Toasted Coconut Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 36 Read online

  “Mr. Donnelly?”

  “No, there’s no one,” he said, at last. “I was supposed to go out to the river this morning, but I – had a little too much to drink, last night and I didn’t wake up in time. I slept in.”

  “So you didn’t hear the gunshots?” Heather asked. She still had to interview the only witness – ear, not eye – who’d been in the forest at the time of the murder.

  Ryan’s notes and the transcript of his original interview and statement with Mr. Timber were fleshed out, but Heather liked getting a feel for people.

  Mr. Donnelly’s hesitation was even longer this time. Amy shifted in her seat, next to Heather.

  “Ray?” Heather asked.

  “No, I didn’t hear anything. I was out like a light,” he said. “That good enough for you?” He folded and unfolded his arms, straightened his plaid shirt. Anything to avoid sitting still.

  The crime scene wasn’t too far from Ray’s cabin. If the wind had been quiet, which it had been according to the weather report, then Ray would’ve heard the gunshots.

  “I didn’t hear anything,” Ray said, again.

  Heather handed Amy the dossier, and her bestie tucked it back into the tote bag.

  “I guess that will be all. Thank you for your time, Mr. Donnelly,” Heather said, and scraped back the kitchen chair, across the wooden boards. “May I say, you have a lovely home.”

  “Thanks,” he replied, but the suspicion didn’t shrink from his face.

  Heather walked down the short hall to the front door, and Amy followed in silence.

  They kept quiet until they were inside Heather’s car.

  “He’s lying,” Amy said, immediately.

  “We can’t be sure of that yet,” Heather replied and put her bag on the back seat.

  “Oh come on, Shepherd,” Ames said. “You know he’s lying. Or he’s hiding something.”

  “Maybe,” Heather said and put the car keys in the ignition. “Or maybe not. I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

  They’d have to see the grieving ex-wife the next day. After all, she’d only recently divorced Charlie Pole. If there was anyone who’d know why he’d gone out into the woods with Gerard Furrows, it was her.

  “Let’s go fetch Lils,” Heather said and started the car.

  Chapter 4

  Heather and Ames walked down the sidewalk together, arm-in-arm. Amy hummed a tune under her breath, something by Fleetwood Mac, and bopped her head in time with the beat of their steps.

  “You’re in a good mood,” Heather said and turned up the front path which led to the Pole residence. Apparently, Mrs. Pole, now Miss Loop, had gotten the house in the divorce.

  “I’m always in a good mood when I get to have my donut before we go off investigating,” Amy said, and glanced up at the morning sky, cool blue for and specked with fluffy white clouds.

  No storms so far this week. Not of the physical kind, at least.

  Heather had lined up the interviews this week for a simple reason: she wanted the case done before the weekend so she could focus all her attention on the Tea and Donut Fair 2017.

  Col had put a lot of work into this, and so had everyone at the store. Heather’s amazing assistants had offered to do overtime. They loved working in Donut Delights. They loved the thought of handing out donuts at the fair, too.

  Heather walked up the front steps of the Pole house and halted in front of the wooden, door. Colored glass decorated the upper half, depicting an image of a rose.

  She rapped her knuckles on the wood.

  “So this is Ray’s potential lover?” Amy asked.

  “Maybe,” Heather said. “I don’t see why Ray denied it, in the first place. If they were having an affair and the divorce was finalized, what’s the problem?”

  Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door, and they quieted.

  Amy slipped her arm out of Heather’s and brushed down the front of her coat.

  The latch clicked, the door swung inward to reveal a petite woman in her late twenties. She brushed mousy brown hair behind one ear and studied them through puffy eyes.

  News of Charlie’s death had reached her ears, already.

  “Miss Loop?” Heather asked, and readjusted her tote on her shoulder.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “I’m Heather Shepherd. I’m working with the Hillside Police Department to –”

  “I know who you are,” Julie said. “I spoke with your husband yesterday morning. He mentioned you’d come by to talk to me.” The woman stepped back and opened the door all the way, then turned and walked off through the living room.

