by Keene, Susan
Ten minutes later we returned with enough food to last through a Super Bowl Game. Amy sat with her feet on the desk and a smile on her face. “The most annoying part is waiting for the computer so you can go to the next step.”
Ryan handed her a bottle of Pepsi. “Jacob said no request should take longer than twenty seconds.”
She took her feet down and handed him a single sheet of paper.
Reginald LeRoy Saylor, born Sussex, England, 6/01/1955.
Served in Her Majesty’s Royal Naval Service and achieved the rank of Commodore
Master’s Degree in Oceanography and Coastal Science from Louisiana State University.
Employment: Coastal Labs, Miami Florida
Texas Petroleum Labs, Huston, Texas.
“He’s an accomplished man. Impressive,” Ryan said. “He could have been part of pushing the Tuckers into the second boat and using Michael Mannes as their captain, but I think not. When Mannes' name came up, he said straight forward, the man couldn’t be trusted.”
Nathan stood to stretch. “It’s a puzzle. We could send someone to California to rent a boat to sail to the mainland of Mexico and see if they try to send a man with them. Maybe they hide contraband on every boat rented. Once we were at sea, we could search the boat.”
“We can’t go. With all our mishaps while we were in Mexico, everyone would know us.”
Amy’s voice broke when she spoke. “We can’t go either. The man who attacked us knows who we are.”
Ryan went to Amy and put his hand on her shoulder. “We don’t need to go. We will be able to solve this mystery from the comfort of our home.” He sounded confident.
I picked up the thread. “I think our best bet is to make the entire story public. Mention Saylor by name and say the rental company belongs to Randle. I try not to judge, yet what I have heard about him makes me cringe. As Ryan said, we won’t have to go anywhere, they’ll come after us.”
“It’s important to protect Maria,” Ryan said.
“We can change her name in the story and say she died years ago. I’ll use Ivy’s drawings to prove the story is true.”
Ryan leaned forward. “How can we prove she drew them and how do you know the pictures aren’t the nightmares of a terrified child and nothing more?”
I looked at Amy and Nathan. “I’ll have the pictures enlarged and printed tomorrow. We can all take a better look.” I glanced toward Ryan. “I know you could be right. But the last pictures are of the boat on fire, a man jumping off, and the ship sinking. We know those are facts. It’s the entire story, from beginning to end. We can use the pictures and put a caption on each one to tell the story.
“She went so far as to draw her rendition of the float she used to escape. The pango who rescued her and several more pictures of her family. The people are the same folks as in the photos and the news articles. No doubt she drew them. Each one is signed with IT in the corner written with a magic marker.
“It would make a wonderful book.”
Amy crossed her legs and Digger moved to a more comfortable spot. “I love the little book idea, but we would have to send it to the people we think are involved. If it goes in a big circulation newspaper, it will be seen everywhere.”
Ryan stood. “Okay, let’s sleep on it. My head is spinning.”
We all agreed and for the next few hours, we unwound on the patio drinking wine and talking about their wedding. The ceremony would take place in Tyler, Texas, the rose capital of the world. Nathan’s parents rented the garden at the Rose Museum for the day. Amy was an only child whose mother died when she was twelve. Her father could not stand the pain of looking at Amy, who was the image of her mother and left. She’d never heard from him or saw him again. Nathan had three sisters, all older than he was. He looked embarrassed when Ryan pointed out he must have been spoiled.”
We said goodnight. I hugged Amy and the guys shook hands. I knew we had decided not to mention the mystery anymore that night, but I had to tell them my idea. “Let’s call the book, The Untimely Death of Ivy Tucker.”
Amy said she loved it, Nathan shook his head yes, and Ryan said, “Does that mind of yours ever stop thinking?”
Ryan said, “If it is your plan to do this book quickly, I’ll have Jacob drop by. He has written and self-published two or three volumes of computer geek facts. They sell like hotcakes.”
It took a minute for me to arrange my thoughts. “Do you think Jacob wants one more project?”
