Chapter 17: The Photo Purveyor

“Crap, crap, crap!” Jake chanted, attempting to stuff his still hard dick inside his shorts.

“What was that?” Cheyanne repeated for the second time.

Glancing over, Jake saw that the busty brunette had covered her nudity with the bedsheet while she stared nervously at the door in concern. Scanning Putnam’s bedroom, Jake gave up the search for his shirt with an annoyed hand wave before yanking the lamp cord out of the socket. Satisfied, the junior sleuth returned his attention to his almost lover.

“What are you doing? Get dressed,” Jake directed, slowly turning the doorknob while Cheyanne repeated her question yet again. “Shit, isn’t it obvious? The Masked Creep returned.”

Cocking the lamp slightly in the air, Jake crept down the upstairs hallway until he reached the stairs. Peering down, he heard panicked voices from the first floor. After a deep breath, Jake hopped down the stairs rapidly, covering four or five steps with each jump. Expecting a rematch with his attacker, the high school gumshoe instead found his older sister yelling at him.

“The fuck?! Don’t scare me like that!” Liberty shouted before she noticed the lamp. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Me? Why are you…oh, shit,” Jake trailed off once he took in the scene.

Dolled up in a slightly less scandalous minidress compared to his sister, Sydney Capshaw lay unconscious on the dining room floor. Abigail and Allison worked to check on her while Piper slapped Wally for eyeing up the lifeguard’s exposed lace panties. The class clown threw his hands up in defense while he claimed that he didn’t do anything. Nearby, Phinn appeared oblivious to the commotion while he studied the latest picture that had been left in Jake’s mailbox.

Suddenly, Kody dashed into the dining room from the kitchen. The easily flustered kicker/punter shocked Jake as he flung a large glass of water at Sydney’s face.

“O’Keefe?!” Piper shouted, turning her attention away from Wally.

“Kody!” Allie exclaimed, looking down at the shirt that had gotten caught in the crossfire. Her sister also pulled her damp top away from her body.

“What? I don’t know. Does Phinn have smelling salts?” Kody responded with his own question. “Hey, it worked.”

Everybody's attention, except for Phinn's, returned to the brunette, whose eyes fluttered open. Behind Jake, Cheyanne chose the worst possible moment to slink down the stairs and hiss a question. Libby's concerned expression turned away from one friend to find another, a murderous scowl forming.

“Oh, we will talk about this,” the dirty blonde vowed, her eyes alternating between her shirtless brother and friend’s mussed-up hair before they returned to Sydney.

“Syd!” Cheyanne exclaimed, finally noticing her friend.

“What happened? You just screamed and fainted,” Abby noted, helping her friend sit up.

Opening her mouth, Sydney couldn’t speak at first. So Phineas finally acknowledged the commotion.

“Clearly, Sydney knows the woman in this third photograph,” the brainy sleuth deduced.

“Do you?” Libby asked.

Everyone watched as Liberty’s best friend’s face scrunched up and her lip quivered. Silent tears followed while Abby wrapped an arm around the brunette, and Cheyanne rushed over to help comfort her. Standing up, Libby yanked the picture away from Phinn. Having barely had time to study it before Sydney screamed, recognition ran across Libby’s face.

“Oh…no,” the worried young woman groaned, closing her eyes momentarily.

“Who is it?” Abby inquired, looking over.

“Her grandmother.”

"What?!" several people exclaimed, while Phinn nodded in agreement about his correct guess.

Jake rushed over to enter a tug-of-war with his sister over the picture.

“Are you sure?” Abby questioned, but Sydney’s tearful nod answered her immediately.

“Yeah. Remember the picture of her grandparents’ wedding on the hallway wall? This is her,” Libby provided, despite the nod. “Oh, sweetie.”

Although she wanted to comfort her best friend, Libby elbowed her brother instead.

“Don’t leer at it,” the big sister hissed, having caught Jake’s eyes going back and forth from the nude woman and Sydney.

“I wasn’t!” Jake denied, as his sister helped Sydney move from the floor to a dining room chair.

“Hang on,” Ethan started. “So her grandmother is the person leaving the pictures?”

Allison attempted to gesture to him to stop halfway through the question, but Ethan didn’t pick up on it. Instead, Sydney’s crying turned into sobbing. The bookworm did notice the notebook that Libby flung in his direction.

“It’s a valid assumption, yet Mrs. Rulle died last fall,” Phineas disclosed.

