Hannah licked her dry lips. She didn’t even have to examine the inscription on the back of the watch. She could pick it out from a pile of watches. Her mother had given her dad that watch when they first got engaged. It was the first possession of his that had signaled his ascension to the moneyed class. He’d bought other, more expensive watches since this one, but this marked a milestone in his social climbing.
Jed tossed a wad of bills back into the box. “What is Zoey doing with your dad’s watch?”
Her gaze shifted to Jed’s hands, curled into fists. “I know what you’re thinking—that he gave her this watch as payment for setting you up—but I don’t think so.”
“I thought you were beginning to see things my way.”
“Oh, I am.” She twirled the watch around her finger as the links clinked together. “But my dad never would’ve given this up. It meant too much to him. Besides, why give her a watch when she’d prefer cash...and he had that, too.”
“Maybe this.” Jed poked his fingers at the rolled-up bills in the box.
“Maybe.” She cupped the watch in her hand and squinted at the engraving on the back of the face—her parents’ initials and the date of their engagement. “If he had given this watch to Zoey as a bribe, she would’ve hawked it by now. What good is this to her?”
Jed scratched his chin. “You think she stole it? When would she ever have had that opportunity?”
“When they were together planning your fall.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t remember my dad wearing this watch after...after I left for college. But he didn’t report it as stolen, either.”
Jed took a few steps away from the couch. “The watch can’t tell us much about Zoey’s murder, but the cash can. Like I said before when you weren’t listening, it could be drug money. She could’ve been playing fast and loose with her dealer’s drugs and money, and he killed her for it. I ran into Chase in the pet store, and he even admitted Zoey was stealing from him.”
“He must be confident in his alibi to be spreading around that bit of gossip.”
“Yeah, I reminded him not to be so cocky. Alibis have a habit of disappearing in this town.”
“It’s just...odd.” She thumbed through the money in the box, both stacks and rolls. “And what about Stephanie? Does she have a stash of money in her place, too? Two women who use drugs with no history of selling are murdered because they both decided, at the same time, to rip off their dealers?”
“When we give the money to the police, it’s going to bolster that theory.”
“But they can’t make it stick to Stephanie.”
Jed said, “They’ll just assume the killer got the money back from her.”
“Flimsy.” She hung the heavy watch around her wrist. “We’ll tell them about the money, but they don’t have to know about this watch.”
“Why not? It’s not as if your father could’ve had anything to do with Zoey’s murder.” Jed slid the secret panel back over the hole, which it no longer concealed due to the broken panels on either side.
She shook her arm, rattling the watch. “I’m conducting my own investigation, and I think this is a piece of that puzzle. What came first? Zoey’s accusation against you? Or my father’s suggestion to her that she trump up a charge?”
“I don’t know, Hannah. Maybe you should just let it go. He’s dead. I’m free. We’re...friends again.”
“Are we?”
He blew out his cheeks. “Let’s get out of this dump. How are you going to explain Zoey’s money to the cops?”
“I’m going to tell the truth. Sheldon mentioned a secret hiding place in the home, but I didn’t tell them about it because I didn’t know if it was a fantasy. I remembered I still had the keys from before, decided to take a look myself and discovered the money. They’ll be grateful.”
Jed snorted. “For being the daughter of a cop, you don’t know cops very well.”
“Now they can take their drug scenario and run with it.”
“If that’s the end of this.” Jed dropped beside her on the couch and took the box from her lap. “And there’s not another murder.”
LESS THAN AN hour later, as the box sat on the floor under the seat and the watch was tucked away in Hannah’s purse, Jed pulled his truck up to the curb a block from the best pizza place in town.
When he cut the engine, he sat in place, running his hands along the steering wheel. “It’ll probably be crowded in there. Luigi’s always is.”
“Yeah, so?” She already had her hand on the door handle.
“You sure you wanna be seen with me?” His lips twisted, but not into a smile.
