That question got a responding woof, which I took to mean that Greg, like Elvis, had left the building. I’d call him later. I went through my morning routine and when I got downstairs I checked the weather. Emma and I would run this afternoon. I had time now, but it was still a little chilly this morning. Besides, the beach looked a little creepy as the fog settled around rock formations and the shore. I liked my run bright and shiny so I didn’t run into anything. Or anyone.
I sat down with my coffee and a banana muffin I’d brought home from the shop. Well, I’d brought home an assortment on Monday, but that was just because they hadn’t sold over the weekend. Technically, I was doing the shop a favor. I dialed Greg’s number. It went straight to voice mail. “Hey, just thinking about you. Call me and tell me what was so important you had to leave our bed at three in the morning.”
I hung up, certain I’d thrown just enough guilt into the question so he’d feel obligated to answer. I hated to do it, but a girl’s got to have some tricks up her sleeve. I finished my breakfast and took the extra time to read a little in the new romance. I set an alarm to go off just before the shop opened, just in case I’d gotten lost in the story.
I’d been right. And when the alarm sounded my head was running with some new book boyfriend who enjoyed long walks on the beach and blowing things up. In a totally good way.
I gave my dog a kiss and started walking into town. Esmeralda’s house was dark. She’d probably already left for work an hour ago. I had planned on talking to Greg about how weird she’d been last night, but we’d gotten sidetracked when we arrived home. My cheeks flushed at the memory. And then cooled off right away when I crested the hill and saw the emergency lights ahead. Right in front of the Drunken Art Studio.
Police cruisers and an ambulance were parked in front of the building, lights flashing, but no one except Meredith stood outside the front door. She was staring inside one of the large windows and didn’t see me approach. I reached out my hand to touch her arm and she jumped.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I glanced around at the empty street. “What happened? Is Neal all right?”
“Besides being a lying cheat?” Meredith shook her head. “Yes, I mean, I guess I don’t know. He didn’t come home last night. We got in a stupid fight about me treating him like a servant. He has an art degree too. He does digital stuff. It’s amazing, just not very popular or accessible for most people. That’s why I teach the classes. I’m better with humans. I’m so glad I have a kickboxing class later to wear off all this negativity. I really need to beat on something.”
I decided to try a different question. “So, it’s not Neal? Why are the police here? And the ambulance? Did you report him in as a missing person?”
“Neal? No, he’ll come home. He always does. I’m sure he picked up someone at the bar and went home with her. It’s his way of teaching me a lesson. Teaching me who’s in charge in our relationship.” She rubbed at her face, but I wasn’t sure she even realized she was crying.
Okay, so now I knew more about Meredith and Neal’s relationship than I wanted to know about anyone’s. Ever. I needed to get her focused. Maybe she was in shock. If I could find Greg or Toby or Tim—someone—I could tell them I was taking her over to the shop to get some coffee. But until then, I’d wait with her. Someone should come outside soon. I felt for my phone in my pocket. Maybe I should try to call Greg again. I guess the other question I’d asked Meredith must have sunk in because she turned to look at me.
“Oh my God, Jill. Someone’s dead in my shop!” Then her entire body started to shake.
There was a bench outside the building and I led her there and forced her to sit. I sat next to her and grabbed both her hands in mine. They were chilled. “You’re cold. Maybe I should take you to the shop. I can just pop in and tell Greg where you’ll be. I’ll just be a moment.”
She reached out with her hands and enclosed mine. “It was the tourist. Nan. She’s just lying there, dead. Don’t go inside.”
I nodded and peeled her hands away from mine. “I need to go open the coffee shop. I’ll just call Greg over to the door so I can tell him where you’ll be. Do you want some coffee? Or a nice tea? Something warm?”
Meredith took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes, something warm. That would be good. You won’t go inside, right? No one should have to see that.”
I patted her arm. “I promise, I’ll stay right by the door.”
When I approached the door I wondered if I’d be able to keep that promise. The building had three steps up out of the doorway to the main floor. As long as they were close, Greg or someone on his team would hear me. But it they were farther into the building. I might have to go track them down. I opened the door and ran straight into Toby, who had been coming outside.
“Jill, what are you doing here?” He looked down on me and moved me back outside the doorway. “You can’t go inside. It’s a mess and I’m not sure how the crime scene guys are going to deal with all the trace they have now.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to see if it was okay to take Meredith over to the coffee shop. I need to open and I don’t really want to leave her sitting out here alone.” I pointed toward the bench, then dropped my arm. It was empty. I glanced around the street. “She was just here.”
“I believe you. In fact, Greg told me to take her to the apartment and watch her while he and Tim secured the scene.” He scanned the area and stepped around the ambulance to see if she was just on the other side, but no luck.
“Look, if you see her, call me. I’ve got to go tell Greg she’s vanished.” Toby blew out a breath. “Some people are just crazy, you know?”
“She said it was one of the people from our class yesterday. I think her name was Nan, and she and her husband, Steve, were staying at Bill and Mary’s place. They were both trashed. Maybe she fell and hit her head?” I didn’t think Toby would tell me much, but if he nodded at the right places, I’d know if my theory was right.
“Go open the café.” Toby shook my shoulder a bit. “And stop trying to trick me out of information. If Greg wants you to know, he can tell you.”
“I’ll bring over coffee as soon as I get set up.” I was going to be the bigger person in this situation. And if I happened to overhear or see something, that wasn’t my fault.
“That would be nice.” Toby turned and went back inside, and for a second, I felt bad for using coffee to gather information.
Then I saw a woman standing outside the police station a few doors down. I stepped closer and called out, “Meredith?”
The woman’s dark hair bounced as she turned and sprinted toward the station door. It hadn’t been Meredith. It had been Esmeralda, watching the spectacle. She was probably embarrassed that someone caught her rubbernecking. But honestly, I was surprised that most of South Cove wasn’t already out and about trying to find out what happened. South Cove is a very, very small town. It was still early, though.