Chapter Twenty
Maggie and Audrey hurried into the Halibut Cove Police Department, brushed past the officer at the reception desk and headed down the hall to the chief’s office.
Jill, seated behind her desk with a phone pressed to her ear, gave them a look that was equal parts exasperation and resignation.
She sighed audibly as she ended her call.
“I should’ve known you two would show up the minute you heard about the autopsy results,” Jill said, leaning back in her chair.
Maggie didn’t miss a beat. “Two murders in Halibut Cove, Jill. Something strange is going on, and you know it.”
Jill raised her hand. “Mom, don’t start. I already told you. I’ll get to the bottom of it. You don’t need to interfere in my investigation.”
Maggie ignored the warning and plopped into the chair across from Jill’s desk. “I think Clyde Peterson knows who killed Chips. That package of nightshade delivered to the PO box? Whoever hired Clyde and Troy probably killed Chips and tried to frame Waldo Duggan.”
Audrey nodded. “You have to admit, it’s too coincidental to ignore, Mom. You should at least bring Clyde and Troy in for questioning.”
Jill pinched the bridge of her nose. “I already plan to. But whether or not Clyde knows who killed Chips doesn’t mean he’s going to tell me.”
Maggie leaned forward, her voice quieter but insistent. “What about Griffin? Do you think his murder is connected to Chips’s?”
Jill hesitated. “I don’t know. I’d like to say no, but …” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Two murders in one town, this close together? Audrey’s right. It’s not something I can just chalk up to coincidence.”
Maggie sat back, satisfied for the moment. “Well, I trust you’ll figure it out.”
“I will,” Jill said firmly. She grabbed her jacket. “Right now, though, I’ve got to pick Katie up for lunch. Mason!”
Mason popped his head into the room, looking slightly nervous. “Yes, Chief?”
“Hold down the fort while I’m gone,” Jill instructed.
Mason nodded quickly, though he looked anything but confident. “Will do.”
Jill turned back to Maggie and Audrey. “Why don’t you two join us for lunch? I know Katie would love to hear about your latest adventures as Miss Marple and Veronica Mars.”
Unlike The Chowder House, the Seaview Diner was buzzing with its usual lunchtime energy when Maggie, Audrey, and Jill walked in.
Katie spotted them immediately from her corner booth, waving them over.
Dressed in her blue nurse’s uniform, her stethoscope dangling around her neck, Katie looked every bit the exhausted health-care worker taking a well-earned break. She grinned as they approached.
“There you are! I was beginning to think you’d gotten yourselves arrested for meddling,” Katie teased, sliding over to make room.
“Not yet,” Maggie said dryly, sliding into the booth next to her. Audrey took the seat across from them with Jill.
The waitress, Katty, appeared almost instantly, notepad in hand. “Well, if it isn’t the Holbrook clan. What can I get you troublemakers?”
“Coffee, to start,” Maggie said.
“Same here,” Jill added, while Audrey scanned the menu.
“I’ll do a tuna melt,” Katie said, handing Katty her menu. “Extra pickles. Thanks, hon.”
Audrey glanced up. “Turkey club, no mayo, please.”
Katty nodded, jotting it down. “And for you, Maggie?”
“Soup of the day, and whatever sandwich you’ve got that’ll fill me up. I’m starving.”
“Coming right up,” Katty said, vanishing toward the kitchen.
Katie turned to Audrey with a mischievous glint in her eye. “All right, spill. How was your appointment with the hottest dentist in Halibut Cove? Is he as dreamy as I promised?”
Audrey sighed, already regretting mentioning it. “He’s good-looking, I’ll give you that. But there’s something about him that feels … off.”
“Off?” Katie echoed, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “What’s off about being devastatingly handsome and ridiculously charming?”
Audrey rolled her eyes. “You sound like you’re writing his dating profile for Tinder.”
“Maybe I should,” Katie quipped. “He’s a catch, Audrey. Do you know how rare it is to find someone that good-looking, single, and employed in Halibut Cove? You’d better lock that down before the rest of the town figures it out.”
Audrey snorted. “He’s a little old for me, Katie.”
Maggie, listening with a bemused expression, finally chimed in. “Handsome or not, I hate going to the dentist.”
Katty reappeared, expertly balancing a tray with their drinks. “Coffee for the two in charge,” she said, sliding mugs to Jill and Maggie, “and a cola for the nurse who looks like she’s running on fumes.”
“Bless you,” Katie said, taking the soda.
“Food’s coming right up,” Katty said before heading to another table.
Jill shook her head. “How do I always end up with you two stirring up trouble? It’s a full-time job just keeping tabs on you.”
“Well, it’s not every day Halibut Cove has a murder,” Audrey said.
“Let alone two!” Maggie exclaimed.
