Page 34 of Death on the Rocks (Lily Larkin Mysteries #1)
Chapter Thirty-Four
The missing laptop really threw Lily’s brain into chaos as she walked back to the B&B.
It couldn’t be a coincidence. Someone was trying to cover up Vinny’s illegal activity.
She had no doubt about that. PC Grainger had promised to speak to his boss about looking into things further, and she didn’t see how they could ignore the mounting evidence.
Surely they had plenty of information to launch a proper investigation, and she had the impression PC Grainger was keen to get on with it.
He said he’d call her later and update her. Until then, she planned to do more digging into the owner of the ice cream shop.
Back at the B&B, she was rooting in her pockets for the front door key when the door swung open. Oscar stood before her, wearing the guilt-ridden look of a kid who’d been caught swiping an extra biscuit.
“Hi,” Lily said, not moving to the side. “How are you?”
“Fine.” He glanced behind him as Flora called his name.
“What’s the rush?” she said with an outstretched hand. Discreetly, she pressed a few bank notes into Oscar’s palm. “A little holiday bonus. You enjoy your trip.”
“We’ll see him on the ferry tomorrow,” Mr Miller called from behind his wife.
“Oh, yes. We probably will.” She looked lighter than the other times Lily had seen her – more relaxed. She said a quick hello to Lily before dashing away with a comment about finishing her packing.
“Are you going away?” Lily asked Oscar when they were alone.
“Just for a little while. Katie’s wanted to get away and I said I’d go with her. We’re going to rent a car and tour around Cornwall. Stay at campsites.”
“Sounds nice,” Lily remarked. “Is Katie okay?”
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “She’s freaking out about everything, but I think a change of scene will help. I hope so, anyway.” He smiled sadly. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.”
“Thank you.” While Lily watched him leave, her mind slipped back into overdrive.
Katie had been through a lot in the last few weeks, so it was natural that she wanted to get away.
That’s what Lily told herself as she ascended the stairs and walked into her room. There was probably no other reason for her sudden desire to leave the island. She was a victim of Vinny’s despicable behaviour, nothing more.
Lily was leaving the detective work to the police now, so she didn’t need to consider the possibility that Katie was trying to outrun her guilt over killing a guy.
A wave of exhaustion hit her as she sat on the bed with her laptop on her knees. What was she doing? Why couldn’t she shut her brain off and relax?
With zero enthusiasm, she typed ‘Gail Greenway’ into the search bar, then narrowed the search to include ‘Isles of Scilly’ and ‘ice cream shop’ when faced with too many results.
She was closer than she’d ever been to solving the mystery of the photo she’d found in her uncle’s possessions, and had never felt less enthusiasm about the subject.
An old article talked about the opening of the ice cream shop, highlighting the fact that the ice cream was homemade on the premises. There was even a photo of the ice cream machines being unloaded from the ship.
A smaller photo showed Gail smiling into the camera. Lily squinted at it but the image wasn’t exactly crisp. She thought maybe she recognised the features of the cheery-looking woman, but perhaps it was only that she wanted to recognise her.
Another article reported on the fire at the ice cream shop, including a photo of flames lapping out of the front window of the shop. Quotes from residents expressed sympathy and support for the owner, along with promises to help renovate the shop.
The warmth expressed towards the owner reminded Lily of Mr Greaves’ remark that she could be imagining a connection because of the friendliness of the owner.
Since she couldn’t find anything current about the owner, it felt like a dead end.
Which was perhaps exactly what Lily needed. As long as there was a lead to follow, she wouldn’t be able to help herself, but without an obvious next step she might finally be able to put it behind her.
Besides, she was beginning to feel she’d been moving in the wrong direction all along.
She’d been chasing the past when she should have been building a future.