Mary noted the calm way the detective spoke to Antonio. His steady tone reminded her of Wes, who rarely raised his voice or used his badge for anything more than identification.

  “Let him go,” Martha gasped.

  “Just relax!” Suzie stepped closer to Martha, startled by her reaction.

  The officers focused on Martha.

  “It’s okay,” Mary addressed them. “She’s just upset. It’s been a difficult time for everyone.”

  Blake handed Antonio off to an officer who led him back to the parking lot, then he turned to look at Martha.

  “Is there a problem, Martha? Is there something that you want to tell me?” Despite the mild tone of the detective’s voice, the force of his gaze carried surprising authority. “I’m here to listen.”

  “Antonio didn’t do this!” Martha pursed her lips. “You’re just arresting him because of his past. It’s not right.”

  “Rick and Antonio have a history, and someone witnessed an argument between them not long before Rick was killed.” Blake met Martha’s eyes. “I have enough cause to get a warrant. I can assure you, I take my job, and the rules I must follow, very seriously. But if there’s something you can tell me about Antonio that you think will be important to my investigation, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

  Martha sniffled. “I just know he didn’t do it.”

  “You two are good friends?” Blake’s gaze didn’t waver despite Martha’s own dropping to the ground.

  “We’ve been working together for some time. He’s a good man, who’s had some very difficult times in his life. I don’t want to see him blamed for something he didn’t do.” Martha looked back up at Blake and spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m sure all you want is a closed case.”

  “No, you’re wrong.” Blake’s tone hardened. “What I want is a murderer behind bars. And that is what I’ll get. If Antonio isn’t the killer, he’ll be released soon enough. If you have anything to add, please feel free to contact me at the station.” He looked at Suzie and Mary. “And the same goes for both of you. I can live with a little meddling, as long as you keep me in the loop.”

  With that, he turned and walked toward the parking lot.

  Suzie pulled Pilot closer, then she turned her attention to Martha. “I’m so sorry, Martha. I know it must have been hard seeing them take your friend. Why don’t we go inside and have a cup of tea?”

  Still shaken, Martha offered a mild nod, then followed them.

  Suzie settled at a table on the patio with Pilot, as Mary and Martha made their way toward the kitchen.

  As they stepped into the empty kitchen, Antonio’s absence was obvious. The vegetables sat untouched on the counter, and a pot still warmed on the stove.

  “I’ll get the tea.” Mary started toward the kettle.

  “No, please, let me.” Martha patted her arm and gently pushed her out of the kitchen. “It makes me feel better to be useful. You go sit with Suzie.”

  Mary started to protest but let it go. She knew exactly how Martha felt.

  “Thank you.” Mary walked out onto the patio and joined Suzie and Pilot, who’d curled up under the table, eager for some rest.

  A moment later, Pippa wandered onto the patio with a puzzled look on her face.

  “Have you seen Saul?” Pippa paused beside their table.

  “No, we haven’t.” Suzie turned toward her. “Did the police take it easy on you?”

  “Yes, they did. I’m sorry for my reaction.” Pippa’s voice trembled. “I just can’t believe it.”

  “Please, join us if you’d like.” Mary patted the chair beside her. “I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.”

  “I do.” Pippa sank into the chair. “When I heard that the police were after Antonio, I wanted to speak to Saul about it. I warned him when he hired Antonio. He called me for a reference, and I told him the truth. I don’t know why he didn’t listen to me.” She fell silent as Martha walked toward the table with a tray of tea.

  “Oh, Pippa, I didn’t know you would be here. Let me grab another teacup.” Martha set the tray down and started to turn back to the kitchen.

  “No, please sit.” Suzie gestured to the empty chair. “I don’t feel like any tea at the moment. Pippa can use my cup.”

  “Antonio didn’t do this.” Martha sat, then looked across the table at Pippa. “You have to know that.”

