Mobsters and Lobsters (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 2) (6 page)

Ruby sighed and her shoulders sagged. “It wasn’t good. She found photos of me and Olivia in Lenny’s car.”

“I was afraid of that. How did you explain it?”

“I lied.” Ruby grabbed Hannah’s arm and stopped walking. “I told her I had no idea who Lenny is. Pam mumbled something about probably a stalker.”

“Are you sure there was nothing in the photos to link you with him?”

“With Olivia, no. I think he got those images when we were walking to or from school. He may not have figured out his connection to Olivia.”

“So he
was
stalking you.”

“In those photos, yes. But there was one that was kind of blurry that he must have taken when I met with him the other day. When I was walking back to my car.”

Hannah started walking again. “I see this going one of two ways. The first is the best. For you. Lenny’s body turns up and he’s out of your life once and for all.”

“And the other way?”

“He turns up alive and Pam will be off your back but Lenny might figure out that Olivia is his daughter.”

“You’re making a dangerous assumption, Hannah. What if Lenny has simply vanished into thin air? He’s done it before.”

Hannah could hear Olivia talking to Petunia. “And if you stay at Aunt Hannah’s cottage, I’ll get to see you all the time. Me
and
Nellie.”

Another problem, Hannah told herself—Olivia must have missed the part that Petunia was only a guest. She hoped it didn’t break Olivia’s heart when Petunia left, like so many others in her life. She picked up the pace, pulling Ruby along with her. “I hear someone talking and I can’t see Olivia.”

They raced around the corner and laughed. Poor Sherry Wolfe was standing in the brush at the side of the path while Petunia stared at her. Olivia happily chatted to Sherry. “Don’t be scared of Petunia. She’s just a little potbelly pig.” Olivia bent down to examine the pig’s underside. “I don’t know where the pot is but she’s a sweet pig anyway. Do you have any pets? I want to get a cat but my mom says I have to wait until I’m six. I’ll be six on April something. Mom? What day is my birthday?”

“Soon, honey. Let’s let the woman finish her walk in peace.”

Sherry glared at Hannah but managed to pat Olivia on the head as she jumped by Petunia.

“Nice walk, Sherry?” Hannah asked. “Did you see anyone along the beach?”

Sherry paused. “What? See anyone? Ah, no. Just all of you. Why are you being so nosy? Can’t a person take a walk without being accosted?” She scurried away, her backpack slapping against her back with every footstep.

“That was a strange reaction,” Ruby said as she stood looking backwards at Sherry’s retreating back.

Hannah waved her hand, dismissing Sherry Wolfe’s comments. “I think Petunia scared her out of her comfort zone. She’s a retired teacher thinking about relocating to Hooks Harbor but I’m not sure Hooks Harbor is ready for someone like her, and it certainly looks like she’s not ready for a neighbor like Petunia.”

The path opened up to a rocky shoreline. “This is where Lenny’s boat was found.” Waves crashed into the big rocky point. Hannah shuddered. “I don’t see how he could have survived. If the rocks didn’t smash him to bits, the cold Atlantic would do him in.”

“I wish I had your confidence, but you don’t know Lenny. He’s always got a plan. He’s up to something. What about that map on his camera? We should study it some more and see if it ties in with this spot or somewhere else around here.”

Hannah put her arm around Ruby’s shoulders. “Now you’re thinking. I knew this walk would be useful. I forgot about the map. How about we head back? Cal invited us all for dinner if you and Olivia want to come.”

Olivia, with her big ears, heard that and jumped up and down. “Can we bring Petunia? Theodore would
love
Petunia.”

“We’ll have to check with Pearl. She’s probably wondering where her potbelly pig is,” Hannah told Olivia.

They all turned back to the trail. Petunia pulled Olivia off the path with her persistent rooting in the sandy dirt.

“It’s better for her to root here than in front of the cottages,” Hannah said as she took the leash from Olivia. “I’ll try to guide her in the right direction while she’s having her fun.”

Petunia would have none of it. She wanted what she wanted and she pulled Hannah farther off the trail.