Although the case-obsessed detective declined to attend the funeral while following up on a lead, Phinn recalled that his parents had attended the services. Of course, with Liberty and Sydney having been so close since kindergarten, Jake and his parents attended everything, and Justine helped handle several matters for Sharon Capshaw.

Jake grimaced while he recalled the same events. Despite not living in Edgewater, he’d met Sydney’s grandmother often when she visited. The woman always came across as kind and caring, which led to his shock and to his study of the blackmail photograph that his sister had misunderstood. Okay, maybe he looked over the picture for a split second while wondering if Syd looked the same naked.

“Piper, behind you in that cabinet is my mother’s liquor supply. I’m sure she wouldn’t object to Sydney needing a stiff drink right now,” Phinn said, watching as Libby directed Piper over which bottle to pour a shot from.

The elder Magnum and LeClaire siblings also shared shots, while Cheyanne, Piper, and Wally helped themselves to a different type of alcohol. Finally, as Sydney calmed down, Kody asked the question most of the guests had swirling around in their heads.

“What the hell is going on around here?”

“Let’s begin with Mrs. Rulle. What can you tell us about your grandmother?” Phinn asked, sitting in the chair directly across from Sydney.

After noticing how his sister moved to stand protectively behind her best friend, Jake opted to do the same with Phinn. One never knew how Libby might react.

“What do you want to know?” Sydney replied, unsure about everything.

“How about we start with when and where she was born?” Phinn suggested, showing rare patience and sympathy, as he didn’t dislike the brunette.

“Um, well, Grandma was born in 1956, here in Edgewater,” Sydney began.

“Maiden name?” Phinn asked.

“Shulte. Uh, I don’t know much about her childhood that would matter, but she graduated from North High.”

“Was she ever a contestant in the Miss Paddle pageant?” Phinn inquired. “It seems to be a connection so far in our case.”

“No, she wasn’t into competing like that…but…Yes, Grandma helped as a volunteer. I think Mom mentioned that she got transferred over from helping with Waterfest because some people got food poisoning.”

“And when was this?”

“I believe this happened the summer before her senior year of high school,” the brunette replied, struggling to recall stories she’d heard in the past. “Yeah, Grandma had only recently turned eighteen. That mattered for some reason. And they asked her to come back the next year, which she did, and even received a small payment. I guess that would’ve been 1974 and 1975.”

Phinn nodded, noting that this made Stella Rulle the most recent victim of blackmail on their timeline. Next, he inquired about college.

“No, she never attended a school. Grandma never worked, except for a short time as a secretary, until after she and my grandfather became engaged. They married in 1978, but got engaged in 1976. So, I don’t think she worked for more than a year or two,” Sydney estimated.

The now-composed coed went on to recount that her mother, Sharon, was born in 1980. The following year, her grandparents moved halfway across the country to Midge Mill, and eventually had a son two years after the move. Stella spent most of her life as a homemaker and community volunteer. At the same time, her husband rose in the ranks, eventually becoming vice president at a textile company.

“Grandpa died a few years after I was born, so I don’t have many memories of him,” Sydney explained. After Phinn asked if her grandmother had moved back to Edgewater around that time, the brunette shook her head vigorously. “No, my mom tried for years, but Grandma refused to move back. She claimed that she loved Midge Mill and had all her friends there.”

“Yet, she returned often enough that your parents met, right?” Phinn queried.

“Oh, no. My parents met in college. I think that Dad being from Edgewater caught Mom’s attention, as she only visited a few times on holidays for brief stays.”

“Yes, that type of avoidance behavior fits with a victim of blackmail. Perhaps she fled Edgewater and worried about being located by Avery Voyce. Yes, we recently learned his name from another victim,” Phinn divulged after noticing Sydney’s surprised face.

“Grandma never seemed scared to be here.”

“Didn’t she stay for those summers?” Libby prodded.

“Yeah, that’s right. Grandma visited for long stretches for several summers. I’m talking almost the entire summer, as Sherry needed somebody to watch over her, and my parents preferred not to place her in daycare,” Sydney explained. “I’d say Grandma did this for maybe four summers, probably seven to ten years ago.”

“That’s interesting,” Phinn responded, wondering if Stella Rulle felt the threat had passed by then. “Have you ever heard of the name Terry Tully?”

Liberty took a deep breath, but only Phinn and Jake noticed.

“No, I don’t believe so. Was he another…blackmailer?” the upset granddaughter managed to ask.

