Clammed Up: A Maine Clambake Mystery Part 17

Sonny knew some things I didn't. I'd forgotten he was a buddy with Jamie's colleague, Officer Howland. Sonny told us the drug found in Ray's system was Rophynol, or roofies, the date rape drug.

When we got to the day's events, I paused, trying to collect myself. The best thing was just to say it. "Sonny and I think Jean-Jacques is back and staying at least part-time on Morrow Island."

Mom's eyes widened.

I explained about the cleaned-up playhouse and the room in Windsholme with the neatly folded clothing.

"But he wasn't on the island today?"

"No. He knows the island better than the police do, but if he'd been there today, they would've found him."

"And if we sell the island to this man Tony, he'll build a resort on it?"

"Yes." Where is she going with this?

"Don't you see? That can't happen. If the island is no longer ours, if Etienne and Gabrielle no longer live there, how will Jean-Jacques find his way home to them again? We can't lose the island as long as there's any chance he will come back there."

"Mom, I just told you that Jean-Jacques may be a murderer and an arsonist."

"It doesn't matter. Gabrielle can't lose him again. She's not a strong person, emotionally. It will kill her. Promise me, you'll do whatever you can. Promise me you'll try."

Chapter 42.

We stayed up talking late into the night, reminiscing about life on Morrow Island. I won't say it was like a wake exactly, because I think each of us, in our own way, held onto the faintest bit of hope. It was more like a conversation carried on at the bedside of a very ill patient. When they left, Sonny wrapped Page in a blanket and carried her out of the house fireman style. I laughed, but also felt a pang. It wasn't so long ago that she'd been a baby in his arms.

I said good night to my mother, gave her a hug, then went to my office and read everything I could about Rophynol on the Web. I knew about date rape drugs. I came of age in the era of their use. But now that I knew what drug had been in Ray's system, I needed to understand it in detail-how long it took to work, its impact on the user, and its side effects.

At sometime after 1:00, I went to bed, but not to sleep. I had a short list of things I could do in the morning. Even though I wasn't sure if any of them would change things for the better, I felt they had to be done.

I left the house early, before Bob Ditzy could call. It was the fifth closed day for the clambake. The last hurrah. I didn't have much time. I had two goals for the day. The first was to figure out who had killed Ray Wilson. If Binder made an arrest, at least I could guarantee the bank the clambake would be open, which would help to convince them not to call the loan. If Plan A failed, my fallback was to negotiate the best possible deal for the sale of Morrow Island to provide for my mother.

At the Halsey's apartment, Sarah, Tyler, and her mother were crowded around the breakfast bar that served as the only eating surface.

"We need to talk," I said to Sarah. "Let's go out."

I hustled her to Gus's place, neither of us saying a word on the way. I was sure she could tell I was in no mood for chitchat. When we got inside, I put her in a booth and bought coffees.

"Tony told me Ray was threatening to sue you for visitation. Now, why don't you tell me what really happened the night he was murdered."

Sarah put her coffee cup down and stared at the tabletop. Her chin quivered and fat tears fell on its worn surface. There were deep circles under her eyes and she was even paler than usual. "Again, I can't tell you how sorry I am that your business and family have been dragged into this, Julia. After all your father did to help me. And Livvie, who was my first girlfriend in Busman's Harbor."

Sarah broke down, cradled her head in her arms, and wept. I gave her some time to compose herself, handing her napkins from the dispenser on the table so she would wipe her eyes and blow her nose. I glanced around anxiously for Gus, having just been informed the day before about the "no crying at Gus's" rule. Luckily, he was busy at the grill in the other room.

When Sarah pulled herself together, she spoke. "I was determined to keep Ray away from my son. I went to Crowley's that night to convince him that Tyler couldn't handle visitation-and neither could Ray. But I couldn't talk to him, because he was drunk. Again."

"I heard that Ray had been sober for a year."

"It doesn't matter. His behavior that night proved he shouldn't be allowed to spend any time with Tyler."

"And now he won't have the chance."

She broke down again.

I waited while she regained control. "But Crowley's wasn't the end of it that night, was it?"

"No. What I told you was true. Ray and I never actually got to talk at Crowley's. It was noisy and crowded. He was dancing with the women from the wedding and obviously drinking. He and Michaela got into a huge argument. He was yelling, and so was she. Then the lights came up and it was closing time."

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing. I went home."

"But you didn't stay there." When she hesitated again, I reminded her, "Sarah, you said you'd do anything to help."

When she still didn't say anything, I got up from the booth and poured each of us another cup of coffee. By the time I sat back down, she seemed calmer, more determined to go on. I felt terrible about pus.h.i.+ng her, but when it was all over, I had to know in my heart that I'd done everything I could to save the Snowden Family Clambake.

"Ray called me. Right after he got back to his hotel. He was furious and demanded we talk. He yelled and swore at me over the phone. I was scared to death he'd show up at my apartment, so I agreed to meet him."