Nathan chuckled. “Anytime the man is asked to do a task that involves computers and computer work, he’s like a kid in a candy store. He doesn’t view it as work. He’d rather be in the computer lab at work than on a beach somewhere sunning himself.”
Amy stood. “I guess we can’t do anything else until Jacob works his magic. Nathan rented a small tiller. We’re putting in a veggie garden this year. Any requests for a favorite summer goody? We are plotting it out on paper. So far, we have cantaloupe, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, cucumbers, and strawberries.”
“Gees, that’s a big garden,” Ryan said.
I put Chili on the floor and went toward the kitchen where they’d drifted. “My childhood didn’t lend itself to gardens. It was more sand and seashells. We did, however, visit the Farmer’s Market and I learned to love kohlrabi and watermelon radishes.”
Nathan took out the little notebook he carried in his back pocket and wrote down my choices. “How about you, Ryan?”
“Since you asked, I love butternut squash, zucchini, and spinach.”
Amy leaned toward Nathan and looked at the list. “Looks like we’ve covered early spring, summer, and fall produce, I guess we had better get started. I want to order heirloom seeds from the Seed Saver’s Exchange.”
Ryan asked, “Do you have enough room for a garden that big?”
The two looked at one another and grinned, Amy talked while Nathan stood silent. “We bought the two lots behind my house. My place doesn’t have near enough room for all his belongings. I never had wrenches and hammers and chain saws. And Digger has a bigger place to roam.”
“Yes,” Nathan added. “We have a contractor coming to put in a privacy fence around the entire back and to put up a backyard shed for tools and storage. We don’t want to move until we decide if we like the urban life. I know I do. Mom and Dad have several hundred acres and I loved it. Right now, we are close to work and you guys.”
I never heard Nathan talk so much at one time. Ryan came and stood by me and put his arm around my shoulders. “We’d be happy to help since we plan to join in eating the spoils.” He pulled me closer and laughed. “Wouldn’t we, dear?”
I put my hand on his chest. “Yes dear, we would.”
CHAPTER 18
R yan and I took the owner of Bashan Motors and his wife to dinner. They owned the largest auto dealership in the bi-state area and carried seven upscale makes of cars. Leo Bashan and his wife Lynn lived three streets over. Ryan informed me Bashan wanted to be on a social basis with all the people with whom he did business.
His philosophy, according to my husband, was people do not fire their friends. He’d hired Ryan’s company to update the security systems at all seven of his massive car lots, buildings, showrooms, and service facilities.
Leo thought thieves became bolder by the day and since he didn’t sell a car less than fifty thousand dollars, keeping them safe and vandal free became a priority.
In my opinion, every person who worked for Leo and Lynn were potential buyers and it behooved them to be friendly. Of course, I had always been a cynic.
We picked them up at their home in my new car, Ryan drove. I had no doubt it had come from Bashan Motors.
I learned a long time ago, when wealthy couples went out, one couple sat in the front and the other couple in the back. In my younger and poorer years, the gals sat in the back and the guys in the front. Rarely did the front seat chatter make it to the back and vise-versa.
Lynn had a stately figure. As sh
e got in, she tucked her long willowy legs into the back with a practiced grace. Her salt and pepper hair feathered around her face in a stylish and expensive cut. Leo, who stood at least four inches shorter, had rugged good looks, silver hair, and the salesman’s gift of gab.
My daddy had built me close to the ground. Petite, tiny, and itty-bitty were some of the names I had endured during my life. When I had my Glock with me, it evened out; Ryan refused to let me go to the dinner armed.
We pulled up to the front door of J. Gilbert’s about thirty minutes later. Most of the conversation on the way over had been about their children and the activities they were involved in. Ryan and I were both quiet. Kids were something we didn’t have and had only spoken of once. Personally, I hoped it didn’t come up again. At the present time, Chili filled my needs in the nurturing department.