“No. Tully worked as a private investigator on this blackmail case over twenty years ago. Somebody murdered him during that time,” Phinn revealed, causing several gasps around the dining room. “It’s possible that he died as a result of that investigation, and your grandmother likely hired him. We’ll know for sure after we talk to your mother.”

“My mom? Why do you need to talk to her?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Phinn asked, scanning the room. Even Jake’s blank expression caused the annoyed sleuth to take off his glasses to pinch his nose. Once finished, he dropped what shouldn’t be a bombshell in his opinion. “Your mother is the person leaving the photographs for us to find.”

When the room erupted in shock, Phinn muttered to himself about people never seeing what’s in front of them. And after Jake questioned his reason for making that assumption, the brainy detective mumbled about missing Dusty because Jake let himself get distracted by Liberty’s attractive friends.

“Yes, I’m sure. Look at the events,” Phinn stated, turning around to glare at his best friend. “First, Mrs. Capshaw had access and the timing to leave the first picture. She left it in her boat garage at the end of the afternoon, when she knew you’d return with one last load of furniture.”

“But the picture could’ve been there for hours. Or it was hidden in a piece of furniture for years,” Jake argued.

“No. That might have been the case with a lone photograph. However, the same exact event doesn’t occur again, only days later. Also, if you recall, Mrs. Capshaw had stopped by to check on our sale a short time before Bandit found the photograph,” Phinn explained. “She and Mrs. Nook came over because I refused to sell those items to Ms. Nichols.”

“That’s right,” Libby recalled, earning a shocked look of betrayal from Sydney. “Your mom did spend time with Bandit before she left.”

“And I bet he saw her slide the picture under the furniture,” Phinn added.

"Why would my mom do that? I don't believe it…But I also wouldn't have believed this possible," Sydney admitted, gesturing at the photo on the table.

“Mrs. Capshaw also made an appearance earlier today after the police arrived. I suspect their presence led her to place this picture in the mailbox,” Phinn continued.

“Do you think so?” Jake asked.

“We shall see tomorrow once we meet our previously unknown client,” Phinn declared, smiling. The case had finally progressed in his mind to the point where he felt confident about a resolution.

---

“I don’t know about this,” Jake fretted the next morning.

“What part? Leaving Corky alone for Johanna to find when she arrives, or questioning one of your crushes’ moms?” Phinn queried, taking a right off of 34th Street to walk down Randolph Avenue.

“Oh. Crap. I forgot about Johanna,” Jake admitted, stopping to check 34th Street for her approaching car. “Well, I’m, um, sure Corky can handle her.”

“You hope,” Phinn said, crossing to the other side of Randolph. “Now, don’t do your usual thing.”

“What usual thing?”

“Start getting uncomfortable around a woman you find attractive. You zone in and out while occasionally talking too fast.”

“I do not!”

“Should I ask for a third opinion?” Phineas challenged, holding up his phone.

“Alright, I might have gotten that way in the past, but that’s long over,” Jake insisted.

“Long over? Didn’t you blab about jerking off to Dream Lass when we met Adora Rose recently?”

“Shit! I did that, didn’t I?” Jake questioned, hoping it had been a nightmare. “Fine, but we’re meeting Mrs. Capshaw. She’s one of our parents’ friends.”

“Still, you have a tendency to stare at Sharon Capshaw’s butt,” Phinn pointed out, turning left at the Yearwoods to enter the cul-de-sac on 35th Street.

“But that’s where Syd gets hers from! Whoa!”

The pair of teen detectives paused as they took in the large crowds that filled the cul-de-sac and the various homes. Despite being named after Monroe Park, this short stretch of 35th Street appeared to be the epicenter of the rummage sale, with the Capshaw home its heart. Packed with people, pickup trucks navigated around the annoyed shoppers as they backed into the long side driveway to haul off their furniture purchases.

“We should’ve come by earlier,” Jake suggested, checking the time on his phone.

“You know why we waited for Sydney to leave for work. Her mother might not speak freely if her daughter’s around,” Phinn reminded. He also recalled his repeated reminders to the lifeguard last night and early this morning not to reveal anything to her mother. Sydney could have her heart-to-heart with her mom after they spoke to their mystery client.

“Wait, isn’t Sherry going to be around?” Jake asked, referring to Sydney’s younger sister.

“Libby took care of that.”

