Chapter Thirty-five
The Halibut Cove Fire Department pancake breakfast was in full swing by the time Maggie and Audrey arrived. The firehouse had been transformed into a bustling community gathering, with long communal tables set up beneath banners announcing FIREFIGHTERS’ COMMUNITY OUTREACH FUNDRAISER.
Maggie, as expected, was in her element.
“Morning, Bob!” she called out, waving at Bob Pickens, the owner of the bike rental shop in the summer.
“Lookin’ sharp, Maggie,” Bob grinned, patting his considerable stomach. “Came for the pancakes or the gossip?”
“Both,” Maggie quipped, making Bob chuckle.
Audrey, meanwhile, had her eyes peeled for Adelaide Hutchins.
They had to be strategic—Adelaide wasn’t just a chatty local, she was their one lead. Griffin Mead’s friend, occasional companion, and potentially the one person who knew what he knew.
Audrey spotted her at the far end of the firehouse, sitting at a table near the coffee station, stacking her pancakes with a frankly concerning amount of whipped cream.
Maggie nudged Audrey. “There’s our girl.”
Audrey grabbed two plates, piled high with pancakes, and led the way to Adelaide’s table.
“Mind if we join you?” Maggie asked with her usual effortless charm.
Adelaide glanced up, her lips dusted with powdered sugar. “Well, if it isn’t the Holbrook ladies. Take a seat—long as you don’t try to steal my whipped cream.”
Audrey smiled as she and Maggie sat. They made small talk first, chatting about the weather, the fundraiser turnout, and whose kids had gotten engaged.
Finally, Maggie steered the conversation where they needed it to go.
“So, Adelaide,” Maggie said lightly, cutting into her pancake, “I heard you and Griffin used to keep each other company every now and then before … he so tragically passed.”
Adelaide hesitated, her fork pausing mid-air. “Why do you want to know?”
Audrey exchanged a quick glance with Maggie. “We’re just trying to understand what happened to him.”
“Well, we did spend time together, but I was always the second choice. It was no secret Griffin had his eye on Ethel Primrose, so I knew I was going to be forever a lady in waiting.”
“That must have been hard,” Maggie whispered.
Adelaide shrugged, resigned. “Was what it was. He wasn’t without his charm. And life as a widow in this town can get mighty lonely, so I enjoyed his company when I could get it.”
She sighed wistfully. “That man could drink.” She shook her head. “Whenever he had a few, he’d want to talk about everything—our spouses, our regrets, the past. He carried a lot of ghosts. But now that he’s gone … well, I don’t see the harm.”
Audrey leaned in. “Did he ever talk about the Barker family?”
Adelaide frowned slightly, then shrugged. “Few times. One night, he got really drunk, started rambling on about something that happened when he was young, back when he worked for Rhonda’s father, Arthur.”
Audrey’s pulse quickened.
“What did he say?” Maggie asked, her voice casual.
Adelaide glanced around and lowered her voice. “He said he saw everything.”
Audrey and Maggie exchanged a glance.
Adelaide leaned in, spearing a piece of pancake with her fork. “Griffin told me that Billy Sawyer was stalking Rhonda. He was convinced the baby was his and not Bert’s, and he was pressuring her for a paternity test. But Rhonda refused, which only made Billy more paranoid.”
Audrey frowned. “And that night?”
Adelaide took a long sip of coffee before answering. “Billy got into the house. Confronted Rhonda. From what Griffin saw, it wasn’t self-defense. He wasn’t attacking her. She just wanted him gone so she could be with Bert.”
A chill ran down Audrey’s spine.
“Griffin was definitely there?” Maggie pressed.
Adelaide nodded. “He was outside, working late for Arthur. Saw the whole thing from the window.”
Audrey exhaled. “And Arthur covered it up.”
Adelaide nodded again. “Paid Griffin a nice sum of money to keep his mouth shut. And he did. Kept his promise. But once he got into the sauce, he had loose lips.”
Maggie swirled her coffee in thought. “And Bert?”
Adelaide shook her head. “Bert wasn’t even there that night. But he’s taking the fall for it now.”
Maggie pushed her plate away, her expression serious. That was new information. “That’s one hell of a secret to keep. Why didn’t you tell this to Lou Grady?”
“Because Lou would exploit it for his own gain, splash it all over the front page of the paper, and most importantly, I don’t like Lou Grady. But I like you, Maggie.”
Audrey felt her stomach twist. “So Bert is willing to go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, all for Rhonda.”
Adelaide shrugged. “Love makes people do stupid things.”
After leaving Adelaide, Audrey and Maggie continued mingling. Maggie was deep in conversation with the fire chief, who looked positively smitten, while Audrey wandered toward the coffee station.
That’s when she saw him.
Dr. Bradley Comstock.
He was standing near the exit, engaged in what looked like an intense conversation with a man Audrey didn’t recognize—tall, broad-shouldered, with a sleek business casual look.
Audrey, feeling bold, approached. “Bradley,” she said smoothly.
Bradley turned sharply, and Audrey caught the flicker of alarm in his eyes before he smoothed his expression.
“Audrey,” he greeted, flashing his trademark charming smile. “Enjoying the pancakes?”
Audrey glanced at the man beside him. He muttered something to Bradley and hurried off.
Bradley adjusted his cuffs. “What can I do for you?”
Audrey raised a brow. “Who was that?”
Bradley’s smile didn’t falter, but Audrey noticed the tension in his jaw.
“No one important.”
Audrey crossed her arms. “Interesting. He looked important enough for you to stop talking the moment I showed up.”
Bradley chuckled. “I didn’t realize I was under investigation.”
Audrey gave him a tight smile. “I don’t know, Bradley. Seems like you have a lot of secrets. Like your family’s history with mine.”
