Molly woke before Sam, slipped quietly out of bed, and got ready for an early morning walk with Tigger. She turned the coffee on before she left the house, her mouth watering from the smell of the dark roast grounds.
Her thoughts were on overdrive this morning. The evening before played on repeat in her brain, one scene at a time. Some elusive string was tugging her attention and she didn’t know what, exactly, was bothering her. Other than the obvious. When they crossed the road leading to the paths for the beach, Tigger tugged the leash toward the stairs.
“What’s got you so excited?” She laughed when he looked back at her with eyes that seemed to say, Come on, I’ll show you.
“Slow down,” she said through a smile. It was like he could sense the pace of her brain. No wonder they got along so well.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, so she forced Tigger to stop at the bottom. Sitting on one of the logs that looked toward the ocean, she pulled her phone out and checked the message.
Jill: You okay? Are the rumors true?
Molly had crashed on the couch when she’d gotten home, waking only to go to bed. Hardly professional, but obviously she’d needed the rest. She also realized that she needed to remove herself from the immediacy of what had happened. She was an editor rather than a reporter for a reason.
Molly: They are. I’m just walking Tigger. Meet me before work and we can talk?
Jill: You look good in that sweater. Is it Sam’s?
Molly’s head snapped up just as Tigger started to bark and shake his tail in absolute delight. Jill, dressed in running gear, blond hair pulled back into a high ponytail, approached them.
“You’re out early this morning,” Molly said, smiling at her friend.
Jill tucked the strand of hair blowing in her face behind her ear and laughed. “Well, I heard some rumors last night and followed up, but I didn’t hear from you. I spoke to Alan after I read the entertainment news and updated the website. I had a hunch today would be busy. Thought I’d get my run in early. Plus, you bring Bella’s goodies to all of us to assuage your own guilt.”
Molly laughed, the sound rippling in the early morning breeze. “You’re absolutely right about that. It’s also why Tigger gets such frequent walks. And thank you. I should have updated you guys last night. I just…crashed.”
“Don’t apologize. I can’t believe she’s dead.”
Tigger was running circles around their feet. Fortunately, Molly had dropped the leash, or she and Jill would be wound together like a duo from a farce. Her friend kneeled down and chuckled when Tigger bounced onto her thighs and tried to lick her face then immediately bounded to Molly, jumping up for attention.
“Oh, buddy. You’re so sweet and happy. I’m telling you,” Jill said, looking up at Molly, squinting against the sun. “If a man or a dog ever adore me the way yours adore you, I’m all in.”
Molly kneeled down in the sand as well. “I am a lucky, lucky woman.”
Jill finished giving Tigger rubs and stood up, dusting off her knees. “You deserve it. So? Tell me what’s going on.”
They walked along the beach, listening to waves roll alongside them, and Molly filled Jill in on what had happened yesterday. The beach was quiet this early in the morning, and while Molly never minded running into people she knew, she was glad.
“That’s crazy. What do they think happened?” Jill asked, stopping to tie her running shoe.
“Given Chris’s reaction to seeing me there, I’m guessing I won’t be who he tells.”
Jill stood up. “He’s probably just stressed. I’m sure he didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”
Molly nodded. “I know. Just, since I came here, I’ve had more of a hands-on approach than I’d like. It’s been necessary for the most part, but now I have you, Hannah, and Elizabeth. I need to go back to doing my job and gain a little more distance. It’s hard in a town like this though. I’ve never experienced that before. The personal impact of what I’m reporting on, if that makes sense.”
Jill gave a breathy laugh. “Trust me, it makes sense. This town is growing every day but I still know way too many people. If someone does something that we end up putting in the paper, chances are good I went to school with someone in their family, or their parent taught me, or some other weird connection.”
Molly snapped her fingers as they took the path up the bank that led to the parking lot. “Exactly. It’s more than just news on a page.”
Jill and Molly both stopped at the top of the incline and Tigger flopped across Molly’s feet.
“That can be a blessing and a curse. You do have us on board now though, and as a single, dog-free woman who spends most evenings watching television or playing a word game against strangers online, let me step up. I’ll go shower and head over to the station, do follow-up interviews at the theater and see what’s happening with the production.”
Molly nodded her agreement. “That’s perfect. I met a writer the other night and he emailed me some samples. I’ll get on finding someone to hire while you do that. But since, you know, you’re the one out and about…”
Jill glanced across the street at Morning Muffins before meeting Molly’s gaze. She laughed and nodded. “I’ll bring treats.”
“We did just exercise,” Molly pointed out.
“This is why you’re in charge. All that wisdom.”
Molly laughed and waved to her friend, heading toward home more settled and clearheaded. Tigger trotted along as the town woke up. He turned his head from side to side, dropping it to sniff any new scent he caught, then started over.
Routine was good. She’d always been a fan of it. Since she’d arrived at the beginning of June the year before, hers had been in flux. If they could get another solid, reliable hire or two at The Bulletin, it would go a long way toward making things run smoother.
As she walked along the quiet streets, she breathed in the slightly salty air, making a list of what she needed to do for the day. Her brain tried a few times to shift back to the scene from the evening before, but Molly forced her mind back on track. By the time she got back to the cottage, Sam was up, dressed, and drinking his coffee at the island countertop.
Tigger ran to him like they’d been apart for dog years, making Sam’s deep chuckle fill the small space. Yes, she was a lucky, lucky woman. Sam rubbed Tigger’s exposed belly and then stood and greeted Molly, pulling her in for a hug. When he’d squeezed her tight, he leaned away and captured her face between his hands.
