Dying for strawberries, p.17
Dying for Strawberries, page 17
“A lot of hurtful things have gone on this past week,” I said. “Including murder.”
“What a terrible thing to happen. I can’t believe Cole was murdered. I was shocked when I heard the news.”
“Many of us were.” Now would be a good time to see if she had an alibi for the time of Cole’s death. “When did you hear he’d been killed?”
“As soon as I got back to Oriole Point. I drove to Blue Lake early that morning to drop Alyssa off at music camp. Because I stopped at the mall in Muskegon, I didn’t arrive back here until around three. By then, it was all anyone in the village could talk about.”
Blue Lake was only a little over an hour away. If she had dropped her daughter off at camp that morning, it would have left plenty of time for Crystal to return to Oriole Point and bash Cole over the head. “Who do you think killed him?”
Crystal looked at me with obvious consternation. “Piper, of course. The police found the murder weapon in her Hummer.”
“I don’t care if they found Cole’s body in there. She didn’t do it.”
“But you saw her at the meeting. She was furious with him. Piper knocked him out in front of us.”
“We all would have stood in line that night to hit Cole. Piper got to him first. And throwing a punch is a lot different than murder.”
I decided to remain silent for a few minutes. Give Crystal time to realize that Piper as the prime suspect in Cole’s murder was not such a sure thing. Looking to my right, I gazed at the lake, which glittered all the way to an endless horizon. Somewhere on the other side lay Wisconsin, but from where we stood, all that stretched before us was water. First-time visitors to the Great Lakes were often amazed at the sheer size of the lakes, apparently forgetting that they had been named “Great” for a reason. They were our inland seas—Midwestern oceans, if you like—only without the taste of salt in the air. And I wouldn’t trade Lake Michigan or Lake Superior for the Atlantic and the Pacific combined.
“‘Perhaps the truth depends on a walk along the lake,’” I said finally.
“What?”
“It’s a quote from the poet Wallace Stevens.”
“Does that mean you think I’m not telling the truth about the zoning decision?”
“I think you’re concealing the truth. If Cole didn’t bribe the commission, that leaves only one alternative. Blackmail.”
“That’s even worse than accusing us of being bribed.”
“Is it? If you’d been bribed, it would mean you sold out the town for personal greed. But if Cole knew something you wanted to keep hidden, then it was an act of self-protection. Not an admirable response, but one I could understand.”
Crystal’s expression turned stony. “Do you really believe all four members of the zoning commission have secrets they’re hiding?”
I remembered how my Amish cooking show star had turned out to be anything but Amish. And had anything about the marriage of Evangeline and John Chaplin been real? “After what I went through in New York, I believe almost everyone has a secret or two they’d prefer to keep buried.”
“Even you?”
It was a challenge I met squarely. “Maybe.”
“Maybe you killed Cole. Maybe he was blackmailing you.”
“Then I’d like to know how I hit my own head twice before ending up in the river. Whoever killed Cole Bowman also tried to kill me last Friday.”
Crystal was the one to finally break our gaze. She looked out at the lake with a frown. “There’s nothing in my life anyone could blackmail me about.”
“That isn’t what I heard.”
For the first time, she seemed rattled. “What have you heard?”
I gave a great sigh. I needed time to work up my courage because I was about to tell a whopper. “You forget I’m engaged to Ryan Zellar.”
Now she looked genuinely panicked. “So? What has he said?”
If I framed this right, I might not have to tell a lie at all. “I know both you and Ryan were addicted to crystal meth back in high school. And that he introduced you to the drug.”
Crystal collapsed onto the sand. I sat down beside her. The water lapped about us, dampening our yoga pants, but I didn’t think she noticed. “Don’t blame Ryan,” she said finally. “I was already popping pills, smoking hash, skipping class. And anything one of the Zellar brothers did had to be cool. It wasn’t his fault. I made Ryan give me a hit while he was high himself. Plus, we were seventeen, which means we were stupid and afraid of nothing.”
“He doesn’t like to talk about those days.” Indeed, he had never said a word about any of this to me.
