Chapter 22

Now that we were headed to Gina’s, the idea of facing a murder suspect on her turf was all too real. I focused on the line of cars heading into town to see the regatta arrive as we headed out toward the inn. Traffic meant that people would be hitting the stores in town, so fingers crossed that would lead to business at the Wick & Flame.

I looked at Andy, who was studying the road. I could see he had a lot on his mind. He had put on his police cap, which he didn’t often do. I was thinking he looked older in it, but then changed my mind when I saw a drawing in black ink behind his ear of a happy emoji with a mustache.

“Is that a tattoo behind your ear?” I said, tugging at his earlobe.

Andy pulled his head away.

“No,” he said. “Georgianna thought it would be funny to draw it on me when I was asleep. I didn’t notice it, of course, because who sees drawings behind their ear? She keeps doing things she thinks are funny jokes, but she’s really, and I mean really, bad at pranks.”

“It’s kind of funny,” I said.

I laughed. Andy looked at me and grabbed my nose between his knuckles. The gesture lasted only a second, but it was new for us, and we both got quiet for a moment.

“Georgianna’s decided that if she is going to stay on Nantucket, she needs to get off the sea and get in touch with the land. And her chakras,” said Andy. “She’s given up sailing to become an artist.”

“Good for her,” I said, thinking that Voldemort could have learned something from Georgianna. As for the chakras, what was I going to say?

When we finally left town and hit the open road toward the inn, Andy glanced at me.

“Ready for this?” he said.

“Are you kidding?”

“This is not a game,” he said. “This is a murder investigation. A violent murder, too.”

“I know that,” I said. “Need I remind you that while you’ve been chasing mischief makers on beaches, I’ve likely spent the weekend with a murderer?”

I immediately regretted what I had said. I had so much respect for Andy’s work.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Bah,” he said. “I’ve been knee deep in lobster-trap buoys half the weekend.”

A few minutes later, we pulled up to the cottage.

“Stella,” he said before we got out.

“No speeches,” I said. “I’ll be careful. Anyway, who’s going to think that the Candle Lady would pursue a murderer?”

“Someone who thinks like a murderer,” he said. “Just know, I’ve got us covered.”

“I appreciate the chivalry,” I said.

“It’s not chivalry. And by the way, as a police officer, I don’t like the idea that you might unwittingly tell something to your new boyfriend that might end up in the paper,” he said.

“Are you accusing Peter of pursuing me for my pillow talk?” I didn’t know whether to laugh or punch him.

“Pillow talk?” he said. “That’s fast.”

“Zip it,” I said. “Peter will investigate what Peter investigates. He doesn’t need me.”

I opened the car door and marched straight to Gina’s door with the bag containing her outfit. Any apprehension I had about talking to a potential murderer had dissolved. I was a woman with a mission.

I knocked. I noticed Tinker had not joined us. I wondered if his instincts were right.

There was no answer, but I was used to Gina’s door-answering routine.

Andy was beside me. We waited a moment. Then, he put his hand on his gun as he raised the other to knock once more.

“Hold on there,” I said, laying a hand on his forearm. “You brought me here for subtlety, right?”

I knocked again.

“I have to admit,” said Andy as we waited. “If you were to change professions, this isn’t a bad one for you.”

The door opened, and Gina Ginelli stared at us.

“Thank God,” she said. “I was afraid you’d be one of the gang of partiers that slept on the beach last night. We had a good laugh and a great swim, but in the light of day, I think it’s better we all went our separate ways, if you know what I mean.”

Gina looked very different from the woman I’d seen weeping on the widow’s walk last night. Her hair was tousled, she wore jeans and a man-tailored shirt, tied at the waist with the sleeves rolled up.

“I have your clothes,” I said, raising my bag. “I hate to intrude, but I left my stuff in your car last night.”

“Of course, come in, both of you,” she said.

“Thanks,” I said, happy that my ruse to get inside had worked. That done, I wasn’t sure what to do next.

