Nightmare in Nantucket (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 14) Read online

  “Shoot,” Rose said. “I thought we wuz getting somewhere.” She patted her stomach. “I’m near starvin’. I say we kill two birds with one stone…eat dinner and maybe even dig up some clues.”

  “I spotted some bikes in front of the motel office,” Lucy headed to the door. “The marina isn’t far. I don’t mind renting a bike and riding.”

  “Me either,” Gloria said.

  “I’m in,” Brian nodded. “A little fresh air will help clear my head.”

  They agreed to try Barnacle Bill’s Seafood Restaurant after discovering the other restaurant, Tides, was a small seafood shack with no indoor dining.

  The others headed to Ruth’s van while Brian, Lucy and Gloria walked to the office. A short time later, they were coasting down the hill, toward the marina. The weather was picture perfect…perfect for an early evening bike ride.

  Gloria attempted to enjoy the scenery during the ride but because it had been decades since she’d ridden a bike, she had to focus on the task at hand.

  Lucy was an old pro and beat both Brian and her to the restaurant where Ruth and the others were already waiting.

  Gloria slowed the bike and stopped near the edge of the parking lot and a bike rack. She slid off the bike and then pulled it into the rack. Lucy parked beside her. “The bike ride was fun,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind exploring the island if we have time.”

  The sun danced off the deep blue waters and Gloria admired the large yachts and fishing boats that filled the marina as she made her way to the entrance.

  It reminded her of the recent cruise the girls had taken on board Siren of the Seas where Gloria’s cousin, Millie Sanders, was assistant cruise director. It had been a wonderful vacation and the girls had discussed doing it again the following year.

  She squeezed in behind Alice and waited while the hostess gathered a stack of menus and wrapped silverware, and then led them to a large table near the window that overlooked the water.

  “Perfect.” Gloria took an end seat and the others settled in around her. The smell of fresh seafood reminded her of Rose’s candle concoction and she wrinkled her nose. “I smell Rose’s candle,” she joked and the others laughed.

  Alice frowned. Gloria reached out and patted her hand. “Rose’s candle has nothing to do with you.”

  “Hmpf.” Alice reached for her menu and shot Rose a dark look.

  Gloria opened the menu and studied the offerings. Her eyes slid past the appetizers and salads. The clambake sounded perfect…buttered lobster, sweet corn, carrots, potatoes and littleneck clams, something she’d never tried before.

  She handed the server the menu after the woman jotted her order on the order pad and shifted in her chair so she had an unobstructed view of the marina. “We should ask around to see if anyone has ever heard of ‘fathom.’”

  “Great idea.” Dot reached for her glass of water and rubbed her hand over the white linen tablecloth. “Do you think I should add tablecloths for dinner service?”

  “In Belhaven?” Rose propped an elbow on the table. “It sounds like a lot more laundry and work to me.”

  “True,” Dot said. “It was just a thought. We could hire a linen company to supply the tablecloths and then add a candle centerpiece to the tables to give it a little more ambiance during the evening dinner hours.”

  “And raise your prices,” Gloria said as she reached for her glass of ice water.

  Dot hadn’t raised prices at the restaurant in years. The last time Ray and she had bumped up the prices, Dot told Gloria she thought customers were going to picket in front of the restaurant.

  Gloria had been hinting on and off it wasn’t fair to Dot and Ray that food prices had increased but Dot didn’t want to rock the boat and so far hadn’t budged on her decision.

  Even Rose was telling her they needed to bump up their prices. Seventy-five cents for a bottomless cup of coffee was too cheap.

  Dot smoothed the napkin in her lap. “You know my thoughts on the subject,” she mumbled.

  The group discussed Brodwell’s demise and their theories on who had murdered him. When their food arrived, the conversation ceased and Gloria shifted her plate as she studied her clambake. It looked intriguing and she was dying to dig in. The only thing that put her off was the sight of the clamshells.