“Ryan promised he would never say anything. But you two are getting married. I understand why he told you. A married couple shouldn’t have secrets between them.”
This made me feel worse. “Ryan wants only the best for you. He feels quite protective.” That certainly was true. “And I know all about Texas.”
She closed her eyes. “I should have thought about that once you two became engaged. You’d want to know about his first wife, and Texas would come up.”
I remained quiet. What did Ryan’s ex-wife have to do with Texas? I knew that her name was Laura McCoy and that she was born and raised in Phoenix. Ryan had told me they met when she came to Oriole Point on a vacation with her girlfriends. After a whirlwind romance—almost as speedy as Cole and Natasha’s courtship—they got married nine years ago. And divorced less than three years after that. She moved back to Arizona. Except for a few blurry photos of their wedding in Jamaica, it was as if Ryan had never been married. He answered any questions about her with the briefest reply. To be honest, I didn’t ask him much. She’d been out of the picture so long, I didn’t see the point.
“A lot seems to have happened in Texas,” I said.
“Too much. Like Ryan told you, we both went to rehab there, although he needed only one time to kick his habit. Took a lot longer for me. That’s why I stayed away from Oriole Point. Even though I had put them through hell, my parents kept paying for me to go to rehab until it finally worked. I only wish it hadn’t taken so long. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have met my husband. Ted was there, trying to get clean. He was a crack addict as well.” She shook her head. “And I’m responsible for Ryan meeting Laura. I still feel guilty about that.”
“He doesn’t blame you.” And as far as I knew, he didn’t.
“Ryan’s a sweetheart. But he should blame me. Every time I went into rehab, he flew down to Texas to serve as cheerleader for my recovery. One of those times, he met Laura. She was in rehab for alcoholism. They clicked right away. And why wouldn’t they? He’s a hot guy, and Laura was even hotter. As soon as he laid eyes on her, he was a goner. Ryan has a thing for redheads, especially if they look like a Victoria’s Secret model.”
I blinked. This was the first I’d heard about his fondness for gorgeous redheads with killer bods.
Crystal seemed to remember that I was a B-cup brunette and quickly added, “Obviously, his tastes have changed. For the better. You’re nothing like Laura or any of the girls he dated in high school. You’re good for him. Honest, down to earth, hardworking. And you don’t spend every waking minute worrying about how you look.”
I hoped my appearance wasn’t as haphazard as this comment seemed to imply. I was still trying to digest the fact that Ryan’s first wife was a recovering alcoholic.
“Anyway, when Laura got out of rehab, she flew up here to visit him. I tried to warn him that she wasn’t serious about her recovery. I was afraid she’d get him back to using again. But Ryan is stronger than I gave him credit for. You’re marrying one tough man.”
I nodded. He might be tough, but he also was far too secretive. Did I know anything at all about Ryan Zellar, aside from his date of birth and what he did for a living? Was I stupid or too trusting? I feared I was both.
“At least the marriage didn’t last long enough to cause any real damage,” I replied.
“Yes. As I’m sure he told you, Ryan is the one who wanted the divorce. She fell off the wagon, no surprise to me. And they fought all the time. Last I heard, Laura was back in rehab, this time in California. I also think she’s on her third marriage.”
“You and Ryan should be proud of yourselves. Both of you beat your addiction.”
“It wasn’t easy for either of us. Harder for me. Luckily, Ryan ended his bad marriage pretty quick. I stayed married to Ted far too long. Then again, we had a child together, and I wanted to make it work.” Crystal shuddered. “Another mistake. At least I got out of there when Alyssa was only two. She doesn’t remember her father at all. Which is the way I want it.”
She grew silent. I wasn’t certain how to get her to continue without exposing how little I actually knew. “I don’t have to tell you what Ryan thinks of your ex-husband.”
