Chapter Twenty
“I’m down in Coos Bay, waiting to talk to Detective Stannard. Doesn’t look like I’ll be back anytime soon.”
Leah closed her eyes and propped an elbow on the counter as she clutched the cell phone in her other hand. “That’s too bad. I take it your conversation with Mrs. Winston wasn’t very productive?”
“Not at all. After twenty years, she didn’t have any stunning new revelations.” Ryan chuckled. “I did speak to your grandma while I was at the apartment complex. She was in rare form. By the way, you’re to call her. She mentioned something about money problems and a wetsuit. I didn’t even try to figure out what she was talking about.”
Leah cringed. “I know what she means. Damn.” She wondered how much the wetsuit for the scuba lessons had cost and if more of her grandma’s checks would soon be bouncing higher than a freaking kangaroo on meth. Drawing and quartering was too good for that low-life son of a bitch who’d—
“Leah, are you still there?”
“Yeah.” She forced her grandma’s financial issues to the back of her mind and focused on Ryan. “I miss you. I’ve gotten used to having you around when I get home from work. It’s been . . . nice.”
“More than nice. Pretty damn special.” He paused for a moment. “Oh, I was also supposed to tell you that one of the con man’s aliases, Anthony Benedetto, is Tony Bennett’s birth name. You know, the singer. That’s why your grandma recognized it.”
Leah couldn’t help smiling even though she felt like smashing something. “So, a world-famous crooner is bilking old ladies out of their nest eggs? Isn’t that special?”
“It would be funny if the situation wasn’t so serious. I’ll probably be back pretty late tonight. One of the detectives on the Merry Bright case died of a heart attack not long after we buried that time capsule. The other is out interviewing witnesses in relation to a current crime and isn’t expected back to the precinct for a couple more hours.”
“Let’s hope your wait pays off with a little information, then. If nothing else, you can give him those sick photos. I don’t want to ever see them again.”
“I only brought two with me. The others are in the folder on your kitchen counter. I wasn’t sure how I’d want to handle this.”
Leah glanced toward the coffeepot and wondered how the plain manila folder beside it could look so menacing. “Oh.”
“I’m worried about your safety. If the person who dropped the film in the time capsule is the same man who knocked you out and searched your house and car, there’s no guarantee he’s given up. And if he finds out we printed those pictures—”
“I told Sloan I lost the film for good, and Edgar heard me say it. Maybe I should take out an announcement in the local paper so the rest of the suspects get the message.”
“I don’t like this. Can you find someone to keep you company this evening? Until we know exactly what we’re up against, I don’t want you hanging out by yourself at home.”
“I’m not alone.” She eyed Barney, sprawled on the kitchen floor near his food bowl. “I have my fearless canine protector.”
“That would be great if I thought he’d bite an intruder instead of licking him to death.”
She smiled. “Fine, I’ll call Nina or Paige. Will that ease your mind?”
“Yeah.” His voice softened. “I’ll talk to you before I head back. Be careful, okay?”
“I will. Bye, Ryan.”
“Bye.”
She set the cell down on the counter and wondered why she hadn’t said what she was really thinking. That she loved him. Maybe their feelings were a little too new and fragile for casual declarations of love over the phone. As disheartening and at times downright frightening as her life had been lately, she was almost afraid to hope something wonderful with Ryan could result from it.
Leah straightened. “On the topic of overwhelming problems . . .” She headed into the living room to retrieve her laptop and powered it up. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she waited to pull up her grandmother’s checking account. She wasn’t sure if asking for the password after their fruitless trip to the bank had been a smart move or not. She’d almost rather not know the truth . . .
The balance left her gasping for breath. A check written to the local surf shop—for the wetsuit, she assumed—sent a chill through her. Had her grandma even looked at the price tag before she bought the damn thing? She only had half her latest retirement check left, and rent would be due in another week. Leah slammed the laptop shut. Gram would have to give up her apartment and move in here. There really was no other solution. Since the management company probably had a hefty security deposit, she might be able to stay there long enough to get all her stuff packed . . .
