Digging Up Daisy, page 20
“Really, why me?”
“I’m an investigative reporter, soon to be promoted to news anchor,” he said with a hint of pride in his tone while he rocked on the balls of his feet. Kinsley thought if the man had suspenders, he’d be pulling on them, too. Luckily, he didn’t.
“Congratulations on your promotion,” Kinsley said, this time giving the man a genuine smile.
“A little birdie told me that you were the one who led to Denny’s arrest,” Roy added. “I applaud you!”
“Is that right? The gossip wheel is already turning, I see,” Kinsley said, stepping behind her wheelbarrow and wheeling it to the other side of the yard. The last thing she wanted was to be quoted about the murder or to be cornered to involve herself even further than she’d already been. Suddenly, she understood why Pete might feel the way he did.
“You must be relieved to have that monkey off your back. I remember you telling me at the taffy shop that he was a thorn in your side.”
Kinsley needed the ocean, needed to hear the waves crashing to shore. She wished to flee the entire ordeal and leave it all behind. And she really hoped that Roy wouldn’t try to make this about the fact that she and Denny were competitors in a highly coveted landscape business location. She never should’ve slipped and said Denny’s name in front of him.
The newscaster followed her.
“Hey, slow down. Are you going to ignore me?” Roy asked, keeping up with her stride.
Kinsley now realized she was pushing the wheelbarrow so fast, it was as if she were a NASCAR driver, advancing on the winning lap. “Look, the Walk Inns is tomorrow and I’m not trying to be rude. I honestly don’t have time for this,” she said over her shoulder. “Nor do I want anything to do with reporters at this time.”
“Are you kidding? This is the biggest story that’s ever hit Harborside, and you’re not talking to me?” Roy challenged. “After what I did for you by giving you an exclusive interview?”
She reached the porch facing the sea and stopped abruptly, turning to face the man squarely. “I’m not really sure what you want from me. Denny Davenport was arrested, that’s it. There’s my statement.”
“How about another interview? Let’s get you on the record in front of the cameras.”
Kinsley held up a hand in defense. “No thank you. I don’t want to go on any record stating anything I can’t take back or that might misrepresent the situation. Because what if I’m dead wrong?”
The screen door opened, and then Tilly sang out, “Kinsley, darlin’, time for your—”
Kinsley turned her head in the direction of her name, to witness her aunt beckoning. A look of surprise washed across Tilly’s face when she noted who was standing next to her. Her aunt made her way quickly down the steps.
“Hello, Mr. Maxton, lovely to see you.” Tilly reached out to pump Roy’s hand in a handshake, and then said encouragingly, with a generous wave of her hand, “Please join us for some lemonade out on the porch, won’t you? I just brought some out for my niece, but there’s plenty to go around.” Tilly had a wide smile on her face.
“I still have a bit of work to do,” Kinsley said, scanning the property and hoping for a large invasive weed to grab her attention. Instead, the property looked immaculate, which was good and bad all at once. She gritted her teeth.
Tilly gave her a stern look. “You need a break. Come.” She gave Kinsley an encouraging pat on the backside with a flick of the towel from her shoulder and then a slight push toward the stairs when Kinsley still hadn’t budged.
Roy started up the stairs. “I’d love a glass,” he said as he took a seat in one of the many rocking chairs facing the sea. “What a view you have here! I certainly will be in the running to start looking for a piece of property like this soon. Whew, I can imagine waking up to this every morning. Now this is the life, I tell you!”
Tilly smiled proudly. “Yes, we’re very blessed indeed, aren’t we, Kinsley?” Her aunt looked at her rather sharply, with pursed lips, and waited for an answer.
“Not a day goes by that I take it for granted,” Kinsley said genuinely. She then took a seat beside her aunt and looked toward the Atlantic. The sun was jumping across the water like a glittery ball, and a soft breeze blew, cooling her off beneath the shade of the porch.
“So, what brings you to visit the Salty Breeze Inn today?” Tilly asked as she poured the newscaster a tall glass of lemonade and then handed it to him.
