Sapphire Beach Cozy Mystery Collection

by Angela K Ryan

  It seemed like an eternity as they waited for the three other groups to have their turn. Connie and Zach recounted their favorite parts of the experience, while she relished the feel of the salty air pushing back her hair as the boat motored along the coastline.

  Even though she had been anxious to get back and tell Zach what she had discovered, when the boat returned to the beach, she also hated to see it end.

  "That was amazing, Zach," she said, giving him a slight hug.

  He looked pleased that she had enjoyed herself so much. "It was better than I even imagined. Thanks for sharing it with me," he said. "Would you like to go for a walk along the beach?"

  "Normally I would, but there's something I have to tell you - something I saw up there."

  He gave her a puzzled look. "Okay."

  Connie recapped the description in the diary of Natasha's favorite spot, coming clean about having snapped pictures of it when she found it, and how Penelope said Natasha had gone off to think the night she disappeared. "At first, I thought it could literally be anywhere in the area, but the more I think about it, there aren't a ton of spots that fit her exact description. Since Natasha had described her thinking spot as secluded, we know it couldn't be anywhere along Sapphire Beach Boulevard, which is the only street that runs along the Gulf," she said. "And if she was killed in the park, it would have to be a secluded spot. After floating above the town for fifteen minutes, I think I have an idea where it must be."

  Zach followed Connie's eyes towards the direction of the park. "You think she could be buried somewhere in Sapphire Beach State Park?"

  Connie stared at the ground and let out a sigh. "I hope not. I'd rather her be found alive somewhere, but it's worth taking a ride to check it out."

  After changing out of their bathing suits and meeting back up at Zach's Jeep a few minutes later, they drove through the downtown area and followed the coastline to Sapphire Beach State Park.

  Chapter 13

  Leaving Zach's car at the entrance, they headed on foot toward the path that meandered around the ocean side of the park. It was only a half-mile or so in length, and there were only a handful of spots that matched Natasha's description.

  After several fruitless searches, they came upon one final possibility. Zach went to explore one of the clusters of wild vegetation, while Connie sat on the bench and scanned the area around her.

  She wandered across the grass over to an area of bushes and followed it to the other side, which was not visible from the main path. She walked around its perimeter, scrutinizing the ground beneath her and looking for any sign that the earth had been disturbed. Zach had assured her that, even ten months later, there would likely be some signs of disturbance.

  On the far side of the shrubs was a tiny mound of dirt, barely perceptible, as if someone had dug a whole and left a remnant of the pile of dirt. Next to it, the dirt was a tiny bit lower than the rest of the ground.

  "Zach, can you check this out?"

  He came over and examined the area closely. "I'm calling this in."

  Within fifteen minutes, Sergeant Donovan and Josh were there. Shortly after they arrived, they called in a team of forensic archaeologists to dig up the area.

  Connie slipped over to a bench a short distance away when the forensic archaeologists arrived. As she looked out at the horizon, she wondered if Natasha's last moments had been in that very spot.

  It was evident why Natasha might have loved it there. A majestic Christmas palm stood like a protective friend a few yards away from the bench, and its branches swayed in the soft sea breeze against a backdrop of endless blue and green.

  If that was indeed the last place that Natasha had been alive, Connie hoped she didn't see anything coming or have the time to realize that her daughter might end up back in the life that she had fought so hard to free her from. Connie prayed that the peace surrounding that spot had enveloped Natasha's soul during the last moments of her life.

  Connie jumped when Zach came up beside her and took a seat. She didn't realize she had been lost in thought.

  "Are you okay?" he asked. "I mean, all things considered."

  Connie shrugged. "Part of me is hoping I was wrong to bring you here, and she is still alive somewhere. But then another part of me feels that there is no way she could possibly be alive, and I'm just hoping that we have finally found her body so she can receive a proper burial."

  Zach draped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "This is not how I imagined our date would end," he said softly, with a regretful smile. "I wanted everything to go just right."

  "I don't know. If you ignore the potential crime scene, the police cars, and the forensic archaeologists just off to the side, this is the perfect end to a first date."

  He smiled gratefully. "At least let me take you home. These guys are going to be a while," he said, "so there's no point in waiting around. It's a painstaking process that involves lots of pictures, slow digging, and careful assessment."

  "Okay, thanks. I should probably get home to feed Ginger, anyway."

  They walked the half-mile back to Zach’s Jeep in relative silence; then he drove her back to Palm Paradise and walked her upstairs.

  "I enjoyed our conversation at lunch," she said. "And parasailing was incredible."

  "Well, I hope you'll let me take you out again. You know, so we can get the ending right."

  Connie laughed. "I'd like that."

  They agreed that he would call her after the grand opening, which was only six days away, to make plans for another date. "I'll be sure to stop by on Saturday, too," he said. Then he leaned down and kissed her cheek. She was glad to have been with Zach when she had her realization about Natasha earlier, not simply because he was a detective, but also because he had a quiet strength that brought her comfort.

  "Thanks. I could use the moral support. And please let me know what happens with the excavation."

  "I will. I'm heading back there now."

