“Long day?” Bea asked.
Penny nodded. “The longest. I’ve already dealt with four hourly feeds for a joey, a five-kilometre run along the beach, two sick animals at the refuge and the news.”
Evie sighed. “I saw it too. I knew he was out, since Bea told us all. But seeing it on the television made it so real.”
“It gave me the creeps, seeing him like that,” Taya said. “To think, we all believed he was innocent. And he was so lovely, giving us cups of tea and chatting about his petunias as though he’d never done a thing wrong in his life. I am embarrassed to admit I thought the gossip about him must’ve been misleading.”
“No, I felt the same way,” Penny admitted. “And it was my mother and grandmother he committed the crimes against.”
“How does everyone feel about Betsy?” Evie asked. “I mean, we all know she was the one who posted his bail. And she’s his alibi. Doesn’t it feel strange to run into her around town?”
The other women all exchanged looks. Penny didn’t know what to think about the kind little old lady she’d gotten to know better ever since her granddaughter, Sam, had showed up at the animal sanctuary one day and Penny had taken her in and fed her. Now Sam was being cared for each day after school by Betsy, and the little girl’s life had completely turned around. She was no longer dirty and neglected, hungry and alone. She had someone to help her, someone to share her life with. Her own father hadn’t been able to keep up with everything, since he was single and worked long hours on the mainland to pay the bills. But now Sam had Betsy, and from what Penny could tell, the little girl was happy and well cared for.
“I think we can keep our feelings about Buck separate from our relationship with Betsy,” she said.
Bea shrugged. “She comes into the café all the time, and I don’t know what to say to her. She’s lying for her brother—at least, it seems that way to me. I’m sure he’s guilty, but she’s giving him an alibi so he gets away with it.”
“Has any of you questioned Betsy about his name change?” Taya asked.
Bea shook her head. “I found that driver’s license with his picture and a different name in the cave near my cottage, but I never asked her about it.”
“Perhaps you should,” Evie said.
“You’re right, I probably should. I’m not sure how to raise the subject. It’s awkward — she’s our friend, and I hate to upset her. What do you think about him being so close by?” Bea asked with a shiver as she reached for a glass of chardonnay. “He’s just down the road from the inn.”
“I’ll be locking my doors at night,” Taya said. “I’ve never felt the need before now.”
“In fairness, he’s always lived a short drive down the road from you, and you’ve never locked your doors before now,” Penny pointed out. She didn’t know why she was defending him. She had no reason to. It was her family he’d wronged. But at the same time, he was family too. The web woven around her family and this crime was so complicated, it made her head ache to think about it.
“True, and I don’t think he’s hurt anyone else.”
“It was a crime of passion,” Evie offered. “He might not ever hurt anyone again. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t pay for his previous crimes.”
“You’re right, of course,” Penny replied. “But I can’t help wondering if maybe we’ve gotten it wrong. As you said, he hasn’t harmed another person, and the police cleared him all those years ago.”
“Do you really believe that?” Bea asked, eyes wide. “We found evidence — I found evidence in that cave. Don’t you remember? He had the license with a different name on it.”
“There could be a million different explanations for that,” Penny countered, her chin raised. She shouldn’t defend him. But she’d longed to know her father all her life and if this was him, she couldn’t believe he would be the type of man who would kill.
Beatrice shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Perhaps we should talk about something else?”
Evie’s nostrils flared.
Taya cleared her throat. “Great idea. In the spirit of changing topics, I got the job.”
Everyone’s eyes flicked to her face.
Bea grinned. “That’s great news!”
“We all knew you’d get it,” Evie said as she clapped her hands together.
“Well, I did have the inside track. I know the boss pretty well.”
“And you’re dating the manager,” Penny quipped.
Taya laughed. “That’s right — I forgot about that. I’m the boss’s daughterandthe manager’s girlfriend. I was a shoo-in. I only feel bad for all the other applicants. Thankfully there weren’t any who were remotely qualified, at least according to my father.”
“Well, you’re going to be fantastic in the role. And you’re completely overqualified. I’m so happy for you,” Bea said.