  She sat down in an armchair and crossed her ankles.

  Heather and Ames exchanged a look. The suspects in any given case weren’t usually this malleable.

  Heather hurried inside and to the sofa. Amy shut the front door and joined her, right afterward.

  “Well?” Julie arranged the bracelets on her arm and touched her fingers to her fine, golden necklace. “What questions do you have? If you want an alibi, I don’t have one. I was in bed, asleep. And since I don’t keep track of my ex-husband, I can’t confirm where he was that night.”

  “I see,” Heather said. She swung her tote bag down from her arm, reached inside, then brought out her Lenovo tablet. She tapped through to her notepad app and opened it up on a fresh page.

  “I can’t believe Charlie’s gone,” Julie said and hung her head. She scrubbed her fingers through her hair. “I saw him a couple of days ago, and he seemed fine. Angry, but fine.”

  “Angry,” Heather said and typed the word out. “Why?”

  “I think it was a few things,” Julie said. “But most of all it was that darn map.”

  Heather’s gaze snapped to the suspect’s. “The map. The treasure map.”

  “So you found it,” Julie said, and her eyes flashed bright. A shroud covered the intrigue a second later. She focused on the empty, glass coffee table between them. “He was obsessed with that thing.”

  “Why? How did he find it?” Heather asked. Ryan hadn’t gotten anything out of Julie about the treasure map. Maybe he hadn’t had the chance.

  “He didn’t find it. It wasn’t even his,” Julie said. “One day he came home with talking about a map, months ago, before the divorce, and he obsessed over it. He left the house and didn’t come back for hours at a time. He wasn’t at his office, and he wouldn’t tell me where he went.”

  Heather typed notes as fast as her fingers, and the tablet would allow.

  “That map ended or marriage. We’d always had our problems but not like this. Charlie started ignoring me. And then things with Furrows got worse, and everything spiraled out of control.”

  “Gerard Furrows,” Heather said. “How did they know each other?”

  “I have no idea,” Julie replied and ruffled her hair again. “All I know is Furrows was some big shot contractor from out of town, and he swept into Hillside like he owned the place. He was the one who had the treasure map.”

  “This is like an episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates,” Amy mumbled.

  Heather shot her a look.

  “Dave likes the Disney Channel,” Amy said and shrugged.

  “So Charlie knew about the treasure map and he and Furrows didn’t get on,” Heather said.

  “Not even a little,” Julie said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Whenever Charlie and Furrows laid eyes on each other, it was like World War 3 had just broken out. I kid you not.” Julie scrounged around in the pocket of her jeans and brought out a crumpled up tissue. She dabbed it on the sensitive skin beneath her eyes.

  “They hated each other, you’d say.”

  “Oh yeah. They screamed at each other in public. That’s how much they hated each other.”

  Heather made a note of it. She didn’t whip out her dossier, this time, but she did allow a minute of silence to pass.

  Julie Loop scooched forward to the edge of her seat. “Do you have any other questions
?”

  “What was your relationship with Ray Donnelly?” Heather asked.

  Julie flushed as red as raspberry jelly. “W-why?”

  “Because he lives within walking distance of the crime scene,” Heather replied. “And because we know you two had a relationship.”

  “We weren’t involved like that,” Julie said. “I wouldn’t have cheated on Charlie, even in the lonely hours. Besides, Ray didn’t feel like that about me. I don’t think.”

  But clearly, Julie had felt something for Ray.

  “Did your husband and Ray get along?”

  “Ex-husband,” Julie said, sharply. “And no.” The blush faded somewhat and the grief of losing someone, even someone she’d separated herself from, replaced the embarrassment.

  “They didn’t like each other?”

  “No,” Julie said. “Charlie was of the opinion that Ray was interested in me and that our friendship was inappropriate. He was wrong.”

  Heather made a note of that too.

  “I think I’m finished talking, for now,” Julie said and narrowed her eyes first at Heather, then at Amy. They were dark brown pools of anger. But not of guilt. Or were they? “If you want to talk to me again, you’ll have to go through my lawyer.”

