Jean giggled. “You’re right. I’m on it.” She stood and stretched her arms into the air, gazing at the gulf. “It’s pretty water today. Sometime before I leave, I want to drag some chairs to the beach and sit down there.”
“Sure, we can take a picnic down,” Meg agreed. “There are some cool beach chairs in the storage closet downstairs. They even have large foil-lined pockets on the back for packing drinks and food. I’d never seen anything like them until I rummaged through that closet.”
Linda was sitting in the bar at the entrance of the country club with a frosty drink when Meg and Jean entered. She called their names and waved, gliding toward them. “Hey, girls, so glad you could make it. Rene’s not here yet, but our table is ready, and we can go ahead and be seated.” Linda led them to a corner table near a large window facing a water feature on the golf course.
Meg and Jean declined a cocktail and ordered iced tea. There was a plate of sliced vegetables, deviled eggs, cheeses, and crackers in the middle of the table.
“This is lovely,” Meg said. “Thank you for inviting us. It’s nice to see a different aspect of the island.”
The entry had greeted them with the scent of fresh flowers. A large arrangement of lilies sat atop a marble entry table in the center of the massive foyer. The surroundings suggested wealth and pampered living. However, it wasn’t the comfortable beach atmosphere they enjoyed at the cottage.
Jean nodded. “Yes, it’s been so nice getting to know this community and meeting new people. Meg and I were just talking about it this morning.” She tipped her head toward Meg and winked.
“Here comes Rene.” Linda stood and gave the woman a quick hug. “We’ve missed seeing each other as she’s been in Europe for a month. Rene, meet Meg and Jean.”
Rene took a seat as other diners continued to filter into the room, and soon it was filled with chatter and clanking dishes. Meg and Jean talked about their friendship and history, and Rene recapped her recent travels. There was no shortage of topics for conversation as Meg had feared.
The food was delicious. They decided to have coffee and dessert later during a break from play. Linda showed them to the narrow room overlooking the pool where they would play bridge. There were nuts and self-serve drinks on a console table against a wall. Other bridge and mah-jongg players were already seated and chatting. Rene walked over to talk with a group she recognized.
“We play until about five,” Linda said. “I hope that works for you two.”
“We’re flexible,” Meg replied. “Our afternoons are a little lazy. We try to stay out of the heat.”
“That’s exactly why we like to play in the afternoon,” Linda said. “Have you seen any more of your neighbor, Echo?”
“We have.” Meg nodded. “She seems to be infamous. We went to the Strand, and our waitress was related to her and mortified that she could be in the vicinity. I can’t recall how it came up in conversation, but her face went white.”
Linda’s eyes widened. “That’s no wonder,” she said, looking away. She caught the eye of the waitress and signaled for another cocktail. “The Charles family is cursed. You’ll run into them all over town. Some of them will be working in restaurants and the other will own the restaurant. It doesn’t matter with whom you speak, they’ll think the other one is out to get them. It’s a tired story, really.”
Rene returned to the table. “Meg and Jean have met Echo and some of the Charles family,” Linda shared as she began shuffling cards and dealing.
“Well you’ve met the underbelly if you’ve met Echo, and that’s the nicest thing I can say about her,” Rene said.
Meg’s eyebrows flew up. “It’s unsettling to see her headed down the road. I’ve yet to meet her boyfriend, but I’m sure I don’t want to. Echo always has bruises. I’m sure she’s being mistreated by him.”
Rene shot a look to Linda. “Boyfriend? What does he look like?”
“Oh, we haven’t met him. He’s always in the house, but she talks about him.” Meg watched Rene’s face. Her jaw was clenched as she focused on the cards.
“There have been a few times I’d like to punch her in the face,” Rene said.
“I have to apologize for Rene,” Linda cut in. “She’s had more than one altercation with Echo Charles.”
Meg and Jean didn’t encourage the women to continue the conversation. Rene’s attitude had changed when the younger woman’s name was brought up. Her smile disappeared, and her lips were set in a serious line. They stayed that way as she picked up her cards and arranged them in her hand.