“Thank you, this looks so refreshing!” Roy said enthusiastically, causing Tilly to smile proudly. Roy raised his glass, took a long sip, and then rocked slowly back and forth in the chair.
Tilly poured Kinsley a glass and handed it over.
“Thanks,” Kinsley said, and she, too, immediately took a large sip of the refreshing beverage.
“Are you planning on doing a live feed of the Walk Inns event tomorrow? And thought to include us?” Tilly asked excitedly. “Is that why you’re paying us a visit?”
“No, I’m not here about the event tomorrow. I actually stopped by to see if Kinsley would be willing to go live, beforehand, and break the story behind the arrest of Denny Davenport.”
“Oh.” Tilly seemed taken aback. She put her hand to her heart and sank into the chair. “I’m not sure that would be such a good idea, with so many visitors here for the event.” She frowned. “I don’t think the timing would be good.”
“I was actually thinking first thing in the morning, for our early risers broadcast,” he pushed.
Kinsley piped up. “Although we appreciate your visit to the inn today, I really don’t want to get involved. And besides, I’m not even sure if the police are going to hold Denny or not. I just don’t feel comfortable—”
Roy leaned forward in the chair and set his lemonade on a nearby side table. “You mean, you haven’t heard?”
Kinsley and Tilly shared a look of confusion before waiting for Roy to continue.
“The hair follicle inside the Cinderella shoe belonged to Denny Davenport. The DNA is a match. At least in the preliminary testing. That’s the word on the street.”
Chapter 30
A match?” Kinsley sat upright in her chair, stunned. Although she’d participated in Denny’s arrest, for some reason she’d just assumed the charges wouldn’t stick. And he’d be let go on a misdemeanor and remain a thorn in her side.
“That’s right! The Cinderella murder has been solved, thanks to you. You’re a hero!” Roy nodded vigorously and raised his lemonade as if they should clink glasses to celebrate this momentous occasion.
“Wow,” Kinsley said, trying to allow this information to sink in.
“So, will you do the interview? I thought we could do it right out there.” He pointed just beyond the porch. “Where you planted the daisies in her honor. You did plant them in her honor, didn’t you?”
Kinsley nodded her head numbly.
Roy continued, “We could do a live feed right where you found the Cinderella shoe and cracked the case. Right over there! Where the shoe was found!” He wagged his finger up and down, as if Kinsley didn’t remember the location that would be burned in her memory for a lifetime.
Kinsley knew she should feel a sense of relief, but instead she was left rather speechless. “Roy, thanks for stopping by, but I really need to get back to work. I know you’re looking for a big story to catapult your career; I’m just not your gal,” Kinsley said, officially removing herself from the situation and rising from the chair. “It sounds like you already have the anchor position solidified anyway, right? You don’t need me.”
“Yes, I already have the new anchor position sealed tight. Truth is, I just thought you’d like to be the hero in this story.” Roy stood and handed Kinsley a business card. “Give me a call when you change your mind.”
Kinsley took the card and then looked to her aunt for help, and Tilly provided it. “We really do have a lot to do before the event. Thanks for stopping by, though.” Tilly encouraged his exit by rising from her chair and gathering the empty glasses onto the tray, marking the conversation officially over. Tilly didn’t even offer him a second glass of lemonade, which her aunt would normally trip over herself to do. Kinsley wanted to give her a high five.
Roy finally took the cue and headed for the stairs. “Call me, day or night, if you change your mind,” he said over his shoulder, and the two remained quiet until the newscaster disappeared from view.
Tilly set the full tray of drinking glasses back on the table and sank back into the rocking chair. “That’s not at all what I was expecting. You?” she asked. “I really thought he was here to suggest a follow-up story or include the Salty Breeze for the Walk Inns event tomorrow. What a disappointment.” She sighed.
“No, I knew he wasn’t here for that, but—” Kinsley said, taking a seat beside her aunt. “I have to admit, I’m shocked. I wonder why Rachel didn’t call me to share the news. I have to hear all of this secondhand, from a reporter?”
