Tropical Punch Killer Read online

  “Then what happened?”

  “Then the cops and firetrucks and an ambulance came and everybody just kind of shoved me outside while they worked on my dad. I saw them take him away in the ambulance, but they wouldn’t let me leave,” a single tear tracked down the teenager’s cheek.

  “I’m sure they needed space to do what needed to be done. So, Athena…prior to going out to look for coffee, you didn’t hear or see anything unusual?” Chas asked again.

  “No, I was asleep,” she insisted.

  “You saw the crime scene…” Chas began carefully. “What happened in there was incredibly violent. Your bedroom was just a short way down the hall from the living room. This is very important…are you absolutely certain that you didn’t hear anything at all?”

  “No, I didn’t hear anything. I was sleeping,” Athena glared at him. “Do you think I’d just hide in my room while someone was out there killing my dad and stepmom?”

  “It would be perfectly understandable if you did.”

  “Well, I didn’t,” she gritted her teeth.

  “How was your relationship with your dad?” Chas asked.

  Athena stared at him. “Wait. You don’t seriously think that I had anything to do with this, do you?” her mouth dropped open and her cheeks flushed bright red.

  “I didn’t say that. I’m just asking about you and your dad. Were you close?”

  “Yes,” she refused to look at him now.

  “Ever have disagreements with your dad?”

  “I’m fifteen, what do you think?”

  “What I think is irrelevant, I want to hear what you have to say,” Chas assured her.

  “Oh really? You’re interested in what I have to say,” Athena’s eyes flashed. “My dad and I were just normal. Sometimes we fought and sometimes we laughed and it was just…normal,” her tears started anew and she dashed them away angrily with the back of her hand.

  “Okay, I think that’s enough for now. I know how tough this is for you,” Chas closed his notebook. “Is there someone that you can stay with until your brother arrives?”

  “You called my brother?” Athena frowned.

  “Yes, he’s on his way,” Chas was puzzled at the girl’s reaction.

  “Great. Just what I need,” she shook her head.

  “Do you not get along with your brother?”

  “Oh, of course I get along with my brother. Everyone gets along with my brother. He’s the golden child who does everything right,” Athena muttered.

  “Do you have any other relatives who can take care of you until he gets here?”

  “I don’t need anyone, I can take care of myself.”

  “Sorry, but you’re a minor, that’s not an option. If you don’t have anyone to stay with until your brother arrives, we’re going to have to take you down to the station to wait. We can get you some food, and there’s a TV in the waiting room, if you’d like,” the detective offered.

  “Wow, what a party, hanging out at the jail. I’m not even dressed,” she looked down at her oversized t-shirt and thin pajama pants with stars and rainbows all over them. “If I go anywhere, I need to get my clothes first,” she stood.

  “You can’t go back into the house,” Chas told her.

  “What? Why? That’s where all of my stuff is. I don’t have my cell phone charger, my purse, my clothes…I have to go back in,” she challenged.

  “I’ll have an officer go in and get some things for you. You’ll just need to describe what you want. You can’t enter a crime scene while it’s being investigated,” the detective explained.

  “Well this just keeps getting better and better,” her chin jutted forward and she flung herself back into her chair, refusing to look at Chas, who jotted an additional note in his notebook, before stashing it in his sport coat again.

  Chapter Five

  * * *

  Echo burst through the back door of Cupcakes in Paradise, eyes wide as saucers. “Oh my gosh, have you seen the paper this morning?” she thrust a copy of the Calgon Times in front of Missy’s nose.

  “No, what’s going on?” Missy asked, setting down a container of rainbow-colored sprinkles.

  “A double murder,” Echo breathed, pointing to the lead story.

  “Oh no,” Missy gasped.

  “I know, isn’t it awful?” Echo shook her head sadly.

  “No, you don’t get it,” Missy pointed to a girl, in the background of the photo, who was standing beside Chas. “See her…see that girl,” Missy’s brows rose. “That’s the girl that was sitting at the bistro table out front a couple of days ago.”

