Page 21
Story: Lament at Loon Landing
“What would Sutherland and Rathbone have against you?”
Lara’s smile was pained. “My family used to spend summers here when I was growing up. We came every year, and I made friends. I was in my first band here. We called ourselves Backsplash Butterfly.”
“Yikes,” said Ellery.
Lara chuckled. “Right? But honestly, we weren’t so bad. As a matter of fact, we were pretty decent. Anyway, every summer I’d come back and we’d gig around the island. Eventually, we got the idea we’d try to shop a demo of a song Arti and I wrote.”
“What was the song?”
“‘Eyes to Heaven.’ It was…not bad for total beginners; let’s put it that way. Nothing happened with the song, but the label, White Wine Records, offered me a contract.”
“You. Not the band?”
“Me.”
“Okay. I see.” Ellery did indeed see. “And you accepted their offer?”
“Of course I did. Who wouldn’t? But Arti and James felt I’d betrayed them. Which was illogical. I couldn’tmakethe record company take them. They knew I planned on having a career in music. It wasn’t like we’d always dreamed of doing that together as a band.Theywere the band. I was a featured artist during the summers. That’s all.”
“Did they make threats?”
She made a face. “Not likewe’re going to kill you. More like,karma’s a bitchorwe hope we’re there when you get yours. Ill-wishing more than actual threats. We were kids. Emotions always ran high. I felt bad the friendship was over, but I never took the threats seriously. I still don’t. It’s been more than twenty years. But Neilson thinks they could be behind the letters.”
“And you agree?”
“It would be ridiculous to still be hanging on to that kind of grievance. But I can’t think of anyone else in Pirate’s Cove who would have it in for me.”
“Did you keep the letters?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Lara’s brows rose at Ellery’s tone. “Because I never keep that stuff. It’s just negative energy. It’s not like we’re going to take it to the FBI. When the letters kept coming, maybe we should have hung on to them…” She finished vaguely, “Neil thought they might upset me.”
“It was your husband’s decision not to keep the letters?”
Lara regarded him for a moment. She gave a cynical smile. “That’s right. You run a mystery bookshop. Don’t worry. My husband isn’t trying to knock me off.”
“That’s what they all say,” Ellery told her. He wasn’t totally kidding.
She laughed. “Probably. But the problem for Neil is, I changed my willandredidmy insurance policy when I was in prison. If something happens to me, everything goes to Jocasta. Which brings up the second problem for Neil—and Jocasta. I was worth a lot morebeforeI went to prison.”
“I didn’t know you could get life insurance in prison.” Ellery was momentarily distracted.
“You can if you’re an A-lister. Once upon a time, I was an A-lister.” There was no self-pity. It was a statement of fact.
“Okay. Well, do your husband and sister know about these changes?”
“Yes.” Lara’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Did your sister also spend summers on the island?”
“Of course.”
“She had friends of her own in Pirate’s Cove?”
“Not really.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86