Murder in Seabrook Shores Read online

  Murder at Seabrook Shores

  A Samantha Degan Cozy Mystery

  Jane T. O'Brien

  This book is fiction. All characters, events, and organizations portrayed in this novel are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons –living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2016 by Jane T O’Brien

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  ISBN: 13: 9781530246427

  Books by Jane O’Brien

  Bristol Falls

  Glenwood Hills

  Cumberland Heights

  Murder in Forest Glen

  The Mystery at Shelby Lake

  The Mystery of Waverly Island

  Murder in Pinewood Bluff

  Camden Corners Collection

  Camden Corners Book One

  Camden Corners Book Two

  Camden Corners Book Three

  Samantha Degan Series

  Murder in Stonehill Manor

  Murder in Lancashire

  Murder in Ashville

  Murder at Seabrook Shores

  Molly Ryan Series

  Murder in Hillsboro

  Murder in Kincaid Towers

  Murder in Evergreen

  Murder at Coventry Hill Inn

  (Introducing Cassandra Cross)

  Cassandra Cross Series

  Murder on The Isabella

  Murder at Channel Two

  Murder in Newcastle

  Murder at Cranberry Creek

  Rebecca Snow Series

  Murder in Oakwood Park

  Murder on Bradbury Hill

  Murder on Applewood Circle

  Finian Frog Children’s Series

  Fabulous Finian Frog

  Finian Frog Falls in Love

  Finian Frog and Farley’s Wishes

  Finian Frog and Froglet Freddy

  Hennessey Hound Tales Children’s Series

  Happy Hennessey Hound

  Hennessey Hound and the Bully

  Prologue

  After circling for twenty minutes in the air at LAX, the airplane landed smoothly.

  Samantha Degan and her assistant Megan Fairchild made their way through the terminal to the baggage claim area.

  “Samantha look,” Megan whispered. “That man is holding a sign with your name on it.”

  Samantha smiled, “That's our ride, I'd better let him know we've arrived.”

  Samantha prefers her new name, Samantha Fletcher, since her marriage to Detective Joseph Fletcher. However, as a mystery writer with novels published with her maiden name, her agent, Marco Branch cautioned her not to make changes.

  While completing her education at the University of Lancashire, Samantha worked as an assistant to Professor Fenwick Stonehill. The professor was a semi-invalid, octogenarian who was writing his memoirs. After his sudden death, Samantha finished the chronicle of the professor's complicated and fascinating life. The biography is the reason she and Megan are in Los Angeles. A movie studio purchased Professor Stonehill's story.

  Samantha was given a fully paid trip for two to California as a consultant on the movie set. Fletch is a detective on the Lancashire Police force and unable to leave his job for any length of time. Samantha invited her assistant, Megan, to go to California with her.

  Samantha was thrilled when Marco called to say Hollywood wanted to tell the professor's story. Her enthusiasm faded when she questioned why a movie company was interested in a professor who was well-known only in the Lancashire, New York area.

  Megan was happy to be in California in February. It had been an especially cold and snowy January and it didn't seem February would be any better. Megan had never been to California and was looking forward to seeing movie stars and palm trees.

  As the limousine traveled to the hotel on the busy freeway, Megan gazed out her window, disappointed not to recognize a single face as the cars sped past her. She was missing Lancashire and Mike Thompson. Megan met Mike when she worked for Samantha in her apartment office. Mike lived across the hall in the same building. Shortly after her relationship with Jimmy Lee Baker ended, she and Mike became an item. He asked her to give some serious thought to marriage while she was away. If she lived through this ride, she planned to accept his proposal when she returned to Lancashire.

  “Samantha, I've never seen so many cars in one place. I thought I'd like to rent a car and see the sights, but I'd be too nervous on these roads. I'm afraid to see what speed we're going.”

  “We'd better get used to it,” Samantha said anxiously, “It's only one o'clock in the afternoon, imagine how bad it will be at rush hour.”

  To their relief, they made it to the hotel in one piece.

  Chapter One

  Samantha and Megan tried their best to not look like tourists as they rode the elevator to their suite on the twenty-fourth floor in the exclusive Hotel Lexington.

  After living in Stonehill Manor for the better part of a year, Samantha wasn't in awe of the glitz and glamor of the hotel lobby. The sun shining through the massive windows accentuated the richness of the furnishings and reflected off the glass chandelier on the ceiling in the center of the room.

  The bellman opened the door to the suite revealing a luxurious living room with a winding staircase to the second-floor bedrooms.

  Chilled champagne was waiting for them along with a large bouquet and a basket of assorted fresh fruit.

  After depositing their luggage in the proper bedrooms, the bellman declined Samantha's offer of a tip.

  “Pinch me,” Megan squealed. “This can't be happening. If only the guys could see us now.”

  “I expected nothing like this when Marco told me our room would be paid for. I thought first class seats on the airplane was a mistake but now I'm wondering.”

  “Let's enjoy it, Samantha, before they figure out, we're nobodies and ship us off to a two-star motel on the outskirts of town.”