  “How can I?” Pippa shook her head. “He had plenty of reason to do it. You know we had such a difficult time with him. Rick hired him as a favor to a friend. We don’t normally hire people with a criminal record. But it was for petty teenage stuff, so Rick decided to give him a chance. Then he stole from us, so we had to fire him.”

  “He never stole from you,” Martha said.

  “He did. He tried to blame it on a teenager who was doing work experience as a dishwasher, the son of close family friends. He would never have stolen from us.” Pippa wrinkled her nose. “Antonio was stealing from the kitchen. It would be one thing if he was taking food for himself, but he wasn’t. He was taking equipment and selling it. We couldn’t just ignore that. So, when Saul called me for a reference, I told him the truth.”

  “Did you ever actually see him steal anything?” Martha raised an eyebrow as she continued to watch her. “Did the police ever find anything of yours in his possession?”

  “We didn’t call the police. Rick didn’t want to ruin his life. Again, he was generous, and made sure that Antonio would be okay. But we couldn’t just let him continue to steal from us.” Pippa shrugged.

  “Sure, right.” Martha pursed her lips. “Antonio’s a good man, and we both know it.”

  “Such a good man that my husband’s now dead.” Pippa’s voice hitched. “And he even accused me of killing him?” She stood up. “I need a break from this.” She turned and hurried inside.

  CHAPTER 17

  After watching Pippa walk away, Mary turned her attention to Martha.

  “Do you know Antonio well?” Mary asked.

  “We work together a lot, and he told me about his past and what Rick and Pippa accused him of when he worked there,” Martha explained. “He was very upset about it.”

  “So you really don’t think he could have killed him out of revenge?” Suzie asked.

  “No, never,” Martha said. “Look, I need to go. I need to find Esme and Saul.”

  “Okay. Thank you for the tea.” Suzie watched Martha as she headed inside the inn.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Mary said. “She obviously cares about Antonio.”

  “I wish she would tell us more about who might have murdered Rick. She clearly knows what happens around here, and I think she’s keeping secrets. Those secrets might be the key to finding out what happened.” Suzie started to say more but fell silent as Mary’s phone began to ring.

  “It’s Wes. He probably has an update for us.” Mary answered the phone with a smile. “Hi, Wes. Suzie’s here with me.” She glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Hang on, I’ll put you on speaker.” She set the phone down on the table, then touched the speaker button. “Please tell us you found something.”

  “I do have a few details to share with you.” Wes took a deep breath. “Here we go! So, Mary mentioned that John, the man who owns the inn that is in direct competition with Rick’s, is a possible suspect. He’s filed for bankruptcy on a few of his previous businesses, so my guess is that he’s not the best at handling money, and he also has some current financial troubles.”

  “So if Rick’s wild guests really were driving John’s guests away, that could put John at risk of losing yet another business.” Suzie leaned back in the rocking chair and gazed up at the bright, clear sky.

  “Exactly,” Wes said. “However, I’ve dug into his legal history and there’s no indication of him being violent or even getting so much as a traffic ticket.”

  “Sounds like a straight-and-narrow kind of guy.” Mary shrugged. “They can snap sometimes, if they’re pushed too far.”

  “And it’s possible that he just hasn’t been caught,” Suzie suggested. “But, Wes, we just witnessed Antonio, the chef, getting taken in for questioning. Do you have any information for us about him?”

  “Ah, yes, I can see why the detective’s focusing on him. He has a criminal record. It’s mostly small things from when he was a teenager, but it’s still there, and may be a good indication that he doesn’t have a problem with breaking the law to get what he wants. Uh, let me just check on something.” Wes paused, then continued. “Right, so he hasn’t had any recent charges against him. It’s possible that he’s turned his life around.”

  “Except that, according to Pippa, when he worked for her and Rick, he stole from them. They never reported him, so there wouldn’t be an official record, but given his past, it tells me he probably hasn’t changed.” Suzie glanced over at Mary. “Still, Martha was adamant that he’s a good man.”

  “Martha. The manager?” Wes said.