  Gloria tried one of the clams and then decided they weren’t to her liking. Rose gladly offered to take them off her hands so Gloria scooped them onto her bread plate and passed them to her.

  The lobster, potatoes, carrots and sweet corn were delectable and Gloria savored every single bite before she cleaned her plate. She finished it off with a buttery cheddar biscuit.

  Brian had ordered a piece of swordfish and shared a bite with Gloria, who deemed it as delicious as her own dish.

  After the server cleared the table, Gloria opted for a cup of coffee while a few of the others ordered the restaurant’s specialty dessert, blueberry cobbler.

  The server, a bubbly brown-haired girl, filled Gloria’s coffee cup. She waited until the girl finished pouring. “You don’t happen to know of a place near the marina named Fathom.

  “Nope.” She shook her pony-tailed head. “Never heard of it and I’ve lived here all my life.” She rounded the table to add coffee to Rose’s cup. “Wait! I have heard the name Fathom. It’s not a place. It’s a yacht that sails into our harbor once a week.”

  The lightbulb clicked on in Gloria’s head. Marina…fathom. “You wouldn’t happen to know who owns the yacht. Is it a local?”

  “Nope. The guy comes in all alone and by boat once a week, every Wednesday, for our all you-can-eat shrimp and all-you-can drink specialty beer.”

  She shifted the coffee pot to her other hand. The others leaned in, hanging on every word. “He always pays in cash. Big tipper, though. He orders the same thing…an order each of the sautéed shrimp, the fried shrimp and the wood grilled shrimp. He also orders our specialty draft beer, Billy’s Bodacious Brew. The owner, Billy Harding, worked for years perfecting the recipe and it’s our best-selling brew.”

  The hostess began waving frantically at their server. “I better get back to work.” She turned to go and then turned back. “I think Mr. Harding knows this guy, though. He always calls him Smooth Hand Luke.”

  Chapter 14

  Lucy waited until the server reached the other side of the restaurant. She leaned forward. “We’re coming back tomorrow for the all-you-can-eat shrimp and to get a glimpse of this Luke fella.”

  “Absolutely.” Gloria nodded.

  Margaret dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her napkin and set it on the table next to her silverware. “I might have to try one of those bodacious brews, strictly for research purposes, of course.”

  Brian tossed his napkin on the table. “I’ll be right back.” He slid his chair out and strode across the room to the cash register.

  “I wonder what he’s doing,” Rose said.

  Gloria watched as he approached the cash register, pulled out his wallet and handed their server a card.

  “I hope he’s not paying for all of our meals,” Margaret said as the woman swiped the card and handed it back to him.

  Brian returned moments later, receipt in hand.

  “You didn’t buy our meals,” Gloria scolded.

  “I did. It’s my way of saying thank you all for accompanying me. I have a feeling this posse is going to be the one to solve the mystery of Brodwell’s murder so I can head home to my beautiful bride-to-be.”

  Gloria smiled at Brian as they walked out the door, a spring in her step. Things were starting to look up. Andrea was safe, they had some solid leads in the murder investigation and Brian wasn’t in the slammer…yet.

  They exited the restaurant and Gloria gazed toward the marina. “Let’s take a walk on the dock.” The group wandered down the sidewalk and to the end of the boat dock. Gloria was amazed at the amount of fishing gear on some of the fishing boats. She knew that Paul, who loved to fish, would have loved to bend a fis
herman’s ear or two for a little expert fishing advice.

  She made a mental note to give her husband a call when she returned to the motel. She hoped both Allie and Mally’s crises were almost over and even wondered if perhaps Andrea had thought of something else, some other piece of useful information while talking to Paul, something she may have overlooked in her texts.

  The sun had set by the time Brian, Lucy and Gloria climbed onto their bikes and leisurely pedaled back to the motel. They had the entire day tomorrow to check out the island before returning to Barnacle Bill’s Seafood Restaurant the following evening.

  Fearing someone might steal the rented bikes, the trio eased them into Brian and Gloria’s suite and parked them near the front window. They headed to the suite next door where the girls were waiting.

