Digging Up Daisy, page 13
Stacey.
After releasing herself from the rosebush, Kinsley noted blood trickling down her arm. She wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“Kinsley?” Luke said, rounding the corner and about to shut the gate.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Kinsley answered before he even had a chance to ask.
“What happened, and what are you doing out here?” His eyes narrowed in on her accusingly.
Kinsley flung the paper bag toward him, and he snatched it with one hand. “What’s this?”
“My aunt wanted me to deliver this. Unfortunately, I lost my footing,” she stammered. “I tripped and fell into the rosebush,” she added before stealing a glance at her arm, which looked as if she’d been attacked by an angry cat.
“Ouch. Let’s get you inside and clean up those wounds.” He led her by the elbow onto safer ground, and they began their long trek in the direction of Edna’s house set far beyond the cliff walk.
“Thanks, I appreciate the help,” Kinsley said genuinely. She was surprised at how accommodating Luke was acting. She hadn’t experienced this side of him, though it had been only recently that he’d moved back to Harborside and spent more time with his grandmother. Tilly had said more than once that Luke was only after Edna’s money. Kinsley thought it not fair to judge but couldn’t help but side with her aunt on occasion. Maybe she hadn’t given Luke a fair shot.
“I smell chocolate. What’s in the bag?” Luke asked while they walked along the long, manicured path leading to the mansion that overlooked the sea. Edna’s property was every bit as large as the Salty Breeze Inn, only it didn’t house guests, just family members on occasion. Kinsley’s favorite part of the buttery shingled home was the turret with its 180-degree view of the Atlantic. She’d been in the room only a handful of times but was in awe of the view every single time as if she were seeing it for the first time.
“Kinsley?” Luke said, interrupting her thoughts.
“Oh, I’m sorry, brownies. One of my aunt’s many talents is in that bag. If I were you, I’d be sure and snag one before you hand them over to your grandmother.”
“I’ve heard about her legendary brownies. I most certainly will,” he said with a genuine smile, towering over her. He was so tall, Kinsley couldn’t help but see how he could easily disarm a person with his imposing build.
“Did everything work out with your car? I mean, did you ever find out what caused the fire?”
“It sounds like the electric fuel pump shorted out; insurance will cover it. I was ready to trade it in anyway, the odometer just hit thirty thousand miles.” He shrugged, but the undercurrent of his tone suggested . . . what exactly? Guilt?
“Yeah, I’m looking for something a little sportier,” he continued. “Maybe even a Mercedes GTR. I really don’t need all that trunk space.”
Kinsley couldn’t help but think that was an interesting statement. “Personally, I love my old truck and the space it affords me. But I use it for work, and as my personal ride.” She chuckled. “I’m able to help Aunt Tilly haul things away in the back of it from time to time, too. So, it’s really handy.”
“I couldn’t see myself ever driving a truck.”
Kinsley winced, and Luke must’ve noticed, because he said, “You’d better take care and not injure yourself again. How would you keep your business thriving? Competition around here is fierce.”
Kinsley thought that a very odd comment, too. So odd, in fact, that she completely stopped walking and flung her hands to her hips, causing the blood to trickle farther down her arm. “What do you know about it?”
Luke turned to face her. His eyes fixated on her face, and his unruffled demeanor started to rattle her.
“Mr. Davenport was over here earlier today, giving my grandmother a quote for her landscape. And may I add, it was hundreds of dollars less than yours. I heard you hire out the mowing and handle only the designs here. He’s willing to do it all.”
Anger coursed through Kinsley’s veins. “Is that so?”
“Yep. You, fine lady, can’t afford to get injured. That guy is certainly ready to pounce on your business,” Luke said, turning on his heel and returning to a long stride.
Edna was on the oversized screened porch facing the ocean and rose from the wicker chair to open the door upon their arrival.
“Grandmother, your neighbor is injured. Will you sit with her while I go and grab a wet towel?” Luke dropped the paper bag full of goodies onto a side table that flanked the side of her chair.