“How’s your trip been?” said Andy to Gina. He eyed the cottage as he spoke. I looked around, too, casually of course. Everything was super tidy. Even the script that had been scattered on Gina’s table yesterday was now in a neat pile.

“The trip’s been very productive,” she said. “I’ve gotten a lot of work done. Stella, I’ll just trot upstairs and grab your bag.”

“Ms. Ginelli,” said Andy. “If it’s not too intrusive, would you mind if Stella grabbed her things herself? I have a full plate today and I know I promised to tell you a little bit about small-town cops. I’d hate to let you down.”

“You’re not letting me down at all,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ve got it,” I said and stepped ahead of her.

Gina smiled, graciously.

“Well, then, thank you for your offer,” she said. “I always appreciate the opportunity to add a thing or two to my actors’ tool bag.”

I had no idea why Andy wanted me to do this errand alone. At the top of the stairs, I turned and waved to both of them. They both waved back. Andy was behind Gina. He pointed his fingers to his eyes and then made a circular motion with them. I took that to mean he wanted me to look around her room. I saluted, then cringed at my response as I turned and walked into her room.

Gina was definitely in a housekeeping mood this morning. Her room was as tidy as the living space downstairs. I made a decision to clean my apartment.

My bag, as promised, was on her bed. Beside it was a shopping bag in which I found my clothes as well. I’d plumb forgotten them as I’d rushed out of Gina’s car last night. The shopping bag was gorgeous. Thick and blue with a store name I did not recognize but which advertised that it was from Milan. I hoped it wouldn’t turn out to be any sort of evidence because I really wanted to have it in my emergency collection stuck under my kitchen sink. I’d probably use it to hold all the other bags I shoved under there.

The room was ridiculously tidy, and nothing stood out, so I went into the bathroom. It was spic and span, too. Remarkably so. All the makeup that had been scattered around the vanity last night was put away. I glanced at the shower and towel racks that had been covered in all sorts of lingerie last night. This afternoon, there was no sign of them. I opened her bathroom drawers. They were empty. This was both exciting and terrifying to me, and in spite of my confidence only a few minutes ago, I admit I was glad Andy was in the house and carrying a gun.

I suddenly didn’t want my disappearance upstairs to be too long for fear that Gina would catch on that I was snooping around. I decided, however, to do one more thing before I headed downstairs. I opened the closet door.

At least one mystery was solved. From the looks of it, pretty much everything Gina had brought with her on her trip to Nantucket was now shoved in the walk-in closet. On a luggage rack in the middle of the closet was a half-packed suitcase with most of the items I had seen last night. I surmised that the tidiness of the cottage was not due to a housekeeping bug, but because Ms. Gina Ginelli was no longer planning to spend the entirety of Memorial Day weekend on Nantucket. I confess the revelation did make me feel a little better about my own domestic habits.

“Do you see the bag?” Gina called up from below.

“Got it,” I said, closing the closet door and quickly grabbing the bag.

On my way out, I glanced out the bedroom window and realized that it looked over the drive where Andy and I had parked. I realized that Gina could have easily seen us pull up and thrown her suitcase into the closet. A sneaky exit did not bode well for her.

I exited the room and held the bags up for both to see as I descended the stairs.

“I don’t know what took me so long,” I said, aware as the words came out of my mouth that I was not being too cool. “I just wanted to make sure everything was inside. It was.”

“Good,” said Gina. “Well, then, I guess this is goodbye. It was good to see you both. And thank you, Officer, for the description of how the police make arrests. I’ll be sure to share it with my director.”

“I’m so impressed with how tidy your room and bathroom are,” I said, hoping that Andy would get what he needed from me by my hint. “I hope I didn’t make a mess last night,”

Andy nodded to me. Message received.

“Not at all,” said Gina, heading to the door.

“Ms. Ginelli,” said Andy. He did not move to follow her to the door.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do. His formality was subtly crushing.

“Excuse me?” she said.

“Ms. Ginelli.” Andy pulled out his notebook from his hip. “Were you having an affair with Simon Sterling?”