“She did? Is that why she abandoned the rummage sale?” Jake questioned, hurrying to catch up to Phinn as they walked down the sidewalk.

“Yes, Libby and Brigid are taking Sherry out shopping and to the beach. Of course, Sherry didn’t know this, so that’s why we also waited until your sister messaged me that they’d left.”

“I don’t like it when you and Lib go around behind my back,” Jake reminded, frowning.

“I know,” Phinn replied, heading up the driveway.

Scanning the regular garage, Phinn noticed Daphne Donnelly, Erin’s mother, helping a customer. Peeling off to the left, the scrawny sleuth’s sudden move caused Jake to bump into a burly man with a mullet. Ignoring the commotion he caused, Phinn left Jake to deal with the irate shopper while he made a beeline toward Sharon Capshaw, who huddled with Mrs. Yearwood.

“Phineas, what’s wrong now?” the forty-five-year-old mother asked.

A youngish-looking woman for her age, Phinn understood his best friend’s attraction to his crush’s older version. Very few women can pull off a pixie-cut in the gumshoe’s mind, especially an older woman, but Sharon pulled it off nicely with her light brown hair. The teenager speculated that her career as a hairstylist likely helped. The outgoing woman also had dark brown eyes that now held secrets behind them in Phinn’s mind. A toned butt from moving around all day and medium-to-large breasts finished off her appearance.

“We need to talk, Mrs. Capshaw,” Phinn stated, glancing over at Mrs. Yearwood. “In private.”

“Why, of all the nerve? Can’t you see that she’s busy?” Mrs. Yearwood challenged, having never cared for the Farris boy and his antics.

“We?” Sharon queried, causing Phinn to look over his shoulder, where Jake attempted to calm the burly man down.

“Dammit, Jake, just punch the guy and get it over with!”

“Punch? Oh, my…No!” Mrs. Yearwood exclaimed, responding as Phineas intended by rushing off to defuse the situation

“She is correct. We are busy. What do you need?”

“I think it’s beyond time that we had a chat with our client, don’t you think so?” Phinn replied.

The teen detective gave Mrs. Capshaw credit. The woman barely reacted to his statement. Phinn only noticed a slight flinch. She’s a cool customer, isn’t she? I think I need to reevaluate all our neighbors once this case is finished. What other secrets lurk around here?

“Jesus, Phinn, why did you tell me to punch that guy? He nearly knocked my head off!” Jake asked, huffing and puffing as he came over.

“I wanted our client alone. Shall we go inside your home, ma’am?” Phinn queried, gesturing in that direction.

“Very well,” Sharon nodded, stopping on the way to ask a friend to lend Mrs. Yearwood a hand for a few minutes.

However, Mrs. Capshaw didn’t lead them into the house. Instead, she took them around to the backyard.

“We’ll talk in the pool house. I don’t want to risk Sherry returning to overhear anything.”

“Sherry won’t be back for hours. Libby and Brigid promised,” Phinn revealed, causing Mrs. Capshaw to pause.

“So that’s how you figured it out. I knew giving you that picture held a risk of being recognized,” Sharon admitted before continuing to lead them to the pool house. “Libby has gone through our family photo albums many times.”

Phinn motioned at Jake not to speak. Better to let the woman think her daughter’s friend recognized her mother rather than her own daughter. Those family discussions and secrets could be gone over when the detectives weren’t around.

The small pool house or clubhouse, as Mr. Capshaw preferred to call it, served as sort of an outdoor mancave. It featured two large televisions, a bar, several vintage games, and a poker table. Jake always marveled at the setup while Phinn hardly noticed. He had a case to discuss.

“Yes, I probably should’ve chosen a different picture to leave,” Sharon muttered to herself, going behind the bar while the two teens sat on stools.

“I take it that you have more photographs, then? How did you or your mother come to have them?” Phinn began.

“First off, I didn’t know anything about the blackmail until Mom died,” Sharon proclaimed. “The revelation stunned me. Who expects their own mother to be blackmailed?”

Phinn shrugged, which caused Jake to roll his eyes. Of course, his best friend wouldn’t be shocked about any member of his family getting extorted. Well, maybe his dad, as Fraser Farris, appeared as dull as anyone could get.

“You never knew or suspected your mother cheated?” Phinn asked, causing Jake to wince.

Can’t he be diplomatic for once?

“I knew she had an affair, maybe two. Even that shocked me when she revealed it,” Sharon admitted before explaining. “Mom dropped that bombshell when I discovered Mark had started an affair shortly after Sherry was born. That damn hussy secretary he hired at the shop.”

