I hurried below deck with the almost empty tray of hors d’oeuvres. “Everyone is here.”

  “How you feeling now?”

  “Terrified I’m about to make a mistake,” I said. “What if this doesn’t work?”

  “You’ll be apologizing to Taylor and Marcus for the short time you’re employed here.”

  “Not comforting.”

  Helen handed me two plates with dressed salad and olives. “You know what you saw. You’re convinced this is what happened and you want to make sure the right thing is done by Blake and Dillon. And we need to get Honey free.”

  “I do. And you’re right. Honey is still in police custody, and that’s wrong.” I wished I was as confident as Helen sounded.

  “So, you need to find out if your theory is right,” said Helen. “If it all goes wrong, blame the booze. That’s always a good way to get out of any mess up.”

  I squared my shoulders and headed back up to the deck. I had to do this. Helen was right. There was no backing out now.

  Once everyone was seated and the first course eaten, Helen disappeared to put the finishing touches to the skate main course. I’d made sure I was sitting next to Taylor, who was sandwiched between Marcus and me.

  “What sort of tricks can you teach the dogs?” I asked Taylor.

  “Anything you want.”

  “Could you get Flipper to do tricks?”

  “If you wanted him to,” said Taylor, glancing over at Flipper, who was suspiciously sniffing an olive that had fallen off someone’s plate. “What sort of training does he have?”

  “He’s a free-spirited dog.” I needed to maintain his cover. “But as an assistance dog, he can do all sorts of useful things. He mainly alerts me when I’m unwell.”

  “That’s a handy skill to have,” said Taylor. “I’ve done training with assistance dogs in the past. Taught them to get clean washing out of the machine, that sort of thing.”

  “Show me some of the things Brutus can do,” I said.

  Taylor looked around the table. “Now isn’t the right time.”

  “Come on,” said James from across the table. “We need entertainment in-between courses.”

  “Oh, yes, do,” said Julianne. “Give me an idea of what I’ll be able to teach Charlie.”

  Taylor patted her pockets and pulled out a few doggy treats. “A couple of tricks won’t hurt.” She stood and gestured to Brutus. He instantly rolled over.

  Everyone clapped politely and Charlie barked.

  “You want to have a go at that, Flipper?” I asked him.

  He covered his paw with his nose and everyone laughed.

  “Can you make Brutus jump up?” I asked.

  Taylor’s eyebrows quirked. “I don’t encourage dogs to jump on people; it’s not popular.”

  “I don’t want Charlie to learn how to jump up,” said Julianne. “Make sure you don’t teach him that.”

  “I won’t,” said Taylor. “He’ll learn the usual obedience tricks when he’s old enough.”

  “What if you wanted a dog to push someone?” I asked, watching Taylor’s reaction carefully. “Could you train a dog to do that?”

  “Push an object you mean?”

  I looked over to where Blake was hovering by the edge of the yacht. I stood and walked over to stand next to him. “No. An actual person. Could you get a dog to push me?”

  “You wouldn’t want that to happen,” said Channing. “You might go overboard.”

  A hush descended around the table. Everyone stared at me.

  I kept my attention on Taylor and saw her face pale.

  “Would you be able to get a dog to do that?” I persisted.

  Taylor gripped the back of her seat. “What exactly are you asking me?”

  Marcus grabbed hold of her hand, but she shook him away.

  “Isn’t it strange how Blake fell overboard and Dillon went with him,” I said, casting an eye around the group to see I had everyone’s attention.

  “It was a horrible accident,” said Taylor.

  “And didn’t you tell me you taught Dillon obedience tricks once a week in private lessons while he was alive?”

  “I did,” said Taylor slowly. “It was the arrangement I had with the family. Free use of the training field in return for helping out with Dillon.”

  “What’s this all about?” asked Julianne.

  I ignored her question. “So you got the chance to teach Dillon new tricks?”

  “I could if I wanted to,” said Taylor cautiously. She flashed a nervous glance at Marcus. “But I didn’t.”

