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17

Jude

The next morning, Jude stood on the beach bathed in hues of red, courtesy of the sunrise. He remembered the line from the old rhyme, "Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning." It felt apt, not just in this moment, but for the entire trip. Jude had been uneasy from the moment he'd arrived at the Four Star Motel. Usually, he hated the idea of going home from a vacation in the sun, but if it had been up to him, he would have hit the road last night after dinner.

"What a creepy sunrise," Ronan said from behind Jude.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Jude turned to Ronan, who wore an angry scowl. "You okay?"

"No, I'm not. I'm angry that Cyrus Longfellow won't tell us who killed him." Ronan crossed his arms over his chest. "Nothing pisses me off more than letting a killer walk free."

"I thought nothing pissed you off more than milk that goes sour the day after you buy it," Fitzgibbon said with a snort as he clapped a hand on Ronan's shoulder.

"Yeah, well, that's a close second," Ronan grumped. "I can't believe walking away from this case isn't bothering you both."

"I didn't say I wasn't bothered," Fitzgibbon said, pulling out his phone to snap shots of the eerie sunrise. "We can't compel this spirit to tell us what we want to know. Cyrus told Cope that the killer wasn't going to strike again, and all we can do at this point is believe him."

Ronan shot Fitz an incredulous look. "Who are you, and what have you done with Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon? I thought we were on the side of law and order. I thought we were the good guys."

"Are you suggesting I should have browbeaten the spirit of a murder victim into telling me who killed him?" Cope asked, joining the group on the beach. "Not only is the idea unethical, but how the hell would I have done it? Should I have stalked Cyrus to the ends of the Earth? Begged? Pleaded? Cursed him? I know we haven't worked together very much, Ronan, but I really thought that you knew me better than that by now."

Ronan sighed. "I'm an asshole, Cope."

"Tell me something I don't know." Cope snorted.

"All we can do is pack up and go home," Jude said, relieved that Cope and Ronan's argument hadn't intensified. "We have to face the fact that some mysteries aren't meant to be solved."

"Daddy!" Everly called from the direction of the motel. "I've got a new friend."

Jude turned to see his niece holding the hand of an older woman, who was painfully thin. Her white hair was cut into a sleek bob, and she was dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a blue sweater that looked to be two or three sizes too big. He didn't need Cope's gift to know he was looking at Alexandria Longfellow.

Jude rushed to the older woman and gently led her to one of the nearby beach loungers.

"Thank you, Jude," the woman said, taking a seat.

"How do you know my name?" Jude asked, taken aback.

"My dear little Everly told me who you all were. I am Alexandria Longfellow. I wanted to meet all of you before you headed back home. This is the last chance I'll ever have to find out who killed my son, and I thought that if I came here, maybe I could somehow convince you to tell me."

"It's not a matter of convincing," Cope said. "Cyrus won't tell me who killed him. I can't force him to divulge that information."

"Can't you sense the answer from him?" Alexandria asked, a flash of anger crossing her face.

"I've tried, and I wasn't able to read the information." Cope wore a disappointed look on his face. Jude knew it was going to take his kindhearted husband a long while to recover from this perceived failure.

"What about you, Tennyson?" Alexandria turned to look at the psychic, who'd come out to join the group.

"I've tried to communicate with Cyrus as well, Mrs. Longfellow, and he won't speak to me." Ten shook his head. "Cope and I have been able to speak with the dead since we were teenagers, and this is the first time either of us has met a spirit who knew who killed them and refused to tell us."

"What will you do now?" Alexandria looked between the three detectives.

"Checkout time is at eleven," Fitzgibbon said. "I'm hoping we'll be checked out and on the road by nine at the latest."

Ronan nodded along. "I don't like the idea of leaving a murder unsolved. I wanted to continue to work on the case, but Cope convinced me to leave it be. None of us are going to browbeat Cyrus into telling us what he knows about the night he died. If he's satisfied with leaving his killer unpunished, then so am I." Ronan grimaced, as if his words tasted bad.

"I know you wanted the case to be solved before you passed," Cope said gently. "It's just not going to be possible."

"Yes, it is," Everly said, with her eyes on Alexandria.

"I don't understand," Alexandria said.

"Everly has gifts too," Ten said, moving to stand behind his daughter. "Her abilities are much stronger than mine and Cope's."

"Were you able to speak with Cyrus, little one?" Alexandria asked, looking almost afraid of the answer.

Everly shook her head. "No, Miss Alexandria. I didn't speak to him. I don't need to, do I?" She sat beside the older woman and took her hand. "It's time, don't you think?"

Silent tears slipped down Alexandria's cheeks.

Jude turned to Cope, who shook his head. He obviously had no idea what Everly was talking about. "Time for what, honey?" Jude asked his niece.

"I'll be right here with you," Everly said, patting Alexandria's hand.

