Page 26 of Merry Murder Season
After I settled the chicken on the grill to cook, Beth came outside with two cups of hot cocoa. “It’s peppermint. I found it in a coffee shop on campus. It’s weird having something hot to drink when we’re grilling dinner. But itis the season.”
I took the cocoa and smiled at the whipped cream she’d added to the top. “California Christmas is a different thing. No snow, but then again, you don’t have to drive in it. Did you getto the beach?”
“First thing this morning. I called Jim afterward. I think he’s softening to my idea of doing couples’ counseling with a secular counselor. He needs to realize that my demands aren’t that unusual in a marriage.” She curled her legs up underneath her. “I’m farther along in my research than I expected and should be done tomorrow. Maybe I could work for you for the rest of the time I’m here. I was a barista through college. You’d have to train me on the bookstore part and the register. But I’d work for room and board.”
I felt my excitement rise as I considered her offer. “That would be amazing. I’d pay you. The room and board is free for keeping me company while Greg works twenty-four seven. And it would give me time to find someone permanent.”
“Then put me in, coach. I could train with you tomorrow or Tuesday. But if you train me tomorrow, I could start working on Tuesday if you have a shift to cover.”
“Evie is working in the morning. I’ll text her and let her know that you’re coming, then you can work with me Tuesday morning and cover a few shifts next week. This wouldbe a big help.”
“I’m here to serve.” She smiled as she sipped her cocoa. “Now all I have to do is finish my Christmas shopping and mail off my Christmas cards on Monday. Yes, I brought them with me in case I had some downtime while Jim golfed. Do you wantto come along?”
Since I hadn’t started my shopping, I thought maybe that wouldn’t be a horrible way to spend my day off. I stood to turn the chicken and realized I’d finally broken my bad mood. Or Beth had.
Jim had to marry this girl or I was going to have to adopt her as my long-lost sister. There was no way I was letting her leave my circle of family. I think Amanda wouldagree with me.
The next morning, Beth headed out to work with Evie while Emma and I went to the beach. I needed to make sure my bad mood didn’t come back. I had scheduled a meeting with Deek on Tuesday morning to go over his schedule and extra duties. He’d taken on a lot over the years and I knew the work was weighing on him. He was justgood at it all.
I started thinking about things I could move. Maybe Tilly would want to do the newsletter. Or Judith might want to take over planning the author events. As I ran, I thought maybe I should ask Deek first what he wanted to give up. I was acting like he was quitting, not just needingsome time off.
But at least I wasn’t feeling like I was drowning anymore. Beth coming on to take some shifts wasn’t a permanent solution by any means, but it gave me some breathing room, without worrying about taking my entire crew underwater with me.
As I ran, my mind shifted to Dom and his partnership with Chip. If Chip had needed money to keep the bar running, maybe he’d borrowed from more people than just Dom. No, the killer tortured Chip to find something. The question was, what were they looking for?
For that answer, I needed to find out more about our local grumpy bartender. I needed to talk to Chris and maybe some of Chip’s friends.If he had any.
When I got home, I started by Googling Chip’s Bar. An older website popped up, probably set up by Chris years ago. It listed off the amenities of the bar. Cold long-neck bottles, mixed well drinks, authentic western décor, darts, and pool tables. It also had a dart schedule for a league that had ended in 1999. I’d bet that one of Chip and Chris’s divorces must have happened at that time since the website hadn’t beenupdated since.
I clicked on a tab that led to a page about the history of the building. It had been built in 1922 and used for years as a brothel as well as an undercover drinking establishment. At least until 1933 when the Eighteenth Amendment was repealed. Then it became known as the Time for Two until 1972 when Chip purchased the building and the bar. The article mentioned how he’d been in his twenties and had won money in Las Vegas to make the purchase.
Now, Dom owned it. Or at least owned the business. Who owned the building?
I started writing down what I knew and what I was guessing at. The building had a history of being used for under-the-table dealings. Maybe Chip was doing more than selling shots of Jack Daniels and draft beer. Dom and Lille seemed to think that was true. I needed to understand the history of the building and only one man in town knew more about South Cove than I did.
Josh Thomas.
If I was right, he’d be at his antique store right now, waiting for customers to wander in. Mandy, his wife, used Sundays to visit her family at the local farm. Family with whom Josh still harbored bad feelings. Mostly because they’d opposed the wedding. Josh could hold a grudge for years.
I changed out of my running clothes and into jeans and a T-shirt. If I timed my visit right, I could stop by the station and see Greg before going to the bookstore and picking up Beth. We’d head into Bakerstown and grab some lunch. And if she needed to visit the library, I’d do my research on the ownership of Chip’s building.
Greg couldn’t yell at me for hanging out at the library with his soon-to-besister-in-law.
As long as he didn’t know what I was looking for. And if I found something, I could just tell him I foundit by accident.
Plausible deniability. Sometimesit even worked.
I had the timeline all worked out as I walked into town and entered Antiques by Thomas. Josh was reading a book at the counter. He smiled as he looked up, but then seeing it was me, he went back to reading.
“Hi, Josh.” I hurried upto the counter.
“Whatever you want to tell me about Matty Leaven, you’re too late. She told me you heard her talking on the phone about me. She was talking to her mother and telling her that I’m the only one who understands business around here.” He didn’t evenlook up at me.
“Josh, Matty wasn’t talking to her mother when I overheard her.” I paused, wondering what exactly I should say. I didn’t want to hurthim but he needed to be warned. “She was walking with some friends. I don’t think you should trust her. She doesn’t have your best interest at heart. You know I’ve always been honest with you. Anyway, that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to ask you what you know about the building across the street. The one where Chip had his bar.”
This time, Josh closed the book and gave me his full attention. His curiosity about why I was asking about the bar overcame any warnings that Matty had given him. “The building was erected in 1922 and used as a brothel and speakeasy for years. People came from up and down the coast to frequent the establishment. Back then, South Cove wasn’t much more than the brothel and the mission ruins. This side of the street wasn’t even built. I bet you could see the ocean from Chip’s front door.”
I followed him as he walked over to a bookshelf full of California history books.