“I am so not going to think about this tonight.”
Springing to her feet, she went back to the kitchen, detoured over to feed Barney, then picked up her cell to call Paige. When her friend answered on the first ring, she let out a sigh of relief and didn’t bother with a greeting.
“What are you doing this evening?”
“Celebrating. I sold that giant buffet that was taking up half a wall in my shop. I don’t know what possessed me to buy it in the first place, but I turned a terrific profit.”
“Congratulations. Are you at home popping open the champagne?”
“I’m not that pathetic.” Her voice turned ironic. “Okay, maybe I am, but I’m not drinking alone tonight. Nina is meeting me at Poseidon’s for dinner at six thirty. Want to join us, or are you hanging out with Ryan?”
“He’s busy, and I’d love to join you.” She scratched her elbow and frowned. “I feel like I’ve been neglecting my BFFs lately.”
“You really have, but we might be willing to forgive you. Great sex trumps girls’ night out every time. I’d ditch you, too, if I had a hot guy waiting for me at home.”
Leah sputtered with laughter. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“We tell each other everything, right? This evening you can dish the dirt on what you and Ryan have been up to, and Nina and I will live vicariously while we drink that champagne.”
“Maybe not everything, but I’ll see you in an hour.” She disconnected and turned to stare at Barney, who’d finished wolfing down his dinner. “I guess I’d better grade those vocab tests, pronto.”
Leah was only fifteen minutes late when she pulled into the parking lot next to the Poseidon Grill. Maybe Ryan’s promptness was beginning to rub off on her. Slamming the car door, she hurried through the swirling fog toward the glow of the lighted entrance, wishing Paige had chosen any restaurant other than this one for her celebration dinner, since the owner was one of the men on their list. Still, she obviously couldn’t avoid any of the potential suspects, not in a town the size of Siren Cove, not when she worked with two of them . . . Wrenching open the door, she stepped inside and approached the hostess stand.
Rebecca, a young woman who’d been a student in Leah’s class her first year teaching, flashed her a broad smile. “Hi, Miss Grayson. Your friends told me to keep an eye out for you. You look fantastic, very sixties retro.”
She glanced down at the clingy knit dress over colored tights, and smiled. “I was going for warmth over style, but I’m glad you approve. What grade are you in now?”
“Senior.” Rebecca tapped the open calculus book on the podium. “This job is going to help pay college tuition next year, and Mr. Dorsey is nice enough to let me study between customers.”
“Good for you, but you make me feel really old.” Leah held up a hand. “Stay where you are. I can find my dinner companions on my own.”
Her former student nodded and handed her a menu. “They’re at a table by the windows. Have a nice evening.”
“Thanks.” Leah headed into the dining room and nearly dropped the menu when her gaze collided with Waylon Brewster’s. “Are you freaking kidding me,” she mumbled beneath her breath. “Twice in the same day?” Ignoring him, she nodded to Dr. Carlton, who was seated with the attorney and their local judge, as she passed their table. With a sigh of relief, she pulled out the empty chair between Paige and Nina and dropped onto the seat. “What are we drinking?”
Nina eyed her up and down. “Cute dress. Very trendy. What’s with the scowl?”
Paige poured champagne from the open bottle on the table and handed her the flute. “Are you going to ruin my good mood? I thought we established earlier you’re the only one getting any, so you should be all smiles.”
Leah’s lips curved as she took a sip. “Sorry. Waylon Brewster pissed me off earlier when I ran into him at the store. Made a snarky comment about Brock.” She angled her head toward the trio of men not far away. “Not the first face I wanted to see when I walked in here tonight.”
“Then don’t look at him.” Paige topped off her glass and Nina’s. “I agree the man is a jerk, just like his son.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I wonder what a nice guy like Dr. Carlton is doing with him.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re celebrating.” Nina raised her glass. “Here’s to you selling that giant buffet. Now you’ll have all sorts of room to display new stock.”
“You’ve got that right.” Paige tapped her glass against the other two before taking a sip. “Here comes our server. Check the menu, Leah. We waited for you to order.”