“What’s that?” Hannah bent down to see what Petunia was after. “Someone buried some peanut butter cracker wrappers here.” Hannah stuffed the trash in her pocket. “Petunia has a good nose.”

Petunia kept working in the same area. “What’s this?” She grabbed the sleeve of a turquoise colored t-shirt and pulled it free of the dirt. Hannah gasped. “This looks like the shirt Lenny wore the day he came to rent the cottage. Before he went to the marina.” She held it up to show Ruby.

Ruby’s face drained of color. “I told you. He’s still alive.”

Chapter 7

Ruby sagged into Hannah’s comfy chair when they returned to Hannah’s cottage. She begged off going to Cal’s boat for dinner even though Olivia was thrilled with the plan and sat down to draw Cal a picture while she waited for Hannah to get ready to leave.

Pearl babied Petunia as if she had been gone for weeks instead of an hour. “Did you have a nice walk?” Pearl asked in a high pitched baby voice as she scratched Petunia’s back. Petunia grunted with pleasure as she twisted her little body one way, then the other, before Pearl led her out of Hannah’s cottage.

“I’ll get caught up with some of your paperwork,” Ruby said as she walked toward the door to Hannah’s office. “I need to keep my mind busy.”

Hannah nodded. “And study the photos?”

Ruby nodded. Grim-faced.

Hannah stashed the turquoise shirt in the back of her closet. She didn’t have a plan. Yet.

“Okay, Olivia. Ready to roll?” Hannah tried to sound upbeat. She wanted to distract her from Ruby’s problems.

Hannah and Olivia picked up pizza—a small cheese for Olivia and a large eggplant, mushroom, and onion for Cal and herself. Olivia was uncharacteristically quiet in the car, just gazing out the window and jiggling her feet.

Finally she turned to look at Hannah. “Is Mom going to move again?”

Hannah’s antenna went up. This could be an innocent question since moving often was all that Olivia had ever known, or she might have picked up on something Ruby and Hannah talked about. “I don’t think so, honey, why are you asking?”

“I like it here. With you and Cal and Petunia and Nellie. And Theodore.”

“You know what Cal told me?” Olivia had just given Hannah the perfect opening to change the subject away from moving.

Olivia shook her head.

“He thinks Theodore misses you. Cal has been busy and hasn’t had much time for him lately.”

A tear slid down Olivia’s cheek. “Poor Theodore. It’s no fun to be lonely. Maybe Theodore could visit with me for a while. We could keep each other company,” she said hopefully.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Hannah pulled into the Bayside Marina parking lot. “Ask Cal. I bet he’ll say it’s okay.”

Hannah carried the pizza boxes with one arm and held Olivia’s hand with the other as they walked down the dock to Cal’s boat. Olivia pointed to the back of one boat and worked out the words—
“On the Rocks
,” she proudly read.

“I didn’t know you could read already,” Hannah said. “How about this next boat?” She pointed to the back of the boat next to Cal’s before she even looked at the words.

“
Sink or Swim
,” Olivia slowly sounded out. She looked up at Hannah. “Why would anyone choose to sink instead of swim?” Her five year old logic couldn’t make any sense of those words.

The words gave Hannah a chill. “Kind of silly, isn’t it?” Hannah said, moving Olivia forward. There was only one reason that Hannah could imagine sinking instead of swimming as a vision of Lenny’s body floating in the ocean entered her brain. There was no choice in that situation.

“What does Cal’s boat say? I can’t figure out the first word,” Olivia asked.

“Seas the Day,” Hannah said.

Olivia reached her hand out and grabbed a fistful of air. “Here. This is all I can fit in my hand.” She carefully attempted to transfer the air in her hand to Hannah. “Did you get it all?”

Hannah snapped her hand closed. “I sure did. Thanks.”

Olivia leaped onto the back of Cal’s boat without waiting for Hannah to help her. Her short legs barely made it across the open space and Hannah felt her breath catch. Without a word, she followed Olivia’s example and realized that her niece was showing her how to seize this day without sinking. Clever girl.

“Who do I hear jumping onto my boat?” Cal’s voice asked from inside the cabin. “Are those fish jumping aboard?”

