Chapter 40
Bea had readily invited her in, and Paradise settled on one of the two tan sofas facing each other. Bea took the other one once she’d brought in coffee. The pictures of her eight grandchildren on the wall had been updated with more recent ones since Paradise was last here.
“Looks like your granddaughter is quite the volleyball player.”
Bea beamed and tucked a wayward curl of her salt-and-pepper hair behind one ear. “Oh, she is. She’s a junior and is being recruited to USA.” Her soft drawl was all sweet tea and black-eyed peas.
“The University of South Alabama is a Division I school. She must be really good.”
“She’s a center and has interest from all over the country, but she’s set on USA. I’m happy about that since she can come home when she wants.” Bea took a sip of her coffee and set it on the end table beside her. “What can I do for you, sweet girl?”
Sunlight slanted through the picture window and highlighted Bea’s face. Her wary expression warned Paradise the older woman’s smile was a front. Bea knew hard questions were coming.
“How do you know Lloyd Adams?”
A tiny gasp escaped Bea. “I—I don’t know what you mean. He and his wife were friends a long time before they moved away.”
“You haven’t seen them recently?”
Bea reached for her coffee. “Why are you asking about him?”
“The police are questioning him in connection with Ivy Cook’s murder.”
“Murder? I thought a big cat killed her.”
“Someone hit her with a tranquilizer dart and let the tiger into the outer perimeter so it appeared the tiger killed her. Someone is trying to destroy The Sanctuary. Adams took little Levi from our picnic last night, bound him with duct tape, and hid him for us to find. The little guy was traumatized. Is that the kind of person you want as a friend?”
“Oh my, that’s terrible. You’re sure it was Lloyd?”
“Positive. And I know his car was parked in your driveway recently.” Paradise leaned forward. “Here’s the thing—I don’t believe he’s acting alone. Someone else is telling him what to do, and I think you might know who’s pulling the strings. Not much happens here in Pelican Harbor that you don’t know.”
The color washed out of Bea’s cheeks. “I’ll admit I realized Lloyd was involved in something when he stopped here recently. Weeks ago he’d stopped by to ask me questions about when your parents were murdered, about your life before that, anything I might know about toys and favorite movies, that kind of thing.”
A sick feeling settled in the pit of Paradise’s stomach. “You knew about the monkey music box and told him.”
Bea clenched her hands together in her lap and stared down. “I’m so sorry. We were just chatting, and I thought he wanted to make amends for, you know, the difficulty. I thought maybe he wanted to get you a small gift to say he was sorry.”
Difficulty? The word seemed so innocuous for something so awful. “When did you realize it wasn’t a casual question?”
“I didn’t. I mean, not until he said something about you ruining his life. I got rid of him right away, let me tell you.” Her gaze lifted. “I’m sorry, Paradise.”
Paradise realized her fists were clenched and forced herself to relax her fingers. “He’s been terrorizing me withPhantom of the Operalyrics, quotes, and memorabilia, so I’m sure he’s not the least bit sorry for anything. And I ruinedhislife? I can’t grasp how he could blame me for his disgusting actions.” She gulped and swallowed hard. “Did he say anything about other people he’s seen recently? Do you know who he was closest to when he lived here? Any family or in-laws still in the area?”
And had Paradise tried to remember any friends herself? She’d pushed so much about that time as far from her thoughts as possible. Maybe there were things from those two years in the Adams household that might surface if she let them.
Bea rubbed the furrow that formed between her eyes. “I think most of his family is gone. Well, other than his cousin Roger.”
“Roger?”
“Your neighbor, Roger Dillard.”
How had she never realized Adams was related to the Dillards? He’d never been at the ranch when she was there, and Abby had never mentioned it even when Paradise lived at the Adamses’. This new revelation sucked the oxygen from her lungs and made her pause. With Bea staring at her, she found it impossible to think through what the connection between the two men might mean—if anything.
She rose and slipped her purse strap over her shoulder. “Thanks so much, Mrs. Davis. I appreciate your help. If you think of anything else, give me a call. You have my number.” As she rushed tothe door, she had the sense she was fleeing some unseen evil. Was a scary memory pushing its way out of her subconscious?
She threw herself under the steering wheel and closed her eyes a moment. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and her lungs squeezed as panic swamped her. Whatever it was that was trying to emerge felt monumental and terrifying. The sensation ebbed, and she opened her eyes.
It would come when it was ready.