Bradley’s expression didn’t change, but she saw the flicker in his eyes.
“I did a little digging,” Audrey continued, folding her arms. “Turns out my grandfather Wes, Chips Hogan, and Griffin Mead were all involved in a real estate deal with your father, Ed. That is, until they all backed out.”
Bradley’s jaw twitched. “Is that so?”
Audrey tilted her head. “Your father was left high and dry after that deal fell apart. Then he left town. And not long after, he … well.” She hesitated, watching his reaction carefully. “I imagine that must have been hard on your family.”
Bradley’s pleasant expression cooled.
“Digging up old business deals?” he said lightly. “That doesn’t seem like your area of expertise.”
Audrey’s smile was sharp. “Neither does murder, but someone in town seems to be getting creative.”
Bradley let out a slow breath, then suddenly flashed another grin, flipping the switch back to charm mode.
“You really should stay out of things that don’t concern you, Audrey.” His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it now.
Audrey refused to flinch. “Halibut Cove concerns me. Especially when people start dying left and right.”
Bradley exhaled slowly, then suddenly stepped back with an easy smile. “Enjoy your day.”
Audrey watched him go, her pulse steady but her instincts screaming.
She’d just hit a nerve.
As Audrey turned away, she suddenly felt something cold and sticky drip down her shoulder.
“Oh no!”
She looked up to see Melanie, Dr. Comstock’s receptionist, standing there with an upturned syrup container.
Melanie gasped dramatically. “I’m so sorry, Audrey! My hands just slipped!”
Audrey narrowed her eyes. “Right.”
Melanie dabbed at Audrey’s sleeve with a ridiculous amount of napkins.
“I just hate seeing women throw themselves at men, don’t you?” Melanie murmured, voice dripping with false sympathy. “It’s just … so desperate.”
Audrey smiled. “You seem awfully invested in Bradley’s love life.”
Melanie flushed. “I just care about him, that’s all. And you—you’re wasting your time.”
Audrey wiped syrup off her hand. “Don’t worry, Melanie. I have no romantic interest in your boss.”
Melanie sniffed. “Well, good. Because he deserves someone … more sophisticated. And let’s face it, you’re way too young for him. He needs a more experienced woman.”
Audrey laughed. “If you think I’m competition, you’ve got bigger problems than syrup.”
Melanie huffed and stormed off.
Audrey found Maggie chatting animatedly with the fire chief, who looked practically ready to offer her free fire safety inspections for life.
Before Audrey could pull Maggie away, her attention was diverted to her mother, Jill, who was standing near the coffee station—clearly trapped in conversation with Mark Haskell.
Mark had leaned in slightly, his expression half amusement, half challenge.
“You keep saying this isn’t a good idea,” he said, “but I think we both know otherwise.”
Jill sighed, stirring her coffee with unnecessary force. “Mark, I don’t have time for romance right now.”
Mark grinned. “You make time for things that matter.”
Maggie, never one to miss an opportunity to meddle, suddenly appeared at Jill’s side and patted Mark’s arm approvingly.
“That’s right! Listen to Mark.”
Jill shot her mother a murderous glare. “I don’t need my family ganging up on me right now.”
Audrey smirked, taking a sip of her own coffee. “I like Mark. You should stop monkeying around and just say yes.”
Jill scoffed. “To what?”
Maggie gave Mark a playful wink. “To whatever he’s asking.”
Jill groaned. “This is an ambush.”
Mark looked pleased. “A well-executed one.” He turned to Maggie. “I like your daughter, but I gotta say, Maggie—you might be my favorite Holbrook.”
Maggie beamed. “Mark, you flatterer. If Jill doesn’t want you, I’ll adopt you myself.”
Jill pinched the bridge of her nose. “I swear to God, if you don’t stop—”
Audrey leaned toward Mark conspiratorially. “I think she’s warming up to you.”
Jill let out a sharp exhale. “I’m leaving before one of you tries to officiate something.”
Mark chuckled as she stormed off. “She’s feisty. I like that.”
Maggie watched Jill’s retreating figure and sighed dramatically. “Impossible.”
Mark, finishing his coffee, gave Maggie a wink before heading toward the exit. “I’ll see you ladies around.”
Shaking off the entertainment of Jill’s romantic troubles, Audrey turned her attention back to the mystery at hand.
“Nana,” she said, grabbing her grandmother’s arm before she could get pulled back into more gossip, “I need your help.”
Maggie sighed but followed her anyway. “Let me guess. You’re on a mission.”
Audrey scanned the room. “There was a man talking to Bradley earlier. Tall, suit jacket, very businessy.”
Maggie frowned. “Yes, I saw him walking around. I didn’t recognize him.”
At that moment, the smitten fire chief conveniently materialized beside them, eager for another chance to chat with Maggie.
Audrey seized the opportunity. “Chief, do you know who that man was talking to Dr. Comstock earlier?”
The fire chief brightened at the chance to be helpful. “Yes, that’s Fred Grindle.”
Maggie’s brow furrowed. “Grindle … Grindle … Nope, not ringing a bell.”
The fire chief leaned in slightly, clearly enjoying Maggie’s undivided attention. “Big property developer out of Bangor. Owns a bunch of real estate up and down the coast.”
Audrey and Maggie exchanged a look.
Fred Grindle.
Maggie shrugged. “Never heard of him.”
“Yeah, he comes to Halibut Cove quite a lot with his eye toward buying up properties. Last I heard, he was trying to get his hands on Chips Hogan’s property to turn into a bed and breakfast, but you know how stubborn Chips was, he refused.
Now, suddenly, this Grindle guy was in cahoots with Bradley?
Alarm bells began ringing in Audrey’s head.
Something wasn’t adding up.