Hurricane in Paradise (Florida Keys Mystery Series Book 10)

by Deborah Brown

  Fab thrust her hand out. “Give me that damn thing,” she whispered. I ignored her.

  “Morning, Fabanna,” his grizzled voice came through loudly. Fab winced at the mangling of her name. “Haven’t been able to get you off my mind, hon. It’s Toady.”

  “Of course. I know who this is, hon,” I purred.

  Creole stepped in front of Fab, preventing her from kicking my butt and possibly saving my life.

  “Thinking about you and me and how good we’d be together.” Toady punctuated his comment with an engine rev. “You come to my house, I’ll barbeque up some fresh alligator, and we can sit under the stars. What say you?”

  “Oh, Toady,” I cooed, “I felt the connection when we met. I did. But, and it’s a big one, I have a boyfriend and we’ve been together for a while. Now that he’s trained to my liking, I can’t just kick him to the curb.”

  “Trained?” Didier huffed, and Fab laughed at him. He wrapped his hand in her hair, pulling her into his chest and searing her lips with a kiss.

  Creole shook his finger at me, struggling not to laugh. He moved behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

  A long, loud sigh blew through the line. “Not like I didn’t expect it, but damn, I did hope. You don’t seem like a cheater to me, but if you should consider taking me for a test drive, so you know you’re making the right decision, I’m available.”

  “Oh Toady, if only the timing were better.”

  “Will you give me first crack if the two of you blow up?” Toady didn’t bother to hide a robust burp.

  “You’ll be the first call I make.”

  “If you ever need anything, Toady’s your man.”

  “Hors d’oeuvres, ami.”

  “I love that frenchy talk.” He half-laughed and hung up.

  “I hate you,” Fab exploded, taking a step in my direction. Didier held her back.

  “I did you a favor,” I said in the patronizing tone I knew she hated. “You would have said something mean and hung up on dear Toady. Now you have another fan club member.”

  “You’re out. I’m getting a new best friend.”

  “Calm yourself. You can’t get everything you want in one friend. Pluses and minuses. Take you. You’re high maintenance; your motto is shoot first and then ask questions. Me…” I poofed my hair. “You know what you’re getting. Besides, who would you find to annoy you as much as I do?”

  Creole and Didier laughed.

  “If he calls me again, I’ll shoot you. What’s his name again?” Fab asked.

  “That right there is a good reason to keep me around; you can never remember anyone’s name.”

  “We’ll be back.” Fab scooped up her phone, and Didier put his arm around her shoulders and walked her into the entry, where she grabbed her purse.

  French again—so annoying. “Be back in time to take me to lunch,” I half-yelled before the door closed.

  Creole surrounded me with his arms. “I want a promise from you that, when you hear back from Mac, you won’t go off by yourself.”

  I’d told him that Mac had texted last night that it was Huff’s night off at Custer’s. She planned to be at the bar this morning when he unlocked the back door. “Fab will back me up.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “You sure about that?”

  “Do you know how many times she’s said she’s getting another friend? And here I stand.” I put my hand over my heart. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her, and she always has my back, and we’ve proven that more than once.”

  His face was set in a stern expression. Eyes boring into mine, he traced my lips with his finger, kissing me. “Anything at all, call me.”

  “Have a good day at the office.”

  I hung over the kitchen sink and watched out the garden window as he walked to his truck. When he got to the street, he turned and waved. A minute later, he rolled by the driveway, honked, and roared away.

  I cut across the living room to the daybed, scooping up Jazz, and the two of us lay down and closed our eyes.

  * * *

  I woke to the phone ringing; thankfully, I’d left it in reach. “Got you a map,” Mac screeched. “Just faxed you a copy.”

  I held the phone away from my ear, shaking myself awake. A large cabinet stood against the far wall, one shelf of which held the office equipment, which consisted solely of a printer and all the connections it took to make it work. The shelf underneath held a handful of office supplies that didn’t see much use. I favored decorated note pads and cute pens, which I had to keep out of Fab’s reach or they disappeared.

