Page 43 of Tide and Seek
“Sure,” Hartley said curtly.“But if I had a dollar for every time a friend or family member was wrong about their loved one’s ability to commit murder, I’d be a rich man.”
My face warmed at his surly tone.
Hartley seemed to catch himself.“Look, my job is simply to gather all the information I can and then go examine it.My investigation takes me where it takes me.I’m not trying to railroad anyone into a murder charge that isn’t deserved.”
“I’m sure that’s true,” Royce said agreeably.
I said nothing.
“Now.”Hartley flipped to a new page in his notebook, his expression becoming more businesslike.“Dr.Thornton, let’s talk about this break-in at your property.What exactly was taken?”
I shifted uncomfortably.“I’m actually not sure yet.I’ve been dragging my feet doing the inventory.I collect medical antiques and historical surgical instruments.”I gestured toward the display shelves at the side of the living room.“On the surface, it doesn’t appear anything was taken.”
Hartley glanced over at the shelves.“Are those pieces valuable?”
“Collectively, their value is probably around thirty thousand dollars, give or take.”I watched his eyebrows rise slightly.“They’re not just collectibles.Some of them are museum-quality pieces.”
“And yet you just keep them here on a shelf?”His tone was disbelieving.
I grimaced, cheeks warm.“That was definitely a foolish oversight.When I left for Rainy Dale, I wasn’t thinking logically.I was in a hurry to get out of LA and that’s really all I cared about.In hindsight, I obviously should have put them in storage.I’ll definitely do that before I go back to Rainy Dale.I naively believed that having a security system would keep all my things safe.”
“Unfortunately not.”Hartley snorted.“I’m sure if the thief hadn’t immediately triggered the alarm, he’d have stolen whatever he could grab.”
“No doubt,” Royce murmured.
Hartley asked, “Who knew about your collection, Dr.Thornton?”
I frowned, thinking.“Well, anyone who’d been to my home would have seen them.Naturally, my housekeeper, Margie...”I trailed off, remembering what Luke had told us yesterday about her death.
Hartley’s pen paused over his notebook.“Ah yes, Margie Santos.I understand she cleaned not just your home, but several properties here at Ocean Whisper Estates.”
“That’s right.She cleans...or did clean my home for years.”The past tense felt strange on my tongue.“Luke Westbrook told us yesterday that she’d died of an overdose.Is that true?”
“Mr.Westbrook was correct.”Hartley’s expression grew grim.“Margie Santos was found dead in her apartment five days ago.Fentanyl overdose.”
I shivered.“That’s so horrible.”
“Yes.It is.”Hartley studied me.“How well did you know Ms.Santos?”
“Not really well on a personal level.She was always friendly, professional, reliable.She came by monthly to maintain the house even when I wasn’t here.”I paused.“I can’t imagine her using drugs.She just didn’t seem the type.Especially something like fentanyl.”
Hartley’s gray eyes flickered.“People aren’t always what they seem, Dr.Thornton.In fact, it appears Ms.Santos might have been selling drugs to some of her neighbors.”
“She was selling drugs?”I squawked.The very idea of a nice woman like Margie hawking drugs was mind-boggling.
“It seems so.”Hartley grimaced.“We’ll know more once we’ve interviewed everyone.But from what we can tell, she wasn’t all that she seemed on the surface.”
My mind was reeling.Sweet little ol’ Margie, who always left my house spotless and smelling of lemon and lavender, had been dealing drugs?That was like finding out Mrs.Butterworth had a side hustle selling meth.
“Getting back to Mrs.Brownstone,” Hartley said, “do you have any idea why she might have been in the area Tuesday night?According to her daughter, she’d been living in a senior community in Thousand Oaks since she sold her home here.Any reason she’d have come back here?”
“I wouldn’t really know.She lived here a very long time,” I said.“From what I’ve heard, she still felt entitled to use the private beach.”
“Even though she no longer lived at Ocean Whisper Estates?”Hartley frowned.
“She was just like that.”I shrugged.“Having owned a home here over two decades, it was probably hard for her to let go.”
Hartley rubbed his jaw, looking thoughtful.“Even so, would she have come here at night for a stroll on the beach?That’s quite a drive and she wasn’t a young woman.”
