chewed and swallowed them, it occurred to me that Michael might be a good source of information. “Do you know of anyone Jimmy had a problem with?”
“Nah. Not really. Unless you count Gerald Teeves.”
I didn’t recognize the name. “Who’s that?”
“He owns the property next to Jimmy’s.”
“Ah,” I said, remembering the garish new house. “The mansion.”
“That’s it. I know he and Jimmy weren’t exactly friends.”
“How come?”
“Teeves is all about modernization. Jimmy thought he was trying to change the character of Wildwood Cove too much. Then again, lots of people think that. Teeves isn’t the most popular guy around town.”
“That doesn’t seem like a reason for Teeves to kill Jimmy.” Unless there was more to it than differing viewpoints.
“No, it doesn’t,” Michael agreed, “but that’s the only person I can think of who Jimmy didn’t see eye to eye with.”
“What about Daryl Willis?”
Michael’s forehead furrowed. “What about him?”
“I found him lurking around Jimmy’s workshop the other day. I understand you know him well.”
“I do.” Michael hesitated, the creases across his forehead deepening before smoothing out again. “He probably didn’t mean any harm.”
“Maybe not,” I said, doubtful, “but it was kind of…unsettling.”
“He’s a bit of an oddball, but he listens to me and does what I tell him. I’ll make sure he stays away from Jimmy’s place from now on.”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.” I took a sip of my bubble tea. “I heard that he and his girlfriend rent a room from you.”
“Yep. Like I said, Daryl’s a bit of an oddball, but he’s not that bad. He played on a softball team I used to coach. He didn’t have a great upbringing and I thought maybe I could help give him some direction. So I gave him a place to live and he helps me out with my work now and then.”
“What type of work do you do?” I asked.
“I’ve got my own plumbing business. Daryl seems interested enough. I’m hoping he’ll get certified one day.”
“It was nice of you to take him under your wing.”
Michael shrugged. “Just helping out where I can.”
I hesitated a moment before voicing my next question. “You don’t think he could have had anything to do with what happened to Jimmy, do you?”
“Daryl? He’s been in trouble in the past. He even served some time in prison on an assault charge. But I can’t think of any reason why he would hurt Jimmy. I don’t think he knew Jimmy to say hello to.”
“Hmm.” But what if Daryl stole the artwork and stashed it in Jimmy’s workshop?
“Best to leave the investigating to the police,” Michael said.
“I suppose so.”
We lapsed into silence, both of us drinking our fruity concoctions. “How long are you sticking around?”
I gave my bubble tea an idle stir with my straw. “I’m not sure. I guess it’ll depend on the memorial service and a few other arrangements now.”
“Any chance I could buy you dinner one night before you leave?”
I hadn’t seen that question coming and it took me a second to process the fact that he was asking me out. I scrambled around in my mind for a response. “I’ll have to see how things work out, but…possibly?” I winced. “Sorry, that’s a terrible answer.”
Michael smiled. “I’ll take it.”
His reaction put me at ease, and I noticed for the first time that he had eyes the color of dark mahogany. A split second after I’d made that observation, he snatched up his sunglasses and got up from his stool.
“I’ve got to run, but hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”
“That would be nice,” I said.
He treated me to another smile as he slipped on his sunglasses and picked up what remained of his smoothie. “Take care.”
“You too.”
Michael pushed open the door of Johnny’s Juice Hut and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He raised a hand to me through the large front window and I waved back. I rolled another
“Nah. Not really. Unless you count Gerald Teeves.”
I didn’t recognize the name. “Who’s that?”
“He owns the property next to Jimmy’s.”
“Ah,” I said, remembering the garish new house. “The mansion.”
“That’s it. I know he and Jimmy weren’t exactly friends.”
“How come?”
“Teeves is all about modernization. Jimmy thought he was trying to change the character of Wildwood Cove too much. Then again, lots of people think that. Teeves isn’t the most popular guy around town.”
“That doesn’t seem like a reason for Teeves to kill Jimmy.” Unless there was more to it than differing viewpoints.
“No, it doesn’t,” Michael agreed, “but that’s the only person I can think of who Jimmy didn’t see eye to eye with.”
“What about Daryl Willis?”
Michael’s forehead furrowed. “What about him?”
“I found him lurking around Jimmy’s workshop the other day. I understand you know him well.”
“I do.” Michael hesitated, the creases across his forehead deepening before smoothing out again. “He probably didn’t mean any harm.”
“Maybe not,” I said, doubtful, “but it was kind of…unsettling.”
“He’s a bit of an oddball, but he listens to me and does what I tell him. I’ll make sure he stays away from Jimmy’s place from now on.”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.” I took a sip of my bubble tea. “I heard that he and his girlfriend rent a room from you.”
“Yep. Like I said, Daryl’s a bit of an oddball, but he’s not that bad. He played on a softball team I used to coach. He didn’t have a great upbringing and I thought maybe I could help give him some direction. So I gave him a place to live and he helps me out with my work now and then.”
“What type of work do you do?” I asked.
“I’ve got my own plumbing business. Daryl seems interested enough. I’m hoping he’ll get certified one day.”
“It was nice of you to take him under your wing.”
Michael shrugged. “Just helping out where I can.”
I hesitated a moment before voicing my next question. “You don’t think he could have had anything to do with what happened to Jimmy, do you?”
“Daryl? He’s been in trouble in the past. He even served some time in prison on an assault charge. But I can’t think of any reason why he would hurt Jimmy. I don’t think he knew Jimmy to say hello to.”
“Hmm.” But what if Daryl stole the artwork and stashed it in Jimmy’s workshop?
“Best to leave the investigating to the police,” Michael said.
“I suppose so.”
We lapsed into silence, both of us drinking our fruity concoctions. “How long are you sticking around?”
I gave my bubble tea an idle stir with my straw. “I’m not sure. I guess it’ll depend on the memorial service and a few other arrangements now.”
“Any chance I could buy you dinner one night before you leave?”
I hadn’t seen that question coming and it took me a second to process the fact that he was asking me out. I scrambled around in my mind for a response. “I’ll have to see how things work out, but…possibly?” I winced. “Sorry, that’s a terrible answer.”
Michael smiled. “I’ll take it.”
His reaction put me at ease, and I noticed for the first time that he had eyes the color of dark mahogany. A split second after I’d made that observation, he snatched up his sunglasses and got up from his stool.
“I’ve got to run, but hopefully I’ll see you again soon.”
“That would be nice,” I said.
He treated me to another smile as he slipped on his sunglasses and picked up what remained of his smoothie. “Take care.”
“You too.”
Michael pushed open the door of Johnny’s Juice Hut and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He raised a hand to me through the large front window and I waved back. I rolled another
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