  After Zach left, Connie stepped into the shower, hoping that the warm water would wash away her sadness along with the salt and sand, but no such luck.

  Feeling as though she were operating on autopilot, she fed Ginger and took her out. When she got back upstairs, she slipped into some comfy pajamas. The DVR indicated that it was after 6:00, and she realized she hadn't eaten dinner. With no ambition to cook, she heated up a frozen meal, which she kept on hand for just such times, and a big mug of herbal tea and curled up on the couch. Although it was seventy-six degrees in the condo, the past couple of hours left her feeling chilled.

  Connie decided not to tell Gallagher or Penelope about what she and Zach had discovered in case it was a false alarm, but she needed to talk to someone, so she grabbed her phone from her purse and called Elyse.

  "So, how was your date?" she answered, without bothering to say hello.

  "Let's just say it was memorable." Connie told Elyse the entire story, starting with her conversation with Gallagher on Friday night, since they hadn't discussed the case at Stephanie's the night before, and ending with her date with Zach and their post-parasailing discovery.

  "Wow! All this happened in two days? There's never a dull moment with you, is there?" Elyse said laughing. "I can't believe you actually figured out where Natasha might be buried while parasailing. That's unreal."

  "Zach dropped me off a few minutes ago and said he was going back to the excavation site. I'm just here, hanging tight and saying a few prayers."

  "So, are you going to see Zach again?"

  "He's going to call me after the grand opening to make plans for a second date."

  Elyse let out a squeal. "I knew you two would hit it off."

  "We really do have a lot in common. He seems like a solid guy. And, of course, parasailing was the best. It was such a rush being so high above the Gulf Coast and seeing the whole town in a glance."

  "Floating on air with a handsome guy by your side. Sounds like the perfect first date."

 
Connie had to agree. "Thank you for encouraging me to go out with him. Your friendship means a lot to me."

  "The feeling is mutual, Connie. I'm so happy to have you in my life, and in Emma's, too."

  ***

  At 9:30 PM, Connie received a text from Zach. Is it too late to stop by?

  Come on over, she replied.

  Within fifteen minutes, Zach was sitting in her living room. She could tell by the solemn expression on his face that the news wasn't good.

  "They found a body, and it appears to be Natasha's."

  Tears stung the back of Connie's eyes. Even though she had never met Natasha, she felt like they were friends. She didn't expect the loss to hit her so personally, but it did.

  After a period of silence, Zach said, "Although there hasn't been time for DNA testing, the body had the same hair as Natasha and was wearing the same clothes that she was described as wearing the night she disappeared. There was also a mini-wallet in her pocket with her driver's license and a few credit cards. It will probably all be on the late news tonight, so I wanted to come by and tell you in person."

  "Are you any closer to discovering who did this?"

  Zach shook his head. "She was shot in the back of the head and then buried. She probably never knew what hit her. It's officially a murder investigation now."

  "Poor Victoria."

  Zach looked at her with a half-smile. "Ironically, it's Victoria who helped us to ID her."

  Connie shot him a confused look.

  "Apparently the baby liked to grab her mother's phone and take pictures, and that's what she did the night of her mother's disappearance. Thanks to Victoria, we have a bunch of pictures of Natasha the night she disappeared, which gave us additional confirmation on her clothes and that she was wearing her hair in a ponytail that night."

  "I hope you'll investigate Jordan Sugrue and his little group. From what Gallagher told me, he is a dangerous man."

  "We'll be exploring every possible lead and going back to talk to people again in light of this new information. Josh is over at Gallagher's right now, letting him and Penelope know, since they were closest to her. He didn't want them hearing about it on the news."

  Despite a long day, by the time Zach left, Connie was so wound up that she couldn't sleep. Rather than lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, she took her laptop over to the couch and did an internet search for "Jordan Sugrue, New Light Community."

  Within seconds his picture popped up, and she was looking him in the eyes through her computer screen. Chills ran down her spine. He was good looking, if you liked men with shoulder-length hair and dark, penetrating eyes. He looked to be in his late thirties, probably about ten years older than Natasha. His hair was combed back, and his expression was confident. He struck Connie as someone who had a lot of charisma. Too bad he insisted on using his God-given gifts for such evil.

  Connie had the urge to close her computer. It was downright creepy having him in her living room, even if it was just his picture. But she resisted and clicked on a few links. She quickly discovered that Jordan was the author of several books. She went over to his website to check out some of them. As she read through the book descriptions, it seemed like he was basically selling the same propaganda packaged in slightly different ways, talking about his philosophy of self-empowerment and inviting people to learn more about his group.

  According to his website, he and his followers gathered regularly at a meeting space in a remote location in Florida's Panhandle, and everyone who "felt the calling" was invited to check them out. Apparently, there were people from around the country who had decided to relocate to be closer to like-minded people.

  Jordan's demeanor reminded her of a sociology professor with boundary issues whom she once had in college. Connie had always avoided him, but she later heard rumors of his inappropriate relationships with students.

  In her explorations, Connie also came across numerous photos of Jordan speaking to large crowds at both indoor and outdoor venues. One photo was taken of Jordan from the back, facing the crowd. His listeners appeared spellbound as he spoke.

