s expression in reaction to her revelation about Michael’s alibi. To be honest, she found it just as shocking, and even hard to believe. She hoped that Jason would fill her in when she had a chance to speak with him, but she still wondered if he might have gotten something wrong. It seemed Michael had the strongest motive, and the best opportunity to kill Stuart.
“What alibi?” Alana’s eyes locked to hers. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”
“It’s police business. Honestly, I shouldn’t have said anything at all about it. I imagine that anyone who didn’t have an alibi at the time of the murder is now a suspect.” She studied Alana for a moment longer. “Speaking of which, where were you at the time of Stuart’s death?”
“Excuse me?” Alana stared at her with clear disdain. “You couldn’t possibly think that I had anything to do with this.”
“I’m not saying that you did. I’m just curious about where you are staying. I know that the Garber Motel is full and—”
“I rented a house. Several of the contestants are staying there, as well as their coaches.” She pursed her lips. “I was there the whole time after I left the memorial.”
“I see. And Stuart? Where was he staying? Was he staying there?”
“No, he was staying at the motel in Garber. But he wasn’t there last night, apparently. One of the other contestants told me that he didn’t come back at all after the event dinner.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but that didn’t surprise me.” She shrugged. “And it wasn’t my concern.”
“What about his coach? Wasn’t his coach concerned?”
“Actually, Stuart was the coach of his team. He refused to accept anyone else. He said he had the most experience and could coach his team the best.” She picked up her glass and took a drink. “He always got what he wanted. Like I told the police already, his high demands and spoiled behavior won him more enemies than friends.”
“Did you tell them about Stuart’s absence last night?” Suzie searched the woman’s eyes for any hint of emotion.
“No. It isn’t my place to share that kind of information.” She locked her eyes to Suzie’s, not the least bit intimidated.
“The police have a hard job to do. The more information you can give them, the better the chance of this murder being solved. That seems pretty important to me.”
“You’re right, it is.” Alana’s eyes widened. “I honestly thought they had this thing wrapped up. I didn’t realize that Michael was cleared.” She picked up her fork, then put it down again. “Now we have no idea what happened to Stuart. This is very upsetting.”
“Yes, it is.” Suzie met her eyes, though the moment she did Alana glanced away. “That’s why it’s so important for everyone to cooperate. Is there anything you can tell me about Stuart? My friend Mary and I are having a hard time understanding how this could happen. We’ve tried to get to know him a little better by looking him up, but everything out there seems pretty negative.”
“I know what you mean.” Alana took a deep breath, and as she exhaled her shoulders drooped. “Honestly, I didn’t even want him to be part of this race. I thought his presence would bring the wrong kind of attention. However, his agent insisted that he be allowed to be part of it. I should have put my foot down.” Her eyes fluttered shut, and she sighed. “Maybe he would still be here if I did.”
“It’s not your fault, Alana.” Suzie placed her hand over Alana’s and gave it a light squeeze. “There are a million ways he might have avoided this, but the only one who is responsible for his death is the person who killed him.”
“You’re right.” Alana offered a brief smile, then pulled her hand away to pick up her fork again. “I suppose it was inevitable, with his lifestyle. But I always thought it would be a drunken crash, or something of that nature, not murder.”
“So, the stories about him are true? He was always partying and getting into trouble?” Suzie furrowed a brow as she noted the way that Alana’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes, as far as I know. He didn’t seem to value his life very much. Or maybe he just considered his pleasure to be more important. Whatever the thought process, I couldn’t understand how he could be so athletic while abusing his body to such a degree. Honestly, it was hard to watch.”
“You mentioned that Stuart made some enemies. Was Charles one of them?” Suzie sat back in her chair and recalled the details that Charles had shared with her.
“Charles? Well, yes.” Alana frowned and pushed her food around on her plate. “He is a nice enough man. He’s worked with me on these races for a few years now. He’s very fair. Most of the contestants really like him, because they trust him. But not Stuart of course.” She rolled her eyes.
“Charles mentioned something about Stuart threatening him over a decision he made during a race.” She tipped her head a little closer to Alana’s and lowered her voice. “Do you know anything about that?”
“Yes, that was a tough race. He claimed that Stuart had sabotaged another contestant, intentionally collided with him. Stuart insisted that he had to prove it. But Charles pointed out that it was his call, he could decide on his own, and he decided to disqualify Stuart from that leg of the race. It infuriated Stuart. He said some terrible things to Charles.” Alana closed her eyes for a moment. “I suppose none of that matters now. Charles will never have to deal with him again.” She gestured to the waitress. “Can I get the check, please?” She looked back across the table at Suzie. “I believe I’ve lost my appetite.”
Suzie sensed a coldness in her voice that left her unsettled. Was she angry at all the questions, or angry because Michael had an alibi? She couldn’t tell which, but of one thing she was certain, Alana was angry.