After playing several hands, Linda excused herself to the ladies’ room. Rene towards the middle of the table and said, “Linda makes light of Echo, but she’s not yet aware of Tony’s involvement with her. I won’t be the one to tell her either. I’ve been on the other side of that business and it’s life-shattering. I don’t want a thing to do with it.”
Jean tilted her head. “You mean Echo and Linda’s husband are having an affair?”
“Tony’s not Linda’s husband. She only wishes he were. He’s always been a player and a drinker. For the past few years they’ve been fairly steady, but when I got back from Europe, the first thing I heard was that Tony is seeing Echo and apparently he’s drinking heavily now. That woman has nothing to lose, so it’s a hopeless situation.”
Meg assumed by that woman, Rene was referring to Echo. “Sorry to hear that. He and Linda seem like such a lovely couple. Oh, she’s coming back.” Meg picked her cards up.
“Meg, Tony says he’s sold every bag he bought from you and wanted me to ask if you can deliver more,” Linda said as she pulled out the chair to sit. She looked toward Rene. “You should see these bags. They’re adorable and so practical. I spotted Meg and Jean at the Thursday market. They were both carrying one. I knew they’d be a hit, so Tony purchased all Meg had.”
“I’d love to see them,” Rene replied. “I’m always in need of a bag to haul stuff.”
“I do have a new batch made,” Meg told them. “I can bring them to the next market. Tell Tony I’ll come a little early and come straight to your booth.”
Linda smiled. “That’ll be great. I’ll let him know. He’s been out of town the last couple of days, but he’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Where’s he off to?” Rene asked, cutting her eyes over to Meg.
“Some of his old college buddies have a golf trip they do every summer. He’s in Colorado with them. I wanted to take him to the airport. I’m nervous about him leaving his car in the parking garage. You know how he is about that car.”
“His pride and joy.” Rene nodded. “It’ll probably be fine.”
“I hope so,” Linda said. She had freshened her lipstick while she was in the ladies’ room. “He says it’s irreplaceable. If anything happens to that car, we’ll never hear the end of it. I think he loves that Corvette more than he loves me.”
“Oh, a Corvette,” Jean swooned. “What color is it, candy apple red?”
“Oh no, Tony will have nothing but white.”
Meg looked up at Jean and a cold shiver went down her arms. She had difficulty focusing on the hand. Meg didn’t dare look at Jean again; she didn’t think she could hide the uneasy feeling she had about the description of Tony’s car.
After several more hands, Meg glanced at her watch, willing it to reach the magic hour when they could cease the game and leave. When it finally arrived, she couldn’t hurry Jean along fast enough to exit the country club.
“You were a little distracted. Was it the talk about Tony seeing Echo?” Jean asked.
“Yeah, didn’t that bother you? I’m sure that’s who you spotted on the beach the other day. How in the world does he let Echo drive around in that car? Surely anyone who knows him knows that’s his car,” Meg said. She glanced at the abandoned Charles development as they drove past. “Do you think his car is still pulled up in the carport at one of those houses?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Linda thinks the car is parke
d at the airport, but he might be playing house with Echo. You ever think we’re living boring lives, Meg?”
“Are you kidding me? These people are going to give me a heart attack. I can’t take all this drama.”
“Did you hear Rene? She has no plan to tell her friend that Tony’s stepping out on her. With friends like that, who needs enemies?” Jean said. “And now you’re going to have to deliver another batch of those bags to that son of a bitch,” Jean giggled.
“I can’t find the humor here. Echo is pitiful, and apparently Tony has a drinking problem. Wonder where Leon is.”
“You think he took the van and left? Or maybe they dropped Tony at the airport with his blessing?”
“Could be either of those,” Meg said. “However, the van was there the first day you spotted the car. The day we went over there on the bicycles.”
“You’re right. Geez, you think they’re doing the ménage à trois thing?”
