Саманта Сильвер - The Purr-fect Crime

“And there’s Zoe Wright,” Charlotte continued, pointing out the woman whose face I’d seen around town way too many times now. I knew she was the head of the whole project. She walked around easily, chatting casually with people from the town, laughing with them, giving them hugs. I sent a glare her way when her back was turned. The woman was definitely good at schmoozing people. I wondered how much schmoozing had been involved to get the project approved by everyone in the state legislature. Or how much bribe money. I refused to believe they actually believed in the merits of the project; I gave even politicians more credit than that.

Charlotte was pointing out Anita Grey, the head of PR to me, when I suddenly felt something graze my ankle. I jumped about a foot in the air, letting out a yelp, and when I looked down I saw a familiar calico cat staring up at me.

“What?” Bee asked. “I was just saying hi. Way to make a girl feel welcome.”

“You can’t be here,” I hissed at Bee.

“Why not? They’re here.”

“They’re humans. This is a human rally. They belong here. Not you.” How on earth Bee had gotten away from Karen, I didn’t know. I pinched the bridge of my nose as Sophie laughed out loud.

“She’s too smart. Why did you even come here, cat?” she asked.

“I have a name, human ,” Bee replied haughtily. “Tell the human that what you had planned sounded more interesting than sleeping alone for a while longer. You’re not allowed going on adventures without me.”

I relayed Bee’s message to Sophie, who rolled her eyes, then turned my attention back to Bee.

“We absolutely are allowed going on adventures without you. Because in case you didn’t notice, you’re a cat!”

“Details,” Bee replied. I was about to reply with another smarmy reply when Zoe Wright suddenly descended on us, like a spider spotting flies in her trap. Little did she know that we were the ones setting the trap. At least, I hoped we were. We didn’t actually have a strategy, beyond show up here and ask questions.

“Hello ladies,” Zoe greeted us with an enthusiasm that surely had to be fake. No one could be that excited about meeting this many random strangers. Her life had to be exhausting. “It’s so lovely to see you here at the rally. The youth of Willow Bay are so important, and I’m so glad to see some young people here who appreciate that we’re trying to give Willow Bay a future.”

I plastered a plastic smile onto my face, not daring to speak. I could see Sophie next to me practically seething with anger as she breathed heavily from her nose. Her fists were clenched, and I sent her a look. This wasn’t the time to unload on Zoe Wright. We were supposed to be pretending to be on her side.

Luckily for Sophie and I, Charlotte didn’t have a hint of a temper in her.

“Yes, we’re very invested in the future of Willow Bay. We heard that you were planning on having the resort open this time next year and we were just thrilled to hear that, weren’t we?” Charlotte said, turning to glare at the two of us in warning. Sophie and I both nodded our heads enthusiastically.

“Yes, definitely!” I even managed to spit out. My voice sounded fake and unnaturally high, even to me.

“Well I’m so glad you came,” Zoe told us.

“We were wondering though,” Charlotte said, concern lining her face. “What do you think is going to happen with the recent murder? In terms of tourism at the resort?”

“I don’t think it should affect it at all,” Zoe told Charlotte. “After all, I have full confidence the police will make an arrest, and justice will be served.”

“But we heard that Tony Nyman owned a plot of land right next to the resort, and that it might be what got him killed.” It was a gutsy move, but we didn’t really have much to go on. Zoe’s back stiffened at Charlotte’s words, and if I wasn’t mistaken, it seemed as if her smile dropped for a split second before being pasted back onto her face.

“I have no idea where you heard that, but there is absolutely no way that poor man owning land near the resort will be affecting us at all. Ocean Mist has owned all of the parcels of land we’ve needed for over three years now while we gained approval from the government to build the resort. It’s just an unhappy coincidence that won’t be affecting the project at all.”

Charlotte put on her best concerned face.

“I just don’t want it to hold anything back, you know. Or stop people from coming to the resort.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. As far as the resort is concerned, everything is completely fine. We have everything taken care of. And the tourism industry will continue. There’s no doubt about it. People have short memories, I guarantee you that this time next year no one from outside the town will even remember there had been a murder here.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve been doing this a long time. Believe me. While the man’s death is sad, it’s not going to have any long term effects on tourism. We’re going to bring so many more people to Willow Bay that it’s not going to matter at all. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe Anita wants me. It was lovely to meet you ladies, and thank you so much for your support.”

The three of us turned and looked at each other as Zoe made her way towards Anita Grey, who had been motioning for Zoe to come over and see her. “Geez. If I wasn’t mistaken, I think we might have actually shocked her a bit with that first question,” I said, smiling at Charlotte. “Good work.”

“We definitely did. I’m still sure that even if she doesn’t, someone at her company has something to do with Nyman’s death. I know that woman has answers for everything, but we shocked her at first.”

“Hello? Were you not there like two hours ago when I said Nyman had links to literal mob guys out east?” Sophie protested.

“That doesn’t mean they killed him,” Charlotte replied.

“Oh yeah gee I think the businesswoman with nothing to gain from it killed him then, not the guys who do that sort of thing for a living.”

“You watch too much TV,” Charlotte told Sophie. I held my hands up between them.

“Relax, both of you. We can go forward as if both theories are right, remember? It’s not like we need to pick and choose right now. Besides, I still don’t see how Jason Black fits into things, and I’m sure he does somehow.”

“You’re so obsessed with that guy,” Sophie told me.

“I am not obsessed ,” I replied. “I’m interested in him as a suspect in the murder that essentially happened in my vet clinic.”

“Speak of the devil,” Charlotte muttered, pointing over to the other side of the park. Standing by the fountain, talking to Michael Kensington, the head of marketing, was Jason Black. I would have recognized that face anywhere. He was dressed down today, just wearing a light blue polo with dark blue jeans, and I had to admit despite myself that he looked good. Damn good.

No, I had to stop thinking that way. He was involved in a murder. He was insufferable. I hated him. And I wanted to stop running into him everywhere I went.

I stormed over to where he was standing.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. Michael Kensington looked shocked at my outburst, but Jason just laughed lightly.

“I would have thought it was obvious. I’m having a nice chat about the great Ocean Mist project with my new friend Michael. Michael, this is Angela. She owns the vet clinic in town.”

I shook his hand almost out of obligation. Of course he had a firm, generic businessman handshake. The man couldn’t have been more of a stereotype if he tried.

“Now sorry to cut our conversation short, Michael, but it seems Angie and I have a lot to talk about,” he told him, leading me away from the man.