“Good walk? Your cheeks are all rosy,” he said, brushing his nose along the bridge of hers.
“Mmm. It was great. Quiet. I ran into Jill.”
Sam chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Then it wasn’t quiet. My cousin never stops talking.”
Molly swatted him and then went to grab a mug for coffee. “That’s not true. She’s delightful.”
Sam sat down at the island again, grinning at her as he picked up his coffee. “Sure. She’s delightful. Tell me why, when we were growing up, she used to hide my aunt’s keys every time we got together so she wouldn’t have to leave, and then always blamed me?”
Molly couldn’t help the laughter that erupted. She poured her coffee, saying, “See? Delightful and clever.”
Sam shook his head, but she caught the hint of his smile before he drank. When he set his mug down again, his smile had faded. “You check the news this morning?”
She shook her head and took her own blessed sip of morning clarity. She didn’t even try to hide her enjoyment. When she set her mug down, she grabbed some bread to make toast. “Nope. I was up early and just wanted to get Tigger out.”
“I would have gone with you,” Sam said.
“I know. But you looked so peaceful.”
“There’s a lot of chatter on social media about Magnolia.”
Molly’s pulse blipped. They were a news outlet and it was their job to report, to share, to work the stories. And they were behind. “Jill mentioned it. She’s following up with Chris right now. I figured he could use a break from me asking him questions.”
“Chris just worries about you, babe. You two are kind of connected in multiple ways.” Sam leaned on his forearms, watching her as she waited for her toast.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s always had a protective streak toward his friends and family. It’s who he is. Then you add in the cop so it ups that factor. Pile on you being the significant other of his best friend in addition to a friend of the woman he cares for? That’s a lot of responsibility he feels toward you.”
Molly bit her lip, trying not to grin like a fool. Sam, of course, noticed.
“What has you looking like I just threw sunshine at you?”
She laughed and met his gaze, her heart feeling suspiciously mushy. He was taking away her jaded edge with all his sweetness. “Significant other sounds so serious.” Dork. You’re such a huge dork. But she couldn’t contain the smile.
Sam laughed and came around the counter. He took her arms and pulled her up to her toes, bringing their faces nose-to-nose. “I’m sort of serious about you, if you haven’t figured it out yet, Ms. Owens.”
Molly pushed up further and wrapped her arms around his neck. “My observation skills are very keen so I did, in fact, notice. Every now and again though, I get a little reminder that this—you—are real and it sends a little thrill through me all over again. I feel very grateful.”
Rubbing his hands up her arms and down her back, he pressed his lips to the spot just under her jaw and dragged them up to her ear. “It’s real. I’m real. It goes both ways.”
Sam’s mouth found hers and she pushed everything else away. When he kissed her like that, nothing else existed. Her toast popped, startling them apart.
Giving her one more kiss on her forehead, he backed away. “I need to get to work. I’m picking up my mom’s gift after but I’ll see you tonight.”
“You absolutely will.”
He stared at her, his gaze dark, heated, and intense. “I love you.”
Molly’s heart pumped an extra beat with the thrill of those words. “I love you back.”
* * * *
Only Elizabeth was at The Bulletin when Molly arrived. She was at her own desk, closest to the street entrance, working on her laptop.
“Hi!” Elizabeth got up immediately and followed Molly into her office.
“Hi. I take it you’ve heard about Magnolia.” Molly stowed her jacket and purse on the standing coat rack in the corner of her office and then went to her desk.
“I can’t believe it. I was talking to Deb Connors. She’s in the play, her and her boyfriend, Beau. The police interviewed everyone last night, but apparently the station phoned and asked them both to come in this morning, too.”
Molly frowned as she opened up her own laptop. “They probably just want to follow up on something. Things were…chaotic last night.” It did seem strange to do second interviews again the next day. Unless they were suspects, there was no reason…Molly sat up straighter. “Did she say whether foul play was suspected?” Jill or Sam would have said if they’d read that online.
Elizabeth sat down, leaning forward. “No. She mostly talked about how mad she was over how hard her boyfriend was taking it. She lives in the same complex as Magnolia, and I guess there’s been heaps of tension.”
None of this made any sense. It was no secret Magnolia Sweet wasn’t a friendly person. It was very likely that where she went, tension followed. “But if one of the props fell on her and caused her death, why would the police need to talk to them again? Her death was an accident.”
It would seem so but Molly couldn’t shake the convenience of how she was lying under the house. Like she’d been…positioned.
The front door chimes jingled and a moment later, Jill sailed into Molly’s office. Her hair was pulled into a tight, styled bun and she’d clearly showered and changed for work. “Are we talking about Magnolia?”
“Of course,” Elizabeth said. “I didn’t know the woman and I’m sorry she died but I can’t help but be intrigued by the amount of drama that she’s still managing to create. I was just telling Molly about my friend Deb. Well, friend in the loosest sense of the word. We play cards together sometimes.”
Jill pulled off her jacket and purse, hanging them alongside Molly’s. “Deb Connors. Auntie Em, correct?”
Elizabeth nodded. “She is. Do you know if the play is still moving forward?”
Molly leaned back, watching her friend closely. She was keyed up for sure. She knew something and was dying to share it.
“I know many things, my dear Elizabeth,” Jill said. She sat down in the second chair in front of Molly’s desk. “Including the fact that Magnolia Sweet did not die accidentally. She was killed.”
Molly leaned forward. “How? She didn’t have a mark on her.”
“I’m guessing you couldn’t see her neck? Turns out, she was strangled.”