She released the handle and grabbed his forearm. “Are you serious? Are you worried about the past or the present? You were exonerated almost three years ago, and you have strong alibis for both of these murders. Nobody is looking at you for this.”
“I know, but...”
“You’re an ex-con.” She dug her fingernails into his arm. “Stop with the self-pity, Swain. Nobody cares.”
Before he could answer, she released his arm and shoved open the door of the truck, hopping to the ground.
When he joined her on the sidewalk, she hooked her arm through his to show him she meant it. She wasn’t ashamed of being seen with Jed Swain.
She kept a firm hold of him when they pushed through the door of the restaurant. The din of the room and the smell of garlic engulfed them. Nobody here seemed too concerned about the death of two local women.
A couple of guys from a rowdy corner table yelled out Jed’s name and raised their beer mugs in his direction.
Jed’s cheeks sported red flags at the attention, but he tipped two fingers in their direction to acknowledge their greeting. He mumbled in her ear, “All I need is a cheering section.”
“It’s better than torches and pitchforks.” She walked up to the counter and tipped her head back to read the menu board. “Large deluxe? You need a salad?”
“No salad, but I’ll take some of those garlic knots.” He dropped his gaze to the pimpled kid at the counter. “And a large soda.”
The teen’s finger hovered over the computer in front of him. “So, a large deluxe, order of garlic knots and something to drink for you, ma’am?”
Jed smirked beside her, and she elbowed him. “A glass of red wine, please.”
Jed paid with a card and took his plastic cup to the soda machines while she scanned the room for a table.
Hannah made a beeline toward the waitress cleaning off a table for two, wedged next to a larger, round table occupied by a lively group of adults. She could live without the chattering people next to them, but at least they had a window view.
She scurried to the table, planted the plastic number on the clean surface and tossed her sweatshirt over the back of one chair. She smiled at the waitress. “Perfect timing.”
“Yeah, it’s crowded in here tonight.” The waitress glanced over her shoulder at the front door. “They don’t seem too bothered by those murders.”
When she sniffed, Hannah did a double take at the young woman’s red nose and smeared mascara. She put her hand on the waitress’s arm. “Did you know the victims?”
Nodding, she plucked a napkin from the dispenser on the table. “Steph was a good friend of mine. She was a sweet person. She didn’t deserve that.”
“I’m sorry you lost your friend.”
The waitress studied Hannah’s face. “You’re that therapist in town, aren’t you?”
“I am.” Hannah held her breath. Even if most people knew she was seeing Chrissy, she couldn’t reveal that information.
“M-maybe I could talk to you sometime? I’ve never had a friend die before. I’m wrecked.”
“Of course.” Hannah slid a card from her purse and pressed it into the young woman’s hand. “What’s your name?”
“Shari Tremaine.”
“Call me anytime, Shari.”
Jed slowed his steps as he approached, his soda clutched in one hand and her wine in the other. He stepped aside for Shari and set the drinks on the table. “What was that about?”
“Never you mind.” She pointed at her wine. “How’d you snag that? I thought they were bringing it to the table.”
“I waylaid the guy carrying it over here. Thought you needed it sooner rather than later after your discovery tonight.”
Jed pulled out her chair for her, and she collapsed in it. “It didn’t stress me out so much as confuse me. I don’t understand the connection between those two. My dad barely said hello to Zoey any of the times she was over at the house.”
“He barely said hello to anyone. Doesn’t mean he didn’t notice them.” He took the chair across from her. “He sure noticed me.”
She took a sip of her wine, sweeter than she preferred, but not bad for the house wine at the local pizza joint. “Still haven’t had a minute to search through that box...but I plan to do it.”
“Knock yourself out. If you find anything in there about the current crimes, let me know.” He stirred the ice in his Coke with his straw. “Damn, free refills and everything.”
