She took a deep breath, then continued. “The day after we found… what we found on the boat, I was in my restaurant like usual. He came in again, this time to actually order food. As I was taking the money from him, I saw what looked like blood under his nails, and a bruise on his face. Everything was still so fresh in my mind, I admit… I freaked out a little bit. I jumped, I got shaky, I told him he had to leave. He saw me looking at the blood and bruises, and he just gave me this look. Then he left, without getting his food. I was nervous the rest of the day, but I kept convincing myself that it was all just a coincidence.” She shuddered. “He was waiting for me outside when I closed. He threatened me, told me he would kill me and Steve if I said anything. He told me he had a police scanner, and if I called the police, he would know about it. Then he jumped right into threatening me. He told me now that I had my suspicions about him, he couldn’t let me stay in town. Another murder would look too suspicious, and so he wanted me to sell the restaurant to him and leave town without ever saying anything. I knew it was weak of me, and stupid, but I was so frightened, Ellie. It was just the day after we saw what had happened on the boat, and Susie was still in the hospital, unconscious. I was terrified. He told me he would have the contract drawn up. He wasn’t buying the shop for what it was worth, but it would be enough money for me to travel for a while. I think he was hoping it would buy my silence. As long as I did nothing and said nothing, I would be able to walk away free and clear, with none of my friends or family injured. I… I agreed.”
“So it wasn’t that guy, Tony,” Ellie said, feeling a twinge of guilt for sending Russell after that man who had made a scene at the fundraiser. “I don’t understand, why did he kill those two men and attack Susie? Was it just because of the blackmail? What did Susie have on him?”
“She told me that he had been sabotaging other restaurants down in Portland, and she had enough evidence to go to the police about it. She wanted to deal with it herself first, though.”
“She was stupid to think that she could blackmail me,” Jason said. “I’m not letting some woman hold something like that over my head. I showed her, and one day I’ll finish the job that I started with her.”
“How did you know they would be on the boat that day?” Ellie asked, directing her attention to the man.
“I heard her talking about it when I was at the restaurant. It was easy; all I did was sneak on and hide on the boat for an hour or two until we got far enough out on the water that I knew we would be alone. I got the guys first, and when she heard the noise, she came upstairs. I saw her fall back down the stairway. I didn’t know she was still alive until I heard it on the news. She won’t be for long.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re not going to be able to hurt her again. You’re not going to get out of this house.”
“What are you going to do about it?” he asked with a sneer. “I don’t think you’d actually shoot me.” As if to prove his point, he began to slowly rise to his feet, still facing away from them. An earsplitting bang sounded and Ellie saw shards of wood jump up from the floor where a bullet had landed by his feet. Jason jumped and dropped quickly back down to his knees, looking shocked. Joanna looked almost equally shaken.
“There is a landline through that doorway there,” Joanna said after a moment, gesturing with her head to Ellie. “It’s behind me, you should be safe to go and get it. Call the police. Let them handle this.”
Ellie nodded. She hurried past her friend to grab the phone, dialing 911 as soon as it was in her hands.
Epilogue
Okay, thank you for letting me know. You can tell her we have someone in custody. Right. Bye, Liam.”
Russell hung up the phone and turned to Ellie, putting an arm around her shoulders. “You holding up okay?”
She nodded. “I’m all right. That was Liam? Did they find her?”
She didn’t specify who. They both knew she was talking about Susie.
“He did. She was at the marina. I guess she thought looking at the boat might jog her memory. It’s still in police custody, of course, but she couldn’t have known that.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief and leaned into Russell. She had been worried that Jason might have gotten to Susie first, despite what he had said before.
Ellie watched Joanna’s shaky embrace with her husband, suddenly feeling another surge of guilt. How had she not noticed things were wrong sooner? All of the little signs that she had missed seemed to play over again in her mind. How she had seemingly dropped off the face of the earth for a couple of days after they discovered the scene on the boat. The way that Joanna hadn’t been able to meet her eyes when she told Ellie about selling the hot dog shop, and the strange way she had kept looking at her friend whenever the topic had come up later. And, of course, that strange phone call that she had almost ignored.
How had she let herself be so blinded by her emotions and how hurt she had felt that Joanna hadn’t shared her thoughts about the hot dog shop sooner? She had been self-centered and self-focused to the point that it had nearly cost the other woman her life. And she had forgotten one of the most important things that she knew; her friends were good people. She should trust them.
“Hey,” Joanna said, suddenly pulling away from her husband and walking over to her. “Can we talk?”
“Of course,” Ellie said. The two of them walked away to where they would be able to get a little bit more privacy, not that there was much to be had in the currently bustling sheriff’s department.
“I’m sorry,” Joanna said, taking a deep breath. “I never knew that things would get this far out of control. I shouldn’t have let him intimidate me. I knew that going to you or Russell was the right thing to do, but I kept second-guessing myself. What if I messed up, somehow? What if he really did kill someone I cared about, and it was all my fault? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. He even threatened Andrew – little Andrew. How could I have lived with that?”
