Chapter 32

“No, it couldn’t be.” Sarah stared at Frances Noonan incredulously. “It’s too much of a coincidence.”

“I know, I know.” Mrs. Noonan passed her another berry tart. “I was dumbfounded. But she gave me the brochure. It’s the same place. Look.”

Sarah took the brochure gingerly. Paradise Cove. She turned it over. On the back was the proprietor’s familiar face and his name, Allen Werble. She opened it and saw the incredible Big Sur coastline. It was the same place.

“Is this possible?” Sarah asked. “Two women, two unhappy marriages, two little boys, two insurance policies, two families who went to Big Sur? This seems unbelievable.”

“I know. I want you to tell me everything you remember about the place. Stay to dinner?”

“Not tonight. I’m going out with Andy at seven.”

“Of course, dear.” Mrs. Noonan’s voice was too bright. Before Sarah could think about it, Mrs. Noonan immediately added, “Maybe you can get Andy to do some digging as well.”

Andy had pitched right in to help the Fog Ladies find Evelyn Ringley. Sarah was sure he would willingly gather more information if they needed it. He was such a sweetie.

She broke into a huge smile and nodded. “I’ll ask him. We’re going out for Indian food. I’ve never had some of the dishes he orders now, cauliflower and potato in tomato sauce, dosa.”

“Dosa?”

“Huge, flat rice crepe affairs stuffed with potatoes and onions and spice. Andy said he ate the cauliflower dish and dosa for breakfast in India. Dosa cost fifty-five cents there.”

“My, my.” Frances Noonan took a bite of her tart. “Well, then, tell me everything you know.”

Sarah told Mrs. Noonan what she remembered about the Paradise Cove Resort and the people she met there, the beautiful setting in the woods, the large shingled buildings, the pool and its bubble, the broad area of green grass and the gardens, the secluded beach, the families, the children, the proprietor, Glenda and George the housekeeper and maintenance man, their nephew, Dylan, Emanuel the waiter, and Marco the chef.

Sarah suggested they ask Alma Gordon and Mr. Glenn. “They might remember something else.”

Mrs. Noonan waved her hand vaguely and said she’d meet Sarah down there.

Mrs. Gordon and Mr. Glenn were as shocked as Sarah to hear the coincidence.

“Try to remember anything that might be important,” Sarah said.

They both commented on how cool and foggy the weather was for July and how cozy it was indoors. Mr. Glenn dwelled on the noise in the dining room. Mrs. Gordon’s eyes teared up and Sarah knew she was thinking about Baby Owen.

Mr. Glenn fidgeted with his belt buckle.

“Anything else?” Sarah asked.

“Well, I did have a somewhat embarrassing conversation with the maintenance man, George,” Mr. Glenn said.

“I never met him,” Alma said.

“I know. This was when I skipped brunch. I took a walk and he and I got to talking. He’s a Phillies man, if you can believe it. All the way out here. He grew up there, has been a fan for life. Still catches the occasional game there. Anyway, I was complaining about my bum knee, but it turned out he’d had a serious health issue. I felt a little silly for mentioning my knee. He said he had a heart attack and almost died. It scared him, and he didn’t want to go to an early grave like his dad. His doctor told him he needed to make some changes, eat right, exercise more, cut down on stress. And he did. He said it was the resort, the beauty of the scenery. He said the place had done wonders for Dylan, his nephew, too, that the kid had a troubled past and that his whole outlook had changed.”

“A troubled past?” Sarah asked.

“Yes. He said he had difficulty with his dad, and he was into drugs and all kinds of things, but now he’d sobered up and since working at the resort, he was a new person.”

“Drugs? Difficulty with his dad? I bet those two things are related,” said Sarah. She was immediately sorry, remembering about Mr. Glenn’s son, Lionel, and his problems with drugs.

Mr. Glenn continued right on. “Dylan’s clean and sober now. George stressed this. Has been for years, before he started working there.”

Mr. Glenn paused, and Sarah thought he was done.

Mrs. Gordon piped up. “There’s nothing embarrassing about this story, dear.”

“Yes, yes, I’m getting to that.” Mr. Glenn sighed. “George said he really got into diet and exercise after his heart attack. Said he felt better now than ever in his entire life. In three and a half years, he lost eighty pounds.”

“Wow,” Sarah said.

“Yes. Turned his whole life around.” Mr. Glenn took a breath. “Then the guy looked me up and down, and said, ‘If you don’t mind my saying so, you might consider it too.’”

Mr. Glenn looked sheepish. “I told him I’d made it to age seventy-five, so I thought I was doing pretty well.”

Mrs. Gordon chuckled and patted his knee. “That you are, Albert. That you are.”

Sarah only then noticed she’d interrupted their dinner. Mr. Glenn’s uneaten plate had a large pork chop and a hefty scoop of potatoes and gravy. Mrs. Gordon’s plate had mostly green beans and a tiny slice of pork chop. No potatoes.

“I’ll let you get back to your dinner,” Sarah said. “Thanks for the story, Mr. Glenn.”

Mrs. Noonan had never materialized, and Sarah walked back up to her apartment. She told her about Dylan and his drugs.

“He’s so young,” Mrs. Noonan said. “I don’t see how he could be involved.”

“I know,” Sarah said. “But he is a little creepy.”

“Sarah, this whole thing is creepy. It’s too much of a coincidence,” Mrs. Noonan said. “Bill did not believe in coincidences.”

Could there be a connection between the resort and the murders? If there was, Sarah couldn’t see how.