“What? Mr. Capshaw cheated on you?” Jake roared, sitting up as if he intended to do something over it.

Phinn gently yet firmly used his arm to push his best friend back onto the stool.

“So your mother revealed this, why?” the lead investigator asked.

“I guess to show me that she’d been on the other side,” Sharon said. “Look, I thought my parents had a great marriage. Sure, I noticed small things. My dad came from a fairly traditional background and viewed his family the same way. He expected Mom to be a homemaker and raise the children, nothing more. Nor did he want her input on major decisions. It sucked, but Mom pushed back over the years until he came to respect her as an equal partner. However, she admitted the early years proved tough.”

“This was the reason for her affair?” Jake asked.

“Somewhat. Mom admitted that she wanted to attend college and have her own career. But her parents had three sons and didn’t believe a girl needed to do that. She had to fight just to get her job as a secretary, as it was frowned upon by her family. The 70s were a different time,” Sharon stated, shrugging. “Instead, my grandparents pushed her to date and marry a family friend. Mom said she found Dad handsome, but had her doubts about marrying him. The men at her job seemed more interesting and exciting, but eventually she gave in to her parents’ wishes. Despite that, the engagement dragged on for almost two years. Mom said that she kept pushing the wedding date back, to be sure. I suspect she hoped another man at work would step in, but he didn’t.”

“Do you think she cheated on your father during this time? You mentioned a maybe,” Phinn pointed out.

“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” Sharon said, appearing surprised. Her attention flickered between Jake and Phinn for a moment before continuing. “After the wedding, Dad really pushed the traditional husband and wife attitude, and Mom hated it. They hit a rough patch, which led to her affair with a man from her old job.”

“Ah, yes,” Phinn nodded.

“But they worked out their marriage by moving away,” Jake noted.

“Only because Mom started to get blackmailed. She said she nearly freaked out because the first photograph arrived after she learned about her pregnancy. Despite the trouble with my father, she had no way to support a child as a single mother. Yet, she also didn’t have the funds to keep paying the man off,” Sharon revealed. “She kept on pushing Dad to take a job elsewhere, which he finally did after I was born. I wonder if he suspected something, but not the true reason.”

“We suspected she moved away to escape Voyce,” Phinn replied.

“You learned his name already?” Sharon questioned, looking at Jake while sounding impressed.

“Yeah, Phinn and Johanna Zay. She’s kind of helping us with the Miss Paddle angle, interviewed one of the other victims, who knew the guy,” Jake responded.

“Did your mother know Avery Voyce?” Phinn queried.

“Mostly in passing. He had business ties to the company that she worked for as a secretary,” Sharon revealed, causing Jake and Phinn to share a look.

“Did she ever hear from Voyce after the move?” Phinn inquired.

“Once. But she ignored it, and he gave up, I guess,” Sharon shrugged.

“Yet, she eventually hired a private investigator roughly twenty years later,” Phinn pointed out.

"That's because of me," the pixie-haired woman revealed, sagging slightly. "Mom never wanted to visit Edgewater, which confused my brother and me. It seemed a lot nicer than Midge Mills and had way more to do. We'd come here for Christmas, but only for very short trips, such as three or four days at most. She also encouraged relatives to visit us instead. But I met Mark in college and fell in love. I didn't realize until later that it scared my mother. Mark had the auto body shop that he planned to take over from his grandfather, so I'd move here. Frightened about her blackmailer resurfacing, she hired Mr. Tully."

“What can you tell us about Tully’s investigation?” Phinn asked, getting down to the part he really wanted to know about.

“I can get you Mom’s notes later. They aren’t here,” Sharon revealed, leading both sleuths to suspect a storage locker. “Mom knew of another woman from her old job who had also been blackmailed, so she told the PI about her. That led to an increasing number of women as his investigation snowballed.”

“How many women did he discover?” Jake asked.

“Twenty-three women and four men,” Sharon revealed, causing Jake’s mouth to drop open. “But he suspected far more before his death.”

“Which your mother suspected happened because of her case?” Phinn inquired.

“Yes. It terrified her and led to tremendous guilt. She refused to return to Edgewater for several years. Only a brief two-day appearance for Syd’s birth. It confused me at the time,” Sharon admitted. “Then, guilt from missing out on so much of her granddaughter’s life led her to push aside those fears when I had Sherry. A second grandchild and my own marriage problems brought her back to town more often.”