“I don’t blame you,” Ellie said softly. “You had just seen one of your friends right after she was attacked, and you saw the body of someone he had killed. You already knew that he was dangerous. You were just protecting yourself and the people you cared about. You didn’t hurt anyone; you are willing to sacrifice a restaurant that you loved just to make sure he didn’t hurt anyone.” She hesitated. “What’s happening with that, by the way?”
“I tore up the contract,” Joanna said, anger flashing through her eyes. “It’s not like it would have been legal, anyway, not since I was coerced into it, but I still couldn’t stand that thing. I love the hot dog shop. I don’t want to sell it.”
“I’m glad,” Ellie said. “Next time something big is wrong, come to me, okay? We’re friends, aren’t we? You should be able to trust me with this stuff. No matter what it is, Russell and I would be able to help you.”
“I know,” the other woman said. “I won’t make that mistake again. I’m lucky that everything turned out this way. Everything’s okay, for the most part. No one else got hurt, and that terrible man is going to jail. I just… I don’t know what to think of myself after all this. How could I be so weak? How can I let him walk all over me like that?”
“You did it because you care,” Ellie said. “You love your family and friends more than you love your restaurant and your own ego. Obviously it would have been better if you went to someone for help, but your reasons for not doing so aren’t bad. You were trying to protect us.”
“I suppose that’s true.” Her friend took a shaky breath. “It’s just going to take me some time, I think. Thanks, Ellie, for helping.”
“Of course,” she said. “After all, that’s what friends are for.”
Also by Patti Benning
Papa Pacelli’s Series
Book 1: Pall Bearers and Pepperoni
Book 2: Bacon Cheddar Murder
Book 4: Italian Wedding Murder
Book 5: Smoked Gouda Murder
Book 6: Gourmet Holiday Murder
Book 7: Four Cheese Murder
Book 8: Hand Tossed Murder
Book 9: Exotic Pizza Murder
Book 10: Fiesta Pizza Murder
Book 11: Garlic Artichoke Murder
Book 12: On the Wings of Murder
Book 13: Mozzarella and Murder
Book 14: A Thin Crust of Murder
Book 15: Pretzel Pizza Murder
Book 16: Parmesan Pizza Murder
Book 17: Breakfast Pizza Murder
Book 18: Halloween Pizza Murder
Book 19: Thanksgiving Pizza Murder
Book 20: Christmas Pizza Murder
Book 21: A Crispy Slice of Murder
Book 22: Lobster Pizza Murder
Book 23: Pizza, Weddings, and Murder
Book 24: Pizza, Paradise, and Murder
Book 25: Meat Lovers and Murder
Book 26: Classic Crust Murder
Book 27: Hot, Spicy Murder
Book 28: Pork, Pizza, and Murder
Darling Deli Series
Book 1: Pastrami Murder
Book 2: Corned Beef Murder
Book 3: Cold Cut Murder
Book 4: Grilled Cheese Murder
Book 5: Chicken Pesto Murder
Book 6: Thai Coconut Murder
Book 7: Tomato Basil Murder
Book 8: Salami Murder
Book 9: Hearty Homestyle Murder
Book 10: Honey BBQ Murder
Book 11: Beef Brisket Murder
Book 12: Garden Vegetable Murder
Book 13: Spicy Lasagna Murder
Book 14: Curried Lobster Murder
Book 15: Creamy Casserole Murder
Book 16: Grilled Rye Murder
Book 17: A Quiche to Die For
Book 18: A Side of Murder
Book 19: Wrapped in Murder
Book 20: Glazed Ham Murder
Book 21: Chicken Club Murder
Book 22: Pies, Lies and Murder
Book 23: Mountains, Marriage and Murder
Book 24: Shrimply Murder
Book 25: Gazpacho Murder
Book 26: Peppered with Murder
Book 27: Ravioli Soup Murder
Book 28: Thanksgiving Deli Murder
Book 29: A Season of Murder
Book 30: Valentines and Murder
Book 31: Shamrocks and Murder
Book 32: Sugar Coated Murder
Book 33: Murder, My Darling
Killer Cookie Series
Book 1: Killer Caramel Cookies
Book 2: Killer Halloween Cookies
Book 3: Killer Maple Cookies
Book 4: Crunchy Christmas Murder
Book 5: Killer Valentine Cookies
Asheville Meadows Series
Book 1: Small Town Murder
Book 2: Murder on Aisle Three
Book 3: The Heart of Murder
Book 4: Dating is Murder
Book 5: Dying to Cook
Book 6: Food, Family and Murder
Book 7: Fish, Chips and Murder
Cozy Mystery Tails of Alaska
Book 1: Mushing is Murder
Book 2: Murder Befalls Us
Book 3: Stage Fright and Murder
Book 4: Routine Murder
Book 5: Best Friends and Betrayal
Book 6: Tick Tock and Treachery
Author’s Note
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