Chapter 9
Mary sat in her SUV for a few minutes as she processed the information Simon had given her. Lydia was not a great person, that much was clear. That made her wonder even more what Wes was doing meeting with her. Did he know that she was Stuart’s mother? Was it part of an investigation? She wanted to believe that, but the memory of Lydia’s good looks left her feeling more than a little insecure. No, she wasn’t the ugliest woman alive, but time and neglect had left her with blemishes, and extra weight, that Lydia didn’t seem to have. Of course, Wes could have his pick of women. He was handsome, a successful detective, and one of the kindest men she knew, once she got past his gruff exterior. It had taken her months to believe that he was actually interested in her. Now she wondered if she had believed too quickly.
As Mary sat in the SUV she saw a motel room door open. She looked towards it and her mouth dropped open as she noticed Wes in the doorway with Lydia. She hugged him briefly then he turned away as she stayed inside and closed the door. He walked towards the street. Mary watched as he carried on walking down it. Her heart raced. Wes must have parked down the street. What was he doing in Lydia’s room? Why did she hug him?
When Mary’s phone buzzed she jumped. She saw it was a text from Suzie, she read it over. Michael had been found. He had an alibi. Another text said she was running late and was going to go straight to meet Paul for dinner. A third text suggested that she speak with Charles again about his connection to Stuart. Mary responded that she would, then started the SUV. What was going on between Wes and Lydia couldn’t be her focus at the moment, what was important, was solving Stuart’s murder.
When Mary arrived at Dune House she noticed someone on the front porch. She couldn’t tell who it was until she got closer, then she recognized Charles. She smiled at him as she climbed the steps.
“Charles, how are you?”
“Starving, honestly.” He frowned. “I don’t feel comfortable going out for dinner. There are some crazy rumors flying around about me.”
“Why don’t I make you something? The fridge is stocked.” She reached for the door, but he stepped up quickly to open it for her. She shot him a brief smile of gratitude, then stepped inside. When he followed after her, a small chill crept along her spine. What if he was the killer? Was she alone in the house with him?
Pilot barked from the yard in that moment, as if to insist that she wasn’t. She laughed as she went to let him in the house. He bounded up to her and she greeted him with a few pets and scratched behind his ear.
“I guess you’re hungry, too, huh buddy?” Mary glanced over her shoulder at Charles. “Do you like dogs?”
“Some of them.” He shrugged. “He seems pretty friendly.”
“He is. He can get a little over-excited at times, but he’s getting better about that. Aren’t you, pal?” Mary pet him again, and laughed as he licked her hand. “How does soup and a sandwich sound, Charles? Ham and cheese? Or would you rather something else?”
“No, that sounds just fine, thanks.” He settled at the dining room table, which was only a few feet away from the entrance of the kitchen.
“I’m sorry to hear about the rumors.” Mary washed her hands, then began to prepare his food. “Do you want to talk about them?”
“The thing is, Stuart and I had a pretty intense run-in at another race. Since then he made no secret of the fact that he despises me.” He sighed and sat back in his chair. “Yes, I was angry. He threatened me and my family. He tried to have me fired, and when he found out that I would be an official at this race, he tried to insist that I be removed. If it wasn’t for Alana, I would have been out of a job. Luckily, she stood her ground and I was allowed to stay.”
“Wow, it sounds like he really had an ax to grind with you.” Mary warmed some vegetable soup for him, then brought his sandwich and soup to the table. “What would you like to drink?”
“Lemonade, if you have it, please.” He rubbed his forehead. “I should have something stronger, but at this point I think that would make the rumors even worse. I can’t wait to go home and forget that all of this happened. Of course, I’m still going home without a paycheck.”
“Alana isn’t paying you for your time here?” Mary walked back to the kitchen to retrieve his lemonade. As she turned around she heard him groan.
“No, of course not. She said that since the race had been canceled, she no longer owed any of the officials or athletes any form of payment. She even stopped covering the rooms for everyone. That’s why so many people are so eager to leave.” He shrugged as he took the glass of lemonade. “No offense, Mary, you have a beautiful place here, but I don’t have the money to shell out for multiple nights while this investigation goes on. I’m going to have to check out tomorrow morning, and find somewhere cheaper until we’re allowed to go home. Honestly, I’d just head out now, but I know that will only make me more of a suspect.”
“Oh Charles, how stressful for you.” Mary sat down across from him. “Stay tomorrow night, free of charge. Hopefully, by tomorrow everything will be figured out.”
“Really?” Charles stared across the table at her. “You would do that for me?”
“Sure, I would. It’s so unfair that you are being accused of such a terrible thing, and in my opinion Alana should still be paying you for your time. If a free night here can help ease some of that stress, then I think you should absolutely have it.” Mary raised an eyebrow. “Unless there’s some other reason that you don’t want to stay?”
“No, there’s not.” He smiled at her. “The hospitality has been fantastic. I did have a little trouble sleeping, but I always do.”
“Was your bed comfortable? I can get you some extra pillows if you need them.” She studied him with some concern.
“The bed was fine. Sometimes I just can’t sleep. A walk by the water usually helps.” He lowered his eyes quickly. “But enough about that. This sandwich is delicious, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled, but she noticed that he hadn’t taken a bite. “Have you taken a walk by the water at night here, yet? The way the moon shines across the water is spectacular.”