  I heard the printer making a whirring noise, got up, and opened the cupboard doors in time to see a letter-size page hit the tray. I grabbed it up.

  “This looks to be out in the wilderness,” I grumbled, turning the crude drawing around. “Did Huff know if Doodad is still in residence? The hurricane ravaged some of those areas.”

  “Doodad has been in for a beer since the hurricane and didn’t mention any damage. Huff doesn’t socialize outside the bar. Says he needs time to rest up from being reasonably pleasant.”

  “I can see where that would be tiring.”

  “Huff said that Doodad likes his solitude and has no appreciation for uninvited guests. Also, he didn’t think Doodad would shoot you.”

  “That’s why I’m taking Fab. She can sweet-talk the old hermit.”

  “You need anything else, I’m your girl. Be careful. Don’t take any chances.”

  “We’d never do that.” Anyone who knew Fab and I would know that was a false assurance.

  I text Fab, “Get your ass back here—pronto,” and ran upstairs to get changed. This trip required sturdy shoes and long pants. Weeds bred bugs, and I wasn’t eager to come home covered in bites.

  Hearing the door slam, I holstered my gun inside my waistband, rolled up the legs of my pants to my knees, and squished my feet into laced-up tennis shoes. I paused at the top of the stairs. Didier was at the bottom, and the intensity in his eyes brooked no argument. The Frenchman could do fierce. I took a breath, mostly certain he wouldn’t strangle me, if only as a courtesy to my family.

  “Thank you for not dawdling.” I breezed by the man. “Got an address on Doodad that I want to check out.”

  “Where is it?” Fab held out her hand.

  I was ready for her tricks. She wasn’t going anywhere without me. I’d stuffed the map down the front of my pants, figuring no one would look there. I jabbed at my temple. “It’s all up here. Ready?” I grabbed my tote and, without waiting, headed to the SUV and climbed into the passenger seat.

  Hearing the back door shut, I didn’t have to turn around to know that Didier was seated behind me. “Pretty boy is coming?” I said to Fab. Looking over the seat, I added, “In linen shorts?”

  “This was all Creole’s idea.” She beamed.

  “Head south on the Overseas. There’s bug spray in my tote,” I said over my shoulder. “It’s not one hundred percent, but at least they won’t make an entire meal out of you. You happen to have a gun?” I flipped down the visor and saw that Didier had moved to the center.

  He lifted his designer short-sleeve shirt and showed off the handle of a handgun sticking out of the top of his shorts.

  “You know how to use that?” I asked.

  “Pay attention to the road,” he barked. “Where are we going, anyway?”

  I pulled the directions out of my pants and handed them to him. “It’s the first exit after the state park. Not as out of the way as it appears.” I nudged Fab. “I need you to work your magic—he’s older, a hermit, you know the type.”

  “You say that, but who worms the information out of them? You.”

  “Pave the way. Once I get him talking, you stalk the property and do whatever it is you do, in addition to taking pictures.” I nodded at Didier. “Wha
t about him? We tie him up, leave him in the car?”

  Fab looked at him in the rearview mirror. “It’s better if Madison and I make the initial contact. He sees you, and he might not be so friendly. If something goes awry, you’ll have to save us both.”

  “And how would I accomplish that,” Didier snapped, “from inside the car?”

  “I’m not expecting any trouble,” I said. “I just want to ask him a couple of questions. That’s it. This is my brother.” I was annoyed at having to explain why this was so important. “You both stay in the car, and I’ll do it myself.”

  Didier patted my shoulder. “This is the only time you’ll get this offer. You tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

  Fab and I turned to each other. She winked, and we both burst out laughing.

  “Don’t think I won’t get back at you if you use this as an opportunity to prank me,” Didier grouched.

  “Next turn to the right. I think.” I waved my hand at Didier. “Can I have the so-called map back?”