Ray called Sarah that night? He certainly was busy with that cell phone, considering he was so drunk he couldn't even do up his jacket zipper. Sometimes speed dial was a curse. "Where did you meet him?"

"I told him to meet me at Gleason's Hardware downstairs from my apartment. The owners gave us a key in case there was any kind of a problem with the building. It was the only place I could think of. I felt safer knowing my mother was right upstairs. Ray showed up at the door to Gleason's and I let him in. He was angry with me and wouldn't stop shouting about how I'd deceived him and kept Tyler from him. How I'd ruined his life and was in the process of ruining Tyler's.

"We stood in one of the aisles, screaming at one another. Then I looked around and started to get scared. The place was full of pitchforks, hammers, all kinds of potential weapons. What had I been thinking, inviting a drunk, crazy man in there?"

She looked at me, big-eyed while she thought about her own stupidity. I shrugged, trying to convey it was the kind of mistake anyone could make in those circ.u.mstances. But really, how often does a situation like that occur?

"I'd just started to panic when there was a knock at Gleason's front door. At first we didn't hear it because we were yelling, but then the person was just pounding the heck out of the door. Ray let her in. It was Michaela. She shouted at me, too, about this awful thing I'd done to Ray. But she also gave him the business. She said no one would trust him with a child if he were actively drinking. She told me he'd been sober for a year and his behavior wasn't typical. She pleaded with me to let Ray have some kind of regular time with Tyler. She said missing out on Tyler's childhood was the biggest regret of Ray's life."

Sarah looked at me as if to a.s.sess how I was reacting to all this. Honestly, I didn't know what to think. I understood Sarah's impulse to protect Tyler. And Ray's desire to know his son. And Michaela's loyalty to her friend. What a mess.

"Then Michaela started to cry, and Ray shut up. He told her he was okay and everything was going to be fine. And that was the last time I saw Ray. Honestly. He and Michaela walked out of Gleason's into the night."

"You told all this to the cops?"

"I swear."

We sat silently for a moment, while I decided on my next step. What I wanted to say was what I absolutely believed, based on what everyone had told me about Ray's behavior that night and on the Web research I'd done.

"I think you put Rophynol in Ray's drink." Sarah was the only one at Crowley's who had anything to gain from Ray's public bad behavior.

"What? Why on earth would I do that?" She blushed crimson, but I noticed she didn't deny it.

"So the whole town would see Ray staggering like a drunk. I don't think you meant to hurt him, at least not physically. I think the drug lowered Ray's inhibitions so far that he lost his willpower and took a drink. And once someone with Ray's poor impulse control took one drink, he was bound to take another. His health was fragile, compromised by years of drinking. I know you didn't kill him, but if you're the one who drugged him, tell Lieutenant Binder it was you. Get a lawyer and turn yourself in. Today."

"I can't." Sarah wept. "What will happen to Tyler?"

What, indeed? I thought about Sarah's original deception, keeping Tyler's existence secret from Ray, and all that had radiated out from it, including Ray's death, Michaela and Tony's canceled wedding, and the loss of our family's business and Morrow Island. I wanted to get the issue of the Rophynol cleared up for the police so they could move on and arrest Ray's real killer.

I knew Sarah to be a good person, but I believed she'd do anything to protect her child. I was sure she was the one who'd drugged Ray and set in motion the events, whatever they were, that led to his death. But I still didn't know how he'd ended up hanging on Morrow Island.

"If you don't tell Lieutenant Binder what you did, I'm going to."

"Julia, please."

"I'll do anything to help you. I will. But you have to tell Binder the truth. Get a lawyer and admit what you did."

Sarah sat in the booth, tears cascading down her cheeks. "I'll think about it. Please, don't go to Binder yet."

Chapter 43.

As soon as I left Sarah, I texted Michaela. where r u?

leave 4 NYC today. Meet good-bye?

where?

front n centre 25 The coffee shop in Bath in twenty-five minutes. Good. k I asked my mother for her car and lit out for Bath. I got to the coffee shop first and claimed a corner table where we wouldn't be overheard. All the coffee with Sarah at Gus's and my near sleepless night had given me the shakes. I ordered a lemonade. I was nervous about seeing Michaela. Things had ended so badly the last time we'd been together.

She strolled in a minute later and greeted me warmly. "We're going back to the city right after lunch. The cars are all packed. I just wanted to say good-bye. And apologize for my behavior after Ray's funeral. You didn't deserve it." She paused. "I think you realize you're not the person I was angry with. I'm so sorry. We didn't know each other well before last weekend, but you've been a terrific friend to me through all of this."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I should never have sprung it on you that Tony left the Bellevue that night, especially on the day of Ray's funeral. I a.s.sumed you knew. You and Tony had been interviewed by the police several times."