“I already know what I want. The spinach soufflé is unbelievable.”
After they’d placed their orders, Nina sat back in her chair and studied Leah. “Is something wrong? You look . . . tense. Are you still having headaches from the concussion?”
“Concussion? Oh, no.” She let out a breath. “Was it only last week I got knocked on the skull? Seems longer.”
Paige squeezed her arm. “Then what’s bothering you? Are you and Ryan having problems? I hoped this time you two would stick.”
“We’re okay . . . better than okay, but we haven’t talked about the future.” She swallowed hard as tears burned the back of her throat. “Right now the present is such a mess . . .”
“Hey, tell us what’s wrong.” Nina’s green eyes darkened. “We’ll help you fix it. Isn’t that what we always do for each other?”
Leah’s smile shook a little. “If only this were as simple as copying homework.” She opened her mouth to spill her guts about the pictures, then caught a glimpse of Arnold Dorsey crossing the restaurant toward the table where Waylon Brewster sat. Too risky. If they overheard her . . . She changed mental gears.
“It’s my grandma.”
“Oh, no. What crazy thing has Evie done now?” Paige asked.
“For once, the problem isn’t totally Gram’s fault.”
The story of the con man took the conversation through the salad course. By the time Leah had explained about Tony Bennett, their waiter had served their dinners and departed.
Nina poked a scallop in cream sauce then twirled the accompanying fettuccini around her fork. “What a sleazeball. Is Evie going to be okay financially? I sold a couple of paintings during the Fall Festival. I could donate—”
“Thanks, Nina, but no. I appreciate your generosity, but that would only be a temporary fix. Without her investment income, Gram can’t afford the senior apartments. She’s going to have to move in with me.”
“How will that work out?”
Leah blew on a bite of her soufflé before glancing back at her friend. “Fine. We get along well. She has a more active social life than I do. Once Ryan heads home, chances are I’ll cramp Grandma’s style more than she will mine.”
“Ouch. Is Ryan leaving soon?” Nina asked.
“I’m not sure—”
“What was the other alias?”
“Huh?” Leah turned to stare at Paige.
“You mentioned Thomas Woodward and Anthony Benedetto. What was the third name that creep used?”
“I can’t remember.” Leah frowned. “Wait, it was Williams.”
Paige’s blue eyes brightened. “Andrew Williams?”
“That doesn’t sound right.” Leah snapped her fingers. “Howard. Howard Williams.”
Paige pulled out her cell and tapped the screen.
“What are you doing?” Nina bit into a scallop and chewed. “Your pork tenderloin is getting cold, and you’re being very mysterious.”
“I have a theory . . . hold on . . .” Paige set down her phone and let out a whoop, then cringed when diners at nearby tables glanced their way. “Oops, sorry, I got a little carried away.”
“About what?” When Arnold Dorsey turned to frown in their direction, Leah lowered her voice even more. “Geez, you’re going to get us blacklisted from this place.”
“Doubtful. Not while we’re spending money. Anyway, I figured out the connection between the names. You know how I have a head for useless facts . . .”
Nina laughed. “That’s because you look up the history of all your antiques. What does that have to do with the cretin who robbed Evie?”
“This isn’t about antiques. Do you remember when my mom and a couple of her old college friends went to Vegas together? Well, they saw Tom Jones in concert.”
Leah frowned. “Who?”
“An early version of a pop star back in the late sixties and early seventies. I remember seeing his real name somewhere. Thomas Woodward.”
“You’re kidding!” Leah dropped her fork. “First Tony Bennett and now another singer?”
Paige tapped a few times then held up her phone. “This is Tom Jones back in the day when he was considered a sex symbol.”
“Oh, my God! That sort of looks like the police artist’s sketch of the con man.”
“Does it?”
Leah nodded. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Nina balled up her napkin and set it on the table. “Where does the Williams guy come into the picture?”
“That’s what I was checking. Andy Williams, who was another famous crooner from the same general era, was born Howard Williams.”
Leah stared at Paige. “Grandma listens to Andy Williams on her old stereo. She has a whole collection of records that are practically antiques.”
