Page 57 of The Beach Cottage
He hesitated, his eyes troubled. Then shook his head. “No, it’s probably nothing. He’s a great guy. I hope you’ll be happy together.”
“Really?” she squealed.
He nodded again, smiling. She threw her arms around his neck, knocking him off his chair. He caught himself before he fell, then extricated himself from her arms. “I see how you managed to break your leg now.”
She sighed, a wide grin splitting her face in two. “You’ve made my day.”
“I’m glad,” he said. “Any chance you’ve got a slice of cake hidden around here somewhere? I’m starved.”
The cake was soon served, and she listened while he updated her on his work situation, his son and everything that’d happened since they last saw one another. He hadn’t really kept her up-to-date since they’d parted on bad terms. And she realised how much she’d missed him and was desperate for some brother-sister bonding time.
“So, I’ve decided to move back to Coral Island,” he said all of a sudden.
Penny hadn’t expected it, and the words stole her breath away.
He watched her gaping for a moment, then laughed. “Well, say something.”
“I don’t know what to say. I didn’t think you’d ever do that. What about Julian?”
“I’m doing it for him. I can’t get partial custody while I’m moving all over the place for work. This way, I’ll live in one place and he can come and stay with me during the holidays. I’ve already worked it out with Jacqui. She said she’s fine with it. In fact, I think she was glad.”
Penny smiled. “I’m really happy for you, Rob. Where will you stay?”
His smile faded. “Well … here, of course.”
Beatrice felt as though she now spent her life moving around in a state of bliss. He loved her. She hadn’t expected it to go so well when she’d driven over to his house a week earlier, but ever since then, they’d seen each other every day. They’d been to the movies, they’d had a snorkelling date, they’d surfed several mornings together and they’d even eaten takeaway on his back deck looking out over the ocean under a canopy of stars.
It was perfect, romantic and everything she’d hoped for.
The only thing bothering her was the mystery surrounding the murder. Each of the women had agreed to talk to one person they knew had been around when Mary was killed. They had to get to the bottom of it. She could sense the urgency in Penny, Taya and Evie as well. It was always just beneath the surface for each of them, this tangible curiosity and excitement over what they might find. And it’d all begun with the old photographs she’d found hidden in her cottage wall when she and Danita were renovating it.
She pulled her car to a stop outside Betsy’s florist shop and climbed out, carrying a tray of freshly baked scones. If she must interrogate her friend over a murder that happened forty-five years earlier, the least she could do was to bribe her with baked goods.
Inside the store, she found Betsy reading a magazine, half-moon glasses perched on the end of her nose. Beside her, Sam sat on a small chair, leaning a colouring book on the counter. She wore a brand-new dress in pink, with her hair neatly combed into a ponytail. She smiled at Bea and showed her the picture she was colouring, which Bea exclaimed over in suitable tones of amazement. Betsy put down her magazine.
“Well, look who the cat dragged in.” She greeted Bea with a kiss on the cheek. “Nice to see you. How’s things?”
Bea blushed. “Aidan and I are seeing each other. Again.”
Betsy’s eyes widened. “Well, that is good news. I’m happy for you both.”
“Thank you. I’m happy too. So happy, I baked.” She handed Betsy the tray of scones.
“Well now, ain’t that sweet of you? I love some home-baked scones with jam and cream. One of my favourite local treats.”
“I’m glad,” Bea said. “Actually, I’m buttering you up because I wanted to ask you a few questions about something that happened a long time ago.”
Bea pulled the envelope of photographs out of her handbag and set them on the bench in front of Betsy. Betsy tugged them free and stared at them, her face growing pale.
“I’m looking into Mary Brown’s murder. Trying to find out who killed her, to maybe get some justice for Penny and her family.”
“That sounds like quite the undertaking.”
“Right. Well, I noticed that you were listed as a witness in the newspaper report. And I hoped you might be able to tell me what you saw. And what you remember about the case.”
Betsy met her gaze briefly, then looked back down at the photos, pushing each aside one by one with a fingertip.
“Do you know these people?” Bea asked.