“Don’t even say that. I can’t stomach this as it is.” Meg frowned, turning up her nose.
“Meg the librarian has certainly lived a sheltered life,” Jean teased. “If you had been a social worker or even a school teacher, you would’ve heard these lurid tales before from little children talking about their home life.”
“Maybe so, but I don’t think I could ever get used to people hurting someone else like this. It’s the emotional betrayal. You could see Rene had experienced it. And the exploitation of Echo? It reminds me of Hal’s wife back home with all those little children and a philandering husband. It’s hurtful.”
“I have a hunch, from her reputation, that Echo can fend for herself. You can learn to do better, even if you’ve been a victim,” Jean said.
Meg winced. “For a retired social worker, you’re tough. I bet Echo has a history we’d be surprised about.”
“You’re right. I should be more empathetic. We sure learned a lot at the country club. Maybe we should get out more,” Jean suggested.
“It left me with a hollow feeling. I’d rather not know. I’ll be glad to see LaRue and Gizmo, the homebodies.”
“You’re entitled to a quiet vacation, Meg. You’ve already solved the only murder in our town last year.” Jean opened the car door, giving Meg a sideways glance.
She felt a chill as she opened her own door. The reminder of finding a dead body left her cold. She didn’t want to have that experience again or know the people who participated in the crime.
Ten
JEAN HAD BROUGHT a chicken and spaghetti casserole that she prepared at home. She took it from the freezer and put it on the island, preheating the oven while she poured each of them a glass of wine. Meg sat on a stool at the island, sipping from a crystal wineglass. At Jean’s insistence, she wasn’t supposed to lift a finger.
“I’ve got this. We’re having casserole and salad, and I’m hoping there is more of that lemon pound cake,” Jean said. She was standing at the refrigerator with the door open, but she glanced over her shoulder at Meg with an expectant expression.
“Yes, there’s plenty. I even have more in the freezer if needed. I guess I better gather some bags up to take to Tony day after tomorrow.”
“You’re quite the entrepreneur.” Jean separated lettuce leaves to be washed, then put the cutting board, a sharp knife, green onions, and tomatoes on the island along with a wooden salad bowl. “I brought my homemade salad dressing.”
“Love that stuff,” Meg said. “I hope you plan to leave me some.”
“Absolutely.”
“I’ve tried to replicate it, but it just never turns out quite like yours.”
“You have to hold your tongue just right,” Jean laughed. “At least that’s what my mother always said.”
“I’m still thinking about Rene and Linda. You think they’ve been friends for a long time? It doesn’t seem like they have.”
“They said they have some history, but they didn’t exactly go into detail. They may be that kind of friend that’s on again, off again. I don’t know. They remind me a little of that crazy group we have up there at the Hilltop Church. I believe they’d like to stab each other in the back,” Jean said.
The oven sounded, signaling the end of preheating. She picked up the casserole and slipped it onto the bottom rack, reserving the top for toasting garlic bread.
Jean added the lettuce to the salad bowl and placed damp paper towels over the top. She stood with one hand on her hip and sipped wine. “It’ll be about forty-five minutes. I think we can adjourn to the deck.”
Meg picked up her glass and followed Jean. “I’m going to need that walk on the beach later after all I’ve eaten today.” She stood at the deck rail, looking out at the water. “Uh, Jean, bring the telescope. They’re at it again, but there are three people this time.”
Jean glanced through the scope and tsked. “Sure enough, there are. Do you suppose that’s Tony? It’s two men and a woman, but they’re farther down the beach. I can’t tell.”
Meg took a look, but she couldn’t determine who the other male was either.
“It’d have to be Tony, don’t you think?” Jean continued. “I’m just basing that on what Rene said.”
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Meg said, shaking her head. She sat down and took cord from her bag to begin working on more bags.
“This is getting to you, isn’t it?” Jean asked.
“Not really, it’s just disappointing.”
“Yeah, it is. Not that they’re naked. I think that’d be fun. It’s the betrayal part I don’t like,” Jean said. “That and the fact that it’s not even dark yet.”