“No, silly. It’s me and Hannah. Hannah has the pizza so I jumped across all by myself. Where’s Theodore? Hannah told me he’s been lonely.” Olivia looked up at Cal with big round innocent eyes.

“She did, did she? Well, she’s right. I told Theodore that you were coming to visit and he’s waiting up the ladder on my bed.” Cal took the pizza boxes from Hannah and set them on his small table next to a couple of cold beers.

Olivia shimmied up the ladder. “There you are, Theodore. Would you like to come home with me for a visit?”

“Hmmm, sounds like my teddy bear has an admirer,” Cal said. “Maybe it’s time to pass him on to someone that needs him more than I do. What do you think, Hannah?”

“Olivia loves Theodore. She’d give him a good home for sure, and I think she’s feeling a little insecure at the moment.”

“About what?” Cal’s voice was laced with concern.

Hannah slid pizza onto a plate for herself and whispered to Cal, “She asked me if her mom was going to move again.” Hannah shook her head. “She’s done
enough
moving. Olivia’s in kindergarten now and it’s time they put down some roots.”

Cal poured a Sam Adams into a mug for himself and one for Hannah. “Why would Ruby move? She has a cute house. You’re close to help out with Olivia. Is she getting enough freelance writing assignments for the paper?”

“Work isn’t the issue. She’s helping me, too. I can’t keep up with the paperwork, and she’s way more organized than I am.” Cheese dripped down Hannah’s chin after she bit the tip of the triangle off. Fanning her mouth she warned, “It’s hot, be careful.”

Cal drank some beer instead. “Why would she move, then? You didn’t answer that part of my question.”

Hannah set her pizza down and inhaled a deep breath. “I can’t talk about it now with—” She nodded her head toward the loft. “Big ears, you know?”

Olivia, with Theodore tucked under her arm, descended the ladder from Cal’s sleeping area. “I’m hungry.”

“Well, slide right in here between us. I have a piece of cheese pizza all cooled off and ready for you. Is Theodore hungry too?” Hannah asked.

Olivia scrunched up her face and, with a serious voice, told Hannah, “He can’t eat. He’s only a teddy bear.”

Cal hid his chuckle behind his hand. “Olivia, I’ve been thinking. Poor Theodore sits up on my pillow all day and I think he might like a change of scenery. Would you like to take him to your house for a visit?”

Olivia’s eyes widened to the size of Theodore’s round bear ears. She squeezed him tight. “Really?” She held Theodore in front of her face. “What do
you
think, Theodore?” She shook the teddy bear and made his head nod up and down. Olivia smiled. A big, happy smile. “Theodore says
yes
!”

“That’s settled then,” Cal said. He winked at Hannah.

Olivia gobbled down her pizza and climbed the ladder again with Theodore in her arms. “We’re gonna look out the little window and watch the ocean,” she said to anyone who was listening.

Cal helped himself to another slice of pizza and another cold beer. He held a bottle toward Hannah. She nodded. “Sure, why not? It’s been a long day.”

“You do look kind of stressed. Does it have something to do with your missing guest?” Cal kept his eyes on Hannah’s face. She looked away. “Tell me what’s going on. I want to help.”

“I know, but it’s not my secret to share.”

“Fair enough.”

Hannah asked Cal about the rest of the repairs on the snack bar as they relaxed and finished their beers. They gentle rocking of the boat was soothing. Finally, Cal stacked the plates and put them in the sink. “I’ll wash these later after I walk you two beautiful ladies to your chariot.”

Olivia leaned over the top of the ladder and scrunched up her face. “We don’t have a chariot. We came in a car.” She scooted down the ladder.

Cal rested his hand on Olivia’s head. “Chariot is a fancy term for your car. Doesn’t it sound like more fun?”

Olivia shrugged. “I dunno.” She held Theodore tightly to her chest and skipped to the back of the boat. “You’re coming to my house tonight. Hang on to me so you don’t fall in the water.”

“And you hang on to me so
you
don’t fall in,” Cal said as he caught up and held Olivia’s hand.

They jumped from the back of Cal’s boat to the dock and waited for Hannah to join them. She inhaled deeply. “What a beautiful clear night. Look at all those stars.”