Gunpowder Chowder Read Online Free Page B

your shotgun home.”
    Cal grinned. “Speaking of shotguns, Chase, where were you earlier this morning?”
    “What kind of stupid question is that? Were you looking for me to finally pay your rent? You know I always take my jog on the beach from eight to nine.”
    “Interesting. Right about the time Vern was shot.”
    Chase’s eyebrows shot up out of sight under his shaggy hair. “What are you accusing me of?” With that, he turned and stormed off, turning his head a couple of times to glare at Hannah and Cal.

Chapter 4
     
    Cal laughed out loud. “That certainly riled him up.”
    “Do you know when Vern was shot?” Hannah asked.
    “Not exactly, but when I opened the door and saw him, I don’t think it could have been much more than an hour before we arrived.” Cal led Hannah down the dock to his boat. “Watch your step.” He reached for her hand but she jumped gracefully from the main dock to the back of his boat. “Go ahead into the cabin and I’ll see what I can find for us to eat.”
    Hannah opened the door. The cabin was small but tidy and cozy. The left side had a long, cushy L-shaped bench seat surrounding a table on two sides. The right side of the cabin had a small counter, sink, and stove. A refrigerator was nestled under the counter. Beyond all of that, in the front of the boat was the sleeping area. You wouldn’t be able to stand there, but you could sit up.
    Hannah slid onto the bright blue cushioned bench seat while Cal rummaged around for food. He pulled out bread, a can of tuna fish, mayo, and pickles. “Tuna sandwich work for you?” he asked while draining the liquid from the tuna fish.
    “Sure.” Hannah watched him work, enjoying the thought of someone waiting on her. Especially a handsome someone. “How can you pin point when Vern was shot?”
    He scooped mayo from the jar and stirred it into the tuna. “I was a premed student. Medical stuff has always fascinated me.”
    “You were? What happened?”
    “Life.” He cut the sandwiches into triangles and carried the plates to the table. He opened his half size fridge. “Water okay? Or, I do have a couple of beers in here.”
    “Hmmm. A beer is tempting. I’ll buy you more,” she offered.
    Cal popped the cap off of two bottles of beer and slid into the L-shape portion of the seat, at a right angle to Hannah. He clinked his beer against hers. “Welcome to Hooks Harbor. Maybe not the best way to begin your life here, but it will be memorable!”
    Hannah nodded, took a sip of the cold beer, and added, “That’s one way to put it.”
    They ate in silence. Hannah enjoyed the gentle rocking of the boat. She appreciated Cal’s company and she wanted to ask more about what got in the way of his medical schooling but decided he might not want to talk about it.
    She leaned back against the cushion, wiped her lips, and asked, “You said there were other reasons someone might want to shoot Vern.”
    Cal took a long slug of his beer. “That’s right. I guess people might think I had a motive too. Vern owed me a lot of money. Chase likes to throw my lack of cash in my face every chance he gets, but I don’t let it bother me.”
    Hannah digested his comments.
    “I can see what you’re thinking. I was on the beach, did I shoot Vern?”
    Hannah lowered her eyes, uncomfortable that he could read her thoughts.
    “Don’t worry. If I was going to kill Vern, I would have made it look like an accident. Not that I spent any time planning anything like that. He wasn’t worth the time to me. Sure, I’m upset and annoyed about the money, but life’s too short to ruin it over a piece of scum like him.”
    “Who else could have done it?”
    Cal stood up, gathered the plates, and put them in the small sink. “Come on. We’ll walk around town so you can meet the people who live here and decide for yourself the answer to that question.”
    “You don’t have to chaperone me if you’ve got something else to do.”
    He waved his hand, brushing