Edna’s eyes doubled in size. “My dear girl, what happened to you?”
“I fell in the rosebush.” Kinsley was hoping the lies weren’t beginning to show on her face. Were her cheeks the color of the roses she blamed? She never was a very good liar.
“Kinsley, please sit here, next to me.” Edna gestured to the wicker chair covered with plumped navy cushions and ticking pillows, and when Kinsley obliged, she sank immediately into their comfort.
In an effort not to drip blood on the beautiful chairs, though, Kinsley forced herself to sit upright and lean forward. Edna handed her a tissue, and she dabbed at her wound. “Tilly sends her love in the form of brownies. She wanted you to know she’s happy Baxter is returned home and all is well.”
“That’s so kind of her,” Edna said, but her face didn’t reflect gratitude, only sadness.
“What’s wrong?”
“Baxter is inside sleeping. He never sleeps this much, and his stomach hasn’t been good. I’m hoping he really is on the mend.” She folded her liver-spotted hands in her lap. “I’m a bit worried.”
“He’s sure been through a lot,” Kinsley soothed. “He probably didn’t sleep a wink while he was gone. And perhaps he got into something that upset his tummy. He’ll be okay, Edna; he just needs a little more time.”
“I suppose.”
“The police didn’t share if they found anything of value to propel the investigation further, did they? DNA, or anything like that?”
“I haven’t heard a peep. But it’s highly unlikely my Baxter had any involvement at that horrific crime scene,” Edna said airily as if it were completely out of the realm of possibility. Something Kinsley did not agree with, given the blood on his fur.
“Can I ask you something?” Kinsley continued, leaning in closer to her neighbor.
“Sure. What is it, dear?”
“Was a girl named Stacey on the reunion committee? Or were Ginger and Luke the only ones who knew that Daisy was planning to perform?”
“As far as I know, only Luke, Ginger, and I were privy to that information. We didn’t want to spoil the surprise, so we kept it to a minimum. Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Kinsley said when she noted Luke’s expression when he returned with a washcloth. It was evident he’d overheard. And he did not look amused.
Chapter 18
Everything okay here, ladies?” Luke asked as he tossed Kinsley the washcloth. He stood suddenly rigid and far less welcoming than when he’d initially shown concern for her injury.
Kinsley heard chimes of a grandfather clock tolling from inside the house, and silently counted them. She wrapped her arm with the wet cloth, thanked Luke profusely for the rag, and rose from the chair. “Is it seven o’clock already? I need to go. Becca is waiting for me at Tilly’s and I shouldn’t keep her. We had talked about heading over to the Blue Lobstah for a lobster roll.”
“Would you rather come over here for dinner? You could invite Becca, too, if you’d like. I haven’t seen your friend in eons. I’d love to have Tilly join us, too, but I’m sure she’s tending to her guests and can’t break away on short notice,” Edna said, and then looked to Luke, who nodded absently in agreement. “I’d be happy to ask the cook, but I’m sure there is plenty of food to share,” she added. “We’d love your company. Wouldn’t we, Luke?”
“I’ll go and speak to the staff to be sure they prepare extra for our guests,” Luke said, disappearing into the house as if the decision had already been made. By his quick exit, Kinsley wasn’t sure how he felt about Becca and her coming for dinner.
Kinsley desperately wanted to decline but wondered if she could gather more information about the investigation if she accepted the invite. She also wondered if Becca would forgive her, because if she didn’t know any better, Edna had ulterior motives of setting Becca up with her grandson. Edna had shared on numerous occasions that she wanted the family name to continue. And for that to happen, Luke needed to provide offspring soon, as he was the last of the heirs. But the idea of Becca dating Luke didn’t sit right with Kinsley, and she wasn’t sure why. Was it because in her eyes, he seemed to be hiding something?