  “That would helpful,” Fab said sarcastically.

  “If I’m wrong, you’ll turn around.” I studied the map and the landmarks Huff had drawn in, starting with an abandoned house, the yard filled with junk, a mailbox with a dog’s head, and an old rowboat. The house was all that remained.

  Fab veered off at the exit at the last minute. I was used to her driving and grabbed the sissy bar. Didier rocked back and forth and muttered something in French.

  The sides of Fab’s mouth quirked up, but she pretended to concentrate on the road.

  At the stop sign, the trees that were shown on the map as flanking the gravel road were now missing. Nothing but a healthy growth of weeds and a cement pad where a structure once stood. The hurricane winds had done some field-clearing.

  Fab turned onto the bumpy road, driving slowly to the end, then making a U-turn and heading back to a single-lane driveway that we’d passed about a half-block back. A small structure at the back of the property could be seen from the road.

  “At this point, there is no element of surprise.” I scooted up on my seat, peering out the windshield. “Head up the driveway and we’ll check it out. We meet up with a human, turn on the charm.”

  The building at the back was nothing more than a storage shed. It wasn’t new but had escaped the ravages of the storm. As we started up the drive, the door flew open. A goliath filled the opening—a good six foot five, with shoulders as wide as a football field and a full beard—leaning on the butt of a rifle.

  Fab took a coin from the ashtray. “We’ll flip.”

  I ignored her and opened the door as soon as the SUV came to a stop. “I’ve got this.” I kicked the door shut, drowning out whatever Fab was yelling.

  “Doodad!” I waved and pasted a smile on my face as though we were old friends; it would work for a few minutes anyway.

  I breathed a sigh of relief when he shoved the rifle back inside the shed and met me halfway, checking me out from head to toe.

  “How have you been?” I continued my bluff.

  “Just so you know, I never forget a face, and I’ve never laid eyes on you before. But I’ll play along.” He pointed to a beach chair. “Have a seat and get to the point. First, you got a name?”

  “Madison… Madison Westin.”

  “Before you get started, who’s in the SUV? Don’t say no one; you jumped out of the passenger side. Couldn’t believe you kicked a dent in that fine automobile.”

  “The driver is my best friend, or was, and it was supposed to be her job to make the initial contact and have you thinking with your second brain, and I’d come in with the point of the visit. In the back is her boyfriend; he invited himself along as our bodyguard, in case you turned out to be a whack job.”

  “From the backseat.” He snorted. “You could be dead by now, with me long gone. I know every acre of this weedy jungle.”

  “We have friends in common. Huff gave me directions, or gave my friend directions anyway; I don’t know the man.” I handed over the map.

  He barked a laugh. “This stinks. I’m surprised you found the place based on this.” He handed back the map.

  “My brother’s missing, and I’m desperate to find him.” I went on to tell him that I owned Jake’s and was also Phil’s boss and that she’d put out the call for information from her snitches at my request when I’d run into nothing but dead ends. And finally that he’d scored high on the list.

  Fab honked, and I waved without turning around.

  “Your friend apparently found your response unsatisfying; she just got out of the car, along with the bodyguard.” Doodad snickered.

  “Fab and her boyfriend, Didier. She has a short attention span, won’t hang around long, and would rather snoop around your property. You’d make her day if she stumbled over a dead body.”

  “That’s a perk of hurricane season; the big ones roll through and clear out the bodies.” Doodad waved his hand around. “Heard about the reward, stopped by Jake’s to get a look at the picture, but it was Phil’s day off.”

  As I reached into my pocket, Doodad’s brow went up. I held up one hand. “Just getting my phone.” His mouth softened a little from its serious expression.

  Doodad looked over his shoulder. “Your friends are fighting.”

  “They’re French. They’d probably disagree, but I think they fight so they can make up… you know, in a loud way.”

  He laughed. “I get the picture.”

