“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 rightdecision, 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 extraordinarycircumstances 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.”
