She went back to her luggage and unzipped the outer pocket of her suitcase to pull out her laptop. When she’d gotten on the plane in Phoenix, there’d been no details online of her friend’s funeral service yet.
No matter what the danger, she couldn’t miss the opportunity to say good-bye to Lisbeth.
Torie sank onto the comfortable sofa and checked the local news.
There it was. The service was later than she expected—not until next weekend on Sunday morning. Ten days away, probably to allow for the autopsy, but it was still not nearly enough time to prepare her heart for what she had to do. She’d be there though. Didn’t cop shows mention the killer often showed up at the funeral of his victim? Torie planned to sit in the back and examine every person who came through the door. The hard part would be ignoring her father, who was flying in later tonight. She could only hope he didn’t let her identity slip.
She was going to bring Lisbeth’s killer to justice no matter what it took.
Chapter 3
Zachry’s Riverhouse was hopping tonight. Joe and Hailey were lucky enough to get seated at a table with a view of the marina. The mouth-watering aromas of crab cakes and shrimp vied with those of fries and burgers.
While Joe waited to order, he spotted Craig Hall waiting to be seated. They had room at their table, so he rose and asked the hostess to bring him over.
Craig, a Georgia state trooper, high-fived Joe when he arrived at the table. “Thanks for saving me from a long wait. It’s been quite the day.” He tugged on Hailey’s ponytail. “Hey, squirt.”
They’d met when Joe’s moving truck broke down on the causeway over to the island, and the trooper stopped to help. They were about the same age, and Craig had been recently divorced so the two had bonded over their losses in life. He’d been the one Joe had called when he found Lisbeth’s body. The trooper’s sharp eyes and nose for truth had seen him promoted six months ago.
They ordered sweet teas, and the server brought their drinks with cheese sticks while they waited for their meals. “So what was up with your day?”
Craig took a sip of his drink. “Protesters had the bridge closed most of the day. Some drivers got out and started slinging their fists around. Two people were taken to the hospital. Wild scene.”
“Hey, Craig,” Joe dipped a cheese stick in marinara sauce, “what’s the latest on the Nelson drowning? Someone told me today she’d heard it wasn’t accidental.”
Craig frowned and shook his head. “I don’t know where that came from. It’s pretty straightforward according to the initial investigation. Water in her lungs, no sign of foul play that the coroner found. We’ve sent fluids off, including the water in her lungs, for a toxicology report. We don’t have everything back yet, but it doesn’t seem to be anything hinky. Sounds to me like someone was just trying to cause drama.”
Torie didn’t seem the drama type. She’d jumped into action at the first sign his daughter might be in danger, and she had the kind of personality that felt calming. Or maybe it was just he’d been so relieved to find Hailey in one piece.
“So definitely didn’t look like a homicide.”
“Nope.” Craig took a swig of his sweet tea. “We will be releasing the body in a few days, and I hear the service is going to be at Faith Chapel next weekend, Sunday morning. I thought I might go.”
“I will too, just to pay my respects.” And maybe if he was honest, he wanted to see if Torie showed up. Her curiosity seemed unusual.
Craig reached for a chip. “So who is questioning the death?”
“A new employee at the hotel. Torie Berg. She said she was watching the news because she was moving here and heard something about it being suspicious.”
“That’s a crock. I’ve seen every bit of news coverage. Nothing’s been mentioned but accidental drowning. Seems strange to me that she’s saying anything when she just got here. What do you make of her questions?”
“I wasn’t sure where she was coming from, and I thought she seemed too interested in the case.”
She was an enigma. She was attractive but reserved. And she wore expensive clothes and shoes. Even he could recognize quality when he saw it. So she was likely a spendthrift unless she came from money, and if that was the case, why would she be working an IT job on a remote island?
His initial reservations about her surged, but maybe he was the one causing drama this time. For all he knew she bought good clothes secondhand. His wife used to do that. It wasn’t a crime to like quality.
So why was he mentally defending her? He barely knew the woman, but something about her intense interest in the case had him wondering if everything she had told him was true. She was a neighbor so it shouldn’t be hard to learn a little more about her.
Joe glanced at his daughter, but she was busy tossing pieces of her bun to the birds. He touched her arm and shook his head. She scowled but obeyed his silent order. The last thing the restaurant needed was to have birds demanding to be fed and making a mess everywhere.
“How’s work?” Craig asked.
“Busy month coming. We’ve got a new nuclear sub arriving soon, and there will be war games.”
“You meet anyone new yet?”
A vision of Torie’s slim neck holding her crown of braids high flashed through his head. “I don’t have time to date.”
“I say that to acquaintances all the time, and we both know it’s a lie. I’m getting over my divorce and you need to get over Julie’s death.” Craig’s gaze slid to Hailey, who seemed to be paying no attention. “We’re both too young to be alone the rest of our lives. At least I’m trying to move on. You don’t seem to even notice an attractive woman when you see her.”
Craig gave a nod toward the hostess seating a family two tables away. “She’s not married and not dating anyone. We went out once, but there was no spark, you know. You should try.”
Joe glanced at the attractive brunette. “I’ve talked to her a few times, but I don’t like being gone from Hailey. Any woman will want more attention than I can give her. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Maybe you’ll find a woman who loves your daughter.”
Joe didn’t see that happening. Every teacher Hailey had so far was married. And talking to a stranger’s child didn’t happen all that often.
The server brought their plates of food, and his stomach rumbled at the aroma of crab cakes. He shoved away the questions he had about Torie. She wasn’t his business.
* * *
Torie found nothing belonging to Lisbeth anywhere in the cottage.
She exhaled and shut the drawer of the bedside table. It had been a vain hope to think that something of Lisbeth’s might be hidden here, but Torie wasn’t ready to give up yet. She glanced around. Where else might she look?
She wandered the bedroom. There had been nothing under the bed or in the closet. The bathroom drawers were spotless and empty, as was the space under the sink. She’d searched everywhere in the living room and kitchen, but maybe she’d missed something.
She gave a last glance around the room, then went back to the main living area. Her gaze landed on the glass bookshelf. About ten books, arranged by color, were interspersed with large seashells. She hadn’t checked inside the books.