The noisy table behind Hannah began to break up, and someone touched her shoulder. She twisted her head around to find Bryan Lamar, the elementary school principal, turned around in his chair.
“Dr. Maddox, can I have a word?”
“Call me Hannah.” She’d met with Mr. Lamar a few times regarding students that the school nurse had referred to her.
“And you can call me Bryan.” He tipped his head toward his table companions now saying goodbye to each other and figuring out a tip. “Just a little casual get-together with the staff before school starts, but we were talking about our two students.”
He didn’t have to tell her which two students. Sheldon would be starting third grade if he stayed on the island, and Chrissy would be in second. “You know I can’t...”
He held up one hand. “Of course, but if there’s anything the teachers can do, if and when the kids come into the classroom, we’d appreciate a heads-up.”
“Got it, Bryan. Probably just clamp down on the gossip for now.” Her gaze flicked to two female teachers who had stopped haggling over money and seemed to have their heads bent this way.
“Absolutely. We can do that. We’ll do our best for the kids, but I’d like to meet with you before they return to the classroom.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” She scrambled through her purse, looking for business cards and gave up. She handed him her phone, instead. “Fresh out of business cards. Call yourself from my cell, and I’ll add you to my contacts. You do the same, and we’ll touch base.”
Bryan tapped her phone and handed it back to her. “Looking forward to it.”
His coworkers called to him at the door, and he gave Hannah a shrug as he followed their path through the crowded restaurant.
Jed hunched forward. “Who’s that guy?”
“Principal of Samish Elementary.”
“Good old Samish.” He slurped at his drink. “Told you everyone and his cousin knows about you and the kids.”
“Well, he is the principal, but it’s not a stretch to imagine that a lot of people know I’m working with them.” She ran a thumb over the lipstick imprint on her wineglass.
“Not sure about that, but the current department doesn’t seem any more competent than previous departments on this island. Loose lips and all that. Charlie at the pet store didn’t seem to have a clue about the birds.”
“What did she have to say on the matter?” Hannah sealed her lips and moved her wineglass as Shari returned to their table bearing their pizza and knots. She eked out a small smile at Hannah as she placed the pizza on the metal stand in the middle of the table and dropped the basket of knots beside it. “Can I get you anything else?”
Jed picked up a greasy knot between his fingers and inhaled. “This is all I need.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “We’re good, Shari.” Shari backed away from the table and practically fled back to the kitchen, even though a group of people hovering at the empty teachers’ table called after her.
“What’s her deal?” Jed sank his teeth into the little ball of dough in his hand.
Hannah put her finger to her lips. “Friends with Stephanie Boyd.”
Jed stopped chewing as his gaze sought out the rattled waitress. “Hit her hard, huh?”
“You could say that.” Hannah jiggled a piece of pizza loose from the whole pie and plopped it onto her plate.
“If she’s friends with Stephanie, maybe I should talk to her.”
“Don’t.” She fanned her hand over the slice on her plate. “She’ll think I told you.”
“I am working for Stephanie’s brother, and he gave me a list of her friends on the island. Even though Shari’s name wasn’t on that list, I just added it.”
“Just keep me out of it. I don’t want her to think I’m the kind of therapist who blabs about my business.” She pulled at a string of cheese hanging from her pizza and popped it in her mouth before taking a bite.
“I won’t say a word about you. She probably wouldn’t recognize me, anyway.”
“Right.” She dabbed a napkin at her lips.
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think everyone in town knows my sad story?”
“Are you seriously fishing for compliments right now?” She took a big gulp of wine, the warmth of it in her belly making her bold. “Any woman who doesn’t remember you needs her head examined by doctors more powerful than I.”
She chased her gulp of wine with another, and then snuck a peek at Jed’s face.
Fiddling with his straw, he gazed over her shoulder at the wall. “How come you don’t have a serious boyfriend?”
“That’s a dodge...or another set up for a compliment.” She attacked her pizza.