Phinn spoke to Jake, using one of their coded hand gestures.

“I remember her staying with you for several summers,” Jake prodded, bringing up what Sydney had told them last night.

"Yes, she did because I didn't want to put Sherry in daycare. Much like my mother, I initially put my career on hold for my family. I have a degree in marketing, but I haven't used it much. However, I needed my own life, especially after Mark's affair. I started working part-time at a hair salon before Sherry's birth, but I decided to open my own place after the affair. Mom wanted to help however she could."

“I take it that time led her to feel safe in Edgewater again?” Phinn asked.

“Yes, it did. She eventually decided to move here five years ago.”

“So you decided after her passing last year to get justice?” Jake queried, causing Sharon's eyes to glisten. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Sharon reassured him, wiping the tears away. “This is the hardest part. Avery Voyce killed my mother.”

“What?” Jake exclaimed, while Phinn sat up straighter with an expression of great intrigue.

“I believe your mother died of a heart attack,” the brainy detective recalled.

“She did, and seeing his face caused it,” Sharon revealed.

“He returned to blackmail her?” Jake questioned.

Shaking her head, Sharon launched into a sad yet fascinating story. Last September, her mother planned to stop over after running a few errands. However, when Stella arrived, she couldn’t catch her breath and had chest pains. Helping her mother inside, Sharon attempted to dial 911, but Stella stopped her. The upset woman needed to tell her something first. In her final moments, she revealed that she’d been blackmailed in the past. Struggling to continue, she mentioned the PI, where to find his files, and the pictures. Then came the biggest shock: Stella saw the blackmailer while on her way over, and he lived in the Monroe Park neighborhood. She’d seen him in a sideways glance while at an intersection. A nagging feeling caused her to drive around the block, where she met the man’s gaze while he raked leaves.

“Did she say where in the neighborhood?” Jake questioned.

“No, she didn’t have time, but it was close by,” Sharon recounted, wiping more tears.

Silence filled the pool house for several minutes.

“And you found those files shortly afterward,” Phinn prodded.

"Yes. They were so awful. All the pictures that the investigator managed to collect, along with the details. He had the number of payments, the amount, and even examples of what the blackmailer did when he wasn't paid." Phinn inquired about the number of pictures, leading Sharon to reply, "Seventy-one. A few of the women had a dozen photos each."

“Damn,” Jake whistled until Phinn nudged him. “So why did you leave the pictures for us to find? You could’ve asked for our help?”

“I know, but I…I didn’t want Sydney or Sherry to get hurt.”

“Like in the blackmailer hurting them?” Jake growled, clenching his fist.

“I think she means by the secret life of their grandmother coming out,” Phinn suggested, mouthing at Jake to calm down.

“Right. And I didn’t know what to do. I mean, everyone talks about how Jake’s such a brilliant detective. Well, I mean, how great the two, or three of you are,” Sharon struggled to explain, causing Phinn to smirk. “And after what I read about Terry Tully’s death, I didn’t want to risk him doing the same–I mean, both of you. However, after that reality show man’s murder and the rumors about those celebrities, I thought that you could help. I’ll admit that I acted rather impulsively by placing that first picture in the other garage.”

“You should’ve just asked. We would’ve helped in a heartbeat, and still will,” Jake insisted.

"It's also uncomfortable. If Libby knows, how much longer until more of Syd's friends discover her grandmother's secret? And what if Sherry's classmates learn? Kids that age can be awful. I mean, I can tell it's awkward for you, as you're having Phineas ask the questions," Sharon pointed out.

Jake began to argue, but Phinn used the bar to block Mrs. Capshaw from seeing his fist slam down on his best friend’s thigh. Clearly, their neighbor believed Jake to be the star detective with Phinn as his sidekick. Most of the Edgewater bought this cover story, and Phinn preferred to keep it that way. Only select members of the EPD and some of their friends knew the truth, along with a whole lot of criminals.

“It’s fine, Mrs. Capshaw. It is awkward for Jake due to Sydney, but I also need practice. Without Dusty around, I have to step up and help Jake more,” Phinn declared.

“That’s not how–”

“It’s okay, Jake. You don’t need to be modest,” Phinn insisted. “Why don’t you finish asking Mrs. Capshaw about the investigator’s files? I’m sure you can use them.”

“Right,” Jake nodded. “Um, so where are these files?”