  “You didn’t teach Dillon to jump up and push Blake overboard?”

  A horrified silence was replaced by a jumble of voices as people yelled questions at Taylor and me.

  “What is she talking about?” Julianne looked at Taylor.

  “This is nonsense,” sputtered Marcus. “Blake’s death was an accident.”

  “Do you really think that’s what happened?” James looked around the table in surprise, his glass of wine dangling from his hand.

  “Quiet!” Julianne jumped to her feet and slammed her hand on the table. “Lorna, are you being serious? Do you think Taylor trained Dillon to hurt Blake?”

  I swallowed my nerves. “I do.”

  “This is ridiculous,” said Taylor. “Why would I do that? I liked Blake. He was a decent guy. I get no benefit from him being dead.”

  “You would if you were working with Marcus,” I said.

  Marcus spluttered out a few nonsense words before jumping to his feet. “What are you talking about?” He looked over at Julianne. “The woman is deranged.”

  Julianne raised a hand. “I want to hear her out. Lorna, tell me what you know. What has Marcus been doing?”

  “He’s stealing from the business,” I said.

  More spluttering came from Marcus. “I’ve never stolen so much as a paperclip.”

  “Maybe you haven’t,” I said. “But your false business name, J.M. Smithe, is getting rich from the money you’re skimming.”

  Marcus’s jaw dropped. “How do you know about that?”

  “Shut up, idiot,” hissed Taylor. She glared at me. “You’ve got no proof of any of this.”

  “I saw you training your own dog. You taught Brutus how to jump up and push people. Wouldn’t have been difficult for you to do the same with Dillon, make sure he had a trigger, so he shoved Blake overboard when prompted.”

  “But I didn’t do that,” said Taylor. “And you can’t prove I did.”

  “Don’t you use a dog whistle in your training?”

  Taylor folded her arms over her chest. “What if I do?”

  “Mind if I use it?”

  “You’re not having my dog whistle.”

  “For goodness sake. Give her the whistle and let’s sort this out,” said Julianne. “If Lorna has made a mistake, you have nothing to hide.”

  Taylor grudgingly thrust the dog whistle at me. “Now what?”

  “Marcus, come and stand next to me.”

  Marcus blinked rapidly. “Why should I?”

  “I have a theory that needs testing,” I said.

  “Can’t somebody else test the theory?”

  “It should really be you,” I said. “If you are as involved in Blake and Dillon’s deaths as I think you are, it’s only fair you re-enact their last moment together.”

  I heard Marcus swallow, even though he was still standing by the table. “I’m not sure about this.”

  “Stand next to Lorna,” snapped Julianne. “If you want to keep your job, you’ll do this.”

  Marcus hung his head and stomped toward me. He shot me an evil glare. “You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re making a big mistake.”

  “I think I do,” I said. “And I think you know what’s about to happen, as well. Make sure you take a deep breath.”

  He shot me a panicked look as I lifted the dog whistle to my lips. “I can cut you in.”

  “Marcus! Shut up.” Taylor took a step closer.

  He grabbed my arm. “I can pay you more than Julianne.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Not interested in a bribe.”

  “Marcus.” Julianne’s tone made my blood chill. “Stand by the edge of the yacht and don’t you dare move.”

  I shot her a grateful look as Marcus grumbled under his breath, but he let go of my arm.

  “I need to remember what your hand gestures were to make Brutus jump up.” I took a second to compose myself. “You make a fist, spin it in the air anticlockwise, and then shove it forward.”

  Marcus grabbed hold of the railing as I made the gesture and then blew into the whistle.

  “Wait!” yelled Taylor.

  But it was too late. Brutus and Dillon’s ears pricked up. They shot straight at Marcus, smashing into him at the same time. Dillon passed right through him, but Brutus almost head-butted Marcus as they flew straight over the railings.

  “Brutus!” Taylor raced to the side of the yacht and dove over without hesitation.

  “What about me?” yelled Marcus. He clung to the side for half a second, before his fingers slipped from the railing and he plunged into the water.