  “Thanks for your time, Miss Loop. We’ll be in touch if we have further questions,” Heather replied and ignored the lawyer jibe.

  Chapter 5

  Amy polished the end of the milk frothing tube as if it’d personally offended her. She grunted and cast a sideways glance at Heather, then redoubled her efforts to clean the machine.

  “What’s wrong?” Heather asked, and settled herself on the stool. She checked her filigree watch. Five minutes until their mystery woodsman witness was due to arrive. Heather needed to get this case done.

  She had to prepare for the Tea and Donut Fair, and she wouldn’t allow anything to stand in her way.

  “Firstly,” Amy said, and waggled her polishing rag. “I feel like we’re rushing this case. I feel like the information is pouring in and I can’t keep my head above water.”

  “All right,” Heather said. She wasn’t wrong about that. “And secondly?”

  “Secondly.” Another waggle of the rag. “That Julie woman lied through her teeth. I’m sure, almost one hundred percent, that she and Ray had something going on. It was written all over her blood red cheeks.”

  “Duly noted,” Heather said and checked her watch again. She’d noted the same thing on her app. A question mark after the status of their relationship.

  Why did both Ray and Julie want to hide that they’d been involved?

  “And thirdly,” Amy said.

  “There’s a thirdly?”

  “Of course there’s a thirdly. All good things come in threes,” Ames said and returned the rag to the frothing tube. “Thirdly, I want to study to be an investigator too.”

  Heather sat bolt upright and stared at her. “Say what now?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. It sounds crazy, but I feel like I’m more of a hindrance than a help in your cases. I don’t know anything about criminals, apart from all the ones I’ve helped you put in prison.” Ames sighed and dumped the rag in the mini-bucket beneath the counter. “I don’t like feeling stupid.”

  “So that’s why you were so quiet today,” Heather said.

  “What do you think?” Amy asked. “Do you think I’d make a good assistant? Or am I out of my depth here.”

  Ames had been fired from her job ages ago, and Heather had taken her on at the store. Not just to help her out, but because Amy’s opinion was invaluable to her and her best friend had an amazing work ethic.

  “Okay, you’ve got a really weird smile on your face,” Amy said, and two pink spots appeared on her cheeks. “Forget I mentioned it.”

  “Amy, you know I’d love that. You’re such a huge help already.”

  Heather’s bestie’s shoulders relaxed, at last. “Great,” she said and grinned. “Awesome. So I’ll –”

  The bell over the door tinkled, and Ames’ cut off and focused on the newcomer to the store. “Looks like your lunch date has arrived.”

  The old fellow who stumped into the store held himself like the hunchback of Notre Dame. He looked around the room, and only one of his eyes shifted in the socket – the other remained stationary, glaring directly at the space in front of him.

  Heather slipped around the side of the counter and walked toward him. “Mr. Timber,” she said, as warmly as she could manage.

  The man wore a bright yellow parka which blinded her.

  “Old Man Timber, they call me,” he said. “You got somethin’ to eat?”

  Oh boy, this should be fun and easy. Heather could barely contain her cynicism. “Of course,” she said. She gestured to Ames, who hurried to dish up a couple of donuts onto a plate.

  “Let’s take a seat, shall we?” Heather gestured to one of the tables nearest the front counter. No doubt, Amy would appreciate the easy eavesdropping.

  Old Man Timber pulled back the chair and sank into it. His gray eye flicked around, taking in the décor, the people and everything in between. The brown eye sat still.

  Heather tried not to stare at it and colored. She focused on the questions she’d prepared instead. “I hear you’re the only witness in the Furrows-Pole murder case,” Heather said, at last.

  “That’s right, girl,” Timber replied. He tapped the brown eye, and the glass clinked. “Don’t let this bother you. It’s a glass ‘un.”

  “I – okay,” Heather said. “Mr. Timber, may I ask –”

  “Old Man Timber,” he growled.

  Amy sidled up and placed the plate of donuts on the plate, along with two cups of coffee and a small pitcher of milk.