I liked Lynn. She was a gracious woman and a humorous and knowledgeable dinner partner, as was Leo. The men had steak and although I had never considered myself a vegetarian, I rarely ate meat. Lynn and I shared an appetizer of Lobster nachos and our main course consisted of a salad and homemade bread.
Leo and Ryan chose Wagyu steaks, plank fries and a salad of micro greens.
As we prepared to leave the restaurant, a man bumped into me. He hit me so hard, I fell to my knees. Before Ryan and Leo could stop him, he bounded out the door and into a waiting taxi.
Both men helped me to my feet. My knee had sustained a raspberry almost as large as the ones I managed to acquire as a child when I ran too fast and my torso moved faster than my legs.
Ryan seethed. The owner came out as did the manager. “I don’t know what to say Mr. Meade. I have never seen the man before. He ordered takeout which we discourage, and when he saw the four of you stand to leave, he turned without bothering to pick up his order and ran out.”
“It isn’t your fault Jeremy. Maybe he had an emergency. It doesn’t matter now; the damage is done.”
“At least let the house buy dinner for the four of you. It would make me feel better.”
Ryan gave him a sincere grin. “It would make me feel worse.”
Lynn had moved over to me and stood close. “I feel terrible. How rude people have become.” She handed me a piece of paper. This fell out of your jacket pocket as you stood.”
I took the neatly folded paper and opened it. After I scanned it, I handed it to Ryan. He read it silently and shook his head. “How could he know that?”
Leo asked with a concerned tone. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” Ryan answered. “We should probably go. We are stopping the flow of people in and out. I’m sure Kate would like to clean up.”
The ride home was void of conversation. We drove up to their house by way of a long circular drive with lion’s head pillars leading to the front door. Ryan got out with them. He placed a gentle kiss on Lynn’s cheek and told her what a wonderful time we had. He and Leo shook hands. Both Bashan’s stuck their heads down to look in the door and bid me a goodnight. “We must do this again.” I heard Leo comment. “Of course, we can skip the part where your lovely wife gets knocked over. He placed his hand gently on the small of Lynn’s back. They didn’t turn around when the maid opened the door.
Ryan drove home, pulled into the garage, lowered the door, set the alarm, and turned toward me. “I have three burning questions. First, are you all right? Secondly, who was that man? And third, how in the hell did he find out about the book?”
I shrugged my shoulders. The house had been swept for bugs three times a day since we returned from Mexico. The book about Ivy and her family had been discussed only once, earlier in the day when Amy and Nathan were visiting.
We were stumped.
I opted for a long hot shower and antibiotic salve on my knee. I had a big pet reunion with Chili, who always acted as if I’d been gone for years, even if it had only been a minute.
I joined Ryan downstairs where he sat on the couch with a glass of wine, another sat on the table for me. A listening device sat next to my glass on the coffee table.
I sat next to him, picked my drink up with one hand and the device with the other. “Where was it?”
“On the coffee maker, it’s magnetic. I believe someone stuck it in a grocery bag from Mason’s before they were delivered. It attached itself to the first metal object it met.”
“So, someone at the grocery store put it in?”
“Maybe not, anyone could have done it. Since everyone seems to know the four of us, I’ll send one of the men to find out how the deliveries are handled. Nothing we can do tonight. Maybe, by morning, you’ll decide to turn this over to the FBI.” I didn’t answer; I finished my wine and took the dog out to the patio.
I heard Ryan go upstairs. How well he knows me, I thought. He knew when I needed to be alone with my thoughts.
CHAPTER 19
R yan sat on the bed, cell phone in hand. He wore a dark blue suit, a pin striped vest, crisp white shirt, and a red tie. “You look yummy,” I said as I came out of bathroom. “Where are you headed?”
“The Red Bird Organization wants more security in the area the player’s park their cars. Too many fans just happen to take the wrong exit and end up there.”
“Do they really take the wrong exit?”
“No, but the other night a bunch of rowdies rooting for the other team hassled a couple of pitchers. Although nothing happened, they want a number pad on the door.”