  Everyone was on their feet, racing to the side of the yacht and staring down at Marcus, Brutus, and Taylor.

  Taylor had hold of Brutus and was swimming toward the jetty. Marcus was left to splash around on his own.

  “Is it true?” Julianne turned her wide eyes to me. “Marcus and Taylor killed Blake?”

  “It is,” I said. “I saw them training with Brutus and suddenly realized how easy it would be to get a dog to push Blake off the yacht.”

  Julianne gaped at me. “And the money?”

  “Marcus has been stealing from you for a long time. I’ve got paperwork to show where it is. And I think Taylor found out about it and they’ve been working together ever since.”

  “That scheming little snot,” said Julianne, as she glared down into the water.

  “Someone help me,” yelled Marcus, as he flailed around.

  Flipper ambled over and sat at my feet, looking up at me and letting his tongue hang out.

  “No need to save Marcus,” I said to him. “He got himself into this mess.”

  “The only help he will get is from the police.” Julianne was already pulling out her mobile, Charlie still tucked into the crook of her elbow.

  Flipper’s gaze shifted to Helen, who staggered up the steps with a tray of skate and perfectly roasted vegetables. She stared at the chaos on deck with a frown on her face before looking at the food and sighing.

  I listened to Julianne tell the police what was going on and watched as Channing threw a float to Marcus. Taylor was now flopped on the jetty, her arms around Brutus.

  A cold touch fell on my shoulder and I turned to see Blake. Dillon was by his side. I moved away from the chaos, so I could speak to him without being overheard.

  “Everything okay with you?”

  Blake nodded. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head at the scene behind him.

  “Guess this is all a shock. But now you know what happened the night you went overboard. Honey had nothing to do with this. Your daughter is innocent.”

  He nodded again and then petted Dillon’s head. Looked like he wasn’t blaming his dog for any of this, and for that, I was glad. As Taylor had said, you can teach a dog to do just about anything when you offer them their favorite treat, even how to kill their owner.

  “Time to move on?” I asked him.

  Blake touched my arm, gave me a smile, and they both vanished.

  Chapter 23

  It had been a week since the revelations at the dinner on board The Orwell. Everything felt like it was returning to normal. Well, as normal as it could after something like that.

  Marcus and Taylor had been arrested for murder, Honey had been released, and Blake and Dillon were gone.

  I walked along the hallway toward Julianne’s office with an armful of folders, Flipper by my side. I paused as I heard someone talking softly.

  Honey was curled on the sofa in the garden room, her feet tucked underneath her and a large mug in her hands. Her gaze was on the garden outside. Much to my surprise, sitting snuggled next to her was a tiny brown puppy, his nose tucked under his tail and his eyes tightly shut.

  “How’s everything going?” I asked her as I walked into the room.

  She turned and smiled at me. “Still feeling weird about how everything has turned out. Still can’t quite believe this is all mine. And I have you to thank for that.” She looked around the room and shook her head.

  And it was all hers. The caveat in Blake’s will meant Honey now owned the family home. “Do you know what you’ll do with the place?”

  Honey’s nose wrinkled. “It’s too big for me to live in on my own. I was thinking I might sell it, maybe go cruising on Dad’s yacht. It will give me a chance to clear my head and figure out what I actually want to do with the rest of my life. I’ve got lots to think about.”

  “Is that little guy coming with you?” I looked down at the sleeping puppy.

  “He is.” Honey grinned. “I was being silly feeling scared of dogs. It’s time to have someone loyal by my side. And there’s nothing more loyal than a dog. I’ve named him Blake Junior.”

  The puppy opened one sleepy eye, gave a large yawn, and curled into a tight ball again.

  “You can’t beat a dog for loyalty,” I said. “He’s just what you need.”

  “I’ve been thinking about Blake’s remaining family,” said Honey. “Julianne still has the business and Channing has apologized for the fight we had. He is my uncle, so I guess I’ll give him a second chance. And he’s already given back the watch he took and the car. He’s trying to make amends.”