  “Right,” Heather said. “Old Man Timber. What were you doing out in the forest by the river at that time of the morning?” The medical examiner had placed the time of death at around 4 am.

  “I work for Gurney Lumber mill,” he said. “They tole’ me I gotta check out that area for the day’s logging.”

  “Check it out,” Heather replied.

  Old Man Timber lifted a sachet of sugar from the ceramic dispenser on the glass table top. He tore it open with his teeth and sugar granules scattered around his coffee. More out than in the cup. “That’s right. I been doin’ this for a long time, as you can probably tell.” Timber pronounced ‘probably’ as ‘prolly.’ “The boys at the mill trus’ me to check out the area before we start a job. Make sure there ain’t any of ‘em illegal trees.”

  Heather pictured trees with their branches cuffed and struggled to keep a straight face. “Illegal trees.”

  “Yep. Them ones you can’t cut down cos’ they’re protected or some garbage. Don’t make no difference to me, but it’s easy money.”

  “Like a land survey,” Heather said.

  “That’s the boy,” he replied and grinned at her. His pitted teeth were crooked. “You’re getting’ it now. So I go out early before we start, jus’ to double check that the boys ain’t got it wrong about the land, and I get a lil’ extra under the table.”

  “And what do you do if there are illegal trees?” Heather asked.

  “Tell ‘em to cut somewhere else,” he said. “That’s what I tell ‘em. What they do after that ain’t none of my business.”

  Heather didn’t run for her tablet. She’d already memorized his testimony, and she had a copy of it, and the strange treasure map, in the dossier Ryan had left on her desk. All she wanted was to feel this guy out.

  And she couldn’t quite figure out what he made her feel. Not uncomfortable, but close to it. Hovering on the edge of discomfort.

  “What did you hear?” Heather asked.

  “Well, my hearing’s not that great no more,” he said. “Neither’s my eyesight, but don’t tell the boys.” He winked with his working eye. “But I’m out in the forest, right? With all the quiet. It’s the time of the mornin’ I like.”

  “It’s peaceful out there,” Heather
said.

  “Yeah, and ain’t nobody to watch you neither,” Old Man Timber said. “So I’m out there, and I hear some shoutin’. Screamin’ about a map. Mighta been a cap. Not sure, you understand?” The word ‘understand’ became ‘unnerstan.’

  “And you heard gunshots.”

  “I reckon so. Two of them, I think. I can’t be sure, though. Wasn’t too close to where I was,” he said.

  “Were the shots close together?”

  “Yep. Real close,” Old Man Timber replied. “Like blam-blam!” He smacked his palm down twice on the table and coffee sloshed over the rim of his mug and into the saucer.

  A few of the customers let out a shriek.

  Timber didn’t appear to notice. “So the shots go, and I figure, you know, there’s gotta be a problem. Like, not that many folks come shootin’ out in the mornin’ that time, ya get me? Ain’t enough light to see the wood for the trees.” He chuckled at his own joke.

  “And you called the police,” Heather said.

  “That’s right. I did, I did. Seemed like the wise thin’ to do at the time. Now, ain’t no end to the darn questions. Barely, get a minute to myself. I even had to give ‘em some of my saliva and my fingerprints.” He took a bite of a toasted coconut donut and flakes scattered down to join the sugar granules. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” Heather said. “Thank you for the information.”

  “What, that’s it? Didn’t even finish my donut.”

  “Please, stay and finish up Old Man Timber,” Heather said and struggled with the long name. “And thank you for your help.”

  “Yep,” he said, and took another bite of the donut.

  Heather rose from her seat and turned her back on his staring, brown eye. The gray one was focused on the food.

  Ames stood behind the counter, blinking rapidly. “Wow,” she mouthed.

  Blam-blam. The imaginary shots fired in her mind.

  Chapter 6

  Lilly had chosen Lil Mama’s Pizzeria in one of the side-streets just around the corner from Donut Delights. She sat across from Ryan and Heather, pretty in pink with a bow in her hair and a slice of pepperoni pizza on her plate.