Alexandria sighed. "Cyrus was always a wild child. I did everything in my power to protect him from himself, but in the end, I failed him. When my husband died, he left everything to Cyrus. I'd been born poor, and Lucius was under the impression I'd waste all of his money if he left it to me, which is why it all went to Cyrus. I wasn't bothered because I knew my son would always take care of me. Until he didn't."

"What do you mean?" Cope asked.

"Cyrus sold the company my husband put all of his blood, sweat, and tears into. It should have been enough money to last two lifetimes, but Cyrus started gambling, visiting strip clubs, buying jewelry, houses, boats he had no idea how to drive." Alexandria took a shaky breath. "Meanwhile, the taxes on my New York penthouse were due; so were my utility bills. Cyrus had promised to give me a monthly allowance, but months went by with no money being added to the account. He wasn't taking or returning my calls. I was desperate. If the taxes weren't paid up, the state could take my home. Thankfully, it was in my name. It was the one thing Cyrus didn't get when my husband passed. Although, I suppose if it was his, then he would have had his money man pay the bills." Alexandria shrugged. She looked worn and tired, as if the effort took all of her strength.

"What did you do?" Ronan asked. "Did you lose your home?"

"No. I wish now that I had." Alexandria shook her head. "I knew Cyrus came to Maine every summer, so I caught a flight to Portland and rented a car. I arrived at my rental house and planned to get a good night's sleep. I figured I would go to see my son in the morning, but as I was starting to unpack, I got a text from Cyrus telling me he wasn't going to pay any of my bills and that I was going to need to find a way to fend for myself."

"Holy shit," Fitz muttered. "Did he really mean it?"

"I never found out. After I read the message several times, I got back into the car and headed for the motel. All I could see was red. I knocked on his door, and when he answered it, I—" Alexandria paused, looking down at Everly.

"It's okay, Miss Alexandria. I'm right here." Everly patted her hand.

Jude couldn't believe what he was hearing. It felt like a bad dream with the sky the color of blood and a mother spilling a story that was almost too hard to believe.

Taking a deep breath, Alexandria continued. "When Cyrus opened the door, he looked surprised to see me. He asked what I was doing there. I told him I wanted to have a discussion about the money. He said he was tired and that we could talk about things in the morning. I told him I couldn't survive without his help, and he told me he didn't know what I was talking about." Alexandria paused, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe what was to come.

Jude wondered if it hadn't been Cyrus who'd sent that text after all. It could have been anyone with access to his phone, which made this story all the more tragic.

"I was angrier than I'd ever been in my life and scared that I wouldn't be able to survive on my own. I reached into my purse and pulled out a knife I'd grabbed from the block in my rental house's kitchen and plunged it into his heart." Alexandria dropped her head and began to cry.

A lone white gull, etched against the bloodred sky, let out a screech, as if it were bearing witness to Cyrus's pain.

"You killed your son?" Jude asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alexandria nodded. "I did. I knew Cyrus didn't have a will, and as his next of kin, I'd inherit everything. Which I did, in time. Before I left the room, I saw my husband's old messenger bag by the side of the bed. When I opened it, it saw it was full of cash. I grabbed it and the knife. I told my son I loved him and watched him die before leaving the room to drive back to my rental. I cleaned myself up, scrubbed the knife clean, and went to the airport to book a flight back to New York."

"That explains why Cyrus didn't want to tell us who killed him," Fitzgibbon said.

"So, I suppose now you'll want to arrest me." Alexandria held out her wrists.

Ronan stepped forward, looking as if he were prepared to do that very thing, but stopped in his tracks. He turned to Fitzgibbon, who wore an uncertain look. Neither man moved or said a word.

Jude curiously watched what was going on. He waited for Fitzgibbon to read Alexandria her rights. For Ronan to call the Old Orchard Beach Police. Neither of those things happened.

Everly motioned Ronan closer. He knelt beside his daughter, who whispered something into his ear. Sitting back, Ronan looked between his daughter and Alexandria. He pressed a kiss to Everly's head and motioned Jude and Ronan to follow him.

Ronan stopped about fifteen feet away from the others. "Everly said Alexandria has twelve days left. She even told me the time of day that she'd pass. I'm going to keep that to myself." Ronan cleared his throat. "So, what are we going to do here?"

"Didn't Everly tell you what would happen next? What we'd decide to do?" Jude asked.

Ronan grinned. "Maybe, but I want to hear what you all think."

"With so few days left, I say we let this sleeping dog lie," Jude said, not quite believing his stance on the matter.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Jude," Ronan said, looking sheepish.

"Weren't you just saying how angry unsolved cases made you?" Fitzgibbon arched a quizzical brow.

"This case is solved," Ronan said gently. "We know Alexandria killed her son. We know why, and we know how."

"And you have no problem letting a killer go free?" Fitzgibbon's lips turned up in a slight smile.

Ronan sighed. He looked torn. "Part of me wants to throw the book at her. The other part wants to let this old woman die with her dignity and freedom intact. If we call the cops, yeah, they'll arrest her, and she'll end up in a dirty cell with a two-inch-thick mattress. If she were in perfect health, I'd be the one calling 911."