“She’s busy. Rachel has a lot on her plate, too. We all do,” Tilly added, with a cluck of her tongue. “In fact, I probably shouldn’t be sitting right now. I have beds to strip, wash, and remake before morning. The to-do list is long before the big event. I need to get a move on.”
“I suppose,” Kinsley agreed. “Honestly, I’m a little relieved. I thought Luke might somehow be involved, so I’m glad to know at least Edna won’t have to deal with that.”
“Luke?” Tilly gasped.
“Oh, Aunt Tilly, it’s a long story . . . and you said you have beds to strip.” Kinsley chuckled, and then pressed her fingers to her forehead. “We’ll save it for another time.”
“Better for me not to know anyhow.” Tilly chortled, patting her leg. “But yes, I would hate for Edna’s grandson to have any involvement at all. That would break my dear friend, for sure.” Tilly rocked slowly back and forth in the chair, as if pondering.
“What?” Kinsley finally asked.
“Did you tell Roy that you planted those Shasta daisies in the victim’s honor?”
“No. I didn’t,” Kinsley admitted.
“How’d he learn that, then? I could understand if the Cinderella shoe being found there was leaked now that Denny’s DNA is a match, but the flowers?”
“That’s a very good question.” Kinsley gnawed at her cheek and pondered. “Maybe he just assumed?”
“Huh, I find it strange. A bit of a leap, in my opinion. I guess he’s just astute, is all. Well, I better get back to it,” Tilly said with a groan, rising from the chair. “These old bones,” she added with a chuckle. “This might be my last event for a while. Dare I admit, I think I’ll be glad when it’s over. Maybe I need to retire after all.”
This was the first time Kinsley had heard her aunt Tilly complain. She wasn’t one to talk about her ailments, but she knew preparing for the Walk Inns and all that had transpired had been taxing on her aging relative.
“Anything I can do to help?” Kinsley asked.
“Nah, you have your own work to keep up with.” Tilly rolled her shoulders to seemingly work out the kinks, then scanned the property and turned to her with a proud smile. “You did a great job out here; the yard is absolutely perfect. Not a blade of grass is out of place. Thank you, Kinsley.” She beamed. “You always do a nice job, but the new planters and the living garland along the railing really make the place shine. I love you, my sweet,” she added warmly.
“Thanks, you’re the best,” Kinsley said, and she meant it. “And thanks for the lemonade, Aunt Tilly. I love you, too. You care for me like no one else in the world.”
Tilly patted her lightly on the cheek before gathering the tray of glasses and disappearing into the inn.
Kinsley rocked slowly back and forth in the chair as she contemplated what her aunt had said. The breeze picked up, causing the nearby purple fountain grass to sing and dance in the wind. How did Roy know she’d planted the flowers in Daisy’s honor? She chalked it up to the reporter just being perceptive. After all, he paid attention to details.
The problem was, so did she.
Chapter 31
Ever since Kinsley learned that Denny was on the hook for murder, a nagging feeling wouldn’t escape her until she could meet with Rachel to fill in the gaps. She’d asked the detective to meet at her favorite hiding place tucked within the rocks along the cliff walk. The sun was sinking in the western sky, and the puffy pink clouds had transformed the water into an iridescent lavender color. Waves gently rocked against the shore, as if in a lullaby. In the distance, sailboats slowly danced across the horizon line in the direction of the marina. Summertime in southern Maine was mostly warm, but often the breeze off the water in the evening kept the air at a comfortable temperature. Kinsley zipped her hoodie to avoid the chill that would soon come after the sun made its final exit.
While she waited, Kinsley enjoyed a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and was just licking the peanut butter from her fingers when she heard someone calling out her name.
She turned and smiled when she saw Rachel maneuvering her way across the rocks.
“You know, very few people know about this spot, and you’re one of them. I only share this hidden gem with people I love,” Kinsley admitted easily, patting the rock beside her for Rachel to take a seat.
