Chapter Ten
The buzz of gossip was thick in the air as Maggie stepped into the town library, a canvas tote of books slung over her shoulder.
As she approached the front desk, Mrs. Whishaw, the librarian, smiled warmly.
“Afternoon, Maggie! Returning some mysteries?” Mrs. Whishaw announced, her booming voice louder than you would expect from a librarian.
“You know me too well, Sylvia,” Maggie said, sliding a small stack of novels across the counter. “Any new recommendations?”
Mrs. Whishaw’s eyes lit up. “I just got the latest James Patterson. It’s got a serial killer, lots of twists …”
Maggie wrinkled her nose. “You know, I’m not much for blood and gore. I like something cozier, a mystery set in a quaint little town. Like Halibut Cove.”
Mrs. Whishaw chuckled. “You mean where the biggest drama is who’s won the clam chowder contest?”
“Or who’s poisoned the competition,” Maggie muttered, her tone dark.
Mrs. Whishaw raised a curious eyebrow, but before she could ask, voices from behind the counter caught their attention.
“I just don’t believe it was Waldo Duggan,” whispered Lucy Perkins. “He doesn’t have the appetite for murder.”
“Then who do you think did it?” Binnie Caldwell replied.
Maggie and Mrs. Whishaw exchanged glances. Mrs. Whishaw opened her mouth to warn the women that Maggie was within earshot, but Maggie shook her head and motioned for her to stay quiet.
“Well,” Lucy said, lowering her voice, “I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be Maggie Holbrook’s granddaughter, Audrey.”
Binnie gasped. “Audrey? That sweet girl? I can’t believe it.”
“Why not?” Lucy replied. “It’s no secret she served Chips his last meal. And Maggie spoiled her rotten. She’s always been a bit of a wild child.”
Maggie’s grip on the counter tightened.
“Still,” Binnie said hesitantly, “that doesn’t mean she’d go as far as kill someone.”
“Anything’s possible,” Lucy whispered. “Phyllis Hoffmann was saying the same thing at the hairdresser’s yesterday.”
Maggie had heard enough. She turned sharply. “Lucy Perkins.”
The women jumped, their faces turning pale.
“Maggie! I didn’t see you there,” Lucy stammered.
“Clearly,” Maggie replied. “Tell me, what evidence do you have that Audrey poisoned Chips Hogan?”
Lucy fumbled. “Well, she served him the chowder …”
“In front of witnesses,” Maggie said. “If Audrey was a killer, do you think she’d be stupid enough to poison someone in plain sight?”
Lucy’s mouth opened and closed, no words coming out.
“And what would her motive be?” Maggie pressed.
Lucy looked at Binnie for help, but Binnie shrank back. “I-I’m not sure,” Lucy admitted.
“Exactly. So maybe think twice before spreading baseless accusations,” Maggie said, her tone steely.
Lucy mumbled an apology and hurried out.
Binnie lingered awkwardly, twisting her hands together. “Maggie, I just want to say, I don’t believe for a minute that Audrey could have done anything like that,” she said earnestly. “But Lucy gave me a ride here, so …” She gestured helplessly.
Maggie softened slightly. “Thank you, Binnie. You have a nice day and say hello to Charles.”
Binnie nodded and scurried out after Lucy.
Mrs. Whishaw sighed. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, Maggie.”
Maggie waved it off. “People love to talk. But I’ll be damned if I let anyone drag my Audrey’s name through the mud.”
Maggie dropped her new stack of books in her car and set off on foot to clear her head.
The crisp autumn air helped, but she was still fuming when she passed the Thirsty Gull, Halibut Cove’s favorite watering hole.
Loud voices and the crash of breaking glass made her stop.
Peering through the window, she saw a full-blown free-for-all in progress.
Maggie pulled out her phone and called Jill. “You need to get to the Gull. There’s a brawl going on.”
“Stay out of it, Mom,” Jill warned.
“Of course,” Maggie lied, pushing open the door.
Inside, the chaos was worse than she’d imagined.