  “Yes, she’s very good at what she does, and she was quite upset when Antonio was arrested. She knows him pretty well from working together.” Suzie leaned closer to the phone. “I’m tempted to give her opinion some weight. But Antonio was fired from Pippa and Rick’s inn, so there’s history there.”

  “And don’t forget Pearl, the woman who owns the B&B that offers a gourmet experience, saw him arguing with Rick not long before he was killed. So, we know they still weren’t on the best terms.” Mary tapped her fingers on the table. “But I’m more curious about Elliot right now. He’s probably known Rick the longest. He’s struggled to be successful after Rick sold their first business out from under him.”

  “Elliot’s an interesting suspect,” Wes said. “I did go back through the events surrounding the sale of the business he and Rick shared. Even though Elliot didn’t have a say in selling it, there’s also no sign that he put up much of a fight. There’s no record of police involvement, and no charges of any kind were filed against him or Rick.”

  “What about at other times in Elliot’s life?” Mary glanced at Suzie. “He became pretty angry with us when we questioned Rick’s behavior. I’d say he has a bit of a temper.”

  “You’d be right about that,” Wes said. “He’s never had any assault charges, but there were a few incidents with guests. Nothing on his official record, but I found some old reviews from when he first opened his new inn. Sounds like he didn’t take criticism well. He was known to argue with guests who complained.”

  “That’s not a great way to run a business.” Suzie looked up at the sky. “But he probably became hypersensitive to criticism after Rick took his business from him. Or at least that’s the way he saw it.”

  “Speaking of that original business, Elliot had recently filed a lawsuit against Rick, claiming there was a problem with the sale years ago,” Wes said.

  “He’s filed it now?” Suzie shook her head. “But that doesn’t make any sense. It’s been years.”

  “I guess he might have found a legal loophole. I don’t know all the details, and I’m not sure why he filed it now. It might be something to ask him about.” Wes cleared his throat. “I trust that you’re both being very careful?”

  “As always,” Mary assured him.

  “Suzie?” Wes fell silent as he waited for an answer.

  “Don’t worry, Wes. Mary’s in good hands with me.”

  “I’m counting on it.” Wes ended the call.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Did you see the way Pippa reacted to Antonio?” Mary slid her phone into her purse. “I really think she believes he did it.”

  “She has good reason to. But she also has good reason to want everyone else to think that she’s innocent.” Suzie leaned back in her chair.

  “To throw suspicion off herself,” Mary said as she considered it. “It’s not that I don’t agree, it’s just that there are some better suspects. Don’t you think?”

  “Yes.” Suzie watched John walk past the glass doors and disappear into the lounge. “Like him. I’d like to talk to him again. If he has a drink or two, he might be willing to let something slip. Even if he’s not the murderer, he may have some information about Rick, or even Pippa.”

  “I’ll take Pilot upstairs and get him settled, but I’ll be back down in a few minutes to check on you.” Mary started toward the door. “Just be careful.”

  Suzie agreed, though she didn’t feel particularly concerned. In her mind, Rick’s killer had already gotten what they wanted, and now, all they cared about was covering their tracks. The smartest move would be to act innocent, not stir up more trouble.

  Aside from John and the bartender, the lounge was empty when she stepped inside. She tried to clear her head and stay focused. She knew this might be her best chance to get John talking while they were alone.

  “Hey, John.” Suzie stepped around him to the next empty stool. “Do you mind if I join you?”

  “Sure.” John looked into her eyes briefly before swiveling back to face the bar.

  He definitely seemed friendlier than he was at breakfast.

  As Suzie sat down on the barstool next to him, the bartender walked over.

  “Welcome. I’m Michael, and I’ll be taking care of you.” His smile reached his eyes and made them shine. She figured he probably earned plenty of tips.

  “I’m Suzie. Thank you.”

  “What can I get for you?” Michael asked.

  “Just a soda for me,” Suzie said, then pointed toward John’s drink. “But I’ll cover another beer for him, too, please.”