  “If you decide to keep the house, you can offer him a place here.”

  “Maybe,” said Honey. “I always thought he didn’t have much in the way of direction. I was just the same until I met my dad. Never was sure what I wanted to do with my life. But seeing him with so much passion and drive helped give me focus. That’s what Channing needs as well. Working for things, instead of just taking them, will do him good.”

  “Do you mind me asking about Julianne? Since this is now your house, you can make her leave.”

  “The thought has crossed my mind.” Honey gave me a wry smile. “But I get why she behaved the way she did. She thought I was having an affair with her husband. I’d have been just as mean. Maybe even meaner.”

  The sound of nails scraping across the wooden floor boards had me turning. Charlie raced around the corner, skidding as he did so, before he launched himself at Blake Junior.

  “Come back, you naughty boy!” Julianne shot round the corner and froze as she saw the two of us. “Oh! I didn’t realize you were in here.”

  Charlie bounced around Blake Junior, who opened his eyes and stared at him, before launching himself at the other dog. They both tumbled to the floor in a mess of puppy limbs and flapping ears.

  Julianne ran forward, her hands outstretched as she attempted to separate the dogs. “I’ve no idea how to train him. I always relied on Taylor to do that sort of thing.” She caught hold of Charlie and scooped him into her arms.

  “I’m not sure what to do with Blake Junior either,” said Honey quietly.

  The two women stared at each other in silence.

  “I am sorry,” said Julianne, “for everything.”

  Honey let out a sigh. “I didn’t mean to cause you any problems. I just wanted to find my family.”

  Julianne placed a hand on Honey’s knee. “And you have. I know we’re not related by blood, and I’ll understand if you want nothing to do with me, but I’d like you to be a part of this family.”

  I sucked in a breath, half-expecting Honey to tell her where to stick her offer. I wouldn’t blame her if she did after everything Julianne put her through.

  But Honey’s eyes sparkled and she smiled. “I’d love that. I just wish Blake was still around to be a part of it. But I would like to get to know everyone better.”

  “I would love that, too.” Julianne sat next to Honey. “I have a stepdaughter!”

  “I think time away would do us all some good, though,” said Honey. “I need to go see my mum for a few days, make sure she’s doing okay. Maybe even invite her to stay here sometime if that’s not a problem for you.”

  “No! Your mother is most welcome here.” Julianne chewed on her bottom lip. “I mean, it might be a little awkward, but she must come. We will work something out.”

  “Maybe time by the sea will do her good,” said Honey. “There’s an excellent cancer unit at the local hospital. She’ll get the best of care. And I was just saying to Lorna that I might take Dad’s yacht out, do some sailing. Although, I’ll need a few lessons on how to sail before I go out on my own. There are a lot of things new to us, a lot of things we all need to figure out.”

  “He would like you to do that,” said Julianne. “I know he loved you, and he adored being on the water. I think that is a perfect idea.”

  Honey nodded. “And I’m not in any hurry to do anything with this house. You’re welcome to stay if you want to. Help me work out what to do with the place.”

  Julianne smiled and glanced around the room. “This house does have a lot of memories. Not all of them good. It might be time for me to move on as well. Find a place of my own, somewhere smaller for Charlie and me to enjoy.”

  “You’re not leaving the village?” asked Honey.

  “No, the village is where I belong,” said Julianne. “And I need to be close by to keep an eye on the vineyard. But like you said, we’ve all got time to think things through and figure out what we really want.”

  They shared a smile.

  “If you need anyone to take care of Blake Junior while you’re away, I know someone who will be very happy to have him as a playmate.” Julianne placed Charlie on the floor. The two puppies began chasing each other and rolling around again.

  We all watched the puppies dance around, Flipper keeping out of the way and making warning grumbles every time they got too close to him, his tail tucked firmly between his paws.

  Julianne looked over at me. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for this family. Guess it’s a shock coming into a new job and discovering a murderer in your midst.”

 

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