  “No way,” Echo frowned. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” Missy insisted. “Look,” she held the paper up closer.

  “Well, I didn’t get as good of a look at her as you did, but I know you never forget a face. I wonder how she’s related to this whole thing. Is she the daughter? It was a couple who got killed,” Echo skimmed the article.

  “What happened to them?” Missy asked.

  “They don’t say, exactly. They just say that it was a double homicide,” Echo murmured, still scanning the article.

  “Well, I say the two of you need to mind your business and don’t be trying to get involved in no murder case,” Beulah gave them a stern look. “Just go eat some cupcakes and forget you ever saw that girl. You thought she was trouble when she ran off like she did, and you were probably right,” the older woman reminded them.

  “Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on getting involved, it’s just such a bizarre coincidence,” Missy mused.

  “I recognize that look on your face,” Echo’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t get involved in this. Whoever did this is a very dangerous criminal.”

  “Looks like you and me finally agree on something for once,” Beulah snickered, busily frosting cupcakes.

  “I guess there’s a first time for everything,” Echo grinned. “Really though,” she turned her gaze back to her best friend. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “I’m not, I swear,” Missy protested, grabbing a cupcake for herself and a vegan one for Echo and heading to the front of the shop. “Grab your coffee and c’mon.”

  The two friends had just gotten settled at their favorite table when the front door opened.

  “Spencer,” Missy exclaimed, getting up to give the young man who was like a son to her a hug.

  “Morning,” Spencer greeted her warmly, then turned to receive a hug from Echo. “How are you lovely ladies today?”

  “Well, somebody’s in a good mood,” Echo commented with a sly look. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain nanny named Matisse, now would it?” she teased.

  “We’re friends,” Spencer said firmly, the blush rising up his neck belying his words.

  “You had a date the other night, though, right?” Missy joined in the ribbing.

  “We were just hanging out, it wasn’t like a formal date or whatever,” the young man’s color deepened, despite his attempt at nonchalance.

  “Okay, okay, we’ll stop torturing you…for now,” Missy chuckled. “What can I do for you, darlin’?”

  “I’d like one Strawberry Lemonade cupcake if you have any, please,” he scanned the display case.

  “Hmmm…isn’t that Mattie’s favorite kind?” Echo remarked.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact it is,” Spencer shot back with a smile.

  “So she sent you down here to fetch one?” Missy asked, thinking that the prospect of it was adorable.

  “No, she doesn’t know I’m getting one. She has this weird idea that she’s fat and not very attractive, so she tries to stay away from treats, but I want her to feel like she can enjoy her life. I think she’s very attractive,” he shrugged.

  Missy frowned. “I wonder where she got that crazy idea.”

  “I don’t know yet, but I plan to find out,” Spencer commented.

  “I’m going to put two in your box so that you can have one too. It’s no fun to enjoy desser
t alone, particularly if you’re feeling guilty about it,” Missy reached for another cupcake.

  “Well, I was planning to share hers, but I guess you’re right, two will be better,” he nodded.

  “Here you go, darlin’,” Missy handed him the bright pink box.

  “What do I owe you?” Spencer thumbed through his wallet, box tucked under his elbow.

  “Young man, you know your money is no good around here,” Missy grinned. “Now scoot on out and go give that girl her cupcake,” she shooed him away.

  “You’re too good to me,” Spencer thanked her and headed for the door after another hug.

  “Well, I’m kinda partial to folks who save my life every now and again,” Missy chuckled. “You kids have fun,” she called as Spencer opened the door and waved.

  “I think he likes her,” Echo remarked in a sing-song voice.

  “What was your first clue?” Missy rolled her eyes and laughed. “They’re an interesting pair, that’s for sure.”