“You got that right. He hates Ted. Ryan has always looked on me as a sister, especially since he has only brothers. He warned me to steer clear of Ted Jones from the beginning. Ted was a triple threat—an addict, a dealer, and an armed robber. When Alyssa was two, he added murderer to his résumé. That was the end of the marriage for me. Not that the divorce really mattered. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.” Her expression turned even more bitter. “Texas judges don’t look kindly on cop killers.”
Talk about still waters running deep. Who would have guessed that quiet, nondescript Crystal Appeldoorn was once an addict with a murderer for an ex-husband?
“You know Ryan would do anything for you and your daughter.”
“He’s been such a good friend. Never judges me, even when I’m screwing up big-time. Thankfully, I cleaned up my act, which involved a lot more than kicking drugs. My entire life changed because of Alyssa. She’s been the reason for my existence from the moment I learned I was pregnant. Oh, Ted tried to get clean again right after she was born, but it lasted only a few months. After that, we hardly saw him. A girlfriend moved in with me and the baby to help pay the rent.” She sighed. “He’s ruined his life in so many ways, but I think he really cared about Alyssa. As much as he was able to care about anybody.”
“Even now?”
“The Ted I first met in rehab—the one who wanted to get clean and sober—is gone. By the time he shot those policemen, I don’t think he was capable of feeling anything but rage.” She suddenly straightened. “I’ve told Alyssa that her dad died in a car accident right after she was born. And in many ways, Ted did die then, the last of the old Ted, anyway. My parents and sister know the truth, and my best friend, Katy. Ryan too. Now you.”
I felt uneasy to be included in this trusted group. “Then no one else knows about your addiction. Or that your ex-husband is in prison for murder.”
“I recently told Eric. He’s a good man, and he’s been through a lot in his life. You don’t spend two tours of duty in Baghdad without seeing horrible things. Like Ryan, he isn’t judgmental. Besides, things have gotten serious between us. If he ends up being Alyssa’s new daddy, I need to be completely honest with him.” Crystal placed her hand on my arm. “You understand. After all, Ryan told you the truth about our addictions and his first marriage. That’s the way it should be if you love someone enough to marry them.”
“It should.” I didn’t know whether to be angry or depressed that Ryan hadn’t been honest with me at all. Did he not trust me? If so, why in the world did he want to marry me? And now that I knew how much he’d kept from me, why did I want to marry him?
I stretched out so that when the next waves came in, my legs would get soaked. I needed the chill of the lake water to make me feel something right now aside from sadness. “You’re not afraid your daughter will discover the truth one day?”
“Alyssa is nearly ten. The only memories she has is of living here in Oriole Point with me and my family. All of us have lavished nothing but love on her every single day. Fortunately, her father’s last name is a common one—Jones. I explained that I changed my name back to Appeldoorn because I hadn’t known her dad long before he died, and I felt more like an Appeldoorn than a Jones.”
“But if someone looks too closely at the name and when you lived in Texas, they might stumble on the truth.”
I now understood Ryan’s misgivings about prying into people’s secrets. I’d hate to have a child’s world turned upside down if she found out her father was alive and in prison for murder. The Chaplin case had taught me that murder sent out a large and dangerous ripple.
Crystal turned her attention back to the lake. “When I was eight months pregnant, the two of us went to Idaho. Ted had a friend there who smuggled contraband over the Canadian border. This guy left to take part in some deal in Alberta, and we stayed at his house while he was gone. I ended up going into labor three weeks later, which means Alyssa’s birth certificate says Boise, Idaho, not Austin, Texas.”
I wondered if Lionel’s detectives would discover the truth. Until I was convinced Crystal was guilty, I planned to keep this information to myself. Yes, I wanted to clear Piper’s name and catch whoever it was that had attacked me. But I hoped I wouldn’t have to upset an innocent child’s life to do it. But Lionel’s detectives might. I debated whether I should warn Crystal.
“Even if Alyssa does find out one day, I think she’ll be fine. It might be a shock, but—”
Crystal got to her feet in one swift motion. “No one will upset my child’s life with ugly memories of the past. No one! I made one bad choice after the other from the time I was seventeen. How could you possibly understand what it’s like to be strung out on drugs in your teens and early twenties? You’ve no idea about some of the things I’ve done.”