“By the way,” Audrey said quietly, “Dr. Comstock mentioned his family had spent some time in Halibut Cove years ago. At least, that’s what he told me. Do you know anything about that, Nana?”
Maggie tilted her head, thinking. “What’s his last name again?”
“Comstock,” Katie chimed in, clearly still on Team Bradley.
Maggie’s expression shifted as the name sparked something in her memory. “Comstock … That rings a bell. Back when Wes and I were just starting out, there was a young couple—Ed and Lily Comstock. We didn’t really socialize, but I remember running into them at parties occasionally.”
Audrey leaned forward. “Do you think they’re related to Dr. Comstock?”
“Maybe,” Maggie said, her voice trailing off.
“Bradley would’ve been too young to remember, if he was even born yet.
But Wes did mention Ed’s name once or twice.
Something about a business deal. It was so long ago.
I was pregnant and so preoccupied getting ready for Oliver’s arrival, I can barely remember. ”
“Do you think there’s anything lying around from that time?” Audrey asked.
Maggie hesitated. “I’m not sure if Wes kept it, but if he did, it would be in his office. That man never threw anything away.”
Katty returned with their food, expertly distributing plates around the table. “Soup, tuna melt, turkey club, and a chicken salad sandwich,” she announced.
“Thanks, Katty,” Maggie said, already reaching for her spoon.
“Need anything else?”
“We’re good,” Jill said.
As they ate, the conversation drifted to lighter topics, though Audrey’s mind was racing. By the time the check arrived, she was already calculating how quickly they could get home to start searching.
Maggie pulled out her wallet, ignoring Jill’s protests. “Lunch is on me.”
Jill smirked as Maggie handed the bill back to Katty. “There’s no stopping you, is there?”
“Never has been,” Maggie replied, standing. “Come on, Audrey. Let’s see what we can dig up.”
Back at the house, Maggie led Audrey into what used to be Wes’s office. The room was a time capsule of old files, faded photos, and shelves of books that hadn’t been touched in years. Papers were stacked precariously on every surface, a monument to Wes’s decades of meticulous record-keeping.
“Welcome to the chaos,” Maggie said, gesturing to the clutter. “If it’s here, it’s somewhere in this mess.”
Audrey surveyed the room, feeling both overwhelmed and determined. “What year are we looking for?”
“It would’ve been in the 1980s,” Maggie said, already pulling open a filing cabinet. “Oliver was born in 1985, so it had to be right around then.”
They worked in companionable silence, sifting through folders and stacks of papers. After nearly an hour, Maggie pulled out a yellowing file labeled COMSTOCK REAL ESTATE DEAL.
“Found it,” she said, her voice tinged with triumph. She opened the folder and quickly scanned the contents. “Look at this—Wes was considering a deal with Ed Comstock, Chips Hogan, and Griffin Mead.”
“What? Are you serious? The two murder victims?”
“I know,” Maggie gasped, shaking her head. “That can’t just be a wild coincidence, can it?”
Audrey’s brow furrowed. “Most likely not. What kind of deal was it?”
Maggie handed her the file. “A real estate development. There was some waterfront property for sale that they planned on revitalizing—fifteen boat slips, a public market, plaza, and a significant amount of open space, aiming to blend commercial and recreational spaces. But it looks like it fell apart.”
Audrey flipped through the documents, stopping when she found a folded piece of paper. “There’s a letter in here.” She opened it and began to read aloud.
Dear Ed,
I’ve given your proposal a great deal of thought. Unfortunately, I must decline further involvement. While I was initially interested in your project, the way this deal has unfolded has left me uneasy.
Maggie leaned in. “Keep going.”
You failed to disclose to Chips and Griffin that the other was involved in the deal. You referred to them only as “silent partners.” Once they discovered the truth, their past history and unresolved resentments surfaced, making it impossible for them to move forward together.
Maggie nodded slowly. “That tracks. Chips and Griffin have always butted heads ever since the failed hardware store project.”
Audrey kept reading.
Griffin, who is struggling financially, was especially angry. He gambled what little he had on this deal, believing it to be a sure thing. But he refused to take the risk once he realized Chips was involved, having already been burned by him once.
Maggie frowned. “So Ed kept them both in the dark on purpose.”
“It gets worse,” Audrey said.
I initially considered investing more to keep the project afloat, but after reviewing the financials, I discovered discrepancies in your accounting. I cannot in good conscience proceed with this venture. My family’s financial stability must come first.
Maggie sat back, stunned. “Wes must’ve seen through Ed’s mismanagement. That’s why he backed out.”
Audrey folded the letter carefully. “Do you think this is connected to Dr. Comstock?”
Maggie’s expression hardened. “It’s too much of a coincidence not to be. We need to find out what Bradley knows—and if Ed Comstock’s past is catching up to his family.”