Michaela shook her head. "But never together. We were never interviewed together." She smiled. "It doesn't matter now. He's told me what happened, and I know he told you. Everything is good between Tony and me. At least our relations.h.i.+p wasn't destroyed by this awful mess. You've been a true friend."

"Thanks. I think of you as a friend, too." I meant what I said, but I also recognized the opening I'd wanted. "I need your help."

Michaela fixed me with an intense, level gaze. "I'll do whatever I can."

"If you really want to help, tell me exactly what happened the night Ray was murdered. The truth this time. All of it."

Michaela pulled her head back and raised a perfectly shaped brow. "I've told you everything."

"Not quite. You told me you met Ray and spent hours walking along Main Street. You didn't tell me you'd found him at Gleason's Hardware store with Sarah Halsey."

Michaela's shoulders slumped. "Sarah must have told you."

I nodded yes, and Michaela continued. "I just didn't see any reason to bring that poor girl further into all this. She thinks I only saw Ray's side of their argument, but that's not true. I understood her reluctance to allow Ray visitation with her nine-year-old. n.o.body understands better than I do how self-centered and untrustworthy drunks can be."

"So what did really happen?" My time had all but run out. I had to know.

"I called Ray as soon as I got back to the Snuggles. At first, he didn't pick up, but then he called me back and said he was going to meet Sarah at the hardware store. That didn't seem like a good idea at all, given his condition. I ran over there, hoping I could catch him before he went inside, but it was too late. The two of them were already in there, arguing themselves in circles at the top of their lungs. The town was so quiet, I could hear them from outside.

"I banged on the door to get their attention and Ray let me in. You could feel the tension in the room. He was never a happy drunk. Drinking made him angry and hostile and the last couple years, one of the things that made him angriest was the situation with his son. I tried to reason with both of them and got nowhere. Finally, it was all too much for me. It was the night before my wedding and I was in a dark hardware store trying to reason with two people who were never going to see the other's perspective. I started to cry."

"And that brought Ray around?" Everyone had described him as an immature, practical joker. But it was also clear from all my conversations he was a loyal friend. He wouldn't have wanted to hurt Michaela on her wedding day, of all days.

"It did. Ray finally remembered we were in Busman's Harbor for my wedding to his best friend, not for him and his drama." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with the coffee house napkin, then muttered, sadly and affectionately, "Freakin' Ray."

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing. Ray and I left. I walked him back toward his hotel. He'd thrown up earlier and sobered up some, but he was still pretty drunk. I wanted to make sure he got back to his room. At the corner of the parking lot for the Lighthouse Inn, he told me to go on, he had to get something from his car. I said I'd wait and walk him to his room, but he resisted. I didn't want to start another argument. He was in a much mellower place so I figured he could make it the last fifty feet to the front door." Michaela put her elbows on the table and rubbed her temples. "If only I had seen him all the way back to his room, none of this might have happened."

"And you've told all of this to Lieutenant Binder?"

"All of it. Just the way I told you. Oh, and one more thing. One that Binder strangely seemed the most interested in. When Ray and I came out of the hardware store, that cab driver, the one who was in the bar, was standing across the street under a street lamp. He followed us to the hotel."

"Followed you?" Chris, what on earth were you doing?

"The streets were deserted. The cab driver followed Ray and me as we walked toward the Lighthouse Inn. A little later, when I looked out my window at the Snuggles, I saw him there, too."

I didn't think Michaela noticed my reaction to that devastating bit of news, or perhaps she saw but didn't understand. We stood and she hugged me with her great long arms. "Tony said he hopes you're seriously considering his offer," she said to the top of my head. "It's good until midnight."

So she knew about that.

Chapter 44.

Chris was across from Gleason's Hardware the night of Ray's murder?

From the beginning, there'd been a swirl of suspicion around Chris. At first, because he'd supposedly been the last person in the harbor to see Ray Wilson. Then there was the blood. And finally Chris's presence outside the hardware store.

Making everything worse was, it was the first time I was certain Chris had lied to me. He'd told me he'd gone straight back to the marina and cleaned his cab.

Maybe Michaela was lying. But why would she? Seeing Chris outside Gleason's was such a bizarre and specific thing to say.

My cell phone rang as I reached Mom's car in the public parking lot in Bath. I knew who it was before I looked at the display. Ditzy. I pressed IGNORE and wished I could do just that. A quick look at my list of recent calls showed that the last nine were from him. And he'd left four messages. Feeling like I was climbing onto the scaffold for my own execution, I dialed him back.

"Julia Snowden," he answered. "Glad you're alive. I was beginning to worry."

I made a noise that I hoped he'd take as a response. He did.

"As you're aware, the situation with your loan has become very serious, indeed. You're closed for a fifth day today. That means I have no choice but to recommend to my superiors that we call your loan. Failure to pay it in full within twenty-four hours will mean forfeiture of your business and your property which you used as collateral."