Free Mobsters and Lobsters (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 2) by Lyndsey Cole Page B

Holiday?”
    Ahh, Hannah thought, now Pam was getting down to the nitty gritty. She sighed. “I believe it’s Lenny DiMarco, my guest who was supposed to be staying in Cottage Two. The guest who rented the boat that capsized.”
    Pam pursed her lips. “And why do you believe it’s Mr. DiMarco? Did you crawl under the shed and get a good look at him?”
    “No. The shorts were familiar and—”
    Pam dipped her head and looked at Hannah over the rim of her glasses. “And what, Hannah?”
    The interruption and name switch was not lost on Hannah. Was Pam trying to sound friendlier to get more information? Who knew, but it was time for Hannah to come clean. She sighed and looked at her hands. “Ruby recognized him.”
    “Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.” Pam jotted down a few more comments. “Do you want to keep playing this cat and mouse game or are you going to tell me everything you know? I will find out eventually, and if your sister is in trouble, the sooner we get to the bottom of this mess, the better for her.”
    “Honestly, I don’t know much. Ruby only told me that she knew Lenny a couple of days ago. She’s afraid of him but it’s her story to share. I do have something else though.”
    “Lenny DiMarco’s camera?” Pam asked.
    “Well, yes. He left it in here.” Hannah pointed behind the chair Pam sat in to a black camera bag. “But there’s more.” She pulled the folded paper from her pocket. “I found this outside a few minutes ago.” She smoothed the map out on her desk and slid it close to Pam. “I think this is what brought Lenny to Hooks Harbor and possibly what he was looking for under my snack bar.”
    Pam studied the map. “A treasure map? Are you daft?”
    “Maybe, maybe not. Your dad has a map like this that I found in my Great Aunt Caroline’s things after I moved in. He planned to study it but I think it’s been forgotten until now.”
    Pam flicked the map away. “I’m more interested in your guests. What can you tell me about Pearl Martini and her grandson? That was an interesting crew visiting her the other day. Not exactly the type of visitors Hooks Harbor is used to.” Pam tilted her head. “I’m not done looking into their stories.”
    “Pearl was a friend of Great Aunt Caroline’s when they were kids. Jack remembers her.”
    “And?”
    “She has a treasure map, too. She claims Caroline sent it to her.” Hannah leaned forward. “But here’s the weird part. She got the letter with the map a year after Caroline died.”
    “So she told you?”
    “That’s right. At the time I had no reason not to believe her. Your father told me Pearl’s first husband, Tony Amato, had ties to the mob. And he’s in town, too. Doesn’t it seem like too much of a coincidence that all these people arrived with the same goal in mind?”
    “What goal? To kill Lenny DiMarco?”
    “No. To find a buried treasure.”
    Pam looked at Hannah for several seconds before she started to laugh. “You’re joking, right? I really don’t have time for this baloney.” Pam stood up. “Send your sister in next, Ms. Holiday.”
    Hannah stared in disbelief. Officer Pam Larson never liked Hannah from the first day she met her, but this was important information connected to a murder investigation. How could she be so flippant and dismissive about it? Ruby was headed for serious trouble if her freedom depended on Pam to connect all the dots to solve Lenny’s murder.
    Pearl owed Hannah a favor for saving Petunia’s life, and now she was more determined than ever to cash in on it.

Chapter 11
     
    Friday morning dragged into Friday afternoon with little hope of the police clearing out before the school bus dropped Olivia off from school. Finally, Officer Pam Larson finished questioning everyone. Lenny’s body was gone but the yellow police tape remained around the snack bar. The yellow tape of death for Lenny DiMarco and Hannah’s snack bar grand opening.
    Ruby was despondent. She told Pam