“That’s where your father screwed up.” He stuffed another knot in his mouth and dusted his fingers over his napkin. “He should’ve never destroyed your letters to me. We would’ve corresponded for a while, and you would’ve grown bored with the whole thing. Instead, you romanticized the situation and me.”
“Shut up.” She crumpled up her napkin and threw it at him. “Don’t try to analyze the analyst. Believe me, I do not hold a romanticized vision of you. Just look at the way you’re shoveling those disgusting garlic knots into your face.”
He chuckled, further breaking the tension between them. “Doesn’t compare to the way you keep pulling cheese off your pizza and sucking it off your fingers.”
“I am not sucking cheese from my fingers. That’s obviously your fantasy.”
They laugh-snorted for several seconds until a man approached their table, his gnarled hands gripped in front of him, the smile on his ancient, brown face uncertain. “Jed Swain?”
Jed grabbed a napkin and wiped his eyes. When he got a closer look at the man, his eyes widened. “Roaming Bear?”
The man cracked a smile, displaying a missing canine. He thumped a fist against his concave chest. “Not roaming so much anymore. I heard about your exoneration three years ago and knew you’d moved back to the island. Meant to drop by, but my wife had a stroke a few years back and well, like I said, I don’t roam no more. But she does like her Luigi’s pizza.”
“Sorry to hear about your wife.” Jed gestured toward Hannah. “You know Hannah Maddox, right?”
Roaming Bear’s dark eyes pierced Hannah as he nodded once. “Was glad to hear you got justice at last, even though most of us knew you were innocent from the get-go.”
“I appreciate your belief in me. Hannah always believed in me, too.”
Hannah folded her hands in her lap. Jed didn’t have to defend her against a member of the Samish nation. She knew they’d hated her father—for good reason.
She cleared her throat and grabbed a chair from the table next door. “Do you want to have a seat while you wait for your pizza?”
Roaming Bear studied her face for several seconds. “Sure.”
Jed jumped up to pull the chair up to their table and help the old man settle into it. Then he shoved the basket of knots toward him. “Help yourself.”
Roaming Bear’s eyes never left Hannah’s face as he said, “No, thanks. Garlic doesn’t agree with me these days.”
As Jed opened his mouth to say more, Roaming Bear cut him off. “You’re seeing those two kids whose mothers were murdered, aren’t you?”
Ugh, Hannah didn’t want to give the old man even more reason to dislike her, but she shook her head. “I can’t discuss whether or not I’m treating anyone.”
“Yeah, yeah, I understand.” He poked a bent finger at her. “That’s a good thing you do, helping kids.”
Hannah eased out a tiny breath. At least he didn’t completely hate her.
Jed grinned like a proud parent. As he pulled off a piece of pizza, he said, “Roaming Bear, you’ve been around forever and seem to know everything there is to know about Dead Falls. What do you know about the significance of finches? Any Samish folklore surrounding them?”
“Finches.” Roaming Bear put his finger on the side of his prominent nose. “No legends surrounding finches. Just a bird, as far as I know.”
“And you would know,” Jed replied.
“But I do remember that family who collected them here on the island.”
Jed dropped his pizza. “Some family collected finches? Who?”
“You wouldn’t know them. This was about thirty years ago, out Misty Hollow way. Probably a few years before the two of you were even born. I don’t even think your father was sheriff at that time.”
“Not thirty years ago.” Hannah curled her fingers around the stem of her wineglass.
“Who were they and why did they collect finches?” Jed planted his elbow on the table and his palm cupped his jaw.
“The Keldorfs.”
“Now that name sounds familiar. Some tragedy there.” Hannah raised her glass to her lips, the wine’s pungent aroma suddenly making her head throb.
“Oh, I’d say it was a tragedy, all right. Chet Keldorf murdered his whole family and then killed himself. Only two of the foster kids survived, and after he killed his family and before he turned the shotgun on himself...he killed all the finches.”