COFFIN COVE a gripping murder mystery full of twists (Coffin Cove Mysteries Book 1) by JACKIE ELLIOTT (books for new readers .TXT) 📕

After they had eaten, Harry ordered another round of coffee. Nikos slapped his hand on the table.

“So! If you two are not getting married, why did you drag an old man out here this early in the morning, eh? What’s going on?”

Brenda looked at Harry and took a deep breath. She told Nikos her concerns about numbers that didn’t add up and the file of receipts and documents she’d found in Adrian’s office.

“I’m worried about Steve Hilstead, Nikos. Maybe Adrian doesn’t know what’s going on,” she added, gamely attempting to shield the old man from his son’s involvement.

Nikos patted her hand.

“Brenda. I asked you to keep an eye on my son. Not to cover up for him.”

He turned to Harry.

“This Steve Hilstead. What do we know about him? Why would Adrian trust him?”

Harry shook his head.

“I don’t know why he would trust Hilstead. Remember that year I delivered the biggest catch of my life?”

Nikos nodded and laughed. “Remember? You never let me forget.” He puffed his chest out and pretended to swagger, imitating young Harry.

Harry smiled. “OK, maybe I was a bit cocky back then,” he admitted, “but do you remember the packer that was buying fish for cash? It was even called King of Cash, remember? They were buying directly off us and then selling to the processors.”

Nikos bent his head for a moment. “I’m getting old, Harry, I don’t remember.”

“Well, remember what you told me then?” Harry persisted. “You told me that if they were buying a fish for a dollar and then selling it for a dollar, they were washing cash, remember?”

Nikos nodded slowly. “I do remember that.”

“Well, that was Steve Hilstead. And his father, I think. He wasn’t just washing cash, he was selling coke. He even paid some of the guys in coke. Rumour was that he was paying off a DFO guy, because he never got busted.”

“And this same guy is working with my son?”

“Same guy. But it was years ago, Nikos. Things might have changed.”

Brenda interrupted. “I’m not sure he has changed.” She told them what she had found the night before.

“And that’s not all, Nikos. Adrian is paying the guys less and less. Some of them are really struggling, so Adrian has bought their licenses and quotas and sometimes shares in the boats. They have to rent the quotas back, and now, if they have to pay Hades a share to cover boat costs, some of them are literally fishing for nothing. They can’t even cover their fuel bill.”

Nikos nodded.

“I hear things still, Brenda. Some old guys still phone. I know that Adrian has been squeezing them. I don’t know why.” He sighed. “But I suspect he’s spent his way into trouble. I warned him against opening the bistro. Makes no damn sense!” Brenda could see Nikos was agitated.

“It’s my fault,” he said, shaking his head. “I guess I should have spent more time with him when he was young. Iris spoiled him. He wanted nice things, fast cars. He doesn’t love the work, not like I used to.”

“We just want to protect your legacy, Nikos,” Brenda said. “For you and Adrian.”

“Ah, Brenda.” Nikos had tears in his eyes. “Hades is not my legacy. My son is. I must help him.”

The three of them sat in silence for a moment while Nikos composed himself.

“I will talk to my son,” he said at last. “But I must have proof, not just suspicions. Can you get that for me, Brenda?”

She nodded. “I can do that. But I don’t know what to look for.”

“It’s not illegal to import fish,” Harry said. “It’s only illegal if the fish have come from a closed area, or if they are being passed off as something else.”

“How will I know?” Brenda asked. “All I have is paperwork and numbers that don’t match up.”

“The only way to know for sure is to have the fish tested in a lab. You would have to get scale samples. And you’ll have to do it fast, before it’s sold. Hilstead is not stupid, he won’t want illegal fish hanging around.”

“It won’t be his neck on the line,” Brenda pointed out. “It’ll be Adrian that takes the fall if they get caught.”

Harry nodded. “It’s a sweet situation for Hilstead. He gets a backhander, I’m sure, for taking the fish, and Adrian takes all the risk.”

“I’ll do it,” Brenda said. “I’ll find a reason to get into the storage unit, and I’ll get samples. Then we’ll know. Hopefully, we can stop it before Adrian gets into trouble.”

“You sure, Brenda?” Harry asked. “Steve Hilstead is a nasty piece of work. Where he goes, trouble happens.” He told them about the suspicious death at the fish plant the day before.

“You don’t think Hilstead is involved?” Brenda said, feeling worried.

Harry shrugged.

“I’m not saying that. I just know that he’s bad news. So be careful.”

“You would do all this for Adrian?” Nikos asked.

“Of course I will,” Brenda said, squeezing his hand, knowing that she was doing this for Nikos, not his son.

“Thank you, Brenda. I must go,” Nikos said, struggling to his feet. “Please be careful. And you—” he turned to Harry — “make an honest woman of her, will you? You’ve left it far too long!”

Harry laughed and got up to shake Nikos’ hand. “Oh, she can do much better than me, Nikos.”

Brenda hugged the old man, and she and Harry watched him walk away, his shoulders stooped, as if he were shrinking inward with age and worry.

“I should go,” Brenda said, “I’m late for work.”

Harry paid the bill, and they stepped outside.

“One thing,” she said. “Who was it they found dead in the fish plant? Do you know yet?”

When Harry told