“But this is a murder case, Crystal. Piper has been arrested. She and Lionel will do anything to prove she’s innocent. All anyone is looking for is the truth.”
“The truth? If I have to explain the truth about her father, I’ll also have to tell her about how I lived my life until the day I learned I was pregnant. My pregnancy is what got me clean. My child is what gave me the courage to leave Ted, along with the motivation to start a business that guarantees her future. Alyssa’s happiness comes first, and I won’t allow anyone or anything to disrupt my child’s life. Not you or Piper or—”
“Or Cole Bowman?” I asked.
She glared down at me from her great height. How could I have ever thought Crystal was a quiet, unremarkable woman? Once she was roused, I suspected she could make even Piper back down.
“Be careful, Marlee. Things might end badly if you push some of us too far.”
Crystal picked up her yoga mat and marched away. I watched until her figure was a considerable distance down the beach. Only then did I begin to make my own way home. If Cole had blackmailed Crystal, I had just learned why. My relaxed state of mind following yoga had vanished. Instead, I was left with the fear that Crystal would do anything to keep her secrets from her daughter, including murder.
Chapter 15
Ryan was late. There wasn’t much traffic on our country roads, so I knew he wasn’t being held up due to rush hour congestion. But it was past seven thirty and still no sign of him. Ryan and I hadn’t spoken since the night before. Despite the friendly note he had left, asking me to dinner, I wondered if he was feeling friendly toward me. My own feelings were a jumble. All day I had thought of little else but what Crystal had revealed on the beach. Even more startling than her own past were the heretofore unknown details about my fiancé. What else didn’t I know about Ryan? Good grief. Was his real name even Ryan?
I suspected his tardiness was meant to punish me. Ryan loved eating at San Sebastian as much as I did. It was why he’d offered to make the reservation this morning. And since our name was on the reservation list when I arrived, he had indeed done just that. Pulling out my cell phone, I was about to text him, then decided not to. Last time I thought I was texting Ryan, Max ended up being the recipient. I wondered if I had done that subconsciously. I certainly felt more comfortable around Max, especially lately.
I’d bet anything that Crystal had spoken with Ryan today. Which meant he was pissed. For all I knew, he had no intention of even showing up for dinner.
Well, I was hungry. Whether Ryan was here or not, I planned to eat. Things were so busy at the store that I had missed lunch entirely.
Looking around for my server, I took in the elegant decor of San Sebastian: polished teakwood tables and chairs, curved booths of burgundy leather, skylights in all three dining rooms, along with a pebbled fountain a few yards from where I sat. Tess thought the restaurant slightly pretentious and too expensive, but it served the best food I’d eaten since a long-ago tasting tour of Tuscany. It also had sexy Diego Theroux presiding over the kitchen. Diego frequently walked through the restaurant in his chef whites, stopping to exchange a few words with his contented diners. Any opportunity to appreciate his considerable good looks was welcomed as much as his Andalusian paella and slow-roasted sweet onions.
As though I had sent a psychic message to Diego, he suddenly entered the dining room, platter in hand. I was surprised to see him head straight for me.
“Marlee, my servers told me that you have been sitting here for forty minutes and have not ordered a thing. I can’t have that.” He set the platter on the table. “Here’s a tapas sampler plate to coax you into eating.” His large brown eyes gazed at me with concern. “We’ve all been worried about you since the night of the Strawberry Moon Bash. And I heard you were the one to find Cole’s body. Are you feeling all right?”
My mouth salivated at the sight and smell of a dish filled with piping hot cheese and shrimp. “I’m fine, Diego. I’m waiting for Ryan. He was supposed to meet me here at seven.” I picked up a tapa. “But thank you so much for this. I’m starving.”
“The Manchego cheese ones are my favorite, but they’re all something new I’m trying. Let me know what you think. Because you’re my test audience, it’s on the house.”
I quickly ate the cheese tapas and nearly swooned. “Delicious. I’ll be your culinary guinea pig anytime.”