Chairs were overturned, glasses smashed, and in the middle of it all, Clyde Peterson and a couple of his hulking drinking buddies squared off against Cord and Sandy.
Lester, the bar owner, was crouched behind the counter, shouting, “Stop it! You’re wrecking my place! ”
“Enough!” Maggie yelled, her voice rising above the din. “Enough!” She grabbed an overturned chair and banged it against the floor. The noise finally cut through the chaos, and the fighters froze mid-swing.
Maggie glared at her sons. “What the hell do you two think you’re doing?”
Cord wiped blood from his lip. “Clyde started mouthing off about Audrey, saying some crap about how she’s planning her next murder. I told him to shut up, and he kept pushing.”
“So you decided to turn this place into a war zone?” Maggie snapped.
“You’re better than this, Cord. And you too, Sandy.
How do you think this looks?” She then turned to Clyde, who was gingerly touching a red welt on the side of his face.
“And where did you hear this rumor about my granddaughter, Clyde? Perhaps from your busybody Aunt Lucy?”
Before Clyde could respond, Jill and Mason burst through the door. Jill’s voice cut like a whip. “What the hell is going on here?”
Cord gestured toward Clyde. “He started it.”
“I don’t care who started it,” Jill snapped. “You trashed Lester’s bar.”
Cord sighed. “I’ll pay for the damages. And I’ll donate to Lester’s son’s Little League team. They need new uniforms.”
Lester peeked over the bar. “I appreciate that, Cord. It’s okay …”
“No, it’s not okay,” Jill interjected. “You’re all under arrest.”
Cord’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Public disturbance, destruction of property, and I’ll think of more on the way to the station,” Jill said. “Mason, cuff them. And call for backup. We’re going to need another patrol car to transport all of them to the station.”
Mason nodded then reached for the cuffs attached to his belt. “I only got one pair.”
Jill sighed, unhooked her pair, and tossed them to him. “Now you’ve got two. Tell ’em to bring more when you call for back up.” Then she turned to her brothers. “In the meantime, start with those two.”
Maggie stepped forward. “Jill, is this really necessary?”
Jill turned to her. “Mom, stay out of it.”
Mason began cuffing the brawlers, Cord and Sandy first.
At the station, Maggie paced the waiting area outside Jill’s office, where she could hear Jill venting to Mason. “They acted like complete idiots. And now Oliver’s going to show up and smooth it all over.”
As if on cue, Oliver breezed in, impeccably dressed and exuding calm authority.
Maggie crossed her arms. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here on behalf of Clyde’s parents to bail him out,” Oliver said. “They’re worried about his trial.”
Maggie shook her head. “They’re always bailing him out.”
Jill scoffed from the doorway. “So are you, Mom. You’re here to bail out Cord and Sandy, and Oliver’s here to make sure they don’t get into any trouble, once again allowing them to escape any responsibility for their actions.”
Maggie bristled. “That’s not the same thing.”
“Isn’t it?” Jill shot back.
Cord, led out by Mason, stopped when he saw Oliver. “Don’t tell me. You’re not here for us, you’re here for Peterson. I can’t believe you’re still representing that piece of scum!”
Oliver’s expression remained neutral. “Like I told you, Cord, again and again, everyone deserves a defense. Even Clyde.”
“He’s trash,” Cord snapped.
“Enough,” Maggie interjected. “Cord, now’s not the time.”
Mason led Clyde out. Oliver turned to him. “Keep your mouth shut, Clyde. You’re already in deep enough.”
Clyde sneered but said nothing.
“Your parents are outside waiting to take you home. Come by to see me first thing in the morning so we can discuss strategy.”
“Whatever you say, Counselor,” Clyde said, winking at Cord.
Sandy grabbed Cord by the arm to keep him from impulsively lunging at his tormentor and starting the scuffle all over again but this time inside of a police station.
Not the best idea.
Once Clyde was gone, Oliver turned to Jill. “I spoke to the DA. We can sort this out before it becomes a big deal.”
Jill shot Maggie a pointed look, her I told you so clear without a word.
Maggie sighed. “Let’s just get this over with.”