“So, this guy who has been robbing seniors impersonates singers from our grandparents’ heyday?” Nina’s gaze darted over Paige’s shoulder, and she lowered her voice. “But he uses their birth names, not their stage names. Why?”
“Maybe the crook likes taking risks but is a chicken at heart.” Paige picked up her fork. “He knows most of the seniors he scams would recognize these stage names but counts on them not knowing the names each man was born with. He’s playing a game and getting some sort of satisfaction from fooling people.”
“Interesting theory. I guess you’re using your psych degree after all.” Leah stopped speaking as Arnold Dorsey paused beside their table.
“Evening, ladies.” He spoke in a well-modulated tone. “How are your dinners?”
“Wonderful, Mr. Dorsey.” Nina smiled at him. “Your chef always turns out a top-rate meal.”
“Excellent.” He took a step back. “Enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you,” Paige said. After he had walked away, she added, “Hey, he didn’t even kick me out for shouting and disturbing the ambiance.”
“Not a chance.” Leah ate a bite of her soufflé. “While I’m extremely impressed with your powers of deduction, how are these new insights going to help catch the con man?”
Nina shrugged. “Tell the police and let them figure it out. That’s their job.”
“That would be my advice.” Paige smiled. “Although it was fun solving the mystery.”
“Fine, I will.” Leah dug into her soufflé. “Let’s eat and talk about something else. We spent too much on this dinner not to enjoy it.”
“True that,” Paige agreed. “You promised an update on your relationship with Ryan. Spill it.”
“All we’ve done is talk about me and my problems. Surely you two have something to contribute to the conversation.”
“Selling the buffet was the highlight of my week. That and advising Quentin about his latest woman problems. He seems to really like this one.” She sighed. “Obviously I need to get a life. How about you, Nina?”
“Let’s see. A For Sale sign went up on the house next door to mine, which totally sucks. I’ve enjoyed not having close neighbors since the wannabe rock star moved out.”
“That place needs a lot of work, so maybe it’ll take a while to sell.” Paige sipped her champagne. “Didn’t you mention something about a date with Clayton Smith a while back? How’d that go?”
“Horrible.”
Leah frowned at her friend. “Why? He’s good-looking, has his own business, and is plenty sharp. What was the problem?”
Her face tightened. “He’s not Keith.”
Paige scooted her chair closer and gave Nina a quick, hard hug. “It’s been nearly five years. Keith would want you to be happy.”
“I know, and I gave it a shot. Clay was sweet and tried really hard, but . . .” She shrugged. “I’m just not ready to let myself feel again.”
Leah couldn’t think of anything to say in the face of her friend’s determined martyrdom, at least nothing Nina would want to hear. She clamped down on the urge to shout and changed the subject. “Fine, we’ll talk about Ryan. Maybe that will motivate you two to put yourselves out there instead of wallowing in work or . . . whatever. Have I mentioned he’s really great—”
Paige slapped her hands over her ears. “TMI! I was kidding about you dishing the dirt.”
Leah laughed. “You’re actually blushing. What did you think I was going to say?”
“That Ryan’s an animal in bed?” Nina suggested.
“Kissing and telling isn’t my style. You’ll have to keep wondering about that.” She eyed Paige’s still pink cheeks. “Or not. I was going to say Ryan is great for my ego. It’s awfully nice to have a man around who tells me I’m wonderful instead of constantly criticizing.”
Nina pushed back her plate. “You are wonderful, and Brock is an asshole. Old news. Is your relationship with Ryan serious?”
“I think so.” A pain tweaked somewhere near her heart. “I sure hope so, but we have other . . . complications to work out before we can talk about the future.” Her attention strayed to the table several yards away when Waylon Brewster and his companions rose to their feet. As their gazes locked, the man’s lips twisted in a smile, and he gave a brief, acknowledging nod.
“Don’t wait.”
“Huh?” Leah glanced over at Nina.
“Life is short. Keith and I thought we had plenty of time to get married, have a family . . . If you love Ryan, seize the day. There might not be a tomorrow.”