Reaching the end of the boardwalk, I crossed Front Street and walked a couple more blocks to reach another side street. Since I couldn’t talk to Julie, I decided to stop by the DancingDolphin café and question Pete and Sandy Nelson about what they’d seen at the costume party.
Of course, I reminded myself,you need to be careful. Pete is still on the suspect list.
But he wasn’t at the top of my list, and even if he had been, I doubted he’d take any action during daylight hours, especially with Sandy present. Reaching the old house that had been converted into the Dancing Dolphin, I realized that since it was past two o’clock, the café would be closed. But since Pete and Sandy lived above the restaurant, they might still be at home.
I walked around to the wooden staircase that hugged the side of the house. Having visited Pete and Sandy before, I knew the staircase led to the upper level of the building, where they’d created a spacious apartment.
Knocking on the peacock-blue door, which matched the house’s wooden hurricane shutters, I considered the best way to broach the subject of whom they’d seen where at the party. I knew Pete had been in the house, arguing with Damian in the kitchen, right before I left, but he had headed back outside before I went to get the ice. So I hoped that either he or Sandy could tell me more about the movements of the other guests while I was gone.
Sandy answered the door. “Charlotte, what are you doing here?” she asked, wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing over her T-shirt and shorts.
“Sorry. I was out walking and thought I’d stop by. Just to talk through some stuff related to the party.”
“To the murder, you mean.” Sandy opened the door wider and motioned for me to enter. “I guess that’s been on all of our minds a little more than we’d like.”
As I walked into the apartment, a blast of cold air from a nearby vent washed over me. “Big change from outside,” I said, clutching my upper arms with both hands to quell a sudden shiver.
“Oh, I know. Pete keeps it so cool in here. He says he needs that after standing in a hot kitchen most of the day, but I think he just likes it cold.” Sandy shook her head as she directed me to one of the fan-backed wicker rockers in the living room. “I tell him all the time he’d be better off in Antarctica than Beaufort, but he just says there isn’t much call for a café there.” Sandy flashed me a smile as she headed for the kitchen.
I sat down, allowing my gaze to wander. The Nelsons had removed most of the walls on this upper floor, creating an open-concept living space. A wide island, with bar stools creating seating along one edge, separated the large, white-on-white-toned kitchen from the dining and living areas. Everything was meticulously clean and bright, with only a few decorative elements lending color to the rooms. I knew from previous visits that beyond the kitchen lay a large bedroom with an en suite bathroom, as well as a guest bathroom and an office that doubled as a guest bedroom.
A perfect amount of space for two people, especially since these two people spent much of their time working in the café below. I sighed, again coveting the coziness of the space. Like the Sandberg sisters’ cottage, this setup was more to my liking than my much older, rambling house.But, I reminded myself,Chapters is your business, not just your private home. Even if Isabella did live there, all alone, for many years before she converted it into a bed-and-breakfast.
That was something I found hard to imagine. When filled with guests, Chapters didn’t feel too large and echoing, but when no one was there … I set my purse on the polished wood floor beside my chair. At least in the slow winter months, I had Alicia living at the bed-and-breakfast with me. We didn’t share a lot of confidences, but she was another human being I could talk to from time to time. For many years, Isabella had been totally alone.
Or was she?I forced a smile as Sandy returned with a glass of water.
“You want anything else, you just ask,” she said, pulling up another wicker chair to face me. “And Pete will be out in a minute. He was taking a little nap. He needs that sometimes, after the lunch rush.”
“I can imagine,” I said, after taking a sip of the water. “It’s hard work, running any type of restaurant.”
“Yes, but we love it. Usually.” Sandy settled in her chair. “Although I sometimes wonder how long we’ll be able to keep up the pace. We’re only in our mid-fifties now, so it isn’t too tough, but as I told Pete, I don’t plan to be doing this when I’m in my seventies.”
“And who do you think will take it over?” Pete appeared in the doorway to the master bedroom, rubbing at his right eye with one finger. “Neither Shawna nor Liza will likely move here to run a café.”
“No, of course not. They have their own families to think about now.” Sandy leaned forward, and added in a conspiratorial tone, “Second grandchild is due in the fall. Liza this time. We’re thrilled, of course.”
“That’s nice. I guess it’s a time for such news. I just found out my younger sister’s wife is having a baby too.”
“Oh, how lovely,” Sandra said, clapping her hands.
“When I talked to her the other evening, Mel sounded so happy. She’s been waiting a long time for this, so she’s thrilled. As are my parents, of course.” I waited until Pete had taken a seat in the rocker next to mine before diving into my inquiry. “Changing the subject to something less pleasant, I just wanted to check with you both about a few things.”
Pete shot me a sharp glance. “About the party?”
“Yes. I know you don’t have all the answers, but I thought perhaps you’d seen something that might help me understand the situation better.” I lifted my shoulders in awhat can you do?gesture. “I have to live with some of the guests, you know. I’d like to be sure I’m not under the same roof as a murderer.”
Sandy shared a look with her husband. “Well, as to that, we are a bit concerned for you, honestly.”
“Why’s that?” I took a long swallow of water before setting my tumbler on the glass-topped wicker table next to my chair.
“That Scott Kepler fellow,” Pete said. “He’s still at Chapters, right?”
“Yes, and in the house proper now, since the carriage house isn’t available.”
Pete drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair. “That’s … unfortunate, in my opinion.”
“What do you mean? Surely you don’t suspect Scott of being the killer.”