  “I have a little extra time to call Fletch to let him know we arrived safely. Marco said the screenwriter, Grant Wagner, won't arrive until two o'clock.”

  “Detective Fletcher,” Fletch answered the phone in his usual curt way.

  “Hello Detective, this is Mrs. Fletcher, calling from a luxurious hotel in sunny California.”

  “Hey sweetheart, it's good to hear your voice, how's California?”

  “It's a beautiful seventy-four degrees, the sun is shining but I miss you.”

  “It's snowing here, and I miss you too.”

  “Fletch, you wouldn't believe the place we're staying, it's a luxurious two-story suite. I wish you could be here to enjoy it with me.”

  “I wish I was there to enjoy you.”

  Samantha was an old married woman of six months, yet her heart still fluttered at the sound of his provocative words. She hoped it would always be that way.

  At precisely two o'clock, Grant Wagner called from the lobby.

  Samantha told him to come to the suite where it was quiet, and they would have more privacy.

  Megan answered the knock at the door. Mr. Wagner, I'm Megan Fairbanks, Ms. Degan's assistant; please come in.

  It surprised Samantha to see a young man, not over twenty-five enter the room.

  “Ms. Degan, I'm Grant Wagner,” he held out his hand.

  “Please call me Samantha, may I call you Grant? We will work together for the next several weeks; Mr. and Ms. sound too formal, don't you think?”

  “
I'd like that Samantha. I read your book and found it to be a genuine story of Professor Stonehill, he was an interesting man and led an interesting life. I think I should warn you, his life on the screen will not resemble his life as you wrote it.”

  “I understand changes are necessary to adapt the story to a screenplay but I'm sure you won't change the professor's character.”

  “Samantha, why did you sell the rights to your story?”

  “My agent, Marco Branch, told me there was an offer to buy the book to make a film. I thought it would be a nice tribute to Professor Stonehill.”

  “Did he tell you who bought the rights?”

  “No, I assumed it was the studio.”

  “It was an old guy they call Mr. C. His young wife wanted stardom, and he bought your story for her. I have orders to make her a more prominent figure in the professor's life. I doubt you intended to be portrayed as Professor Stonehill's mistress.”

  Samantha couldn't believe she heard Grant's words correctly. A feeling of apprehension about the movie returned at that moment.

  “That's disgusting, you can't write that about the professor. He was a decent and honest man he would never have used a woman like that.”

  “I followed my instructions. The wife's name is Rochelle Rousseau I haven't met her. I hear she's a beauty and close to sixty years younger than Mr. C.”

  “I want to talk to this Mr. C; he can't do this to Professor Stonehill.”

  “He's not doing it to Professor Stonehill, he's doing it to Professor Hill. Every name in your book has been edited to avoid controversy. I don't like the outcome any better than you do but I need the money. If I didn't write the revisions, they would get someone else to do it. This town isn't easy on writers and I had to take what I could get.”

  “At the cost of your integrity, Grant?”

  “I'm afraid I lost that when I couldn't come up with my rent payment this month. I was forced to borrow from my folks or risk being on the street. After this, they will only send me money for a plane ticket home. This is my last chance to make a name for myself here. You and Megan should pack up your things and take the first plane out of here before you get sucked into this life,” he said glancing around the pretentious room.

  “Samantha,” said Megan. “Why don't I call the airline. We can get the first flight out tomorrow. Let's go home; I've seen my fill of palm trees and I've lost interest in looking for movie stars.”

  “I can't leave yet, Megan. Not without talking to Mr. C. Maybe I can make him understand the professor deserves to be treated like the respectable man he was.”

  “If I can't talk you out of staying here, let me drive you to the Seabrook Estate. It's on Seabrook Shores, an exclusive area facing the Pacific. From pictures, I've seen of Stonehill Manor, the resemblance is amazing.”

  Megan was leery of going anywhere with Grant, she didn't trust him after he admitted he ruined Samantha's beautiful story of an honorable man.

  “Fletch and Mike would want us to be careful of this man. If you insist on going with him, I'll go too, and hope he doesn't murder us on the way.”

  “Megan, don't be so suspicious, I think you've been around me too long. Grant seems like a nice young man who isn't willing to give up his dream, we will be fine.”

  His car is over twenty years old with a faded paint job. It doesn't look like it will survive on that horrible freeway, Megan thought to herself as she sat in the back seat and fastened her seat belt. She was surprised the car started immediately.

  As though he could read her mind, Grant said his dad was a mechanic, and he'd learned how to take care of a car at an early age.

  “Where are you from, Grant?” Samantha asked.

  “It's a small town in Iowa, I left there ten months ago,” he said with melancholy in his voice.

  “It sounds like you miss it,” said Megan.

  “I do, but I can't go back as a failure, if this job doesn't work out, I won't have a choice.”

  “Did you leave a girl back home?” asked Samantha.

  “How did you guess? It's true, I left a girl. She's the daughter of the wealthiest man in town. Stuart Carter is the only bank's president and Misty is his only child. I know she loves me, but I can't offer her more than a mechanic's salary and she has always been treated like a princess.”