Meg smiled, looking up at the sky. “Yeah.”
Jean picked up a book and read, leaving Meg to her crochet and troubled thoughts.
There was only the sound of the laughing gulls and the surf just beyond the beach. Meg was glad to sit quietly and process earlier parts of the day. She decided she had no need to dwell on Tony and Linda or Rene. She didn’t plan to have continued relationships with them beyond taking Tony more bags. The bridge group wasn’t something she would agree to again. It was uncomfortable after Rene told them about Tony and Echo. There was a part of Meg that wanted to pack up and return home with Jean, not wanting to become more assimilated in the small beach community. She preferred the scene when she didn’t know so much about the locals. She had a gnawing feeling that she should just head back home.
Dinner was delicious. Jean served it on the deck with candles under globes, and they chatted about family and plans for a fundraiser for the library. Meg insisted she wouldn’t be involved in other volunteer work because of the new grandchild.
“You’ll be hounded,” Jean reminded her.
“I’ve learned to say no,” Meg said. “Especially after last year. I should’ve stuck to my guns and not become involved in that Dickens fiasco.”
“I think that was meant to be, Meg.” Jean tilted her head and looked sideways at her friend. “If you hadn’t been there, it would’ve turned out so much different. Think about it. Someone could’ve led a group of people on the tour into a room and discovered Lena’s nude body. There could’ve been children in the group. No telling what would’ve happened.”
Jean pulled a chunk of garlic bread off the loaf and stuffed it in her mouth, washing it down with a sip of wine. She picked up a napkin and wiped at crumbs, then pronounced herself stuffed.
“Me too,” Meg giggled. “I know you’re probably right. I do believe in fate. Things happen for a reason, even when it’s unsettling. Just look at what a success the Blue Santa project was. That wouldn’t have happened until we developed the relationship with Tom and Crawford.”
“Exactly. This year, that’s what my kids and grandkids are giving me for Christmas. They’re going to shop for a child, bring the gifts to my house, and we’re going to wrap them and take them to the station to put under the tree. I think it’ll be fun for the kids to shop for another child instead of me. I don’t need one more thing, not a vase, or a s
weater, or a bottle of lotion. Nothing.” Jean sighed.
“I know exactly what you mean, Jean. That probably relieves some stress for your kids for shopping, also.”
“Sure it does. It’s much easier to shop for a child than it is for an old lady.”
“We’re not old,” Meg scoffed. She stood to carry plates to the kitchen.
“I’m doing the dishes, Meg,” Jean insisted. “Get another glass of wine and prop yourself at the island. I have a question for you.”
Meg poured them both more wine and returned the bottle to the refrigerator. “So what is it?” she asked, taking her favorite stool.
Jean covered the casserole with plastic wrap and placed the salad in a plastic container. She filled the sink with sudsy water and put the dishes in to soak, then turned to Meg. “What do you think Hal had to do with the murder of Lena? He’s been jailed all these months, but he wasn’t the murderer. What’s the deal?”
Meg pursed her lips. “I’m just guessing about this, but I think they might be trying to prove that Geneva, who has confessed to the murder, was manipulated by Hal. Apparently, he has been involved with the twins since their mother’s suicide, and Brian Hillard started keeping the books of that corrupt congregation at Hilltop. The twins were vulnerable and easy for Hal to victimize. You know Giselle, how immature she is. She and her sister were prime for someone like Hal to exploit. There were other crimes besides the murder. That’s why the FBI was involved. There was human trafficking, drugs, and the laundering of money through the church.”
Meg swirled the wine in her glass, staring into the bowl of the leaded crystal, then looked up to Jean. “That’s why I feel sorry for Echo. She reminds me of Giselle and Geneva. Yes, they’ve all done things we abhor, and they need to grow up and make better decisions, but they’ve also had things happen to them that might’ve arrested their emotional development.”
Pelican Beach Murder Page 7