“Tilly mentioned that to me the last time the four of us met out here. She said she was surprised you’d shared it,” Rachel said, making the final jump across a large tidepool to reach her.
“It’s the only place I know of where I can have complete privacy. When I was a kid, this was my hidden fortress. For years, Kyle didn’t even know about it. I’d see a plane overhead and imagine my parents were coming home on leave. But we both know that was delusional. I guess that’s how I coped back then.” Kinsley brought her legs up and hugged her knees tighter.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.” Rachel gave her shoulder a light squeeze before taking a seat beside her. “I’m sure you still miss them.”
“Every. Single. Day.”
“I’m so sorry, Kins.”
“It’s a beautiful night,” Kinsley said, changing the subject. She wasn’t sure why, but her parents were on her mind more than ever recently, and they seemed to be on the tip of her tongue, too. She wasn’t sure if it was from her recent visit to the Harbor Playhouse or just the vulnerability of life that had propelled her memory like a slingshot. In any event, that wasn’t why they were here now.
“It’s gorgeous. Look at that sky!” Rachel said.
“I know, right? I love nights like this. You might wanna tuck your legs up or you’ll get your feet wet, though.”
“It’s warm enough.” Rachel shrugged. “I don’t mind,” she added before removing her tennis shoes and socks and allowing her feet to fall freely again.
“Yeah, until the sun dips. As soon as it’s gone, it’s amazing how cool summer nights in Maine can be. Right?”
“I love it here,” Rachel admitted. “You might come out to your spot sometime and find me in your hidden fort,” she teased.
“Just as long as you keep it our little secret.” Kinsley winked. “By the way, I invited Becca to join us. She had a showing across town and said she’d text when she was on her way. So far, I haven’t heard anything.” Kinsley lifted her cell off the rock beside her to verify. She’d kept it on vibrate to keep their private hideaway undisclosed from the tourists who might be traipsing along the cliff walk.
“Do you want to wait for Becca, then, to discuss the case?”
“No, I’d rather not. I can fill her in. I’m surprised you didn’t call me, though. I kinda thought you would’ve as soon as you were sure you had the right guy.”
“Kins, this is the biggest case our department has seen in decades. It’s been a little overwhelming, to say the least. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the time to thank you, though, so I’m here now, sitting next to you, after a very long shift,” she added with a light shoulder bump. “And I brought you this.” Rachel reached into her pocket and tossed over a handful of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Kinsley gasped with delight and caught them expertly. She set them aside on a nearby rock and pulled the empty wrapper from her pocket, to show the detective. “You know me so well,” she said, grinning.
“I am in law enforcement, remember?” Rachel chuckled. “Don’t eat them all in one sitting.”
“Yes, Mom,” Kinsley teased, and then held one out to share. “Want one?”
“Oh, trust me, I had a few on the way over.” Rachel laughed. “I’m good.” She waved her hands as if she were an umpire, calling the baseball player safe.
Kinsley couldn’t wait another moment to get the details. “The DNA was a match, huh? For some reason, I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t know why, but it surprised me.”
“Yep, it sure was. The hair follicle found inside Daisy’s shoe sealed the case. Think about that for a minute. One little hair, found in the toe of a shoe, can literally put you away for life. Denny is going away for a very long time.”
“Wow, isn’t that crazy? I mean, yeah, the guy was a thorn in my side, but a murderer!” Kinsley opened a Reese’s wrapper slowly and then took a nibble before adding, “I mean, it’s weird when you find out someone you know, or at least thought you knew, is capable of that kind of crime. It’s just a disturbing feeling, is all. I never would’ve put Becca in that position had I really thought it through.” Kinsley shuddered after licking the peanut butter crumbs from her lips. “I guess that’s why I’m having a hard time digesting the facts.”
“I hear you. You don’t expect anyone with a pumping heartbeat to be capable of such terrible things. Unfortunately, that’s what keeps me in business,” Rachel said somberly.