  **

  Spencer Bengal hoped that his sweet treat would be well received. The couple of dates that he’d gone on with the super smart and witty Matisse had been truly enjoyable for both of them and he really would like to get to know her better. Matisse, the nanny who babysat Echo’s fourteen month old Jasmine, and Missy’s adopted three year old, Kaylee, took care of the girls at Missy’s house every day that Missy and Echo were working. Echo owned and operated two adjacent shops in a funky building downtown, a bookstore and a candle shop, and Missy had the cupcake business, so they’d pooled their resources to hire one nanny so that their girls could grow up together.

  Spencer had an odd premonition that all was not well when he opened the front door of the Beckett estate. Stopping in the foyer, he heard nothing, which was odd. There was almost always the sound of talking, laughing, singing and playing in the grand house. Checking his watch, he saw that it was morning nap time for the girls, which explained the quiet home. That also meant that Matisse would most likely be in the kitchen preparing a light snack for the kids.

  He knew their routine well, because he stopped by the house daily to check on them, as part of his security regimen. The highly educated and specially trained young man had been working as a personal security provider to Chas Beckett for most of his adult life, and was always vigilant when it came to keeping the reluctant heir to the Beckett fortune safe.

  Still, the utter quiet in the home disturbed him. There were no clanking pans, chopping knives, or happy humming sounds coming from the kitchen, so he headed quickly in that direction to take a look. His fears were confirmed when he got to the doorway of the kitchen and saw Mattie lying on the floor, next to a small step ladder which appeared to have tipped over, causing her to fall. There was a smear of blood on the countertop across from the pantry, where the ladder had been placed, and a small pool of blood had formed under the motionless young woman’s head.

  Moving quickly to Mattie’s side, Spencer felt for a pulse and was relieved to feel a slow, steady thump in the warmth of her neck. He didn’t want to move her until he determined whether she had any broken bones, particularly, her skull or her neck, but he couldn’t get to the head wound because she was lying on the side that had been struck.

  “Mattie,” he called, stroking her cheek, trying to rouse her.

  No response. The nanny needed to get to the hospital, and he’d have to stay here to watch the girls until Missy or Echo could get away, so he called an ambulance, put the dispatcher on speaker phone and held Mattie’s head in place, stabilizing her neck, until the EMTs arrived. Spencer hated the helpless feeling that engulfed him when Mattie was carefully moved onto a gurney and taken away in the ambulance. He’d called both Echo and Missy once she was safely strapped to the gurney, and would leave here to go to the hospital as soon as one of the mothers arrived. In the meantime, he checked on the girls who were somehow miraculously still asleep.

  “How is she?” Echo came rushing in the door, wild-eyed, without bothering to knock.

  “I don’t know,” Spencer’s face was grim. “I’m going to the hospital to find out.”

  “Keep us posted,” Echo gave him a quick hug and he jogged to the front door, keys in hand. “And don’t speed!” she called after him, worried that his concern might override his common sense.

  “It was just a fall from a short distance. She’ll be fine,” Spencer tried to convince himself on the way to the hospital. He’d glance down at his speedometer occasionally, easing up on the gas pedal every time when he saw his speed. Stoplights made him grit his teeth in frustration, and he didn’t even notice his accelerated heart rate. “She’ll be fine, she’ll be fine,” was his mantra, all the way to the Emergency Room.

  **

  “How may I help you?” a nurse who looked to be about his age asked pleasantly, when Spencer strode quickly to the ER desk.

  “Matisse Kendall was just brought in with a head injury. What room is she in?” he asked, glancing toward the set of double doors which led to the ER treatment rooms.

  “Are you a family member?” the nurse tapped on the keyboard in front of her.

  “No, not exactly. We both work for the same family.”

  “I’m sorry, I can only share information with immediate family members,” the nurse’s tone was sympathetic, but firm.

  “Seriously? She doesn’t have any family locally. Our employer is like family to both of us,” the young man protested, trying his best to keep his voice level.

  “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do. It would violate privacy laws if I shared information with you.”

  Spencer took a breath, refusing to engage in public behavior that would be most uncivil, and realized that there were ways around such things.