Edna must’ve sensed Kinsley’s hesitation because she said, “I really would like you to join us, dear. After taking such good care of Baxter, please let me repay you. It’s the least I can do,” she pleaded.
Kinsley was ashamed then for thinking the invite might be more of a setup than simply Edna’s way of showing gratitude. “If you’re sure, on such late notice? We could do it another time . . .”
Edna beamed and clasped her hands together as she rose from the chair. “I’m tickled you’ll both come. I love having guests for dinner, it gets lonely in this big ole house all alone.”
“But you haven’t been alone, you have Luke! He’s here quite a bit recently—no?”
“Yes, I suppose.” Edna’s voice lowered. “But all he talks about lately is how to get in my wallet. I need a diversion from that nonsense tonight.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief, as if conspiring with Kinsley.
“Okay, well, I need to run home for a quick shower. I can’t sit in your grand dining room looking like this.” Kinsley glanced at her soiled work attire and then regarded the chair to be sure she didn’t leave a mess in her wake. She brushed the cushion off with her hand, just to be sure.
“We look forward to seeing you both in a half hour or so?” Edna said, patting Kinsley on the back before her neighbor retreated into the house.
It wasn’t hard to convince Becca to accept the invitation to dinner held at the mansion next door. After all, it was a chance for Becca to talk real estate and pick Edna’s brain on whether any of her friends or business associates were in the market to sell. Kinsley left her friend happily sipping lemonade and chatting with Tilly on the outer deck while she rushed home to clean up. She decided to let her hair dry naturally as she slipped into her one and only sundress, which hung in her closet with the tag still attached, waiting for an occasion such as this. A quick glance in the mirror made her realize she’d need a light sweater, as her farmer’s tan didn’t quite match up to the spaghetti straps that now hung on her shoulders. Her bronzed skin did mean no need for makeup. Just a hint of lip gloss was required before slipping into a pair of jeweled flip-flops and quickly retreating out the door.
“You look marvelous!” Becca said as Kinsley made her way up the porch steps to greet her friend with a hug.
“You always look amazing coming from work. I guess I wanted to lose the gardening duds and try and look presentable this evening.” Kinsley glanced down at her feet and dug her toes deeper into her flip-flops. “Sometimes, I feel like such a tomboy. I’ve never had much of an eye for fashion. Hopefully this works.”
“Well, you certainly don’t look like a tomboy to me.” Becca whistled as if she were a construction worker with a model crossing his path.
Tilly stepped outside onto the porch and greeted her. “Well, look at you! My gorgeous niece!” she gushed. “Don’t you look nice. Becca mentioned you were just going next door for dinner. What’s the occasion?”
“You guys!” Kinsley swatted a hand to downplay the attention. “Thank you. I guess I need to clean up more often, with that kind of reaction,” she added with a smile. It was nice to feel pretty for a change. She wondered if they would still stop off for a drink after dinner at the Blue Lobstah and hoped Pete would give her the same attention. She brushed the thought aside as she used her fingers to comb her damp hair, which was quickly drying from the heat. She was sure it would be completely dry after the trek next door.
“Ready?” Becca asked.
“After you,” Kinsley replied, blowing her aunt a kiss before the two friends made their way down the steps and headed in the direction of the cliff walk.
“Have fun, you two. Give everyone my best,” Tilly said behind them, and then Kinsley heard the screen door close behind her aunt.
“I wish your aunt could come with us. She deserves a night out.”
“I know. It’s a shame, really, she hardly ever gets a break. I’ve often told her I’d take over for her, but she refuses. And she would never willingly take a break during tourist season anyway. She’s afraid I’ll fall behind in my business, too. I wish she didn’t always put everyone first, but that’s my aunt Tilly,” Kinsley said with a sigh.
“She really is a peach. You’re so lucky to have her.”
“I’d be lost without her,” Kinsley agreed. “I don’t even like to think of it.”
“Thankfully, you don’t have to,” Becca encouraged.