"And you agree with him?" Fitz asked Jude.

"I agree with everything he said and would add that Cyrus didn't want to tell us who killed him to protect his mother from this very thing. He might not have known she was dying until yesterday, but this is what he wants." The more Jude spoke, the better he felt about his decision.

Fitzgibbon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "This is what Everly told you would happen?"

Ronan snorted. "She told me you'd be the lone holdout, but that in the end, you would do the right thing. Everly also said Alexandria has suffered tremendous guilt every day since the murder. She's used Cyrus's money for good, donating to food pantries and animal shelters. Those organizations will inherit her estate when she passes. If we turn Alexandria in, the money becomes tainted, and these organizations who dearly need the donations will refuse it, which helps no one."

Fitzgibbon walked away from the group. He kicked off his shoes and headed for the water, which under the red sky looked like blood.

Jude watched as his friend struggled with his decision. Fitzgibbon had dedicated his entire life to law and order. He knew it was asking a lot for the captain to go against every instinct he had. Everly said he was going to make the right decision, but Jude couldn't help but wonder how that would affect Fitz long term.

Turning from the water, Fitz wore a determined look. He grabbed his shoes from the beach and stalked toward Alexandria, who was chatting quietly with Everly. "We won't turn you in under one condition," he said, sounding unsure of himself.

Alexandria sat up straighter. She wore a surprised look. "What's the condition?"

"You leave a letter confessing to your crime with your lawyer to be delivered to the Old Orchard Beach Police upon your death." Fitzgibbon kept his eyes on the old woman, who simply nodded.

"Deal. I'll have my lawyer send you a copy of the letter." Alexandria got shakily to her feet. Fitzgibbon reached out to steady her. "Thank you." She turned to Ronan and reached out for his hand. "Your daughter is an absolute treasure. She has such a beautiful, free spirit that you are going to want to rein in. Don't. Let her live life her own way, even if that means letting her stay up past her bedtime on occasion or giving her ice cream for breakfast."

Ronan nodded. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Alexandria turned from Ronan and made her way back toward Everly. Jake Powell rushed out of the hotel to help her walk on the uneven sand.

"You did a good thing, Cap," Ronan said, watching the old woman make her way back inside.

"Maybe so," Fitzgibbon said. "This is a onetime deal." He looked back and forth between Ronan and Jude. "I don't want either one of you thinking I've gone soft. There are extraordinary circumstances surrounding this case. I'm never offering this kind of grace again." All the fight seemed to pass out of Fitzgibbon. "I'm gonna go pack. The sooner we get the hell out of Maine, the better."

"Me too." Ronan headed for Everly and scooped his daughter into his arms. Ten followed them back to the hotel, leaving Jude and Cope alone on the beach.

"I didn't see that coming," Cope said softly.

"What, that Alexandria killed her own son or that we let her go?" Jude still couldn't believe all three detectives agreed to this plan.

"Both. I knew Cyrus was protecting someone important. Certainly more important than Chet Hines or Baked Alaska. The thought that his mother was his killer never occurred to me and over a misunderstanding, no less."

"Do you know that for certain?" Jude asked.

Cope nodded. "When the three of you walked off to discuss what to do, Cyrus filled me in on what actually happened that night. He never sent the text that sent Alexandria into a blind rage. He claims Chet Hines had been messing around with his phone. Cyrus admitted being lax in adding funds to Alexandria's household accounts. He was living an easy, carefree life, only thinking about himself and his needs. His hedonism ended up costing him his life."

"What's going to happen to him now?" Jude asked.

"He's going back to New York with his mother. Cyrus wants to be there with her when she passes. He heard what Everly told Ronan about how long his mother has left. He's going to cross over with her when the time comes."

"Cyrus got one last crazy summer at the beach."

"Yeah, he did. No one has to know that his spirit has moved on. People will still want to stay in the murder room. Ghost hunters will continue to come here. I'm also guessing that the motel will become more popular than ever when Alexandria dies. The Cyrus Longfellow story will be all over the news, which will inject new life into his death, no pun intended."

Jude thought over what Cope said. He knew his husband was right. The motel would be overrun with tourists next summer, all looking for their brush with fame and the ghost of Cyrus Longfellow. "Are you ready to go home?"

Cope wrapped his arms around Jude and rested his face against his husband's chest. "Almost. I want a few more minutes alone on the beach with my gorgeous husband."

"Your wish is my command." Jude's gaze focused on the sunrise. The sky was turning a less menacing shade of peach. Within the next ten minutes, the color would be gone altogether.

Life was unpredictable, Jude knew that more than most. While he agreed with Cyrus's philosophy of living each day to the fullest, Jude wanted to live for a long time rather than a good time. So many amazing things were in his future, graduations, college road trips, engagements, weddings, grandkids, and Jude was going to be front and center for all of them and so many other little moments along the way.

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