  Connie stared for a moment at the faces of two of the women in the front row who looked familiar, but she couldn't place them.

  She could imagine Jordan sweeping in with sweet talk and making Natasha and Gallagher feel special during a vulnerable time in their lives, offering them a place with him and his followers. She grew angry as she thought of this man taking advantage of Natasha to the point where she became pregnant, and then giving her and Gallagher a hard time about leaving.

  Connie's heart ached, and whether or not Jordan Sugrue was involved in Natasha's murder, this guy had to be stopped.

  Chapter 14

  On Monday morning, although her heart still felt heavy, Connie tried her best to refocus on her preparations for the grand opening, despite everything that happened the night before.

  After a couple of hours of pricing jewelry, Connie and Grace took a mid-morning break and settled onto the sofa, each with a cup of steaming tea. The temperature outside was climbing into the eighties, but it still felt soothing to wrap her hands around a warm mug. Apparently, you could take the girl out of the Northeast, but you couldn't take the Northeast out of the girl.

  As they planned the rest of the day, Connie noticed Gallagher and Penelope somberly making their way across the street.

  "Those poor kids," Grace said. "They look devastated." First thing that morning, Connie had filled Grace in on what happened the night before.

  Connie and Grace got up to greet them at the door, and they both gave each of them a long hug.

  "I'm so sorry about what happened to Natasha," Connie said. "I was hoping things would turn out differently."

  Gallagher and Penelope followed Connie to the seating area while Grace poured two more cups of tea with the water in the electric kettle, which was still hot.

  "How are you two doing?" Connie asked. "I know Detective Miller came by the restaurant last night to give you the news."

  Tears streamed down Penelope's face, and Grace fished out a package of tissue from her purse. She handed one to Penelope and placed the package down on the coffee table.

  "Thank you," she managed.

  "The police said that you led them to the body," Gallagher said to Connie. "How on earth did you figure out where she was?"

  Connie pushed her dark hair out of her eyes. "It was a combination of the details Natasha wrote in her diary about her favorite thinking spot, and the fact that Penelope was babysitting Victoria on the night of Natasha's disappearance so that she could get away and think," Connie said. "Yesterday I went parasailing, and, while looking down onto the Sapphire Beach from so high above, I saw the park, and it just clicked. I happened to be with Detective Zachary Hughes and told him about my suspicions. We went over to check it out, and you know the rest."

  At the mention of Zach's name, Grace gave Connie an inquisitive look. Connie had neglected to mention that she was with Zach on Sunday afternoon when she made her discovery. She wasn't trying to hide anything, but that detail didn't seem important in light of all that had happened.

  Connie looked away to avoid eye contact but knew she would have to tell Grace all about it after Gallagher and Penelope left.

  "As much as I was hoping that it would turn out differently with Natasha, at least this gives us some closure. We now know that she is not alive somewhere trying to escape from kidnappers," Penelope said.

  Gallagher let out a long sigh. "I, for one, will feel better when the killer is behind bars. "At least now it's officially a murder investigation."

  "I was on Jordan Sugrue's website last night trying to get a feel for what he's all about," Connie said. "That man is beyond creepy. I hope the police will be investigating him and his group."

  "So do I," Gallagher said. "Besides Sugrue, Natasha didn't have any enemies that I know of, so I can't imagine anyone else being behind it. The guy's as slick as a snake, so he even could have had someone else
in his group do it. He's always testing their loyalty. He'll be hard to pin down."

  "He's obviously a very dangerous and unstable man," Grace said. Then, looking directly at Connie she said, "Promise me you'll let the police handle this one."

  Gallagher shot Connie a questioning glance. "This one?"

  "Connie helped the police solve two murder cases back in January," Grace said, "and nearly got herself killed in the process."

  The corners of Gallagher's mouth turned slightly upward, and he raised his eyebrows at Connie. "I'm impressed."

  "Don't encourage her," Grace said.

  "I know you’re worried, Grace,” Connie said. “I won't do anything foolish."

  Grace’s expression betrayed her skepticism. "Famous last words."

  "Grace is right," Gallagher said. "Sugrue is out of your league. Look at what happened to Natasha."

  After Gallagher and Penelope pulled themselves together, they returned to The Shack to finishing preparing for the lunch crowd, while Connie filled Grace in on what had been going on with Zach.

  "I always liked that young man," Grace said. "And I think Concetta would like him as well."

  A smile spread across Connie's face. Grace was a living connection to her Aunt Concetta and one of the many reasons Connie treasured her presence in her life.

  "You do know we're both in our mid-thirties, Grace. He's hardly a young man."

  Grace waved Connie off with a chuckle. "It's all relative, sweetie." Grace was in her mid-sixties, about the same age as her Aunt Concetta had been when she passed away last year.

  After Connie filled Grace in on her date with Zach, the women got back to pricing jewelry. A few hours later they stepped back to admire their work.

  "I can't believe Just Jewelry is finally becoming a reality," Connie said. She thought she'd be rushing around with so much more work to get done at this point, so she was pleasantly surprised at the progress as she surveyed the store.