  “Oh, wow, thanks so much.” John chuckled. “I haven’t had a pretty woman buy me a beer in a very long time.”

  “That’s kind of you to say.” Suzie returned his smile. “I just thought you could use some company, sitting here all alone. With everything that’s happening, I’m sure we could all use someone to talk to.”

  “You’re right about that. Thank you.” John thanked Michael as he set the drinks down in front of them. “I guess it’s good they caught the guy, though. Now, maybe we can all move on with the awards ceremony.”

  “You’re right, I’d almost forgotten about that. The ceremony’s tonight, right?” Suzie took a sip of her soda.

  “It’s supposed to be,” John said. “But I have a feeling they’ll delay it. Can’t have a big fancy dinner without a chef, right?”

  “You know, I heard that Antonio used to work for Rick.” Suzie lowered her voice to a whisper. “And that things didn’t go too well.”

  “I always say, hire the best, no matter what it costs, because it’s the people who create the experience, and that’s what the guests will remember.” John wagged his finger. “Rick was all about the money, not about the substance. That’s why he ran his poor wife ragged.”

  “I see, yes, that makes sense to me.” Suzie met his eyes as she recalled Wes’ revelation about John’s bankruptcies. She guessed that his philosophy didn’t work out for him at least a few times. “So, did you ever see Antonio at Rick’s place?”

  “No. Never.” John shook his head. “I’m surprised he even hired a chef, since he made Pippa do everything.”

  “His business was doing well. Maybe he decided adding in a chef would make his place look a little classier,” Suzie suggested.

  “Oh, Rick was so successful, blah blah blah.” John rolled his eyes. “It’s all I keep hearing. I know, he’s dead, so we all have to say nice things.”

  Michael hurried off to the other end of the bar to serve someone.

  “And you thought of him differently.” Suzie sipped her soda.

  “Yes. Well, I’m not the only one. Everyone knew how he actually became successful,” John said.

  “Of course, his secret weapon, Pippa.” Suzie grinned.

  “What?” John shook his head. “No, that’s not it. He made a deal with Jocelyn from Next Stop Getaways. He paid her off to make sure his inn showed up first on her site, no matter what people searched for.” He leaned forward slightly. “Didn’t matter what filters you used or where in that area you searched, his place always came up first. I know, because I tested it myself. I could never get my inn to come up ahead of his.”

  “Did you confront him about it?” Suzie asked.

  “I did. Of course I did. I told him what he and Jocelyn were doing was illegal and that I’d file a complaint.” John shook his head. “But he just laughed. He told me to stop being jealous, and just try harder.” He rolled his eyes. “That was one of his favorite things to say. ‘Just try harder.’”

  “That must have infuriated you. Knowing the truth about his so-called success, and watching him act like he was better than you.” Suzie kept her voice casual. “All while you knew better. Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

  “I tried,” John said. “I went to the local newspaper about it. I thought they’d do something. But so far, nothing.”

  “The newspaper?” Suzie tilted her head. “Why not the police? Don’t you think that would have worked better?”

  “The police?” John swirled his glass. “You really think they care about a referral scam? No one’s getting their money stolen. It’s false advertising at worst. Nah, I wasn’t going to the police about it.”

  “And then he was up for the same award as you?” Suzie pursed her lips. “That doesn’t seem very fair.”

  “Oh, it would have been fine.” John finished off the last of his beer. “I don’t have much competition.”

  “Oh?” Suzie laughed. “I’m your competition, you know?”

  “Not really.” John’s hard gaze settled on hers. “You’re just filler to make the list of nominees look balanced. That award’s mine.”

  Suzie met his gaze. “How can you be so confident?”

  “Saul’s in with all the judges and he and I go way back. He’s the reason I got into this business. He’ll make sure I walk away with the award.” John gave her a smug grin. “But let’s keep that between us, hmm.”

  “Wow. Does anyone tell the truth around here?” Suzie thought about all the competitors who’d taken the time to be there. Was it really going to come down to a popularity contest?