“Oh yes, I did. It was quite beautiful.” Charles took a bite of his sandwich.
“So, you have seen it then? It must have been last night when you did.” Mary watched him as he chewed very slowly. When he finally finished, he shook his head.
“No, I was asleep last night. All night.”
“Then when? Because it was cloudy and even rained a bit the first night you were here. No moon at all.” She locked her eyes to his and recognized the fear that surfaced in them as he realized his mistake. “Are you sure it wasn’t last night?”
“Uh, no it wasn’t. I guess maybe it wasn’t here.” He set his sandwich back down on his plate.
“Is it okay?” She smiled. “Do you need mustard?”
“No, it’s fine, thanks.” He managed a smile.
“Well, I think I’ll let you eat in peace. I need to feed Pilot before he decides to get into the food himself.” Mary stood up from the table, but kept her gaze on him. “You know, Charles, people do like to spread rumors. I find the best way to combat rumors, is to tell the truth. The truth can’t be twisted.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Charles looked down at his soup.
As Mary took Pilot’s dish outside and filled it with food, she was certain that Charles had lied to her. He hadn’t slept all night. In fact, she was certain that he had gone for a walk by the water. Which meant he could easily have had something to do with Stuart’s death. Had they run into each other somewhere out there? Had an argument led to something tragic?
Suzie had a relaxing dinner with Paul, talking about everything except for the murder, even though it was on her mind. When she returned to Dune House there was no sign of Mary or Pilot, so she presumed they must already be asleep. She got changed and then went straight to bed. After tossing and turning for a few minutes, thinking about what she needed to do the next day to help find Stuart’s killer, she fell asleep.
The following morning Suzie woke up later than usual and found no sign of Mary, Pilot or any of the guests. She had a quick shower, grabbed a muffin and texted Mary asking if she was okay to take care of breakfast, as she wanted to go straight to see Jason. Mary replied that was fine, and she would catch up with her later.
Suzie drove to the police station running through everything she wanted to ask Jason in her mind. She presumed he would be there early. She entered the police station and immediately sensed tension in the air. It was so thick, that she almost decided to leave. She guessed that with the revelation that Michael had an alibi, the entire mood of the investigation had shifted. Garber had a fairly low crime rate, and Jason had likely directed all of his resources to solving Stuart’s murder. She made her way to the door of his office and after a light knock stepped inside.
“Hi Jason, how are things going?” Suzie pushed a stack of paperwork slightly to the side so that she could perch on the edge of his desk. There was nowhere else to sit, as all of the chairs in the room were occupied by boxes or other stacks of paperwork.
“I’m drowning.” He sighed as he glanced up from the open file on his desk, which was splayed across a few more stacks of paperwork. “There are so many people to interview, so many people to do background checks on, and so many people calling to say how angry they are that they have to stay a day longer.” He flipped the file closed, then pressed his fingertips against his forehead. “If only Michael had been a viable suspect, maybe this would be a bit simpler.”
“So, you’re sure about that?” Suzie met his eyes as he lowered his hands. “He isn’t a suspect at all anymore? I thought since they had clear animosity towards each other, the fact that he was staying at Dune House, and the sheet that Stuart was found wrapped up in was from Dune House, that he was the main suspect. You’re sure his alibi is strong?”
“You thought right, he was the main suspect. I was pretty confident that we knew exactly who killed Stuart. But Michael’s alibi is airtight.” Jason stood up from his desk, careful not to knock over any stacks. He walked to his office door, opened it up, and called out into the station, which was teeming with activity. “I need those background checks now, not one hour from now, and certainly not tomorrow. Let’s get this done!” He stepped back into the office and closed the door with a heavy sigh. “I hate riding them like that, I know they’re doing the best they can. We’re all just under a lot of pressure.” Jason smiled as he met her eyes. “Thanks Suzie, for stopping by. It reminds me there’s still an outside world, beyond this mess.” He gestured to the piles of paperwork. “I’ve even extended the suspect search to anyone in Parish or Garber at the time of the murder that has any history of violent crime. Once the media gets hold of this being a murder, they are going to fry this entire police department if we don’t get this solved.”
“I’m glad I could help at least in that way. Jason, I know it can seem overwhelming, but you will figure this out.” Suzie smiled in return, then watched as he returned to his desk. “Out of curiosity, what was Michael’s alibi?”
“Ah, well, he doesn’t want too many people to know about it, but it’s going to get out eventually. Apparently, he is on a very strict diet for training, but he binge eats when he’s nervous.” Jason opened the file on his desk back up again. “He was in Parish at a twenty-four-hour diner, eating several slices of pie. I spoke to the manager on duty, and the waiter who served him. They both confirmed that he was there. He even gave them tickets to the race. I’d say that’s a pretty solid alibi. He didn’t even know what happened until we finally took him into custody. It’s still possible he was involved in some way I suppose, but he certainly isn’t the one who killed Stuart, or put his body into the water. So now the question is, who did? And unfortunately, I have quite a few possibilities.”
