Shortcake*

Chapter 45: A Competent Detective

*Copyright: Stephanie Myrick, 2023. Posted to Wattpad ONLY*

The next few days were tense as they adjusted to living together. Link rented out both floors of the Chef's Cottage and gave Nico the lower floor to himself, telling Cleo his thought process was Nico didn't know his parents, and Cleo could go down and spend time with Nico when she wanted a break. The lower level had one king room, a living room and a small kitchen. The upper level had three king rooms, a living room and a small kitchen. Link and Cleo took one room, his parents took one, and they set up the third as an office, where they could have their video calls and interviews in relative privacy. The LA Times interviews came out, and while there was thankfully minimal backlash, there were multiple requests for interviews, both in print and on TV. Percy had done a great job of taking what he was told and turning both interviews into compassionate and poignant stories. Cleo, now without a manager and publicity team, hired Annette and Will temporarily until she could go back to LA and be involved in looking for a new one, so there was someone who could handle the requests. When she told Annette that Haven told her she would always be a supporting actress and shouldn't expect leading roles, Annette had been incensed.

"Haven was full of shit." Annette shook her head. "You have the talent to go as far as you want in the film industry. I would have passed entirely on your next movie, and it's beneath you. But I'm also recommending you back out because of what's currently going on."

"I don't feel comfortable dropping out." Cleo felt her stomach twist. She didn't like letting people down. "Can you get in touch and see if they'd consider filming the scenes without me first? Explain everything. They might drop me."

Annette reluctantly agreed, and when they ended the call, Cleo looked up and saw Link standing in the doorway. "What's up?" She smiled as he came over and kissed her. He looked faintly irritated, but that was his permanent expression since moving into the hotel with his parents and Nico. They were all starting to go a little stir-crazy, and Cleo decided they needed some time outside of the hotel room and, made reservations at Cadwallader's Cafe and then got tickets to an Improv show at Le Chat Noir as a surprise.

"Detective Watson would like to talk to us. He's in the living room." He held out his hand to help her up. As they walked out, she could see everyone was seated and waiting for her, with the detective leaning against the island that separated the kitchen and living room.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Cleo smiled apologetically. "I was in a video conference with my new management team."

"No problem, I just got here." The detective pulled out a stool and sat down. "I just wanted to give you a heads up on what I've discovered and our next steps." He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. "Steve and Cathy Bennett died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Everything was identical to Miss Knight's parent's death, except the pipe had been beaten off the hot water tank with a hammer, there were high levels of ketamine in their systems, their bank accounts were emptied, and anything that was of value was stolen."

He looked up from his notes. "I'm telling you this because there was evidence that it was Ms. Bennett who committed the crime, along with Miss. Montogomery. I've been in touch with the police department in South Bethlehem, and Deputy Dexhart has been relieved of his duties. He was participating in the coverup of a crime and making money by doing interviews about your parent's death."

He paused and glanced around the room. "Miss Knight, your parent's official cause of death was a murder/suicide. Your Father was deeply in debt and was stealing from the church. He got caught by the new treasurer, who was threatening to tell the congregation if he didn't come clean and put the money back. He reached out to your husband and was told he was on his own. He pulled the pipe loose and sat with your mother to watch TV. When former Deputy Dexhart reopened the case, his Father told him he knew what happened and told him he had covered everything up, including throwing out the pipe and replacing it with a rusted one."