The wind off the water blew Kinsley’s hair like a blow-dryer. As expected, her hair was nearly dry, so she removed the hairband from her wrist and decided to put her hair in a ponytail as they walked along.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been inside Edna’s house. I can’t wait to see it,” Becca said. “It’s one of my favorite residential properties along the cliff walk.”
“Really? I thought for sure you had. Well, you’re in for a treat, it’s a gorgeous home.”
“Yeah, I can hardly wait,” Becca squealed.
They made their way to the gate, and Kinsley pressed in the combination, but the lock didn’t work, and the gate refused to open, even after three attempts.
“Huh. That’s strange.”
“We could walk around?” Becca suggested.
“I’m kinda lazy to go all the way back around. Do you have your phone? I’ll just call Edna. I left mine back at the house.”
“Sure,” Becca said, digging into her oversized purse, plucking out her cell phone, and handing it over.
After making the call and waiting what seemed like forever, Luke met them at the back gate. He swung the door wide for them to enter.
“Sorry to make you come out here like that,” Kinsley said. “For some reason the combination didn’t work. I’ve never had an issue with it in the past.”
“That’s because I changed the combination today,” Luke said. “With the recent events in Harborside, you can’t be too safe. We won’t be sharing the combination moving forward. I should’ve told you to come to the front entrance, via the security cameras. In fact, I’m having a camera brought out to the back gate, too.”
Kinsley felt as if her hand had been slapped. The front entrance? She hadn’t entered the front gate since she was a child and visiting with her parents. Was Luke isolating Edna? Or was the extra safety precaution really needed? And who was he to suddenly be making all of Edna’s security decisions? Kinsley bit her tongue and let it slide.
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I think the murder in Harborside was an isolated incident, don’t you?” Becca said, and Kinsley wanted to give her friend a high five. Way to corner him, but Luke’s demeanor seemed nonchalant.
“From what I gather, the police don’t have any leads. I doubt they’ll ever solve it,” Luke said. “It’ll probably end up as one of those cold case files, in the basement of the department we pay such high taxes to support,” he added with a hint of sarcasm to his tone.
“Really, where did you hear that?” Kinsley asked.
“Just in talking with Rachel about the investigation, she pretty much alluded to the fact that no evidence was found at the crime scene, or anywhere else, for that matter. Sounds like a whole lot of dead-end leads.”
“Hmm. You knew Daisy, yes? You were supposed to sing with her at the reunion?” Kinsley asked.
“Who told you that?”
“Your grandmother.”
“Ah.” Luke nodded.
“Since you were one of the few who had actually met Daisy, can you think of a reason why anyone would want to harm her?” Becca asked.
When he didn’t answer, Kinsley pressed. “Yeah, did she share with you if she had any enemies? A bad breakup? Anything like that?”
Luke adjusted the collar around his neck. If Kinsley didn’t know any better, she’d say he looked mildly uncomfortable, like he didn’t appreciate the firing of questions. Or being in the hot seat.
“Can’t say that she did. But maybe we should end this conversation before we go inside. I don’t want to upset Grandmother any further about the matter. This tragedy in Harborside really has her feeling vulnerable. And I don’t think any of us want that, now, do we?” He turned and waited for them to agree before opening the door.
“Yes, of course,” Kinsley said with more feeling than she meant. Because she was pretty sure Luke was hiding something. She just didn’t know what yet.
Chapter 19
As soon as the three entered the screened porch, Edna met them at the doorway. “Kinsley, don’t you look lovely.” She greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks and then moved to greet Becca in the same manner. “Dinner is not quite ready yet. We can start with a glass of merlot in the library. How does that sound?”
They followed Edna into the house and stopped in the expansive entryway. High coffered ceilings and rooms poked out in all directions like a wagon wheel with an oversized grand staircase directly in front of them.
“You have a library?” Becca gushed. “Oh, that’s an absolute dream of mine!” She clasped her hands in delight and her face lit with pure admiration.