  Margaret was sprawled out on the bed. She lifted her head. “I don’t know how you had enough energy to ride that contraption back to the motel.”

  “The salty sea air is good for you,” Lucy laughed. “You should try it.”

  Gloria eased into the chair in front of the table. “Margaret, you’re in charge of travel and entertainment. Find something fun for us to do tomorrow.”

  Margaret sprung from the bed. “I thought you’d never ask. I already have several ideas.” She rattled off an array of activities that made Gloria’s head spin.

  Several in the group wanted a less taxing day and opted to explore the local whaling museum, followed by some shopping and then lunch while Gloria, Brian, Lucy and Alice decided a bike tour, followed by a beach picnic so they could explore the beautiful island was in order.

  “Alice, you are like family to the Thorntons,” Dot said. “What if you stopped by the hotel tomorrow morning and tried to talk to them?”

  “Great idea,” Gloria said.

  “I would be happy to.” Alice stiffened her back. “They are good people, just very…uh…protective of Andrea.”

  They agreed to bike to the Ocean View Resort first thing in the morning where Alice would “surprise” them with a visit.

  Gloria finally stood, lifted her hands over her head and stretched. “I’m ready to hit the hay. It has been a long day and I’m whupped.”

  Brian followed Gloria out of the suite and to their room. “I’m going hang around out here and give Paul a quick call. I’ll meet you inside.”

  Brian nodded. “I want to talk to Andrea for a moment, too.” He slid his key card in the door, turned the knob and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

  Gloria offered a quick prayer for another healing conversation before she pulled her phone from her purse and dialed Paul’s cell phone.

  It went to voice mail so she left a brief message and then wandered to the courtyard to give Brian some privacy.

  A manicured path led to a spacious pool area and she started to head toward it when she remembered there was a killer on the loose so she stayed put. At least if she stayed close to the room, Brian would hear her scream if she was attacked.

  Gloria shivered and reminded herself Sean Brodwell was most likely targeted and his death the result of a drug deal gone bad. Still, until the authorities apprehended the killer, no one was safe.

  Her eyes scanned the parking lot and she spotted Ruth’s shiny van off to one side. An overhead street light shone down on the top and she caught a glimpse of the camera bubble on top.

  Gloria’s phone vibrated and chirped causing her to jump. It was Paul. “How is Allie?”

  “She’s bound and determined to head back to work tomorrow morning, despite my objections,” Paul said. “We managed to give Mally a bath and remove the rest of the burs from her fur.”

  “I just got back from checking on Andrea,” Paul rattled off. “I’m holding down the fort but I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too,” Gloria said with a catch in her throat as she thought of how far away her husband was. “The sooner the police clear Brian, the sooner we can get off this island and head home.” She told him about their conversation with the server and how they’d uncovered a clue to the identity of the person Brodwell planned to meet while on the island.

  “Maybe you should steer clear of this investigation,” Paul warned. “You’re in unfamiliar territory and there’s a killer on the loose.”

  “The only thing we plan to do is head back to the restaurant, Barnacle Bill’s, for dinner tomorrow to see if we can track down this Smooth Hand Luke character.”

  “So you’re moving full steam ahead with an investigation,” Paul said.

  “Not really,” Gloria argued. “We’re going to explore the island during the day. Perhaps in the meantime, the investigators will be able to stumble on some clues and save us the trouble.”

  “Stop you from snooping,” Paul snorted. “I guess I might as well save my breath. Don’t forget to call me tomorrow. Allie and I are heading up to Dot’s Restaurant for a late dinner before they close.”

  Gloria told Paul she loved him and then disconnected the call. She stared at the cell phone in her hand. Maybe Paul was right. She was getting a bad feeling about the killer, that there was something more to the murder than a simple drug deal gone bad.

  It was something she would worry about tomorrow. All she wanted to do right now was crawl into bed and get some much needed rest.