  “Grant, I haven't read your work, however, you must have talent if Mr. C. hired you as a screenwriter for my book.”

  “I have talent; I also have had more rejection notices than I can count. I want to write, but I like to eat, and I don't seem able to do both.”

  Samantha knew the frustration she heard in Grant's voice. Professor Stonehill's memoirs opened the door for her and her mysteries. He was such a celebrated figure in Lancashire; the books were big sellers.

  Megan had second thoughts about Grant's character and wondered if Misty was worthy of him. To her relief, they exited the congested freeway and traveled a winding road until the ocean came into view.

  Grant turned in a long driveway with colorful flowers and lush green bushes and well-pruned fruit trees along the way. They saw tall palm trees in the distance and heard the roar the ocean.

  As they drove closer to the house at the end of the driveway, Samantha gasped. Grant was right, this looked exactly like Stonehill Manor.

  “How did you find this place? Except for the landscaping, I would swear we were looking at the professor's mansion,” cried Samantha.

  Chapter Two

  Grant pulled up to the front entrance of the house and opened the door to step out.

  “Come on, don't you want to see the inside?”

  “Grant, it's someone's home, we can't just walk in.”

  “Sure, we can, the owner has leased it to the studio while he's in Europe. The set designer is waiting for us, she wants to make this place into a replica of Stonehill Manor. Do you think you can remember the details of the mansion in Lancashire, Samantha?”

  “I'm sure I can,” Samantha said. His heart pounded, the place brought back many memories of her time with the professor and after his death.

  A tall, stylish woman in her late forties wearing a long sweeping flowered skirt with a sheer blouse and a short-sleeved bolero shrug jacket swung open the door.

  “Welcome, to Seabrook Estate; I'm Myra Sims, you may call me Myra. I've been so anxious to meet you, Samantha, I've read your book and can picture Stonehill Manor in my mind. As you can see,” Myra prattled on, “Mr. Lambert has excellent taste, but the furnishings are nothing like the dear professor's dwelling.

  “I have several sketches lined up for you to see, I hope you will find the perfect matches for every piece of furniture in the mansion when you lived there.”

  Samantha was speechless, except for the furniture and artwork, the first floor was identical to Stonehill Manor. The double stairway with an elevator in the center brought back memories of the professor coming down to the main floor from his office. She could picture the delicately ornate elevator door opening and George pushing the professor's wheelchair through it.

  “Whoever built this house must have had a copy of Stonehill Manor's blueprints. It can't be a coincidence,” Samantha said.

  “The story goes Hawthorne Stonehill, Fenwick's father, came to California on business some sixty or more years ago. He met a dancer named Jasmine Flowers, poor Hawthorne was so smitten with Jasmine, he planned to leave his wife, Maybelle, and their teenaged son and move to California to marry Jasmine. After thinking her childbearing years were behind her, Maybelle became pregnant with Fenwick's sister, Eliza. Hawthorne did the honorable thing and stayed with Maybelle.

  “Jasmine was furious when Hawthorne told her they couldn't be married. She vowed to tell Maybelle the truth unless he paid and paid dearly for her silence. Hawthorne was horrified to learn what a selfish, vengeful woman Jasmine had become.

  “She arrived at the doorstep of Stonehill Manor. Fortunately, Maybelle was not home. Jasmine insisted on seeing every room in the house and an
nounced she expected Hawthorne to build her a mansion like it overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

  “Hawthorne Stonehill was a wealthy man but having a replica of Stonehill Manor built was an expensive undertaking. To save his marriage, he felt he had no choice and agreed to do as Jasmine ordered. Hawthorne's love for his beautiful flower quickly faded. Trying to rid himself of her memory, he signed the title to the mansion over to Jasmine and washed his hands of the entire matter.

  “After the home was built, Jasmine found she missed the action of the city and resented being stuck in the dreary mansion with nothing but servants to keep her company. She sold the house and moved to a luxurious apartment in Los Angeles. She continued her dance career and eventually met and married Addison Lambert. Jasmine moved with him to London where she gave birth to twin sons. Addison wasn't a pushover like his predecessor and Jasmine was forced to behave herself. Her mother-in-law saw potential in her son's new wife and made it her life's mission to transform her into a lady befitting the Lambert name.

  “Blake Lambert is the grandson of the late Jasmine Lambert. He loved hearing stories about the parties and galas held at the Seabrook mansion when his grandmother was young and beautiful. As he grew older, he suspected the stories were figments of his grandmother's imagination but still listened intently to her tales.

  “Blake's business dealing brought him to Los Angeles where he searched for and found the mansion It was abandoned and in slight disrepair. In memory of his late grandmother, Blake bought the house and began restoration until it once again resembled the theme of Jasmine's fantasies.”

  “Myra, that's a fascinating story,” said Samantha, “I'm sure the professor never knew about his father's relationship with another woman. I'm glad he didn't know; it would have crushed him. Does the house stand empty when Mr. Lambert is out of the country?”

  “I'm afraid so, a cleaning crew comes in once a week but most often, it is empty. I have the sketches laid out on the dining room table.”