  “Fine,” he said, with a curt nod.

  Trotting from the ER, he waited until he got outside before dialing his office number.

  “Holly,” he said, when the receptionist picked up. “Is Ringo in the building?”

  When the answer was affirmative, a measure of relief flooded through him. “Great. Don’t let him go anywhere. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Ringo, the private investigation firm’s resident computer genius and hacker, was fueled by junk food, and lots of it, so Spencer stopped at a coffee shop on the way to the office and had them box up one of every kind of pastry that they had. He wasn’t taking any chances that the mercurial hacker would use hunger as an excuse to not work his magic.

  Spencer entered the office’s technology center, finding his slovenly coworker snoring softly in his desk chair, head tilted back, feet up on the wrapper-strewn desk in front of him. Chas put up with the hacker’s idiosyncrasies because he just happened to be the best in his realm, but Ringo’s personal habits tended to drive Spencer, who leaned toward fastidiousness, utterly mad.

  “Rise and shine,” Spencer said loudly, jostling Ringo’s chair a bit to wake him.

  “Whumpff?” the hacker sat up, blinking blearily. He yawned and turned to see Spencer towering over him as he slowly returned to the land of the living. “Oh, hey dude,” he stretched. “Whassup?”

  “I brought you some breakfast,” Spencer dropped the pastry box in his lap.

  “Duuuuude…” Ringo breathed, perusing the selections. “You got fancy stuff, nice,” he nodded. “Any coffee?”

  “There’s an entire pot in the break room,” Spencer tamped down his impatience.

  “Yeah, but that stuff can get bitter, ya know what I’m saying?” Ringo muttered, taking a huge bite from a chocolate croissant, the flaky crumbs tumbling down the front of his worn t-shirt. The hacker made a healthy salary at the agency, but for some reason, still chose to dress like a struggling college student.

  “I have a request for you,” Spencer began.

  “Requests work out a lot better after coffee, man,” Ringo’s voice was muffled by his mouthful of croissant.

  Spencer bit his tongue and picked up a nearby phone, asking Holly to bring Ringo some coffee.
The ultra-efficient receptionist knew how every person in the office liked their coffee, and though she despised having to go into the disaster of a technology center, she brought his peculiar concoction within minutes.

  She placed Ringo’s coffee on the desk beside him, and handed a cup to Spencer as well.

  “Here, I thought you might need this,” she said with a professional smile. “I’ll come by with some air freshener later,” she promised, leaning in and lowering her voice so that Ringo wouldn’t hear her.

  “Whatever Chas pays you, it isn’t enough,” Spencer gave her a crooked smile, then turned his attention back to Ringo.

  “That babe knows how to make a cup of coffee,” the hacker nodded appreciatively, smacking his lips.

  “Holly is a consummate professional,” Spencer raised an eyebrow at the offensive remark. “You should be getting her coffee.”

  “Not in my job description, bro,” Ringo chuckled, his insensitive manner infuriating Spencer.

  Swallowing his distaste in favor of accomplishing his purpose, Spencer was finally able to make his request.

  “So, is it possible to access patient records at Calgon Memorial?” he asked.

  Ringo stuffed the rest of his croissant in his mouth and cracked his knuckles.

  “Not only is it possible, my man, it would be a piece of cake. The systems that hospitals use are a joke,” he shrugged.

  “Great, I have the name of someone who was just admitted to the ER…” Spencer began.

  “Whoa, hold up, dude,” Ringo raised his hands in protest, then grabbed a cherry danish from the box. “That stuff is illegal, you know. I could do it so that we wouldn’t get caught, but you’d have to go into that knowing that you were breaking the law,” he took a huge bite, chewing noisily.

  “Ethics? You’re bringing up ethics now?” Spencer sighed, knowing that the hacker was right.

  “I personally don’t get all worked up by societal rules, but I know that you suit types pay attention to that stuff. Your call, man.”