  ***

  Gloria spent the night tossing and turning. The bed was hard, the pillow flatter than a pancake and she was hot, although Brian had adjusted the thermostat for the mid-60’s.

  She could hear Brian shifting in the creaky bed across from hers and guessed he was having as much trouble sleeping as she, but then he was the one being investigated for Brodwell’s murder. If she were in his shoes, she’d have trouble sleeping, too.

  Finally, the first rays of morning light beamed in through the gap in the curtain and she climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. Gloria had placed her overnight bag and a clean set of clothes in the bathroom the night before.

  After she showered and dressed, she tiptoed into the living room. Brian was already up and had made a fresh pot of coffee.

  “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

  “Nah.” Brian yawned loudly. “I couldn’t sleep. My bed is harder than the bunks in a jail cell.”

  Gloria frowned. “That’s not funny.”

  “Yes, it is.” He grinned. “Besides, I’m not worried about a stinky old jail cell. You’re going to get me off the hook.”

  He grabbed his suitcase on the way to the bathroom while Gloria shuffled to the coffee pot and poured a cup. She opened the curtains and gazed out the window as she sipped the hot caffeine.

  It was going to be a beautiful day for a bike ride and to explore the island of Nantucket. She made a mental note to find a local grocery store where they could purchase picnic supplies to take on their bike ride.

  Brian emerged a short time later and refilled his coffee cup. “I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Last night on the bike ride back to the motel, I noticed a small café a short walk from here if you want to check it out.”

  “Sure. While we’re at it, we need to find a grocery store to grab some picnic supplies.” It was still early and Brian and Gloria decided not to disturb the others. Instead, they took the short walk to the small café down on Main Street.

  Brian held the door and waited for Gloria to step inside. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and cinnamon wafted to the door. She sniffed appreciatively. “It smells like cinnamon rolls.”

  The sign near the door said ‘seat yourself’ so they wandered to a small corner table and settled in. The menu was limited, which was fine with Gloria. She settled on their pumpkin pancakes with a side of bacon while Brian decided on the lumberjack breakfast, complete with three eggs, hash browns, a small stack of pancakes, sausage and white toast.

  “You really are hungry.”

  Brian reached for his cup of coffee. “I have a feeling you women are going to work me hard today. I need to fuel up.”

  The waitress returned a sh
ort time later with their food and she transferred it from her tray to the table. Gloria waited for her to finish setting the dishes on the table. “We’re looking for a local store where we can pick up some picnic supplies. Can you recommend someplace?”

  The girl tucked the empty tray under her arm. “Sure can. It’s Olson’s Deli four doors down. They don’t open ‘til ten or so, but they have a nice variety of homemade dishes including fried chicken, perfect for a picnic.”

  Gloria thanked the girl and waited until she had walked away before placing her napkin in her lap. They bowed their heads and Gloria prayed for a peaceful, stress-free day as well as a productive evening.

  Brian reached for his fork and sawed off a piece of sausage patty. “While I was wide awake last night, I racked my brain, trying to remember if I was forgetting anything leading up to the time I discovered Brodwell’s body inside the motel room.”

  “And?” Gloria reached for a slice of bacon.

  “Looking back, there was something that seemed a little odd,” he said. “Mr. and Mrs. Thornton left the pool area. I watched them climb into their sedan. They started to pull out of the parking lot when the car abruptly stopped. Libby Thornton darted out of the car and ran over to Brodwell, who was still sitting at one of the tables near the pool. I could’ve sworn she handed him something before heading back to the car and the Thorntons drove off.”

  Chapter 15

  “You don’t have any idea what she handed him?” Gloria asked.

  “Not a clue, other than it was something small, but again, I was so far away I couldn’t see.”

  Gloria bit her bacon and chewed thoughtfully. “Perhaps it was a key or a slip of paper, a note.”

  “He shoved his hand in his pocket right after she left,” Brian said.

  “The police would’ve found it,” Gloria mused. “Which means it may have linked Brodwell to the Thorntons.”