“And that requires a three-piece suit?”
He looked at me and asked. “Why all the questions?”
“I’m a little jumpy today. My heart tells me the Tucker family deserves closure. The people who would do what they did to a family for no reason need to be stopped. We have no idea how many others have disappeared and been murdered by the same group.”
Ryan came to me and took me in his arms. “Kate, are you sure they were killed for no reason? We didn’t look very far into their past. We have focused on the trip and nothing else. Oh, yes, and we talked to the neighbor. Do we know she told us the truth? And the only thing that makes me sure they are dead is, if not, they would have been searching for Ivy.
“Whoever is behind this has made it abundantly clear we will pay a price if we continue. To me it sounds more personal than a killing over money or drugs. Now Ivy is dead, and the FBI is re-opening the case, why don’t the killers let it go?” He pushed me gently away and held me at arm’s length. “This place is a fortress. I doubt the White House has more gadgets and alarms than we do, yet they manage to know everything we do. Apparently, it is of supreme importance to them not to let this story and those drawings become public. I smell a rat.”
“I know you are right. I believe everything you are saying.”
“But…” he interrupted, “I doubt they had to kill the Tuckers. Some folks, usually those who live a total life of crime, don’t care who they hurt. I’ve run into men who would kill for a pack of cigarettes. They’re not going to let you take down a multibillion-dollar business if it is drugs. I say let’s investigate the woman next door, dig deeper into the Tuckers life and if you still want to publish the pictures, I will help you.”
“I know you’re right. It has crossed my mind that the Tuckers might not be innocent victims. I don’t know which would be worse, to find out they were innocent, or to find out they were not.”
“I need Nathan back on the job. Have Amy help you. Look with fresh eyes. Widen your scope and see what pops up.”
I sat on the edge of the bed with my feet on the floor and laid back so my head and upper body were flat. “We’ll get started this morning. I think I will start where we began before, with the neighbor, Mrs. Caulfield.”
He walked over, took my hands, and pulled me up to a sitting position. “Promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Take the morning off. Don’t do anything about the Tucker family until this afternoon. When I get back, which will be in a few hours; we’ll meet with Amy and Nathan and la
y out our thoughts. Meanwhile I’d like you to stay home―read a book.” He must have picked up my answer by the look on my face. “At least think about it. I won’t be long.”
He gave me another hug and a kiss I wouldn’t soon forget, and then he was gone.
By the time Ryan returned, I’d cleaned the bathrooms, vacuumed the floors, done three loads of laundry, dusted the house, and taken a shower. The entire time I went over what Ryan said. Could the Tucker’s have done something to bring on their horrendous fate? Nothing came to mind that three children and two doctors could do to enrage someone so violently as to drive them to kill, especially children.
I wanted to see Michael Mannes, and anyone else I could reach who had anything to do with the crime, rot in jail.
Two different reasons for Ryan’s scrutiny of the case jumped out at me. The first, we were now married, and he wanted to keep close tabs on what I did. I dismissed it and went on to number two. Even when a case I had worked on that involved the mob, they didn’t try to kill any of us, bug our cars, or follow us around. This had to be big.
Every day is full of infinite possibilities. Our scope is so narrow we can’t comprehend anything outside of our own little corner of the world. Maybe there was another reason for what happened. I had never come across anyone in medicine. What could the two doctors have done? They didn’t work in the same specialty. He was a pediatrician and she a surgeon, a brain surgeon.
Ryan came in through the garage. He had taken his jacket off and loosened his tie. With his pinstriped vest still buttoned, he looked more like a Las Vegas card dealer than a businessman. “What smells so good?”he asked as he turned the corner to enter the kitchen.
“I’m sautéing portabella mushrooms and asparagus tips in brown butter. I’m going to add them and mozzarella cheese to some omelets.”
“What’s the other smell?”
“Biscuits, dinner will be ready by the time you change clothes.”