  “This is my brother, Brad.” I handed him my phone, telling him what we knew about Brad’s disappearance.

  “I wish for your sake that my answer could be different, but I’ve never seen him before.” He flicked to the next picture. “Who’s this?”

  “My mother, Madeline, the general in our family.”

  “I trust a woman who smokes a cigar.” He continued to scroll. “Nice family.”

  “I got really lucky there.”

  He held up the phone. “Can you make this one bigger?” He showed me a picture of Brad standing next to his truck.

  I reached across and showed him how to do it.

  “This I’ve seen, and the reason I remember is that the couple in the truck were arguing while the man helped the woman into the passenger seat. Then he went around to the driver’s side, and after he got in, she leaned across and hit him.” Doodad demonstrated a downward fist blow. “The man hunched over. I couldn’t see what she did next. There was a bunch of moving around; then she climbed over him, got behind the wheel, and drove off. Figured I’d hear something about that story, like that she got arrested, but nothing, not even an unidentified body showing up somewhere.”

  “Do you remember where you saw this happen?”

  “You’re right about your friend being nosey.” He stared over my shoulder. “I’m surprised she hasn’t gone inside my shed; she’s circled it twice. The boyfriend just shrugged, guess he just admitted she wears the pants.”

  I stared at the ground and laughed.

  “Where were we?” Doodad flashed me a stern stare. “Oh yeah. Down by the docks,” he went on, looking back at the picture. “I was looking to apply for a job on the apartment construction. Figured they had everyone they needed, but what the hell. Know where I’m talking about? The small area that’s been hyped for revitalization.”

  “I can get you a job.” The lump in my throat threatened to choke me. Noting his look of skepticism, I added, “I’m not blowing smoke.”

  “Sissy over there is now spraying himself with something.” He chuckled.

  “It’s bug spray. He’s about to be one of your new bosses, so you might not want to call him a sissy. He and my brother own that building. At least until the sale goes through. When they go on to the next project, they use the same guys, if you’re not a slacker.”

  “Right. Keep the name-calling to myself.” He
mock-saluted. “Bugs aren’t bothering you.”

  “Spray before you leave the house—” I shook my index finger. “—as my mother would say. Can you give me a description of the woman?”

  “Slim build, no curves on her frame, dark hair; she wouldn’t have stood out if it weren’t for the scene the two of them were making. Never saw his face—just a side glimpse—and then, when he faced me head-on, the tinted passenger window didn’t give me a clear view.” Doodad leaned back in his chair, looked up at the sky, and closed his eyes, lost in thought.

  “Did it seem like they knew one another?”

  “I thought it was his wife or girlfriend. And the shit I witnessed made me happy I’m single.”

  “His girlfriend is a blond, and they don’t fight—at least not in public.”

  Fab and Didier must have gone back to the SUV, because Fab was blowing the horn again. I was certain it wasn’t Didier and also sure they were exchanging angry words.

  “She just gave you the all-clear,” I said. “No dead bodies and she’s ready to go.” I stood and motioned for him to follow. “I want to introduce you to Didier; get his card, and I’ll give you mine. Sending a message through Phil also works. If you remember anything—I don’t care how meaningless you think it might be—please get in touch. Tell Phil you qualify for the Madison discount—free food.”

  “I’m happy now that I didn’t shoot you.” He stood and followed me. “What are your friends going to think about you helping me out?”

  “That won’t be a problem.” I half-laughed. “Didier and Brad are friends as well as partners. Didier is eager for news.”

  Didier leaned against the SUV, not having gotten back in when Fab did. Before making introductions, I asked about job openings. Caught off guard, Didier hesitated, pulling out his wallet, handing over his business card. “Call me tomorrow.”

  I retrieved my purse and handed Doodad my own card and some cash.

  Doodad shook his head. “This is too much.”

  “No, it isn’t,” I told him sternly. “Besides, once I drag my brother’s behind home, I’ll be billing him.”